Eastern District of Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that DANIEL HANKTON, (“HANKTON”), age 34, was sentenced on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, by United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

HANKTON was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

HANKTON was wanted by New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) detectives in connection with an aggravated assault that occurred on February 5, 2025. On March 12, 2025, at about 3:00 p.m., NOPD observed an individual matching HANKTON’s description near the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd. and South Rampart Street. The individual was walking with a female who matched the description of HANKTON’s girlfriend. NOPD then confirmed that the individual was HANKTON, and observed that HANKTON was carrying a concealed handgun on his right side.

At this point, NOPD officers arrested HANKTON, and retrieved a loaded firearm from the front right side of his waistband. The weapon was identified as a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter caliber pistol. Upon further inspection of the firearm, officers discovered that the upper receiver of the firearm had been stolen out of Jefferson Parish, but the lower receiver had not.

United States Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.

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).

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – THOMAS VIRGIL, a/k/a “Savage,” a/k/a “Tom Virgil,” (“VIRGIL”), age 30, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on April 16, 2026, before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to five counts in a superseding indictment pending against him, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

Count One charged VIRGIL with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and (b)(1)(D). Count Three charged VIRGIL with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). Count Five charged VIRGIL with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Count Thirteen charged VIRGIL with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D). Count Fifteen charged VIRGIL with being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

According to court documents, VIRGIL possessed fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, with the intent to distribute these illegal substances in Orleans Parish and Jefferson Parish. VIRGIL also possessed firearms as a prohibited person, and to further his drug trafficking crimes.

As to Count One, VIRGIL faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, followed by at least three (3) years of supervised release and/or a fine of up to $1,000,000. As to Count Three, VIRGIL faces a minimum consecutive sentence of five (5) years up to life imprisonment, followed by up to five (5) years of supervised release and/or a fine of up to $250,000. As to Count Five, VIRGIL faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release and/or a fine of up to $250,000. As to Count Thirteen, VIRGIL faces up to five (5) years imprisonment, followed by at least two (2) years of supervised release and/or a fine of up to $250,000. As to Count Fifteen, VIRGIL faces up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release and/or a fine of up to $250,000. As to each of these specified counts, VIRGIL also faces payment of  a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

United States Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

 

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TYREESE QUINCY (“QUINCY”), age 26, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, QUINCY was charged along with co-defendants in a multi-count superseding indictment with narcotics trafficking and firearms violations. According to the superseding indictment, from late 2022 until May of 2023, the men distributed fentanyl throughout the New Orleans area and possessed marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl. Moreover, loaded firearms were found nearby the controlled substances located throughout this investigation, indicating that the firearms were being utilized to further the drug trafficking crimes.

QUINCY will be sentenced on August 6, 2026 and faces the following penalties:

Count 11 - Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C § § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D)                     A maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of not more than $1,000,000.00, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Count 12 - Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i)                                                                   A mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of life in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000.00 (any prison sentence imposed in connection with this Count must be served consecutively to any other prison sentence), up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

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).

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TERRELL KELLEY (“KELLEY”), age 35, pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to a six-count superseding bill of information charging him with three counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, the aforementioned narcotics and firearms charges relate to three separate incidents, as follows. On August 20, 2020, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers attempted to arrest KELLEY on an outstanding warrant. After a standoff, KELLEY surrendered, and a search warrant was obtained for the residence where he was located.  The search revealed $10,000 in cash, a Glock pistol, an extended magazine, assorted ammunition, 21 grams of crack, 8.51 grams of heroin, and 25 Tramadol pills. Due to previous felony convictions, KELLEY is prohibited from possessing a firearm. On December 16, 2021, NOPD officers observed KELLEY conducting multiple hand-to-hand narcotics transactions. KELLEY was apprehended and evidence of the narcotics transactions, including 1.1 grams of crack, plastic baggies, and cash were recovered.  These items are consistent with street-level narcotics distribution. Finally, on February 3, 2023, NOPD officers again encountered KELLEY and  found him  to be in possession of a Glock nine-millimeter handgun, a total of 25 Tapentadol tablets, and $280 cash, all consistent with street-level narcotics distribution.

KELLEY will be sentenced on July 14, 2026, and faces the following penalties:

Count 1—charging possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base, heroin, and Tramadol—carries a penalty of up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

Count 2—charging being a felon in possession of a firearm—carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

Count 3—charging possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base—carries a penalty of up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

Count 4—charging possession with the intent to distribute Tapentadol—carries a penalty of up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

Count 5—charging the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime—carries a penalty of at least five years up to life that must run consecutively to all other terms of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

Count 6—charging being a felon in possession of a firearm—carries a penalty of up to fifteen years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

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).

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the New Orleans Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 16, 2026, OLIN D. GRANT, JR. (“GRANT”), 30, from Marrero, was indicted on April 16, 2026 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the indictment, on or about January 14, 2026, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, GRANT, knowing that that he had been previously convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, was found in possession of a firearm, a Glock, Model 19X, 9mm caliber pistol.  GRANT faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

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).

U. S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JADI’KISS J’HAD WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 21, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, on June 13, 2024, Louisiana State Police attempted to stop a stolen Toyota Highlander driven by WILLIAMS.  WILLIAMS failed to comply with troopers’ orders and instead chose to ram the Louisiana State Police vehicles.  During a search of the Toyota Highlander, officers located a firearm as well as controlled substances including fentanyl, Tapentadol, and marijuana, all of which were packaged for distribution.

As to the narcotics charge, WILLIAMS faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. As to the firearms charge, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with the minimum being at least 5 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This sentence must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence.  Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2026.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 9, 2026, JELISSA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 37, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was sentenced by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier for two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

On April 7, the Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Judge Barbier sentenced LACOUR to 46 months imprisonment on the wire fraud counts and 24 consecutive months imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft counts for an aggregate prison term of 70 months. Judge Barbier ordered LACOUR to serve three years of supervised release following her imprisonment and to pay $342,032 in restitution.

According to court documents, LACOUR obtained numerous Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using falsified tax forms, and also fraudulently obtained Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds in the names of numerous purported renters. In some instances, the PPP and ERAP applications were for her accomplices who sought to benefit from the fraudulent applications, while in other instances, LACOUR misused others’ identities to obtain payments in their names.  The combined total loss for the wire fraud and aggravated identity theft schemes was approximately $366,236.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE ANTONIO LARIO SALMERON (“SALMERON”), age 33, a native of El Salvador, was charged via Bill of Information on April 15, 2026, for reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, SALMERON was apprehended in St. Tammany Parish on March 30, 2026, and charged with illegal reentry after removal. Immigration records further show SALMERON had been previously removed from the United States by federal authorities on January 13, 2020, and that he returned to the United States without proper authorization.

If convicted SALMERON faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JERRY D. SMITH (SMITH), 52, was sentenced on April 16, 2026, to 63 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, on or about August 28, 2022, SMITH was pulled over by Louisiana State Police for a traffic infraction and learned that SMITH was driving a stolen vehicle. During the stop, troopers also discovered SMITH had kilogram quantities of cocaine hidden within the vehicle. SMITH admitted to traveling from Texas to the Eastern District of Louisiana with the intent to sell cocaine.

This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, and the Kenner Police Department The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.

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NEW ORLEANS – ORLANDO JOSE JARQUIN OROZCO (“JARQUIN”), age 36, a citizen of Nicaragua, pled guilty on April 7, 2026 to illegal re-entry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court records, JARQUIN reentered the United States after he was previously deported on November 2, 2016. Prior to his deportation, he was convicted of second-degree battery in Jefferson Parish and sentenced to two years in prison.

JARQUIN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.

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. 

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced today that United States District Court Judge Brandon S. Long sentenced FEDERICO MENDEZ-FRANCISCO a/k/a “JORGE SANTOS ARROYO,” a/k/a “JORGE A. GORDILLO,” a/k/a “FEDERICO MENDEZ,” a/k/a “FREDERICO MENDEZ,” a/k/a “FEDERICO MENDEZ FRANCISCO,” (“MENDEZ-FRANCISCO”), on April 14, 2026 to twenty-four (24) months imprisonment.  MENDEZ-FRANCISCO, age 44 and a native of Guatemala previously pled guilty to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).  The Court ordered that MENDEZ-FRANCISCO’s term of imprisonment be served consecutively to any other sentence.  MENDEZ-FRANCISCO must serve three (3) years of supervised release upon his release from prison and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment cost.

According to court documents and on May 15, 2024, MENDEZ-FRANCISCO pled guilty to the felony offense of Domestic Abuse-Child under 13 Present, in the 24th Judicial District Court Parish of Jefferson. The United States government removed MENDEZ-FRANCISCO from the United States on November 3, 2005, February 11, 2010, and July 3, 2024.  Law enforcement authorities located MENDEZ-FRANCISCO, an illegal alien, in Jefferson Parish on May 2, 2025.  MENDEZ-FRANCISCO had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.  

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ICE-ERO”) in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RACQUEL PICHON (“PICHON”), age 42, formerly of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced on April 14, 2026, for false statements and theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1001 and 641, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

According to court documents, PICHON applied for multiple Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) loans under the business Exotica Beauty LLC (“Exotica”).  PICHON was the registered agent for Exotica.  On June 12, 2020, PICHON completed a Small Business Administration (SBA) backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application for Exotica.  As a result of the PPP application, on June 19, 2020, PICHON received an SBA backed PPP loan of approximately $194,642.50.

According to the indictment, on June 23, 2020, PICHON also completed and submitted an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan application for Exotica.  As a result, on June 25, 2020, PICHON received an EIDL advance grant of $10,000.00. Then, on June 29, 2020, PICHON received an EIDL loan of $149,900.00 as a business loan.

On or about July 2, through July 7, 2020, PICHON spent, in total, $8,074.00 in EIDL loan proceeds at a high-end retail store in New Orleans.  On July 15, 2020, PICHON spent $921.00 in EIDL loan proceeds for tickets to an amusement park in Florida.  PICHON also spent $3,303.00 in EIDL loan proceeds at an additional high-end retail store in New Orleans.

In total, PICHON received $354,542.50 in COVID-19 funds.

United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced PICHON to 12 months home detention with electronic monitoring, probation for five years, $354,642.50 restitution, and payment of a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of Financial Crimes Unit.

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Yesterday, a federal jury in the Western District of Louisiana, convicted Deputy United States Marshal Joshua Firmin of subjecting a prisoner to cruel and unusual punishment by severely assaulting the victim without cause. Firmin was also convicted of obstruction of justice for writing a false report about the incident.

“When the defendant beat the victim without any lawful purpose or justification, he violated the Constitution and breached the public’s trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The jury’s verdict sends a clear message that all Americans — including prisoners — are entitled to basic human dignity.”

The evidence at trial established that on Feb. 9, 2024, Firmin was supervising prisoner custody operations at the U.S. District Court in Lafayette, Louisiana, when he assaulted the victim while the victim was restrained in handcuffs, a belly chain, and leg irons. Firmin opened a locked cell door, grabbed the victim by the collar, and struck the victim in the face with a ring of cell keys. Then Firmin pulled the victim out of the cell and shoved him forcefully against the cellblock wall. Because the victim was unable to brace himself or dampen his fall due to his restraints, the victim’s head struck the cellblock wall forcefully, resulting in a scalp injury that required staples to close. Firmin later wrote and submitted an official U.S. Marshals Service incident report in which he falsely stated that he used force in reaction to the victim attempting to spit on him.

The Office of the Inspector General, Houston Division, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Phillips Currault signed a complaint and issued an arrest warrant for EMUOBOSAN EMANUELLA HALL, age 45, of Atlanta, Georgia, for failure to report to the Bureau of Prisons to serve a sentence. HALL, a citizen of Nigeria and a U.S. permanent resident, had been sentenced to eight years in prison by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for her role in a romance scam. HALL is currently at large.

According to the criminal complaint, HALL was charged in April 2024 by a federal grand jury in New Orleans with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. She was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, and was granted bond. HALL subsequently pleaded guilty. In January 2026, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced HALL to 96 months in prison. Judge Milazzo permitted HALL to remain on bond and ordered her to report to her designated Bureau of Prisons institution to serve her sentence by March 25, 2026.

However, HALL did not report as ordered. According to GPS data from her monitoring device, HALL’s last known location was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 24, 2026, where the device ceased operating. HALL had provided her probation officer with her flight information to Minnesota, where she was designated to serve her sentence. According to airline records, HALL did not board that flight. Phone records suggest that HALL traveled to Dulles Airport outside of Washington, D.C.

HALL had pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud mostly older women in a romance scam. Her codefendant, Kenneth G. Akpieyi, of Marietta, Georgia, was convicted after a four-day jury trial in July 2025 and was sentenced by Judge Milazzo to 25 years in prison. According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, members of this conspiracy falsely represented themselves to be generals, philanthropists, or entrepreneurs who lived outside the United States. Conspirators would meet victims on Facebook, Instagram, and similar social media platforms, gain trust from the victims, and then ask the victims to move their conversations to WhatsApp or another encrypted platform. Thereafter, the perpetrators would foster a romantic relationship with their victims and then ask the victims to send money for fraudulent reasons, such as to help with charitable work or to assist sick family members. According to court documents, Akpieyi and HALL organized a company, Le Beau Monde LLC, which they used in furtherance of romance scam. HALL would deposit victim funds into accounts held in the name of her company and then transfer those funds to accounts at other financial institutions, including foreign banks. HALL admitted responsibility for $851,207.00 in losses to victims of this scheme, while Akpieyi was found to be responsible for victim losses exceeding $3.5 million. Akpieyi was remanded into custody after trial, and he is currently serving his sentence in custody of the Bureau of Prisons.

United States Attorney Courcelle stated, “Our office will vigorously enforce the law, particularly when a defendant fails to report to prison to serve her sentence. Her failure to report to prison reflects an utter lack of respect for the law. HALL was sentenced for her role in defrauding women, often of money that they had saved for their retirement. Our office will continue to prosecute fraud wherever it occurs, especially when criminals exploit vulnerable victims.”

If convicted, HALL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years of imprisonment to be served consecutively to her prior sentence, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 3146(a)(2) and (b)(1)(A)(i). She may be fined up to $250,000, and she may receive a term of supervised release of up to three years. She also faces payment of  a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Field Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne, Senior Litigation Counsel, is in charge of the prosecution.

We are asking for the public’s assistance.  To provide tips call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or send information to www.tips.fbi.gov .

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALFRED HUMBLES (“HUMBLES”), age 55, a former resident of Gretna, Louisiana, was sentenced on April 8, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to Stalking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2261A(2)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, from November 2018 until January 28, 2019, HUMBLES sent harassing and intimidating communications to a former girlfriend living in Texas. On November 29, 2018, the former girlfriend sent an email to HUMBLES indicating to him that the relationship was over, to stop having contact with her and that law enforcement had been notified. Approximately 25 texts and emails were quoted in the Indictment. Among them, on January 9, 2019, HUMBLES emailed the victim and stated “I can’t think of one reason why you should be walking around breathing.” On January 23, 2019, HUMBLES emailed the victim and stated “…you don’t know what I’m capable of and you’re not untouchable.”

U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon sentenced HUMBLES to time served which amounted to forty-seven (47) months in custody and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachal Cassagne were charge of the prosecution. 

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARVIN NECTALI MORADEL-VELASQUEZ (“MORADEL-VELASQUEZ”), age 40, plead guilty on April 9, 2026, to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, MORADEL-VELASQUEZ, an illegal alien, was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 31, 2025. He had previously been removed from the United States to Honduras on or about October 11, 2016. MORADEL-VELASQUEZ also has a previous conviction for domestic abuse and child endangerment. Because of these past charges, MORADEL-VELASQUEZ faces a sentencing enhancement.

MORADEL-VELASQUEZ faces a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

MORADEL-VELASQUEZ’s sentencing is set for July 2, 2026, before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WALYSTTON HENRIQUE DE SOUZA (“DE SOUZA”), age 32, a native of Brazil, was indicted on April 9, 2026, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, DE SOUZA, an illegal alien, was found in St. Tammany Parish on March 31, 2026. He had previously been convicted of violating 8 U.S.C. § 1326, Illegal Re-entry of Removed Alien and was removed back to Brazil on July 2, 2021.

If convicted, DE SOUZA faces a maximum penalty of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ROBERT TASSIN, M.D. (“TASSIN”), age 67, of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced on April 9, 2026, for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 and 1349, in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary cancer genetic (“CGx”) tests, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

According to court documents, TASSIN worked for several purported telemedicine companies.  From approximately February through September of 2019, TASSIN, through the purported telemedicine companies, signed doctors’ orders for CGx tests for Medicare beneficiaries he never saw, spoke to, or otherwise treated.  As a result, TASSIN’s orders resulted in over $6.6 million in false and fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare, of which Medicare reimbursed over $2 million.  To conceal and perpetuate the fraud, TASSIN made several false and fraudulent statements in support of the orders he submitted, including falsely certifying in medical records that the CGx tests were medically necessary for the patients’ treatment.  In exchange for electronically reviewing patient charts and ordering CGx tests, TASSIN was paid a set fee per doctor’s order, typically $30.

Unites States District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced TASSIN to three years of probation, with the first twelve months to be served in home confinement, and a ban on participating in a healthcare business during probation without prior approval from United States Probation. Consistent with the plea agreement, Judge Ashe also ordered TASSIN to pay restitution of $2,043,542.23 to Medicare; $106,757 in forfeiture (which TASSIN paid the day of sentencing); and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.  Trial Attorneys Kelly Walters and Zakeria Haidary of the Fraud Division’s Healthcare Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Moses, for the Eastern District of Louisiana, prosecuted the case.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DERRICK SERIGNET (“SERIGNET”), age 44, was indicted on February 26, 2026, for possessing fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute those substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The indictment was unsealed on April 6, 2026.

According to the indictment, on February 4, 2026, SERIGNET possessed fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute those substances and possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. SERIGNET is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior convictions for attempted armed robbery in Jefferson Parish.

As to the drug-trafficking charge, SERIGNET faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, SERIGNET faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.  As to the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, SERIGNET faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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).

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YAIDEL PLACIDO SALVADOR, (“PLACIDO”), age 40, a resident of Cuba, was sentenced on April 8, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. PLACIDO was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.

According to court documents, PLACIDO, and other co-conspirators, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute, multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Eastern District of Louisiana. PLACIDO transported kilogram quantities of cocaine into the Eastern District of Louisiana in furtherance of the conspiracy.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit was in charge of the prosecution.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) New Orleans as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 7, 2026, DAVID LOUIS IV (“LOUIS”), age 23, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).  United States District Judge Darrell J. Papillion sentenced LOUIS to 33 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release after imprisonment.  The Court’s sentence will run consecutively to a yet to be determined sentence imposed in a pending state prosecution for possessing contraband in jail.  The Court’s sentence will also run concurrently with sentences yet to be imposed for probation violations in two separate state court matters, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court records, on April 15, 2025, the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) detectives conducting surveillance near Conrad Park, located in the 3400 block of Hamilton Street, in New Orleans, observed LOUIS and a female associate enter Conrad Park.  LOUIS had a black backpack from which he removed marijuana and began smoking the marijuana while talking with his associate.  LOUIS alsoremoved a black pistol from his waistband area.

A silver Nissan Altima, being driven by LOUIS’s girlfriend, and occupied by another adult female, and minors, arrived at the park.  LOUIS approached the Altima and engaged in a verbal argument with the vehicle’s occupants.  During the argument, LOUIS removed the pistol from his waistband and waived it in the air.  NOPD officers arrived after seeing LOUIS in possession of the firearm.  Observing the officer’s approach, LOUIS entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle.  While inside the Altima, LOUIS placed his pistol, a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol, with an extended magazine, loaded with twenty-two (22) live rounds of ammunition, and his black backpack on the driver’s side floorboard, where the driver was seated.

During a search of the Nissan Altima, NOPD detectives recovered LOUIS’s pistol and backpack from the driver’s side floorboard.  LOUIS’s backpack contained three (3) live rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; a magazine containing eleven (11) live .40 caliber rounds of ammunition; a clear plastic bag containing marijuana; and a Louisiana identification card in LOUIS’s name.

LOUIS is a convicted felon and is federally prohibited from possessing firearms.

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).

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL FEAST, (“FEAST”), age 31, was sentenced on March 31, 2026, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to Counts Two and Three of a three-count indictment, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.  Count Two charged FEAST with distribution of a quantity of cocaine base, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).  Count Three charged FEAST with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).

FEAST was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment as to Count Two and 60 months as to Count Three, to be served consecutively.  Judge Long also ordered that FEAST be placed on supervised release for three years as to Count Two and five years as to Count Three.  The terms will be served concurrently.  Also, FEAST is ordered to pay a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.

According to court records, on August 1, 2024, United States Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint operation to purchase narcotics and firearms from co-conspirator William Small, at an apartments complex in Metairie, Louisiana.  During the joint operation, FEAST and Small sold 7 grams of crack cocaine to a confidential informant in a controlled purchase.

Additionally, during a second joint operation by law enforcement, on September 18, 2024, FEAST sold a Metro Arms, Model American Classic Amigo, .45 caliber pistol and a small quantity of cocaine to a person believed to be a legitimate buyer in an additional controlled purchase.

United States Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security Violent Crime Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crime Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.  In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children.  The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.  HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JODY HARRIS (“HARRIS”), age 33, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced on March 10, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion to 144 months, three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $200.00 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Assault of a Postal Employee, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C.  Section 2114(a) and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(1), and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

On or about December 16,2024, HARRIS assaulted a United States Postal Service (USPS) employee with the intent to rob, steal mail, money and other property of the United States.  In doing so, HARRIS endangered a USPS letter carrier by using a dangerous weapon, a Beretta Model APX handgun.

According to court documents, on the day of robbery, the victim was delivering mail on his route in the 8400 block of Forshey Street.  HARRIS approached the victim and brandished the

Beretta firearm, after removing it from his black cross body bag.  HARRIS then threatened the victim while armed with the handgun, and demanded the victim give him everything he possessed,  Fearing for his life, the victim gave HARRIS the USPS vehicle keys, USPS mail scanner, and his USPS mail satchel with mail inside.  HARRIS then entered the USPS vehicle and stole the USPS Arrow key, a key used by USPS employees to access blue collection boxes.

During the robbery, HARRIS stole a USPS mail scanner with GPS capabilities. The mail scanner tracked to the 8800 block of Forshey Street.  As a part of the investigation NOPD discovered that HARRIS frequented a residence in the 8800 block of Forshey Street and confirmed that HARRIS recently left the residence.

Later that same day, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) got a search warrant for the Forshey Street residence and recovered postal vehicle keys, a postal Arrow Key, a Debit Card with the name "Jody F Harris,” a firearm, a Beretta Model APX, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol with a loaded magazine as well as stolen mail.

After leaving the Forshey Street residence, the investigation then revealed that HARRIS drove his vehicle to a residence in the 6300 block of Baccich Street.  As a result, NOPD got a search warrant for the Baccich Street residence and seized a USPS mail satchel with the Postal Carrier's initials, a black cross body bag with red trim, drugs and drug paraphernalia, 139.3 grams of marijuana, 2.1 grams of Xanax, .8 grams of Xanax, l.l grams of crack cocaine and a digital scale. HARRIS was subsequently arrested.

HARRIS previously pled guilty to a felony in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court,  and thus, was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit, Alexandra Giavotella of the Public Corruption Unit and Gregory M. Kennedy of the Violent Crimes Unit handled the prosecution.

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).

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DANIEL ALDAIR QUEZADA-QUEZADA, a/k/a “Cristobal Flores,” age 29, a native of Mexico, was sentenced on April 1, 2026, for  re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), and illegal use of a social security number, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.  QUEZADA-QUEZADA was sentenced time to served, and a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance.  QUEZADA-QUEZADA has been detained in federal prison since February 19, 2025.

According to court documents, QUEZADA-QUEZADA, reentered the United States after being previously deported on June 9, 2020.  QUEZADA-QUEZADA is a native and citizen of Mexico who has no claim of United States citizenship nor lawful immigration status.  On December 25, 2024, QUEZADA-QUEZADA was arrested and charged by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Possession of Alcoholic Beverages in a Motor Vehicle, and a Driver Must Be Licensed Violation in Terrebonne Parish, LA.  On December 27, 2024, federal officers visited Gulf South Services, Inc. in Gray, LA, where QUEZADA-QUEZADA claimed employment.  QUEZADA-QUEZADA had provided the company with a South Carolina State Identification Card and Social Security Card under the name “Cristobal Flores.”  On that same day, QUEZADA-QUEZADA executed pre-employment forms with Gulf South Services, Inc. stating he was a U.S. citizen and authorized to work under the Social Security Number he provided earlier.  On January 8, 2025, the federal officer began to investigate the true identity of Cristobal Flores and the Social Security Number used by QUEZADA-QUEZADA.  On January 10, 2025, federal officers determined that the Social Security Number was legitimately issued to a U.S. citizen, not QUEZADA-QUEZADA.

U.S. David I. Courcelle praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the Louisiana State Police and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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).

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LIKE CHEN, age 36, pled guilty on April 1, 2026, before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, a mixture and substance containing one hundred (100) kilograms or more of a detectable amount of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. 

According to court documents, on April 14, 2025, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agents observed an individual identified as Yilei Zhou pick up Hanjie Wu, a known marijuana distributor, from an airport in Houston, Texas and drive him to a residence in Katy, Texas, where they picked up a co-conspirator, then drove to Denham Springs, Louisiana.  The following day, two other individuals, Wei Bin Chen and LIKE CHEN, left Denham Springs, traveled to a nearby storage facility and retrieved multiple large trash bags from a storage unit.  They then drove to another storage facility in Slidell, Louisiana.  Zhou and Wu then drove to same facility in Slidell where they all met with an additional co-conspirator.  Wei Bin and LIKE CHEN then loaded the large trash bags into the co-conspirator’s vehicle and all parties left the storage facility.

Forrest County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop the CHEN’s vehicle on Interstate 59 headed towards Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  A consensual search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 43.5 kilograms of marijuana.

Mississippi Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop of a co-conspirator’s vehicle on Interstate 59 in Picayune, Mississippi.  A consensual search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 22.7 kilograms of marijuana.

Based on the seizures that occurred in Slidell and Mississippi, Livingston Parish officers obtained search warrants for the residence and storage facility in Denham Springs.  When the officers arrived at the residence, a co-conspirator ran from the residence and was arrested.  Inside the residence, officers located $1,552.00 in currency, hundreds of rubber bands, a vacuum sealer and a money counter.  From the storage unit, officers seized 38.5 kilograms of marijuana.

On the drug conspiracy count, LIKE CHEN faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a maximum term of imprisonment of forty (40) years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four (4) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. 

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Forrest County Mississippi Sheriff’s Office, and the Picayune, Mississippi Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys André Jones and Nolan D. Paige of the Narcotics Unit.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANDRE BELL (“BELL”), age 38, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on April 1, 2026, before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, two counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. 

According to court documents, Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms identified a co-conspirator as a trafficker of narcotics and firearms and made three controlled purchases from him. On each occasion, BELL supplied the narcotics and firearms that the co-conspirator sold to the people believed to be legitimate buyers.

On August 3, 2023, the co-conspirator arranged a sale of heroin to the person believed to be a legitimate buyer and indicated BELL would deliver the substance.  A meeting place was set, and the co-conspirator met with the people believed to be legitimate buyers in their vehicle.  Shortly thereafter, BELL arrived and provided 14.07 grams of heroin and fentanyl to the co-conspirator who distributed the persons believed to be legitimate buyers.

On August 8, 2023, a controlled purchase of a half-ounce of cocaine and one ounce of fentanyl from the co-conspirator was negotiated.  At the meeting place, the co-conspirator provided the person believed to be legitimate buyer 12.95 grams of cocaine and informed them that BELL was delivering the fentanyl.  BELL then arrived and provided a half-ounce of fentanyl to the co-conspirator who then distributed the fentanyl to the person believed to be legitimate buyer.

On August 11, 2023, the co-conspirator arranged a sale of a firearm to a person believed to be legitimate buyer.  At the meeting place, the co-conspirator delivered a “ghost gun, a firearm that is not serialized making it difficult to trace. The ghost gun was provided to the co-conspirator by BELL.

For the conspiracy and distribution counts, BELL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.  For the felon in possession count, BELL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.

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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –CANDIO TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA (“TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA”), age 39, a native of Mexico, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2026, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. His sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on July 9, 2026.

According to court documents, TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 29, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the U.S. Attorney General after being previously removed on October 28, 2012.

TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA faces up to two years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Kippers of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS – On April 2, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted DENISE BROOKS, (“BROOKS”), age 65, of Avondale, for theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, in or around November 2014 through November 2023, BROOKS stole Social Security Disability Benefits in the approximate amount of $65,764.00 which was meant for the benefit of her two minor children.

BROOKS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment cost. 

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Anne Flippo of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that FRANDER ULISES ESPINOZA-RUGAMA (“ESPINOZA- RUGAMA”), age 29, a native of Nicaragua, pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).

According to court documents, on or about June 30, 2024, ESPINOZA-RUGAMA, an individual unlawfully present in the United States, was found in possession of a Smith & Wesson nine-millimeter handgun, Model SW9VE. He was arrested by ICE officers for violating immigration laws.

At sentencing, ESPINOZA-RUGAMA faces a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 10, 2025.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –KYLE CONERLY (“CONERLY”), age 33, was sentenced on March 25, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

According to court documents, on November 20, 2023, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers were conducting surveillance on a residence in the Holly Grove neighborhood.  When officers moved in to make arrests, CONERLY ran to the backyard of the residence and threw a loaded handgun over the fence.  CONERLY is prohibited from possessing a handgun because of prior convictions for attempted second degree murder and manslaughter in Orleans Parish.

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).

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –BRANDON DUNN (“DUNN”), age 20, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846, and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).

According to court documents, since at least 2023, DUNN sold marijuana and tapentadol in the New Orleans area.  On May 9, 2024, New Orleans Police Department Officers were surveilling DUNN’s residence. DUNN arrived in a stolen Infinity Q60 and exited the driver’s seat of the vehicle.  When DUNN saw the officers, he fled on foot and discarded a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition. DUNN was apprehended after a short chase.  There was a distributable quantity of marijuana in DUNN’s stolen car and DUNN had over $1,000 cash in his pockets. Inside DUNN’s bedroom, officers recovered a money counter, over $15,000 in cash, a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco, 7.62x39-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, credit cards in other people’s names, and a washed check.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, DUNN will serve 11.5 years in prison.  The Court took DUNN’s guilty plea but deferred its decision on whether to accept or reject the negotiated plea until sentencing.  DUNN also faces a term of supervised release of at least two years up to life.  Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

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).

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS – HARDELL MACK (“MACK”), age 54, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2026 before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a four count indictment charging him with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), conspiring to commit mail fraud, money laundering, and possessing a stolen vehicle.  Additionally, MACK plead guilty to wire fraud, a matter transferred from the Middle District of Louisiana, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court records, in Count One, MACK fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP”) loan, which was authorized during the pandemic by the CARES Act, by making a false statement on or about July 24, 2020.  This resulted in a loan in the amount of $20,284.  He also obtained three other fraudulent PPP loans resulting in a total loss to the Small Business Administration of $79,356.  Count Two alleged that MACK also conspired to file false tax records by interstate mail in order to obtain an Employee Retention Credit from the Internal Revenue Service, that was funded by the U.S. Treasury.  This resulted in a loss to the government of $625,310.  Using the funds from the mail fraud, MACK committed money laundering as alleged in Count Three by sending over $10,000 to an investment company in Florida.  In Count Four, MACK also pleaded guilty to possessing a McLaren automobile that was stolen from Connecticut.

Concerning the Middle District matter, MACK pleaded guilty to Count Two of the indictment, charging him with wire fraud for defrauding an investor in a concert promotion scheme. 

Sentencing will occur on June 24, 2026.  MACK faces up to five (5) years imprisonment for Counts One and Two, and up to ten (10) years imprisonment for Counts Three and Four in the Eastern District of Louisiana.  MACK may receive up to twenty (20) years of imprisonment for his plea to Count Two in the Middle District of Louisiana matter.  All the counts include up to $250,000 in fines or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person, and up to three years of supervised release along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count due after conviction. 

For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.  Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force.  The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response.  The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending.  The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program.  Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC), the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera from the Eastern District of Louisiana and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth White from the Middle District of Louisiana are in charge of the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS – WELLINGTON BROWN (“BROWN”) age 53, of New Orleans, was charged by bill of information on March 31, 2026 with providing a materially false statement to the Small Business Administration in an application to obtain a government sponsored loan designed to assist small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

The maximum penalty for false statements to a federal agency is five years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney, Richard R. Pickens, II, of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On March 30, 2026, JESSICA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 38, currently of Texas and formerly of the Eastern District of Louisiana, was charged with participating in multiple acts of fraudulent conduct, including generating fake evidence for a lawsuit, stealing from two COVID-19 assistance programs, creating over $200,000 in fake store receipts, and misusing persons’ identities, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.  The bill of information charges LACOUR with five counts of wire fraud, with each count alleging a different fraud scheme.

As alleged in the first count, LACOUR used a fake tax return to obtain a forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loan, which was a type of assistance authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic.  As alleged in the second count, LACOURused the identities of other people to obtain emergency rental assistance, which was another type of COVID-19 aid.  As alleged in the third count, LACOUR created hundreds of fake Walmart receipts purporting to have been issued by at least 10 stores totaling at least $228,114.  It is alleged that the receipts were used by an accomplice to steal merchandise, which was then sold.  As alleged in the fourth count, LACOUR helped generate false evidence for a lawsuit filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court.  As alleged in the fifth count, LACOUR misused people’s identities to open accounts, such as utility and financial accounts.  As part of that scheme, LACOUR allegedly used her job at a French Quarter hotel to take pictures of a hotel guest’s driver’s license and credit card, which she then sent to an accomplice.

Each of the five wire fraud charges is punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment, which may be followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that JULIO VALERIO-SENTENO (“VALERIO-SENTENO”), age 39, pled guilty on March 30, 2026 to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

According to court documents, VALERIO-SENTENO was previously removed from the United States on July 1, 2011, February 27 2012, and October 2, 2013.  He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on May 15, 2025 and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States. United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe accepted the guilty plea and scheduled a sentencing date of May 21, 2026.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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).

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that on March 26, 2026, the U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced KODY SEVERIN (“SEVERIN”), age 28, a resident of New Orleans, to 138 months imprisonment.

SEVERIN pled guilty to the following offenses:

Count 1-Possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D);

Count 2-Possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1);

Count 3-Felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8);

Count 4-Possession of machine guns, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2);

Count 5-Possession of an unregistered firearm, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5841, 5861(d), and 5871;

Count 6-Felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8);

Count 7-Attempt to obstruct justice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(b)(1); and

Count 8-Receiving explosive materials, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 842(a)(3)(A) and 844(a).

The Court sentenced SEVERIN as follows:

Count 1:          Sixty (60) months imprisonment, two (2) years supervised release, $100 special assessment fee;

Count 2:          Sixty (60) months imprisonment, five (5) years supervised release, $100 special assessment fee; and

Counts 3-8:    Seventy-eight (78) months imprisonment, three (3) years supervised release, $600 special assessment fee.

The Court ordered that Counts 1, 3-8 be served concurrently.  However, Count 2 must be served consecutive to all counts.

According to court documents, on December 12, 2022, law enforcement received consent to search an apartment in the 1400 block of Milan Street. Inside, law enforcement located and seized the following items: (1) Glock Model 17L, nine-millimeter caliber pistol; (2) Glock Model 24, .40 caliber pistol; (3) Ruger model Security-6, .357 magnum caliber pistol; (4) Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol equipped with a device to convert this pistol to a fully automatic machinegun (more commonly referred to as a “Glock switch”); (5) Masterpiece Arms Model Mac 11, nine-millimeter caliber pistol; (6) Privately Made Firearm (“PMF”) semi-automatic handgun, .40/.357 caliber (more commonly referred to as a “Ghost Gun”); (7) upper receiver with bolt carrier group of a rifle; (8) Several PMF parts; (9) Approximately one hundred (100) machinegun conversion devices in various stages of completion, to include drop-in auto sears to convert AR-Type firearms to fully automatic machineguns and “Glock switches;” (10). One clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana with a total package weight of approximately 81.2 grams; (11) One clear plastic bag with the word “Politics” containing suspected marijuana with a total package weight of approximately 339.8 grams; (12) Multiple completed silencers; (13) Several silencers in various stages of completion; (14) One industrial milling machine covered in metal shavings; (15) Two explosive devices; (16) Quantities of various caliber ammunition; (17) Several extended magazines; (18) SEVERIN’s mail, clothing; and several cellphones.

On December 13, 2022, law enforcement encountered SEVERIN at the apartment.  After establishing verbal and visual contact with SEVERIN, law enforcement observed SEVERIN throw a black Smith and Wesson Model 36, .38 special caliber revolver from the apartment’s second floor balcony.  SEVERIN eventually opened the door to the apartment and was taken into custody without further incident. Law enforcement booked SEVERIN on active NOPD warrants and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Law enforcement verified that SEVERIN had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.  Specifically, on February 25, 2019, SEVERIN pled guilty to the felony charge of possession of methamphetamine in the 24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit and Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit are responsible for the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHARLES WHITE (“WHITE”), age 34, a resident of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 12, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to time served, three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. 

According to court documents, in June 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents initiated a joint investigation into WHITE as a member of a cocaine distribution organization with co-conspirators.  As part of the investigation, agents utilized multiple controlled purchases of cocaine through an intermediary WHITE believed was a legitimate seller. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ELDER CAMACHO (“CAMACHO”), age 36, a resident of Georgia, pled guilty on March 25, 2026, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to misprision of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, on May 25, 2022, CAMACHO, drove a codefendant from Atlanta, Georgia to New Orleans, in order to launder bulk cash drug proceeds from the Eastern District of Louisiana to Texas. CAMACHO also assisted in purchasing packaging materials to conceal the bulk cash.

CAMACHO faces up to three years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and  assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CARLOS RENE MEDINA-AYALA (“MEDINA-AYALA”), age 49, was sentenced on March 12, 2026, after pleading guilty on January 29, 2026, to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the indictment, on June 2, 2025, MEDINA-AYALA was found to have reentered the United States after being previously deported on or about November 7, 2013. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced MEDINA-AYALA to an imprisonment term of time served and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. MEDINA-AYALA was also ordered to be transferred into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement immediately following his sentencing for removal to Honduras. 

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – AHMAD BANKS, age 26, a resident of New Orleans, was charged on March 24, 2026 with mail theft by a United States Postal Employee, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1709, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, at the time of the offense, AHMAD BANKS was employed as a letter carrier, delivering U.S. mail in Metairie, Louisiana.  On or about January 26, 2024, he took a letter from the mail on his delivery route that he was entrusted to deliver that day, intending to remove and keep the contents for himself.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit.

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that on March 17, 2026, LINEZ GREEN, (“GREEN”), age 32, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, was sentenced to 66 months imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release, 4 years of supervise release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Brandon Long on March 17, 2026.

GREEN previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); § 841(b)(1)(B), and 846, to Distribution of a quantity of a mixture of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(C), and Illegal use of communications facility, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2.

According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least May 4, 2024, GREEN conspired with several individuals to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications. On numerous occasions, GREEN used his cell phone to further this conspiracy and distributed methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux.

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).

The United States Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, Thibodaux Police Department, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On March 19, 2026, YANCY MATIRNE (“MATIRNE”) and ERROL POINTS (“POINTS”), both from New Orleans, were charged on Marchs 19, 2026 in a three-count indictment by a federal grand jury, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the indictment, MATIRNE and POINTS conspired and possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana in New Orleans in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

MATIRNE was charged in Count 1 with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C) (b)(1)(D) and 846. In Count 2 MATIRNE was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C), (b)(1)(D) and 846. Lastly, in Count 3 MATIRNE was charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in  violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i). MATIRNE faces a mandatory minimum sentence for each of the violations in Counts 1, 2, and 3. The sentences imposed in Counts 1 and 2 may be run concurrently but must run consecutively to the §924(c) violation.

POINTS was charged in Count 1 with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C) (b)(1)(D) and 846. In Count 2 POINTS was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C), (b)(1)(D) and 846. Based on a prior conviction, POINTS is subject to a sentencing enhancement. POINTS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life as it relates to Counts 1and 2.

U. S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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).

The case is a part of the NOLA Safe initiative and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.

Operation NOLA Safe is a comprehensive, multi-pronged, and data driven law enforcement initiative designed to reduce violent crime in the Greater New Orleans area. This initiative brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to strategically align efforts and deploy targeted enforcement resources where they are most needed and effective.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RICKY WILSON (“WILSON”), age 31, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 19, 2026 by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, for his role in a Conspiracy to Commit Arson, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. to five years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, payment of full victim restitution, and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

Court documents revealed that WILSON purchased a vehicle from a dealership, but later placed three live Molotov cocktails next to vehicles on the dealership’s lot, damaging them. He also fired several shots into other vehicles, as well as the dealership’s offices. No one was injured during the course of these criminal acts. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Former Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller handled the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On March 18, 2026, ASHISH KAPOOR, a/k/a “Romy Kapoor,” (“KAPOOR”) age 28, a national of India, pled guilty on March 18, 2026 to Transportation of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(1), (a)(4)(B), (b)(1), and (b)(2), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the factual basis, KAPOOR traveled from Bombay, India to New Orleans, Louisiana on or about February 21, 2024, with a cellular phone containing digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  In addition, on April 11, 2024, KAPOOR downloaded a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child from an Internet Protocol address at his residence in New Orleans. On December 20, 2024, Special Agents with the United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and officers with the New Orleans Police Department arrested KAPOOR. In a recorded statement, KAPOOR confessed that he had seen and received child pornography using WhatsApp on his cellular phone.

In his factual basis, KAPOOR admitted that he possessed more than 600 images depicting the sexual abuse of minors and further admitted that these items contained sadistic or masochistic conduct and sexual abuse infants and toddlers.

As to Count One, KAPOOR faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, and as to Count Two, KAPOOR faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years. As to each count, KAPOOR also faces a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release for up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. KAPOOR will also be required to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry presided over and set KAPOOR’s sentencing for June 17, 2026.

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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.

The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OSCAR FRANCISCO AVILA-NORALES (“AVILA-NORALES”), age 47, was sentenced on March 24, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry of a Removed Alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326 (a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the charging document, AVILA-NORALES was found in Texas in 2012, having reentered the United States, without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on October 3, 2012.

United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced AVILA-NORALES to time served, one (1) year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. AVILA-NORALES was also ordered removed back to Honduras.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES, age 27, a citizen of Honduras, was charged on March 16, 2026 by bill of information with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the bill of information, UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES reentered the United States sometime prior to March 1, 2026, after having been previously removed on or about June 13, 2024.

If convicted, UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CARLOS ROBERTO GUARDADO-RAMIREZ (“GUARDADO-RAMIREZ”), age 46, a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2026, to re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. His sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry on April 22, 2026.

According to court records, GUARDADO-RAMIREZ was found in the United States on December 3, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on May 4, 2006.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans received information that GUARDADO-RAMIREZ, had been previously removed from the United States and had returned. GUARDADO-RAMIREZ was encountered by ICE Enforcement and Removal Officers in LaPlace, Louisiana on December 3, 2025. GUARDADO-RAMIREZ was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Officers in LaPlace, Louisiana for re-entering the United States after removal.

GUARDADO-RAMIREZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KYLE THOMSEN (“THOMSEN”), from New Orleans, was indicted on March 19, 2026 for arson of property used in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the indictment, on or about January 19, 2026, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, THOMSEN, damaged and destroyed by means of fire, a vehicle used by a commercial business in interstate commerce.

THOMSEN faces from five to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

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).

U. S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is a part of the NOLA Safe initiative and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco and Firearms and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – VAN VESSEL, (“VESSEL”), age 50, of Houma, pled guilty on March 18, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2026.

At sentencing, VESSEL faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

According to the indictment, during the early morning hours of May 18, 2025, Houma Police Department officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by VESSEL for lacking operational headlights and taillights. VESSEL attempted to flee but ultimately crashed his vehicle and was arrested. A search of the vehicle VESSEL crashed revealed over seven (7) pounds of methamphetamine on the passenger floorboard packaged in a large, vacuum sealed bag. VESSEL later admitted to law enforcement that he knew the methamphetamine was in the vehicle and he possessed the methamphetamine for distribution purposes.

United States Attorney Courcelle praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Houma Police Department, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EMNER ISAIAS NAJERA-NAJERA (“NAJERA-NAJERA”), age 41, a native of Guatemala, was indicted on March 19, 2026, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the charging document, the defendant was found in the United States on March 12, 2026, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on June 22, 2017.

NAJERA-NAJERA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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).

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.