District of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah hosted the 2026 United States Attorney’s Awards for Law Enforcement Ceremony. The event took place during National Police Week (May 10 -16, 2026) to honor the courage, sacrifice and dedication of law enforcement officers everywhere.

The United States Attorney’s Award recipients from local, state, and federal law enforcement partners were recognized for their individual exceptional work and distinguished achievements and contributions to the mission of the Department of Justice. This year’s ceremony is in special memory of fallen officers, Officer Eric Estrada and Sergeant Lee Sorenson of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department, who paid the ultimate sacrifice on August 17, 2025.

“We owe Utah’s local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies a profound debt of gratitude. Our men and women in blue work diligently to protect the citizens of Utah at great personal sacrifice, and as we were reminded recently, sometimes the ultimate sacrifice,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “We are thrilled to participate in National Police Week by honoring these sacrifices and the selfless commitment to protect and serve.” 

To learn more about National Police Week visit https://www.policeweek.org/.

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury in St. George returned an indictment today charging a Utah podiatrist and two nurses who worked for him with fraud after they allegedly submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for skin substitute services, many of which were medically unnecessary, and resulted in Medicare paying $29 million dollars in claims.

According to allegations in court documents, from July 2021 through December 2025, Ryan Scott Ellsworth, 47, of Highland, Utah; Emily Kelly, 45, of Washington, Utah; and Drake Dell Broadbent, 55, of Santa Clara, Utah, allegedly defrauded the federal health care benefit program, Medicare, to fraudulently obtain money for their own financial benefit.

Medicare is intended to provide health care benefits to individuals over the age of 65 or disabled.  Ellsworth was a podiatrist who owned and operated Summit Foot and Ankle, with clinics throughout the state of Utah. Ellsworth also owned and operated Amble Medical, located in Highland, Utah. Kelly, a Utah licensed registered nurse practitioner and Broadbent, a Utah licensed registered nurse, worked primarily out of Summit’s St. George clinic.

As alleged, Ellsworth, Kelly, and Broadbent knew Medicare billing of a skin substitute was permissible only if medically necessary and if basic wound care had been administered to a wound for the previous 30 days. However, the defendants submitted false claims to Medicare for providing skin substitutes to patients who did not have qualifying wounds and where continued treatment of skin substitutes was medically unnecessary. As part of their alleged scheme, Ellsworth, Kelly, and Broadbent routinely did not pursue Medicare copayments from beneficiaries for skin substitutes which, at times, would have been thousands of dollars owed by a Medicare beneficiary. Ellsworth also allegedly caused unqualified medical providers, such as Broadbent, to provide skin substitute services that were outside his professional scope of practice. Ellsworth also submitted claims to Medicare for such skin substitutes under his name and Medicare provider number.

As a result, Ellsworth billed $44 million in claims to Medicare for skin substitutes, many of which were unnecessary, and Medicare paid Summit over $19 million on these claims. Kelly billed $17 million in claims to Medicare for skin substitutes, many of which were medically unnecessary, and Medicare paid Summit over $10 million on the submitted claims.

Ellsworth, Kelly, and Broadbent are charged with health care fraud, and wire fraud. Ellsworth and Broadbent are also charged with false statements relating to health care matters. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for June 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.  

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Utah Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Southern California man with drug crimes after he allegedly trafficked heroin into Utah.

Christian Salinas-Santiago, 30, of Los Angeles, California, was initially charged by complaint on April 23, 2026.

According to allegations in court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) opened an investigation in January 2026 with the Salt Lake Police Department into a Mexico based narcotics source of supply. In January 2026, an HSI undercover agent began communicating with a Mexico based drug trafficker to discuss drug shipments coming to Utah. On April 21, 2026, the drug trafficker in Mexico contacted the undercover agent and asked him to pick up a kilogram of heroin in Midvale, Utah, and advised the undercover agent he would be in a black Nissan Altima. The Nissan Altima, driven by Salinas-Santiago, arrived at the location, and Salinas-Santiago gave the heroin to the undercover agent. Shortly after, the Altima was stopped for a traffic violation, and Salinas-Santiago was arrested. The heroin Salinas-Santiago distributed to the undercover agent was later tested and indicated positive for heroin and weighed approximately 1.03 kilograms.

Salinas-Santiago is charged with distribution of heroin. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.400 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Salt Lake City Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake.

Assistant United States Attorney Vernon Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict against a Utah man for unlawful possession of drug-manufacturing paraphernalia. After a three-day trial, the jury found the defendant possessed, marketed, and sold “PoppySeed Wash” kits across the country designed to enable his customers to get high from a home-brewed, opiate-rich tea containing morphine, codeine, and thebaine gleaned, as directed, from the skin of unwashed poppy seeds.

Devin Michael Tew, 40, of West Jordan, Utah, was charged by indictment on March 6, 2024.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, sometime before 2018 through 2022, Tew operated an illegal online business via his website poppyseedwash.com. More specifically, he sold “PoppySeed Wash” kits to customers who wanted to get high off the opium coatings on specially sourced poppy seeds that could be made into an opioid-rich tea. Each of the “PoppySeed Wash” kits included a bottle with unwashed poppy seeds inside, an instruction label for manufacturing the product at home, a measuring guide on the side, and a strainer in the cap to filter out the seeds when consumers squeezed out the opium-infused “tea” manufactured at home by following Tew’s directions. When prepared as directed, this “tea” contained morphine, codeine, and thebaine – all of which are opiates, and all of which are controlled substances.

Evidence at trial showed that Tew marketed his “PoppySeed Wash” kits on his poppyseed.com website and idealized the abuse of opium in various related social media posts. As a result of his illegal business, Tew made hundreds of thousands of dollars online by selling his “PoppySeed Wash” kits to consumers. In fact, Tew admitted to federal agents that, at one point, he was withdrawing—or having his sole part-time employee withdraw—between between $9,500 and $10,000 per day that he made from his “PoppySeed Wash” business. In 2020 and 2026, two separate tests conducted by FDA chemists established-- that Tew’s “PoppySeed Wash” bottled product contained morphine, codeine, and thebaine.

Tew’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Chandler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Iron Pursuit, a one-month, nationwide enforcement effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators. More than 200 child victims were located and over 350 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested. All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys' offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort.

The operation commenced April 1 and ended April 30. The Administration for Children and Families recognizes April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

“This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The sexual exploitation of minors is an abomination with no place in our society. We will hunt down these offenders, hold them fully accountable under the law, and deliver justice for victims.”

“Every single day this FBI is working 24/7 to break networks of child abusers all across this country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Last year we joined our partners delivering a record year, identifying and rescuing over 6,300 missing children, and today’s announcement of Operation Iron Pursuit is just the latest success in that work — with over 200 victims located and over 350 offenders arrested. Let this be a message to criminal actors who seek to target America’s children: you will be pursued, and you will be brought to justice.”

“There is no greater priority in the District of Utah than protecting and pursuing justice for our children,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “As with this administration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue vigorously to combat crimes against children and hold offenders accountable.”

“Every child matters and deserves the opportunity to grow up free from harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners will continue working tirelessly to stop those who prey on our most vulnerable and hold them accountable.”

Victims recovered include a 10-year-old from Utah who was flown from Cuba to home and the child’s biological mother. The child was supposed to be on a camping trip with a transgender parent, partner, and another child. The group instead flew from Canada to Mexico and then to Cuba; concerns existed that the 10-year-old child was taken to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery. FBI Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted with the recovery of the children, providing crisis support and stabilization.

Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, abuse, kidnapping, and possessing, distributing, or receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Some of the alleged offenders include:

• A Columbus, Ohio, man who pleaded guilty to creating AI-generated obscene material of adults and children and to cyberstalking exes;
• A District of Columbia man charged with producing child pornography;
• A New York man charged with sexually exploiting a child; and
• A Pennsylvania man and former felon charged with sexually exploiting a child and illegally possessing a gun.

This effort follows three other successful operations last year. Operation Relentless Justice, concluded in December 2025, resulted in the rescue of 205 children and arrests of 293 offenders. Operation Enduring Justice, concluded in August 2025, resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. And Operation Restore Justice, concluded in May 2025, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders.

The FBI’s VSD assisted victims during Operation Iron Pursuit and provided services such as forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.

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

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned a superseding indictment charging an alleged child sex offender for receiving sexually explicit images of a child.

According to the allegations in court documents, Brennan Christopher Bennett, 41, of Salt Lake City, was initially indicted in November 2025 after agents located and seized multiple firearms and associated ammunition during the execution of a search warrant in October 2025. Bennett, a convicted felon, is restricted from possessing firearms and ammunition. During the investigation, it was further discovered that on a date unknown, continuing through October 28, 2025, Bennett received sexually explicit images of a child.

Bennett is charged with felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and receipt of child pornography. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 5,2026 at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. 

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A repeat child sex offender was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment after he produced sexually explicit images and videos of a seven-year-old victim with his cellphone.

Andrew Craig Petersen, 36, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025, to production of child pornography.

In addition to Petersen’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish, sentenced Petersen to a lifetime of supervised release. Mandatory restitution will be set at a later date.

According to court documents and admissions made at Petersen’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning on June 14, 2023, in the District of Utah, while Petersen was on Utah state court probation for attempted sexual exploitation of a child, he used his cell phone to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Specifically, he took pictures and videos of a seven-year-old female, the child of a woman with whom he was in a relationship. Petersen then uploaded the sexually explicit photos and videos to an online internet address he maintained. As a result, the national Center for Missing and Exploited Children received and relayed information that the defendant was uploading child sexual abuse material.

“Petersen is a repeat child sex offender who preyed on a seven-year-old; he has proven again that he cannot be trusted around children,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “His 25-year sentence is appropriately severe and serves as a stern reminder that crimes against children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The case was investigated by the West Jordan Police Department.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Carl R. Hollan and Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An illegal alien from Mexico was ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge after he was indicted by a federal grand jury last week following the seizure of approximately 240,000 fentanyl pills hidden inside furniture panels.

According to court documents, Crisantos Javier Sotelo Valencia, 27, was residing illegally in West Valley City, Utah, and was arrested on March 3, 2026, during the execution of an arrest warrant for an earlier investigation in which the defendant was indicted in a separate federal drug case. During the execution of the arrest warrant, agents also seized several cell phones from Valencia. On those cell phones, agents found several videos of Valencia with large amounts of U.S. currency and narcotics, including fentanyl. The videos depicted composite wood in ready-to-build furniture where narcotics were concealed inside. Based on a review of body camera footage taken during Valencia’s arrest, agents suspected the furniture was at Valencia’s residence. On March 25, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at the residence where they located and seized bags filled with blue M30 pills, hidden inside wooden panels. The pills field-tested positive for fentanyl. The total weight of the fentanyl seized was 23,701.63 grams, nearly 24 kilos (approximately 240,000 fentanyl pills). Valencia was previously deported on October 30, 2025.

Valencia is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. A jury trial is scheduled for July 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging two illegal aliens from Mexico with drug crimes after agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, and Homeland Security Task Force, seized approximately 98,800 fentanyl pills and other illicit drugs during the execution of multiple search warrants.

Eder Montoya-Rosales, aka Jesus Tadeo Gonzalez Estrada, 21, residing illegally in Salt Lake City, and Nazario De Jesus Del Campo Perez, 31, residing illegally in Salt Lake City, were initially charged by complaint on April 9, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in February 2026, agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force initiated a criminal investigation into Montoya-Rosales, Perez, and other members of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On April 8, 2026, agents executed multiple search warrants on residences and vehicles believed to be used by the defendants. During the search of Perez’s residence, agents located and seized approximately 9,747.99 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl; 1,330.34 grams of field-tested positive heroin; 84.70 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine; a suspected drug ledger; drug paraphernalia, and U.S. currency. The fentanyl evidence is approximately 97,000 fentanyl pills.

During the search of Montoya-Rosales’s vehicle, agents located and seized approximately 184.29 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl; 243.28 grams of field-tested positive heroin, and 15.81 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine. The fentanyl evidence is approximately 1,800 fentanyl pills. During the search of Montoya-Rosales’s residence, agents located and seized approximately 2.71 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl and a quantity of U.S. currency. Montoya-Rosales was previously removed from the United States on October 1, 2024. Perez has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions, including March 26, 2014, July 26, 2019, and November 5, 2024.

Montoya-Rosales and Perez are charged with multiple charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute heroin, and reentry of a previously removed alien. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 24, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Nevada man was sentenced to 92 months’ imprisonment for drug crimes after law enforcement seized approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills during a traffic stop in southern Utah in 2023.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Christopher Gerard Ruiz, 42, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty on March 31, 2025, to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Ruiz was sentenced to three years of supervised release. His codefendant, Rachel Marie Aponas, 34, of Las Vegas, was sentenced on May 14, 2025, to 28 months’ imprisonment with credit for time served, and three years of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements made at Ruiz’s sentencing and change of plea hearings, on October 26, 2023, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper made a traffic stop on I-15. Ruiz was the passenger, Aponas was the driver, and three children ages10 and under were in the backseat. Aponas admitted to law enforcement that methamphetamine was in the car. A search was conducted, and law enforcement located in the rear cargo area of the vehicle in a small lunch cooler, packages of blue M-30 pills, which they seized. The pills field-tested positive for fentanyl and weighed 2,700 grams (approximately 30,000 pills). Law enforcement also located and seized a methamphetamine pipe, methamphetamine, multiple cell phones, and a digital scale. An additional analysis by the Utah state crime lab identified the M-30 pills as fentanyl. Both Ruiz and Aponas were arrested, and the children were removed by DCFS.

“The safety of children is a top priority of my office and this administration. The fact that Ruiz and Aponas had three children in the vehicle with illicit drugs, specifically 30,000 fentanyl pills and methamphetamine within arm’s reach is unimaginable,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Anyone who jeopardizes the safety of children and our communities with poisonous drugs will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The case was investigated by the Department of Public Safety, Utah Highway Patrol (DPS-UHP), and the Utah State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.  

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Two Utah persons are in federal custody and charged in a federal criminal complaint of International Parental Kidnapping. The pair is accused of allegedly skipping out on a planned camping trip to Canada with a shared custody child and instead took the 10-year-old to Havana, Cuba, without the biological mother’s knowledge or court approval.

Rose Inessa-Ethington aka Eri Ethington, 42, and Blue Inessa-Ethington, aka Carly Ann Crosby, 32, both of Cache County, Utah, were deported from Cuba on Monday with the assistance of the FBI. Upon landing in the United States, the two defendants appeared in court for an arraignment in Richmond, Virginia, and will be transported to the District of Utah at a later date for the remainder of their court case at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

According to court documents, on March 28, 2026, a 10-year-old child was supposed to be traveling by car to Calgary in Alberta, Canada, for a planned camping trip with the minor victim’s biological father Rose Inessa-Ethington, Rose’s partner Blue and Blue’s 3-year-old child. But the group never arrived at their hotel in Calgary or the campground they planned to stay at from March 29 – April 2, 2026. As alleged, the group had not been heard from since March 28, 2026, when the 10-year-old told the biological mother via telephone they arrived in Canada. The biological mother shares custody of the 10-year-old with Rose, her former spouse. On April 3, 2026, the child was supposed to be returned to the biological mother after the camping trip to Calgary, according to the court ordered custody agreement, which did not occur.

According to court documents, on March 29, 2026, the group crossed the U.S. Canada Border and took a flight from Vancouver, Canada to Mexico City, Mexico. On April 1, 2026, the group took another flight from Merida, Mexico to Havana, Cuba. Mexican immigration authorities confirmed their arrival and departures utilizing their U.S. Passports. As alleged in court documents, interviews with the 10-year-old’s family provided significant concerns for the minor’s well-being, as the child was born male, however, identified as a female child, which family members largely believed to be due to manipulation by Rose. Concerns existed that the child was transported to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery prior to puberty. On April 13, 2026, a Utah State Court ordered the 10-year-old to be returned to the child’s mother immediately and granted the mother exclusive custody of the child. On April 16, 2026, Cuban law enforcement located the group in Cuba.

“We are grateful to law enforcement for working swiftly to return the child to the biological mother,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah.

“Our priority in every parental kidnapping case is the safety and well-being of the child," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "This case reflects the strength of partnerships in locating victims, supporting reunification, and ensuring accountability.”

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations in Havana played a key role in recovering the minor victim safely, along with the FBI's Mexico City Law Enforcement Attache Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

Attachments: 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A federal jury in St. George returned a guilty verdict Friday, April 17, 2026, against a San Juan County, Utah, man after he received and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while already on supervised release for a 2015 conviction of possession of child pornography.

Johnston Blackhorse, 42, of Aneth, Utah, was charged by indictment on February 10, 2026, with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in February 2025, while serving a lifetime of supervised release for prior child sex crimes, two probation officers conducted a home visit where Blackhorse lived alone. Pursuant to Blackhorse’s supervised release conditions, the officers conducted an examination of Blackhorse’s computer. Officers discovered that a forensic wiping program had been installed and used on the computer the day of the probation visit. Officers conducted a more thorough examination of the computer and located several files depicting child sexual abuse material in a deleted space. As a result, a search warrant was secured, and the computer was examined by a forensic examiner with Homeland Security Investigations. The examination revealed six images of child sexual abuse material all in a deleted space on the computer. An original file path also showed the file originally existed under Blackhorse’s username, in his Mozilla Firefox folders, and came from child pornography websites. Additional evidence also showed Blackhorse used the computer to access other child pornography files located on a separate electronic storage device that was not recovered during the search of his residence.

Blackhorse’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 18, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470. 

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Burton and Joseph M. Hood of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An illegal alien from Columbia was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment after he possessed and intended to distribute fentanyl in the District of Utah.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, comes after David Estiven Alvear Carcamo, 21, residing illegally in Kearns, Utah, pleaded guilty via felony information on January 20, 2026. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Carcamo was sentenced to four years of supervised release. Upon his release from imprisonment, Carcamo will be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.

According to court documents and statements made at Carcamo’s sentencing and change of plea hearings, a search warrant was executed on a residence and vehicle on March 4, 2025. During the search of the vehicle, agents seized approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills, and a handgun. See prior press release: Colombian National Indicted After Agents Seize Approximately 10,000 Fentanyl Pills and a Firearm.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case was investigated jointly by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI and the Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force (DMNSF).

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.  

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 
 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – a federal grand jury in St. George returned an indictment today charging an illegal alien from Mexico for drug crimes after law enforcement, including agents with the Homeland Security Task Force, seized approximately 176 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop last month.

According to the allegations in court documents, on March 13, 2026, Robert William Galicia-Hernandez, 27, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was pulled over in a black Nissan Sentra for a traffic violation near the Utah/Arizona border. During the traffic stop, A law enforcement K-9 was used to conduct a “sniff” of the vehicle and gave a positive alert to the presence of illegal drugs. A search of the vehicle was conducted and officers located and seized multiple packages of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed approximately 176.6 pounds.

Galicia-Hernandez is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in  courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the St. George Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Hurricane Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned multiple indictments today against four illegal aliens from Mexico and one U.S. citizen for alleged drug trafficking in four separate cases after agents seized approximately 23,759.17 grams of narcotics (approximately 52.38 pounds) total during a two-day period last month.

Jesus Cecilio Ceballos-Mendoza, aka Jesus Cecilio Caballas-Mendoza, 40, and Jesus Ivan Meza-Lopez, aka Manuel Tadeo Olivas-Sanchez, 42, both illegally residing in California, were initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2026. According to the allegations in court documents, in March 2026, law enforcement received information that Ceballos-Mendoza regularly transports large quantities of methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Salt Lake County, Utah. A controlled purchase with an undercover agent was organized and a traffic stop was conducted. During the execution of a search warrant, investigators located and seized approximately 9,355.7 grams of methamphetamine, 1,122.8 grams of heroin, and 439.8 grams of fentanyl inside the vehicle, all of which field-tested positive for their respective controlled substances. Ceballos-Mendoza, and Meza-Lopez are charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.  Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 9, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. in courtroom 8.4. The case is being investigated by a DEA Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake Metro Narcotics Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by ATF, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, the Salt Lake City Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Luis Angel Cervantes Salinas, 24, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2026. According to the allegations in court documents, On March 18, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at the residence and vehicle of Cervantes Salinas in Salt Lake County. During the search of the residence, agents located and seized approximately 1,678.27 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl, and a 12-gauge shotgun. As a previously convicted felon, Cervantes Salinas, is restricted from possessing a firearm and ammunition.  During a search of his vehicle, agents located and seized approximately six grams of field-tested positive fentanyl. Cervantes Salinas was arrested. Cervantes Salinas is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and felon in possession of a firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 16, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4. The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) and the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).

Juan Carlos Gonzalez Soto, 26, of Mexico, illegally residing in West Valley City, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2026. According to the allegations in court documents, on March 18, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at the residence and vehicle of Gonzalez Soto in West Valley City. During the search of the residence, agents located and seized approximately 2,554 grams of field-tested positive cocaine, and approximately $20,500 of U.S. currency. In the vehicle, agents located and seized approximately six grams of field-tested positive cocaine.  Gonzalez Soto was arrested a short distance away from the residence. Upon being booked at the Davis County Jail, agents also found approximately 31.6 grams of cocaine on Gonzalez-Soto. He is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 9, 2026, at 10:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4. The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), and Homeland Security Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Jose Francisco Aguilar Lozano, 37, of Mexico, was initially charged by complaint on March 23, 2026. According to the allegations in court documents, on March 20, 2026, local law enforcement conducted a traffic stop for a traffic violation on a tractor truck and trailer on Interstate 80 near Park City. Aguilar Lozano was the driver and sole occupant of the tractor truck. During the traffic stop, a K-9 alerted for the odor of narcotics on the tractor truck. During the search, officers located a black backpack with rectangle shaped bundles wrapped in black tape or plastic. Homeland Security Investigators arrived on scene and arrested Aguilar Lozano. The bundles in the backpack were seized, and the substance tested positive for fentanyl. In total, eight bundles were seized with a combined weight of approximately 8.565 kilograms. Aguilar Lozano is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for June 12, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 8.1. The case is being investigated jointly by a Homeland Security Investigations agent assigned to the Homeland Security Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

All hearing for each case will be held at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The Organized Crime Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the cases.

These cases are 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.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Xuemei Zhao, 54, of the People’s Republic of China, who was residing in the United States illegally, was sentenced today to time served (imprisonment approximately one year) after she tried to check a suitcase with an undeclared .357 Magnum revolver and ammunition, at the Provo Airport.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr., comes after Zhao pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025, to possession of a firearm by a restricted person (alien). Zhao will now be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.

According to court documents and admissions made at Zhao’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 20, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a black Rossi Braztech Int’l .357 Magnum revolver pistol in Zhao’s checked luggage. Prior to delivering the suitcase to American Airlines, Zhao did not disclose the presence of the firearm to TSA or American Airlines. In addition to the firearm, Zhao had 9 rounds of .357 ammunition in her carry-on luggage. Zhao was taken into custody and $10,900 in cash was found hidden in her luggage. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and confirmed that Zhao arrived on a tourist visa, had a pending asylum application, and was not a lawful permanent resident of the United States. Zhao’s sentence was enhanced under the United States Sentencing Guidelines because the Court found that Zhao possessed the firearm in connection with other illegal conduct, commercial sex work.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A previously removed illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced today to five years’ imprisonment after he possessed and intended to distribute approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine and illegally reentered the United States after being removed in 2020.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Juan Alexis Castanon-Chavez, 28, residing illegally in Bountiful, Utah, was sentenced to one year of supervised release. Upon his release from imprisonment, Castanon-Chavez will be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.

According to court documents and statements made at Castanon-Chavez’s sentencing and change of plea hearings, on March 2, 2025, agents arranged a controlled purchase of narcotics from Castanon-Chavez. On that day, Castanon-Chavez brought approximately eight kilograms of methamphetamine to sell to an undercover agent posing as a drug purchaser. Agents seized approximately 7,930 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine from Castanon-Chavez’s vehicle. Castanon-Chavez admitted he intended to sell the methamphetamine had it not been seized by law enforcement. He further admitted that he unlawfully reentered the United States after he was removed on March 3, 2020. See prior press release: Mexican National Facing Drug and Immigration Charges.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Davis County Drug Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Vernon G. Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment against a previously removed Honduran national for alleged drug trafficking after agents seized approximately 2,500 individual fentanyl pills from the defendant, his vehicle, and residence.

Lester Levi Carias Zuniga, 29, residing unlawfully in West Jordan, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 24, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, during the month of March 2026, detectives with the Utah Couty Major Crimes Task Force received information that a man, later identified as Carias Zuniga, was distributing fentanyl throughout the Salt Lake area. A controlled purchase of fentanyl was conducted, and Carias Zuniga arrived in a Toyota Camry. Through surveillance, detectives learned that Carias Zuniga lived at a residence in West Jordan. A search warrant was obtained for Carias Zuniga’s residence and the Toyota Camry. On March 18, 2026, pursuant to the search warrant, detectives stopped Carias Zuniga in the Toyota Camry after leaving his residence. Carias Zuniga was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 40 grams of fentanyl pills packaged in multiple baggies. Detectives also located and seized 4.7 grams of fentanyl powder on Carias Zuniga. Both substances field-tested positive for fentanyl. During a search of Carias Zuniga’s residence, detectives located and seized approximately 206 grams of fentanyl pills and an additional 16 grams of fentanyl powder. In total, agents seized approximately 266 grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 2,500 individual pills).

Carias Zuniga was previously removed from the United States in 2018. Despite his removal, he was found in the United States during this incident and there is no evidence that he obtained permission to be in the United States.

Carias Zuniga is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for June 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC). Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Special United States Attorney Pete Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment against a previously removed Mexican national for alleged drug trafficking after detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force seized approximately 11,000 individual fentanyl pills.

Brajhan Luna-Vazquez, 24, residing unlawfully in Millcreek, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 23, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in November 2025, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force initiated a criminal investigation into a group believed to be distributing fentanyl in the District of Utah. A controlled purchase of fentanyl was conducted and during the controlled purchase a male, later identified as Luna-Vazquez, arrived in a white sedan and sold fentanyl. A search warrant was obtained for an apartment in which Luna-Vazquez was residing at in Millcreek, and a white sedan. On March 18, 2026, detectives stopped the white sedan pursuant to the search warrant. Luna-Vazquez was the driver and sole-occupant of the vehicle. A search warrant was also executed on the apartment in Millcreek. In total, detectives found approximately 1,111 grams of fentanyl pills, which field tested positive for fentanyl. Luna-Vazquez was previously removed from the United States on September 5, 2025.

Luna-Vazquez is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 9, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC). Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today against a Utah physician who allegedly received, recommended, delivered, and sold to his unwitting patients, misbranded drugs from China that were not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  

According to the allegations in court documents, Justin Bradley Watkins, 39, of Pleasant View, Utah, obtained misbranded drugs from China, specifically peptides that he knew were not FDA approved. Watkins obtained the drugs through a middleman between February 2024 to April 2025. The peptide orders included, among others, Tirzepatide, Semaglutide, Retatrutide, Cagrilinitide, BPC-157, TB500, Ipamorelin, CJC 1295, GHK, GHK-CU, and NAD+. Watkins purchased the peptides at a deeply discounted price, and knew they were not backed by proper, reliable testing and clinical trials. In furtherance of the fraud, Watkins made and affixed labels to vials and/or pill bottles before providing them to clinic staff. None of the labels disclosed the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor, as required by the FDA’s Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). During the fraud period, Watkins recommended, provided, delivered, and sold misbranded, non-FDA-approved peptides to over 200 trusting patients.

Watkins is charged with receipt in interstate commerce and delivery for pay misbranded drugs with intent to defraud or mislead, and aiding and abetting. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), and the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).

Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a previously convicted felon of a firearm crime after he allegedly opened fire outside a downtown Salt Lake City bar where two people were shot.

Angelo Mark Garcia, 40, of Salt Lake City, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, on March 14, 2026, at approximately 1:15 a.m., officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) responded to a shots fired call outside a bar in downtown Salt Lake City. Upon the officers’ arrival, they located a victim with a gunshot wound. At approximately 1:17 a.m. a Utah Highway Patrol trooper stopped a white SUV near 400 South State Street in Salt Lake City for a traffic violation. The trooper noticed the driver, identified as Garcia, and his passenger had red-brown stains on their clothing and appeared to have been in a recent altercation. During a preliminary search of the vehicle, the trooper observed a firearm underneath the front passenger seat. Subsequently, a search warrant was obtained, and SLCPD detectives seized a Glock 19 9mm semi-automatic pistol. At the scene of the shooting, multiple 9mm casings were recovered. Detectives also obtained video of the incident from multiple sources, and Garcia is allegedly shown firing into the air before firing multiple rounds in the direction of several individuals. Investigators later learned a second person had been shot during the incident. As a previously convicted felon, Garcia is restricted from owning or possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Garcia is charged with felon in possession of a firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 3, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The Salt Lake City Police Department’ Patrol Division and Gang Unit is investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Utah Highway Patrol and FBI.

Assistant United States Attorney Victoria K. McFarland of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A former Utah school bus driver admitted to setting a bus on fire with a cigarette lighter while driving it. The bus was owned by a local school district receiving federal funds.

Michael Austin Ford, 60, of West Valley City, was indicted on February 21, 2024.

According to court documents and admissions made at Ford’s change of plea hearing, he intentionally set a Granite School District school bus on fire with a cigarette lighter on April 7, 2023. Ford was captured on video igniting the bus and continued to drive the bus with smoke billowing past his face. In other court documents, prosecutors described evidence of Ford as having attempted to tamper with the bus’s video surveillance system in the days preceding the April 2023 arson. 

On a separate occasion in February 2022, Ford was also accused of setting a Granite School District school bus on fire that had 42 children inside and did so while driving in traffic. See prior press release: Former School Bus Driver Accused of Igniting a Bus Full of Children is Indicted and Detained.

“It is our hope Ford is sentenced to the term of imprisonment that will protect our community from his careless disregard for safety and the law,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah.

“Children are among our most vulnerable population. When someone intentionally threatens their safety through violent crimes involving fire, it is especially disturbing and such cases will always remain a top priority for our agency,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. “Our agents worked tirelessly on this investigation, utilizing all available resources to ensure those who commit such callous acts are held fully accountable and our community is protected from further violence.”

Ford is scheduled to be sentenced June 1, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.  

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.

Assistant United States Michael J. Thorpe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A member of the Florencia 13 Gang, a criminal organization, who admitted to his role in “racketeering activity,” specifically attempted murder and firearm trafficking, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Angel Medina-Sahagun, aka “Tito,” 25, of West Valley City, Utah, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered by the court to pay restitution to the victim.

According to court documents and statements made at Medina-Sahagun’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning on an unknown date before 2017, Medina-Sahagun associated himself with Florencia 13, a criminal street gang affiliated with the Surenos. On November 18, 2017, Medina-Sahagun was summoned by another member of Florencia 13 to go to the TRAX station where he assaulted and stabbed a victim multiple times, intending to kill him. Medina-Sahagun also admitted to pointing a gun at the victim’s brother who attempted to intervene during the assault. Additionally, prior to 2022, Medina-Sahagun, while still a member of the Florencia 13, conspired with other members to acquire firearms for the organization. Some of the other members with whom he conspired were felons and therefore restricted from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. Medina-Sahagun admitted to transferring firearms to juveniles and individuals whom he knew would use the firearms to commit violent crimes.

“My office has zero-tolerance for violent crime in the District of Utah,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “It is our hope Medina-Sahagun’s sentence will deter others from committing violent crimes and bring awareness to these criminal organizations that target children to carry out their criminal behavior.”

The case was investigated by the West Jordan Police Department, Sandy City Police Department, the Salt Lake Area Metro Gang Unit, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.  

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment against an alleged drug trafficker, living in the United States illegally, for multiple drug crimes after agents seized large quantities of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine from defendant’s residence.

Ruben Flores Enriquez, 28, of Mexico, illegally residing in West Valley City, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on February 2, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in February 2026, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), initiated a criminal investigation into Enriquez and other members of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On February 23, 2026, a search warrant was executed on Enriquez’s residence in West Valley City. During the search, agents located and seized approximately 1,466 grams of blue counterfeit pills which field-tested positive for fentanyl; 9,811 grams of a powder-like substance, which tested positive for fentanyl; 1,373 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine; and 679 grams of field-tested heroin. Enriquez was arrested.

Enriquez is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF). Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Nielsen of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

Attachments: 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Colorado man is facing multiple drug charges after he allegedly attempted to traffic narcotics through the District of Utah. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 10, 2026, charging the defendant after he was arrested during a traffic stop when law enforcement located and seized meth, fentanyl, and heroin from the vehicle he was driving.

Travis Christopher Schultz, 37, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was arrested on February 13, 2026, in Blanding, Utah.

According to the allegations in court documents, on February 13, 2026, San Juan County Sheriff Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a truck that Schultz was driving during which deputies suspected Schultz was trafficking illegal narcotics. A K-9 was deployed and detected illegal narcotics. During two separate searches of the vehicle, deputies located and seized from the bed of the vehicle and in a hidden compartment of the vehicle, a total of 30 packages wrapped in cellophane, automotive grease and coffee grounds. The packages consisted of 25.5 pounds of field-tested positive methamphetamine, 2.3 pounds of blue M30 suspected fentanyl pills, 1.1 pounds of field-tested positive fentanyl powder, and 56.7 grams of field-tested positive heroin.

Schultz is charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.  His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Hood of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

An illegal alien, with three prior voluntary removals, will appear in court Monday, March 16, after he was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a teenage girl.

Gerardo Aurelio Iturbide, 24, of Mexico, residing illegally in Hurricane, Utah, was indicted yesterday.

According to the allegations in court documents, on Nov. 23, 2025, Iturbide met three underaged teenage girls at a gas station parking lot in Hurricane. He took the girls to a nearby hotel, where he booked a room. He then gave the girls alcohol and sexually abused two of them. He filmed himself sexually abusing one of the underaged victims and sent the video to his friend using a messaging app on his phone. He encouraged his friend to come to the hotel room. Police arrived at the scene after one of the victims called 911.

Iturbide is charged with production of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography. He is currently being held on state charges of unlawful sexual contact with a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Hurricane Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brady Wilson for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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

ST. GEORGE, Utah – An illegal alien, with three prior voluntary removals, will appear in court Monday, March 16, 2026, after he was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a teenage girl.

Gerardo Aurelio Iturbide, 24, of Mexico, residing illegally in Hurricane, Utah, was indicted on March 10, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, on November 23, 2025, Iturbide met three underaged teenage girls at a gas station parking lot in Hurricane, Utah. He took the girls to a nearby hotel, where he booked a room. He then gave the girls alcohol and sexually abused two of them. He filmed himself sexually abusing one of the underaged victims and sent the video to his friend using a messaging app on his phone. He encouraged his friend to come to the hotel room. Police arrived at the scene after one of the victims called 911.

Iturbide is charged with production of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography. He is currently being held on state charges of unlawful sexual contact with a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. His federal initial appearance on the indictment will be held March 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Hurricane Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brady Wilson of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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

Attachments:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak announced today that the District of Utah collected $13,502,232.06 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $8,716,979.03 was collected in criminal actions and $4,758,253.03 was collected in civil actions.  

Additionally, the District of Utah worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $65,084,852.14 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $11,526.48 was collected in criminal actions and $65,073,325.66 was collected in civil actions.      

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to providing restitution to victims of federal crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Financial recoveries are a critical part of the Department’s mission to hold those who violate the law accountable for the injury they cause to crime victims and the general public.” 

In June 2025, the District of Utah recovered $1,250,333 for the victims of Patrick Brody’s fraudulent real estate investment Ponzi scheme.

In July 2025, the District of Utah recovered $350,000 for victims of Jacob Dalton’s securities fraud scheme. After his conviction, the United States discovered that Dalton attempted to use a close family member to shield the funds from recovery and avoid paying restitution. Decisive action by the United States prevented the funds from being lost and led to garnishment of the funds for payment to Dalton’s victims. See press release: Utah County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison After Running a $1.6M Affinity Fraud Scheme. 

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $11,267,324 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
 

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools.

According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information.

On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.  

“The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”

“This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.”

“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”

“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”

The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025.

The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically.

Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at FBI-SU-Leakbase@fbi.gov. 
 

The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools.

According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information.

On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.  

“The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”

“This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.”

“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”

“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”

The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025.

The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically.

Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at FBI-SU-Leakbase@fbi.gov.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow for his involvement in a years-long moneymaking scheme that misled banks and deceived consumers.

Phillip Gannuscia, 55, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty on April 9, 2025, to conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to his term of imprisonment, the court ordered Gannuscia to 24 months of supervised release and the forfeiture of his Porsche 911 convertible that was traceable to the scheme.

According to court documents and statements made at Gannuscia’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from around December 2018 through April 2022, Gannuscia engaged in a scheme and artifice to defraud. The scheme involved applying for credit card processing accounts with fake companies, created with the personal information of family and friends. These accounts would be used to process consumer sales of nutraceutical and dietary products. Because the sales came from misleading and deceptive advertising, the credit card processing accounts would get shut down frequently due to high numbers of refunds or “chargebacks.” To work around these shutdowns, Gannuscia, along with others, helped set up the fake companies, used the credit card processing accounts for payments from consumers, and then laundered the proceeds.

At the time of his involvement in the scheme, Gannuscia was subject to a court order permanently enjoining and restraining him from credit card laundering and making or assisting others in making false statements to obtain credit card processing services. He admitted to setting up the operations for the scheme to shield himself from public view and accountability. He directed others to forge and paste signatures on documents for the fake companies.

Gannuscia admitted to laundering money on numerous occasions, each involving more than $10,000 of fraud proceeds. The total gain attributable to Gannuscia was more than $1.5 million. See prior press release.

The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and FDA Office of Criminal Investigations.

Assistant United States Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.  
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today charging two alleged Tongan Crip Gang Members (TCG), one of whom is a convicted felon, with firearm crimes following the January shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Salt Lake City.  

Ryan Daniel Toutai, aka “Lost One,” 32, of Salt Lake City, and Fineeva Pomona Maka, aka “Finloc,” 26, of Millcreek, Utah, were indicted by a federal grand jury on February 25, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, both Toutai and Maka had previously been pictured with one of the firearms that was used at the shooting on January 7, 2026. As alleged, on January 7, 2026, the Salt Lake City Police Department received numerous reports of “shots fired” at an LDS church in Salt Lake City. Upon officers’ arrival, they encountered multiple victims with gunshot wounds. As law enforcement secured and processed the scene, they recovered .40 caliber casings, 9mm caliber casings, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol with serial number 322-90515. Toutai was on scene when officers arrived and was detained after he failed to comply with officers’ requests to move away from first responders rendering aid to a victim. Pursuant to a search warrant, Toutai’s phone was seized and contained photo and video evidence that he had previously possessed the Ruger 9mm, with the same serial number, recovered from the scene. Toutai was identified as the creator of the images and videos based on a distinctive tattoo on his left hand.  

According to court documents, Toutai’s phone also contained documentation of events hours before the shooting. Toutai took several photos and videos of himself and his co-defendant Maka. Screenshots from videos depict Maka holding a small black pistol that is consistent with the Ruger LC9. As a multi-convicted felon, Maka is restricted from owning or possessing a firearm and ammunition. Prior to the shooting, Maka, who was on parole for a prior conviction, was ordered to wear a GPS Ankle monitor. Evidence from the GPS ankle monitor combined with physical evidence collected from the scene, strongly corroborates Maka’s possession of the Ruger firearm on January 7, 2026. Additionally, photo and video evidence show Toutai and Maka claiming TCG membership and interacting with other TCG members.

Toutai is charged with unlawful disposition of a firearm. Maka is charged with felon in possession of a firearm. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 3, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Salt Lake City Police Department.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Chilean national extradited from Chile to the United States on February 25, 2026, was arraigned in court today to face charges that he trafficked tens of thousands of stolen credit card numbers and information.

Alex Rodrigo Valenzuela Monje, aka “VAL4K,” 24, of Chile, was charged in a sealed indictment by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City on August 8, 2023. The United States submitted an extradition request to Chile, which the Chilean Supreme Court initially approved on April 22, 2025. After various appeals before the Supreme Court of Chile, Valenzuela Monje was arrested on the extradition request from the United States on January 14, 2026. Valenzuela is charged with trafficking in unauthorized access devices, and unlawful transfer of means of identification to facilitate criminal conduct. Valenzuela Monje entered a not-guilty plea to both counts of the indictment against him.

According to the allegations in court documents, from at least May 2021 to August 2023, Valenzuela Monje operated an illegal online card shop, selling dumps of unauthorized access devices through Telegram channels. He allegedly operated the channels known as MacacoCC Collective and Novato Carding, offering payment card data for virtually all U.S. payment cards. Under one credit card brand alone, Valenzuela Monje trafficked the stolen numbers and information for approximately 26,528 cards. Valenzuela often provided the account number, card type, account holder name, card verification value (“CVV” or CVC”), and expiration date.

“I want to thank our federal partners for their dedication in investigating individuals in foreign countries who use the internet to commit crimes against our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Individuals may believe they can hide behind foreign borders, but the United States is committed to investigating and prosecuting these cybercrimes targeting Americans.”

“This extradition sends a clear message to cybercriminals everywhere that geography will not shield you from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Even when operating from abroad, those who exploit technology to victimize American companies and citizens will be identified, located, and brought to justice. Our international partnerships, alongside our work with the Utah Department of Public Safety, remain among the FBI's most powerful tools in targeting and dismantling cyber threats."

Valenzuela Monje’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office with special assistance provided by foreign legal authorities from the National Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalía Nacional) of Chile, Policía de Investigaciones (PDI), FBI's Law Enforcement Attache office in Santiago, Chile, FBI Miami, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked closely with Chilean counterparts, the Fiscalía Nacional Unidad Especializada en Cooperación Internacional y Extradiciones (UCIEX), to secure the arrest and extradition of Valenzuela Monje. The extradition was carried out by the FBI, Utah State Bureau of Investigation, and the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Carl LeSueur of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

Attachments: 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today in the District of Utah following the arrest of a Southern Utah entrepreneur, and original co-founder and creator of the “Squatty Potty,” after he was charged for receiving sexually explicit images of a child.  

Robert Edwards, 50, of Ivins, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 10, 2026. He was arrested on February 12, 2026, in Washington County, Utah. During his initial appearance on the indictment, he pleaded not guilty and was remanded to the U.S. Marshal Service by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Kohler in St. George.

According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in March 2021, and continuing through November 2025, in the District of Utah, and elsewhere, Edwards knowingly received multiple images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In March 2021, an undercover FBI agent assumed the identity of an online profile account and joined a group chat used to trade child sexual abuse material. The online meeting room was viewing a collection of child sexual abuse material videos, which were being streamed on the main screen. Participants in the meeting were visible, including one user later identified as Edwards.

As alleged in court documents, the investigation continued and in May 2025, FBI agents learned that Edwards was suspected of purchasing additional child sexual abuse material via his PayPal account, which flagged four transactions involving Edwards’ account as possibly related to CSAM. On November 4, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Edwards’s person and residence. Agents seized a cell phone from his vehicle, which contained multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse material, some of which downloaded onto the cell phone just two weeks before the search warrant was executed. At Edwards’s residence, law enforcement seized additional devices and found additional child sexual abuse material files.

Edwards is charged with receipt of child pornography. His detention hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470. 

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency.

Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today on an alleged drug trafficker, living in the United States illegally, for drug crimes after agents seized 74,000 fentanyl pills during two separate drug seizures in the District of Utah.

Jesus Aaron Camacho Duarte, 25, of Mexico, illegally residing in Salt Lake City, was initially charged by complaint on February 5, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, in December 2025 agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information from a DEA undercover officer concerning illegal drug trafficking by an individual later identified as Camacho Duarte. Agents then conducted an undercover controlled purchase of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl from Camacho Duarte. On February 4, 2026, agents conducted surveillance at Camacho Duarte’s residence and observed his vehicle, which was identified during their investigation, as being used to facilitate the distribution of narcotics. Agents conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle driven by Camacho Duarte, and a narcotics K9 was deployed and indicated positive for the presence of narcotics. Agents seized approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills (1,246 grams) from the vehicle, which field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Camacho Duarte was arrested.

Agents then executed a search warrant at Camacho Duarte’s residence seized approximately 64,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills (6,406.1 grams) which field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.

Camacho Duarte is charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for February 20, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelsy B. Young of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A three-time removed illegal alien and convicted child sex offender from Mexico was sentenced today to 41 months’ imprisonment by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball for illegally reentering the United States.

Isidro De Jesus-Mayo, 44, of Mexico, was charged by felony information on December 17, 2025. In addition to his term of imprisonment, the court imposed a sentence of three years of supervised release. Upon his release of imprisonment, De Jesus-Mayo will be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.

According to court documents and statements made at De Jesus-Mayo’s sentencing hearing, on a date unknown to law enforcement, De Jesus-Mayo illegally reentered the United States and was encountered in Layton, Utah, while driving under the influence and attempting to provide a false name to officers. Between 2007 and 2021, De Jesus-Mayo was deported from the United States on three occasions. His most recent deportation in 2021 followed a federal conviction for illegal reentry, in which he received 16 months’ imprisonment. De Jesus-Mayo has an extensive criminal history in the United States that includes narcotics trafficking and the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old victim spanning several months.  De Jesus-Mayo was more than 31-years-old at the time of the abuse. For public safety reasons, De Jesus-Mayo, has a lifetime sex offender registration requirement in Utah.

“This administration and our office remain focused on swiftly prosecuting and deporting criminal public safety threats like De Jesus-Mayo,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah.

“The ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Salt Lake City Field Office is committed to help keep our communities safe by finding, apprehending, and removing criminal illegal aliens,” said acting Field Office Director Brian Henke. “We appreciate partnering with the United States Attorney’s Office in further prosecuting these lawbreakers.”

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  

Assistant United States Attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Attachments: 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – a Salt Lake City accountant was sentenced today upon his felony conviction after he fraudulently obtained about $221,400 in Paycheck Protection Loan (PPP Loan) funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL Loan) funds for clients, without their knowledge. As a result, he personally gained about $10,150 from the scheme, which he was ordered by the court to pay in restitution.

Peter N. Sinju, 51, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to wire fraud.

According to court documents and statements made at Sinju’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from around June 2, 2020, to about July 3, 2020, Mr. Sinju engaged in a scheme and artifice to defraud the United States and the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting at least four fraudulent PPP Loan applications and five fraudulent EIDL-Loan applications on behalf of his clients. The COVID-19 PPP Loans were provided to small businesses for funding to meet specific obligations, including payroll and rent during the pandemic.

Mr. Sinju told his accounting clients that because he had access to their financial information, he could submit the loan applications for them and obtain emergency loans to help their businesses. Without his clients’ knowledge, Mr. Sinju inflated the payroll and gross revenue amounts in the loan applications. For three PPP-Loan applications for three separate clients, he fabricated payroll sheets that used false, identical wage amounts for employees in each business. Some of the listed employees did not even exist, and each of the business owners denied having certified the fabricated payroll sheets.

In total, Mr. Sinju applied for about $461,197.50 in fraudulent loans. However, because some of the loan applications were denied, Mr. Sinju only obtained about $221,400 for his unwitting, and innocent, clients. In return, Mr. Sinju charged his clients a total of about $10,150 in fees or commission for his services in helping them apply for these loans.

U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. 

The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Office of Inspector General U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA-OIG).

Assistant United States Attorneys Todd C. Bouton and Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 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 Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man and convicted felon who was squatting on federal lands was sentenced today to 31 months’ imprisonment after he possessed firearms and ammunition as a restricted person.

Michael Lee Rasmussen, 49, of West Jordan, Utah, pleaded guilty on December 5, 2025, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to his sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby sentenced Rasmussen to three years of supervised release and imposed a three-year ban from federal public lands in the District of Utah as a condition of his supervision.

According to court documents and statements made at Rasmussen’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning in late 2024, Mr. Rasmussen, a five-time felon, along with others, constructed a makeshift compound on federal public lands near Manning Canyon, Utah.  At its peak, the compound had vehicles, trailers, tents, appliances, and extensive amounts of litter.  Rangers with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) also documented raw waste being disposed of on the public land.  Despite multiple warnings to move the camp, Mr. Rasmussen’s squatting continued, eventually prompting complaints from locals about gunshots, audible threats, stolen property, and unusual nighttime traffic to and from the camp.

On September 22, 2025, BLM law enforcement rangers, working with state and federal partners, launched an operation to arrest Mr. Rasmussen on his open state warrants and dismantle the camp.  During the operation, law enforcement officers safely arrested Mr. Rasmussen, who later admitted to purchasing and shooting firearms and possessing ammunition despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so as a convicted felon.  Throughout the camp, officers found small amounts of narcotics, drug paraphernalia, firearms, associated ammunition, and spent brass casings.  After the operation, trash and vehicles were removed and the area was thoroughly cleaned.

“Ensuring the safety of those who visit Utah’s federal lands is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah.  “We appreciate the brave work of BLM rangers, the U.S. Forest Service, and our critical state partners, who put a stop to Mr. Rasmussen’s dangerous activities and restored the public’s access to the area.”

“BLM law enforcement worked with federal, state, and county partners to safely dismantle the encampment and remove hazards,” said Camm Stephenson, BLM Utah West Desert District Chief Ranger. “Unauthorized occupation and firearms violations on public lands pose serious risks, and the Bureau is committed to protecting people and resources."

“Our natural resource officers are committed to protecting Utah’s lands and ensuring the safety of all who recreate on them,” said Todd Royce, Director of the DNR Division of Law Enforcement. “Illegal activities like those seen in this case not only threaten public safety but also cause significant damage to our shared natural resources. We value the strong partnerships with the Bureau of Land Management and our local sheriff's offices that allow us to effectively address these complex issues and protect our public lands.”

The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Land Management, Utah Division of Natural Resources and Tooele County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Luisa Gough and Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah woman was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after she used her position to defraud her employer, a Utah based lending services business out of $1,398,014.

Benedicta Okunlola, 32, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty to wire fraud on November 18, 2025. In addition to her term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby ordered Okunlola to pay $1,398,014 in restitution, with a lump sum of $5,000 to be paid at or before sentencing.

According to court documents and admissions made at Okunlola’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between 2020 and 2025, Okunlola used her position as a Merchant Growth Specialist to issue 2,343 prepaid gift cards to herself, her online art business, and family members. In her role, she had access to her company’s credit card for marketing promotions and incentives and was the only employee who purchased gift cards from an outside company to offer incentives to commercial customers. The gift cards Okunlola fraudulently purchased for herself and others were kept below the company’s secondary approval thresholds to avoid detection. She spent the gift cards on rent, online shopping, groceries, rideshares, dining out, and trips to South Korea, Japan, South Africa, and Portugal. In total, Okunlola stole $1,398,014 from her employer over the course of four years.

“Okunlola stole from her employer to fund her jet-setting lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah.  “It is our hope that her sentence will serve as deterrent from others thinking about engaging in fraud. By teaming up with our law enforcement partners we will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases.”

“Benedicta Okunlola’s actions were not a mistake or a lapse in judgement. It was a deliberate scheme driven by greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The defendant violated a position of trust and caused real financial harm to her employer. This FBI remains committed to investigating complex financial crimes and holding offenders accountable.”

The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

###

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Venezuelan national who was residing in the United States illegally with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion after he allegedly threatened a commercial sex worker prior to transporting the alleged victim to Utah to continue doing commercial sex work under threat of force.

Jorge Luis Tejera, 40, who was living in Chicago, Illinois, prior to his arrest, was initially charged by complaint on December 19, 2025.

According to court documents, in November 2024, Homeland Security Agents opened an investigation into a cell of transnational criminal organization “Desastre” related to their potential involvement in a human trafficking operation. Individuals alleged to have been working for Desastre forced vulnerable individuals to work as commercial sex workers for financial benefit. Beginning on a date unknown, and continuing to December 31, 2024, agents identified Tejera as an alleged principal in this illicit business along with others that forced Venezuelan nationals to participate in commercial sex work. Some trafficked individuals were forced into commercial sex work in order to work off a “debt” incurred for their passage (transportation and smuggling) to the United States.  

As alleged, investigators have identified numerous victims of human trafficking in this operation. One such victim, who is alleged to have been trafficked directly by Tejera, had their young child allegedly removed from their custody with threats being made toward the victim and the child if the victim did not engage in commercial sex work.  

Tejera, and his cohorts, who were largely men who are in the United States illegally, often possessed firearms and would routinely brandish them to enforce their will. Under federal law, illegal aliens are restricted from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. Additionally, it is known that other individuals associated with an outgrowth of this operation were involved in threatening witnesses and victims (forced commercial sex worker) in case number 2:25-cr-00141. 
Tejera’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for February 5, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (DHS-HSI).

Assistant United States Attorney Sam Pead of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Utah man who misrepresented his business, Urban Armz, LLC, as a federal firearms licensee based in St. George, was sentenced today to 24 months’ imprisonment after he engaged in financial fraud by falsely representing to customers that his business could fulfill orders to help first responders in Ukrainian warzones. Instead, the defendant and his coconspirator used the money elsewhere, including on personal expenses.

John Earl Donaldson, 32, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money.

In addition to Donaldson’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, sentenced Donaldson to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $591,932.73 jointly and severally with his codefendant.

According to court documents and admissions made at Donaldson’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between December 2021 and January 2023, in the District of Utah, Donaldson engaged in financial fraud by holding himself out as the owner and operator of Urban Armz LLC, a purported federal firearms licensee. He falsely represented to two customers that his company sold large quantities of ammunition and had an established business relationship with a major ammunition supplier. When Donaldson received the victims’ money, he failed to deliver the ordered products. At one point, Donaldson obtained capital from a financial firm by lying about his company’s revenues and altering bank statements to reflect fictitious revenues. In March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, a Ukrainian American nonprofit and a Detroit-based company separately sought to donate needed supplies to first responders (police, paramedics, and firefighters) in warzones. Those entities paid Urban Armz to deliver body armor, bullet proof vests, and other equipment to Ukraine. Donaldson lied about his ability and intent to fulfill the order. He instead took the charitable donors’ money—over $517,000—and spent it elsewhere, including on personal expenses. In all, Donaldson and his coconspirator caused a $591,932.73 loss to four victims. See prior press release: Utah Married Couple Running a Gun and Ammo Shop, Arrested and Indicted After Deceitfully Obtaining Over $600,000 from Customers.

“Defendant preyed on charitable donors seeking to help first responders on the front line in Ukraine. Stealing charitable donations is pernicious, but particularly so when the donations are meant to help those suffering horrific conditions in warzones,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah.  “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit others for their own financial gain.”

"Mr. Donaldson’s actions were more than just financial fraud; they were a heartless exploitation of a global crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "By pocketing over $517,000 intended for life-saving equipment in Ukraine, he prioritized personal greed over the safety of first responders. The FBI remains dedicated to ensuring that those who use deception to defraud others are held fully accountable."

The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Today, a Washington County, Utah man admitted to his role in a fraudulent investment scheme that resulted in over 200 victims investing over $89 million, with an outstanding loss of over $77 million.

Matthew Shane Perkins, 47, of Washington County, pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

According to court documents and admissions made at Perkins’s change of plea hearing, between August 2023 and November 2025, Perkins fraudulently claimed he was a successful day trader with a track record of success. He operated Forged Oak LLC and established a business arrangement with the principal of RentDue Capital LLC. RentDue Capital recruited investors to three separate funds through social media, the company’s website, and meetings with investors. When RentDue Capital received investors’ money, the principal sent the funds to Perkins to day trade.

Perkins made repeated false representations regarding the funds’ performance and balance. This included providing records to RentDue Capital that falsified daily trading performance and altering brokerage statements to inflate the funds’ balance. In early November 2025, for example, Perkins provided RentDue Capital with an altered brokerage statement representing that over $133 million were in the funds. At that time, however, the funds had less than $13 million.

Unbeknownst to investors, Perkins lost tens of millions of dollars in day trading. He also misappropriated millions of dollars from investors for personal expenses, for a down payment on a home, and to purchase a cabin, luxury vehicles, and an airplane, among other things.

In the plea agreement, Perkins agreed to restitution of $77,683,091.96. He also agreed to forfeit money and assets traceable to fraud, including over $13 million, a cabin, an airplane, and multiple vehicles.

Perkins is scheduled to be sentenced July 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge in courtroom 2B of the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation.  

Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen P. Dent, Joseph M. Hood, and Travis K. Elder of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed and an undocumented Mexican national living in Utah was taken into custody after he allegedly collected approximately $1 million from approximately 30 investors in a securities fraud scheme, when he was not licensed to sell securities.

Christian Montiel-Caleit, 45, of Mexico, was living in West Valley City, Utah, when authorities took him into custody on January 29, 2026, following a federal grand jury indictment a day prior.

According to the allegations in court documents, beginning about 2021 and continuing to about December 2024, Montiel-Caleit, fraudulently obtained money by deceiving investors into thinking he was licensed to sell securities and successful at making large returns. For example, to secure investments, Montiel-Caleit would lie to investors by promising 100% returns in 12 months, when in fact he did not generate returns as represented; payments made to investors were derived from other investors instead of actual returns, and on a routine basis for years, investors did not timely receive their principal and investment returns as promised.

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Montiel-Caleit is in the United States illegally and was previously removed on March 2, 2006.

Montiel-Caleit is charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial appearance on the indictment was January 30, 2026. A 10-day jury trial is scheduled for April 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Jacob Strain of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today after an alleged drug trafficker, living in the United States illegally on an expired Visa, appeared in federal court after he allegedly possessed and distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine in the District of Utah.

Jose Cesar Paredes-Davila, 33, a Mexican national living in Utah, was charged by complaint on January 20, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in January 2026, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) initiated a criminal investigation into Paredes-Davila after receiving information he was distributing large quantities of narcotics. On January 15, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a vehicle believed to be used by Paredes-Davila to traffic drugs. During the search, law enforcement seized 2,196 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl and approximately 615 grams of field-tested methamphetamine. UCMC officers estimated the fentanyl evidence to be approximately 21,000 fentanyl pills. UCMC officers also located $9,124 in U.S. currency and $2,000 in Western Union money orders.

As alleged in court documents, UCMC officers also learned Paredes-Davila was using vacation rentals to receive controlled substances in the mail. A United States Postal Investigator ran a rental property address Paredes had been using in Salt Lake City and postal records showed a parcel enroute to a Salt Lake City address that was addressed to “Cesar Paredes.” A search warrant was obtained and executed, and agents seized 3,562 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine.

Paredes-Davila is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and attempted possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for April 3, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).  

Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Three undocumented Mexican nationals, living in Utah, appeared in court today after they were indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with multiple drug crimes. The charges come after law enforcement seized large quantities of fentanyl and heroin from defendants’ homes and hidden compartments of their vehicles.

Silvano Gonzalez Venavidez, aka Eduardo Torres-Zepeda, 34; Edgar Ulises Torres Cervantes, aka Juan Maldonado Garcia, 38; and Carlos Roberto Limon Martinez, 21, all from Mexico, living in Salt Lake City were charged by complaint on January 15, 2026.

According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in November 2025, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) initiated a criminal investigation into Venavidez, Cervantes, and Martinez and other members of a drug trafficking organization. Agents believed the defendants and the organization were distributing large quantities of narcotics into Utah. On January 13, 2026, agents executed search warrants on residences and vehicles believed to be used for drug trafficking by Venavidez, Cervantes, and Martinez. Agents first located Martinez in his vehicle and seized approximately 135.08 grams of field-tested positive heroin and 513.35 grams of field-tested fentanyl (approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills) in a concealed area of the vehicle. Agents also seized approximately 1472.49 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl (approximately 14,000 fentanyl pills) and 427.03 grams of field-tested positive heroin.

As alleged in court documents, during a subsequent search of Venavidez’s residence, agents located approximately 14,982 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl (approximately 150,000 fentanyl pills) and 427.03 grams of field-tested heroin. Lastly, according to court documents, agents located Cervantes in his vehicle and seized approximately 204.54 grams of field-tested positive heroin and 879.04 grams of field-tested fentanyl (approximately 8,000 fentanyl pills) in a concealed compartment of the vehicle.

Venavidez, Cervantes, and Martinez are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for April 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  

Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Nevada woman was sentenced today to 300 months’ imprisonment after she sexually exploited a child, recorded the sexually explicit conduct and then distributed it to a co-offender, with whom she had a relationship.

Alexandria Marie Wright, 32, of Moapa, Nevada, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to production of child pornography.

In addition to Wright’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, sentenced Wright to a lifetime of supervised release.

According to court documents and admissions made at Wright’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning on an unknown date and continuing through October 31, 2021, in the District of Utah, Wright began exchanging sexual messages and media with her co-conspirator. In the fall of 2021, Wright and her co-conspirator met to have consensual sex and discussed sexually abusing a child, to whom Wright had access to. On Halloween, Wright brought a four-year-old victim that she knew to her co-conspirator, and they sexually abused the child for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the abuse. The co-conspirator was arrested on August 7, 2024 in Kansas, which led to the recovery of sexually explicit images of the child, and the instant prosecution.

“These unthinkable acts will not go unanswered,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Child predators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is our hope that the victim and the victim’s family can move forward knowing justice is served against Wright and that she is removed from society and away from preying on other children.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Lola Police Department in Lola, Kansas.  

Assistant United States Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today the District of Utah observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks, protect vulnerable individuals, and ensure traffickers are brought to justice.

“This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.”

“Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us,” the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. “The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.”

“During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.

“Human traffickers live among our communities throughout the nation, and Utah is not immune to these types of crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “As with this administration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to combat the evils of human trafficking. Along with our law enforcement partners, we reaffirm our commitment to investigate and prosecute these horrific crimes and hold these traffickers accountable.”

In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Section 6 of this order directed the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish HSTFs in every state nationwide. The HSTF objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States.

Since January 20, 2025, in the District of Utah:

• Bobby Antwone Jones was indicted in September 2025. Jones is charged with transporting a minor to engage sexual activity, sex trafficking of children, production of child pornography and sale of child pornography. A four-day jury trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, in the District of Utah.
• Aaron Kern was indicted for sex trafficking charges in March 2025. He pleaded guilty to attempted transportation for purposes of prostitution. His sentencing is scheduled for April 15, 2026, in the District of Utah. See prior press release: Southern Utah Man Facing Sex Trafficking Charges.
• The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to review human trafficking cases and is committed to charging individuals that exploit victims of human trafficking.

In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including:

• Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states.
• Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery.
• Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains.
• Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts by DOL-OIG.
• Organizing Human Trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking.

On August 25, 2025, HSTF officially launched its effort to protect the Homeland with a September Surge encompassing 400 operations nationwide. In just 43 days, HSTF nationwide operations resulted in 3,266 arrests and seizures including:

• 1,041 Sinaloa members,
• 856 Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (“CJNG”) members,
• 641 MS-13 members,
• 456 Tren de Aragua members,
• 1,067 weapons
• More than $3,250,000 in currency
• Approximately 91 metric tons of narcotics

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A West Jordan, Utah, resident was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with a violent crime after he allegedly walked into a bank, threatened the teller with a note, and left with cash.

Michael Grant Robinson, 36, of West Jordan, Utah, was charged by complaint on January 13, 2026.  

According to the allegations in court documents, and surveillance video, on January 12, 2026, a suspect with a distinctive face tattoo, later identified as Robinson, entered a bank in West Jordan and handed the bank teller a threatening note that read “I gotta weapon need $1000.” The bank teller complied and gave Robinson $140.00, in $20 bills. Robinson took the money and left the bank. Within 30 minutes, law enforcement identified Robinson walking on the sidewalk a half mile from the bank wearing the same clothing and having the same distinctive face tattoo as depicted in the surveillance video from the robbery. Law enforcement recovered the money at a nearby restaurant after Robinson ordered a meal and left a $120 tip.

Robinson is charged with bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for January 22, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Rodney Quinn Rupe, 47, of Syracuse, Utah, was sentenced to 12 months and a day imprisonment for wire fraud after he abused his position as a former IRS employee and attempted to steal more than $2 million in tax credits.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, comes after Rupe pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025, to wire fraud. The court also sentenced Rupe to two years of supervised release.

According to court documents and admissions made at Rupe’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on April 15, 2022, Rupe, an employee of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, accessed the IRS systems and moved tax credits in the amount of $2,021,986 from ExxonMobil’s taxpayer account to a taxpayer account for Ex XO Exteriors Ltd., a company Rupe created and controlled. He admitted that he moved the tax credits through three separate transfers, each of which used interstate wires. On September 18, 2023, Rupe transferred the tax credits so they would be applied to the 2019 tax year account for his company, knowing it would result in a refund check to Ex XO Exteriors Ltd. On October 31, 2023, Rupe resigned from the IRS and unsuccessfully attempted to deposit the refund check multiple times in 2024, and was subsequently arrested. See prior press release: Former IRS Employee Accused of Attempting to Steal More than $2M from the Government and ExxonMobil.

“As a former IRS employee, Mr. Rupe accessed an IRS database as a trusted government employee to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars for his own personal use,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “This administration is committed to ferreting out programmatic government fraud, particularly by those who abused their positions rather than protecting the Americans they swore to serve.”

The case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).

Assistant United States Attorney Carl D. LeSueur of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 
 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Brian Garry Sewell, 54, of Washington County, Utah, was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment, followed by 36 months of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud that cost investors over $2.9 million. Additionally, in a separate case (4:24cr54), Sewell admitted that he operated an unlicensed money transmitting business where bulk cash was converted into crypto currency. In that case, he was also sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and 36 months of supervised release.  

Sewell’s two sentences will run concurrently with each other for a total of three years imprisonment. In addition to his term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, ordered Sewell to pay $3,605,182 in restitution to defrauded investors, a mortgage lender, and a credit union in case number 4:24cr55. He was also ordered to pay $217,727 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in case number 4:24cr54.  

According to court documents and admissions made at Sewell’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Sewell participated in a scheme from December 2017 to April 2024, in Utah and elsewhere, to defraud others by obtaining victims’ money and cryptocurrency. Sewell obtained money from at least 17 investors by lying about his experience, education, and ability to generate large returns. As a result, Sewell’s fraudulent behavior led to him obtaining over $2.9 million.

Additionally, from March 2020 to September 2020, in the District of Utah and elsewhere, Sewell managed Rockwell Capital Management, an unlicensed money transmitting business, without registering it as required by law. Sewell and his company converted bulk cash to cryptocurrency on behalf of third parties, including criminals engaged in fraud and drug trafficking. Sewell charged the third parties a fee for each transaction. In total, he converted over $5.4 million to cryptocurrency. He did so without complying with federal laws designed to prevent the movement of illicit funds. See prior press release: Two Washington County Residents Indicted after Allegedly Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks our federal partners, and prosecutors for their hard work on this investigation and commitment to holding individuals like Sewell accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak. “My office is committed to stopping criminals from using our financial system to move dirty money. And we will continue to prosecute those who ignore statutes designed to stop the flow of illicit funds.”

“This sentencing brings to an end a multi-million-dollar investment fraud scheme that used the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business to defraud investors out of millions and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the federal government,” said IRS-CI Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory. “When this type of scheme emerges, all Americans are affected. Investors are victimized, taxpayers are defrauded, and dirty money is easily moved through the financial system with no scrutiny. IRS-CI will continue to investigate unlicensed money transmitting businesses and bring these fraudsters to justice.”

“Fraud schemes like this don’t just involve financial losses—they shatter trust and upend lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Sewell preyed on his victims by lying about his experience and promising returns he could not deliver, leaving individuals and families to bear the consequences of his deception. The FBI will continue to put victims first by holding offenders accountable and pursuing those who misuse cryptocurrency and unlicensed financial services to exploit others.”

“Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system. This case demonstrates that those who exploit unlicensed financial services and defraud investors will be held accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations Denver Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen. “Working alongside our federal partners, HSI will continue to pursue individuals who attempt to move illicit funds and undermine public trust. We are dedicated to ensuring that criminals cannot use our financial system to profit from deception.”

The case was investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.