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Wednesday 10 June 2026
Houston man gets over 30 years for trafficking minors in two citiesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 23-year-old local man has been sentenced for sex trafficking and enticing a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A federal jury deliberated for less than two days before returning guilty verdicts on two counts of sex trafficking of minors as well as coercion and enticement of a minor against Cristian Morris following a three-day trial in March 2025.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Morris to a total of 384 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted that sex trafficking is a horrible crime, made worse when minors are involved and that the victims were sentenced to a life of terrible memories. Morris was further ordered to serve 180 months on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
From Jan. 1 - June 23, 2023, Morris recruited teenage girls, gave them drugs and posted sexually explicit ads offering them for commercial sex. He forced them to engage in sex acts with clients at hotels near the “blade” in Houston and Dallas.
The blade or “track” in Houston is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street. The blade in Dallas is on Harry Hines Boulevard. Both locations are known areas where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.
At the trial, the jury heard from three victims Morris trafficked over several months. They testified he instructed them on how to walk the blade, how much to charge and gave them condoms. The jury also learned that Morris transported them between Houston and Dallas to engage in sex acts.
Morris kept all the proceeds.
Law enforcement ultimately arrested him June 23, 2023, after he had posted commercial sex ads for the youngest victim, a 15-year-old runaway.
At the time of the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that the victims were just a group of runaways and school dropouts engaged in bad behavior. They did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
Morris will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor, DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Valenti and Kimberly Leo prosecuted the case.
Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Israel Ramos Portillo, a/k/a “Juan Carlos”, 39, a citizen of Honduras who resided in Coffee Springs, Alabama, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison after a jury previously found him guilty of attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This criminal illegal alien sought to sexually exploit and victimize a child, and drove for hours across state lines to accomplish that heinous crime. Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners and the outstanding trial prosecution by my office, this predator will instead find himself in federal prison for more than a decade. As this case demonstrates, it is imperative that we secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws to repel and expel criminal illegal aliens from our country to keep our communities – and our kids – safe.”
Trial testimony and evidence demonstrated that on April 12, 2025, state and federal law enforcement agencies conducted an online undercover operation aimed at identifying adults using the internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, the defendant began interacting with law enforcement’s undercover profile on a dating website, through which the detective was posing as a 14-year-old child.
Through numerous text messages over a two-week period, the defendant engaged in sexually explicit conversations and expressed interest in having sex with the child, ultimately arranging to travel from his home in Alabama to Tallahassee to meet the child and go to a hotel to have sex. When the defendant arrived at the proposed meeting location, law enforcement arrested him and seized his cell phone as evidence. After searching the defendant’s cell phone, law enforcement confirmed that he was the person communicating with the undercover detective and that he traveled across state lines with intent to engage in sexual conduct with the fictitious 14-year-old child.
After serving his term of 121 months’ imprisonment, Portillo will have to serve 5 years of supervised release and register as a sexual offender. He will be held for deportation proceedings at the conclusion of his federal prison sentence.
“This criminal illegal alien is a predator who sought to exploit the vulnerability of a child online,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Child predators will find no safe haven as HSI, alongside our partners, will relentlessly pursue those who attempt to harm our youth. Protecting children from these heinous crimes is of highest importance, and threats to their safety will not be tolerated.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is also 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Homeland Security Task Force investigation leads to 17 convictions related to a methamphetamine trafficking organization in Angelina CountyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Homeland Security Task Force investigation in Angelina County has resulted in the convictions and sentencings of 17 individuals related to a methamphetamine trafficking organization in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose Pedro Guzman, Jr., 35, of Corrigan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on June 10, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in November 2022, a law enforcement investigation into drug trafficking, firearms crimes, and immigration violations in Angelina County resulted in the seizure of over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and fourteen firearms. Guzman is the 17th person sentenced to federal prison as a result of this investigation. Other defendants sentenced include:
Albert Lopez, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 292 months;
Hector Gomez, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 188 months;
Jodi Calvin Sparkman, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 151 months;
Christopher Dewayne Harvey, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 175 months;
Oscar Padilla, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 70 months;
Adaryl Douglas, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 135 months;
Leanna Jean Busby, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 120 months;
Gary Mills, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 121 months;
Amanda McBride, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 120 months;
Clifton Collin-Dakota Smith, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 63 months;
John Christopher Rios, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 140 months;
Lorene Michelle Baker, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 121 months;
Corey Mullan, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 162 months;
David Davis, Jr., conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 97 months;
Penny Ann King, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 121 months; and
Eduardo Barajas-Macias, illegal reentry by a previously deported alien, 7 months.
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 Houston comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Houston (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas; Angelina County Sheriff’s Office; Lufkin Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety; and Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Investigation Results in Federal Charges of Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Conspiracies against Prolific Methamphetamine Trafficker Tied to United CartelsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday against Jaime “Jimmy” Sanchez Soriano, 45, of Mexico, a prolific drug trafficker who imported vast amounts of methamphetamine into the United States.
Before his capture on March 19 by Mexican authorities, Sanchez Soriano procured methamphetamine from Los Viagras Cartel, a notoriously violent drug trafficking organization affiliated with the United Cartels, which is among the world’s most significant methamphetamine producers, capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. The United Cartels’ distribution network spans the United States, with hubs in Kansas City, Missouri, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Sacramento, California, Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago, and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (also known as Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended. In August 2025, the Criminal Division announced criminal charges against several top leaders of the United Cartels and Los Viagras Cartel.
Sanchez-Soriano is charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine for importation into the United States, and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted he faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Roger Polack and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri provided significant assistance.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guatemalan National Pleas Guilty to Being an Illegal Immigrant in Possession of a Firearm and Illegally Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Guatemalan National illegally residing in the Branson, Taney County, Mo., area, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of Illegal Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Immigrant, and Illegal Entry into the United States.
Edilberto Gonzalez-Barrera, 40, pleaded guilty before District Judge Douglas Harpool to being an illegal immigrant in possession of a firearm, and illegally entering into the United States. Upon serving any period of imprisonment ordered by the Court at the time of sentencing, Gonzalez-Barrera will then be deported to his native country of Guatemala.
On March 29, 2026, officers with the Branson, Missouri Police Department responded to Cox Hospital in Branson, Mo., in response to a male who had come into the hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. Officers learned that Gonzalez-Barrera, an individual who illegally entered the United States, had possessed a firearm, and as he was cleaning the firearm, it accidentally discharged, shooting off the lower end of one of his fingers. Upon determining that Gonzalez-Barrera was illegally within the United States, local law enforcement contacted agents with the Department of Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE). Agents responded and determined that Gonzlez-Barrera was illegally in the United States, as he was a citizen of Guatemala, without permission to enter or remain within the United States.
Under federal statutes, Gonzalez-Barrera is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole for the offense of being an illegal immigrant in possession of a firearm, and six months imprisonment for illegally entering the United States. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Branson Missouri, Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Grand Jury Indicts Northern Nevada Man for Embezzling Nearly $8 Million in Funding from Broadband Infrastructure ProjectRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A federal grand jury today returned a 16-count indictment that charged the owner of Uprise, LLC, a former internet service provider located in Reno, Nevada, with felonies in connection with an alleged embezzlement from a federal grant project. Stephen A. Kromer (48) is charged with felony counts of embezzlement of government property, federal program theft, money laundering and presenting a false document, all in connection with his alleged embezzlement of more than $7.8 million from a federally funded high-speed internet construction project near Lovelock, Nevada.
“Today’s 16-count indictment against the defendant is serious; and should send a clear message that the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to ending corruption,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The Public Corruption Strike Force within the U.S. Attorney’s Office is working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partner agencies to root out corruption, including theft of federal program grant funds.”
“Through multiple fraudulent schemes, the defendant clearly exploited trust to line his pockets,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “The grants were intended to enhance broadband infrastructure in rural communities in Nevada. Instead, the defendant brazenly misappropriated these funds for personal gain.”
“We want to thank our partners at the Department of Justice and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for tackling fraud head on and being essential stakeholders in stopping waste, fraud, and abuse of federal funds,” said Nevada State Director Alida Ceballos for USDA Rural Development. “From Day 1, USDA and DOJ have worked hand-in-hand to bring bad actors to justice and ensure those who exploit taxpayer dollars are held accountable.”
According to court documents, Kromer owned Uprise in 2022 when it applied for a federal grant under the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) ReConnect Program, proposing to construct a $36-million internet project that would provide access to high-speed internet to users living or working in rural Lovelock, Nevada, about 100 miles northeast of Reno. As part of the funding for the project, Uprise agreed to contribute $9 million toward the cost of the project. In June 2023, the USDA awarded Uprise a $27 million ReConnect grant to fund the Lovelock Project and required Uprise to deposit its $9 million share of the funding into a separate financial account called the Pledged Deposit Account (PDA) that restricted withdrawals to payments for costs of the Lovelock Project as approved by the USDA.
According to the Indictment, Kromer embezzled about $7.8 million of funding from the Lovelock Project by withdrawing the funds from the PDA and depositing them into his personal bank account via 32 wire transfers he made from the account between May and November 2024. The Indictment alleges that with each transfer Kromer caused false accounting entries to be made in the books and records of Uprise to make it appear that the withdrawals were made to pay for the costs of the Lovelock Project when, in truth and fact, they were not. Kromer then submitted the false information to the USDA. The Indictment further alleges that Kromer disguised and concealed the proceeds of the embezzlement by moving the proceeds from his personal bank account into accounts he held at various cryptocurrency exchanges where he converted more than $6.2 million of the proceeds from U.S. dollars into cryptocurrency.
Kromer is charged with one count of theft of government property; four counts of federal program theft; five counts of money laundering; five counts of monetary transactions in criminally derived property; and one count of using a false document. An initial appearance has been scheduled for June 24, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah. If convicted, Kromer faces the maximum statutory penalty of 50 years’ imprisonment on the federal theft charges and more than 100 years’ imprisonment on the money laundering and false document charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office, and Nevada State Director Alida Ceballos for USDA Rural Development made the announcement.
The FBI and USDA Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Myhre and Skyler Pearson are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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GoodFellas Gang Member Sentenced to over 15 Years for Using a Firearm During Attempted Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
A Georgia man was sentenced today to 186 months in prison and five years of supervised release for using a firearm during a drive-by shooting at an apartment complex, resulting in multiple victims, including a 6-year-old child.
According to court documents, De’Andre Jackson, also known as “Gen,” also known as “Glock,” also known as “Glizzy,” 23, of Clarkston, and other armed GoodFellas gang members drove in two vehicles to an apartment complex, where they intended to shoot the intended victim whom they believed was a “snitch” and not loyal to the gang. Jackson and others discharged multiple firearms and shot the intended victim, her 6-year-old-son, and another victim who was 14 years old. The intended target was shot 6 to 9 times, her son was shot 3 times, and the 14-year-old victim was shot in the ear. Approximately 50 shell casings were recovered from the scene. Each victim survived.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Renaud of the Northern District of Georgia 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 achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
George Herman Ruth Sentenced to 11 Years for Mail Fraud Scheme and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, TN – On June 10, 2026, George Herman Ruth, 70, of Morristown, was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment by the Honorable Clifton Corker, United States District Judge, in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
Today’s sentence followed Ruth’s prior entry of a guilty plea to twenty-five separate counts of mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud class action administrators throughout the country. Following Ruth’s imprisonment, he will be on federal supervised release for three years.
According to filed court documents and statements made in court, Ruth was previously sentenced to prison for 56-months for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States Social Security Administrator, and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, in the Southern District of Indiana. Upon his release from imprisonment, in October of 2023, Ruth began serving a term of federal supervised release in the Eastern District of Tennessee that required him to submit truthful monthly reports to his supervising probation officer.
From at least January 2023 and continuing through at least July of 2025, Ruth engaged in a large-scale scheme to deceive class action administrators and to enrich himself through fraud. Ruth identified class action lawsuit settlements and submitted hundreds of fraudulent claim forms to different class action administrators in which he purported to be entitled to relief under the terms of the relevant class action lawsuit. Ruth predominately used the names of former Major League Baseball players to submit false claims. To facilitate his fraud, Ruth opened post office boxes throughout northeast Tennessee to receive mail from class action administrators and opened a bank account in the name a sham business called “El Mundo Marketing” to deposit fraudulent received payments from class action administrators. Ruth used proceeds from the fraud scheme to travel, to gamble, and to continue the scam. Ruth admitted that he attempted to obtain more than $250,000 through his fraud scheme.
Ruth repeatedly submitted false monthly supervision reports to his probation officer to facilitate his mail fraud scheme. For example, Ruth falsely reported on numerous monthly supervision reports that he did not have access to a post office box when, in truth, Ruth had thirteen separate post office boxes that he used to advance his mail fraud scheme. Additionally, Ruth falsely reported on monthly supervision reports that he did not travel out-of-state when, in fact, Ruth regularly traveled out-of-state without permission.
“George Herman Ruth’s conviction exemplifies the unwavering commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The eleven-year prison sentence imposed today reflects the seriousness of Ruth’s actions and will hopefully deter others from running schemes to defraud in the Eastern District of Tennessee.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has been at the forefront of protecting consumers from fraud schemes for many years,” said Inspector in Rodney M. Hopkins of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Atlanta Division. “Anyone who engages in deceptive practices like this should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable, regardless of where they are.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the Morristown Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell, Christian Lampe, Mac Heavener, and Wayne Taylor represented the United States.
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Gainesville Career Criminal Sentenced to 174 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Tyrese Da’jon Jones, 26, was sentenced to 14 and a half years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This violent career criminal has amply demonstrated that the only way we can stop him from committing further crimes and endangering our community is by keeping him locked behind bars. Thanks to the investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and the aggressive prosecution by my office, that is exactly what we will do. The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and my office will continue to fight hard every day to remove dangerous criminals from our neighborhoods and deliver the crime-free streets our citizens deserve.”
Court records reflect that on July 2, 2025, the defendant held a co-worker at gunpoint inside her vehicle for several hours. When law enforcement arrived, the defendant fled on foot and pointed his firearm at officers before he was apprehended. At the time of his arrest, the defendant was a felon and could not legally possess a firearm based upon his multiple prior convictions for offenses involving drugs and guns.
“This sentencing is the result of outstanding work by our deputies and our federal law enforcement partners. On July 2, 2025, Tyrese Jones, a convicted felon who had no business possessing a firearm, held a female victim against her will at gunpoint and then pointed that firearm at responding deputies. The deputies involved were fortunate to escape without injury and were able to safely take him into custody before anyone was seriously hurt or killed,” said Sheriff Chad Scott. “This was an extremely dangerous situation created by an individual who demonstrated a complete disregard for the law and the safety of others. Thanks to this federal sentence, a violent offender will remain off our streets and will not be able to threaten our community in the near future. We remain committed to aggressively pursuing those who illegally possess firearms and use them to victimize others.”
The case involved an investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former National Park Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Masters, 38, of Victor, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or around October 2025 to in or around February 2026, Masters was employed by the National Park Service when he stole approximately $150 from a donation box at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, part of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in Lansing, Fayette County. As part of his guilty plea, Masters admitted that he used his position to access and remove money from the donation box without permission or authority on several occasions, and covered surveillance cameras to avoid detection.
Masters is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000. Masters also owes $150 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Park Service.
United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy L. McLaughlin and Erik S. Goes are prosecuting the case.
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-60.
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Former Kokomo Police Department Officer Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Minor, Lying to Investigators, and Destruction of RecordsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Following a five-day trial, a federal jury has found former Kokomo Police Department officer, Sinmi Asomuyidem 33, guilty of charges related to his on-duty sexual assault of a 14-year-old and related obstruction.
“Police officers are entrusted with extraordinary authority and responsibility to protect the public. The defendant’s reprehensible actions betrayed that trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This verdict sends a clear message: officials who abuse their power and violate the constitutional rights of children will be held accountable.”
“While this administration strongly supports the men and women of law enforcement who are steadfastly committed to making our communities safe, we will not tolerate those who abuse the powers entrusted to them,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas Wheeler II for the Southern District of Indiana. “The defendant used those powers to sexually abuse a 14-year-old girl and then lied and destroyed evidence to cover up his crimes. The jury saw through his lies and held him accountable for his crimes,”
“The defendant used his position of trust and the appearance of assistance to isolate and assault a child, then took steps to obstruct the investigation by destroying records and lying to law enforcement. These actions reflect a complete disregard for the law, the victim, and the public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue justice for victims and hold offenders fully accountable.”
In particular, jurors found Asomuyide guilty of willfully depriving the victim, who was then 14 years old, of her constitutional rights by sexually assaulting her. The jury found that the defendant’s conduct included kidnapping and abusive sexual contact of a child under the age of 16.
Jurors also found Asomuyide guilty of lying to the Indiana State Police in attempt to cover up the assault by denying having sexual contact with the victim and lying about the presence of other corroborating evidence. Jurors also found Asomuyide guilty of deleting a messaging application he had been using to communicate with the minor victim prior to the sexual assault in attempt to cover up the assault.
Asomuyide faces up to life in prison at sentencing.
The case was investigated by the FBI. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel Tara Allison who prosecuted this case.
Former Hapeville Police Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tasing Handcuffed Detainee and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Shevoy Brown, a former officer with the Hapeville, Georgia Police Department, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for using unreasonable force by repeatedly tasing a handcuffed detainee and then writing a false report to cover up his crime.
“Brown willfully violated our Constitution by abusing his power to violently and unnecessarily assault a man in his custody. He then made matters worse by writing a false report in a failed effort to obstruct any investigation of the matter,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Brown’s misconduct was a violation of his oath and is an affront to our district’s many honorable law enforcement officers who serve with great integrity.”
“This sentence demonstrates that no one is above the law, including those entrusted to enforce it,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When a law enforcement officer abuses their authority and violates an individual’s civil rights, the FBI will work to ensure they are held accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other evidence presented during Brown’s trial: On the evening of June 3, 2024, Hapeville Police Department officers arrested a man for trespassing at an apartment complex and transported him to police headquarters. The man was placed alone in a small holding cell and handcuffed to a stationary bench. Although the detainee posed no threat, Brown entered the cell twice and tased him at least six times, including in the genitals, without any legal justification. Brown stopped tasing the victim only after another officer intervened.
Brown’s repeated tasing caused injury that required medical attention. After the victim was transported from police headquarters by ambulance, Brown wrote a false use of force report in an attempt to justify and minimize his actions. In the report, Brown stated that he tased the victim twice to gain compliance after the victim supposedly kicked the door and window to the holding cell. But the victim had stopped hitting the window before Brown entered the cell and had never kicked anything. Moreover, Brown omitted that he handcuffed the victim to a bench and then tased the victim four additional times.
Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Shevoy Brown, 31, of Hampton, Georgia, to three years and one month in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Brown was convicted on February 26, 2026, following a jury trial.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray 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.
Former Circus Official Sentenced to 22 Months in Prison for Stealing $123,000Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a former St. Louis circus official to 22 months in prison and ordered him to repay $130,905.
George S. Pace, 63, was on the board of directors of the nonprofit circus beginning in 2020 and later became board president. From December 2022 through at least September 2023, he stole from the circus in multiple ways. He used a credit card that he’d obtained without the knowledge or approval of the circus to pay thousands of dollars of personal expenses, including payments to nail salons, restaurants, and for skin care treatments. He used a second card for more unapproved expenses, including horseback riding related expenses and for restaurant meals. When another circus official reviewed the second card’s expenses, Pace lied and claimed the card had been stolen. Pace presented the official with forged account statements falsely showing that he had resolved the charges.
Pace also diverted checks drawn on the circus’ bank account to himself instead of using them to pay down a line of credit. Pace’s diversion of the line of credit payments caused thousands of dollars in interest to be accrued by the circus.
Finally, Pace deposited thousands of dollars of donor checks made out to the circus into his personal account. In the plea agreement, Pace admitted defrauding the circus out of over $123,015. He also will be responsible for repaying fees and interest to two banks totaling $7,889.
Pace also fraudulently applied for two U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Assistance Loans totaling $29,400. The SBA denied the loans.
In court Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll said defrauding a nonprofit was “one of the most offensive types of frauds,” and represented years of deliberate acts by Pace.
Pace, of Ladue, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to four counts of wire fraud.
“The shame should only be borne by George Pace and no one else. He stole from a locally owned non-profit circus that has been creating fun memories for families and children for decades,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Like a typical embezzler, Pace was a wolf in sheep’s clothing and exploited the trust that was given him.”
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll prosecuted the case.
Former Anson, Texas City Manager Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
An Abilene federal jury convicted the former Anson, Texas City Manager of attempted enticement of a minor, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Following a one-day trial, the jury convicted Ervin Joe Campbell, 64, on Monday, June 8, 2026, of one count of attempted enticement of a minor.
“This defendant elected to go to trial, which is his constitutional right. But we were ready, and the jury convicted him of attempted enticement of a minor after only 30 minutes of deliberation. The unfortunate and sad reality is that predators lurk in every facet of life, including those in positions of trust, like this defendant,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Under my watch, we will prioritize rooting out predators no matter where they lurk.”
“Protecting children from sexual predators is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “This conviction demonstrates the commitment of HSI and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who seek to exploit minors and to ensure they are held accountable.”
According to evidence presented at trial, several federal, state and local law enforcement agencies worked together to conduct an undercover chat operation in Abilene, Texas, targeting the solicitation of prostitution and child predators. During the operation, a sergeant with the Texas Attorney General’s Office posed as minors, aged fifteen and sixteen, via an undercover online account. The advertisement posted on Facebook Marketplace was listed as “Massage and Fun.”
The jury also heard evidence that Campbell responded to the advertisement and agreed to meet the two minors for sex even after the undercover agent informed him that she and her friend were 15 and 16 years old, respectively. Geolocation data from Campbell’s cell phone, and cell phone call detail records confirmed that Campbell left his home in Anson after the conversation on Facebook and drove approximately 30 minutes to a hotel in Abilene, Texas where he had agreed to meet the minors. He arrived with two condoms and more than $500 in cash and he had agreed to give the girls $500 in exchange for sex. Agents further discovered that Campbell had saved a contact in his cell phone for the person he believed to be a 15-year-old minor and the contact’s name was listed as “15.”
Campbell is set for sentencing on September 17, 2026, before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix. Campbell faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison. He also faces a $250,000 fine.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division in Abilene, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the Abilene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitney James and Allyson Monte prosecuted the case.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Chicago man that distributed fentanyl was sentenced on June 8, 2026, to 13 years in federal prison.
Deorey Hayes‑Davis, age 31, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a January 16, 2026, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that, between April 2023 and May 2023, Hayes‑Davis distributed several hundred fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder to customers in Waterloo, Iowa. On the evening of May 27 or the morning of May 28, 2023, a woman ingested fentanyl that she had obtained from Hayes‑Davis. She died from a fentanyl‑related overdose. Around the time of the overdose, Hayes‑Davis provided two locked duffel bags—one that contained approximately seven firearms and another that contained drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine—to a customer. The customer later opened the duffel bags and distributed a portion of the drugs before the rest was recovered by law enforcement officers.
Hayes‑Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Hayes‑Davis was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hayes‑Davis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Kansas City is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, covering Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. HSTF Kansas City is composed of agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the State Investigative Agencies for Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
This HSTF case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by HSTF Kansas City, with the assistance of the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25‑CR‑02019‑CJW.
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Federal judge convicts sex offender on child sexual exploitation chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal judge found a previously convicted sex offender guilty today on charges of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of CSAM, and possession of CSAM.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Brian James Backues, 46, sent sexually explicit chats to entice an 11-year-old girl to produce a video of sexually explicit conduct and to commit sexual acts between February and March of 2025. Backues was previously convicted of child sex crimes in the City of Norfolk in 2020.
Backues faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on Oct. 16. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Nelson are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-136.
Four Former Law Enforcement Officers Charged with Civil Rights Violations for Inmate AssaultsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a seventeen-count indictment charging four former East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office (EBRSO) employees, assigned to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison (EBRPP), for civil rights violations announced United States Attorney Kurt Wall. The indictment charges two former deputies and two former corporals with crimes relating to the abuse of rights under color of law, conspiracy, making a false report, and witness tampering:
- Aaron Johnson, age 29, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was charged with three counts of abuse of rights under color of law for assaulting unresisting and handcuffed inmates in isolated areas of the prison not covered by surveillance, including an incident where Johnson allegedly struck a pretrial detainee in the head with a metal folding chair.
- Kenyaki Domino, age 29, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged with two counts of abuse of rights under color of law for assaulting unresisting and handcuffed inmates in isolated areas of the prison not covered by surveillance, including an incident where Domino allegedly slammed an inmate’s head into a doorframe during an escort.
- Darius Powell, age 24, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Lionel James, age 30, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were charged with two counts and one count, respectively, for abuse of rights under color of law for their conduct.
All four men were also charged with conspiring to cover up the assaults of EBRPP prisoners as well as falsifying reports about the incidents. Johnson and Powell also face counts of witness tampering.
According to the indictment, the defendants used areas within EBRPP that did not have security cameras, such as the sally port area and interview rooms, to assault inmates and a detainee by attacking them while they were isolated and unresisting. All four attacks resulted in bodily injury, and three involved the use of dangerous weapons. The defendants conspired with one another to cover up the attacks by creating false cover stories that omitted the use of force. The conspiracies also involved text discussions between the defendants regarding EBRSO investigators and the falsification of reports. The indictment also describes a social media post created by Powell that contained pictures and statements about one of the assaults.
While employed at EBRPP, Johnson served as a field training officer responsible for providing deputies with on-the-job training, and Domino and James were responsible for supervising deputies.
In a related case, Christian Morris, age 29 of Zachary, Louisiana, a former corporal with EBRSO, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2026, to one count of abuse of rights under color of law for failing to intervene despite having the means and opportunity to do so while an inmate was being assaulted.
The defendants face up to ten years imprisonment on the abuse of rights and conspiracy counts and up to twenty years imprisonment on the false report and witness tampering offenses.
“An overwhelming majority of law enforcement personnel are extremely professional and proficient in their duties,” said U.S. Attorney Wall. “However, when someone in a position of trust has violated that responsibility, it is our job to make certain that they are held accountable. Thanks to East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux and his office for their complete cooperation in this matter and additional thanks to our partners at the FBI for a very thorough investigation.”
“The FBI appreciates the cooperation of the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office in this investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI works closely with the U.S. Attorney's Office in cases like this, and we take these types of allegations against law enforcement officers very seriously.”
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Johnson and Assistant United States Attorney April Leon lead the prosecutions.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
FBI El Paso, FBI San Antonio Sweep Crime Off Texas Streets Through Operation Spring CleaningRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO — Following the recent Justice Department announcement that revealed the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced the local contributions from the two FBI divisions in the Western District of Texas.
Operation Spring Cleaning is a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the FBI to combat gang-related threats and enhance public safety. The operation coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and targeted the illegal flow of firearms and narcotics in our communities. The operation began on March 1 and ended May 31.
In the nationwide total, Operation Spring Cleaning led to over 1,100 arrests, over 600 charges filed, and almost 600 search warrants conducted. The operation also resulted in the seizure of nearly 1,000 illegal firearms—dozens of which were equipped with machinegun conversion devices (MCDs)—and more than 2,700 pounds of illegal narcotics.
“I applaud our FBI partners across the El Paso and San Antonio divisions, who have led this initiative with the assistance of state and local law enforcement to crack down on the violent crime that infiltrates our communities, ” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. “It’s operations like this that reinforce the freedom and liberty we have as Americans.”
“During Operation Spring Cleaning, FBI El Paso and our Midland Resident Agency worked alongside our state, local, and federal partners to surge more resources to address threats posed by local gangs towards our neighborhoods,” said Jarod Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI El Paso Field Office. “Our gang personnel shared intelligence and participated in operations to dismantle the gang’s ability to inflict violent crime on our community. The FBI's priority is to defend our communities by leveraging our resources to help our partners.”
“Through Operation Spring Cleaning, the FBI San Antonio Safe Streets Task Force, including the San Antonio Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, took coordinated, sustained action against violent criminal enterprises and the networks that enabled their illicit activities,” said Daniel Faith, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “During one day of this operation, law enforcement seized 24 firearms from a criminal enterprise known to operate in high-traffic commercial areas throughout San Antonio. These efforts demonstrated our joint commitment to dismantling violent criminal organizations and preventing acts of violence in the communities we serve.”
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Eighth Defendant Charged as Part of Federal Investigation into Violent Home Invasion in Winnetka, Ill.Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — An eighth defendant has been charged in federal court with robbery and kidnapping offenses for allegedly participating in a violent home invasion in Winnetka, Ill. The defendant, ANDREW FRANKLIN, 19, of Chicago, was arrested on June 3, 2026, and has been ordered to remain detained in federal custody without bond.
Andrew Franklin and seven co-defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnapping in connection with the alleged home invasion, which occurred on the afternoon of March 8, 2026, according to a second superseding indictment that was ordered unsealed in federal court after Andrew Franklin’s arrest. The seven co-defendants were previously arrested and have also been ordered to remain detained in federal custody without bond. For one of those defendants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully appealed a U.S. Magistrate judge’s order of release on bond to a U.S. District judge, who ordered the defendant to remain detained without bond.
According to the charges, DASHUN BROWN, 24, of Chicago, posed as a food delivery driver to cause an individual in the residence to open the front door. Armed with loaded firearms, Andrew Franklin, Brown, TYRESE FENTON-WATSON, 23, of Chicago, DAVID FRANKLIN, 24, of Chicago, and JALEN CHAMBERS, 24, of Bourbonnais, Ill., forcibly entered the residence. Brown, Fenton-Watson, David Franklin, Chambers, and Andrew Franklin kept an individual in the residence captive for approximately an hour and used firearms to physically restrain the victim, the charges alleged. The perpetrators also restrained a child who arrived home while the violent home invasion was in progress, the charges alleged. The captors allegedly demanded access to a safe, computer, and online accounts holding cryptocurrency.
The conspirators fled the residence after about an hour in the home, later meeting up with ISAIAH DUKES, 28, of Los Angeles, Calif., KHIELL DUKES, 30, of Elgin, Ill., ANTHONY RAMSEY, 22, of Chicago, and additional co-conspirators who were waiting nearby and had been communicating with the captors while they were inside the residence, the charges alleged.
Andrew Franklin’s arrest and the unsealing of the second superseding indictment 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, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Brian O’Connell, Chief of the Winnetka Police Department. Valuable assistance has been provided by the Chicago Police Department, Northbrook, Ill. Police Department, Glencoe, Ill. Police Department, and Orland Park, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Merin, Jessica Ecker, and Jessica Maveus.
Kidnapping conspiracy is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while robbery conspiracy is punishable by up to 20 years. The public is reminded that an indictment 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.
brown_et_al_2nd_superseding_indictment.pdfEagle Pass Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An Eagle Pass man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, on April 17, 2025, Eagle Pass Police Department (EPPD) responded to an incident involving a recording device found in a store dressing room. EPPD identified Reginaldo Gonzalez Jr., 21, as the perpetrator. Gonzalez admitted to placing the recording device in the dressing room to record women while they were undressed. Additionally, Gonzalez admitted that he had child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone.
EPPD contacted Homeland Security Investigations agents the following day. HSI conducted a records check on the National Center for Missing Children (NCMEC) and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) database for the phone number belonging to Gonzalez. Results revealed that there were three CyberTipline reports associated with the phone number.
Over the course of the investigation, HSI agents learned that Gonzalez was employed as a pharmacy tech at the store where the recording device was found, and that after his shift on April 17, he went to the fitting room, found a hole in the ceiling, and recorded people changing in the fitting room. He further explained that he recorded additional family members secretly in the bathroom using his cell phone, specifically, a prepubescent minor family member. One video found on Gonzalez’s phone, depicting the nude minor victim, is 24 minutes and 37 seconds long and was saved in a file on Dec. 26, 2024.
During the investigation, HSI discovered numerous photos and videos of child pornography saved on the Defendant’s device, including an image that depicted a class roster with student ID’s along with several screenshots of school emails. There was a folder labeled “girls” that contained 31 folders with a total of 197 items, which were categorized and identified to belong to several high school students. The login information for 144 Snapchat accounts belonging to several students was saved into the device. Defendant also admitted to having hacked accounts belonging to the students to access their personal photographs and then attempted to anonymously extort them to create CSAM.
Gonzalez was arrested on April 19, 2025, and has remained in federal custody since. On May 14, 2025, he was indicted on one count of production of child pornography, to which he pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from EPPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nallely Duarte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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.
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Dulce Man Charged After Allegedly Threatening Children with FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man is facing federal child abuse charges after allegedly confronting an adult and two minors outside a residence with a pistol and attempting to force his way into the home while the victims barricaded the door with their bodies.
According to court documents from May 8, 2026, Andrew Fredrick Gunhammer, 26, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, approached an adult and two minors outside a residence in Dulce, New Mexico, pulled a pistol from his backpack, and began to load it with a magazine. The adult and minors ran into the residence and used their bodies to block the door when Gunhammer attempted to force entry. A fourth person inside the house told Gunhammer to leave because they were calling the police. Gunhammer fled to another residence on the same street.
Officers from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department arrived at a separate residence that Gunhammer fled to and took him into custody. Inside the residence, officers located the backpack in a bedroom and the pistol with one chambered round under a mattress. Inside the backpack, officers located several rounds of different ammunition and drug paraphernalia.
Gunhammer is charged with child abuse and will remain in federal custody pending trial which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Gunhammer faces three years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dubuque Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who distributed over 119 pounds of methamphetamine in approximately two months was sentenced on June 8, 2026, to 25 years in federal prison.
David Allen Parker, age 54, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2026, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that, between May 2024 and July 2024, Parker obtained and distributed over 119 pounds of methamphetamine. Parker had four prior convictions for drug trafficking, including a prior federal conviction in 2003.
Parker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Parker was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten‑year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Parker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24‑CR‑01038‑CJW.
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Drug Lab Found in Berkeley County Home Lands Man in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Methamphetamine sold from a Berkeley County man’s home leads investigators to a drug laboratory and sends the occupant to prison, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Joseph Paul Boyer, 34, of Gerrardstown, West Virginia, was sentenced to 168 months in prison. Boyer was selling large quantities of methamphetamine from his home. Investigators executed a search warrant on his residence and seized approximately 85 grams of methamphetamine, several marijuana plants, syringes, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia. During another search, officers discovered an active clandestine drug laboratory in Boyer’s garage and seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, ketamine, and cocaine base.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. The Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney's Office assisted.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Doctor and Staff Charged with Falsifying Data in Clinical Drug TrialsRead the Press Release
In an indictment unsealed today, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida charged a medical doctor and two staff members of a medical research center for their roles in an alleged scheme to falsify data in clinical trials of prospective new drug treatments. A third staff member was also charged in a criminal information.
According to the indictment, Dr. Jaynier Moya, 49, of Southwest Ranches, Florida, Luis Montano, 55, of Hialeah, Florida, and Yuniarka Garcia, 41, of Plantation, Florida, were charged for allegedly engaging in misconduct in clinical trials conducted at Pines Care Research Center LLC (Pines Care), in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Alexandra Olivera, 38, of Hialeah, Florida, was separately charged in a criminal information with participating in the alleged scheme. As alleged in court documents, Moya co-owned Pines Care and served as principal investigator for the research studies. Montano, Garcia, and Olivera were clinical research coordinators.
Beginning no later than 2019, the defendants allegedly fabricated testing data and falsified other records while conducting clinical trials sponsored by a pharmaceutical development company. The trials were designed to test prospective new drugs to evaluate their safety and efficacy for potential approval by the FDA. As alleged in the charging documents, the defendants falsified records to make it appear that human subjects had taken the study medications and undergone testing to evaluate the study medications’ effects as called for in trial protocols, when, in fact, they had not. The defendants allegedly used identification documents from people — who did not actually participate in trials — to create false records purporting to show those individuals participated and generated test results. The indictment also alleges that the scheme caused the falsified test data to be submitted into the clinical trial database systems used for evaluating prospective new drugs.
Each defendant is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Moya, Montano, and Garcia are each also charged with three counts of substantive wire fraud. If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Moya, Montano, and Garcia also face a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count upon conviction of substantive wire fraud.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Special Agent in Charge Juan Berrios of FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Andrew Crawford and Brianna Gardner of the Criminal Division’s Health and Safety Unit are prosecuting the case.
The Health and Safety Unit within the Department’s Criminal Division works with law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute violations of federal laws designed to protect public health and safety. The unit focuses on corporations and individuals who make and sell dangerous drugs, food, and other consumer products that could cause significant harm to Americans. For more information, see www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-safety-unit.
An indictment or criminal information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Department of Justice indicts eight conspirators who threatened University of Michigan officials, businesses, and the Jewish FederationRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Eight individuals associated with the University of Michigan were indicted for their alleged roles in conspiracies to threaten University of Michigan leaders, law enforcement, and businesses, including the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, announced U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office joined Gorgon in the announcement.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Zainab Aliasgar Hakim (Canton, Michigan) (age 23), Amatullah Aliasgar Hakim (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 21), Paige Elizabeth Feyock (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 26), Ahmet Kerem Korkaya (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) (age 28), Jonathan Hongru Zou (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 22), Alexander Matthew Sepulveda (Chicago, Illinois) (age 23), Mariam Muhammed Odeh (Dearborn, Michigan) (age 24), and Colin Hunter Weger (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 24).
“In America, we rule by law not by fear. These alleged threats and attempts to terrorize government officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation are anti-American. We will counter intimidation with justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“No one has the right to threaten, intimidate, and coerce public officials, law enforcement officers, community institutions, or their families. In the dead of night, masked and hooded defendants allegedly threw noxious chemicals through the windows of families’ homes and taped demand letters to their front doors. At every step they attempted to cover their tracks and delete evidence of their crimes. Those who engage in coordinated campaigns of threats and intimidation should expect to be held fully accountable under federal law,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “This multi-state operation led to the arrests of numerous defendants across Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin for alleged criminal activity committed within our state. I am grateful for the exceptional work of the dedicated FBI Detroit team, alongside our partners from FBI Chicago, FBI Milwaukee, University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, Ann Arbor PD, Huntington Woods PD, City of Plymouth PD, Bloomfield Twp PD, Canton PD, Chicago PD (Illinois), Milwaukee PD, Southfield PD, Novi PD, Romulus PD, West Bloomfield PD, Michigan State Police, Ypsilanti PD, Eastern Michigan University PD, and the Michigan Intelligence Operations Center, whose collaboration made this operation possible."
After the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, the defendants and unindicted conspirators enacted a series of coordinated “actions” threatening University of Michigan leaders, law enforcement, and businesses. Seemingly prompted by their perception of the University of Michigan’s and other victims’ purported financial support of Israel, the conspirators insisted publicly that they “must escalate, mobilize, and organize to demand divestment by any means necessary.”
According to the indictment, on October 20, 2023, the defendants publicly posted a list of demands on social media directed at University of Michigan leadership. Among the demands, they required the University to make a “full and complete divestment” from Israel and any businesses supporting Israel. Unsatisfied by the University’s response, the defendants “prepared to take action” against the leadership by what they called “autonomous actions,” which included forcibly entering and occupying University of Michigan buildings, defacing buildings, and blocking and disrupting events on campus. They also posted threats on the internet that included photos of their “autonomous actions.”
Below are two examples of the alleged threats posted to social media after “autonomous actions” targeting the homes of a University of Michigan elected official and the University of Michigan Provost.
The defendants also allegedly held meetings to identify targets of their “autonomous actions.” They used the internet to research personal addresses, photographs, political and social connections, business ownership, and other personal details of the targets. They also discussed methods by which to harm the targets and their families, including poison, bombs, and psychological torture. For example, on May 21, 2024, Feyock and then-medical student Korkaya agreed to “kill,” “torment,” and “terrorize” their targets and families. Referring to one victim, Korkaya stated his “entire family” was on his “hit list” Feyock added that they should “get” the “kids” of two victims. Korkaya, referring to another victim, stated, “I’m gonna be the dirtiest f------- doctor ever / I’m gonna be [victim’s] doctor / poison her a-- slowly.” Feyock agreed, “We need people following [victim] / get into that house then burn it down.”
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants are alleged to have traveled at night to the targeted homes and businesses. They damaged and defaced homes and businesses with spray-painted messages, threats, and symbols, including inverted triangles, which Hamas has used in its military videos to mark targets for death; red handprints, which Hamas has used to symbolize the Ramallah Lynching of 2000 and the murder of two Israeli military reservists during the Second Intifada; and phrases such as “INTIFADA” and “DIVEST NOW.” The defendants also left demand notes containing additional threats, caulked doors shut, bike-locked entryways, broke windows, and threw glass jars filled with butyric acid and dye into the homes. The defendants took photographs of the destruction and posted the photos online with “official statements” and additional warnings and threats, such as “you cannot hide” and “we only come back stronger.”
Below are photos of the alleged threats spray-painted on the Jewish Federation Building on the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, as well as two other businesses.
The indictment also charges Zainab Aliasgar Hakim and Paige Elizabeth Feyock with witness intimidation. In July and August 2024, Hakim and Feyock devised a plan to confront the victim, a University of Michigan student whom they believed may have been cooperating with federal authorities. They planned to convince the victim not to provide information about the defendants’ criminal activities. Hakim warned that the victim was “going to send us to federal prison.” Feyock explained, “we have to do something about [victim] / [victim] is actually a liability / the fact that [victim] is naming you to [unindicted conspirator] is a major issue.” Feyock told other conspirators that the victim “has to be neutralized” and that she and Hakim were going to “strip search” the victim “to see if he is wearing a wire / not taking no chances with him.” Hakim and Feyock confronted the victim on August 6, 2024, and afterward, Feyock told another conspirator that the victim “knows not to talk about [the autonomous actions].”
Alexander Matthew Sepulveda is also charged in the indictment with destruction of property to prevent seizure. According to the indictment, Sepulveda and Jonathan Hongru Zou were involved in an “autonomous action” at the home of the University of Michigan’s Provost. Sepulveda and Zou threw two glass jars filled with a blue substance and food compost through a window of the Provost’s home. They also spray painted the home with inverted red triangles and phrases including “Divest” and “Free Palestine.” In April 2025, law enforcement attempted to execute a search warrant at Sepulveda’s home. An unindicted conspirator warned multiple conspirators about the warrant via encrypted group chats. In response, Sepulveda is alleged to have cleared the contents of his phone and laptop.
Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties: Conspiracy to Transmit a Threat: up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000; Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witness: up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000; and Destruction of Property to Prevent Seizure: up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by FBI Detroit with assistance from the following agencies:
University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, Ann Arbor PD, Huntington Woods PD, City of Plymouth PD, Bloomfield Twp PD, Canton PD, Chicago PD (Illinois), Southfield PD, Novi PD, Romulus PD, West Bloomfield PD, Michigan State Police, Ypsilanti PD, Eastern Michigan University PD, Michigan Intelligence Operations Center, and the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen, Maggie Smith, Matthew Roth, and Robert Kuhn.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
DOJ, FBI Disable 13 Websites Backed by Suspected Chinese Agents That Sought Sensitive U.S. Information from Security Clearance HoldersRead the Press Release
domain_names_x_warrant_and_affidavit_redacted.pdfWASHINGTON – Thirteen internet domains used to target U.S. persons, including current and former security clearance holders with access to classified and sensitive U.S. government information, were seized today by federal authorities, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Today’s seizures send a clear message that any attempts to exploit Americans trusted with access to our nation’s most sensitive information will be exposed and dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These sham consulting sites were crafted to deceive, but thanks to the persistent work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, this scheme, like so many others, has been stopped in its tracks. We will always protect the integrity of our workforce and safeguard the trusted information that underpins our national security.”
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Department of Justice, FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division and Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office.
“These domain seizures offer a glimpse at how foreign actors can use promises of easy money to lure Americans into revealing sensitive or classified information that they are duty‑bound to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Anyone approached online with offers of easy income for vague ‘consulting’ work should treat those overtures with extreme caution and remain vigilant for warning signs of malicious targeting.”
“For too long, the Chinese government has tried to exploit U.S. government employees behind the cover of fake companies and phony job postings,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “Today, we shut them down. These seizures will prevent these fraudulent sites from being used to target Americans with access to sensitive information. The FBI will continue to use every tool available to protect Americans and our national security from this threat.”
“The Chinese government continues to pursue U.S. innovation, research, and sensitive information through a variety of deceptive techniques, including fraudulent job postings and online recruitment efforts,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “By seizing these domains and exposing these tactics, we are working to protect national security, safeguard American ingenuity, and help the public recognize and defend against these threats. We urge anyone approached with suspicious job opportunities or recruitment efforts to remain vigilant, recognize the warning signs, and report suspicious activity to the FBI.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure warrants, beginning in November 2023, the conspirators created at least 13 fake consulting company websites. The websites and their associated job postings advertised generic “consulting” jobs and included statements indicating their purpose was to recruit current or former U.S. government and U.S. military employees to provide expertise to unspecified clients.The websites were typically linked or referenced within the entities’ job postings on hiring platforms. The methods and means used by the conspirators include (1) the use of aliases, fictitious personas, and the stolen identities of actual persons; (2) the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated photographs; (3) relatively large payments for research reports; (4) the use of Telegram and other encrypted applications; (5) pressure to provide “exclusive” or “insider” information; and (6) the transfer of money from places and accounts located overseas to places and accounts located in the United States.
According to court documents, the conspirators recruited applicants through job postings, on social media and other platforms including Upwork, Expertia AI, Hubstaff Talent, Wellfound, and Post Job Free. The postings related to topics of interest to the government of the People’s Republic of China.
The conspirators targeted current and former security clearance holders and other Americans who have access to classified and sensitive U.S. government information. The fake positions included “Senior Analyst” and “International Affairs Consultant” jobs. The recruiters pressured candidates to share confidential information and reports from “insider” sources in violation of their official duties. The scheme used contracts and confidentiality agreements to give their bogus consulting companies an air of legitimacy.
The conspirators have denied any involvement by any foreign government.
The affidavit alleges that the conspirators offered money to applicants and recruits in exchange for sensitive information, paid for reports using online payment accounts in the names of fictitious individuals, and used cryptocurrency to conceal the conspirators’ identities and the true source of the payments. These payments allowed for the flow of money from places outside the United States to places inside the United States in furtherance of the conspiracy.
According to the affidavit, the conspirators used the following domains in their conspiracy to commit bribery of current and former public officials, identity theft, and international money laundering: Centrik Global Consulting, centrikglobalconsulting.com; Rightinfo Consulting, rightinfoconsult.com; Finnacle-Vesper Consulting, finnaclevesperconsulting.com; CYDF Consulting, cydfconsulting.com; Pulse Wave Global, pulsewaveglobal.com; Catalyst Global Solutions, catalystglobalsolutions.com (CGS); Horizzen, thehorizzen.com; GeoIndopacific, geoindopacific.com; Global Peace Foundation – Indonesia, gpf-ina.org; SafeSec Group, safesec-group.com; The TruthInfo, thetruthinfo.com; Vandercons.com; and Gulf Peace Foundation, gulfpeace.org.
The domains seized today include centrikglobalconsulting.com; rightinfoconsult.com; finnaclevesperconsulting.com; cydfconsulting.com; pulsewaveglobal.com; catalystglobalsolutions.com; thehorizzen.com; geoindopacific.com; gpf-ina.org; safesec-group.com; thetruthinfo.com; Vandercons.com; and gulfpeace.org.
Following the seizures, the FBI has placed or will place takeover pages on the seized websites to warn site visitors that the sites were rendered inoperable in order to disrupt the intended illegal activity and money laundering tied to the domains.
Today’s seizure was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie F. Zimmerman, along with the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Norfolk Field Office, with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Paralegal Kate Abrey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If you have information concerning the websites, please contact the FBI at 1-800-Call- FBI or online at [email protected].
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Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions (June 1 through June 5, 2026)Read the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of June 1 through June 5, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.
Convictions through Guilty Pleas:
- On June 3, 2026, Michael Rodríguez-Seib, a.k.a “Teco” was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to seven (7) years of incarceration for participating (as a drug processor) in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of several public housing projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on December 5, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-453, and pled guilty to the charge(s) on February 19, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On June 4, 2026, Jesús Cruz-Martínez pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire, mail, and bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 in Criminal Case 25-275. According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with engaging in a scheme to defraud a retail store and a financial institution using false identification documents. Defendant was arrested on June 17, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for September 2, 2026. United States Social Security Administration SAUSA Vanessa Bonano is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On June 4, 2026, Ángel Ocasio-Cancel pleaded guilty to Count One in case 25-365. According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Defendant was arrested on September 11, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for September 02, 2026. AUSA Andrés Orr and SAUSA Javier Rivera-Rivera are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On June 5, 2026, Manuel O. Robles-Osorio pleaded guilty to Counts one and six of the Indictment in Criminal case 22-327 (PAD). According to the Indictment, the defendant was charged with participating (as a drug seller) in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of the Pedro Rosario Nieves Public Housing project in Fajardo PR, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking. Defendant was arrested on July 27, 2022. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 28, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero Romo and SAUSA Carlos Romo Aledo are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Sentencings:
- On June 3, 2026, defendant Lloyd Guzmán-Ortiz was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to a term of 204 months (17 years) of imprisonment and a supervised release term of ten years for violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(j) Firearms violations resulting in death; and 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and 860, Drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on June 8, 2023, in Criminal Case 23-238 (SCC), and pled guilty to Counts one and seven of the indictment. AUSA Pedro R. Casablanca is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On June 3, 2026, defendant Ángel Luis Valle-Delgado was sentenced by United States Senior District Judge Francisco A. Besosa to thirty months of imprisonment and four years supervised release for using his position as a postal employee to divert and steal parcels containing controlled substances to further their distribution. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on October 30, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-448, and pled guilty to the charges on February 3, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear and United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General SAUSA Tania Salas-De Jesús are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On June 4, 2026, Edwin Rodríguez-Rodríguez was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to thirty months of imprisonment for conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, jettisoning property subject to forfeiture, and related charges. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on March 6, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-114, and pled guilty to the charges on February 19, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On June 4, 2026, Heusnel Beroni-Rivera was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to thirty-four (34) months for conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, jettisoning property subject to forfeiture, and related charges. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on March 6, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-114, and pled guilty to the charges on March 12, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On June 4, 2026, Gabriel Batista was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia L. Carreno-Coll to term of imprisonment of 33 months and no supervised release for conspiracy to possess and possession with the intent to distribute nearly 800 kilograms of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on February 19, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-085, and pled guilty to the charges on January 23, 2026. United States Coast Guard SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
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Convicted felon charged with assaulting a federal officerRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Keith Holmes, 30, of Rochester, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with assault on a federal officer, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of ammunition. The charges carry mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life.
According to the criminal complaint, in October 2020, Holmes was convicted in the District of Maine on federal charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and sentenced to serve 96 months in prison. Subsequently, jurisdiction of Holmes’ supervision was transferred to the Western District of New York. On May 13, 2026, an arrest warrant was issued for Holmes for violating the terms of his federal supervised release, causing Holmes to become a fugitive from justice.
On June 8, 2026, four Deputy U.S. Marshals (USMS), along with nine USMS Fugitive Task Force officers, went to a residence at 861 Glenwood Avenue in Buffalo to arrest Holmes for violating the terms of his supervised release. At approximately 3:25 p.m., law enforcement surrounded the residence and announced their presence. They entered the residence and approached a bedroom where Holmes was located. As law enforcement was about to make entry, Holmes fired multiple rounds through the bedroom door in the direction of the Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers, striking a ballistic shield held by one Deputy U.S. Marshal approximately three times. Law enforcement returned fire striking Holmes, who was provided medical treatment, and transported to the Erie County Medical Center for further treatment. No members of law enforcement were injured.
The FBI recovered a 9mm privately made firearm, referred to as a “ghost gun,” on a dresser in the bedroom near where law enforcement initially encountered Holmes. The FBI also recovered approximately 20 live rounds of 9mm ammunition and multiple fired 9mm cartridge casings.
“This case highlights the dangers that are faced every day by law enforcement officers,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “Rather than run away, these officers are running towards danger in their efforts to enforce the law and keep our communities safe. Any defendant who puts the life of a law enforcement officer at risk will face the consequences and be held fully accountable.”
“On Monday afternoon, our US Marshals Task Force was on Glenwood Avenue working to protect the City of Buffalo by removing a dangerous and violent criminal from our streets. During this arrest operation, they came under attack and were forced into a gunfight to defend their lives,” said Charles Salina, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of New York. “I would like to recognize the courageous work of every member of our task force. Thank God for their exceptional training and teamwork, they were able to successfully respond to the threat and return home safely to their families and loved ones.”
“Violence against law enforcement officers threatens the safety of our communities and will not be tolerated,” said Brendan Dunford, Acting Special Agent-in- Charge of FBI Buffalo. “These officers put themselves in harm's way every day to protect the American people. When someone attacks law enforcement, they are threatening the safety of our communities. FBI Buffalo and our partners will relentlessly pursue those responsible and ensure they are held accountable.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan E. Leydecker. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erica Shields. Additional assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.
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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Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Having a Gun on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison for his second conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Robert Dettbarn, age 34, from Independence, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 21, 2026, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Information at sentencing showed that on September 8, 2025, members of the United States Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force went to Dettbarn’s home in Independence. Task Force officers were trying to find Dettbarn to arrest him on a warrant issued in federal court for his violations of supervised release. Dettbarn had previously been convicted in federal court in 2018 of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
After officers arrived at Dettbarn’s home and determined he was inside, they attempted to persuade him to leave the home. Dettbarn refused to do so. Officers could see Dettbarn inside with a gun. After about five hours, an Iowa State Patrol tactical unit arrived to assist. Officers deployed tear gas into the home. Officers then heard a gunshot when Dettbarn accidentally fired his gun, striking the foundation of a nearby home. Dettbarn then left the home and was taken into custody.
Dettbarn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dettbarn was sentenced to 61 months’ imprisonment between his new sentence and a sentence of imprisonment for violating his supervised release. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Dettbarn is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-2073.
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Cleveland Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Manufacturing Illegal Pills Trafficked Out of a Home Day CareRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for manufacturing fentanyl and methamphetamine pills in Cleveland and using his home day care as part of the drug trafficking operation.
Larry Crenshaw-Broadnax was sentenced to 144 months (12 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl. He was also ordered to serve 5 years of supervised release after imprisonment.
In January 2023, federal agents were conducting an investigation into drug trafficking in Northeast Ohio, which led them to identify Crenshaw-Broadnax as a suspect. According to court documents and evidence presented in court, during a search warrant execution at a warehouse connected to the defendant, agents discovered thousands of blue-colored pills. Several bags containing a white powder substance or multicolored tablets were also found. Additionally, agents located several industrial pill press machines and a five-gallon bucket filled with a binding agent used to make pills. The pills and powder were submitted for lab analysis and tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. During a search of the defendant’s residence, investigators discovered that it served as a home day care. Pills and powder substances were found there and later confirmed to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine. Agents also seized two handguns, one of which was loaded and found hidden in a children’s toy toolbox.
In total, agents seized 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and 315 grams of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Cleveland Field Office.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Crook for the Northern District of Ohio.
Chickaloon man sentenced to prison for COVID-19 fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Chickaloon man was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud the U.S. government of COVID-19 relief funds.
According to court documents, Christopher Staggs, aka “Chrisopher Blackburn,” 44, fraudulently obtained over $170,000 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The CARES and ARPA Acts included the Paycheck Protection Loan Program (PPP) and the temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provided temporary benefits to individuals who lost work because of the pandemic. Staggs defrauded both programs during the criminal scheme and related offense conduct.
Shortly following the passing of the CARES Act in 2020, Staggs began using his Chicago-based LLC, “ABN Circle,” as a front to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance applications in Alaska and other states. Staggs harvested personally identifiable information (PII) from individuals who were either completely unaware or believed Staggs was assisting them in applying for unemployment benefits.
Staggs would receive the payments for each individual’s unemployment insurance. Staggs then paid some of these individuals a fraction of the unlawful proceeds he received in their name, while others had their identity stolen and received no proceeds. Staggs then split the remaining proceeds between him and his co-conspirators.
The investigation revealed a spreadsheet that laid out the scheme in detail; including the names used to file the false applications; his victims’ social security numbers; usernames and passwords associated with accounts used to file the false applications; and the total amount of laundered proceeds. Law enforcement also discovered detailed emails he sent to his co-conspirators explaining both the spreadsheet and the nature of the scheme.
On July 18, 2024, Staggs and co-defendant Zeb Bewak, 42, of Anchorage, were indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Staggs was also indicted on eight counts of wire fraud, and Bewak was also indicted on even counts of wire fraud. On Feb. 18, 2026, Staggs pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and on March 6, 2025, Bewak pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Bewak is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2026.
At sentencing, the Court also ordered Staggs to serve three years on supervised release following completion of his prison sentence. The Court ordered restitution to be determined at a later date.
“For years, Mr. Staggs used his intelligence to defraud people and systems, as well as avoid accountability. He saw the global pandemic as an avenue to continue that thirst, facilitating a grubby scheme upon the government that also victimized the very people the victim-programs were intended to assist,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “This kind of manipulation is unacceptable. My office is committed to using every available resource, like the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, to neutralize threats to the American purse.”
“In the wake of a global health crisis, Mr. Staggs and his co-conspirators selfishly exploited taxpayer-funded programs to line their own pockets, diverting resources away from those in need,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Together with our partners, the FBI will aggressively investigate and hold accountable anyone who seeks to abuse government programs for personal gain.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the State of Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander 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.
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Brazos County methamphetamine dealer sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violation in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Bryan drug dealer has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Matthew Forrest Jarrett, 38, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on June 10, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in June of 2025, law enforcement received information that Jarrett would be delivering a large amount of methamphetamine to the Liberty County area. A traffic stop was attempted and Jarrett fled at a high rate of speed. Once the vehicle pursuit ended, Jarrett attempted to flee on foot and was apprehended by a canine unit. Jarrett was arrested pursuant to active warrants, and a search of the vehicle revealed nearly one kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.
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Baltimore Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine OffenseRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Baltimore, Maryland man was sentenced for selling cocaine in Berkeley County, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Terrell Antonio Henderson, 35, was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Henderson worked with several others to transport cocaine from Baltimore, Maryland to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. While surveilling the defendant as a part of an ongoing investigation, officers observed a suspected drug transaction near Henderson’s vehicle in a parking lot in Spring Mills, West Virginia. A lawful search of the vehicle seized $1200 used to purchase the drugs, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Martinsburg Police Department.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Arizona Woman Sentenced for Drunk Driving CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona woman was sentenced to one year in prison for a 2023 drunk driving crash that seriously injured two people.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents on December 30, 2023, Shaina Shorty, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove while intoxicated and crashed into a vehicle occupied by Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2. As a result of the crash, both Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 sustained serious bodily injuries.
Shorty pleaded guilty to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Upon her release from prison, Shorty will be subject to two years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Arizona Woman Arrested for Punching Homeland Security Agent in the FaceRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – On June 8, 2026, an Arizona woman was charged with assault on a federal law enforcement officer for punching a federal agent in the face, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
“As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by lashing out with violence and punching an officer in the face. Assaulting law enforcement officers is unacceptable. Period. Federal officers must be able to carry out their responsibilities without being subjected to violence, intimidation, or obstruction. This Office will continue to prosecute those who, as alleged here, assault officers and interfere with the lawful execution of their duties.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Violent acts committed during what should be peaceful protests will not be tolerated,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “Homeland Security Investigations remains resolute in ensuring that individuals who threaten or attack law enforcement face the full force of the law.”
Mariano Anthony Perez, 31, of Phoenix, AZ, was charged by complaint with forcibly assaulting a federal officer involving physical contact and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on June 8, 2026 on that charge.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 5, 2026, officers and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were engaged in official duties relating to security and crowd-control operations during a demonstration near the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark.
As part of their duties, HSI special agents and officers, including Victim-1, an HSI special agent, were assigned to perimeter enforcement for Delaney Hall. The assignment required HSI personnel to clear demonstrators from the road leading to and from Delaney Hall for law enforcement vehicles to enter the facility.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., several HSI special agents first saw Perez walking back and forth past the entrance to the facility. The special agents issued numerous commands to Perez to move back, but Perez did not respond. Minutes later, Victim-1 was standing by the facility entrance while several law enforcement vehicles were trying to enter the facility. Perez attempted to walk past Victim-1 toward the vehicles but was physically pulled back by Victim-1, who told Perez in sum and substance that Perez could not walk that way. Notwithstanding that directive, Perez pushed past Victim-1 and continued walking in that same direction.
Victim-1 followed behind Perez and called for Perez to stop. Victim-1 then attempted to grab hold of Perez. At that point, Perez abruptly turned around and punched Victim-1 in the face with a closed fist. Victim-1 sustained injuries to his upper and lower lip from Perez’s punch.
The assault was captured on video footage both from publicly accessible social media accounts and from pole cameras in the area, as shown below:
The charge of assaulting a federal officer resulting in physical contact carries a maximum potential penalty of 8 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of HSI- Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Linda Foster, Assistant Federal Public Defender.
perez.complaint.pdfAhold Delhaize USA Inc. to Pay $40M for Allegedly Reporting Inflated Drug Prices on Claims to Federal Healthcare ProgramsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Ahold Delhaize USA Inc. (Ahold Delhaize), headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay the United States and participating states a total of $40 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and state analogs by reporting inflated “usual and customary” prices on claims to federal healthcare programs.
“Federal healthcare programs rely on pharmacies reporting accurate pricing information used in the applicable payment formulas,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “If pharmacies report inflated ‘usual and customary’ prices on claims to federal healthcare programs, the programs pay more than they should on those claims.”
“Pharmacies are trusted with charging the contracted prescription prices to Medicare and Medicaid and not unfairly and unlawfully taking advantage of the government and the public,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This settlement confirms that the United States will take all necessary steps to bring to justice dishonest pharmacies.”
“Pharmacies in federal health care programs must report truthful prices. Inflating those prices, as alleged here, puts the integrity of taxpayer funded programs at risk,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampertof the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS OIG will continue to aggressively pursue such conduct to protect these critical programs and all the people who rely on them.”
The United States alleged that Ahold Delhaize supermarkets with in-store retail pharmacies – including supermarket chains operating under the names Giant, Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Food Lion, and others – operated prescription savings programs pursuant to which enrolled members received discounted prices on prescription drugs. The United States contends that, in light of the features and operations of those savings programs, and the applicable Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and TRICARE program requirements (including, where applicable, contractual requirements), the discounted prices should have been reported as “usual and customary” prices on claims submitted to Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and TRICARE. Reported “usual and customary” prices serve as ceiling prices on payments to pharmacies under the applicable healthcare program payment formulas. The United States contends that Ahold Delhaize pharmacies failed to accurately report their discounted prices as their “usual and customary” prices on claims to Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and TRICARE, causing those programs to pay inflated amounts on such claims.
The Medicaid Program is jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Of the $40 million resolution announced today, the federal share is $32.9 million and the remainder will be paid to states participating in the settlement.The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Lawrence LaBenne, who was a pharmacist at an Ahold Delhaize supermarket in Pennsylvania. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Mr. LaBenne will receive $6,083,587 from the federal share of the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. LaBenne v. Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V., et al., Civil Action No. 18-CV-925 (W.D. Pa.).
This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Defense Health Agency, and state Medicaid programs.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jeffrey A. Toll and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Skirtich for the Western District of Pennsylvania.The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Ahold Delhaize USA Inc. to Pay $40M for Allegedly Reporting Inflated Drug Prices on Claims to Federal Healthcare ProgramsRead the Press Release
Ahold Delhaize USA Inc. (Ahold Delhaize), headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay the United States and participating states a total of $40 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and state analogs by reporting inflated “usual and customary” prices on claims to federal healthcare programs.
“Federal healthcare programs rely on pharmacies reporting accurate pricing information used in the applicable payment formulas,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “If pharmacies report inflated ‘usual and customary’ prices on claims to federal healthcare programs, the programs pay more than they should on those claims.”
“Pharmacies are trusted with charging the contracted prescription prices to Medicare and Medicaid and not unfairly and unlawfully taking advantage of the government and the public,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This settlement confirms that the United States will take all necessary steps to bring to justice dishonest pharmacies.”
“Pharmacies in federal health care programs must report truthful prices. Inflating those prices, as alleged here, puts the integrity of taxpayer‑funded programs at risk,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to aggressively pursue such conduct to protect these critical programs and all the people who rely on them.”
The United States alleged that Ahold Delhaize supermarkets with in-store retail pharmacies – including supermarket chains operating under the names Giant, Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Food Lion, and others – operated prescription savings programs pursuant to which enrolled members received discounted prices on prescription drugs. The United States contends that, in light of the features and operations of those savings programs, and the applicable Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and TRICARE program requirements (including, where applicable, contractual requirements), the discounted prices should have been reported as “usual and customary” prices on claims submitted to Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and TRICARE. Reported “usual and customary” prices serve as ceiling prices on payments to pharmacies under the applicable healthcare program payment formulas. The United States contends that Ahold Delhaize pharmacies failed to accurately report their discounted prices as their “usual and customary” prices on claims to Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and TRICARE, causing those programs to pay inflated amounts on such claims.
The Medicaid Program is jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Of the $40 million resolution announced today, the federal share is $32.9 million and the remainder will be paid to states participating in the settlement.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Lawrence LaBenne, who was a pharmacist at an Ahold Delhaize supermarket in Pennsylvania. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Mr. LaBenne will receive $6,083,587 from the federal share of the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. LaBenne v. Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V., et al., Civil Action No. 18-CV-925 (W.D. Pa.).
This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Defense Health Agency, and state Medicaid programs.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jeffrey A. Toll and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Skirtich for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Tuesday 9 June 2026
Utah Father Charged in the District of Utah for International Parental Kidnapping After Fleeing to Mexico with ChildrenRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a Utah County man with international parental kidnapping after he fled to Mexico with his two small children without the mother’s knowledge or court approval.
Dane Stephen Richman, 46, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, is in federal custody in San Diego, California, where he will appear in federal court before he is extradited to Utah for his initial appearance on the indictment.
According to court documents, on May 23, 2026, Richman failed to return his two minor children to their mother at an agreed upon exchange location after their scheduled visit in accordance with the Fourth District, Utah County, State Court Order. The state court had ordered temporary joint custody with specific exchange dates of the children every other weekend. After the children were not returned, officers were called to Richman’s home for a wellness check and discovered the home was empty and all the property was missing. Richman quit his job, abandoned his home in Saratoga Springs, and cleaned out his bank accounts.
According to court documents, Richman contacted the minor children’s mother, who lives out of state in Washington, and falsely stated he and the children had gone camping in California, when in fact Richman took the children to Southern California and crossed the border. When the exchange of the children date and time lapsed, a state warrant was issued for Richman’s arrest. FBI joined the search for the two children and worked with Mexican authorities and located Richman and the children in San Felipe, Mexico. Richman was arrested by Mexican authorities, and they took custody of the children. Mexican authorities transferred the children and Richman into the custody of the U.S. authorities. The children were reunited with their mother, and the Utah State Court granted her temporary sole custody of the minor children.
“We are profoundly grateful that these children have been safely returned home,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “This outcome is the result of swift coordination between our local and federal law enforcement partners and the Mexican authorities. These dedicated professionals acted with the utmost urgency and care to ensure the children’s safe return.”
"The safe recovery of the children was our highest priority," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "The successful outcome of this case reflects the reach and effectiveness of our partnerships, and our shared commitment to protecting children and supporting families."
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and valuable assistance was provided by the San Felipe Police Department in Mexico, and the Saratoga Springs Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Extradites to Ghana Former Ghanaian Official Convicted of Stealing and Misappropriating More Than $6MRead the Press Release
On June 8, the United States extradited Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, also known as “Sedina Sharon Christine Acolatse,” a Ghanaian citizen, to serve a 10-year prison term in Ghana for convictions on more than 70 criminal counts that include charges of stealing, conspiracy, causing financial loss to the State and to public property, money laundering, and other offenses.
Attionu, 60, has been convicted in the Republic of Ghana for exploiting her role as Chief Executive Officer of Ghana’s Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) to steal and misappropriate approximately $6 million. MASLOC is a Ghanaian agency set up to assist small and medium-scale businesses by providing them with low interest loans. As MASLOC’s CEO from November 2013 to January 2017, Attionu was responsible for the overall supervision and management of MASLOC, as well as the day-to-day administration of its affairs and funds. Attionu was convicted of repeatedly abusing her position to enrich herself through a variety of schemes, including directly stealing funds remitted to MASLOC, pocketing public funds that were earmarked to be spent on outreach, training, and disaster relief programs, using public funds to buy cars and cellphones at grossly inflated prices, and making extra, unearned payments to herself and her co-conspirator.
After attending trial in Ghana through the prosecution’s presentation of its witnesses, Attionu obtained the Ghanaian court’s permission to travel to the United States for medical treatment, but Attionu never returned to Ghana. The court issued a warrant for her arrest, concluded her absence was unjustified, and proceeded with her trial. On April 16, 2024, the court found Attionu guilty on all charges and sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
Ghana then requested Attionu’s extradition and, in December 2025, the United States obtained a warrant for Attionu’s arrest based on Ghana’s request. Attionu was arrested on Jan. 6, in Nevada. Following her detention and extradition hearings, a U.S. magistrate judge in the District of Nevada certified Attionu’s extradition to Ghana on April 9. The Secretary of State then authorized her surrender to Ghanaian authorities. On June 8, the U.S. Marshals Service surrendered Attionu to Ghanaian authorities for transportation to Ghana. Attionu’s extradition is now complete.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada handled the extradition litigation in collaboration with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA). OIA attorneys and international affairs specialists provided additional critical support to this extradition by coordinating closely with the International Cooperation Unit and the Economic and Organised Crime Office of the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice of Ghana. The U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Accra, and the Ghana Police Service’s INTERPOL National Central Bureau also provided essential assistance.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Task Force Secure Eight-Year Sentence for Man on the FBI Most Wanted ListRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Belleville man to eight years in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. This federal sentence will run consecutively to any sentence imposed in a pending Missouri state court case.
Dontay Moore, Jr., 23, of Belleville, pleaded guilty in February to one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. Moore is currently facing state court charges in St. Louis, Missouri for his alleged involvement in a drive-by-shooting resulting in serious injuries to bystanders, along with other firearms offenses. His federal sentence will be in addition to any sentence imposed in state court. Following imprisonment, Moore will serve three years of supervised release.
“Few things are more dangerous than a drive-by-shooting suspect on the FBI’s Most Wanted list getting his hands on a machinegun,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The Department of Justice and our Homeland Security Task Force are committed to aggressively removing these types of offenders from the streets.”
Moore became the target of a manhunt in the summer of 2025 and was added to the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list after authorities identified him as a suspect in a shooting in early June 2025 in St. Louis. Federal officials also offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to his capture after he evaded arrest at his Belleville residence in mid-June 2025. Officers with the Illinois State Police arrested Moore in September 2025.
“This sentence is a direct result of the seamless and relentless cooperation between our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners,” said Ryan Presley, FBI Springfield Field Office’s Special Agent in Charge. “From the initial investigation to the nationwide FBI manhunt and the ultimate arrest by the Illinois State Police, this case proves that regional borders do not protect criminals. By combining the strengths of multiple agencies through the Homeland Security Task Force, we will continue to pool our resources, hunt down dangerous fugitives, and make our communities safer.”
“Illegal machineguns remain among the most dangerous weapons on our streets. With a single pull of the trigger, these firearms can unleash an extraordinary amount of firepower which significantly increases the likelihood that someone will be seriously injured or killed,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “The unlawful possession of machineguns remains a top investigative priority for ATF, and we will continue to work with our HSTF partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who unlawfully possess these dangerous weapons.”
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 Chicago comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, IRS-CI, HIDTA, and DSS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
Agents with FBI, ATF, the Illinois State Police, and East St. Louis Police Department contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey Receives Honorary West Virginia Golden Horseshoe AwardRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA - United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey was knighted as an Honorary West Virginia Golden Horseshoe recipient by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDOE) in Charleston today.
“I am proud to be a lifelong resident of West Virginia, so to have this honor bestowed upon me is one of the great highlights of my career,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “I would like to congratulate all eighth graders this year who were recognized. West Virginia is a beautiful state rich with history, and I commend teachers for ensuring students know that history.”
U.S. Attorney Harvey joined two other honorary recipients at a ceremony in the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston, as well as 225 8th Grade students from across West Virginia who were presented the award by West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt.
Each year, roughly 22,000 eighth-grade students study a comprehensive West Virginia curriculum. This curriculum exposes students to the history, geography, economy, and government of the Mountain State.
The Golden Horseshoe is a Mountain State tradition that began in 1931. Each year, the WVDOE honors eight grade students who excel in West Virginia history at a ceremony, knighting them and gifting them a Golden Horseshoe pin.
Two Charged in Multi-Year Conspiracy to Buy and Sell Stolen Medicare Beneficiary Information from Major South Florida Health Care NetworkRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a multi-count indictment charging a Miami woman for allegedly orchestrating a years-long scheme to obtain and sell the confidential Medicare beneficiary identifier numbers (BINs) of thousands of patients for use in Medicare fraud schemes. A related criminal information was also filed charging a former health care network employee with conspiring to unlawfully disclose the protected patient information.
According to court documents, Kenia Marrero, 46, of Miami, paid Joan Navarro Bruguet, 51, of Miami, a former employee of a Miami-based regional health care provider network identified in court filings as “Provider A,” to secretly provide Marrero with confidential patient information, including names, dates of birth, and Medicare BINs. Beginning in or around January 2022 and continuing through February 2025, Navarro Bruguet allegedly accessed Provider A’s confidential patient records using his work computer, photographed patient information displayed on his screen using his personal cellphone, and sent the images to Marrero through an encrypted messaging application.
Court records allege that Marrero paid Navarro Bruguet approximately $500 for each patient list containing around 100 Medicare beneficiaries. Marrero then allegedly worked with others, including Juan Carlos Cardella — who has already been sentenced in this district on related charges — to redistribute and resell the stolen patient information, for as much as $7,000 per list, to individuals involved in Medicare fraud schemes.
According to the court records, the scheme resulted in the unlawful disclosure of confidential Medicare information belonging to more than 6,000 beneficiaries.
The indictment further alleges that Marrero participated in a durable medical equipment (DME) fraud scheme that submitted more than $5 million in fraudulent Medicare claims using patient identifiers obtained through the conspiracy. Court documents also allege that Marrero deposited more than $460,000 in Medicare fraud proceeds into a bank account associated with the fraudulent DME company.
In addition, the indictment alleges that during a recorded in-person meeting in January 2026, Marrero instructed a Provider A employee to “deny everything,” to “stay strong and deny and never say anything to anyone,” and to do “no more texting on the phone,” but if there were a need to text, that they should “do like we always do and ask me about candles.”
Marrero is charged with conspiracy to buy, sell, and distribute BINs; conspiracy to commit health care fraud; four counts of health care fraud; four counts of aggravated identity theft; and two counts of money laundering. Navarro Bruguet is charged with conspiracy to buy, sell, and distribute BINs.
If convicted, Marrero and Navarro Bruguet each face up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to buy, sell, and distribute BINs. Marrero also faces up to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and each health care fraud count, up to 10 years for each money laundering count, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for each aggravated identity theft count.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Issac Bledsoe of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HHS-OIG Miami and FBI Miami are investigating the case. Provider A provided early and ongoing assistance in the investigation of this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eduardo Gardea, Jr. is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the 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.
The Department of Justice, HHS-OIG, and the FBI encourage members of the public to remain vigilant against any signs of identity theft or suspicious claims submitted to their health insurance plans, including Medicare. Individuals should carefully review their explanation of benefits (“EOB”) documents; and if they see any sign of suspicious or unauthorized claims in their Medicare records, they should call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or Report Medicare Fraud online at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case numbers 26-cr-20183 (Marrero), 26-cr-20198 (Navarro Bruguet), and 25-cr-20280 (Cardella).
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Twin Lakes Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Twin Lakes man is facing federal charges for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a minor.
According to court documents, between on or about September 9, 2021, and on or about October 6, 2023, Donovan Tom Sherman, 51, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in sexual acts with a minor who had not then attained the age of 12 years.
Sherman is charged with aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact and will remain on conditions of release pending trial which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Sherman faces not less than 30 years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Twenty-Six Trinitarios Gang Members Charged with RICO Conspiracy Related to Five Murders in MassachusettsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Twenty-six alleged leaders, members and associates of the Trinitarios, a violent transnational criminal organization, have been indicted on federal racketeering (RICO) conspiracy and drug trafficking charges in connection with five murders and 19 attempted murders. In addition to the 26 defendants charged today, the superseding indictment also includes eight previously charged Trinitarios who are facing RICO conspiracy and drug trafficking charges.
Over the past two years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been relentless in its efforts to dismantle and decimate the Trinitarios in Massachusetts, charging a total of 56 members who are alleged to have committed or participated in 11 murders and 30 attempted murders since 2017. The investigation also resulted in the apprehension of seven illegal aliens from the United States who have either been deported or are currently in deportation proceedings.
The charges unsealed today are part of a multijurisdictional, multiphase investigation that began in 2024 in the aftermath of four murders and a series of attempted murders and shootings in Lynn, Mass., allegedly committed by the Trinitarios. In February 2025, the investigation led to federal RICO conspiracy charges against 22 leaders, members and associates of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios and its state leadership. Court documents in that case described the Lynn Trinitarios’ alleged participation in six murders and 11 attempted murders. Documents unsealed today describe state convictions of alleged Trinitarios in Essex County Superior Court in connection with four additional murders over the past decade.
The individuals charged today are alleged leaders, members and associates of the Lawrence, Haverhill and Boston Chapters of the Trinitarios. Court documents unsealed today describe the gang’s alleged participation in five murders, 19 attempted murders, efforts to kill witnesses, the trafficking of dozens of kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine to New Hampshire and Maine, extortion of legitimate businesses with the threat of violence, kidnappings and robberies.
According to court documents, the Lawrence, Lynn, Boston and Haverhill Chapters of the Trinitarios allegedly dominated their communities by intimidating rival gangs and establishing control over certain neighborhoods. Each individual Chapter allegedly had a “Cabinet” of leaders who were responsible for recruiting new members, providing discipline to members in violation of Trinitarios directives and collecting money for a communal account used to support illegal operations and incarcerated Trinitarios members and their families. It is further alleged that the Trinitarios employed a written “Magna Carta” that defines the structure and rules of the organization, as well as slogans, symbols, colors and practices.
The Massachusetts Trinitarios allegedly undertook extensive efforts to recruit new members among communities of legal immigrants and illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic – particularly juveniles in local high schools in Lawrence and Lynn. The gang allegedly appealed to the recruits shared Spanish language and culture, Dominican patriotism and used the appearance of prosperity and brotherhood.
It is further alleged that members were generally initiated into the gang after a period of observation or probation and were often inducted following the completion of a “mission” – which were generally significant acts of violence such as shootings, beatings, or fist fights with rival gang members that were the same age or stature. Upon induction, new members were “blessed” into the organization during a formal ceremony, administered oaths by the State Supreme and awarded ceremonial beaded necklaces. Younger members were allegedly tasked with lesser roles during many violent “missions,” including standing lookout during shootings, holding or concealing weapons on behalf of full members and transporting weapons after a shooting.
The gang allegedly produced music and music videos featuring Trinitarios pageantry and symbolism; gang members in Trinitarios colors and clothing holding weapons, cash and other items; and lyrics that boasted about the Trinitarios proclivity for violence and the scope of their successful drug distribution operations and other money-making criminal endeavors as warnings and threats to other rival gangs.
In February 2025, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. In March 2025, a Lynn member of the Trinitarios, Ricardo Bratini-Perez, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In June 2025, two members of the Trinitarios, Rodderith Peralta and Isiah Medina, were charged with kidnapping a drug supplier. In July 2025, the leader of the Lynn Chapter, Aaron Liranzo, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. In December 2025, two members of the Lynn Chapter, Michael Miliano and James Jimenez, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy. In April 2026, Luis Enrique Santana pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy. In May 2026, Westyn Lantigua pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy. In June 2026, Luis Jeffrey Santana pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy.
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (also known as “racketeering conspiracy” or “RICO conspiracy”) provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for up to life and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble; Lawrence Police Chief Maurice Aguiler; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service; Customs and Border Protections; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Massachusetts Army National Guard – Counterdrug Office; Attorney General’s Office for the State of Maine; New Hampshire State Police; Maine State Police; Maine State Drug Enforcement Administration; Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department (Maine); Middlesex District Attorney’s Office; Essex County Sheriff’s Department; and the Andover, Boston, Haverhill, Tewksbury and Littleton, New Hampshire Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
APPENDICES
LIST OF DEFENDANTS CHARGED TODAY
#
FIRST
LAST
ROLE
CHAPTER
1Yordali
Yorro
Primera
Lawrence Chapter
2James
Cabrera
Senior Member
Lawrence Chapter
3Luis
Crispin
Senior Member
Lawrence Chapter
4Angel
Castillo-Garcia
Senior Member
Lawrence Chapter
5Osviallis
Serrano
Senior Member
Lawrence Chapter
6Jervis
Almanzar
Member
Lawrence Chapter
7Enrique
Duran
Member
Lawrence Chapter
8Abigail
Arias
Member
Lawrence Chapter
9Justane
Garcia
Member
Haverhill Chapter
10Riky
Montilla
Member
Lawrence Chapter
11Jeremy
Felix
Member
Lawrence Chapter
12Jose
Martinez
Member
Lawrence Chapter
13Jayden
Muniz
Member
Lawrence Chapter
14Geovane
Fernandes
Member
Lawrence Chapter
15Jahir
Davila
Discipline
Lawrence Chapter
16Yanuel
Mejia
Member
Lawrence Chapter
17Luis
Fernandez Lopez
Member
Lawrence Chapter
18Victor
Diaz
Member
Lawrence Chapter
19Xavier
Puello
Member
Lawrence Chapter
20Joelfry
Cabrera
Associate
Lawrence Chapter
21Richard
Pena
Member
Haverhill Chapter
22Hector
Mota
Member
Haverhill Chapter
23Jean
Delgado
Associate
Haverhill Chapter
24Luis
Cabral
Primera
Boston Chapter
25Yoldari
Tejeda Coronado
Member
Boston Chapter
26Martin
Taveras
Member
Boston Chapter
LIST OF PREVIOUSLY CHARGED RELATED DEFENDANTS AND STATUS
(*) Defendants charged in superseding indictment unsealed today are marked with asterisk.
#
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
DOCKET NO.
CASE STATUS
1
Ricardo
Bratini-Perez
24-CR-10310
Sentenced
2
Rosnel
Polanco
24-CR-10263
Pleaded Guilty
3
Eric
Rosario
24-CR-10263
Pleaded Guilty
4
Robert
Santana
24-CR-10263
Pleaded Guilty
5
Yeferson
Vallecillo Cambar
24-CR-10335
Pending
6
Elvis
Trujillo
24-CR-10336
Pending
7
Abel
Severino-Reyes
24-CR-10373
Pleaded Guilty
8
Warly
Ruiz
24-CR-10380
Pleaded Guilty
9
David
Garcia
25-CR-10006
Pleaded Guilty
10
Tomy
Sanchez
25-CR-10007
Pleaded Guilty
11
Carlos
Ramirez
25-CR-10008
Pleaded Guilty
12
*Justin
Alba
25-CR-10058
Pending
13
*Darwin
Batista
25-CR-10058
Pending
14
*Janoy
Batista
25-CR-10058
Pending
15
Aaron
Diaz Liranzo
25-CR-10058
Sentenced
16
*Israel
Garcia-Vasquez
25-CR-10058
Pending
17
James
Jimenez
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty
18
*Ery
Jordani Rosario
25-CR-10058
Pending
19
Westyn
Lantigua
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty
20
*Kelvin
Liranzo Roman
25-CR-10058
Pending
21
Michael
Miliano
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty
22
*Enmanuel
Paula-Cabral
25-CR-10058
Pending
23
Luis Jeffrey
Santana
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty
24
Luis Enrique
Santana
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty
25
*Angel
Santos
25-CR-10058
Pending
26
Wilving
Lopez
25-CR-10062
Pleaded Guilty
27
Leonardo
Espinoza
25-CR-10236
Pleaded Guilty
28
Isiah
Medina
25-CR-10302
Pending
29
Rodderrith
Peralta
25-CR-10302
Pending
30
Derek
Mercado
25-CR-10411
Pleaded Guilty
LIST OF TRINITARIOS HOMICIDES
DATE
VICTIM NAME
LOCATION
STATUS
March 8, 2017Juan EspinalLawrence, Mass.Pending State & Federal CasesApril 16, 2017Aracelys ValdezLawrence, Mass.State Murder ConvictionJuly 30, 2017Jensey HernandezLawrence, Mass.State Murder ConvictionNov. 26, 2017Mindy TranLawrence, Mass.Pending Federal CaseMay 17, 2018Nike ColonLawrence, Mass.State Murder ConvictionSept. 3, 2018Jaithian AmadorLawrence, Mass.Pending Federal CaseMarch 30, 2020Carlos RiveraMethuen, Mass.Pending Federal CaseMay 14, 2021Edward JavierLawrence, Mass.State Murder ConvictionDec. 31, 2021Jumil CelladillaLawrence, Mass.Pending Federal CaseFeb. 17, 2022Ewdy LopezMethuen, Mass.Pending State & Federal CasesSept. 2, 2023Jandriel HerediaLynn, Mass.Pending Federal CaseSept. 2, 2023Abraham DiazLynn, Mass.Pending Federal CaseDec. 27, 2023Kyle Mel Lynn, Mass.Pending Federal CaseDec. 27, 2023Isaiah AcevedoLynn, Mass.Pending Federal CaseSept. 13, 2025Hugo Del RosarioLawrence, Mass.Pending Federal CaseTwenty-Six Trinitarios Gang Members Charged with RICO Conspiracy Related to Five Murders After Homeland Security Task Force EffortsRead the Press Release
Twenty-six alleged leaders, members and associates of the Trinitarios, a violent transnational criminal organization, have been indicted on federal racketeering (RICO) conspiracy charges in connection with five murders and 19 attempted murders, as well as drug trafficking and firearm charges. Over the past two years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been relentless in its efforts to dismantle and decimate the Trinitarios in Massachusetts, charging a total of 56 members who are alleged to have committed or participated in 11 murders and 30 attempted murders since 2017. The investigation also resulted in the apprehension of seven illegal aliens from the United States who have either been deported or are currently in deportation proceedings.
“It is safe to say that for far too long the Trinitarios have wreaked havoc and instilled fear in our communities. Murders, attempted murders, kidnapping, witness tampering and extortion. The list goes on and on, but that ends today. Their boldness and hubris are quite frankly astounding. It appears the defendants believed they were immune from prosecution. They were wrong,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in my office 56 Trinitarios have been taken off the streets and their entire leadership has been decimated.”
“Massachusetts communities are safer today after the arrests of 24 alleged members of the Trinitarios. This deadly transnational street gang has inflicted senseless violence and terror upon our communities – from drug trafficking and gun violence to kidnapping and murder— but we are working tirelessly to hold them to account,” said HSI New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “We’re facing more dangerous, more violent, and more complex crime than ever before, but HSI and the Homeland Security Task Force are ready to meet the challenge.”
Group of Trinitarios in Lawrence flashing gang signs, holding green bandannas (referred to as flags), and taking over a local gas station for a music video that was being filmed. Firearms and drugs seized from Trinitarios gang members and associatesThe charges unsealed today are part of a multijurisdictional, multiphase investigation that began in 2024 and, in February 2025, led to federal RICO conspiracy charges against 22 leaders, members and associates of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios and its state leadership. Court documents in that case described the Trinitarios alleged participation in six murders and 11 attempted murders. The investigation began in the aftermath of four murders and a series of
attempted murders and shootings in Lynn, Mass.,, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios.The individuals charged today are alleged leaders, members and associates of the
Firearms and drugs seized from Trinitarios gang members and associates
Lawrence, Haverhill and Boston Chapters of the Trinitarios. Court documents filed today describe the gang’s alleged participation in five murders, 19 attempted murders, efforts to kill witnesses, the trafficking of dozens of kilograms of drugs, extortion of legitimate businesses with the threat of violence, kidnappings and robberies.According to court documents, the Lawrence, Lynn, Boston and Haverhill Chapters of the Trinitarios allegedly dominated their communities by intimidating rival gangs and establishing control over certain neighborhoods. Each individual Chapter allegedly had a “Cabinet” of leaders who were responsible for recruiting new members, providing discipline to members in violation of Trinitarios directives and collecting money for a communal account used to support illegal operations and incarcerated Trinitarios members and their families. It is further alleged that the Trinitarios employed a written “Magna Carta” that defines the structure and rules of the organization, as well as slogans, symbols, colors and practices. The Massachusetts Trinitarios allegedly undertook extensive efforts to recruit new members among communities of legal immigrants and illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic – particularly juveniles in local high schools in Lawrence and Lynn. The gang allegedly appealed to the recruits shared Spanish language and culture, Dominican patriotism and used the appearance of prosperity and brotherhood.
It is further alleged that members were generally initiated into the gang after a period of observation or probation and were often inducted following the completion of a “mission” – which were generally significant acts of violence such as shootings, beatings, or fist fights with rival gang members that were the same age or stature. Upon induction, new members were “blessed” into the organization during a formal ceremony, administered oaths by the State Supreme and awarded ceremonial beaded necklaces. Younger members were allegedly tasked with lesser roles during many violent “missions,” including standing lookout during shootings, holding or concealing weapons on behalf of full members and transporting weapons after a shooting.
Over 600 grams of fentanyl and 200 grams of cocaine, cutting agents, items and paraphernalia used in the manufacturing and packaging process, and three firearms seized from a Trinitarios stash house in Tewksbury.The gang allegedly produced music and music videos featuring Trinitarios pageantry and symbolism; gang members in Trinitarios colors and clothing holding weapons, cash and other items; and lyrics that boasted about the Trinitarios proclivity for violence and the scope of their successful drug distribution operations and other money-making criminal endeavors as warnings and threats to other rival gangs.
In February 2025, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. In March 2025, a Lynn member of the Trinitarios was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In June 2025, two members of the Trinitarios were charged with kidnapping a drug supplier. In July 2025, the leader of the Lynn Chapter was sentenced to 14 years in prison. In December 2025, two members of the Lynn Chapter, Michael Miliano and James Jimenez pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy. In April 2026, Luis Enrique Santana pleaded guilty. In May 2026, Westyn Lantigua pleaded guilty. In June 2026, Luis Jeffrey Santana pleaded guilty.
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (also known as “racketeering conspiracy” or “RICO conspiracy”) provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for up to life and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble; Lawrence Police Chief Maurice Aguiler; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamaramade the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service; Customs and Border Protections; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire; U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Massachusetts Army National Guard – Counterdrug Office; Attorney General’s Office for the State of Maine; New Hampshire State Police; Maine State Police; Maine State Drug Enforcement Administration; Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department (Maine); Middlesex District Attorney’s Office; Essex County Sheriff’s Department; and the Andover, Boston, Haverhill and Tewksbury Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Louis Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Client FundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone on Tuesday sentenced a former tax preparer to 27 months in prison and ordered him to repay the $52,080 he stole from clients’ tax refunds and COVID-19 stimulus payments.
From 2016-2020, Mark A. Murphy, 40, prepared tax returns for clients but did not list himself as the paid return preparer. Murphy instead signed the taxpayers’ names on the returns, making it appear that they had submitted the returns instead of him. Without the taxpayers’ knowledge, he opened bank accounts for them that he used to collect his tax preparation fees from clients’ tax refunds.
The bulk of Murphy’s crime concerned Economic Impact Payments (EIPs), which were issued directly from the IRS to taxpayers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of these EIPs were deposited into the unauthorized bank accounts that Murphy set up. Despite knowing that these EIPs were intended for his clients and not him, Murphy withdrew EIP funds in cash and used debit cards linked to the accounts to make personal purchases. During this period, Murphy also kept a client’s entire tax refund for himself. Murphy stole a total of $52,080 in EIPs and refunds from clients from April 2020 to March 2021.
“The Defendant attempted to conceal the fact that he prepared tax returns for his clients and then stole their refunds by opening bank accounts in their names without their knowledge or approval,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation St. Louis Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “IRS-CI remains committed to tracking down fraudsters who exploit the U.S. tax system by stealing from innocent taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury.”
"The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) aggressively investigates tax preparers who attempt to undermine our Nation's tax system," said TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Kelly Moening. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who seek to corrupt federal tax administration are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
Murphy pleaded guilty in March to one count of theft of government property.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and IRS – Criminal Investigation handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
SDPD Detective Sergeant Bill Miles Honored with First Hometown Hero Award for Leadership in Combating Fentanyl Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – San Diego Police Detective Sergeant William “Bill” Miles today received the first “Hometown Hero” Award in recognition of his extraordinary leadership, compassion, and tireless efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic in San Diego County.
The inaugural award was presented by U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon at a ceremony at the DEA San Diego headquarters today.
In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the 2026 Hometown Hero award was established to recognize individuals who exemplify the enduring American ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility. The program selected one Hometown Hero for each of the nation’s 93 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Detective Sergeant Miles was selected for his extraordinary dedication to seeking justice for families devastated by fentanyl and his tireless efforts to remove dangerous drug traffickers from local communities.
A 28-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department, Detective Sergeant Miles has served since 2023 as Group Supervisor of the Overdose Response Team, a multi-agency task force led by the Drug Enforcement Administration in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, La Mesa Police Department, the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and the California Department of Health Care Services.
The Overdose Response Team was established to confront the alarming rise in overdose deaths across San Diego County by investigating fentanyl and other dangerous drug distributions linked to fatal overdoses. The team responds to overdose deaths in the cities of San Diego and La Mesa, conducts follow-up investigations, and pursues both state and federal prosecutions against those responsible for distributing deadly narcotics.
Under Detective Sergeant Miles’ leadership, the team has responded to more than 315 overdose deaths, leading to countless investigations and numerous successful prosecutions that have brought accountability and a measure of justice to grieving families. His efforts also contributed to a significant 39 percent decline in overdose deaths, from a high of 814 in 2022 to 494 in 2024.
As Group Supervisor, Detective Sergeant Miles oversees a team of eight to 10 investigators and two analysts. Known for his unwavering dedication, he is available around the clock and routinely responds to overdose scenes and investigative operations at all hours of the day and night. In addition to leading operations, he frequently works directly in the field alongside investigators.
Beyond his investigative work, Detective Sergeant Miles has earned the admiration of victims’ families for his compassion and humanity during some of the darkest moments of their lives. Family members have repeatedly expressed gratitude for the empathy and support he provides while relentlessly pursuing justice against those responsible for distributing deadly fentanyl.
Detective Sergeant Miles also champions outreach and intervention efforts aimed at preventing future overdose deaths and connecting community members with critical resources. The Overdose Response Team has been recognized nationally as a model for combating the opioid epidemic and has played a vital role in the significant reduction of overdose deaths in San Diego County.
“Detective Sergeant Miles’ dedication to protecting the community, supporting victims’ families, and holding fentanyl traffickers accountable has touched countless lives,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “His service exemplifies the very meaning of a hometown hero.”
“Sergeant Miles embodies the spirit of public service and is an invaluable member of the DEA San Diego team,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnelly. “He is committed to finding answers and accountability for families who have been torn apart by fentanyl and bringing to justice those who threaten the safety of our community. We are truly honored to have Sergeant Miles on our team.”
Detective Sergeant Miles said: “Receiving this award is a tremendous honor and a testament to the work of the Narcotics Task Force Overdose Response Team (Team 10). I have had the privilege of leading an exceptional group of professionals whose dedication, investigative expertise, and commitment to justice have made a meaningful impact in our community. This recognition belongs to every member of Team 10 and to our community partners who work alongside us to identify and apprehend those responsible for distributing deadly drugs.”
Repeat Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 12 years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – An illegal alien with previous state convictions for drug trafficking was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
Faustino Soto-Martinez, 54, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced on May 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Krissa M. Lanham. According to court documents and information discussed at sentencing, on March 11, 2024, in Sun City, Arizona, Soto-Martinez possessed and intended to sell 40,000 fentanyl pills, approximately 4.2 kilograms of fentanyl, to an undercover agent.
“Soto-Martinez’s 12-year sentence reflects his repeated disregard for the law and the devastating effects that fentanyl inflicts on individuals, families and communities across America,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in partnership with the DEA and local law enforcement agencies will continue to fight for Arizonans and dismantle the organizations that distribute these deadly drugs into our communities.”
At sentencing, Soto-Martinez’s criminal history was taken into consideration, including multiple state drug trafficking convictions. In 2005, he was convicted in three separate state drug trafficking cases and sentenced to five years in prison for each, which he served concurrently. Shortly after he was released, he was again convicted for possession of methamphetamine for sale and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The DEA East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-00615
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-093_Soto-Martinez
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced in Federal Court for Illegally Purchasing a Firearm for a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Straw Purchasing a gun. The sentencing took place on May 28, 2026.
Loveletta Bissonette, 22, was sentenced to time served, which was over six months of custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bissonette was indicted for Straw Purchasing, False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, and False Statement to a Licensed Firearm Dealer by a federal grand jury in October 2025. She pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.
Loveletta Bissonette schemed with Dakota Moore to buy a gun for Moore, who had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms. The purpose of their scheme was to have Bissonette buy the firearm because, as a prohibited person, Moore could not. Bissonette first tried buying a firearm from one business. That business became suspicious that Bissonette was buying the firearm for another person and refused to sell a firearm to her. Bissonette then went to another store and successfully bought a firearm. To do so, Bissonette lied by certifying the gun was for herself, when in truth it was for Moore. It is a violation of federal law to knowingly purchase a firearm for a person who is prohibited from possessing firearms. This is known as a straw purchase. Within a week, law enforcement responded to a gunshot report associated with a vehicle that Bissonette was driving. Law enforcement officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop on this vehicle and discovered Moore in the backseat in possession of the firearm Bissonette had bought for him.
“This case should serve as a warning,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Don’t allow yourself to be used by others or get caught up in their criminal activities. It is a federal crime for a convicted felon to have a gun, and if you buy a gun in order to give it to a felon, you will find, in short order, that you are now a convicted felon yourself.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Pryor man pleads guilty to receiving child pornRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Pryor man who had a video on his phone with sexually explicit material of a minor admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
The defendant, Melvin Lee Stops, Jr., 23, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. Stops faces five to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, at least a $35,000 special assessment, a separate $5,000 special assessment, five years to lifetime of supervised release, and an additional $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Watters will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set by the court. Stops was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that sexually explicit material of a minor was discovered on Stops’s cell phone in 2022.
Stops was at a house party in June 2022 where he left his phone after leaving the party. One of the partygoers found his phone and on it discovered “videos of underage girls.” She called law enforcement to report what she found. In December 2025, law enforcement served a search warrant on the phone and found the video.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.