Northern District of Texas

On Thursday, July 24, 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint in the Northern District of Texas seeking the forfeiture of over $1.7 million worth of cryptocurrency seized by Dallas FBI in mid-April 2025, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

As alleged in the complaint, 20.2891382 BTC was seized from cryptocurrency address bc1q5d8af0crjhlnepjq08muhh55899rf2ktye3sxd on April 15, 2025.  The seized cryptocurrency, now valued at over $2.4 million, allegedly constitutes property involved in unlawful activity, or proceeds of or property derived from unlawful activity, including money laundering and extortion related to damage to a protected computer, commonly referred to as a ransomware attack.  The seized cryptocurrency was traced to a cryptocurrency address allegedly associated with a member of the Chaos ransomware group, known as “Hors,” which has been tied to ransomware attacks against victims located in the Northern District of Texas and elsewhere.  The complaint is filed under Case No. 3:25-CV-01920-K.  Dallas FBI executed the cryptocurrency seizure.
 

An Arlington resident was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison for Production of Child Pornography and Illegal Possession of a Machinegun, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Court documents revealed that in late September 2024, the Bedford Police Department began investigating a theft of a truck that belonged to a business in Bedford, Texas.  A few days later, the Arlington Police Department recovered the vehicle and returned it to the owners.  Multiple bags containing cell phones and illegal firearms that belonged to Carlos Isaac Barrientos were found in the vehicle.  A forensic review of the devices by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms located images and videos of child pornography on the devices.  Barrientos, 36, of Arlington, Texas, was arrested, charged, and subsequently pled guilty to production of child pornography and illegal possession of a machinegun on April 16, 2025.  On July 24, 2025, Barrientos was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Reed O’Connor.

The investigation was conducted by the Arlington Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte prosecuted the case.
 

A man who shot his roommate while under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms has been sent to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Russell Alan Ragsdale, 25, has been in federal custody since his arrest on November 22, 2024.  On April 29, 2025, Ragsdale pled guilty to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.  On July 17, 2025, Senior United States District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn sentenced Ragsdale to 66 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Ragsdale was arrested on Feb. 3, 2022, in Seagoville for the felony murder of his roommate.  At the time, Ragsdale told Seagoville law enforcement that his roommate attacked him, and he claimed he “shot him many times” in self-defense.  Officers recovered three firearms, including a 10mm Glock and an AR-15 rifle, and almost two grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms from the residence.  An analysis of Mr. Ragsdale’s phone showed a history of drug use dating back to November 2021, as well as evidence of purchasing and using hallucinogenic mushrooms on Feb. 2, 2022.  As part of his guilty plea, Ragsdale admitted that he was legally intoxicated from consuming hallucinogenic mushrooms when he possessed the 10mm Glock.

During sentencing, Judge Lynn found that the defendant did not present sufficient evidence to support his self-defense claim. The Court also noted that the unfortunate death of the victim was the defendant’s own making.  Ragsdale remains in custody pending transfer to the Bureau of Prisons to serve his sentence.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Seagoville Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, which participated in the murder investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung prosecuted the case.
 

An armed serial robber and convicted felon who robbed five cash loan businesses across the Fort Worth metroplex was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Charles Brownlee, 37, was convicted by a jury in March 2025 for one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Hobbs Act Interference with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  He was sentenced today to 720 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered him to pay $21,123.47 in restitution.  

According to evidence presented at trial, between May 9 and May 21, 2024, Brownlee robbed at gunpoint five Cash Store businesses in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine. Trying to conceal his identity, Brownlee covered his face with a medical mask and wore different baseball caps and outfits for the robberies.  

“After terrorizing employees at multiple businesses throughout the DFW area, this defendant’s violent crime spree ended because of the stellar work of our law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “The lengthy sentence imposed justly puts this serial felon behind bars for a very long time and serves as a message to others that we will vigorously prosecute those who jeopardize our communities’ safety.”

“The significant sentence received by the defendant is a result of the collaborative efforts of the Longhorn Violent Crimes Task Force to hold a violent, serial robber accountable. This individual committed a series of robberies throughout Tarrant County and strong partnerships with local law enforcement allowed us to stop these acts of violent crime,” 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 surge resources and fight violent crime in our communities across North Texas.”

Numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Fort Worth Resident Agency, Grand Prairie Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Euless Police Department, Hurst Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted and tried the case.
 

A San Angelo man was sentenced to 245 years in federal prison for sextorting minors and an adult across the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Juelz Sincere Armstead, 21, was found guilty by a Lubbock, Texas jury in April 2025 on five counts of production of child pornography, two counts of attempted production of child pornography, and seven counts of cyber stalking, following a four-day jury trial.  He was sentenced on July 15, 2025, to 2,940 months in federal prison by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.

“The horrendous acts against each victim in this case warranted the substantial sentence imposed here,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “We hope that the lengthy incarceration of this defendant will assist the victims as they continue in the healing process and serve as a warning to like-minded predators that we will pursue swift justice and extensive punishment for these types of despicable crimes.”

“This sentence reflects the unspeakable harm Juel Armstead inflicted on innocent victims and the tireless commitment of law enforcement to bring predators like him to justice,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard.  “No amount of time can undo the trauma caused, but a 2,940-month sentence ensures this individual will never again have the opportunity to victimize a child.  HSI Dallas and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our mission to protect the most vulnerable among us and hold those who exploit them accountable.”

According to evidence presented at trial, over the course of approximately three years, Armstead met his victims, nine minors and one adult, on various social media platforms.  He cyberstalked and coerced them into sending him sexually explicit photographs and videos, routinely threatening to expose this material to family, friends, and others if they did not create and send him more sexual abuse material.  

Testimony in the case revealed that the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office arrested Armstead for his conduct in December 2022 and, upon his release from jail, Armstead obtained another cell phone and continued his sextortion scheme.  Armstead continued to amass more victims until his second arrest in February 2024.

At trial, victims from across the United States testified about the abuse and the emotional trauma Armstead caused them.  Many victims described how Armstead’s threats placed them in fear, that they felt their lives were over, and that they felt as if they were being raped by Armstead’s actions.  In some cases, victims felt suicidal.

Graphic photographs and videos were discussed at trial, including of one 14-year-old victim with tears rolling down her cheeks as she created the sexually explicit video Armstead demanded.  Another 18-year-old victim was so fearful of Armstead’s repeated threats to harm and expose her that she was manipulated into filming sexually explicit videos of her 13-year-old sister.  The prosecution introduced tens of thousands of pages of messages between Armstead and the victims along with hundreds of photographs and video evidence.  

At sentencing, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Mike Baker testified that there were additional victims who were too traumatized to prepare for and attend trial.  

In issuing the 245-year sentence, Judge James Wesley Hendrix described Armstead’s conduct as “repeat, incessant terrorizing and bullying [of] these victims over and over again without any sign of mercy.”  Judge Hendrix told Armstead: “You are an incredible danger.  The protection of the public is at its apex here.”  

Homeland Security Investigations—Abilene Office led the investigation, with the assistance of HSI San Angelo, the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office, HSI Atlanta, HSI Dallas, HSI Waco, HSI San Antonio, HSI Newark, HSI Colorado Springs, HSI Eastern Shore MD, HSI Stockton, HSI Philadelphia, HSI Houston, HSI Wichita, HSI Raleigh, HSI Portland, Abilene Police Department, San Angelo Police Department, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Albany Police Department (Oregon), Clinton County Sheriff’s Office (Indiana), Salem Police Department (Oregon), and several additional federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Texas, Indiana, Oregon, California, New Jersey, Colorado, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kansas, North Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Woolam and Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case with victim-witness assistance from Kelsea Martin and the Western District of Wisconsin’s victim-witness coordinator.  

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.” 
 

An intense, weeklong manhunt for Benjamin Hanil Song—an alleged shooter at the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4th—has ended with his arrest by FBI agents in Dallas, Texas, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Song’s capture marks the fourteenth arrest in the case.  Court documents reflect that Song, a former United States Marine Corps reservist, joined ten others in an organized attack against officers at the Prairieland Detention Center just after 10:30 p.m., Friday, July 4.  Song has been charged by federal complaint with three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

Ten others charged with these offenses in a July 7th complaint include Cameron Arnold, Savanna Batten, Nathan Baumann, Zachary Evetts, Joy Gibson, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Seth Sikes, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto.  Also on July 7, Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada was charged with obstruction of justice for concealing evidence related to the ambush after talking with Rueda, who was in custody at the time.  Two others, John Thomas and Lynette Sharp, were charged on July 14 with accessory after the fact when law enforcement agents determined that they helped Song abscond from the Prairieland area and evade arrest.  

The complaints allege that group was dressed in black military style clothing.  The group began shooting fireworks towards the detention center, and some sprayed graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot at the facility.  These destructive acts were designed to lure correctional officers outside the facility.  After correctional officers called 911 to report suspicious activity, an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene.  Upon exiting his vehicle, the officer was shot in the neck by a defendant positioned in nearby woods.  Another alleged assailant across the street fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.  

As alleged in the complaints, Song purchased four of the guns associated with the ambush.  Additionally, defendants communicated using Signal Chat groups to plan the attack and share reconnaissance, including an image of the Prairieland Detention Center that identified the locations of six local police departments.
 

Ten assailants charged in the July 7th complaint fled from the detention center but were apprehended by additional responding law enforcement officers.  Song, however, was not located by law enforcement officers that night.  As alleged, the location data associated with Song’s cellular telephone indicates that his phone was located within several hundred meters of the Prairieland Detention Center from late in the evening of July 4, 2025, until after dark on July 5, the day after the shooting.

“After the immediate apprehension of Song’s coconspirators at the scene, the FBI and our federal prosecutors—together with our other law enforcement partners—worked tirelessly around the clock pursuing Song.  Their tremendous efforts culminated in the arrest of this alleged violent criminal today,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “Though Song escaped by hiding overnight after the attack, we were confident he would not remain hidden for long.  The fourteen individuals who planned and participated in these heinous acts will be prosecuted, and we expect justice will be swift.”

“The FBI has worked tirelessly to arrest everyone associated with the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center. We would like to thank all the entities that publicized this case and assisted in our efforts to successfully locate Benjamin Song,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “His arrest is the result of our determination to protect not only the community, but also our law enforcement partners that were the targets of a coordinated attack. We have said it before, the FBI will not tolerate acts of violence toward law enforcement and will thoroughly investigate anyone that commits these types of offenses.”

A criminal 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, most of the charged defendants face a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.  Those defendants charged with obstruction of justice and accessory after the fact face a maximum of ten years and fifteen years in federal prison, respectively.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI—Dallas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE ERO), ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. 
 

An illegal alien from Mexico and a Fort Worth man were indicted for falsely acquiring two firearms from licensed firearms dealers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Illegal alien Oscar Guadalupe Cruz Gonzalez, 28, and U.S. citizen Jose Juan Flores, 45, of Fort Worth, were charged by indictment on March 18, 2025, with Conspiracy to Make False Statements to a Licensed Firearms Dealer, and two counts of Acquiring a Firearm from Licensed Firearms Dealers by False or Fictitious Statement.  Cruz Gonzalez was also charged with Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien.  The defendants made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judges on July 3 and July 7, respectively.  

According to the indictment, in January 2023 and March 2023, Cruz Gonzalez paid Flores a combined total of approximately $2,500 to acquire two semi-automatic gas-operated rifles from two separate licensed firearms dealers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  Each rifle had the ability to be belt-fed ammunition.  Cruz Gonzalez supplied Flores with the funds to purchase both guns, more than $10,000 for the first rifle and over $15,000 for the second.  Flores allegedly purchased the two firearms knowing he was going to transfer them to Cruz Gonzalez.  To conceal this intended transfer when purchasing each rifle, Flores made false statements on the required ATF Form, stating that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms.  After purchasing the first rifle, Flores gave the rifle to Cruz Gonzalez, who was an illegal alien.  In the United States, it is a federal offense for an illegal alien to knowingly possess a firearm.  

“A straw purchase means that someone bought a firearm for a person who they knew could not legally purchase one,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “Here, as we allege in the indictment, Flores used a significant amount of money to purchase two firearms for an illegal alien from Mexico.  This type of crime flouts our gun laws, which are designed to ensure safe, lawful purchases of firearms by U.S. citizens.  This will not be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas.”

“Straw purchasing is a federal crime that undermines the integrity of our nation’s firearm laws and enables dangerous individuals to obtain weapons they are prohibited from possessing,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “This case highlights the importance of our partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies to identify and stop illegal firearm trafficking before it results in violence.”

An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  Like all defendants, Cruz Gonzalez and Flores are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 40 years in federal prison.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Worth Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers is prosecuting the case.  

A twelfth individual has been charged for his role in the shooting of an Alvarado police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

According to a criminal complaint filed today, Benjamin Hanil Song, a former United States Marine Corps reservist, joined ten others in an organized attack against officers at the Prairieland Detention Center just after 10:30 p.m., Friday, July 4.

The complaint alleges that group was dressed in black military style clothing.  The group began shooting fireworks towards the detention center.  Some then sprayed graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot at the facility.  Correctional officers called 911 to report suspicious activity.  An Alvarado police officer responded to the scene and, upon exiting his vehicle, the officer was shot in the neck by a defendant positioned in nearby woods. Another alleged assailant across the street fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.

As alleged in the complaint, Song purchased four of the guns that were found in connection with the shooting.  Two AR-style rifles were found at the scene, which records show were purchased by Song.  One of the abandoned rifles at the scene had a binary trigger, used to “double” a regular rate of fire, allowing a shooter to fire more rapidly than a standard semiautomatic gun.  Police also recovered additional firearms in searches of residences and vehicles, including another AR-15 style rifle in the back of a van driven that night by Bradford Morris, who was charged in a separate complaint on Monday.  Song also purchased that rifle, according to court documents.  Joy Gibson—also charged in Monday’s complaint—had a pistol in her backpack when apprehended.  Records show that Song purchased this firearm in October 2024.

Ten assailants charged in Monday’s complaint fled from the detention center but were apprehended by additional responding law enforcement officers.  Song, however, was not located by law enforcement officers that night.  As alleged, the location data associated with Song’s cellular telephone indicates that his phone was located within several hundred meters of the Prairieland Detention Center from late in the evening of July 4, 2025, until after dark on July 5, the day after the shooting.  Additionally, the complaint alleges that on July 6, a white Mercedes Benz registered to a relative of Song was found on the same block of Bradford Morris’s residence.  A DFW Airport camera captured an individual—believed to be Song—driving the Mercedes on May 23, 2025.

Song has been charged by federal complaint with three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  The ten others charged with these offenses in Monday’s complaint include Cameron Arnold, Savanna Batten, Nathan Baumann, Zachary Evetts, Joy Gibson, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Seth Sikes, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto.  The FBI has deemed Song a wanted individual and advises that he should be considered armed and dangerous.  As described in the attached notice, the FBI is seeking the public’s assistance in Song’s apprehension.

Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson praised the tireless efforts of all federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved in this case to date. “The swift response of nearly 70 law enforcement officers to the site of the shooting hemmed in several of the attackers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “The quick action and professionalism of our state and local law enforcement officers in the immediate aftermath of the shooting resulted in the prompt capture of ten of the assailants. Though Song escaped the scene by hiding overnight, he will be relentlessly pursued until he is in custody.”

“Benjamin Hanil Song is wanted by the FBI for his connection to the violent assault that occurred at the Prairieland Detention Center. He is considered armed and dangerous, and we ask that the public contact law enforcement immediately if he is seen,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We are committed to apprehending Song and are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.  If you have any information, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI or you can submit a digital tip to fbi.gov\prairieland.”

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  Like all defendants, Song is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI—Dallas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE ERO), ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Links are below to the FBI Wanted Notice for Song, and the Criminal Complaint filed.
 

https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/additional/benjamin-hanil-song

Ten individuals have been charged for their roles in the shooting of an Alvarado police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center.  

Today’s announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI R. Joseph Rothrock, and Enforcement Removal Operations Dallas Acting Field Office Director Joshua Johnson.

According to a criminal complaint filed today, the defendants, dressed in black military-style clothing, began shooting fireworks at the facility, as part of an organized attack.

After approximately 10 minutes of convening, one or two individuals broke off from the main group and began to spray graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot at the facility.  An Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911 to report suspicious activity.  When the Alvarado police officer arrived, one alleged defendant positioned in nearby woods shot the officer in the neck area.  Another alleged assailant across the street fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.

As alleged in the complaint, AR-style rifles were found at the scene.  The assailants fled from the detention center but were stopped by additional law enforcement officers.  Some defendants were wearing body armor, some were armed, and some had two-way radios.  A total of twelve sets of body armor were found during searches of vehicles associated with the defendants, on their persons, and in the area around the Prairieland Detention Center.  

Additionally, officers found spray paint, flyers stating, “FIGHT ICE TERROR WITH CLASS WAR!” and “FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS,” and a flag stating, “RESIST FACISM – FIGHT OLIGARCHY.”  One of the alleged attackers had cell phones inside a “Faraday bag,” used to block phone signals and commonly used by criminal actors to try to prevent law enforcement from tracking their location.

Ten individuals were charged in one complaint with three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  Those include:

•    Cameron Arnold 
•    Savanna Batten 
•    Nathan Baumann 
•    Zachary Evetts 
•    Joy Gibson
•    Bradford Morris
•    Maricela Rueda
•    Seth Sikes
•    Elizabeth Soto
•    Ines Soto

As outlined in the complaint, officers photographed the graffiti, flyers, flag, body armor, and magazines containing ammunition:

“Make no mistake, this was not a peaceful protest,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “This was an ambush on federal and local law enforcement officers.  This increasing trend of violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas.  Those who use violence against law enforcement officers will be found and prosecuted using the toughest criminal statutes and penalties available.”

“The incident at the Prairieland Detention Center underscores the dangers that officers face daily. We want to thank all the law enforcement agencies that promptly responded and assisted in apprehending the suspects,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI stands with our partners and pledges that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated. We are committed to thoroughly investigating this weekend’s incident and will hold those responsible accountable for threatening the safety of law enforcement.”

“Violence, threats of violence, and attempts of vandalism at our ICE Facilities will not deter our officers at ICE from fulfilling their duties, said Josh Johnson, Acting ERO Dallas Field Office Director. “This type of vigilante lawlessness is emblematic of the dangers federal, state, and local law enforcement officials face every day.”

A criminal 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 a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The investigation was conducted by the Dallas FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE ERO), Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, Texas Department of Public Safety, Alvarado Police Department, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
 

Four tax preparers convicted of defrauding the IRS of nearly $8 million have been sentenced to a combined 105 months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

According to court documents, Festus Adenisimi, 65, of Mansfield, Texas, was the owner of FA Tax, a tax preparation business located in Grand Prairie, where he and other tax preparers prepared fraudulent tax returns for their clients, often causing the IRS to issue refunds to those clients.  The estimated loss to the IRS from these false tax returns totaled more than $7.5 million.

Adenisimi pled guilty in September 2024 to falsely preparing tax returns.  As part of his plea agreement, Adenisimi also admitted to fraudulently obtaining two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $760,415 under the Small Business Administration’s COVID -19 relief program.  

In March 2025, Adenisimi was sentenced to 57 months in prison by U.S. Senior District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn and ordered to pay $10,283,737.65 in restitution.

Three additional tax preparers who worked for FA Tax also pled guilty to falsely preparing tax returns.  Last week, on June 26, 2025, they were each sentenced by Judge Lynn:

•    Sunshyne Endurance Ogungbemi, 37, of Waxahachie, Texas, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in April and ordered to pay $7,533,550.84 in restitution.

•    Chris Mary Tijerina, 40, of Crandall, Texas, was sentenced to 15 months in prison in April and ordered to pay $7,560,661.69 in restitution.

•    Cynthia Bradley, 45, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced to 15 months in prison in June and ordered to pay $5,768,106.28 in restitution.  

“The defendants orchestrated a multi-year tax fraud scheme that caused substantial loss to the government,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.  “We will continue to track down those who attempt to cheat the American people, and we will hold them accountable with prison time.”

“I'm proud of the women and men of IRS-CI for their commitment to protect our tax system and their resolve to ensure that those who engage in fraudulent activities face the full extent of the law,” said Gerardo Gomez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “The 105 months of federal prison time for the members of FA Tax who falsified tax returns illustrate that tax fraud is not a victimless crime.”

IRS-Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.
 

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.

Demonstrating the significant return on investment that results from health care fraud enforcement efforts, the government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the coordinated enforcement efforts. As part of the whole-of-government approach to combating health care fraud announced today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also announced that it successfully prevented over $4 billion from being paid in response to false and fraudulent claims and that it suspended or revoked the billing privileges of 205 providers in the months leading up to the Takedown. Civil charges against 20 defendants for $14.2 million in alleged fraud, as well as civil settlements with 106 defendants totaling $34.3 million, were also announced as part of the Takedown.

Today’s Takedown was led and coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and its core partners from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The cases were investigated by agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies. The cases are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 50 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and 12 State Attorneys General Offices.

“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

“These individuals lined their own pockets, egregiously stealing beneficiaries’ identities and pillaging the coffers of federal programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.  “We will never tolerate this behavior and will relentlessly pursue prosecution of these offenders to the fullest extent possible. We applaud the tremendous work of our law enforcement partners in this National Takedown, whose diligent efforts dismantled layers of complex financial transactions created by these bad actors attempting to conceal their fraudulent conduct.”

“As part of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Americans, HHS will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the pervasive health care fraud that bedeviled this agency under the former administration and drove up costs,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“The scale of today’s Takedown is unprecedented, and so is the harm we’re confronting. Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system and put vulnerable patients at risk will be held accountable,” said HHS-OIG Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins. “Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding patient care.”

“The Criminal Division is intensely committed to rooting out health care fraud schemes and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate them because these schemes: (1) often result in physical patient harm through medically unnecessary treatments or failure to provide the correct treatments; (2) contribute to our nationwide opioid epidemic and exacerbate controlled substance addiction; and (3) do all of that while stealing money hardworking Americans contribute to pay for the care of their elders and other vulnerable citizens,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices stand united with our law enforcement partners in this fight, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs for the American people.”

“Health care fraud drains critical resources from programs intended to help people who truly need medical care,” said Director Kash Patel of the FBI. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who exploit the system for personal gain. With more than $13 billion in fraud uncovered, this is the largest takedown for this initiative to date. Together, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable who steal from the American people and undermine our health care systems.”

“The perpetrators of this fraud used deceptive tactics and their access to beneficiary information to personally profit off government-sponsored health insurance programs. These programs provide critical care and services to individuals in our communities that need it most,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and investigate the pervasive health care fraud schemes that cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars annually.”

Cases Charged in the Northern District of Texas

As part of the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, four defendants were charged by indictment in the Northern District of Texas with collective fraudulent billing of approximately $210 million submitted to federally-funded programs and other insurers, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  Those charged include:

•    Demitrious Gilmore, 46, of Lubbock, Texas, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of false and fraudulent medical claims for various benefits, items, and services that were ineligible for reimbursement, not medically necessary, not performed, or not provided. As alleged in the indictment, Gilmore, the owner of WM Wellness, LLC and Gilmorehands, Inc. d/b/a Work-Med, submitted the claims to the Department of Labor Office of Workers Compensation Program ("DOL-OWCP"), which administers workers’ compensation benefits to federal employees who suffered an injury, disease, or death in the performance of duty. Gilmore is alleged to have conspired with another physician and a former United States Postal Service employee and union official to submit the false and fraudulent claims. The alleged false claims include claims for knee braces, including several instances where "DOL-OWCP" was billed for multiple expensive custom knee braces for a single claimant; physical therapy, including an instance where "DOL-OWCP" was billed for multiple hours of physical therapy while the claimant was having knee surgery; as well as platelet rich plasma treatments and at-home ultrasonic devices that were not medically necessary, never provided, and/or not provided as represented. In all, Gilmore and his co-conspirators submitted approximately $19 million in false and fraudulent claims to "DOL-OWCP", of which at least approximately $17 million was paid. Over $1 million was seized from bank accounts controlled by Gilmore. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and DOL-OIG investigated the case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.  

•    Gary Martin, 62, of McKinney, Texas, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to solicit or receive kickbacks for referrals to a federal health care program and solicitation and receipt of kickbacks in connection with the submission of over $73 million in false and fraudulent medical claims to Medicare for over-the-counter COVID-19 (“OTC COVID-19”) tests in 2023. As alleged in the indictment, Martin, the owner of medical clinics, conspired with health care providers and other individuals to pay and receive kickbacks based on Medicare reimbursements for OTC COVID-19 tests. In order to bill Medicare for the claims, Martin and his co-conspirators are alleged to have provided Medicare patient information, to which they had access, to co-conspirators without the Medicare beneficiaries’ knowledge or consent and/or notwithstanding that they had not requested any OTC COVID-19 tests. In fact, as alleged in the indictment, in numerous instances the beneficiary was deceased. Once Medicare paid the claim, Martin’s co-conspirator allegedly paid a kickback based on the reimbursement. Martin’s co-defendant, Damon Heath Roberts, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to pay or offer to pay kickbacks for referrals to a federal health care program in connection with the scheme and is awaiting sentencing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

•    Khadeer Khan Mohammed, 44, a citizen of India, was charged by indictment with health care fraud in connection with a scheme to submit false and fraudulent medical claims to Medicare for genetic testing that was allegedly never requested, ordered and/or performed. As alleged in the indictment, Mohammed, the owner of American Premier Labs LLC, located in Richardson, Texas, used the personal identifying information of physicians with no relationship to the Medicare beneficiaries, and without the physicians’ knowledge or consent, to submit the false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. In all, Mohammed caused the submission of approximately $93 million in false and fraudulent claims, of which approximately $65 million was paid, including payment of approximately $13 million over a single ten-day period in 2023. Nearly $6 million was seized from bank accounts controlled by Mohammed. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

•    Olatunbosun Osukoya, 67, of Plano, Texas, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of over $25 million in false and fraudulent medical claims to Medicare, TRICARE, and other insurers for electroencephalogram (EEG) testing. As alleged in the indictment, Osukoya, the owner of Ayo Biometrics, LLC d/b/a Cambridge Diagnostics, sought out individuals with insurance plans to undergo expensive EEG testing and recruited and paid kickbacks and bribes to physicians and others to refer patients to Cambridge Diagnostics. To conceal the scheme and to make it appear that the services were necessary, Osukoya and his co-conspirators allegedly falsified diagnoses and falsely labeled kickback payments as loans, medical directorships, and consultation fees, among other things. Osukoya, through Cambridge Diagnostics, was paid over $5 million for the claims and is alleged to have paid out over $450,000 in illegal kickbacks.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

Additional charges across the country involved a variety of fraudulent medical billing schemes, as noted below:

Transnational Criminal Organizations

29 defendants were charged for their roles in transnational criminal organizations alleged to have submitted over $12 billion in fraudulent claims to America’s health insurance programs.

For instance, a nationwide investigation known as Operation Gold Rush resulted in the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department. These charges were announced in the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey against 19 defendants. Twelve of these defendants have been arrested, including four defendants who were apprehended in Estonia as a result of international cooperation with Estonian law enforcement and seven defendants who were arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico, cutting off their intended escape routes as they attempted to avoid capture.

The organization allegedly used a network of foreign straw owners, including individuals sent into the United States from abroad, who, acting at the direction of others using encrypted messaging and assumed identities from overseas, strategically bought dozens of medical supply companies located across the United States. They then rapidly submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent health care claims to Medicare for urinary catheters and other durable medical equipment by exploiting the stolen identities of over one million Americans spanning all 50 states and using their confidential medical information to submit the fraudulent claims. As alleged, the organization exploited the U.S. financial system by laundering the fraudulent proceeds and deploying a range of tactics to circumvent anti-money laundering controls to transfer funds into cryptocurrency and shell companies located abroad. The arrests announced today also include a banker who facilitated the money laundering of fraud proceeds on behalf of the organization through a U.S.-based bank.

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team and its partners detected the anomalous billing through proactive data analytics, and HHS-OIG and CMS successfully prevented the organization from receiving all but approximately $41 million of the approximately $4.45 billion that was scheduled to be paid by Medicare. HHS and CMS intend to seek to return the $4.41 billion in escrow to the Medicare trust fund for needed medical care. The scheme nonetheless resulted in payments of approximately $900 million from Medicare supplemental insurers. To date, law enforcement has seized approximately $27.7 million in fraud proceeds as part of Operation Gold Rush.

In another action involving foreign influence, charges were filed in the Northern District of Illinois against five defendants, including two owners and executives of Pakistani marketing organizations, in connection with a $703 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries’ identification numbers and other confidential health information were allegedly obtained through theft and deceptive marketing. The defendants allegedly used artificial intelligence to create fake recordings of Medicare beneficiaries purportedly consenting to receive certain products. According to court documents, the beneficiaries’ confidential information was then illegally sold to laboratories and durable medical equipment companies, which used this unlawfully obtained and fraudulently generated data to submit false claims to Medicare. Certain defendants controlled dozens of nominee-owned durable medical equipment companies and laboratories that allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for products and services the beneficiaries did not request, need, or receive. Certain defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal and launder the fraud proceeds from bank accounts they controlled in the United States to bank accounts overseas. In total, the defendants caused approximately $703 million in alleged fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which paid approximately $418 million on those claims. The government seized approximately $44.7 million from various bank accounts related to this case.

Finally, a defendant based in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates who owned a billing company allegedly orchestrated a scheme to prey upon vulnerable individuals in need of addiction treatment by conspiring with treatment center owners to fraudulently bill Arizona Medicaid approximately $650 million for substance abuse treatment services. According to court documents, some of the services billed were never provided, while other services were provided at a level that was so substandard that it failed to serve any treatment purpose. As part of the conspiracy, treatment center owners allegedly paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for the referral of patients recruited from the homeless population and Native American reservations. The defendant received at least $25 million of ill-gotten Arizona Medicaid funds as a result of the conspiracy and is charged with a money laundering offense for his alleged use of those funds to purchase a $2.9 million home located on a golf estate in Dubai.

Fraudulent Wound Care

Charges were filed in the District of Arizona and the District of Nevada against seven defendants, including five medical professionals, in connection with approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health care benefit programs for amniotic wound allografts. As alleged, certain defendants targeted vulnerable elderly patients, many of whom were receiving hospice care, and applied medically unnecessary amniotic allografts to these patients’ wounds. Many of the allografts allegedly were applied without coordination with the patients’ treating physicians, without proper treatment for infection, to superficial wounds that did not need this treatment, and to areas that far exceeded the size of the wound. Certain defendants allegedly received millions in illegal kickbacks from the fraudulent billing scheme.

“Today's unprecedented enforcement action demonstrates that CMS and our federal partners are united in our mission to protect the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid by crushing waste, fraud, and abuse," said Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz of CMS. "Every dollar we prevent from going to fraudsters is a dollar that stays in the system to serve legitimate beneficiaries. Through advanced data analytics, real-time monitoring, and swift administrative action, CMS is leading the fight to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and the trust Americans place in these vital programs. We're not waiting for fraud to happen—we're stopping it before it starts."

Prescription Opioid Trafficking

74 defendants, including 44 licensed medical professionals, were charged across 58 cases in connection with the alleged illegal diversion of over 15 million pills of prescription opioids and other controlled substances. For example, five defendants associated with one Texas pharmacy were charged with the unlawful distribution of over 3 million opioid pills. As alleged, the defendants conspired to distribute massive quantities of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and carisoprodol, which were subsequently trafficked by street-level drug dealers, generating large profits for the defendants. This coordinated action is a continuation of the Health Care Fraud Unit’s systematic approach to stopping drug trafficking organizations and their pharmaceutical wholesale suppliers, which together have fueled an epidemic of prescription opioid abuse for nearly a decade.

DEA also announced today that in the last six months, DEA charged 93 administrative cases seeking the revocation of pharmacies, medical practitioners, and companies authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances.

“Health care fraud isn’t just theft — it’s trafficking in trust. Today’s announcement shows that when doctors become drug dealers and treatment centers become profit-driven fraud rings, DEA will act,” said Acting Administrator Robert Murphy of the DEA. “We’re targeting the entire ecosystem of fraud — from pill mills in Texas to kickback clinics exploiting Native communities. If you abuse your medical license to push poison or pad your pockets, we will hold you accountable.”

Telemedicine and Genetic Testing Fraud

In today’s Takedown, 49 defendants were charged in connection with the submission of over $1.17 billion in allegedly fraudulent claims to Medicare resulting from telemedicine and genetic testing fraud schemes. For example, in the Southern District of Florida, prosecutors charged an owner of telemedicine and durable medical equipment companies with a $46 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries were allegedly targeted through deceptive telemarketing campaigns and then fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare for durable medical equipment and genetic tests for these beneficiaries. The Department continues to focus on eliminating health care fraud schemes that depend on telemedicine, including schemes involving fraudulent claims for genetic testing, durable medical equipment, and COVID-19 tests.

Other Health Care Fraud Schemes

The other cases announced today charge an additional 170 defendants with various other health care fraud schemes involving over $1.84 billion in allegedly false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies for diagnostic testing, medical visits, and treatments that were medically unnecessary, provided in connection with kickbacks and bribes, or never provided at all. For example, in the Western District of Tennessee, prosecutors charged three defendants, including business owners and a pharmacist, with a $28.7 million scheme to defraud the Federal Employees’ Compensation Fund by allegedly billing for medications for injured United States Postal Service employees that were never prescribed by a licensed practitioner and largely were not dispensed as claimed. And in the Western District of Washington and the Northern District of California, prosecutors charged medical providers with allegedly stealing fentanyl and hydrocodone, respectively, that was meant for the providers’ patients, including child patients in need of anesthesia.

“VA’s Integrated Veteran Care Programs provide critical community-based health care to our nation’s disabled veterans and their dependents,” said Acting Inspector General David Case of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “Robust oversight of VA’s health care system is one of VA-OIG’s highest priorities. VA-OIG is committed to holding accountable those who defraud government benefits programs intended to care for our nation’s heroes.”

Breaking Down Silos in the Fight Against Health Care Fraud

In connection with the coordinated nationwide law enforcement operation, the Department is announcing that it is working closely with HHS-OIG, FBI, and other agencies to create a Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center to bring together experts from the Department’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, Health Care Fraud Unit Data Analytics Team; HHS-OIG; FBI; and other agencies to leverage cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to identify emerging health care fraud schemes. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team was established in 2018 to enhance the Unit’s ability to detect, investigate, and prosecute complex health care fraud schemes. Joining forces with data analysts from HHS-OIG, FBI, and other partners will increase efficiency, detection, and rapid prosecution of emerging health care fraud schemes. It will also implement the President’s Executive Order Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos (Exec. Order No. 14243, 3 C.F.R. 294 (2025)) by reducing duplicative data teams, increasing operational efficiency through a whole-of-government approach, and leveraging cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other agency resources.

Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Deputy Chief Rebecca Yuan, Trial Attorney Miriam L. Glaser Dauermann, and Data Analyst Elizabeth Nolte, all of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, led and coordinated this year’s Takedown. Four cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, in addition to those handled by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of North Dakota, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Washington, and Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorneys General’s Offices for California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team used cutting-edge data analytics to identify and support the investigations that led to these charges.

In addition to FBI, HHS-OIG, DEA, and CMS, HSI, VA-OIG, IRS Criminal Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Labor, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies participated in the operation. The Medicaid Fraud Control Units of California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin also participated in the investigation of many of the federal and state cases announced today.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Forces. Prior to the charges announced as part of today’s nationwide Takedown and since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which operates in 27 districts, charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers more than $27 billion.

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

The following materials related to today’s announcement are available on the Health Care Fraud Unit’s website:

•  Court Documents
 

A federal grand jury in Fort Worth, Texas, returned an indictment on June 11, unsealed yesterday, charging four family members with conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing tax returns that sought millions of dollars in false refunds.

The following is according to the indictment: beginning in 2016, David Hunt, of Arlington, Texas, his twin sons Brandon Hunt and Baylon Hunt, also of Arlington, and Brandon and Baylon’s half-brother Corey Burt, of Mississippi, allegedly conspired to file false tax returns in the name of purported trusts that sought 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. Collectively, the defendants allegedly received over $1 million from the IRS based on those false tax returns.

Brandon and Baylon Hunt also allegedly submitted additional fake documents to the IRS as part of their scheme, including falsified financial instruments and altered money orders. The indictment further alleges that they shared in the proceeds of their fraud by transferring money between themselves. The defendants also allegedly used the refunds to purchase luxury goods, cryptocurrency, and real estate.

Each defendant was charged with conspiracy as well as aiding and assisting in the preparation of tax returns. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. The defendants also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson of the Northern District of Texas made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

A federal grand jury in Fort Worth, Texas, returned an indictment on June 11, unsealed yesterday, charging four family members with conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing tax returns that sought millions of dollars in false refunds.

The following is according to the indictment: beginning in 2016, David Hunt, of Arlington, Texas, his twin sons Brandon Hunt and Baylon Hunt, also of Arlington, and Brandon and Baylon’s half-brother Corey Burt, of Mississippi, allegedly conspired to file false tax returns in the name of purported trusts that sought 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. Collectively, the defendants allegedly received over $1 million from the IRS based on those false tax returns.

Brandon and Baylon Hunt also allegedly submitted additional fake documents to the IRS as part of their scheme, including falsified financial instruments and altered money orders. The indictment further alleges that they shared in the proceeds of their fraud by transferring money between themselves. The defendants also allegedly used the refunds to purchase luxury goods, cryptocurrency, and real estate.

Each defendant was charged with conspiracy as well as aiding and assisting in the preparation of tax returns. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. The defendants also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson of the Northern District of Texas made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

Two Dallas residents were sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for their roles in distributing over $600,000 worth of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Christle Nadia Ruiz, 22, and Ricardo Antonio Flores, 29, both of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty in October 2024 to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.  On June 26, 2025, they were each sentenced to 188 months’ confinement by United States District Judge Karen Gren Scholer.

Court documents reveal Flores and Ruiz had been living together and distributing fentanyl from a home on Ezekiel Avenue in Dallas, Texas.  In February 2023, Flores delivered 1,000 fentanyl pills and another 1,000 fentanyl pills in March 2023, in exchange for $2,000 on each occasion.  Thereafter, in April 2023, Ruiz received a shipment of approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills that she and Flores were planning to distribute.  On that same date, while officers executed a search warrant at their home, Ruiz attempted to flush several fentanyl pills down the commode.  

According to agents’ testimony, Ruiz had also received approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills about three to four weeks before the execution of the search warrant and that she used a social media account with the phrases “Happy vibes . . . Thug Paradise” to advertise the sale of fentanyl.  Agents also testified that the street value of one fentanyl pill is $10 in the Dallas, Texas, area.  The estimated street value of 60,000 pills is $600,000.

“As we pointed out to the Court during the defendants’ sentencing hearings, tens of thousands of tragic overdose deaths occur each year due to fentanyl, and those who distribute it know exactly what they are doing,” said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson.  “The staggering amount of fentanyl in this case would have caused far-reaching devastation to our families and community, but for the tremendous efforts of our law enforcement partners in apprehending these defendants and keeping this deadly poison off the streets. We are resolved to relentlessly pursue these offenders and seek the lengthy prison sentences they deserve.”

“This sentence sends a clear message that those who profit from poisoning our communities with fentanyl will be held accountable,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Dallas.  “Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has caused thousands of overdose deaths and devastated communities across the nation.  The investigation and sentence handed down in this case reflects an unwavering resolve by law enforcement to protect public safety and pursue justice for the victims of the opioid epidemic.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Department, the Rockwall Police Department, the Garland Police Department, the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Flower Mound Police Department.  Special assistance was provided by the Texas Department of Public safety during the execution of the search warrant.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George Leal.
 

A Texas woman was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for her participation in a scheme to file fraudulent applications for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

According to court documents, between around May 2020, and March 2021, Shantelle Hawkins, 43, of DeSoto, conspired to submit 17 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of companies she or her relatives owned or controlled. The applications contained false statements about payroll and tax information, which the SBA used to calculate the amount of PPP funds to which the applicant-companies would be entitled. Hawkins used some of the money she obtained from the loans for personal expenses, including to pay off her 2015 Maserati Ghibli luxury car and to purchase property in the greater Dallas area.

Hawkins pleaded guilty on Oct. 8, 2024, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  At sentencing, Hawkins was ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution and to forfeit the residence purchased with proceeds from the fraud.

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

The FBI is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch and Kashan Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas is handling asset forfeiture.

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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

A Fort Worth man who attempted to apply for two passports with stolen identities was sentenced Wednesday to over eight years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Phillip Sean Anthony, 42, was indicted in February 2024 and pled guilty in November to the federal offenses of making a false statement in an application for a passport and aggravated identity theft.  He was sentenced Wednesday to 100 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown.

According to court documents, Anthony first applied for a United States Passport on August 16, 2023, using a birth certificate and a debit card in an identity that he had stolen.  When he failed to receive that passport, Anthony applied for a second passport on January 2, 2024.  This time he used a driver’s license, a birth certificate, and a debit card in a second identity that he had stolen.  When investigators later searched Anthony’s residence, they discovered birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and credit and debit cards in several names, including the names that Anthony used in support of his false passport applications.  

At Wednesday’s sentencing, the prosecutor introduced evidence showing that Anthony had previously been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.  During that previous prosecution, Anthony fled to California for three years using a passport in another identity.  Additionally, the prosecutor explained that, at the time Anthony falsely applied for passports in 2023 and 2024, he was under indictment in Dallas County, Texas, for sexual assault of a child.  In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown described Anthony as a “prolific criminal mastermind” who has led a “life of con.”

The U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan P. Niedermair prosecuted the case. 

A Texas woman was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for her participation in a scheme to file fraudulent applications for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

According to court documents, between around May 2020, and March 2021, Shantelle Hawkins, 43, of DeSoto, conspired to submit 17 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of companies she or her relatives owned or controlled. The applications contained false statements about payroll and tax information, which the SBA used to calculate the amount of PPP funds to which the applicant-companies would be entitled. Hawkins used some of the money she obtained from the loans for personal expenses, including to pay off her 2015 Maserati Ghibli luxury car and to purchase property in the greater Dallas area.

Hawkins pleaded guilty on Oct. 8, 2024, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  At sentencing, Hawkins was ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution and to forfeit the residence purchased with proceeds from the fraud.

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

The FBI is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch and Kashan Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas is handling asset forfeiture.

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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Seven family members from the Dallas area pled guilty to participating in a fraud scheme to obtain federal funds through the Paycheck Protection Program, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

The seven defendants were indicted in December 2023 for conspiracy and wire fraud related to forgivable federal loans they obtained through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”)—a program created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which provided emergency financial assistance to existing small businesses.  

According to plea documents, the PPP loan applications that were submitted falsely claimed each family member was a sole proprietor with a monthly payroll of approximately $8,000.  Purported tax documents filed in support of the applications provided additional false details about the sole proprietorships, including the type of businesses and annual net profits.  PPP loans were approved and deposited into the family members’ personal bank accounts.  In their plea papers, each family member admitted to receiving federal funds issued to non-existent businesses.

On Wednesday, June 18, six of the defendants pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud: •    Lori Jackson, 63
•    Saidrick Jackson, 61 
•    Saidrick Jackson II, 36 
•    Saundria Jackson, 36 
•    D’Andria Todd, 46
•    Bianca Williams, 33

Today, the seventh charged individual, Valencia Williams, 53, also pled guilty to the conspiracy.  Each defendant faces up to five years in federal prison.  Their sentencing dates have not been set.

The Environmental Protection Agency – Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Douglas and Marty Basu are prosecuting the case.  

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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
 

An illegal alien with a prior murder conviction was sentenced to 69 months in federal prison for illegal reentry after removal from the United States, announced Nancy E. Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Francisco Alan Martinez Camara, a 36-year-old national of Mexico, pled guilty in March 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported.  Court documents show that this was Martinez Camara’s second conviction for illegally reentering the United States.  He was first convicted in March 2022 in the Western District of Texas and was sentenced to six months in federal prison.  According to court records, in April 2013, Martinez Camara pled guilty to the state offense of murder in Webb County, Texas.  After serving his sentence for that offense, he was deported from the United States in 2016.  

On Monday, June 16, United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey sentenced Martinez Camara to 69 months’ imprisonment for his second conviction for illegally reentering the United States.  During the sentencing hearing, Judge Godbey admonished Martinez Camara that the penalties for any future immigration violations, including illegal reentry into the United States, would likely increase if he again reentered the United States without authorization.  

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh prosecuted the case.
 

A Dallas man with three prior domestic violence convictions was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Thomas Keithlun Brown, 26, pled guilty to the federal offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in September 2024.  He was sentenced on June 18, 2025, to 70 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Ed Kinkeade.

At sentencing, prosecutors argued for a 70-month sentence given the defendant’s extensive history assaulting women and domestic violence convictions.  

This case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas’s Domestic Violence Initiative.  This initiative is aimed at keeping firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers by using the tools of federal prosecution.  History shows that gun violence and domestic violence are intertwined, and that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a remarkably high risk of homicide.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Denton Police Department conducted the investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Boyle and Luis Suarez.  
 

A man with multiple prior felony convictions was sentenced to 95 months in federal prison for trafficking cocaine while armed, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

On June 18, 2025, Eric Dwayne Ned was sentenced by United States District Judge Ada Brown to 95 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Court documents reflect that Ned was arrested in June 2021 for evading arrest, unlawful possession of body armor, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, delivery of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance by state and local authorities.  He bonded out of state custody and was arrested again in September 2021 for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting arrest.  After bonding out of state custody again, he was arrested a third time in March 2022 for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and delivery of a controlled substance.  

Special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives reviewed his March 2022 conduct and initiated federal charges.  In addition to Ned’s prior felony convictions for drug offenses and several domestic violence assaults, court records reveal that Ned continued committing violent acts while incarcerated, including engaging in fights with other inmates and jail staff.

ATF conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John Boyle prosecuted the case.
 

A federal jury convicted Stephanie Hockridge, a founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn, on Friday in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, 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 in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.

“This defendant exploited a national emergency to personally profit from a taxpayer-funded program intended to support vulnerable individuals and small businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding the government and wasting taxpayer money.”

“During a time of crisis in our country, this defendant abused the generosity of the American people by stealing money dedicated to the survival of small businesses to fraudulently enrich herself,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas. “We are proud of the diligent work of our law enforcement partners to hold her accountable and bring her to justice. Make no mistake, our efforts to bring such fraudsters to justice are ongoing.”

“Hockridge’s conviction demonstrates the FBI's continued commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This program was designed to provide critical funds to those struggling during a national crisis, not line the pockets of people seeking to exploit government assistance. The FBI remains committed to pursuing anyone who abuses the public trust for personal gain.”

“Ms. Hockridge defrauded the federal government of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds for her own personal gain and has been brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jon Ellwanger of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Western Region. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners to hold Ms. Hockridge accountable.”

“Exploiting the Small Business Administration’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain is an egregious theft of taxpayer funds,” said Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “SBA OIG will aggressively root out fraud to protect the integrity of SBA’s programs, which are intended to provide vital assistance to the nation’s small businesses. I want to thank the U. S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”

“This verdict is a victory for justice, accountability, and the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. “In a time of crisis, the Paycheck Protection Program was created as a lifeline to keep small businesses afloat and families fed. Ms. Hockridge saw it as an opportunity to enrich herself. Driven by greed, she used her business to steal millions of dollars intended for those in need. The women and men of IRS-CI will continue to protect what’s right and stand firmly with the honest business owners who play by the rules.”

As proven at trial, Hockridge 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 tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent PPP loans. Hockridge was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and acquitted of four counts of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison.

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.

A federal jury convicted Stephanie Hockridge, a founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn, on Friday in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, 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 in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.

“This defendant exploited a national emergency to personally profit from a taxpayer-funded program intended to support vulnerable individuals and small businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding the government and wasting taxpayer money.”

“During a time of crisis in our country, this defendant abused the generosity of the American people by stealing money dedicated to the survival of small businesses to fraudulently enrich herself,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas. “We are proud of the diligent work of our law enforcement partners to hold her accountable and bring her to justice. Make no mistake, our efforts to bring such fraudsters to justice are ongoing.”

“Hockridge’s conviction demonstrates the FBI's continued commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This program was designed to provide critical funds to those struggling during a national crisis, not line the pockets of people seeking to exploit government assistance. The FBI remains committed to pursuing anyone who abuses the public trust for personal gain.”

“Ms. Hockridge defrauded the federal government of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds for her own personal gain and has been brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jon Ellwanger of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Western Region. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners to hold Ms. Hockridge accountable.”

“Exploiting the Small Business Administration’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain is an egregious theft of taxpayer funds,” said Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “SBA OIG will aggressively root out fraud to protect the integrity of SBA’s programs, which are intended to provide vital assistance to the nation’s small businesses. I want to thank the U. S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”

“This verdict is a victory for justice, accountability, and the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. “In a time of crisis, the Paycheck Protection Program was created as a lifeline to keep small businesses afloat and families fed. Ms. Hockridge saw it as an opportunity to enrich herself. Driven by greed, she used her business to steal millions of dollars intended for those in need. The women and men of IRS-CI will continue to protect what’s right and stand firmly with the honest business owners who play by the rules.”

As proven at trial, Hockridge 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 tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent PPP loans. Hockridge was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and acquitted of four counts of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison.

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. 

June 18, 2025

FORT WORTH – Following a two-month targeted initiative called “Operation Showdown” to reduce violent crime in Fort Worth, Texas, 76 individuals have been arrested for federal and state firearms and drug offenses.

Wednesday's announcement was made by Nancy E. Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, and Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives (ATF), who led the investigation.  Other critical partners in this operation include:

•    Eduardo Chavez, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration
•    Keith Brown, Executive Director, Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
•    Chief of Police Robert Alldredge, Fort Worth Police Department
•    Phil Sorrells, Tarrant County District Attorney
•    Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County Sheriff
•    Marco Villarreal, United States Marshals Service for the Northern District of Texas, represented by Chief Deputy  U.S. Marshal Toby Reed
•    Texas Department of Public Safety
•    U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations

Federal Defendants:  Fifty-six defendants have been arrested on federal charges.  Offenses with which individuals have been charged include illegal firearms trafficking, unlawful possession and transfer of machineguns, unlawful possession of firearms, using a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.  The potential sentences of these federal defendants, if convicted, range from 10 years to up to life in prison.  Reference is made to public records, including related, recently unsealed federal complaints, for additional information.

State Defendants:  Twenty defendants have been charged in Tarrant County District Court with possession of controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl.  Reference is made to public records for additional information.

Seizures:  In addition to charging 76 defendants, law enforcement recovered the following items: •    287 firearms, including:       o  91 Pistols             o  6 Revolvers          o  17 Rifles              o  1 Shotgun             o  25 Machineguns, and                o  147 Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs)
•    14.8 kilograms of cocaine
•    7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine
•    480 grams of fentanyl
•    13 grams of heroin
•    1.4 kilograms of marijuana

Please note these numbers are the collective recoveries over the course of Operation Showdown and are not attributable to each individual defendant.

Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” unlawfully convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns). The possession, manufacturing, and sale of MCDs violates federal law as illegal possession of a machinegun. Those charged with MCD-related offenses face up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Examples of those arrested, as discussed during today’s announcement, include:

•    A complaint charged Darrick Carter, Maya Bradshaw, D’Morion Holleman, Charles Blackshire, and Raul Penalver.  All five are convicted felons.  All are alleged to have participated in trafficking methamphetamine.  Charles Blackshire is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Criminal histories of these individuals include:       o    Blackshire has four felony convictions:  3 family violence assaults, the last one in 2019, and unlawfully possessing a firearm.  The complaint charges him with selling a pistol for $850 in May, with his promise of future firearms sales.        o    Carter mentioned during one of his drug sales that he was likely going to jail soon for a narcotics offense and that he was currently on parole.  In this case, he is alleged to have brokered methamphetamine transactions and helped facilitate Blackshire’s firearm sale.        o    Bradshaw has three felony convictions in Texas; two for possession of a controlled substance, and a robbery in 2016.  She is charged in this case with supplying methamphetamine.       o    Holleman has two felony convictions.  One is a state conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and the other is a federal conviction for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2018.      o    Penalver has a prior state felony conviction for manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance. Bradshaw identified him as her source of supply.

•    Another complaint charged Anthony Wilson, a convicted felon on probation as of January 2025 for second-degree robbery in California.  He is charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  The complaint alleges that Wilson sold a pistol and ammunition for $850 in May.  He had a child in the backseat of his car during this gun sale.

•    A third complaint charged eight illegal aliens from Venezuela.  They are:  Edixon Urdaneta-Colina, Rodrigo Riquel Cardozo, Carlos Moreno Olivero, Luis Garcia-Zamora, Darwin Ayala-Ochoa, Benito Castro Marrufo, Elwin Manama Rodriguez, and Kenny Manama Perez.  These defendants are charged with trafficking mixtures of powder cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy).  They referred to the narcotics they sold as Tusi, which had a distinct pink color, usually indicative of drugs tied to Venezuela.  Four of these defendants are also alleged to have sold numerous 9-millimeter and .380 caliber handguns at the same time or in the surrounding dates of the controlled drug buys.  On May 21, 2025, all eight defendants showed up that day to provide armed protection for what they believed to be a 50-kilogram methamphetamine transaction, which was actually a ruse arranged by agents. They were charged with firearm possession in furtherance of drug trafficking.  

Moreover, at arrest, agents saw and photographed crown and star tattoos on three of the defendants, Manama Rodriguez, Castro Marrufo, and Urdeneta-Colina.  Members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan transnational criminal organization (TCO) known for violence, often bear these types of tattoos. 

“This operation highlights the tremendous work of our law enforcement partners in dismantling criminal networks—located within and outside our borders—that flood our communities with deadly drugs and tools for violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.  “We are committed to returning safety and order to our neighborhoods through rigorous prosecutions of these types of crimes.  I thank each and every law enforcement officer and agent involved that contributed to the success of this mission.”    

“Every day, someone living throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is affected by gun violence.  And the effects of it are spread throughout the victims’ families and the community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “The tremendous effect that violent crime has on our communities is why coordinated efforts like this Operation Showdown are so important.  ATF is committed to disrupting the violent crime in our communities.  With the help of our partners here today, we were successful.”

“There is no debate that guns and drugs in the hands of criminals is everybody’s problem,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, DEA Special Agent in Charge over operations in Fort Worth. “Since April, through a strategic and targeted approach by our DEA Fort Worth and ATF partners, we have successfully taken kilos of illicit drugs and hundreds of weapons off of Fort Worth neighborhoods while arresting dozens of those victimizing our Tarrant County residents.  We want children to play safely at community parks and ride bikes around neighborhood streets.  This joint operation was a giant, positive step toward that goal this summer.”

“This is about protecting our families and making sure drug dealers know: Tarrant County is not open for business.  We are sending a simple message today: if you choose to poison our streets, you will be met with the full force of the law — no exceptions, no excuses,” said Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells.  “We will continue to work hand-in-hand with our federal partners, with law enforcement at every level, and we will keep doing the job the people entrusted us to do.  My office is firm in our resolve, if you bring this poison into our communities, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will put you in prison.”

“The Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program has two primary, yet simple objectives: facilitate cooperation among law enforcement at all levels and to apply taxpayer funding to law enforcement operations that increase public safety, combat violent crime and saves lives nationwide. When approached by ATF, DEA, and all of our law enforcement partners to support this initiative last year, I jumped at the opportunity. As the saying goes, this wasn't our first rodeo together. Law enforcement has a track record of cooperation and success working together in the North Texas, and this operation is not a finale, it is just the beginning.  As these results show, if you want to live as a gangster, I wouldn’t get too comfortable,” stated Texoma HIDTA Director Keith Brown.

This Operation is the result of collaboration and partnership between ATF, DEA, Fort Worth Police Department, ICE-ERO, Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texoma HIDTA, and U.S. Marshal’s Service.

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 OCDETs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

The public is reminded these charges are merely allegations, and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


 

A federal jury convicted a Dallas business owner Friday of failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from her employees, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Heaven Marie Diaz, 57, of Dallas, Texas, was indicted in 2023.  Following a four-day trial and less than an hour of deliberation, the jury found her guilty on all five counts of failing to pay over trust fund taxes.

According to 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.  Diaz took the stand and attempted to convince the jury that these items were business expenditures, including her rent payment, which she claimed qualified as a business expense because she occasionally threw “murder mystery” parties as an opportunity to network.

“This defendant defrauded taxpayers and stole from her employees, so that she could live lavishly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “She is now rightly held accountable for her actions.  In the end, her extravagance was her undoing. The diligent work of the investigative agents assigned to this case unearthed her fraudulent scheme and put a stop to it.”

“Heaven Marie Diaz abused her power and lived the highlife with trust fund/employment taxes due to the IRS,”  said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. “The jury’s guilty verdict is a stark reminder that anyone who betrays the trust of employees and their responsibilities to the IRS will face the full weight of accountability.”

Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2025, before United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey, who presided over the trial. Diaz faces up to five years in federal prison on each count.

The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan P. Niedermair and Joshua D. Detzky are prosecuting the case.  Appellate Division Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise Aldendifer and Assistant U.S. Attorneys (fmr.) Marcus Busch and Jenna Rudoff also contributed to the prosecution.

A truck driver who kidnapped a 25-year-old woman and dumped her dead body in the woods in August 2024 was sentenced today to life in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Naasson Hazzard, 28, of Austin, was indicted in October 2024 on federal charges of kidnapping resulting in death, which carried a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.  Hazzard’s victim was an army veteran who entered the military immediately after high school.  Information shared during the sentencing hearing today revealed that there were full military honors at her funeral.

After an eight-day trial in late January this year, a jury convicted Hazzard.  Today, U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay sentenced him to life in federal prison.

“The tremendous, relentless work of multiple law enforcement partners brought the terrible acts of this predator to light, and the jury answered the call for justice by finding him guilty,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “Now, the life sentence he will serve reflects the value and sanctity of this victim’s life.  We hope that this sentence helps her family in the healing process.”

“This defendant has been justly sentenced to prison for his abhorrent actions, ensuring that society will be safe from his predatory behavior for the remainder of his life,” said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “I applaud the unwavering commitment of the North Texas Trafficking Task Force, and all the law enforcement partners whose persistence led to this outcome.  May today’s judgment provide some solace to the victim’s family, reassuring them that HSI will never relent in our pursuit of sexual predators who aim to exploit and harm unsuspecting victims.”

According to evidence presented at trial, surveillance video caught Hazzard’s victim, a young woman, entering his semi-truck in Dallas at 9:27 p.m. on Aug. 15, 2024.  Eight days later, her decomposing body was found in a wooded area off Texas Highway 11 in Pittsburg, Texas with a black plastic bag tied around her head.  

Cell phone records showed that on the evening of Aug. 15, Mr. Hazzard traveled from the pickup location to a nearby parking lot, where he remained for approximately 17 minutes.  Evidence at trial reflected that Hazzard picked up the victim with the expectation of engaging in a sex act.  He then drove over three hours to a wooded area off Highway 11 in Pittsburg, Texas, where he texted his boss that he would be out sick the following day and remained for almost an hour before completing a load for work.

The next day, he and his wife returned to the scene before going to dinner in Tyler, Texas.

In the days that followed, Mr. Hazzard switched cell phones and deleted his Google and Life360 location sharing accounts.  He also cleaned the truck with bleach and searched “how many years for first second and third degree murders.”  Meanwhile, his wife searched for “Pittsburg Texas news.”

On Aug. 23, the same day the victim’s body was recovered, agents found the victim’s cell phone shattered on the side of the road along Mr. Hazzard’s route the night she was killed.  

“Your Honor, Naasson didn’t just take a life.  He destroyed futures.  He created a ripple effect of suffering that reaches further than he could ever understand,” the victim’s brother told the Court during his impact statement at today’s sentencing hearing.  “I ask you, please don’t see my sister as just a name in a case file.  She was a daughter.  A sister.  A mother.  A light in the lives of everyone who knew her.  Her life mattered.  And her death must mean something.”

The North Texas Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the following agencies: the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Dallas Police Department, the Midlothian Police Department, the Texas Rangers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Titus County Sheriff’s Office, the Buda Police Department, the Austin Police Department, the Hayes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office leads the Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandie Wade and Renee Hunter prosecuted the case with the help of appellate liaison AUSA Jonathan Bradshaw.
 

The North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and FBI Dallas’s North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force announce the conclusion of Operation Soteria Shield, a month-long collaborative enforcement effort conducted in April 2025 aimed at rescuing children from online sexual exploitation and bringing perpetrators to justice. This operation was run in conjunction with the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and was jointly managed by the FBI Dallas Division, Dallas Police Department, Plano Police Department, Wylie Police Department, and Garland Police Department.

More than 70 Texas law enforcement agencies joined forces throughout the month of April to combat the exploitation of children in the digital space. These agencies leveraged the expertise of highly skilled computer crimes investigators that worked around the clock to identify victims and apprehend offenders engaged in the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Operation Soteria Shield resulted in the rescue of 109 children and the arrest of 244 offenders. In addition to these enforcement actions, investigators seized extensive volumes of digital evidence, including terabytes of illicit data stored on electronic devices that were used in the commission of these crimes. These devices are undergoing forensic analysis and may lead to further arrests and the identification of additional victims.

“Operation Soteria Shield brought together over 70 agencies from across the state of Texas, including police departments, federal agencies, state and federal prosecutors, children’s advocacy centers, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. We had a common goal, which was to rescue children from abuse and exploitation,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “This was not an easy operation, but a necessary one. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to protect the children in our communities, and we will hold child predators accountable for their crimes.”

“Operation Soteria Shield was a massive team effort and a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we unite around one clear mission: protecting our kids and holding offenders accountable. I am proud that the Dallas Police Department is the lead agency for the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and am grateful for the many, many agencies who contributed to this successful operation,” said Dallas Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux.

“Online exploitation of children is one of the most insidious crimes we face as a society. It reaches into every community, crosses every boundary, and leaves lasting harm on its youngest victims. Operation Soteria Shield brought together an unprecedented level of collaboration and resolve to confront this crisis head-on. Through this operation, we not only rescued children from unimaginable abuse, but we also sent a clear message: those who seek to harm our children online will be found and brought to justice. Our work is far from over, but this effort has made our communities safer and brought hope to those who need it most.” Said Plano Police Chief Ed Drain.

"The coordinated efforts of all agencies involved in Operation Soteria Shield serve as a powerful demonstration of unwavering dedication in the battle against online child exploitation. By exposing the darkest corners of the internet, this operation has targeted predators who seek to harm vulnerable children,” said Wylie Police Chief Anthony Henderson. “The trauma inflicted by these crimes runs deep, affecting not only the victims, but also their families and entire communities. With every arrest made and every child protected, the operation moves us closer to a safer community. Every step forward in this operation reflects a shared commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring those who seek to exploit children are brought to justice."

"The Garland Police Department is proud to stand alongside our local, state, and federal partners in the fight against those who exploit our most vulnerable, our children. Operation Soteria Shield was more than an enforcement effort; it was a mission to rescue, protect, and restore hope,” said Garland Police Chief Jeff Bryan. “The scale of this operation sends a strong message: predators will be pursued, and survivors will never stand alone. We are grateful to the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and all the agencies involved for their tireless work. This operation demonstrates our shared commitment to the safety of every child in every community."

Operation Soteria Shield stands as a powerful example of what can be accomplished with coordinated, interagency cooperation. It reflects the shared commitment of law enforcement professionals across Texas to relentlessly pursue those who prey on children and to ensure that survivors are no longer silenced or hiding in the shadows.

The participating agencies also extend their gratitude to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) for their unwavering support. NCMEC analysts provided vital intelligence and case coordination that proved instrumental to the success of this operation.
 

A Dallas man who trafficked a 17-year-old minor victim was sentenced today to more than 21 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States  Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Renald Antae Brown, 42, pleaded guilty to federal charges of Sex Trafficking of a Minor in January 2025.  He was sentenced today to 262 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, who also ordered him to pay $25,000 in restitution to the minor victim.

According to court documents, in January 2023, agents with the North Texas Trafficking Task Force received a lead from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning a suspected victim of Child Sex Trafficking.  Law enforcement agents located a commercial sex advertisement containing photographs of the minor female and organized an operation to rescue the child.  The victim was recovered from a Dallas-area hotel.

The minor victim told law enforcement that she met Brown after running away from foster care in November 2022.  Brown offered her a place to stay but demanded that she perform sex acts and turn all of the proceeds over to him.  The victim understood that if she did not complete these acts, she would be kicked out of the residence.

In plea documents, Brown admitted that he managed the minor victim’s advertisements and coached her on how to interact with customers.

At today’s sentencing, prosecutors informed the Court that Brown had previously been convicted of Compelling Prostitution.

Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson praised the efforts of the law enforcement agents and officers with the North Texas Trafficking Task Force, led by Homeland Security Investigations, who conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Winters prosecuted the case.

Andres Saucedo, Jr., of Dallas, was charged and arrested on June 4, 2025, for shooting at an undercover FBI Task Force Officer who was surveilling Saucedo to interrupt and stop a robbery of methamphetamine from another individual in the Dallas, Texas area, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

According to a criminal complaint filed June 3, 2025, Saucedo and another individual, Angel Flores, were involved in importing and trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin obtained from a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization.  Court documents reveal that Flores sold undercover agents a kilogram of heroin for $7,200 in the Dallas area late last year.  Flores, Saucedo, and others working with them continued selling kilogram quantities of methamphetamine to numerous other individuals from that time until Flores was arrested on May 21, 2025.  The two even orchestrated the sale of two kilograms of methamphetamine on May 20, 2025, the day before Flores was apprehended by FBI SWAT.  

During the investigation, according to court documents, agents discovered that Flores, Saucedo, and others plotted to rob another drug trafficker of thirty to forty kilograms of methamphetamine on May 19, 2025.  While surveilling Flores and Saucedo to prevent this robbery, Flores and Saucedo realized they were being followed and attempted to lure two federal agents to a place where other coconspirators in their group would ambush and shoot them.  Before reaching the planned ambush location, Saucedo fired a gun at an undercover FBI Task Force Officer in one of the vehicles.  The undercover officer was an FBI Task Force Officer with the Dallas Police Department who was working with the OCDETF North Texas Strike Force.  The Task Force Officer was not struck by the gun fire but had to abandon surveillance at that time for safety.  

The complaint charges Saucedo with his role in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, as well as assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal agent by using a dangerous and deadly weapon.  Flores was also charged by complaint with similar crimes in May 2025.

Saucedo was previously convicted in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division in December 2011, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.  He was sentenced to serve 144 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Terry Means in 2012.  Court documents reflect that in that case, Saucedo also conspired with a group of individuals who not only distributed cocaine, but also robbed other drug traffickers as well.

At his initial appearance on Friday, June 6, 2025, in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian McKay, Saucedo was detained in federal custody.  Flores previously appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Friday, May 23, 2025, and was also detained in federal custody.  If convicted, Saucedo and Flores face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

“We are fighting drug trafficking on multiple dangerous fronts, as demonstrated by this case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “Beyond the tragic effects of the illegal drugs that cross our country’s border and flood our communities, drug traffickers unleash significant violence on each other, in our neighborhoods, and against the brave law enforcement officers attempting to stop them.  The full prosecution of those in the drug trade and the violence they bring is a top priority for the safety of our law enforcement partners and our citizens.”

“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the danger agents and task force officers face every day,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI stands by our colleagues as they carry out their duties to keep our communities safe and pledge to investigate those who use violence against law enforcement.”

“Assaulting a Federal Agent can never be tolerated and undermines the very fabric of our ability to conduct drug investigations safely and effectively,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “We do our jobs to make our community safer, and we will use every tool available to investigate and prosecute those who feel violent acts against our agents are held accountable.”

“The Dallas Police Department could not be more proud of the work that was done by the women and men of not only our department, but our Federal partners as well,” said Chief of Police Daniel Comeaux of the Dallas Police Department.  “These joint task force and collaborations are essential in keeping our community and its members safe.”

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

This operation was conducted by the OCDETF North Texas Strike force with Special Agents and Task Force Officers from DEA, FBI, HSI, the Dallas Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department and Coppell Police Department all participating.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Coker is prosecuting 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.
 

William R. McKelvy, 65, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was convicted Wednesday of abusive sexual contact following a brief jury trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Evidence at trial showed that McKelvy boarded a Southwest Airlines flight from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Dallas, Texas, on April 25, 2023.  On four different occasions, McKelvy groped the breast and inner thigh of a woman sitting next to him. The first time, the victim thought perhaps it was inadvertent contact or that McKelvy was afraid of flying and mistakenly grabbed her.  The second time, a few minutes later, the victim forcefully pushed McKelvy away and told him to keep his hands to himself.  Undeterred, McKelvy groped the victim a third time.  The victim testified at trial that she felt trapped in her seat until McKelvy groped her a fourth time, at which point she yelled, “Get your ******* hand off me, or I will break your ******* hand!”

Witnesses testified that this commotion caught the attention of fellow passengers who intervened, telling McKelvy to stop this behavior and to change seats.  A passenger flagged down a flight attendant who had McKelvy moved to the back of the plane for the remainder of the flight and arranged for police to meet McKelvy when they landed at Love Field Airport.  McKelvy admitted to those officers that he had vaped on the plane.  When asked if he was involved in any confrontations with another passenger, McKelvy downplayed his actions, stating only that he had “flirted with this chick” on the flight.
 

McKelvy, who testified at trial on his own behalf, claimed not to remember anything about the incident due to his consumption of alcohol and marijuana gummies before the flight.  The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before returning a guilty verdict.

“No person should have to endure egregious attacks such as this aboard an aircraft, where appropriate behavior is crucial for the well-being of all passengers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.  “We applaud the swift response of fellow passengers, crew members, and our law enforcement partners in this case to come to the victim’s defense.  For her sake and the community’s, we will continue to bring predators like this to justice and deter others from doing so.”

“Sexual assault aboard an aircraft is a federal crime investigated by the FBI.  It is because of fellow passengers and the flight crew that the defendant was detained and charged for assaulting the victim multiple times,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.  “The public can rest assured that the FBI will thoroughly investigate any federal crime committed aboard an aircraft.  We encourage everyone to be air aware and ask that victims or witnesses report an incident to the flight crew immediately.”

McKelvy is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025, before United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey, who presided over the trial.  McKelvy faces a maximum of three years in federal prison.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Brasher and Madeleine Case are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gordon of the office’s Appellate Division, and prior contributions of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vince Mazzurco and Michelle Winters.

A 36-year-old Fort Worth man who produced child pornography was sentenced on May 30, 2025, to 50 years in federal prison, announced Nancy Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Jamie Hackney pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging him with the production and transportation of child pornography in February 2025.  He was sentenced on Friday to 600 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Reed O’Connor.

According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued a Cybertip to the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) regarding images that were uploaded to Hackney’s Google account.  Through their investigation, FWPD uncovered forensic evidence of Hackney using a minor to create and subsequently transport child pornography.  

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte.
 

Nancy E. Larson was named as the Acting United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas following her appointment on May 29, 2025, by President Donald J. Trump.

Ms. Larson is now the top-ranking law enforcement official in the Northern District of Texas. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in a district encompassing 96,000 square miles and serving a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls and surrounding areas. Ms. Larson will oversee more than 80 Assistant United States Attorneys. 

“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the office where I have spent my career representing the United States,” said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson. “As our district’s chief federal prosecutor, I will work relentlessly to implement the priorities of the President and the Attorney General and to protect our communities from criminals.”

Ms. Larson has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for more than 30 years.  She began her career with the Department of Justice in the District of Columbia, serving as a federal prosecutor in the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office. There, she led successful prosecutions involving homicide, narcotics, violent crime, fraud, and other offenses.  

In 1999, Ms. Larson joined the Northern District of Texas as the lead prosecutor for the Housing Fraud Initiative. After serving in the Criminal Division, Ms. Larson was named the Chief of the Appellate Division. She served in that role for over a decade and regularly appeared before the Fifth Circuit on behalf of the United States. Ms. Larson also has served as the district’s Executive Assistant United States Attorney and its Professional Responsibility Officer. Ms. Larson is an accomplished trial lawyer, having represented the United States in more than two dozen criminal trials. During her career, Ms. Larson received numerous awards for her service and leadership. 

Ms. Larson is a native of New York and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Ms. Larson’s father, whose father and grandfather served on the NYPD, was a career Special Agent in IRS Criminal Investigations. Her family’s legacy in law enforcement instilled in her a devotion to public service and the cause of justice.
 

The second defendant convicted of large-scale methamphetamine trafficking in Duncanville, Texas was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Moises Elias Saavedra Posadas, 45, a Mexican national illegally living in the United States, pled guilty to methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute in February 2025.  He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison yesterday, May 28, 2025, by United States District Judge David C. Godbey.  

According to court documents, Saavedra Posadas helped codefendant Gerardo Barraza Ortiz deliver more than 4 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine on two separate occasions.  Officers with the Duncanville Police Department executed a search warrant at an auto body shop located on South Cockrell Hill Road in Dallas, Texas, where several identifying documents belonging to Saavedra Posadas were located.  

Testimony from codefendant Barraza Ortiz’s sentencing hearing revealed that on June 2, 2022, officers located approximately 48.66 kilograms (107.05 pounds) of crystalized methamphetamine during a search of the building.  The majority of the methamphetamine was located in 1,022 small packages hidden in buckets and pallets.  A further search of the auto body shop revealed a freezer, burners, coolers, storage bins, and barrels that were being used to store, cook, and convert liquid methamphetamine into a crystalized form.  Officers also located three firearms and several pounds of marijuana during the search. 

According to the Duncanville Police Department, the 48.66 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, if sold in ounce quantities, has a street value of approximately $3,128,400.00 in the Dallas, Texas area.   

Barraza Ortiz was sentenced to a term of 262 months’ imprisonment in March 2025 by U.S. District Judge Godbey.  

 
The Duncanville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Leal and Sarah Douglas prosecuted the case.
 

Kenneth Ray Peters, 44, of Dallas, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison today for his role in a violent drug trafficking conspiracy operated from a hotel in Dallas, Texas, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Peters and multiple codefendants utilized rooms at the BuZen Suites Hotel located at 2030 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas to distribute quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other drugs.  In January 2025, Peters pled guilty to his role in the conspiracy, and today, he was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment by Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn.

The drug conspiracy continued throughout 2022 and into March 2023.  Court records revealed that Peters and other coconspirators—utilizing a serving station inside multiple hotel rooms that held quantities of various drugs, drug paraphernalia and digital scales—distributed the drugs to customers twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  

According to court documents, a security camera was installed in the corner of the rooms that recorded the events each day. Other coconspirators inside the rooms were paid to fill capsules with powdered fentanyl and cut and prepare other drugs for distribution.  Photographs introduced during court hearings captured cash, drugs, and other drug trade tools, as depicted below:
 

Peters admitted in court documents that violent acts committed by members of the conspiracy were common at the hotel, including multiple beatings, the pistol whipping of a customer, and the use of a lighter to burn the foot of a female customer that had passed out on the hotel room floor after ingesting drugs she had purchased in the room.

Court records show that on April 19, 2023, law enforcement agents executed multiple search warrants at the hotel. Agents recovered distribution quantities of methamphetamine, powder and crack cocaine, heroin, powdered fentanyl, and counterfeit M30 pills that contain fentanyl, morphine, hydrocodone, Alprazolam and multiple kilograms of marijuana. Officers also recovered multiple handguns, one AK-47 rifle, one AR-15 rifle, body armor, multiple digital scales, syringes, and other items consistent with drug distribution.

Other codefendants charged in Peters’ indictment have already been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Lynn.  In December 2024, codefendant Derrick Alan Richardson was sentenced to 54 months in prison.  In January 2025, codefendant Antoine Marquin Thompson-Stevens was sentenced to 108 months in prison.  In March 2025, codefendants Keenan Bernard Allen a.k.a. “King” and Glenn Malcolm Blair a.k.a. “Slim” were sentenced to 240 months in prison. On May 8, 2025, Allen’s younger brother, Corey Lanard Allen, Jr., was sentenced to 192 months in prison.

The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Dallas Police Department – Narcotics Unit.
 

Two Texas residents, Abdul Hadi Murshid, 39, and Muhammad Salman Nasir, 35, both originally from Pakistan, a law firm, and a business entity were charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) conspiracy, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.  Murshid and Nasir were also charged with unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain United States citizenship.

According to the indictment, Abdul Hadi Murshid, Muhammad Salman Nasir, the Law Offices of D. Robert Jones PLLC, and Reliable Ventures, Inc. engaged in a scheme to commit visa fraud to enrich themselves and others, and to cause individuals to fraudulently obtain entry into and immigration status in the United States.  It is alleged that Murshid, Nasir, and others submitted and caused to be submitted false and fraudulent visa applications for individuals who were not United States citizens (hereinafter referred to as “visa seekers”), and applications to adjust status of the visa seekers so the visa seekers could enter and remain in the United States.

“These defendants are charged with engaging in extensive measures to hide a massive, multi-year, immigration fraud scheme through which they reaped substantial personal financial gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham.  “Pursuing criminal charges to deter and punish this type of flagrant disregard for the lawful immigration process is a top priority of this Office.”

“The defendants allegedly oversaw an international criminal enterprise for years that repeatedly undermined our nation’s immigration laws. These laws are necessary to protect national security and safeguard the lawful immigration process,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will hold any individual accountable that misuses their position of trust for personal profit.” 

As part of the scheme, the indictment alleges that the defendants exploited the EB-2, EB-3, and H-1B visa programs.  Specifically, the defendants caused classified advertisements to be placed in a daily periodical for non-existent jobs.  These advertisements were placed in order to satisfy a Department of Labor (“DOL”) requirement to offer the position to United States citizens before hiring foreign nationals.  Once they received the fraudulently obtained certification for from the Department of Labor, the defendants filed a petition to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) to obtain an immigrant visa for the visa seekers.  At the time the petitions were submitted, the defendants also submitted an application for legal permanent residence so that the visa seekers could also obtain a green card.  According to the indictment, to make the non-existent jobs look legitimate, the defendants received payment from visa seekers, then returned a portion of the money back to the visa seekers as purported payroll. 

The defendants made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on May 23, 2025, and the government moved for their detention. The detention hearings are scheduled for May 30, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian McKay.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  Like all defendants, Murshid, Nasir, and the business entities are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison.  Murshid faces denaturalization if convicted of unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain his United States citizenship.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.  The Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General provided significant assistance to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Hocter, Tiffany H. Eggers, and Jongwoo Chung are prosecuting the case.
 

A previously convicted sex offender was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison for possession of prepubescent child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Ronnie Craig Lance, 54, of Amarillo, was charged in October 2024 and pled guilty in mid-January 2025, to federal charges of possessing prepubescent child pornography.  According to court documents, Lance admitted to possessing nearly 1400 videos and over 71,000 images of child sex abuse material on his personal laptop and other devices.  On May 20, 2025, he was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, who also ordered that Lance pay restitution of $140,000 to certain victims and serve lifetime supervision following his prison term.  

Court records indicate that in 2011, while previously residing in Lubbock, Texas, Lance was found to be in possession of child pornography, resulting in federal charges.  He was convicted after his guilty plea in June 2011 and was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings in September 2011.

Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the work of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations –Amarillo and the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Frausto prosecuted the instant case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam assisted in the prosecution of the earlier case.

The case 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.”
 

The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of two warrants authorizing the seizure of five internet domains used by malicious cyber actors to operate the LummaC2 information-stealing malware service.

“The Department will continue to use its unique tools, authorities, and partnerships to disrupt malicious cyber operations and criminal networks,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s disruption is another instance where our prosecutors, agents, and private sector partners came together to protect us from the persistent cybersecurity threats targeting our country. We are grateful for their work and dedication.”

“Malware like LummaC2 is deployed to steal sensitive information such as user login credentials from millions of victims in order to facilitate a host of crimes, including fraudulent bank transfers and cryptocurrency theft,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Justice Department is resolved to use court-ordered disruptions like this one to protect the public from the theft of their personal information and their assets. The Department is also committed to working with and appreciates the efforts of the private sector to safeguard the public from cybercrime.”

“The FBI is committed to disrupting the key services that cyber criminals rely on,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of FBI’s Cyber Division. “That’s why, with our partners, we took action against the most popular infostealer service available in online criminal markets, which is responsible for millions of attacks against victims. Thanks to partnerships with the private sector, we were able to disrupt the LummaC2 infrastructure and seize user panels. Together, we are making it harder, and more painful, for cyber criminals to operate.”

As alleged in the affidavits filed in support of the government’s seizure warrants, the administrators of LummaC2 used the seized websites to distribute LummaC2, an information-stealing malware, to their affiliates and other cyber criminals. According to court documents, common targets for cybercriminals using malware like LummaC2 include browser data, autofill information, login credentials for accessing email and banking services, as well as cryptocurrency seed phrases, which permit access to virtual currency wallets. As alleged in the affidavits, the FBI has identified at least 1.7 million instances where LummaC2 was used to steal this type of information.

The government’s affidavit further alleges that the seized domains, also referred to as user panels, served as login pages for the LummaC2 malware, allowing credentialed users and administrators to access and deploy LummaC2. On May 19, 2025, the government seized two domains. On May 20, 2025, as detailed in court documents, the LummaC2 administrators informed their users of three new domains that they had set up to host the user panel. The next day, the government then seized those three domains.

The seizure of these domains by the government will prevent the owners and cybercriminals from using the websites to access LummaC2 to compromise computers and steal victim information. Individuals who now visit the websites will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by the Justice Department, including the FBI.

Concurrent with today’s actions and consistent with the Department’s approach to public-private operational coordination, Microsoft announced an independent civil action to take down 2,300 internet domains also claimed to be used by the LummaC2 actors or their proxies.

FBI’s Dallas Field Office is investigating the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are handling the case.

The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, offers a reward of up to $10 million for information on foreign government-linked individuals participating in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Anyone with information on any other foreign government-linked malicious cyber actors or activity targeting U.S. critical infrastructure should contact Rewards for Justice via the RFJ Tor-based tip line at: he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion (Tor browser required). Learn more about Rewards for Justice and their reward offers at RewardsforJustice.net.

If you believe you have a compromised computer or device, please visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). You may also contact your local FBI field office directly.

A former professor of theology and librarian at the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Charles Kilby Bellinger, 63, was arrested in October 2024 by the Fort Worth Police Department after TCU’s IT staff reported they had detected pornographic images with concerning file names, including “infant” and “toddler,” on Bellinger’s work computer.  He was charged by federal complaint, which stated that investigators found multiple sexually explicit images of pre-pubescent minors on a hard drive and an SD card removed from Bellinger’s office.  

In early January 2025, Bellinger pled guilty to federal charges of possessing child pornography.  Today, he was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman, who also ordered that Bellinger pay restitution of $6,000 to certain victims and that Bellinger be taken into custody immediately following the hearing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the work of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including the U.S. Secret Service, the Fort Worth Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, and the Texas Christian University Campus Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem prosecuted the case.

The case 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 fentanyl dealer was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his role in distributing over $64,000 worth of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

On May 15, 2025, Donald Derrell Slay, Jr., 31, of Richardson, Texas, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brantley Starr for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.  Court filings reveal that, in late 2022 into early 2023, Slay and two others, Hakeem Aziz Wiley and Richard Daniel Gomez, sold several quantities of fentanyl to undercover officers on multiple occasions in the Dallas area.  One delivery involved 6,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $15,000.00.

Slay, Wiley, and Gomez each pled guilty to a conspiracy count after indictment.  Hakeem Aziz Wiley, 26, of Frisco, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by Judge Starr in January 2025.   Richard Daniel Gomez, 24, of Carrollton, Texas, received a sentence of 37 months in federal prison from Judge Starr in February this year.

Fentanyl pills have an approximate street value of $10 per pill.  The potential street value of the fentanyl pills seized in this case is approximately $64,690.00.

The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Assistant United States Attorney George Leal prosecuted the case.
 

An 80-year-old Richardson man who sexually abused a seven-year-old was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. 

George Kenneth Orton, Jr., of Richardson, was convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child by a jury of his peers in October 2024.  According to evidence presented at trial, agents recovered a USB drive and two laptops containing child sexual abuse material at his home.

On May 14, 2025, Orton appeared before District Judge Brantley Starr for sentencing.  Judge Starr sentenced Orton to consecutive maximum sentences of 360 months on each count, for a total of 720 months in federal prison.  Judge Starr described Orton’s conduct against Minor Victim 1 as “unspeakable” and, in handing down the sentence, stated that he found no reason to give Orton less than the statutory maximum on each count, regardless of his age.

“The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice. The significant sentence given to the defendant sends a clear message that crimes against children will not be tolerated,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “Together, through continued vigilance and cooperation, we can prevent abuse and protect the most vulnerable among us.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Richardson Police Department in conducting the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Aulbaugh and Brandie Wade prosecuted the case.

The case 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.”
 

An illegal alien from Mexico, previously convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Enrique Campos-Gomez, 45, was indicted in November 2024 and pled guilty in January 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was deported by immigration authorities in 2014.  He was sentenced on Thursday, May 8, to 35 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle.

At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued that Campos-Gomez was a danger to the community based on his violent criminal history, which included a 2008 Dallas County conviction for domestic violence, followed by multiple criminal violations of a protective order obtained by the same domestic-assault victim in 2008 and 2009, as well as his 2013 Dallas County conviction for sexually assaulting a fifteen-year-old girl.  Campos-Gomez also failed to register as a sex offender, as he was required to do by federal law.

“This case highlights the continuing need to protect the public from offenders with violent tendencies who should not be in the United States in the first place,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham.  “Individuals such as these attempting to hide illegally in this country will be found and brought to justice.”

“ICE and our federal law enforcement partners have an unrelenting commitment of protecting minors and other at-risk members in our society,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson. “Criminal aliens like this one who repeatedly prey on our children are not welcome in our communities. We will track them down and remove them to ensure the safety of those who cannot protect themselves.”  

ICE conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner prosecuted the case.

[May 9, 2025] – On Wednesday this week, the Department of Justice announced the results of 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.  

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

“I am proud of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, who work tirelessly to bring to justice those that exploit children,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad Meacham.  “United with their efforts, this Office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenders.”

“Criminals who prey on children threaten the sanctity of our communities, and this operation highlights the FBI’s efforts to dismantle the threat,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The strength of each member of the North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force is crucial to protecting the most vulnerable, and together we will pursue offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”

Those arrested by the FBI and charged in the Northern District of Texas as part of Operation Restore Justice include:

Angel Ramirez Flores, arrested in Lamesa, Texas by the FBI with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Flores has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors.  If convicted, he faces up to ten years in federal prison.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jen Schrauth is prosecuting the case.

Michael Huffman, arrested in Fort Worth, Texas by the FBI with assistance from the Fort Worth Police Department.  Huffman has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Distribution of Child Pornography.  If convicted, he faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.   According to court documents, agents discovered Huffman sitting in his driveway with his laptop logged into one of the platforms used to view sexually explicit images of minors.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is prosecuting the case.

Otho Earl London, arrested in Azle, Texas by the FBI with assistance of the FBI Dallas SWAT.  London has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Possession of Child Pornography.  If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is prosecuting the case.

Harold Lee Hill, arrested in Rockwall, Texas by the FBI with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Rockwall Police Department, Dallas County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Office, and Arkansas State Patrol.  Hill has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.  If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle A. Winters and Claire Demers are prosecuting the case.

Jose Lizandro Trevino Rodriguez, arrested in Dallas by the FBI with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department.  Rodriguez has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Distribution of Child Pornography.  If convicted, he faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade is prosecuting the case.

Emmanuel Jacobo Reyes, of Raleigh, North Carolina, arrested in Raleigh, NC by the FBI and the Raleigh Police Department.  Reyes has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Production of Child Pornography.  If convicted, he faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Allyson Monte is prosecuting the case.

Robert Rayel, of Benbrook, Texas, arrested in Florida by FBI Tampa - Pinellas County Resident Agency.  Rayel has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Attempted Sexual Exploitation, which carries a penalty of imprisonment from 15 to 30 years; Possession of Child Pornography, for which he faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment; and Receipt of Child Pornography, with an imprisonment range of five to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  The defendants mentioned above are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to 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 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.

Keevon Carter-Hickmon, a 30-year-old Mansfield man, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. 

Carter-Hickmon was indicted and pleaded guilty in January 2025 to production of child pornography.  He was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor on May 2, 2025.  

According to a factual resume signed by the defendant, Carter-Hickmon drove to a local middle school to pick up a minor after communicating with the minor online for several months.  Carter-Hickmon took the minor to a motel in Arlington where they had sexual contact.  Carter-Hickmon recorded and then distributed pornographic images of the minor over the internet.  While awaiting trial on state charges, Carter-Hickmon solicited another minor online and received additional child pornography from that minor. 

Acting United States Attorney Meacham praised the extraordinary efforts of the agencies involved in bringing justice on behalf of the victims.  Those agencies included the Arlington Police Department, Stephenville Police Department, Mansfield Police Department, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte prosecuted the case.

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 Florida man who assaulted a gate agent at DFW Airport was sentenced to four months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. 

Keith Charles Owens, 53, was charged via criminal complaint in November 2024 and pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging interference with security screening personnel in January 2025.  He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered Owens to pay nearly $6,000 in restitution.

In plea papers, Mr. Owens admitted that he assaulted an American Airlines gate agent at DFW Airport on Oct. 5, 2024.  Security footage showed Mr. Owens repeatedly punched the gate agent in the head.

According to court documents, around 4:42 p.m., Mr. Owens approached the gate agent at gate A36, explained he was late, and attempted to scan his boarding pass. When the gate agent informed him he was at the wrong gate, Mr. Owens cursed and walked away. The agent then radioed the correct gate, A35, to inform airline personnel that Mr. Owens was headed their way and appeared to be intoxicated. 

Mr. Owens then walked onto the A35 jet bridge without scanning his boarding pass.  Airline personnel removed him from the jet bridge. 
 

A few moments later, at 4:48 p.m., Mr. Owens again approached gate A36.  He began yelling at the gate agent, grabbed him by the shoulders, and punched him repeatedly in the face and neck.  Eventually, airline personnel were able to restrain him. 

Both the gate agent and the personnel who assisted in restraining Mr. Owens sustained minor injuries.  The flight departing from gate A36 was delayed. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck prosecuted the case.

 

A Houston, Texas man pleaded guilty to the “jugging” robbery of an ATM technician that occurred on July 3, 2024, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.  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.

In December 2024, Houston residents Johnny Juwan Clark, 32, Corey Dashun Holloway, Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg, and Roosevelt Ford Valentine were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in a jugging robbery in Midlothian, Texas.  On April 22, 2025, Clark pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery before Senior United States District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn.  

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.

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.  Approximately $247,000 in United States currency was taken during the robbery.  According to court documents, Clark admitted that he was the individual forcing the technician to the ground, captured in a security photo. 
 

After the robbery, Clark and two of his codefendants fled from the Chase Bank in the rental car and met a fourth accomplice 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.

Clark’s sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2025.  He faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Codefendant Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg has filed documents advising the court of her intention to plead guilty.  A rearraignment date for Brandyberg has not been set.  Codefendants Holloway and Valentine are set for jury trial in September 2025.

The FBI (Dallas Division) investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.

A former Abilene preschool teacher, Mark Penfield Eichorn, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.  Eichorn admitted that he paid two young boys, ages 12 and 13, to record videos of themselves performing sexual acts on each other.

Mark Penfield Eichorn, 28, was indicted in June 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to Production of Child Pornography.  He was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment, the statutory maximum, by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered Eichorn to pay $66,087.50 in restitution.

“Stopping horrendous acts against children, such as those in this case, is a core mission of this Office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham.  “We hope that the maximum punishment in this case serves as a message to other child predators, and that the victims and their families find some measure of comfort knowing that this abuser will be off the streets for a very long time.”

“This defendant made the depraved decision to exploit children, not only failing to meet any standard of human decency but choosing to victimize them through the production of sexually explicit materials,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard Homeland Security Investigations Dallas.  “I’m grateful for the collaborative effort between our law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation, ensuring Mr. Eichorn will spend the next 30 years behind bars, unable to harm an innocent child again.”

According to court documents, Eichorn admitted to struggling with desires to sexually assault children since 2019.  During this time, he continued to work with children.  He also admitted to being involved in child pornography trading groups across various Internet platforms, such as Kik and Telegram.  Eichorn confessed to possessing and trading prepubescent child pornography online.  Among the disturbing material was a video involving a child between the ages of 10 and 12-years-old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 

At the time of his arrest, Eichorn was employed as a teacher at a local private school. Eichorn initiated contact with one of the child victims in this case and offered to send him $100 per week to be his “Sugar Daddy.”  Eichorn admitted that he subsequently paid both victims hundreds of dollars to produce videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 

At sentencing, Judge Hendrix told Eichorn that the maximum sentence is warranted especially for “protection of the public.”  In imposing the maximum sentence, Judge Hendrix said, “I have to make a lot of difficult decisions.  This is not one of them.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the joint efforts of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations—Abilene Resident Agency, the Abilene Police Department, and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen prosecuted the case.

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.”
 

DALLAS – This week, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) R. Joseph Rothrock is joining FBI offices around the country in marking the 45th anniversary of the FBI’s first Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Formed in New York in 1980, the first JTTF became a model for law enforcement cooperation across the nation.

JTTFs can be found at each of the FBI’s 55 field offices and many resident agencies—around 280 locations in all. The Dallas Field Office organized the North Texas JTTF in 1995 and it is comprised of dozens of investigative personnel from more than 20 agencies across the Division’s territory.

JTTFs gather trained investigators, intelligence analysts, linguists, and tactical experts from federal, state, local, territorial, tribal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Task force members share intelligence and investigative leads and respond to threats and incidents.

“We know from each potential crisis or thwarted attack that we cannot do this job alone,” said SAC Rothrock. “Each member of the North Texas JTTF brings unique skills and specialized resources from their agency to enhance our collective investigative capabilities. We are proud to work side-by-side with our partners in the fight against terrorism, and will continue to vigorously defend the Dallas Division’s territory.”

The FBI’s JTTF model dates to 1979, when the New York Police Department and the FBI’s New York Field Office created a joint task force to tackle violent bank robberies. They imitated the model in 1980, when terrorist bombings, bomb threats, and other violence plagued the city, and announced the formation of the first JTTF in April 1980.

“The JTTF has proven to be a world class model of what can be accomplished when law enforcement resources from federal, state, and local agencies converge to combat terrorism and disrupt the plans of evil actors throughout the United States,” said Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “The JTTF has been called upon to investigate some of the most horrific acts of violence imaginable and we should all be thankful for the work the JTTF does daily to keep communities across the United States safe.”

After the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June of 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies.

“This Office depends on the critical work of the JTTF in keeping Americans safe,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “We applaud the JTTF’s decades of significant efforts in partnership with the USAO-NDTX.”

Nationally, JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades. Notable investigations in Dallas’ territory include:

•    Hosam Maher Husein Smadi: Sentenced to 24 years in prison for his attempted bombing of a downtown Dallas skyscraper in September 2009. According to documents filed, Smadi knowingly took possession of a truck that contained a weapon of mass destruction, and while the bomb was inert when Smadi took possession of it, it was a readily-convertible weapon of mass destruction.

•    Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari: Sentenced to life in prison for the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction in connection with his 2011 purchase of chemicals and equipment necessary to make an improvised explosive device (IED) and his research of potential U.S. targets, including persons and infrastructure.

•    Omer Kuzu: Pleaded guilty in 2020 to conspiring to provide material support to terrorism. In March 2019, Kuzu was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces, alongside 1,500 suspected ISIS fighters.  He was handed over to FBI custody, returned to American soil, and charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.  

Report suspicious activity to 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). You can also submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov tips.fbi.gov.
 

SW North America, Inc., a machining and automation supplier, agreed to pay $1,520,958.14 to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by applying for and receiving a loan it was not eligible for in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Whether an applicant qualified for a PPP loan depended on various factors, including employee-count size standards for applicants.

SW North America applied for and received a PPP loan in the principal amount of $1,204,400 in 2021, which was later forgiven in full.  It was alleged in the lawsuit, however, that SW North America with its affiliates exceeded the applicable size standards for the loan, and was ineligible for that reason.

“PPP loans were intended, first and foremost, to help eligible small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham.  “This office will continue to aggressively pursue loan recipients who were not eligible to obtain taxpayer funds, whether due to their size or for any other reason.”

The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States and share in a portion of the government’s recovery.  The qui tam lawsuit is case number 3:24-CV-1123-N in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and the qui tam relator, GNGH2 Inc., will receive $187,003.05 in connection with the settlement.  

The government was represented in the lawsuit by Assistant United States Attorney Andrea Hyatt, with assistance from Amber Perez of the SBA.  The civil claims settled by the agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

A San Angelo man who impersonated an 11-year-old child and persuaded a 9-year-old female child to produce child sexual abuse material was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

James Wilson, 57, was indicted in September and pleaded guilty in December 2024 to Production of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography.  He was sentenced Tuesday to 600 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered Wilson to pay $106,500 in restitution.

According to court documents, Wilson employed a 9-year-old victim to produce at least two videos of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Wilson admitted to using a social media application to transport multiple videos of child pornography over the Internet.  He also admitted to possessing and transporting a video that depicted a 10-year-old female child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Wilson admitted to law enforcement that he had viewed and downloaded child pornography for several years.

The vast collection of child pornography possessed by Wilson included videos from multiple identified child pornography series.  Minor victims from 13 of the series requested restitution due to trauma from their sexual abuse.  The Court awarded $106,500 in restitution to those victims.  

FBI’s Dallas Field Division – San Angelo Resident Agency and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen prosecuted the case.
 

A Dallas man who coordinated the trafficking of a 17-year-old girl was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to more than 15 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Christopher Jabar Jenkins, 33, was indicted in August 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.  He was sentenced Wednesday to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer, to be followed by 35 years of supervised release.  Jenkins was also ordered to pay $82,300 in restitution to the victim.  

According to plea papers, Jenkins admitted that between July 2022 and November 2022, he advertised the 17-year-old victim’s sexual services on commercial sex websites.  He also rented hotel rooms for commercial sex dates and negotiated with patrons.

In an interview with the child, it was revealed that Jenkins physically assaulted her, threatened her at gunpoint, forced her to “brand” herself with a tattoo to indicate his ownership of her, and kept her identification as a way to ensure that she could not leave him.

At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors described how the child was forced to work seven days a week, up to fourteen-hour days, and Jenkins took all of the resulting proceeds for himself.

According to court documents, when Jenkins was arrested in September 2022 for unrelated charges, he passed the victim off to another trafficker.  Jenkins continued to traffic the victim while in jail.  During the recorded calls, Jenkins instructed the victim to continue participating in commercial sex acts.  He also coordinated with other coconspirators regarding the pricing, advertisements, work hours, travel, and other logistics to ensure the success of the criminal enterprise.  Jenkins specifically instructed a coconspirator to collect all of the money that the minor victim earned and to set it aside for him or add funds to his jail commissary account.  Records confirmed that an individual deposited money to Jenkins’ jail commissary account no less than seven times from September 13 to September 29, 2022.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation, with invaluable assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Winters prosecuted the case.