Northern District of Texas

A man who allegedly shot multiple rounds from an AR-style rifle on the Margaret McDermott Bridge on New Year’s Eve has been federally charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Jose Raul Alarcon Sanchez, a Mexican national unlawfully present in the United States, was charged by federal complaint yesterday.  As alleged, just after midnight on January 1, 2026, Alarcon Sanchez and another man were on the Margaret McDermott Bridge amid numerous stopped cars and people at the time of the downtown Dallas firework presentations.  While standing on the bridge, Alarcon Sanchez and the other individual took turns filming each other shooting black rifles over the bridge.  The approximate location of the shooting is indicated by the red “x” in the map below:  

“This type of violent behavior wrought tremendous danger to countless lives on the bridge that night,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “I applaud our law enforcement partners’ meticulous investigation and use of ballistic evidence to connect this individual to the violent crime he is alleged to have committed on New Year’s Eve.”

“Firing a rifle from a crowded bridge in the middle of downtown Dallas posed a serious threat to public safety. Through close coordination with the Dallas Police Department and the use of NIBIN, investigators were able to connect critical ballistic evidence and advance this case.  ATF will continue working with our partners to address violent crime and protect our communities,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Brian W. Garner.  

According to the complaint, on January 5, 2026, Dallas Police Department officers recovered seventy-nine 5.56/.223 caliber and four 9-millimeter fired cartridge casings (FCCs) where Alarcon Sanchez and the other man were observed firing the rifles.  They also recovered an additional sixteen 5.56/.223 caliber FCCs, eight 9-millimeter FCCs, and one .40 caliber FCC under the bridge.
Court records show that Alarcon Sanchez was arrested on January 1, 2026, by Grand Prairie Police Department officers in response to a “shots fired” call to 911.  Alarcon Sanchez had multiple 5.56/.233 live rounds in both of his front pockets.  During a search of Alarcon Sanchez’s van, officers located additional 5.56/.223 FCCs, along with an AK-47 style rifle and magazines loaded with rounds of a different caliber than those recovered from the bridge in Dallas.  

During a later search of Alarcon Sanchez’s home on January 28, 2026, pursuant to a federal search warrant, court records show that ATF agents and Dallas Police task force officers located multiple firearms—including what is believed to be the firearm used on the bridge on New’s Year’s Eve—in a space between Alarcon Sanchez’s bed and his closet.  As alleged in the complaint, the firearms recovered consisted of a .380 caliber pistol, a 9mm caliber pistol, and three 5.56 caliber AR-15 pistols.  The investigation linked one of the recovered AR-15 pistols to the fired cartridge casings found at the Margaret McDermott Bridge.

Agents also found Alarcon Sanchez’s Mexican passport in his room.  Court records show that Alarcon Sanchez entered the United States in May 2025 on a temporary visitor visa that expired and that he did not request an extension.  As alleged, Alarcon Sanchez decided to stay and live in the United States illegally rather than returning to Mexico.  

Investigators also located photographs posted on a social media account of Alarcon Sanchez, dated December 28, 2025, and January 1, 2026, showing a man holding two AR-style rifles, which, according to the complaint, are typically chambered in 5.56/.223 caliber and appear to be the same two firearms from the bridge on New Year’s Eve:

An appearance date for Alarcon Sanchez in federal court has not yet been scheduled.

ATF Dallas and the Dallas Police Department, assisted by the Grand Prairie Police Department, investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

A third defendant involved in an Amarillo cockfighting ring was sentenced to nearly a year in federal prison last Friday, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Salvador Sanchez Chavez, 49, pled guilty in July 2025 to the federal offense of Attending an Animal Fighting Venture related to a February 10, 2024, cockfight at an Amarillo property.  He was sentenced on January 23, 2026, to 11 months in federal prison.

In February 2025, Chavez and two others, Ivan Herrera Lopez, 45, and Jaime Gamez Resendiz, 34, were indicted for their roles in the animal fighting venture after committing or conspiring to commit acts forbidden by the federal Animal Welfare Act.  Lopez pled guilty in July 2025 to Conspiracy to Engage in an Animal Fighting Venture and was sentenced to eight months in federal prison and a $10,000 fine in late October 2025.  Resendiz pled guilty in July 2025 to Unlawful Use of Interstate Instrumentality for Promoting or Furthering an Animal Fighting Venture and was also sentenced in late October to eight months in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk sentenced each of the three defendants.

“Cockfighting is not a sport.  It is flat out cruel,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “This prosecution and the sentences reflect the seriousness of the defendants’ crimes against animals.  Credit to our law enforcement partners for saving these animals before more harm could be done.”

“Savagely pitting defenseless animals against each other for sport, gambling or personal enjoyment is cruel and sadistic, and the illicit proceeds are often used to fuel other transnational criminal activity,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “Working alongside our state and local law enforcement partners and the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, we were able to dismantle the criminal organization responsible for operating this illegal gambling operation, hold the criminal illegal aliens who ran it accountable, and rescue the animals from certain death.”

According to court documents, deputies from the Potter County Sheriff’s Office responded to complaints of possible illegal activity taking place at a property in Amarillo on February 10, 2024.  When they arrived, they observed cockfighting, multiple dead roosters, over 160 live fighting roosters, metal blades or talons used to affix to the roosters’ feet for fighting, syringes and medications used to boost the roosters’ adrenaline before a fight, a marker board for documenting bets, and other items indicative of a cockfighting operation.

Court records reflect that Lopez owned the Amarillo property on which he hosted the February 2024 cockfighting derby.  He also bred, housed, fed, or sold roosters for the purpose of fighting.  Plea documents show that Chavez brought two roosters to Lopez’s property that day to fight, along with blades to be used for cockfighting.  Chavez also previously traveled to New Mexico for other cockfighting events and possessed and produced photographs of dead roosters, photos of steroids for animals, and videos of cockfighting on his phone.  Additionally, court records show that Resendiz owned a vehicle outfitted to transport roosters, transported roosters to the February event on Lopez’s property, and attended the event.  Messages on Lopez's phone included discussions between Lopez and Resendiz about cockfighting derby dates and locations dating back to 2022.

The roosters were all collected by Texas Game Wardens and members of the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Amarillo and taken for further care and evaluation.

All three defendants are Mexican nationals and entered the United States illegally.  As a result of their convictions, each of the defendants is subject to removal from the United States.

Homeland Security Investigations, Dallas Field Office (Amarillo Resident Agency), the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, Texas State Game Wardens, the Amarillo Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation along with support from the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Woolam, Anna Marie Bell, and Joshua Frausto (fmr.) prosecuted the case.

Thao Duong of Garland, Texas, pleaded guilty today for conspiring to smuggle and sell unregistered pesticides and misbranded veterinary drugs. Duong’s husband, Lam Mai, also pleaded guilty for conspiring to sell unregistered pesticides and misbranded veterinary drugs. The couple operated a website selling those drugs and pesticides, which had been smuggled into the United State from Mexico. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 9.

“Stopping transborder crime is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who flout our customs laws and endanger the health and safety of Americans.”

“No one should profit from bringing illegal chemicals into the United States and poisoning American communities,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Illegal Mexican pesticides and animal steroids are a toxic combination. The guilty plea in this case underscores the importance of the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt smuggling operations and secure our nation’s borders from foreign harm.”

“This case highlights the need to protect unwitting consumers from dangerous, misbranded products smuggled in from foreign sources at the expense of the health and safety of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “We applaud the diligent work of our law enforcement partners to interrupt these illegal practices and punish those who commit them.”

“Smuggling prohibited and misbranded products into the United States, and then selling them to unsuspecting consumers, greatly endangers public health,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lamb of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “The FDA will continue working with our federal government partners to bring to justice anyone who carries out these illegal actions.”

According to filings and evidence presented in court, in approximately 2011, Duong began using various online platforms to sell animal care products to customers throughout the United States. The products she sold were used primarily by people engaged in rooster fighting ventures. Duong was not a veterinarian and did not require customers to provide veterinary prescriptions to purchase veterinary drugs. She also sold products such as Cipio Vet, Baytril Max, and Caterrol, which are produced in Mexico and not approved by the FDA for use in the United States. In 2017, she added the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz to her inventory. Taktic and Bovitraz are not registered with the EPA for sale or use and cannot be sold legally in the United States.

In 2018, Duong started a website which she used as her primary means of selling and distributing veterinary drugs and pesticides. After launching the website, Duong entered into agreements with several co-conspirators to purchase veterinary drugs and pesticides that she knew had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.

The smuggled pesticides and veterinary drugs were brought into the United States through the Calexico Port of Entry in Imperial County, California, and placed in storage units near the border. Duong’s co-conspirators then shipped the products from California to Texas. Between 2018 and 2022, Duong obtained approximately $2.4 million worth of smuggled merchandise from her co-conspirators.

Lam Mai was the shipping manager for the website. After orders were received he packaged the pesticides and veterinary drugs and distributed them to customers throughout the country using the United States Postal Service and other shippers.

According to the EPA, the active ingredient in the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz is amitraz, which is toxic to bees if released into hives, and then ultimately to humans when it ends up in honey, honeycomb, and beeswax. Misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and possibly reproductive effects in humans from the consumption of contaminated honey. Signs of neurotoxicity from exposure to amitraz have been documented in multiple animal species and include central nervous system depression, decrease in pulse rate, and hypothermia.

The EPA and FDA investigated the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the United State Postal Inspection Service.

Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section is handling the prosecution with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent J. Mazzurco for the Northern District of Texas. 

A gas pipeline operator has agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve allegations that its violations of federal pipeline safety regulations resulted in the death of a company employee, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

In April 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties under the Pipeline Safety Act against Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co., LP (“PEPL”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Texas-based Energy Transfer, LP.  In its complaint, the United States alleged that PEPL violated pipeline safety regulations requiring it to follow its manual of written procedures for conducting operations and maintenance activities in four areas in connection with a fatal incident at the company’s Borchers Station near Meade, Kansas in March 2020.  As alleged in the complaint, PEPL’s violations caused a pipeline cleaning pig to be ejected from a partially-pressurized receiver barrel during maintenance activities at the station, which struck and ultimately killed a PEPL employee.  A pipeline cleaning pig is an industry term for a cylindrical object that travels through the pipeline, removing deposits and contaminants like scale or rust.

“This settlement reflects our commitment to impose accountability in regulatory matters,” said United States Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “The outcome here illustrates the importance and necessity of compliance and appropriate enforcement actions to prevent and address tragic circumstances such as those alleged in this case.”    

“Safety and enforcement go hand in hand,” said PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti. “The complaint alleged that the company’s failure to follow the rules led to an employee’s death. We will not let operators escape accountability in cases like this one and will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure our nation’s energy infrastructure is safe.”

Per the terms of a civil settlement executed with the Department of Justice on December 31, 2025, PEPL agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve the allegations in the complaint.  The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only.  There has been no determination or admission of liability.

This pipeline safety enforcement case was investigated and handled by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration before it was referred to the Department of Justice for resolution.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurabh Sharad of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas handled this matter on behalf of the Department of Justice.
 

A Dallas man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine he received from Mexico, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

“Ejecting transnational drug traffickers from our streets is critical to protecting North Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “This criminal spilled poison into our communities in exchange for money.  All credit for the conviction and 40-year prison sentence goes to our heroes in law enforcement and our line prosecutor, who worked in close collaboration with the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force.”

“The sentence of Mr. Mejia-Mendoza sends clear message to drug traffickers that they will be held accountable for the distribution of poisonous drugs and violence in North Texas,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Division.  “This investigation demonstrates what coordinated, intelligence-driven, law enforcement can accomplish.  The men and women of DEA and our partners remain committed to pursuing and dismantling foreign terrorist organizations that endanger Americans.”

“This lengthy sentence is another success for the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force. Our collective effort resulted in a member of a transnational criminal organization being held accountable for trafficking narcotics into the Dallas area,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

Orlando Gerardo Mejia-Mendoza, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty in June 2025, to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  According to court records, in 2023, Mejia-Mendoza was receiving shipments of liquid methamphetamine from Mexico. Some of the shipments involved as much as 20 to 25 kilograms of methamphetamine at a time, for which Mejia-Mendoza paid $1,800 per kilogram. Court documents reflect that one Dallas apartment used by Mejia-Mendoza contained an active methamphetamine conversion laboratory used to convert methamphetamine from its liquid form to crystal methamphetamine. Agents found methamphetamine in various stages of conversion scattered about the apartment.  In another apartment used by Meji-Mendoza, agents found multiple guns and cash. 

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown sentenced Mejia-Mendoza to 480 months in federal prison.  

This case was 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.

Dallas HSTF comprises agents from FBI, DEA, and HSI, who were assisted in this investigation by the Dallas Police Department, Coppell Police Department, and the Grand Prairie Police Department.  The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
 

A drug trafficker was sentenced this week to more than 11 years in federal prison for distributing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and other narcotics on behalf of Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, a foreign terrorist and drug trafficking organization operating in Mexico and the United States, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

“This case sends a clear message: those who dump poison into our streets will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “Prosecuting an affiliate of senior cartel leaders requires years of painstaking work, unwavering resolve, and exceptional interagency cooperation.  My office will continue to prioritize these impactful prosecutions.”

“The sentence of Mr. Velazquez reflects our continued focus on dismantling foreign terrorist organizations that traffic deadly drugs into our communities,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. “DEA and our partners will continue targeting violent cartels and their criminal associates, in order to save American lives.”

“The Dallas Homeland Security Task Force is focused on targeting the leadership, financial networks, and logistical infrastructure of transnational criminal organizations and foreign terrorist organizations, both locally and globally. The collaborative work of the HSTF led to this drug trafficker receiving an 11-year sentence and significantly reducing the flow of narcotics into our neighborhoods,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

Luis Robert Velazquez, 39, of Cockrell Hill, Texas, pled guilty in July 2025, to a drug conspiracy in which he admitted to trafficking narcotics for Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).  According to plea documents, in the span of less than five months, from November 2024 to April 2025, Velazquez admitted to having received shipments of approximately 300 kilograms of methamphetamine, ten to twelve kilograms of heroin, and a kilogram of cocaine from his Mexico-based CJNG associates.  Velazquez then distributed the narcotics in kilogram quantities to domestic customers of the organization in the Dallas area at the direction of his Mexico-based CJNG superiors.  Velazquez laundered U.S. currency from the transactions to send to CJNG superiors in Mexico.  On Monday, January 5, 2026, Velazquez was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. Senior District Judge Daivd Godbey.

In February last year, the U.S. State Department designated Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación a foreign terrorist organization, consistent with a presidential executive order issued on January 20, 2025, declaring such cartels a national security threat extending beyond traditional organized crime.

This case was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.  In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from FBI, DEA, HSI, Dallas Police Department, Coppell Police Department, and Grand Prairie Police Department. First Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Coker prosecuted the case.
 

A Fort Worth business owner who received nearly $5 million from local customers for unfinished custom home building and remodeling projects pled guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy charge yesterday, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Court records reflect that Christopher Judge and his wife, Raquelle Judge, both of Fort Worth, Texas, were managing members of Judge DFW LLC (“Judge DFW”), a Texas limited liability company.  Each defendant admitted that from approximately August 2020 to January 2023, through Judge DFW, they conspired to defraud consumers by purporting to offer custom architecture, construction, and interior design/décor services that they never completed.  They also falsely represented that Christopher Judge was an architect.  As part of the fraud scheme, victims received below-market bids from Judge DFW and executed design and build contracts for the work. The defendants then started construction projects and accepted multiple installment payments from victims but never completed those projects, often leaving victims without a completed residence.  Plea documents reflect that the defendants defrauded over 40 victims residing in six Northern District of Texas counties, involving at least 24 different construction projects.  Court records also show that the defendants commingled victims’ installment payments in the primary Judge DFW operating account, frequently using individual victim installment payments for unrelated construction projects.  The alleged loss amount totaled approximately $4.8 million.

Yesterday, Christopher Judge pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to twenty years in federal prison.  Raquelle Judge pled guilty on December 17, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud that subjects her to a maximum of five years in federal prison.  They also face monetary penalties, restitution, and terms of supervised release.  Sentencing for Raquelle Judge is scheduled for April 14, 2026.  Sentencing for Christopher Judge is scheduled for May 12, 2026.  Both sentencing hearings will occur before United States District Judge Terry R. Means.  

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Euless Police Department conducted the investigation, with the assistance of the U.S. Secret Service Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark McDonald and Laura Montes prosecuted the case.
 

An alleged ISIS sympathizer has been federally charged with an international terrorism offense after providing bomb components and money to individuals he believed were acting on behalf of a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“This case is a testament to the incredible work of our federal agents, who work tirelessly to save American lives,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “ISIS’s poisonous ideology must be ripped out root and stem — anyone who tries to commit violence on ISIS’s behalf will be found, arrested, and prosecuted. You cannot hide from us.”

“Today’s announcement underscores the FBI’s commitment to combatting terrorism and demonstrates our continuous work to disrupt and thwart terrorist plots against the American public,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let this serve as a warning to those who plan to conduct attacks against the United States on behalf of terrorist organizations – you will be brought to justice.”

“The increasing threats of harm and destruction in our country made by those aligned with violent ideologies must be stopped,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “An alleged ISIS sympathizer has been federally charged with an international terrorism. This operation is but one example highlighting the necessity of vigilant observation and swift action to halt what could have been a devastating outcome. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to take prompt action against those attempting to carry out alleged terrorist missions.”

“The FBI worked alongside our law enforcement partners to quickly arrest an individual who intended to provide bomb making materials to a foreign terrorist organization,” said Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of FBI Dallas. “Protecting the Homeland is a top priority for the FBI. This arrest demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding our communities from terrorism.”

“Today’s charges illustrate that the threats of terrorism and extremist violence against our nation are still very real,” said Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch of the New York Police Department (NYPD). “The NYPD remains committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks at their source – before they can reach their murderous ends. And any person who puts American lives at risk will face justice and be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I want to thank our undercover investigators in the NYPD, as well as our law enforcement partners in the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their exceptional work on this case.”    

John Michael Garza, Jr., 21, of Midlothian, Texas, was charged last week by federal complaint with the offense of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization after he brought various bomb-making materials to a meeting on Monday evening, Dec. 22, and gave them to an individual he allegedly believed was an ISIS “brother.” In reality, Garza met with an undercover agent. During the meeting, Garza described how to mix the components and offered to send an instructional video explaining how to build the bomb. Law enforcement agents arrested Garza shortly after he left the meeting.

According to the complaint, in mid-October 2025, an undercover New York City Police Department employee noticed a particular social media account — later determined to be Garza’s — that followed several other pro-ISIS accounts and wrote a comment on a pro-ISIS post. When the NYPD undercover engaged with Garza on social media, Garza described himself as a 21-year-old Mexican-American living in Texas. In their continuing conversations throughout November and December, Garza shared that he ascribed to the ISIS ideology and sent the undercover multiple official ISIS media releases. Garza paid the undercover small sums of cryptocurrency in November and December 2025, believing that he was supporting ISIS causes, including buying firearms and other materials. Examples of ISIS media releases that Garza provided included:

Garza also allegedly shared a video depicting a suicide vehicle bombing. A screenshot of one bomb-making instructional video shared by Garza is below:

As alleged, Garza began telling the undercover agent of his plans to buy materials to make explosives. Garza told him that he would buy the ingredients and agreed to meet with a second individual who Garza believed to support ISIS activities on Monday, Dec 22. At the meeting, Garza handed the FBI undercover several explosive components. As alleged, Garza explained how to mix the ingredients and surround them with nails, and he offered to send the undercover an instructional bomb-building video.

Garza appeared before a United States magistrate judge for his initial appearance on Dec. 23. A probable cause and detention hearing is scheduled for Dec. 30. If convicted, Garza faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Dallas Field Office and the NYPD, with assistance by FBI’s New York Field Office, Dallas Police Department, Midlothian Police Department, and Euless Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Madeleine Case for the Northern District of Texas and DOJ Trial Attorney David Courchaine with the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

An alleged ISIS sympathizer has been federally charged with an international terrorism offense after providing bomb components and money to individuals he believed were acting on behalf of a designated foreign terrorist organization, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

“This case is a testament to the incredible work of our federal agents, who work tirelessly to save American lives,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “ISIS’s poisonous ideology must be ripped out root and stem — anyone who tries to commit violence on ISIS’s behalf will be found, arrested, and prosecuted. You cannot hide from us.”

“Today’s announcement underscores the FBI’s commitment to combatting terrorism and demonstrates our continuous work to disrupt and thwart terrorist plots against the American public,” said FBI Director, Kash Patel. “Let this serve as a warning to those who plan to conduct attacks against the United States on behalf of terrorist organizations– you will be brought to justice.”

“The increasing threats of harm and destruction in our country made by those aligned with violent ideologies must be stopped,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “This operation is but one example highlighting the necessity of vigilant observation and swift action to halt what could have been a devastating outcome.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to take prompt action against those attempting to carry out alleged terrorist missions.”

“The FBI worked alongside our law enforcement partners to quickly arrest an individual who intended to provide bomb making materials to a foreign terrorist organization,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “Protecting the Homeland is a top priority for the FBI. This arrest demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding our communities from terrorism.”

“Today’s charges illustrate that the threats of terrorism and extremist violence against our nation are still very real,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “The NYPD remains committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks at their source – before they can reach their murderous ends. And any person who puts American lives at risk will face justice and be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I want to thank our undercover investigators in the NYPD, as well as our law enforcement partners in the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their exceptional work on this case.”    

John Michael Garza, Jr., 21, of Midlothian, Texas, was charged last week by federal complaint with the offense of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, after he brought various bomb-making materials to a meeting on Monday evening, December 22, 2025, and gave them to an individual he allegedly believed was an ISIS “brother.”  In reality, Garza met with an FBI undercover.  During the meeting, Garza described how to mix the components and offered to send an instructional video explaining how to build the bomb.  Law enforcement agents arrested Garza shortly after he left the meeting.  

According to the complaint, in mid-October 2025, an undercover New York City Police Department employee noticed a particular social media account—later determined to be Garza’s—that followed several other pro-ISIS accounts and that wrote a comment on a pro-ISIS post.  When the NYPD undercover engaged with Garza on social media, Garza described himself as a 21-year-old Mexican-American living in Texas.  In their continuing conversations throughout November and December, Garza shared that he ascribed to the ISIS ideology and sent the undercover multiple official ISIS media releases.  Garza paid the undercover small sums of cryptocurrency in November and December 2025, believing that he was supporting ISIS causes, including buying firearms and other materials.  Examples of ISIS media releases that Garza provided included:

Garza also allegedly shared a video depicting a suicide vehicle bombing.  A screenshot of one bomb-making instructional video shared by Garza is below:

As alleged, Garza began telling the undercover of his plans to buy materials to make explosives.  Garza told the undercover that he would buy the ingredients and agreed to meet with a second individual who Garza believed to support ISIS activities on Monday, December 22, 2025.  At the meeting, Garza handed the FBI undercover several explosive components.  As alleged, Garza explained how to mix the ingredients and surround them with nails, and he offered to send the undercover an instructional bomb-building video.  

Garza appeared before a United States magistrate judge for his initial appearance on December 23, 2025.  A probable cause and detention hearing is scheduled for December 30, 2025.  If convicted, Garza faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the New York City Police Department, with assistance by FBI’s New York Field Office, Dallas Police Department, Midlothian Police Department, and Euless Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Madeleine Case and DOJ Trial Attorney David Courchaine with the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

A complaint is merely an allegation.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.

“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes.”

“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”

“This operation highlights the tremendous collaboration of our federal, state, and local law enforcement to remove those who prey on children from our streets,” said United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.  “We are proud to work alongside these agents and officers in the pursuit of justice on behalf of the victims in our District.”

“FBI Dallas has worked with our law enforcement partners this year to apprehend hundreds of suspected child predators through multiple arrest operations. Operation Relentless Justice is another example of our commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting the most vulnerable in our communities,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. 

In the Northern District of Texas, five individuals were arrested and charged as part of Operation Relentless Justice, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould and FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.  Those individuals include:

Ruben Reyes Tijerina III, 26, of Levelland, Texas, arrested and charged with one count of Production of Child Pornography.  If convicted, Tijerina faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison.  The FBI Dallas Field Office (Lubbock RA), FBI St. Louis, St. Charles City (Missouri) Police Department, and Levelland Police Department handled the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is prosecuting the case.

James Childress, 40, of Chicago, Illinois, arrested and charged with one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor, which carries a penalty of imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment; two counts of Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, carrying a maximum of 10 years in federal prison; one count of Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography, for which Childress faces a minimum of 15 years and maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment; one count of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, which carries a sentence of 5 years to 20 years’ imprisonment, and one count of Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, if convicted.  The investigation was handled by the FBI Dallas Field Office (Lubbock RA), FBI Chicago, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is prosecuting the case.

Marcus Xavier Anguiano, 30, and Maddie Rhea Anguiano, 28, of Lubbock, Texas, arrested and charged with one count of Conspiracy to Produce and Attempt to Produce Child Pornography; one count of Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography; a second count charging only Marcus Anguiano of Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography; and one count of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.  The Anguianos face sentences ranging from 15 years to 30 years on all counts except the receipt charge, which carries a penalty of five to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.  The FBI Dallas Field Office (Lubbock RA), Air Force Office of Special Investigations (Mountain Home Air Force Base), Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Lubbock Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Wolfforth Police Department handled the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is prosecuting the case.

Kai Isaiah Ranaglia-Nelson, 25, of Abilene, Texas, arrested and charged with Production of Child Pornography as a Registered Sex Offender.  At the time of the offense, Ranaglia-Nelson was serving a probation sentence for a 2020 Arizona conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor.  If convicted, he faces a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of 50 years in federal prison, in addition to a consecutive ten years’ imprisonment for committing the offense as a registered sex offender.  FBI Dallas Field Office (Abilene RA), the Abilene Police Department, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office handled the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen is prosecuting the case.

Like those charged in the Northern District of Texas, others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Lubbock, Texas, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as mentioned above, as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, North Carolina, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.

As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM.  The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.  

This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, including seven from the Northern District of Texas, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.  

The FBI’s Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.  

These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


 

A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $65 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $66 million in restitution.

“This defendant orchestrated one of the nation’s largest schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program during a global pandemic,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Stealing money from federal relief programs is stealing money contributed by taxpayers to help individuals and small businesses survive economic hardship. This sentence sends a clear message that people who exploit government programs to enrich themselves will be brought to justice.”

“In a critical time for our nation, when businesses were trying to survive a worldwide pandemic, this defendant egregiously lined his own pockets via his massive fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “He and others who criminally exploit federal funding will be prosecuted to the fullest extent in our district.”

“Abusing government programs and exploiting a national emergency will never be tolerated,” said Acting Assistant Director Rebecca Day of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable those who defraud the government in an effort to benefit themselves.”

“Nathan Reis orchestrated a massive fraud that siphoned tens of millions of dollars from a program meant to save small businesses during a national emergency,” said Acting Deputy Chief Justin Campbell of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today’s sentence is a testament to the strength of federal partnership and coordinated investigative work. The women and men of IRS-CI remain committed to investigating complex financial crimes and ensuring that those who abuse government programs for personal profit will face justice.”

“This sentencing underscores the SBA Office of Inspector General’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who exploit taxpayer funds for personal gain,” said Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker. “At a time when these programs were designed to support small businesses and workers facing unprecedented hardship, fraud of this magnitude undermines public trust and diverts critical resources from those who truly needed them. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and pursue those who abuse SBA programs.”

“This sentencing holds accountable and brings to justice a fraudster who stole millions of taxpayer dollars intended to help small business owners for their own personal gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to achieve this result.”

According to court documents, Nathan Reis, 47, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible. In April 2020, Reis co-founded Blueacorn, purportedly to help small businesses and individuals obtain PPP loans. Through Blueacorn, Reis and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications they knew contained materially false information to make more money. Reis and others fabricated documents, including tax documents and bank statements. As part of the conspiracy, Reis and his co-conspirators charged borrowers fees based on a percentage of the funds received. In total, Reis and his co-conspirators processed over 530 fraudulent loans causing over $65 million in losses.

In August 2025, Reis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, and SBA Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

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

A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $65 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $66 million in restitution.

“This defendant orchestrated one of the nation’s largest schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program during a global pandemic,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Stealing money from federal relief programs is stealing money contributed by taxpayers to help individuals and small businesses survive economic hardship. This sentence sends a clear message that people who exploit government programs to enrich themselves will be brought to justice.”

“In a critical time for our nation, when businesses were trying to survive a worldwide pandemic, this defendant egregiously lined his own pockets via his massive fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “He and others who criminally exploit federal funding will be prosecuted to the fullest extent in our district.”

“SBA was proud to support the Justice Department in their work to bring one of our nation’s largest pandemic fraudsters to justice," said Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "At the SBA, we are tirelessly working to hold criminal actors accountable and claw back the taxpayer dollars that were stolen from honest American families and small business owners.”

“Abusing government programs and exploiting a national emergency will never be tolerated,” said Acting Assistant Director Rebecca Day of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable those who defraud the government in an effort to benefit themselves.”

“Nathan Reis orchestrated a massive fraud that siphoned tens of millions of dollars from a program meant to save small businesses during a national emergency,” said Acting Deputy Chief Justin Campbell of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today’s sentence is a testament to the strength of federal partnership and coordinated investigative work. The women and men of IRS-CI remain committed to investigating complex financial crimes and ensuring that those who abuse government programs for personal profit will face justice.”

“This sentencing underscores the SBA Office of Inspector General’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who exploit taxpayer funds for personal gain,” said Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker. “At a time when these programs were designed to support small businesses and workers facing unprecedented hardship, fraud of this magnitude undermines public trust and diverts critical resources from those who truly needed them. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and pursue those who abuse SBA programs.”

“This sentencing holds accountable and brings to justice a fraudster who stole millions of taxpayer dollars intended to help small business owners for their own personal gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to achieve this result.”

According to court documents, Nathan Reis, 47, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible. In April 2020, Reis co-founded Blueacorn, purportedly to help small businesses and individuals obtain PPP loans. Through Blueacorn, Reis and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications they knew contained materially false information to make more money. Reis and others fabricated documents, including tax documents and bank statements. As part of the conspiracy, Reis and his co-conspirators charged borrowers fees based on a percentage of the funds received. In total, Reis and his co-conspirators processed over 530 fraudulent loans causing over $65 million in losses.

In August 2025, Reis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, and SBA Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

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

A Houston, Texas man was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison for his role in the “jugging” robbery of an ATM technician, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.  A “jugging” robbery is a type of theft where thieves follow a victim as they service or withdraw cash from ATMs or banks and then rob them.

Corey Dashun Holloway, 30, of Houston, Texas pled guilty in September 2025 to the felony charge of interference with commerce by robbery relating to his role in the July 3, 2024, robbery of an ATM technician.  Today, United States Senior District Judge David Godbey sentenced him to 87 months in federal prison.  Holloway is the third defendant to be sentenced in this case.  

Also indicted with Holloway were Houston residents Johnny Juwan Clark, Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg, and Roosevelt Ford Valentine.  Court records reflect that Clark, Brandyberg, Holloway, and Roosevelt have been linked to a Houston-based criminal organization called the “Hiram Clarke Money Team.”  HCMT members are known to routinely travel to areas outside of Houston and engage in “jugging” style robberies and other forms of theft.

According to court documents, Holloway admitted that, during the early morning hours of July 3, 2024, he traveled from Houston, Texas to the Dallas metroplex in a rental car with the intent to commit robbery.  Holloway further admitted that after arriving in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he followed an ATM technician to multiple stops as the technician repaired ATMs in Irving, Grand Prairie, Arlington, and ultimately, Midlothian, Texas.  At approximately 5:35 p.m. on July 3, 2024, Holloway approached the ATM technician as he was servicing an ATM at a Chase Bank located in Midlothian, Texas.  Clark, Holloway, and Valentine were wearing a hoodies and face coverings to disguise their appearance.  Clark approached the technician from behind and forced him to the ground.  Clark kept his fist to the back of the victim’s head as cannisters containing United States currency were removed from the ATM by Holloway and Valentine. Approximately $260,000 in United States currency was taken during the robbery.  

Court records reveal that after the robbery, Holloway and two of his codefendants fled from the Chase Bank in the rental car and met codefendant Tierra Tonisha Brandyberg at an apartment complex near the bank. The stolen money was loaded into a Range Rover and driven back to Houston, Texas.  Evidence presented in court showed that, two days after the robbery, a jewelry store in Houston posted a video on social media of Holloway in the store in possession of large quantities of cash and purchasing a diamond Rolex, a diamond necklace and other jewelry, as depicted below: 

At the time of the Chase Bank robbery, Holloway was serving a probation sentence in Collin County, Texas for aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity.  At today’s sentencing hearing, United States Senior District Judge David Godbey ordered that Holloway’s federal sentence run consecutive to any state sentence imposed in Holloway’s Collin County cases.

Two of Holloway’s codefendants have also been sentenced to terms of imprisonment in federal prison.  Codefendant Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg was sentenced to 41 months on November 3, 2025.  Codefendant Johnny Clark was sentenced to 96 months on August 4, 2025.  On December 2, 2025, codefendant Roosevelt Valentine pled guilty to a total of three “jugging” style robberies that targeted ATM technicians, and he is awaiting sentencing.  

The FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case.
 

A former Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender was sentenced last Thursday to 18 months in federal prison for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Raymond Lee Trejo, 36, of Abilene, Texas, pled guilty to failure to register as a sex offender in August 2025.  He was sentenced last Thursday, December 11, to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.

According to court documents, in 2009, Trejo was convicted of sexual assault of a child against a 14-year-old girl in Taylor County, Texas, and sentenced to 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.  As a result of Trejo’s offense and conviction, he was required to register as a “sex offender” pursuant to the laws of any state where he resided and the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.  Among those requirements, Trejo had to register his address and other information, with local law enforcement in any county where he resided or was employed.  Trejo was informed of his registration requirements when he was released from prison in 2019 and again in 2022 when he was arrested for failure to comply with those requirements for not notifying of a change in employment.  

Court records show that, in approximately November 2023, Trejo absconded from Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, where he was living, without notifying appropriate authorities of any change or intended change in his residential or employment status.  Law enforcement in Taylor County made efforts to locate Trejo but were unsuccessful.  In May 2024, Taylor County issued an arrest warrant for Trejo for failure to register as a sex offender.  In December 2024, Trejo was placed on the Texas Department of Public Safety 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders list, to aid in locating Trejo.  Law enforcement received information that Trejo was living and working in Stilwell, Adair County, Oklahoma.  Further investigation revealed that Trejo lived and worked in Stilwell, Oklahoma, since at least September 2024.  He did not notify anyone in Taylor County of his change in residence or employment and he made no efforts to properly register as a sex offender in Adair County, Oklahoma.  

In March 2025, Trejo was arrested at his place of employment in Stilwell, Oklahoma, and promptly extradited back to Taylor County, Texas.  Trejo’s conduct involved his crossing state lines from the State of Texas to the State of Oklahoma, without complying with the sex offender registration requirements of either state.  As a result, Trejo’s actions violated the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The United States Marshals Service for the Northern District of Texas (Abilene Division) and the Eastern District of Oklahoma (Muskogee Division) conducted the investigation along with the Abilene Police Department, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Stilwell (Oklahoma) Police Department, Adair County (Oklahoma) Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma Department of Corrections.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case with the assistance of the Taylor County District Attorney’s Office.  

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.  The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. 

A man who distributed child sex abuse material to his co-defendant girlfriend was sentenced Thursday to 19 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Skyler Shoemaker, 34, of Colorado City, Texas, was indicted in May this year and pled guilty three months later to Distribution of Child Pornography.  He was sentenced on December 11, 2025, to 228 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.

According to court documents, Shoemaker used Facebook Messenger to send a sexually explicit video of a four- to six-year-old child to his girlfriend, Angel Bradford.  Additionally, information presented at the sentencing hearing indicated that Shoemaker used various platforms to distribute child pornography to other users online and that he also committed sex acts in front of minors.

Bradford, 33, of Hermleigh, Texas, was indicted with Shoemaker in May 2025.  She pled guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography in July 2025.  On November 6, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Hendrix sentenced her to five years in federal prison.

The FBI Dallas Field Office – Abilene Resident Agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Abilene Police Department’s Cyber Crimes Unit conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen prosecuted the case.  

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.  The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
 

A jury in Fort Worth, Texas convicted four family members yesterday of participating in a multimillion-dollar tax refund fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.  

According to court documents and statements made in court, David Hunt, of Arlington, Texas, his twin sons Brandon and Baylon Hunt, also of Arlington, and the twins’ half-brother, Corey Burt, formerly of Long Beach, Mississippi, orchestrated a scheme to file tax returns in the names of purported trusts they controlled seeking over $8.5 million in tax refunds that the trusts were not entitled to receive.  Brandon Hunt also filed a false return in his own name, and Brandon and Baylon Hunt also submitted to the IRS additional fake documents including falsified financial instruments and altered money orders as part of their scheme.  Some of these documents were submitted to the IRS in response to IRS efforts to collect the fraudulently-obtained refunds.  The defendants continued filing false returns and other documents even after receiving warning letters from the IRS about their submissions.

Collectively, the defendants received over $1.7 million from the IRS based on the false tax returns they filed.  Court records reflect that the defendants shared in the proceeds of their fraud by transferring money between themselves.  They also used the refunds to purchase luxury goods, furniture, cryptocurrency, a Cadillac Escalade, and a house in Mississippi.

All four defendants were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States.  David and Brandon Hunt, as well as Corey Burt, were also convicted of multiple counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.  Baylon Hunt was acquitted of two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.

“Fraudulent tax schemes such as this rob the federal fisc and the American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “This verdict rightly held all four defendants accountable for their roles in the criminal conduct – a result garnered by the diligent work of IRS-CI, the Tax Section of DOJ’s Criminal Division, and those in my office to bring these individuals to justice.”  

“Let this verdict serve as a warning: frivolous tax arguments have no merit and will not shield anyone from prosecution,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “Those who attempt to misuse the tax system through baseless claims and deceptive filings not only undermine public trust, but also face serious legal consequences.  The women and men of IRS-CI remain steadfast in our mission to protect the integrity of the tax system and pursue those who seek to defraud it.”

Sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  The defendants face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to three years in prison on each false tax return charge.  They also face monetary penalties, restitution, and terms of supervised release.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.  The U.S. Marshals Service assisted in locating and arresting three of the defendants who fled mid-trial.

Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Mark McDonald of the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
 

A multi-convicted felon was sentenced today to more than 16 years in federal prison for a violent bank robbery, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Damon Johnson, 51, was indicted in December 2024 for robbing the PNC Bank on North Glenbrook Drive in Garland, Texas on November 14, 2024. He pled guilty in May 2025 to bank robbery.  Today, U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle sentenced Johnson to 200 months in federal prison.

According to court documents, as a customer was conducting business at a teller station inside the bank, Johnson grabbed her from behind and held her hostage.  Johnson then pointed a firearm at the teller and demanded money.  After the teller gave him $3,900 from the register, Johnson fled on foot.  He was arrested in December 2024 shortly after indictment.

Court records reflect that Johnson was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, for which he was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison.  He had also served a 10-year federal imprisonment sentence for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  At the time he committed the bank robbery in November 2024, he was on federal supervised release for these two offenses.  During the sentencing hearing, Judge Boyle pointed to Johnson’s lengthy criminal record, including his 1991 Michigan state conviction of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder—which involved Johnson raping a woman and setting her on fire—as well as his other convictions for drug and firearm offenses, when imposing the 200-month sentence.  

“The swift actions of FBI Dallas Violent Crime Task Force agents took this violent repeat offender off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “We will continue to pursue lengthy federal prison sentences for those like him to deter these types of crime sprees and restore safety in the Northern District of Texas.”

“The sentence received by the defendant is a result of the efforts of the Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force to hold accountable a felon with a violent criminal history,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.  “The FBI will continue to work alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to fight violent crime in our communities across North Texas.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh prosecuted the case.
 

A man who produced child sexual abuse material was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Victor Torres, 33, of Dumas, Texas, pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography in May 2025.  He was sentenced today to 720 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk.

“This defendant lured vulnerable youth into his despicable crimes and deservedly received a lengthy prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “We will work unceasingly with our local and federal law enforcement partners to remove these types of dangerous predators from the streets of our communities.”

According to court documents, in 2023, Victor Torres paid two different 13-to-14-year-old children to produce sexually explicit material to send to him online.  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered Torres’s criminal activity when they received a CyberTip from an online money exchange platform.  From the CyberTip, they were able to locate multiple different accounts used by Torres to communicate with minors online.  Torres was 30 years old at the time of the communications but frequently told minors that he was 17 years old.  Torres told the minors that he would “pay for content” and described exactly what he wanted the minors to do in the sexually explicit photos and videos he requested, including how to pose and what objects to use. 

Court records show that, in June 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Torres’s residence and seized several electronic devices.  Evidence located on Torres’s electronic devices revealed search terms for child pornography, communications with minors and bartering for the production of child pornography, and additional child sexual abuse material including material depicting the sexual abuse of toddlers, animals, and other prepubescent children. 

Homeland Security Investigations, Dallas Field Office (Amarillo Resident Agency) conducted the investigation along with HSI Harrisonburg, VA; HSI Buffalo, NY; HSI Columbia, SC; HSI Charleston, SC; the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, the Amarillo Police Department, the Pittsburg, OK Sheriff’s Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.  

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.  The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org

A former bank vice president in Wichita Falls, Texas was sentenced to four years in federal prison for a fraud scheme involving fraudulent Paycheck Protection Plan and Economic Injury Disaster loans, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Kaylee Ree Lunn, 37, of Holliday, Texas, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in July 2025 related to several fraudulent PPP loans she submitted in 2020 and 2021.  On Friday, December 5, 2025, Lunn was sentenced to forty-eight months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered Lunn to pay restitution of $573,444 to the Small Business Administration and more than $19,000 to her former employer, Prosperity Bank (formerly First Capital Bank).

According to court records, Lunn admitted that, while she was vice president of commercial lending at the Wichita Falls branch of First Capital Bank, she accessed and unlawfully used the personal and business financial information of certain bank customers to apply for a series of four fraudulent PPP loans and a commercial loan in late 2020 through mid-2021.  Lunn admitted that she used false or inflated income and payroll expense figures and diverted loan proceeds totaling more than $276,000 to bank accounts she controlled, all without the customers’ knowledge or consent.  

Court records also reflect that Lunn applied for and received more than $140,000 in fraudulent PPP loans falsely reflecting the business entities as her husband’s.  Throughout this time period, Lunn also made failed attempts to obtain several Economic Injury Disaster loans of over $890,000, which were ultimately rejected because they were associated with fraudulent information. According to plea documents, Lunn spent thousands of dollars of the fraudulently-obtained loan proceeds on her personal and lifestyle expenses.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office through the Amarillo Resident Agency.  Assistant United States Attorney Mark (“Mac”) McDonald prosecuted the case.

A former United States Postal Service employee pled guilty this week to a bribery scheme involving USPS service contracts, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.  

Zechariah Yi, 52, of Aurora, Colorado, was indicted in March 2025 for his role in accepting payments related to USPS service contracts awarded to certain trucking companies.  On Tuesday this week, Yi pled guilty to one count of Receiving a Bribe by a Public Official.

According to court documents, Yi admitted that, while working as a Senior Network Operations Analyst for the United States Postal Service, he solicited and received approximately $1.5 million in kickbacks from the owners and associates of three trucking companies in exchange for Yi’s agreeing to help the trucking companies obtain USPS service contracts.  The USPS service contracts awarded to the three trucking companies paid the companies a total of approximately $15 million.

Yi faces up to fifteen years in federal prison.  His sentencing date has been set for March 26, 2026.

Yi is the fourth defendant to plead guilty as part of this bribery scheme.  Previously, another USPS employee, Tai Rho, and the owners of two trucking companies, Wan Jin Yoon and Hong Jin Yoon, each pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud for their involvement in the bribery scheme.  They each face up to five years in federal prison.  All three are set for sentencing in early 2026.  

The FBI Dallas Field Office and the United States Postal Service - Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marty Basu and Joshua Detzky prosecuted the case.  
 

A Dallas business owner convicted at trial of failing to pay over employment taxes that she withheld from her employees was sentenced yesterday to more than eight years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Heaven Marie Diaz, 57, was indicted in 2023 and convicted by a jury in June 2025 on five counts of failing to pay over trust fund taxes.  She was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge David Godbey, who also ordered her to pay $799,033.47 in restitution.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Diaz was the owner and CEO of Pursuit of Excellence, a staffing company based in Dallas.  From 2015 to 2017, she withheld payroll taxes from her employees’ paychecks but failed to remit more than $3 million to the IRS as required by law.  

Former employees and Diaz’s former accountant testified that they repeatedly warned her about her obligation to pay employment taxes.  Despite those warnings, Diaz continued to withhold the taxes and kept the funds in her company’s bank accounts.  Evidence showed she used those funds to cover personal expenses, including international travel, luxury goods, and $10,000 monthly rent on a home in Dallas’s Preston Hollow neighborhood.

“The defendant lied to her employees and embezzled employment taxes due to greed.  The substantial prison sentence of eight years reflects the seriousness of the offense and the collaborative investigative work by our AUSAs and IRS-CI,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “We will continue to fully pursue these offenses to protect the federal fisc and ensure that tax dollars are being spent as intended instead of to fund a defendant’s lavish lifestyle.”

“Heaven Diaz stole from her employees and the American taxpayer to fund a lifestyle she didn’t earn,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation Dallas Field Office.  “She ignored repeated warnings, misused her position, and treated trust fund taxes like a personal bank account.  Today’s sentencing is the result of IRS-CI’s relentless investigative work.  The women and men of IRS-CI will continue working to uphold trust in the tax system and support those who do the right thing.”

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan P. Niedermair and Joshua D. Detzky prosecuted the case.  
 

Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, 30, a citizen of Afghanistan residing in Fort Worth, Texas, has been federally charged for threatening to build a bomb, conduct a suicide attack, and kill Americans and others, in a video shared on TikTok, X, and Facebook. A screenshot of a social media post that shared Alokozay’s Nov. 23 statements is below:

“This Afghan national came into America during the Biden administration and as alleged, explicitly stated that he came here in order to kill American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The public safety threat created by the Biden administration’s vetting breakdown cannot be overstated – the Department of Justice will continue working with our federal and state partners to protect the American people from the prior administration’s dangerous incompetence.”

“We have zero tolerance for violence and threats of violence to kill American citizens and others like those allegedly made by this individual,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas.  “I applaud the rapid response of our federal and local law enforcement partners in identifying and apprehending him. Those individuals who jeopardize the public safety and security of North Texas residents will be swiftly brought to justice.”

“This arrest demonstrates that the FBI remains steadfast in our mission to defend the homeland and protect the American people. Thanks to public reports of a threatening online video, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force apprehended this individual before he could commit an act of violence. We continue to ask that if you see something, say something,” said Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI's Dallas Field Office.

“Our commitment to keep America safe is unwavering. Online threats made by those hiding behind a screen will not be dismissed or taken lightly,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “We will use every resource available to make sure these perpetrators are found, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Alokozay is charged with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce related to threats he made on a Nov. 23 video call, which was recorded and posted to multiple social media accounts, including TikTok, X, and Facebook. According to the complaint, the video shows Alokozay angrily gesturing and speaking Dari, a language commonly spoken in Afghanistan, while interacting with at least two other males on a video call. A screenshot of a social media post that shared Alokozay’s Nov. 23 statements is below:

As alleged, Alokozay threatened to conduct a suicide attack on the other participants on the call, as well as “infidels” and Americans.  He claimed he would build a bomb in his vehicle and talked about a particular yellow cooking oil container favored by the Taliban in building improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan.  Alozokay stated the Taliban were dear to him and that he came to the United States to kill those on the call.  He also claimed he wanted to conduct a suicide attack on Americans.  According to the complaint, Alokozay stated he was not afraid of deportation or getting killed.

Alokozay is currently in custody pending an initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge and further court proceedings. If convicted, Alokozay faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI's Dallas Field Office through the Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Fort Worth Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Mazzurco for the Northern District of Texas is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

A man in Fort Worth, Texas has been federally charged for threatening to build a bomb, conduct a suicide attack, and kill Americans and others, in a video shared on TikTok, X, and Facebook, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, 30, a citizen of Afghanistan residing in Fort Worth, was charged by federal complaint with the offense of transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce related to threats he made on a November 23, 2025, video call, which was recorded and posted to multiple social media accounts, including TikTok, X, and Facebook. According to the complaint, the video shows Alokozay angrily gesturing and speaking Dari, a language commonly spoken in Afghanistan, while interacting with at least two other males on a video call. 

As alleged, Alokozay threatened to conduct a suicide attack on the other participants on the call, as well as “infidels” and Americans. He claimed he would build a bomb in his vehicle and talked about a particular yellow cooking oil container favored by the Taliban in building improvised explosive devices (“IEDs”) in Afghanistan. Alozokay stated the Taliban were dear to him and that he came to the United States to kill those on the call. He also claimed he wanted to conduct a suicide attack on Americans. According to the complaint, Alokozay stated he was not afraid of deportation or getting killed. A screenshot of a social media post that shared Alokozay’s November 23, 2025, statements is below: 
 

Alokozay is currently in custody pending an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge and further court proceedings.

“This Afghan national came into America during the Biden administration and as alleged, explicitly stated that he came here in order to kill American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The public safety threat created by the Biden administration’s vetting breakdown cannot be overstated – the Department of Justice will continue working with our federal and state partners to protect the American people from the prior administration’s dangerous incompetence.”

“We have zero tolerance for violence and threats of violence to kill American citizens and others like those allegedly made by this individual,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I applaud the rapid response of our federal and local law enforcement partners in identifying and apprehending him. Those individuals who jeopardize the public safety and security of North Texas residents will be swiftly brought to justice.”

“This arrest demonstrates that the FBI remains steadfast in our mission to defend the homeland and protect the American people. Thanks to public reports of a threatening online video, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force apprehended this individual before he could commit an act of violence. We continue to ask that if you see something, say something,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

“Our commitment to keep America safe is unwavering. Online threats made by those hiding behind a screen will not be dismissed or taken lightly,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “We will use every resource available to make sure these perpetrators are found, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Alokozay is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office through the Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Fort Worth Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent Mazzurco.
 

A man who produced child pornography was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison today, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Emmanuel Jacobo Reyes, a 27-year-old Mexican citizen, pled guilty in July 2025, to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. Today, he was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Terry Means.

According to court documents, the defendant admitted that he enticed a minor victim living in the North Texas area to engage in sexually explicit conduct, produce visual depictions of such conduct, and transmit the depictions to Reyes.  At the time, Reyes resided in North Carolina.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Worth Field Office, working from information provided by the North Richland Hills Police Department, reviewed contents of the minor victim’s phone that included screenshots of video chats between Reyes and the victim.  As Reyes’s face was visible in some of the screenshots, agents were able to find his social media profile, confirm his identity, and determine his location.

FBI’s Fort Worth Field Office, FBI-Raleigh, NC, North Richland Hills Police Department, and the Raleigh, NC Police Department conducted this investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte.

This case was part of the FBI’s national Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.  In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.  
 

A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Friday, November 21, 2025, for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $63 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $63 million in restitution.

According to evidence presented at trial, Stephanie Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.

As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed over $63 million in fraudulent PPP loans.

On June 20, a jury found Hockridge guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region; Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Dallas Field Office made the announcement.

“These defendants exploited a national crisis to enrich themselves in this multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “This office and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice those individuals who steal taxpayer dollars and undermine our federal programs through fraud and deceit.”

“The defendant used deceptive practices to exploit a government program for her own personal gain. This program was meant to protect small businesses and promote economic stabilization in a critical time of need,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The public can rest assured that the FBI is committed to holding accountable those who attempt to defraud the United States government and steal opportunities from honest, hardworking business owners.”

IRS-CI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, SBA OIG, and FBI investigated the case.

Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.  
 

A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $63 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $63 million in restitution.

According to evidence presented at trial, Stephanie Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.

As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed over $63 million in fraudulent PPP loans.

On June 20, a jury found Hockridge guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office made the announcement.

IRS-CI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case.

Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

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

Dallas, Texas – Ryan R. Raybould was named the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas on November 17, 2025, by United States Attorney General Pam Bondi.  His appointment this week follows President Donald Trump’s nomination of Mr. Raybould on October 21, 2025, to serve a four-year term in this role.  The President’s nomination of Mr. Raybould is currently pending United States Senate confirmation.

Mr. Raybould is now the chief federal law enforcement officer for the district, which covers 96,000 square miles and a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls, and surrounding areas.  Mr. Raybould oversees roughly 220 attorneys and staff across five division offices and is responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States government in the region.

“The opportunity to serve in this role is an honor and a privilege,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “I look forward to continuing the tremendous work of those in my Office, partnered with our Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, in pursuing justice and restoring safety to our communities in the Northern District of Texas.”

Before his tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Mr. Raybould was a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in the Government, Regulatory, and Internal Investigations Practice Group.

Mr. Raybould previously served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice for almost seven years, including as Deputy Chief of the White Collar and Public Corruption Unit in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.  As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Raybould investigated and tried cases involving public corruption, tax fraud, securities fraud, cybercrime, national security, violent crime, money laundering and other white-collar crimes.

Mr. Raybould also served as Chief Counsel to former Assistant Majority Leader and U.S. Senator John Cornyn.  As Chief Counsel to Senator Cornyn, Mr. Raybould helped draft and negotiate numerous pieces of legislation that became law on national security, government accountability and drug diversion control.  Mr. Raybould also advised Sen. Cornyn’s work on the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.  

After receiving his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, Mr. Raybould clerked for Chief United States District Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas.  Mr. Raybould is a graduate of Yale University.  
 

A federal jury in Fort Worth convicted Caleb Ward, founder of Geosyn Mining, LLC, on Monday this week of a multi-million-dollar cryptocurrency mining investment fraud that victimized dozens of clients across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Mr. Ward, 41, was charged via indictment in May 2025.  After a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman, the jury found Ward guilty on all counts, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ward solicited funds from individuals who were promised that their money would be used to purchase and host specialized cryptocurrency mining equipment. Ward and his company promised clients that he had locked in electricity rates as low as 4.5 cents per kilowatt-hour; that specific mining machines would be purchased and installed on the clients’ behalf; and that clients’ machines were “up and running” and actively mining Bitcoin at various facilities.

Witnesses testified that, despite these assurances, many clients never received the machines they paid for, and others later learned that their machines were never powered on or connected as represented.  Evidence also showed that the defendant and his coconspirators sent some clients photos of mining machines that belonged to other customers, and in several instances provided serial numbers tied to completely different miners to create the false impression that their equipment had been purchased, delivered, and installed.

According to financial analysis presented at trial, clients wired more than $4.5 million to Geosyn between November 2021 and January 2023. Instead of using the funds strictly for the purchase and hosting of mining equipment as promised, Ward transferred tens of thousands of dollars to accounts in his own name and used client funds to pay prior investors in a manner consistent with a Ponzi-style scheme.  He also spent investor funds on personal expenses and paid business operational costs unrelated to specific clients’ machines, even while representing that every dollar would be dedicated to that client’s hardware and hosting.

“This defendant targeted and preyed on North Texas residents who simply wanted to invest in emerging cryptocurrency technology,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.  “I’m proud of the trial team for this great result.  Our Office will continue holding accountable those who prey on Main Street investors.”

     
“This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identifying and investigating perpetrators of fraud who use investor funds for their own personal gain. We encourage the public to thoroughly research investment opportunities and to contact us immediately if they suspect fraudulent activity,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

Mr. Ward now faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad E. Meacham and Joshua D. Detzky prosecuted the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht.
 

A federal grand jury in Fort Worth, Texas indicted nine North Texas Antifa Cell operatives, and seven more were charged by information, with offenses including rioting, using weapons and explosives, providing material support to terrorists, obstruction, and attempted murder of an Alvarado police officer and unarmed correctional officers at the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4, 2025, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. 

Yesterday’s twelve-count indictment charges Cameron Arnold, a/k/a Autumn Hill, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, a/k/a Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada with multiple offenses for their roles related to the Prairieland attack.  The defendants are set for arraignment on December 3, 2025, in front of a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of Texas.

An information also filed yesterday charges Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas with one count of providing material support to terrorists.  A sixteenth defendant, Seth Sikes, was charged by information in late October with one count of providing material support to terrorists.  Guilty plea hearings for Baumann, Gibson, Thomas, Sharp, and Sikes will be held in front of a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of Texas next week, with Morgan set to plead guilty the following week.

The indictment and informations follow on the heels of federal complaints brought against the defendants in July soon after the July 4 attack.  According to the charges, the defendants were members of a North Texas Antifa Cell, part of a larger militant enterprise made up of networks of individuals and small groups primarily ascribing to an ideology that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and the system of law.  Antifa’s coordinated efforts involve obstructing Federal law through organized riots, violent assaults, and armed confrontations with law enforcement officers, increasingly targeting agents and facilities related to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement in opposition to the agency’s deportation actions.  The indictment alleges that most of the Antifa Cell involved in the Prairieland attack looked to Benjamin Song as a leader.  As alleged, Song acquired firearms that he distributed to co-defendants and recruited members at gun ranges and combat sessions he conducted, as well as from various ideologically aligned groups.  For example, defendants Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, and Savanna Batten are alleged to have been part of a group that created and distributed insurrectionary materials called “zines.”

The charges reflect that, late at night on July 4, at least eleven of the defendants rioted and attacked the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was using to house illegal aliens awaiting deportation.  The defendants dressed in “black bloc”—dark clothing with head and face coverings that concealed their identities—designed to hide each individual’s identity but also to aid and abet those members engaged in illegal acts by making members indistinguishable from one another to law enforcement.  According to the charges, after Antifa Cell members arrived at Prairieland, they began shooting off and throwing fireworks at the facility and vandalizing vehicles and a guard shack on Prairieland property.

According to the charges, an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911. When the officer began issuing commands to defendant Nathan Baumann, Benjamin Song allegedly yelled, “get to the rifles!” and then opened fire on the officers, striking the Alvarado police officer in the neck as the unarmed correctional officers ducked and ran for cover. Police arrested most of the Antifa Cell shortly after the attack, many near the scene.  Benjamin Song escaped and remained at large with the help of others until his capture on July 15, 2025.

Collectively, the Antifa Cell allegedly acquired over 50 firearms in the Fort Worth/Dallas area prior to July 4. As alleged in the indictment, members used an encrypted messaging app to coordinate with each other that had auto-delete functions, permanently deleting some Antifa Cell members’ communications. They also used monikers in group chats to hide their identities, and some of the planning chats included only trusted participants.  Members in this limited group allegedly conducted reconnaissance and discussed what to bring to the riot, including firearms, medical kits, and fireworks.

The nine individuals indicted yesterday are charged with the following offenses:

• Riot, with the intent to commit an act of violence, involving conduct such as shooting and throwing fireworks and explosives, slashing tires on a government vehicle, spraying graffiti on property and vehicles, destroying a closed circuit camera, shooting at officers, and dressing in black bloc.
  • Defendants charged:  Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto
• Providing Material Support to Terrorists, including property, services, training, communications equipment, weapons, explosives, personnel (including themselves), and transportation.
  • Defendants charged:  Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, E. Soto, and I. Soto
• Conspiracy to Use and Carry an Explosive, and Using and Carrying an Explosive, during a riot.
  • Defendants charged:  Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, E. Soto, and I. Soto
• Attempted Murder of Officers and Employees of the United States, involving the unlawful attempt to kill with malice aforethought Correctional Officers-1 and 2, and an Alvarado Police Officer.
  • Defendants charged:  Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda
• Discharging a Firearm During, and in Relation to, and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, i.e., the attempted murder of two correctional officers and an Alvarado Police Officer.
  • Defendants charged:  Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda
• Corruptly Concealing a Document or Record, by transporting a box containing numerous Antifa materials, such as insurrection planning, anti-law enforcement, anti-government, and anti-immigration enforcement documents and propaganda from Sanchez Estrada’s residence to a location in Denton, Texas, intending to conceal the box’s contents and impair its availability for use in a federal grand jury and federal criminal proceeding.
  • Defendant charged:  Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada
• Conspiracy to Conceal Documents and other objects that would implicate Maricela Rueda in the riot and shooting at the Prairieland facility.
  • Defendants charged:  Sanchez Estrada and Maricela Rueda

If convicted, Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda each face a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.  Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto each face a sentence ranging from a minimum of ten years up to fifty years in federal prison.  Sanchez Estrada faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.

The sole count of providing material support to terrorists brought in the information against Baumann, Gibson, Kent, Morgan, Sharp, Thomas, and separately, Sikes’s information, mirrors the material support offense charged in yesterday’s indictment.  If convicted, each of these defendants face a sentence of up to fifteen years in federal prison.

Charges brought by indictment and information are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

“This is the first indictment in the country against a group of violent Antifa cell members,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “The charges the Grand Jury has leveled against these defendants, including material support for terrorists, address the vicious attack perpetrated by an anti-ICE, anti-law enforcement, anti-government, anarchist group.  I applaud the tenacious work of the FBI, ICE, our state and local law enforcement partners, and the prosecutors and staff in my office. They have tirelessly pursued justice in this case, and will continue to pursue justice in any cases like it. We are firm in our resolve to protect our law enforcement officers and federal facilities against organized domestic terrorist cells.”

“The updated charges in this case underscore the seriousness of the crimes committed at the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4.  We would like to thank our law enforcement partners for assisting us with this investigation. This collaborative effort reflects our collective commitment to holding these individuals accountable for this coordinated attack,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

“Four months ago, in an attempt to sow anarchy and chaos and to undermine the rule of law, a coordinated attack was carried out on the Prairieland Detention Center, leaving one of our local law enforcement officers injured and a community in disarray,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Acting Field Office Director Robert Cerna. “In response, the law enforcement community banded together to expose the cowardly thugs responsible for that heinous attack and hold them accountable.  Yesterday’s indictments are a first step in that process, as we continue to work collectively to ensure that justice is served.”

The investigation was conducted by the FBI—Dallas, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Gatto and Shawn Smith are prosecuting the case.

Twenty-one alleged violent members of a criminal street gang in Arlington, Texas have been federally charged with racketeering, murder and assault in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and gun crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

The defendants were charged by complaint on Tuesday, November 4.  As of Friday, November 7, all were in custody, and 17 began initial appearances that day before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of Texas.  The rest had their initial appearances today.

Court documents reflect that the FBI and Arlington Police Department began investigating the Arlington-based criminal street gang known as “Kiccdoe” in April 2024 after a Kiccdoe gang member was shot and killed on the campus of an Arlington high school.  The murder resulted in multiple alleged retaliation shootings between Kiccdoe and other Arlington gangs.  According to court records, Kiccdoe members committed a lengthy pattern of murder, drive-by shootings, robberies, assaults, firearm offenses, and trafficking of fentanyl, marijuana, and other narcotics in Arlington and other North Texas cities.  Over a three-year period from approximately early 2022 through this year, Kiccdoe members terrorized many parts of Arlington’s communities with these violent offenses and threats of violence.  

The Kiccdoe gang originated from the 600 block of East Arkansas Lane on the eastside of Arlington.  To demonstrate their association with the gang, members used words such as “kiccdoe,” “KDN” (for “Kiccdoe Nation”), “6,” or “600” on public social media accounts.  They also wore clothing bearing the same inscriptions and produced and distributed online songs and videos about their gang activities and crimes.  

As alleged in Tuesday’s complaint, violent acts that Kiccdoe members called “stripes” were required to join the gang, remain in good standing as a gang member, and maintain the gang’s violent reputation in the community.  Specific crimes identified in the complaint in furtherance of racketeering include a murder, six attempted murders, nine robberies, numerous assaults with dangerous weapons, ongoing sales of fentanyl and marijuana, and continuing threats of violence, all undertaken to obtain and preserve the profits, power, and territory of Kiccdoe members while keeping victims in fear of the gang and its members.

Those charged in the complaint include:

•    Michael Mensah, 18, of Grand Prairie, Texas, charged with conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering (RICO conspiracy), assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Raphael Opare, 19, of Arlington, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Dillen Opare, 20, of Arlington, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Isaiah Wiley, 21, of Dallas, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

•    Kyron Oates, 22, of Grand Prairie, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

•    Vernell Woods, 19, of Arlington, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    DeMarco Westmoreland, 19, of Mansfield, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Cortez Atkinson, 18, of Fort Worth, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Bradley McArthur, Jr., 21, of Fort Worth, Texas charged with RICO conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    DaTraven Warren, 18, of Mansfield, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.

•    Sadedrick Wilson, 22, of Fort Worth, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Joseph Hill, 18, of Fort Worth, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Chauncey Ross, 22, of Arlington, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

•    Marcus Shaw, 20, of Arlington, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    KeyShawn Burton, 20, of Arlington, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    LaMarion Austin, 21, of Dallas, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Blake Aaron Scott, 22, of Arlington, Texas, charged with RICO conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

•    Sir James Mack Williams, 21, of Arlington, Texas, charged with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.

•    Jaylen Jeshawn Franklin, of Arlington, Texas, 22, charged with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.

•    JaMarion Manogin, 20, of Forney, Texas, charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence in aid of racketeering.

•    Jakayla Totten, 21, of DeSoto, Texas, charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.

“The outstanding, collaborative work of our law enforcement partners has made Arlington residents safer today, because 21 alleged violent gang members and associates have been arrested and taken off the streets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with federal and local law enforcement agencies, will continue to pursue justice against brazen offenders, who organize and terrorize our communities with relentless acts of violence.”

“The FBI is committed to working with our state and local law enforcement partners on the Tarrant County Safe Streets Task Force to protect our communities.  Alongside the Arlington Police Department, we made a significant impact on violent crime through the arrest of violent gang members and the seizure of firearms and drugs.  These arrests demonstrate the importance of partnerships in combatting the violence that plagues our communities,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. 

“The members of this gang have been involved in numerous violent offenses in our community, including shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies, and more,” said Chief Al Jones of the Arlington Police Department.  “By getting these individuals off our streets, we are making Arlington safer.  I’m extremely proud of the outstanding investigative work that got us to this point.  I’m also incredibly grateful to our federal partners for helping us combat violent crime in our city.”

A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face statutory maximum sentences ranging from ten years in federal prison up to life imprisonment.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Arlington Police Department, with assistance in apprehending and arrests by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Worth Police Department, the Garland Police Department, the North Richland Hills Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, NORTEX Metro SWAT (comprised of Carrollton, Farmers Branch, and Coppell Police Departments), and the North Tarrant Regionals SWAT (comprised of Hurst, Euless, Bedford, and Grapevine Police Departments). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Beck.

This investigation 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 OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
 

An illegal alien from Mexico was arrested Tuesday for soliciting others to kill ICE agents in a TikTok post on October 9, 2025, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

According to court records, Eduardo Aguilar, 23, residing in Dallas, Texas, was charged by federal complaint for transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat, resulting from his October 9 post on TikTok in Spanish, as pictured below: 
 

Court records reflect that the translation of the black and white text states, “I need 10 dudes in Dallas with determination (guts) who aren’t afraid to [two skull emojis].”  The emojiis are known to represent the word, “die.”  The second phrase, in red and white text, states, “10K for each ICE agent.” 

“Threats against our law enforcement officers are completely unacceptable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “All threats against our agents and officers will be investigated thoroughly, and anyone who threatens or puts a bounty on agents will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
“The FBI takes threats of violence to our law enforcement partners seriously and will thoroughly investigate anyone that commits these types of offenses,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

Aguilar made his initial appearance yesterday afternoon in front of a United States Magistrate Judge in Dallas, who ordered that he remain detained in federal custody.  If convicted, Aguilar faces a maximum of five years in federal prison.  

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  Like all defendants, Aguilar is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Dallas conducted the investigation of this case with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Protective Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – ERO, the Garland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Dallas Field Division.

Two men who distributed fentanyl that caused the death of a seventeen-year-old boy were sentenced to federal prison on September 29, 2025, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

Tecose Dchaz Martin, 38, of Mesquite, Texas, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for his role in distributing fentanyl that led to the teen’s death, an offense to which he pled guilty in July 2025.  In addition to this offense, his criminal history includes numerous prior drug felony convictions.  Connor Miller, 22, of Richardson, Texas, likewise pled guilty in May 2025 to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl resulting in the seventeen-year-old’s death.  Miller was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison.  Senior United States District Judge David C. Godbey sentenced both men.  

According to plea documents and evidence presented in Court at sentencing, on January 30, 2024, Miller contacted co-defendant Jesse Medina, also known as “Plug,” to purchase fentanyl.  Medina agreed to sell Miller the pills.  Miller and a seventeen-year-old boy then travelled to meet Medina at a location on Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas, Texas.  Once there, Medina sold Miller and the teenager four fentanyl pills in exchange for $40.  Miller and the teen travelled back to Miller’s residence, where they crushed up and used the fentanyl pills Medina had provided.  The seventeen-year-old died after using the fentanyl.  A review of the teen’s medical records revealed that he would not have died but for ingesting the fentanyl.     

Electronic evidence gathered during the investigation allowed investigators to trace the fentanyl pills sold by Medina to Tecose Dchaz Martin, a/k/a “Blues Man.”  Evidence presented in court revealed that Martin told a person identified as Moe, “We can get rich off blues [fentanyl pills],” about 10 minutes after sending Moe a message that contained a link to a news story from Denver, Colorado.  

Information presented in court also revealed that Martin purchased fentanyl pills in quantities of 1,000 for $1.50 to $1.60 per pill.  Martin then sold those pills to lower-level dealers such as Jesse Medina in varying quantities for $2 to $5 per pill.  Martin admitted that he liked to sell fentanyl pills in larger quantities because he felt that there was “more chance of somebody O.D.’ing [overdosing]” for people who purchase four or five pills at a time.  As such, Martin told officers he “didn’t really doodle in five and four” because he would rather have someone else deal with “all that.” 

At the time of Martin’s arrest, officers located 88 fentanyl pills on Martin’s person, 805 fentanyl pills at his apartment, and two firearms.  Court records reflect that Martin had multiple prior drug-related felony convictions, including a 2017 state court conviction for manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance in a drug-free zone.  Martin received a 25-year sentence for that offense and was on parole at the time that he was selling fentanyl to Jesse Medina and others. 

“Lengthy prison sentences are one step in our continuing fight against the deadly consequences of fentanyl trafficking,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “Every trafficker removed from the drug trade is a victory for our community.  I commend the tireless work of our law enforcement partners in this investigation, which enabled my office to bring these defendants to justice.  Our efforts won’t stop until the flood of deadly drugs into our community stops.”

“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “The sentences handed down to Mr. Miller and Mr. Martin is a clear message the production and trafficking of fentanyl will not be tolerated in our neighborhoods.  DEA and all our law enforcement partners, such as the Richardson Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas, will continue to work together to keep this poison off our streets.”

“This sentencing sends a strong and necessary message to those who peddle poison in our communities: actions that result in the loss of life will be met with the full force of justice,” said Richardson Police First Assistant Chief Michael Bussiere. “We are proud to have worked alongside our federal, state, and local partners in bringing this case to a just conclusion.  While no sentence can undo the heartbreak suffered by the victim’s family, we hope this outcome provides some measure of accountability and peace.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Richardson Police Department conducted the investigation of this case with the Hickory Creek Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Mesquite Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Section.  Special assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team.   The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George Leal.
 

A California woman was sentenced today to the statutory maximum sentence after pleading guilty to transmitting an interstate threat to a United States District Judge based in the Northern District of Texas, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Dolly Patterson admitted in court that on or about April 16, 2023, she knowingly sent a threatening message via an online “Contact Us” form directed at a federal judge in Amarillo.  The message, transmitted from California to Texas, read: “Tell that anti-abortion judge he better watch his back . . . for the rest of his life!”
Ms. Patterson acknowledged that she sent the message with the intent that it be perceived as a genuine threat and with knowledge that it would be viewed as such.  She further agreed that the communication constituted a true threat to injure another person under federal law.

“The safety of our federal judiciary is paramount,” said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson.  “Threats of violence to our judges are becoming all too common—whether made online or in person.  Such threats are illegal and will be prosecuted.”

The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service.
 

A previously convicted felon who was a Puro Tango Blast gang member was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for drug and gun charges, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

In February 2025, Daniel Ortiz 34, of San Antonio, Texas, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, one count of burglary involving controlled substances, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Yesterday, he was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Karen Gren Scholer.

In court documents, Ortiz admitted that in January 2024, he and two codefendants burglarized a MedPlus Pharmacy located in San Antonio, Texas.  On the morning of January 11, 2024, Ortiz and his codefendants used the Zello app on their cell phones to communicate before, during, and after the burglary.  Zello is a cellular telephone application (app) that works as a secure push to talk radio using cellular networks and Wi-Fi.  Ortiz admitted that on the morning of January 11, 2024, one of his codefendants made two false 911 calls with the intent to divert law enforcement officers away from the MedPlus Pharmacy.  Following the 911 calls, Ortiz broke into the pharmacy and took quantities of codeine and other controlled substances (see photos below). Ortiz then transported the stolen drugs to the DFW area and attempted to sell them to customers.
 

Ortiz also admitted in court documents that on March 30, 2024, he was operating a stolen BMW X5 traveling with his girlfriend eastbound on Interstate 30 in the DFW area.  Police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the stolen BMW and Ortiz fled from the officers at a high rate of speed.  During the pursuant, the stolen BMW driven by Ortiz struck two other vehicles as he attempted to flee from officers.  Ortiz admitted that after initially alluding police officers, he exited the interstate, abandoned the stolen BMW in a residential area, and fled on foot.  Ortiz admitted that when he exited the BMW, he was in possession of a Glock, model 44, .22 caliber handgun. Ortiz fled to a nearby neighborhood and unlawfully entered a residence and attempted to hide. Law enforcement agents surrounded the residence, and Ortiz surrendered after a four-hour standoff. Ortiz is a multi-convicted felon and a Puro Tango Blast (PTB) member. PTB is a violent prison gang made up primarily of Hispanic men from Texas cities.

The investigation was conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Dallas Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Calvert and Luis Suarez prosecuted the case.

This investigation 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 OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
 

A North Texas man who produced sexually explicit photos of two children in Fort Worth was sentenced to 60 years in prison today, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Scott Wayne O’Toole, 60, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to two counts of sexual exploitation of children following an investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  On August 28, 2025, O’Toole was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 360 months per count, for a total of 720 months.

According to court documents, authorities in Alaska began investigating O’Toole in December 2024 after the discovery of a USB drive containing child sexual abuse material at a hotel where O’Toole resided while on a temporary duty assignment as a school bus driver.  

This case involved the coordinated efforts of the FBI, the Fairbanks, Alaska Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the District of Alaska, and the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
 

A North Texas man who used a ten-year-old child to produce child pornography was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Robert Owen Throgmorton, 63, was indicted in March of 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2025 to production of child pornography. On August 21, 2025, Throgmorton was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison by United States District Judge Jane Boyle, after which he will serve a period of 10 years of supervised release. During this time, Throgmorton will be required to register as a sex offender. According to court records, Throgmorton has several related state charges pending in Rockwall County District Court.

“This crime shocks the conscience. This Office and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant in bringing predators like the defendant to justice and in seeking the maximum punishment permitted by law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.

“The 30-year sentence imposed on Robert Throgmorton reflects the seriousness of his crime,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI remains committed to protecting our communities from child predators and will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those responsible for such acts are brought to justice.”

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Fate Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Claire Demers and Myria Boehm prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
 

A Dallas, Texas man pled guilty for his role in a carjacking and high-speed chase that took place in the Deep Ellum section of Dallas. Travion Amar Williams (22) appeared before United States Magistrate Judge David Horan on August 26, 2025, and entered a guilty plea to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

During the rearraignment hearing, Williams admitted that on December 6, 2023, two people were walking to a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette (see image below) belonging to one of them, which was parked in a lot located across the street from a restaurant. Williams and two coconspirators were wearing masks and sitting in a car parked next to the victim’s Corvette.

As the victims approached the Corvette, Williams and one of his coconspirators, armed with handguns, exited their vehicle and approached both victims. They took by force the key to the Corvette, a bracelet, a cell phone, and a wallet. Williams and his coconspirator got into the Corvette with the stolen property and drove away.  

Williams and his coconspirator then led police on a high-speed chase. Eventually, Williams and his coconspirator abandoned the stolen Corvette under a bridge overpass, fled on foot, jumped a fence, and entered an industrial park. While fleeing from the police on foot, Williams dropped a Glock, Model 19 Gen 5, 9mm Parabellum caliber pistol that he had in his possession during the carjacking. Williams was caught and arrested.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 14, 2026.

Dallas Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. 
 

A Dallas man who distributed fentanyl that caused the death of a seventeen-year-old boy was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

Jesse Medina, 42, pled guilty in March 2025 to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl that ultimately resulted in the teenager’s death.  On Monday, August 18, 2025, Medina was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge David Godbey.
 

According to plea documents and evidence presented in Court at sentencing, on January 30, 2024, co-defendant Connor Miller contacted Jesse Medina, also known as “Plug,” to purchase fentanyl.  Medina agreed to sell Miller the pills.  Miller and a seventeen-year-old boy then travelled to meet Medina at a location on Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas, Texas.  Once there, Medina sold Miller and the teenager four fentanyl pills in exchange for $40.  Miller and the teen travelled back to Miller’s residence, where they crushed up the fentanyl pills and used the fentanyl Medina had provided.  The seventeen-year-old died after using the fentanyl.  A review of the teen’s medical records revealed that he would not have died but for ingesting the fentanyl.    

Evidence presented in court revealed that Jesse Medina was arrested on January 31, 2024, with 25 pills of fentanyl on his person.  A few days after his arrest, Medina contacted a female known to Medina and told her that he sold a twenty-one-year-old four pills and that a seventeen-year-old who used those pills died.  Evidence also showed Medina told the unknown female that he told his lawyer, “I don’t have no sympathy for the seventeen-year-old at all . . . ‘Cause that’s his choice . . . [H]e’s old enough to know how dangerous these pills are . . . I don’t got no sympathy for that . . . [I]f I would have sold it to him . . . I would feel bad, but I don’t even feel bad at all, I’m cool, ‘cause I didn’t do nothing wrong.” 
 

Information presented in court also showed Medina had multiple prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and that he had been sent to a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility and an Intermediate Sanctions Facility in 2010 and 2019 (respectively) while he was on probation.  In 2016, Medina was ordered to serve 42 months in the Texas Department of Corrections for an offense that occurred in Rockwall County, Texas.  After being released from prison, Medina was arrested in 2018 for possessing methamphetamine and ordered to serve a term of four years deferred probation in Dallas County.  A motion to revoke that probation was filed in 2021 and remains pending.  

“Tough sentences are necessary for those defendants responsible for the tragic deaths resulting from fentanyl trafficking,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “This Office will continue to advocate for the most severe sentences for those who, like the defendant, have a cavalier attitude toward the deadly consequences of their actions. While a lengthy prison sentence for this offender and others like him will never restore the loss suffered by the victim’s family, we will continue to prosecute those who flood our community with this poison to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Unfortunately, this guilty verdict will not bring our victim back or take away the suffering his family and friends have endured.  What it does do; however, is affirm that justice prevails and drug dealers and enablers, like Mr. Medina, will be held accountable for their reckless actions,” said DEA Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker.  “DEA will always aggressively investigate the illicit distribution of deadly drugs in our communities.  The memories of those lives lost to drugs will not be in vain.”

Co-defendants Connor Miller and Tecose Dchaz Martin have also pled guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, the use of which resulted in death.  Miller and Martin are pending sentencing.
 

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Richardson Police Department conducted the investigation of this case with the Hickory Creek Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Mesquite Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Section.  Special assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team.   The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George Leal.

Allied Stone Inc., a Dallas, Texas-based supplier of countertop and cabinetry products, and its President, Jia “Jerry” Lim, have agreed to pay a total of $12.4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly evading, or conspiring to evade, antidumping and countervailing duties owed to the United States on quartz surface products imported from the People’s Republic of China (China).

“This settlement reflects our commitment to hold accountable those who evade or conspire to evade duties owed on imported goods, including antidumping and countervailing duties that level the playing field for American manufacturers,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will zealously pursue those who seek an unfair advantage in U.S. markets by evading or conspiring with others to evade duties owed.”

“This case demonstrates that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and its partners will use every tool available to ensure compliance with our nation’s trade policy, including customs, duties, and tariffs on foreign imports meant to level the playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas. “This settlement sends a message that U.S. companies cannot turn a blind eye to the evasion of customs duties.”

“Providing false information to CBP violates the law, and it is imperative that violators face consequences,” said acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Susan S. Thomas of the Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “CBP will always work alongside the Department of Justice to ensure a level playing field for U.S. businesses.”

To enter goods into the United States, an importer must declare, among other things, the country of origin of the goods, the value of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, and the amount of duties owed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects applicable duties, including antidumping and countervailing duties assessed by the Department of Commerce. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties offset foreign government subsidies. During the relevant time period, quartz surface products from China were subject to both antidumping and countervailing duties.

The settlement resolves allegations that Allied Stone and Mr. Lim knowingly evaded or conspired to evade duties on Chinese quartz surface products that were imported between Sept. 29, 2018 and Feb. 7, 2023. Among other things, the United States alleged that Allied Stone and Mr. Lim misrepresented, caused to be misrepresented, or conspired in the misrepresentation of Chinese quartz surface products as other merchandise subject to lesser duties, such as marble or crystallized glass, to improperly avoid applicable antidumping and countervailing duties. The United States also alleged that Allied Stone and Mr. Lim failed to declare and pay, and failed to ensure that others (including manufacturers and third-party entities serving as the official importers of record) were declaring and paying, applicable antidumping and countervailing duties owed to the United States on entries of Chinese quartz surface products.

The settlement with Allied Stone and Mr. Lim resolves a civil lawsuit filed by relator Melinda Hemphill under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Texas and is captioned United States ex rel. Melinda Hemphill v. Allied Stone Inc., et al., No. 21-cv-2955 (N.D. Tex.). As part of today’s resolution, Ms. Hemphill will receive approximately $2,170,875 of the settlement proceeds.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Associate Chief Counsel, Gulf Southwest Region and from Trade Regulatory Audit within CBP’s Office of Trade.

Trial Attorney Gavin Thole of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Najib Gazi, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Guiltinan for the Northern District of Texas handled the case.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

Allied Stone Inc., a Dallas, Texas-based supplier of countertop and cabinetry products, and its President, Jia “Jerry” Lim, have agreed to pay a total of $12.4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly evading, or conspiring to evade, antidumping and countervailing duties owed to the United States on quartz surface products imported from the People’s Republic of China (China).

“This settlement reflects our commitment to hold accountable those who evade or conspire to evade duties owed on imported goods, including antidumping and countervailing duties that level the playing field for American manufacturers,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will zealously pursue those who seek an unfair advantage in U.S. markets by evading or conspiring with others to evade duties owed.”

“This case demonstrates that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and its partners will use every tool available to ensure compliance with our nation’s trade policy, including customs, duties, and tariffs on foreign imports meant to level the playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas. “This settlement sends a message that U.S. companies cannot turn a blind eye to the evasion of customs duties.” 

“Providing false information to CBP violates the law, and it is imperative that violators face consequences,” said acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Susan S. Thomas of the Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “CBP will always work alongside the Department of Justice to ensure a level playing field for U.S. businesses.”

To enter goods into the United States, an importer must declare, among other things, the country of origin of the goods, the value of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, and the amount of duties owed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects applicable duties, including antidumping and countervailing duties assessed by the Department of Commerce. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties offset foreign government subsidies. During the relevant time period, quartz surface products from China were subject to both antidumping and countervailing duties.

The settlement resolves allegations that Allied Stone and Mr. Lim knowingly evaded or conspired to evade duties on Chinese quartz surface products that were imported between Sept. 29, 2018 and Feb. 7, 2023. Among other things, the United States alleged that Allied Stone and Mr. Lim misrepresented, caused to be misrepresented, or conspired in the misrepresentation of Chinese quartz surface products as other merchandise subject to lesser duties, such as marble or crystallized glass, to improperly avoid applicable antidumping and countervailing duties. The United States also alleged that Allied Stone and Mr. Lim failed to declare and pay, and failed to ensure that others (including manufacturers and third-party entities serving as the official importers of record) were declaring and paying, applicable antidumping and countervailing duties owed to the United States on entries of Chinese quartz surface products.

The settlement with Allied Stone and Mr. Lim resolves a civil lawsuit filed by relator Melinda Hemphill under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Texas and is captioned United States ex rel. Melinda Hemphill v. Allied Stone Inc., et al., No. 21-cv-2955 (N.D. Tex.). As part of today’s resolution, Ms. Hemphill will receive approximately $2,170,875 of the settlement proceeds.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Associate Chief Counsel, Gulf Southwest Region and from Trade Regulatory Audit within CBP’s Office of Trade.

Trial Attorney Gavin Thole of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Najib Gazi, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Guiltinan for the Northern District of Texas handled the case.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

The Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson announces that on Wednesday and Thursday last week, 18 defendants pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton to federal offenses resulting from a June 2025 initiative called “Operation Showdown,” designed to reduce violent crime in Fort Worth, Texas.  These defendants join eight others who previously pled guilty in late July and early August 2025.  The charges include assaults on federal agents, and the unlawful possession and trafficking of firearms and illegal drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.  

Operation Showdown’s multi-agency initiative spanned only two months but led to federal arrests of 56 defendants and another 20 state arrests in Tarrant County, Texas.  The potential sentences of those that pled guilty thus far range from 10 years to 40 years in federal prison.  Last week’s 18 guilty pleas before Judge Cureton bring the total number of Operation Showdown guilty pleas to 26.  Four more defendants are scheduled to plead guilty in federal court this Wednesday.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the initiative with vital participation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Fort Worth Police Department, Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the United States Marshals Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations.

This investigation 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 OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

Pending charges against the remaining defendants are merely allegations, and each is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Department of Justice unsealed six warrants yesterday in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Central District of California, and the Northern District of Texas authorizing the seizure of over $2.8 million in cryptocurrency, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury vehicle. All of the cryptocurrency was seized from a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, who is charged by indictment in the Northern District of Texas for conspiring to commit computer fraud and abuse, computer fraud and abuse, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

As alleged in the indictment, Antropenko used Zeppelin ransomware to target and attack a wide range of individuals, businesses, and organizations worldwide, including in the United States. Specifically, Antropenko and his coconspirators would encrypt and exfiltrate the victim’s data, and typically demand a ransom payment to decrypt the victim’s data, refrain from publishing it, or to arrange the data’s deletion.

As alleged in the unsealed warrants, the cryptocurrency and other assets are proceeds of (or were involved in laundering the proceeds of) ransomware activity. Those assets were laundered in various ways, including by using the cryptocurrency mixing service ChipMixer, which was taken down in a coordinated international operation in 2023. Antropenko also laundered cryptocurrency by exchanging cryptocurrency for cash and depositing the cash in structured cash deposits.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson for the Northern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI Norfolk Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Dallas Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Dallas and Norfolk Field Offices and the Virtual Assets Unit are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Benjamin Bleiberg of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo “Daniel” Chung for the Northern District of Texas are handling the case, with assistance for the forfeiture provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas. Significant assistance has also been provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Kosky and Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and obtained court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. CCIPS and its partners have also disrupted multiple ransomware groups, preventing victims from having to pay over $200 million in ransom payments. 

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Department of Justice unsealed six warrants yesterday in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Texas, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Central District of California, authorizing the seizure of over $2.8 million in cryptocurrency, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury vehicle. All of the cryptocurrency was seized from a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, who is charged by indictment in the Northern District of Texas for conspiring to commit computer fraud and abuse, computer fraud and abuse, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

As alleged in the indictment, Antropenko used Zeppelin ransomware to target and attack a wide range of individuals, businesses, and organizations worldwide, including in the United States. Specifically, Antropenko and his coconspirators would encrypt and exfiltrate the victim’s data and typically demand a ransom payment to decrypt the victim’s data, refrain from publishing it, or to arrange the data’s deletion.

As alleged in the unsealed warrants, the cryptocurrency and other assets are proceeds of (or were involved in laundering the proceeds of) ransomware activity. Those assets allegedly were laundered in various ways, including by using the cryptocurrency mixing service ChipMixer, which was taken down in a coordinated international operation in 2023. Antropenko is also alleged to have laundered cryptocurrency by exchanging cryptocurrency for cash and depositing the cash in structured cash deposits.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson for the Northern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI Norfolk Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Dallas Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Dallas and Norfolk Field Offices and the Virtual Assets Unit are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Benjamin Bleiberg of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo “Daniel” Chung for the Northern District of Texas are handling the case, with assistance for the forfeiture provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas. Significant assistance has also been provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Kosky and Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and obtained court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. CCIPS and its partners have also disrupted multiple ransomware groups, preventing victims from having to pay over $200 million in ransom payments.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

LUBBOCK, Texas —A federal jury in Lubbock convicted a Lubbock man for issuing online threats to kill United States Secret Service agents and their families, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Tristan Rene Langston, 37, of Lubbock, Texas, was charged in March 2025 with the federal offenses of transmitting threats in interstate commerce and threatening a federal law enforcement officer, stemming from online threats Langston made in February 2025.  On Thursday, August 7, 2025, after a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted Langston on both counts.  

According to evidence presented during trial, on February 21, 2025, Langston posted a message to X.com, formerly Twitter, criticizing two U.S. Secret Service agents and then declaring, “2nd Amendment in full effect.  Gonna slit the throats of agents and their families.”

Evidence in the case revealed that Langston’s statements went well beyond mere political rhetoric or bluster and constituted true threats directed at specific federal agents.  

The jury heard evidence that Langston became angry with the two specific Secret Service agents after they investigated a threat Langston made online in 2023.  Over the ensuing months, Langston targeted one of the agents and his family in online posts and memorialized the anger and resentment he harbored against the agents in videos and notes he maintained on his cellphone over a period of years.  Testimony established that the defendant knew the agents would perceive the graphic threat as retaliation for their investigation.

“Targeting federal agents and their families with threats of violence is not protected speech—it is a federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “This verdict reaffirms our office’s commitment to take all threats seriously and to hold accountable those who try to intimidate and terrorize our law enforcement partners.”

“We commend the jury’s decision in finding Tristan Langston guilty of threatening to kill United States Secret Service agents and their families,” said Christina Foley, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Dallas Field Office.  “Threats against federal law enforcement officers and their loved ones are taken with the utmost seriousness, and this verdict reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting those who serve.”

Langston faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years in federal prison.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025.

The matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Howey and Sean Long of the Lubbock Division.  
 

A founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn pleaded guilty today in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

“During a national emergency, this defendant exploited a taxpayer-funded program that individuals and small businesses desperately needed to survive,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s ongoing commitment to bring to justice those who would steal from the public fisc to enrich themselves.”

“This defendant had the opportunity to help small businesses overcome tremendous financial hardships during a time of national crisis but instead exploited the system to line his own pockets with taxpayer money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  “We will continue to pursue convictions against those fraudsters who preyed upon the generosity of the American people as we struggled through the pandemic.”

“The FBI takes our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain very seriously,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Reis and others exploited a program meant to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to prevent these programs from becoming targets and fight fraud wherever we find it.”

According to court documents, Nathan Reis, 47, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, including by fabricating documents that falsified income and payroll figures in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.

Reis co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to help small businesses and individuals obtain PPP loans. Through Blueacorn, Reis and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications they knew contained materially false information to make more money. Reis and others fabricated documents, including tax documents and bank statements. As part of the conspiracy, Reis and his co-conspirators charged borrower’s fees based on a percentage of the funds received.

Reis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case.  

Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud.

MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

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

Dr. Juan Kurdi, M.D., a cardiologist in Lubbock, Texas, has agreed to pay $1,200,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by issuing prescriptions for opioids and other powerful drugs outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Dr. Kurdi is an interventional cardiologist who co-owned and co-operated a group medical practice based in Lubbock, Texas.  

“Prescribing opioids and other dangerous narcotics outside the usual course of professional practice betrays the trust placed in physicians by society and threatens public safety,” said Nancy E. Larson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “This settlement demonstrates our office’s commitment to holding doctors accountable for violating their obligations to properly prescribe these powerful drugs.”  

Acting Special Agent in Charge, Joseph B. Tucker stated, “This case should serve as a strong warning to all physicians who knowingly prescribe controlled substances without a legitimate medical need or a proper doctor-patient relationship. The DEA will continue to aggressively target and hold accountable physicians who, like Dr. Kurdi, contribute to the poisoning crisis in our communities by improperly distributing these controlled substances.”

In settlement documents, the government contends that Dr. Kurdi—previously a registered DEA practitioner—violated the CSA’s dispensing requirements by issuing numerous prescriptions for controlled substances, including Oxycodone, Alprazolam, Tramadol, Dextroamp-Amphetamine, Vyvanse, and others, in the names of family members and friends—but that were often intended for his own personal use. Dr. Kurdi issued these prescriptions without establishing a legitimate physician-patient relationship, performing physical examinations, or creating medical records that documented the rationale for the purported treatment. Dr. Kurdi routinely filled these prescriptions at Lubbock area pharmacies even though some of the purported recipients lived hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of miles away.  In many instances, Dr. Kurdi would personally pick up the prescriptions from these pharmacies to obtain controlled substances for his own personal use.

In the settlement documents, Dr. Kurdi publicly acknowledges and admits that he issued certain prescriptions in the names of family members and friends to obtain controlled substances, including Oxycodone, for his own personal use. The balance of the conduct outlined in the settlement agreement is merely alleged; the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability by Dr. Kurdi.  

In addition to this settlement, Dr. Kurdi previously agreed to voluntarily relinquish his DEA registration.

This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Fort Worth Diversion Squad and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Robbins, with oversight from the Northern District of Texas Civil Chief, Kenneth Coffin, and Deputy Civil Chief, Brian Stoltz.

A former Amarillo city employee was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $121,000 from a federal program that provided housing for homeless individuals, announced Acting United States Attorney Nancy E. Larson.

Vanessa Robinson, 35, was a Grant Manager for the City of Amarillo from 2013 to January 2024 in Amarillo’s Community Development Department.  In this role, she was responsible for distributing funds supplied by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help homeless or near-homeless citizens in Amarillo, Texas with housing costs.  This program paid market-rate rents to landlords willing to house those who needed assistance. Robinson communicated with Amarillo property owners who were willing to lease their properties through the program, assisted in completing lease agreements, coordinated physical inspections of their properties, and assembled payment voucher packages.

Court documents reflect that for approximately five years, from July 2019 to September 2024, Robinson embezzled from the program by various means.  She posed as a program recipient and took steps to live rent-free for more than two years, including enlisting a co-conspirator—another former employee who participated in a similar scheme—to act as Robinson’s case worker and communicate with Robinson’s landlord.  The twenty-five months of Robinson’s rent-free living cost the program $34,673.  Robinson admitted that she also created fraudulent lease agreements and a fictitious landlord, using her husband’s identity, to receive funds from HUD’s Emergency Services Grant.  Additionally, she filled out fraudulent applications in family members’ names to enable them to receive housing assistance.  In total, Robinson caused the program to spend $121,325 on Robinson’s fraudulent applications, leases, and vouchers.

In March 2025, Robinson pled guilty to an information charging her with conspiracy to embezzle from a federally-funded program.  On July 22, 2025, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk sentenced Robinson to 18 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay restitution of $121,325.21 to the City of Amarillo.

Separately, former City of Amarillo employee Amy Dixon pled guilty to a similar conspiracy charge in June 2024 for embezzling more than $465,000 from the same HUD-funded program.  Dixon was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in October 2024 and ordered to pay restitution of $465,511.65 to the City of Amarillo.

“These defendants abused trusted positions within the City of Amarillo to steal from federal funding intended for residents experiencing significant financial hardship and homelessness,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.  “This breach of the public trust will not be tolerated, and we are proud of our law enforcement partners’ work in seeing justice done in this case.”

“The defendants in this case embezzled funds from a program meant to help disadvantaged residents in their area. They abused their positions as city employees for personal gain at the expense of their community,” said FBI Dallas Specia Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI would like to thank HUD-OIG for partnering with us to hold these individuals accountable for defrauding a federal program funded by taxpayer dollars.”

“This sentencing demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars and holding individuals accountable for the misuse of federal funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Lawler with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to pursue those who exploit public trust for personal gain.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Amarillo Resident Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Frausto prosecuted the case.

A co-conspirator of a former Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) corrections officer was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for her role in supplying methamphetamine to inmates in the Clements Unit of the TDCJ prison located in Potter County, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Veronica Wertz, 49, was indicted in November 2024 and pled guilty in March 2025 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine for several months in 2023.  Court documents reflect that Wertz was romantically involved with an inmate located in the William Clements Unit of the TDCJ prison in Potter County who was working with former prison guard Ricky Eugene Hall to bring drugs into the prison.  
Wertz admitted that she received packages of drugs through the mail in Amarillo to be taken into the prison for distribution to the inmate.  Law enforcement agents found text messages of Wertz and Hall on both of their cell phones showing their mutual involvement in the narcotics distribution.  

Court records reveal that Hall admitted, when interviewed by FBI agents, that he would communicate with inmates via prepaid burner phones to coordinate “drops” or “plays.”  Inmates would arrange for an outside narcotics supplier to meet with Hall at various locations in Amarillo, where Hall would receive pre-packaged contraband.  Hall would then conceal the contraband in his correctional uniform vest and leave the package at a predetermined location in the facility, such as the laundry, kitchen, or with cleaning staff.  Hall also admitted that he maintained a storage unit to store contraband.  When law enforcement agents searched the storage unit, they uncovered more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, cell phones, and other items intended for distribution inside the Clements unit prison.  

Hall pled guilty to methamphetamine distribution in January 2025 and was sentenced on June 9, 2025, to 97 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.  On July 9, 2025, Judge Kacsmaryk sentenced Veronica Wertz to 57 months in federal prison.

“This case highlights the stellar work of numerous law enforcement agencies working together to halt a stealthy contraband smuggling conspiracy shamefully led by a corrections officer occupying a position of trust,” said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson.  “We are proud of the investigative work in this case and that we brought those involved to justice.”

“The defendant took part in a conspiracy to smuggle drugs and other contraband into a state prison. This resulted in the distribution of prohibited items to inmates,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We would like to thank our law enforcement partners for assisting us with this investigation. This collaborative effort resulted in successfully ending the illegal activity and holding the offenders accountable.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety, TDCJ – Office of Inspector General, Amarillo Police Department, and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Marie Bell and Joshua Frausto prosecuted the case.

A Coleman, Texas man was sentenced to 720 months in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

According to court documents, in July 2024, a foreign partner referred child sexual abuse material posted on the dark web to the FBI’s Victim Identification Program.  In the videos, an unknown male subject with several distinctive tattoos – including the word “DABBY” on his chest,” the number “197x” on his left bicep, the words “CAST NO STONES” on his left forearm, and a Texas flag in the shape of a head on his right forearm – can be seen sexually assaulting a prepubescent male.  The FBI discovered a Twitter account of Coleman resident Christopher Lynn Driskill, 49, which contained photographs of Driskill and some of these tattoos.  

Additionally, Coleman Police Department officers investigated a complaint that Driskill had molested a child.  Their recorded interview of Driskill revealed the same tattoos investigated by the FBI.  Driskill was arrested on a federal complaint in November 2024, remanded into federal custody, and indicted shortly thereafter for production of child pornography.  In February 2025, Driskill pled guilty to two counts of producing child pornography.

In his plea documents, Driskill admitted that videos found on his phone show him engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minor male victims.  Driskill also admitted that he coerced or enticed the victims to engage in the conduct so that Driskill could produce a recording of the acts.  On July 29, 2025, United States Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham sentenced Driskill to the statutory maximum sentence of 360 months on each count, to run consecutively to each other, for a total of 720 months in federal prison.

“The FBI’s meticulous work identifying this defendant brought an end to horrifying child abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.  “These types of sickening crimes deserve lengthy sentences for the sake of the victims, the safety of our communities, and to see justice served.”

“The sentence imposed in this case underscores the seriousness of the crime. The defendant created child sexual abuse material and distributed it through the dark web for others to view it. A tip from a foreign partner resulted in law enforcement arresting a dangerous predator and preventing future abuse,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI does not tolerate the exploitation of children and works with our law enforcement partners to identify and arrest individuals committing these criminal acts. We will continue to prioritize the safety of the most vulnerable in our communities, which are our children, and ask that the public report any crimes against children to law enforcement.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, with the help of the Bureau’s Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) and the assistance of the Coleman Police Department, conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Tusing prosecuted the case.

A Houston, Texas man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to the “jugging” robbery of an ATM technician, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  A “jugging” robbery is a type of theft where thieves follow a victim as they service or withdraw cash from ATMs or banks and then rob them.

Houston resident Johnny Juwan Clark, 33, and three others were charged in a superseding indictment in December 2024, with conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery that occurred on July 3, 2024.  Corey Dashun Holloway, Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg and Roosevelt Ford Valentine, all of Houston, Texas, were also charged in the December 2024 superseding indictment.  Clark pleaded guilty in April 2025 to the felony charge of interference with commerce by robbery.  At the time Clark committed this robbery, he was on supervised release after serving a federal prison term for a prior robbery conviction.  Today, U.S. Chief District Judge David Godbey sentenced Clark to 96 months for the current robbery conviction and a consecutive sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment as a revocation sentence in Clark’s prior robbery case, totaling 120 months in federal prison.

Clark, Brandyberg, Holloway, and Valentine have been linked to a Houston-based criminal organization called the “Hiram Clarke Money Team.”  HCMT members are known to routinely travel to areas outside of Houston and engage in “jugging” style robberies and other forms of theft.

During his guilty plea hearing in April, Clark stipulated that during the early morning hours of July 3, 2024, he traveled from Houston, Texas to the Dallas metroplex in a rental car with the intent to commit robbery.  Clark admitted that after arriving in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he followed an ATM technician to multiple stops as the technician repaired ATMs in Irving, Grand Prairie, Arlington, and ultimately, Midlothian, Texas.

Clark admitted that, at approximately 5:35 p.m. on July 3, 2024, he approached the ATM technician as he was servicing an ATM at a Chase Bank located in Midlothian, Texas.  Clark was wearing a hoodie and face covering to disguise his appearance.  Clark approached the technician from behind and forced him to the ground.  Clark kept his fist to the back of the victim’s head as cannisters containing United States currency were removed from the ATM by codefendants Holloway and Valentine.  Approximately $248,000 in United States currency was taken during the robbery.  During his court proceeding, Clark admitted that he was the individual forcing the technician to the ground in the photograph below.
 

Court documents reflect that, after the robbery, Clark and two of his codefendants fled from the Chase Bank in the rental car and met codefendant Tierra Tonisha Brandyberg at an apartment complex in close proximity to the bank. The stolen money was loaded into a Range Rover and driven back to Houston, Texas.  After arriving in Houston, Clark and Brandyberg used some of the stolen money to purchase a S-Class Mercedes Benz and jewelry.  

Codefendant Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg entered a guilty plea on July 8, 2025 and is awaiting sentencing.  Cory Holloway has filed documents advising the court of his intention to plead guilty and is set for re-arraignment in August 2025.  Codefendant Roosevelt Valentine is set for jury trial in September 2025. 
The FBI (Dallas Division) investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.