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6 July 2026
District of Arizona Charged 325 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct Last WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 27 through July 2, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 325 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 101 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 196 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 20 cases against 26 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged two defendants for assaulting Border Patrol agents.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Davis Cabanillas-Flores. On June 29, 2026, Davis Cabanillas-Flores, was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cabanillas-Flores had been previously removed from the United States in 2021. In June 2019, he was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine while on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, in the Middle District of Florida. In that case, Cabanillas-Flores was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. [26-MJ-08245]
United States v. Humberto Roman-Tapia. On June 30, 2026, Humberto Roman-Tapia was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On June 28, 2026, Border Patrol agents initiated a traffic stop on a Honda Accord traveling westbound on I-40. Agents determined that the driver, Humberto Roman-Tapia, was a citizen of Mexico with an employment authorization card. The three passengers in the car were citizens of Mexico with no legal documentation to be present in the United States. [26-MJ-01551]
The 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-117_July 3, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Defendants plead guilty to posting threats to social media in separate casesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Two men from Wichita are now convicted felons after pleading guilty in separate cases involving posting threats on social media to murder federal officials.
According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure.
In January 2026, Wichita police officers learned Osborn had posted threats on his social media page saying he wanted to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He wrote, “I’m going to kill Ilhan Omar!”. He also posted a photo of himself holding an AR-15 style rifle in one hand and a 30-round magazine with live ammunition in the other hand. When officers went to Osborn’s residence to question him, he confirmed writing the posts. He said while he had no intention of personally harming anyone, he made the statements to “maybe provoke someone to handle business.” He advised officers that by “handle business” he meant to “take ‘em out”. He stated that by “take ‘em out” he meant “kill them”.
In a separate case, according to court documents, Joaquin Hernandez, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure.
In January 2026, Hernandez posted a social media video where he threatened to shoot Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents point blank if he saw them in Wichita. Hernandez admits to making the statements knowing that his threat against ICE wasn’t mere political argument or in a joking manner.
“Our country prides itself on being one where people can express their political views, but they must do so in a responsible manner. These two defendants crossed the line into criminality by making threats of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Threats of political violence are illegal and won’t be tolerated.”
“The First Amendment protects every individual’s right to free speech. However, it is not a shield for enticing violence or criminal activity. Anyone who advocates violence or communicates a credible threat against public officials, law enforcement, or any individual should expect swift and thorough response from the FBI. We will investigate these matters aggressively with assistance from our law enforcement partners and United States Attorney’s Office by pursuing every available legal avenue to hold offenders accountable," said Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
The Wichita Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating both cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case against Osborn.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case against Hernandez.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to more than Ten Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced on multiple firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Robert Garrett, 32, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 130 months in prison. In March, Garrett pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug- trafficking crime.
According to court records, on April 12, 2023, officers with the Birmingham Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Garrett was driving. Officers ran Garrett’s information through dispatch and discovered that Garrett had several active warrants. The officers removed Garrett from the vehicle and placed him under arrest for those warrants. Officers smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle while Garrett was getting out of it. During the search of the vehicle, officers recovered a Glock .45 caliber pistol with a 25-round magazine on the driver’s floorboard and a backpack that contained marijuana.
On August 3, 2023, ATF agents went to a residence in Birmingham to follow up on a federal firearms violation involving Garrett. Garrett met the agents at the door. Agents smelled the odor of marijuana on Garrett and emitting from inside the house. On the same day, Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the search of the residence agents recovered marijuana, digital scales, ammunition, a SCCY 9mm pistol and more than $5000.
ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius C. Greene prosecuted the case.
Colombian Woman and Venezuelan Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of MinorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michel Daiana Martinez-Gonzalez, 29, of Colombia, and Alfredo Manuel Zambrano-Hurtado, 26, of Venezuela, were each sentenced on July 6, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for their roles in sex trafficking of two minors. Martinez-Gonzalez was sentenced for two counts of sex trafficking of a minor by force and Zambrano-Hurtado was sentenced for two counts of sex trafficking of a minor. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Martinez-Gonzalez to 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martinez-Gonzalez’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Co-defendant Zambrano-Hurtado was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Zambrano-Hurtado’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Martinez Gonzalez and Zambrano-Hurtado entered the United States illegally in 2022. Senior Judge Bataillon ordered both to pay special assessments of $10,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
On January 6, 2025, the Omaha Police Department received a report of a theft. Responding officers identified indicia of sex trafficking. The Omaha Police Department-Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force immediately began investigating and recovered two minor females, aged 15 and 16, who had been transported to the AmericInn hotel in Omaha by Zambrano-Hurtado from out of state to be sold for commercial sex.
The two minor females reported that Eduardo Jose Perdomo and Michel Martinez-Gonzalez were both advertising the minors online for commercial sex and arranging commercial sex acts with buyers. Zambrano-Hurtado admitted to transporting Perdomo and the victims to Nebraska and transporting one of the minors for commercial sex acts on at least two occasions. The evidence showed that Zambrano-Hurtado also assisted with keeping watch at the hotel. Martinez-Gonzalez admitted that she knew the victims were minors and knew that Perdomo had an arrangement with the hotel employees that they could have sex with the victims anytime they wanted in exchange for allowing them to stay at the hotel. Martinez-Gonzalez further admitted to paying a man in the Dominican Republic to rent two online commercial sex advertisements. Martinez-Gonzalez claimed that one page was intended for her own work in prostitution while the other she rented to Perdomo, but Martinez-Gonzalez got tired of commercial sex work and began utilizing the minors for commercial sex with the clients who responded to her page as well.
Perdomo is scheduled for sentencing in front of Senior Judge Bataillon on July 20, 2026.
“Not all prisons have bars on the doors. Homeland Security Investigations freed these children from a physical and mental prison when they tore down this criminal organization and ripped them out of Nebraska’s streets and put real bars between these human traffickers and the innocent children they were preying on daily,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods. “There is no greater evil than the kind of evil that financially profits from the sex trafficking of a child by force and from enslaving children in the commercial sex trade. Martinez-Gonzalez exploited children in an unthinkable manner for her own selfish gain. She illegally immigrated to the United States to commit the worst crimes imaginable against children in our country. She deserves every second, minute, hour, and month of her federal prison sentence and more. Human traffickers are not welcome in Nebraska, and they would be wise to leave before we catch them because no mercy will be shown to them if we get to them first.”
“HSI’s mission is to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities, and there is no greater priority than safeguarding children from exploitation,” said Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini. “The sentences handed down today reflect the seriousness of these crimes and the focused commitment of HSI and our partners to dismantle trafficking networks and bring predators to justice. Martinez-Gonzalez preyed on innocent children, inflicting unimaginable harm for her own profit. Thanks to the tireless work of our agents and the dedication of the prosecution team, these traffickers will spend years behind bars, unable to harm another child. HSI will continue to pursue those who exploit children with relentless determination, and we will not rest until every victim is rescued and every trafficker is held accountable.”
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 Omaha comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, USPIS, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, and assistance of the Omaha Police Department with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.
California Man Who Assaulted Border Patrol Agents Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Joe Martin Cruz, Jr., 20, of San Pedro, CA, was sentenced on June 23, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 60 months in prison. Cruz previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer and one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit.
On January 14, 2025, Cruz transported four illegal aliens near Arivaca, AZ. When Border Patrol began following Cruz, he stopped his vehicle and the aliens bailed out. Cruz then sped off at a high rate of speed. During his flight from law enforcement, Cruz intentionally crashed his vehicle into a Border Patrol vehicle occupied by two agents who were traveling in the opposing lane of travel.
Vehicle crash data and scene evidence showed that at the time of the collision, Cruz had the accelerator pedal pushed to 100%. Immediately before the collision, he turned his wheel to the left, crossing the lane divider and colliding with the victim agents’ vehicle. Despite the agents’ efforts to avoid the collision, their vehicle was violently struck by Cruz. The force caused the rear axle to be sheared off and spun the agents’ vehicle off the road and into the brush. The agents sustained several injuries during the collision. Cruz then fled on foot through the desert but was eventually caught by law enforcement.
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol and Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Amlee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00980-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-118_Cruz# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Broome County Man Indicted for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Thomas Murray, age 24, was arraigned on June 22nd on an indictment charging him with Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James, made the announcement.
Murray was arraigned on Monday, June 22nd before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric and was returned to state custody where he is currently being held on state charges. A trial on the indictment will be scheduled before United States District Court Judge Anthony J. Brindisi.
According to the indictment, Murray distributed child pornography on a web-based messaging facility on two separate occasions in June 2024. The indictment also alleges that Murray possessed child pornography on two different electronic devices. The material found stemmed from a search warrant conducted on Murray’s residence on April 4, 2025, by the New York State Police, stemming from a cyber tip by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
“The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, together with our dedicated partners at the FBI and the New York State Police, have once again played a critical role in bringing an alleged predator into custody,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “The alleged reprehensible behavior displayed by this defendant serves as a powerful reminder that threats to our children are not abstract, they are real, persistent, and constantly evolving. I thank our partners for their tireless investigative efforts, which brought this defendant into custody so he can now face justice.”“As alleged, Mr. Murray perpetuated the abuse of children by both possessing and distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force leveraged the full weight of our partnership with New York State Police to ensure he was brought to justice for those disturbing actions. FBI Albany remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners at every level to hold accountable any predator looking to inflict harm on our children,” said Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge FBI – Albany.
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Anyone engaged in acts that threaten the safety of children will be investigated for their illicit actions. The indictment is the result of great investigative synergy and clearly demonstrates that child pornography crimes will not be tolerated. With our partners in law enforcement, we will continue to investigate, develop, and implement effective response strategies to child sexual exploitation, cyber enticement, and internet crimes against children.”Murray faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in federal prison on the distribution charges, a maximum term of 20 years in federal prison for the distribution and possession offenses, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. Murray would also be required to register as a sex offender if convicted of the charged offenses. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Cheung is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Atlanta Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 25, 2026, Joshua Aaron Holmes, 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville after a federal jury convicted him of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1349, mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Following his imprisonment, Holmes will be on supervised release for three years and he was ordered to repay $936,215.00 in restitution to the victims.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Holmes and others worked to steal money from elderly victims who intended to invest their money. Holmes and others posed as federal agents who promised to help the victims recover money lost through investments; victims were induced to pay fake fees, taxes, and court costs, yet did not receive the return of any lost money—the victims only lost more.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Nashville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Securities and Exchange Commission Inspector General Kevin Muhlendorf made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael S. Deel, David P. Lewen, Jr., and William A. Roach, Jr. represented the United States in this case.
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Alabama Man Admits Aiding Southeast Missouri Pharmacy Burglary that Netted 16,800 PillsRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – An Alabama man on Thursday admitted involvement in the burglary of a Kennett, Missouri pharmacy last year and the theft of 16,800 pills.
Cornelius Cardez Bray, 31, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty to one count of intent to steal a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone. He admitted acting as the driver for David Jerome Evans, who broke into a pharmacy on March 13, 2025. A police officer responding to an alarm spotted a car with Tennessee license plates heading out of town and recalled that a few days earlier someone in a passenger car with Tennessee plates had been seen taking pictures of another pharmacy in town. The officer attempted to stop Bray but he sped away, eventually crashing the vehicle. Evans was arrested. Bray fled but was arrested later.
Officers found numerous pill bottles in the wreckage, as well as a large blue crowbar, a black face mask and Bray’s wallet and cell phone. The men stole 16,800 pills, including 7,500 hydrocodone pills and 7,500 pills containing benzodiazepine drugs.
Evans, now 31, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
Bray is scheduled to be sentenced on October 1.
The Kennett Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is prosecuting the case.
3 July 2026
US Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Indiana Supports Area Veteran’s Groups as part of the Department of Justice’s Hometown Heroes initiativeRead the Press Release
HAMMOND, SOUTH BEND, AND FORT WAYNE- As part of the Hometown Heroes initiative celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, members of the Northern District of Indiana team conducted a gift-in-kind charity drive of clothing and household goods for area veteran’s charities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Indiana operates out of three separate branches in Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Hammond.
The Fort Wayne Branch collected donations to benefit The Shepherd’s House, a transitional housing and clinical treatment center for homeless and formerly homeless veterans struggling with addiction and mental health challenges to help them rebuild their lives. For more information about the Shepherd’s House, please visit https://www.shepherdshouse.org/ .
The South Bend Branch collected donations to benefit the Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center. The Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center team works with Veterans to provide opportunities for an array of supportive services to improve Veteran’s self-sufficiency, all based on the needs of each Veteran. For more information about the Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center, please visit https://www.cfh.net/mvc .
The Hammond Branch collected donations to benefit AMVETS. AMVETS (American Veterans) is a non-partisan veterans service organization that advocates for veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. They provide free VA disability claims assistance, career counseling, and community support programs, funded largely through household goods donations and thrift stores. For more information about AMVETS, please visit https://amvetspickup.com/ .
“It is an honor for our team to support veterans as part of celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday. Their sacrifices are a critical reason why we can enjoy our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
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Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Issue Call to Action to State Attorneys General to Follow Federal Enforcers in Investigating Antitrust and Consumer Protection Violations Causing High Gas PricesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission warn lawbreaking companies that they are closely monitoring petroleum markets and gas prices and will take all appropriate measures to stop illegal conduct contributing to high gas prices.
Today, the agencies sent a letter to State Attorneys General encouraging them to similarly conduct investigations and bring appropriate enforcement actions under their state antitrust and consumer protection laws. This call to action includes ensuring that companies manipulating retail prices or colluding with their competitors in petroleum markets are held accountable. The letter reinforces the importance of state engagement on potential price gouging and directs consumers to resources to report violations of antitrust laws.
“Affordable energy is essential to a thriving American economy. The Antitrust Division is committed to working alongside state law enforcement partners to provide resources and support to protect consumers from anticompetitive behavior that raises the price of gas,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “The Antitrust Division will use all available tools to ensure that companies are held accountable for unlawfully manipulating the market.”
Members of the public are also encouraged to potential violations of the antitrust laws to the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations. The Antitrust Division may also pay significant financial rewards to individuals who report antitrust crimes. For more information, see www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards. Anyone can also report suspected antitrust violations and unfair or deceptive practices to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Former school district financial officer charged in $1M fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 50-year-old Tomball resident has been charged with wire fraud after allegedly stealing approximately $996,174 from Tomball Independent School District, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Kristi Williams is set to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett July 13 at 10 a.m.
According to the criminal information, Williams was the manager of Property Tax Administration at Tomball ISD from January 2018 until November 2023 and oversaw the collection of local property taxes.
The charges allege that when a taxpayer paid in cash, a tax office employee would place it inside an envelope and record the payment in specialized software as part of a batch. Once the amounts reached a certain threshold, either $15,000 or $20,000, the batch was closed and Williams was expected to deposit the money into Tomball ISD’s bank accounts, according to the allegations.
Williams allegedly used the software to reverse the payments in the system and kept the funds for her own personal use.
If convicted, Williams faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Lewis is prosecuting the case.
A criminal information is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
2 July 2026
Woburn Man Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Woburn man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the theft of U.S. Treasury tax refund checks in Massachusetts.
Nnamdi Opara, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper to 10 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Opara pleaded guilty in November 2025. In September 2025, Opara was charged with two counts of bank fraud and five counts of money laundering. The defendant was previously arrested in June 2025 as part of an investigation into the theft of U.S. Treasury tax refund checks in Massachusetts.
Opara wrongfully obtained two U.S. Treasury checks that were issued to a New York entity named AFGO Mechanical Services, Inc. After obtaining the checks, Opara established a company called AFGO Mechanical Services, Inc. in Massachusetts, for which he served as the President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President, Director and Registered Agent. Opara then deposited the U.S. Treasury check into an account he controlled, payable to the Massachusetts-based AFGO entity he had established when, in fact, the Massachusetts-based AFGO entity had never filed a federal tax return. As a result, Opara stole a total of $700,767 from the U.S. Treasury. In addition, Opara conducted multiple illegal monetary transactions designed to conceal the source of the funds from the stolen Treasury checks.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Warm Springs Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon, man, was sentenced to federal prison Monday after sexually exploiting a minor victim, recording it, and uploading it online, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Odysseus Japeth Tewee, 20, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on September 23, 2024, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a video containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from Warm Springs. PPB identified Tewee as the suspect and contacted the Warm Springs Police Department (WSPD). Within hours, WSPD and the FBI identified the minor victim, located Tewee, and placed him in custody. Pursuant to a search warrant, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) found over 100 images and 9 videos of CSAM on Tewee’s phone.
On October 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Tewee with sexual exploitation of a child, possession and transportation of child pornography, and sexual abusive contact.
On January 5, 2026, Tewee pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.
Federal and local law enforcement partners across the state assisted in identifying and apprehending Tewee. This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from WSPD, PPB, and DCSO. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pam Paaso prosecuted this case.
This case was brought in collaboration with 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney’s Office Celebrates the Nation’s 250th BirthdayRead the Press Release
United States Attorney’s Office Celebrates the Nation’s 250th Birthday
CONCORD – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire joins the nation in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the Founding of the United States of America. One of the original thirteen colonies to declare our independence from Great Britain, New Hampshire has played a central role in this country’s founding and throughout our nation’s history.
- On January 5, 1776, New Hampshire adopted the first state constitution, six months before the Declaration of Independence, laying the groundwork for democratic self-government for the 250 years to come.
- On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is approved by the Continental Congress. The Declaration, setting forth the new nation’s foundational values, is received and read in New Hampshire on July 16, 1776.
- On June 2, 1784, New Hampshire’s current state constitution is adopted. It remains the second oldest state constitution still in operation in the United States.
- On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the federal Constitution. With New Hampshire’s ratification, the Constitution becomes operational. Government under the Constitution begins on March 4, 1789.
- On September 24, 1789, the Judiciary Act of 1789 is signed into law by President George Washington. It establishes the original thirteen federal trial courts, and, with them, the original thirteen United States Attorneys, including the United States Attorney for the new District of New Hampshire.
- On September 26, 1789, President George Washington’s nominee to be the first United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, John Samuel Sherburne, Jr., is confirmed by the United States Senate.
“From September of 1789 to the present, this United States Attorney’s Office has served the people of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “It is our honor to continue the work of protecting safety and the public fisc, a calling that goes back to the earliest days of our Republic.” U.S. Attorney Creegan is the latest in a tradition of presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorneys for New Hampshire to serve over 237 years, among them New Hampshire’s only U.S. President, Franklin Pierce. U.S. Attorney Creegan was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the Senate in 2025.
United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow Announces ResignationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces his resignation as United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, effective July 7, 2026, and issues the following statement:
It has been the honor of my professional life to serve the people of Puerto Rico and the United States as the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. My resignation comes after having served the Department of Justice for over 37 years.
I owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated attorneys and professional staff in the U.S. Attorney’s Office -- I was truly blessed to have served with the finest men and women in the Department. I am so very proud of the great work that the office has accomplished and will continue to accomplish.
I thank our brave and steadfast federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who risk their safety every day to make our communities safer. I also appreciate more than you can know the support of the community and the many of you who have expressed your appreciation to me over the years. I thank President Trump for nominating me for the position in 2019 and the Senate for my confirmation. I also thank President Biden for allowing me to remain in my position throughout his administration.
During my tenure as United States Attorney, I have been guided by the firm belief that our pillars of government must stand as a City Upon a Hill. I have striven to abide by the Office Mission Statement:
The first duty of society being justice – our mission shall be to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all. We shall enforce the law, ensure public safety, and defend the interests of the United States against all threats, foreign and domestic, while always adhering to the highest professional and ethical standards.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding and the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence, may God Bless the people of Puerto Rico and our wonderful country.
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United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Announces Results from Operation New Dawn: 179 Defendants Charged in Approximately Sixty Days as Part of First-of-Its-Kind Spring and Summer Anti-Violence Initiative in Chicago AreaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that 179 individuals were charged across 140 newly-filed cases as part of the massively successful Operation New Dawn, a first-of-its-kind “badgeless” enforcement initiative in Chicagoland that focused on a single mission for roughly 60 days: to set aside barriers and focus exclusively on disrupting violence in the Chicago and Rockford areas by arresting the worst of the worst offenders, who would then face federal criminal prosecution. This Operation is described as “badgeless” because multiple federal agencies came together under the banner of the United States flag as opposed to the shield of any agency. Doing so created shared accountability and unified, mission-minded, anti-violence work in the Northern District of Illinois starting in the spring and continuing into the summer in special recognition of our nation’s 250th birthday. U.S. Attorney Boutros constructed Operation New Dawn using an innovative federal law enforcement approach to fighting violent crime that had not been done before in the District: eleven federal agencies worked arm-in-arm as one cohesive, unified partnership to arrest dangerous criminals responsible for serious offenses, including robberies, kidnapping, kidnapping resulting in death, firearms trafficking, firearm offenses, drug trafficking, immigration violations, child exploitation, and various other federal violent crimes.
The results of this new approach exceeded all expectations: Since roughly May 1, 2026, 179 criminal defendants were charged in federal court across 140 newly-filed criminal cases; 305 fugitives were apprehended and brought into custody, many of whom had previously been charged with serious criminal offenses; and 24 children, many of whom were kidnapped, were located and safely returned home.
“It is my view that to combat violence, federal law enforcement must move at the speed of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The remarkable success of Operation New Dawn resoundingly proves that point. Chicago’s federal anti-violence apparatus united under one banner—the United States flag and not the shield, badge, banner, or logo of any agency—to make their presence felt on the streets of Chicago and make it known that they are a force to be reckoned with in the battle against violence. As the name New Dawn embodies, it’s the dawn of a new federal law enforcement era when it comes to combating violent crime in the Northern District of Illinois and being responsive to the people of the District, who want to be and feel safe. During Operation New Dawn, federal law enforcement engaged in rapid, targeted, and responsive interventions that interrupted violence in real time. Our law enforcement goal was singular: to tackle the scourge of violence that has gripped this incredible, American city for too long.”
U.S. Attorney Boutros wishes to personally thank Robert Cekada, Director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), who flew from Washington, D.C. to Chicago to jointly announce the tremendous results of Operation New Dawn. The ATF Chicago Field Division has been an extraordinary partner in the fight against violence in Chicago. In addition, U.S. Attorney Boutros also wishes to thank all eleven of the Special Agents in Charge (SACs), other law enforcement agency heads, and all their various leadership teams for their exceptional and strong partnership in this “whole of federal law enforcement” Operation. The leadership, resources, and energy they brought to Operation New Dawn were truly outstanding. Those thanks are extended to Christopher Amon of ATF; Todd C. Smith of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Douglas S. DePodesta of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Matthew Scarpino of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Diego Grimaldo of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force (GLRFTF); Marta Grijalva of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI); Arturo E. Hernandez of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Central Field Office; LaDon Reynolds of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); Nicholas Bucciarelli of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Mario Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Frank Padula of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago (ICE). The Chicago Police Department provided strong, sustained support and assistance throughout Operation New Dawn.
“The significance of Operation New Dawn, in which eleven federal agencies agreed to come together with one common mission, is truly historic and a powerful and manifestly visible testament to how united the federal law enforcement community is in Chicago,” stated U.S. Attorney Boutros. “I couldn’t be prouder of the work of our Assistant U.S. Attorneys—many of whom I personally hired within the past year-plus—and our law enforcement partners who literally endured violent attacks and attempted robberies by criminals who apparently didn’t get the message that a new era of federal crime fighting in Chicago started more than a year ago when I became U.S. Attorney. Recognizing that crime doesn’t stop or operate at normal hours, federal prosecutors, agents, Office and agency leaders, and others, worked many long days, nights, weekends, and holidays to make Operation New Dawn a success. But it was worth it, because it’s our way to uniquely give back to the country in celebration of the 250th birthday of the greatest nation ever to be formed.”
Although many notable cases could be singled out, a selection of significant charges from Operation New Dawn are highlighted in these “Top 5” reports from ATF, FBI, HSI, and DEA. These cases involve serious violent offenses, including murder, carjacking, fentanyl trafficking, firearms trafficking, and child sex offenses. The cases are representative of the type of significant federal arrests that were made and charges that were filed under Operation New Dawn to remove dangerous offenders from our neighborhoods.
“Law enforcement has always been, and always will be, a team sport,” said Christopher Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Chicago Field Division. “The success of Operation New Dawn reflects the leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the trust, commitment, and collaboration among our Chicago federal law enforcement partners. Together, we made a meaningful impact by removing shooters and other violent offenders from our streets making Chicago safer for all.”
“Operation New Dawn demonstrates the power of coordinated law enforcement efforts to address the interconnected threats of violent crime and drug trafficking,” said Todd C. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. “Through the Homeland Security Task Force and in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies combined intelligence, resources and expertise to target individuals and criminal networks that threaten public safety. Reducing violent crime remains one of DEA’s top strategic priorities, and the significant drug seizures resulting from this operation underscore the close relationship between violence and drug trafficking activity. By working together to disrupt criminal organizations, remove dangerous drugs from our communities, and hold offenders accountable, we are enhancing public safety while advancing our commitment to a Fentanyl Free America.”
“Operation New Dawn served as an opportunity for the public to see the relentless and talented work by the men and women of the FBI Chicago Field Office,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. "These successes showcase the sophisticated and brave work done by the FBI every day. The FBI remains committed to keeping our communities safe, removing violent criminals from our streets, and disrupting the networks criminals use when attempting to harm the people law enforcement is sworn to serve and protect. The FBI’s operational period protecting this city knows no end date, and we are proud to continue to work with our partners and the public to ensure those who live and work in Chicago are free from threats or harm.”
“Operation New Dawn is a testament to what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies unite to fight against violent crime,” said Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of HSI. “HSI is proud to have played a critical role in this unprecedented anti-violence initiative, leveraging our investigative expertise to disrupt violent criminal networks, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and protect vulnerable children in the greater Chicago area. The results of this operation demonstrate the power of unified action and the dedication of HSI agents to safeguarding our communities. As we mark our nation’s 250th birthday, HSI remains steadfast in our mission to ensure the safety and security of every resident in our great city.”
“Violent crime has no place in one of America’s greatest cities,” said Marta Grijalva, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to stand alongside our federal, state, and local partners to dismantle the criminal organizations that bring violence into our neighborhoods. By exposing the financial networks that fuel violent crime, we help dismantle the organizations that profit from fear and make our communities safer.”
The public is reminded that charges are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the five-week period ending July 2, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 508 individuals were charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 27 individuals were charged with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 184 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 110 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1326 had prior criminal convictions for narcotics trafficking, domestic violence, assault, criminal trespass, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, prior immigration offenses, second degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of child pornography, drug possession, child neglect, resisting arrest, assault on a federal officer, aggravated battery by strangulation, aggravated domestic violence, aggravated assault, battery resulting in great bodily injury, forgery of a public record, attempted murder, sexual assault, carjacking, fraud, motor vehicle theft, forgery, DUI, and engaging in organized criminal activity.
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 statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Hosts Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Ceremony and Charity DriveRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – As part of Freedom250, the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico will host an Hometown Heroes ceremony on July 10, 2026, at 10 a.m. in the Las Cruces City Council Chambers to honor Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story for his leadership in advancing public safety. F.A. United States Attorney Ryan Ellison, Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez, and New Mexico State Senator Crystal Brantley will deliver remarks recognizing Chief Story's service to the community and the state.
As part of the Freedom250 initiative, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico is also conducting a community shoe and sock drive benefiting local organizations that serve human trafficking victims.
Freedom250 is a national initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and encouraging communities across the country to celebrate service, sacrifice, and civic engagement at the local level. Hometown Heroes is a Department of Justice recognition program honoring local individuals for exceptional service and contributions to their communities as part of the celebrations. Chief Story is being recognized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico through this initiativefor his leadership in advancing public safety in New Mexico.
The ceremony is open to the public and media. The event will also be livestreamed on the City of Las Cruces YouTube channel.
Two men arrested after smuggling attempt at the Peace BridgeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that two defendants were arrested and charged in separate complaints involving a smuggling attempt. Khvicha Chalisuri, 63, a Canadian citizen and native of Georgia, was charged with alien smuggling, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Alexandru-Stefanita Iordache, 34, a Romanian native living in Canada, was charged with eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison.
According to the complaints, in the early morning hours of June 24, 2026, defendant Chalisuri was encountered at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry seeking entry to the United States in a commercial truck. Chalisuri was asked if anyone else was in the truck and he said no. Chalisuri was then referred to X-ray to have the truck and cargo scanned. During the scan of the truck, an officer noticed an anomaly, which appeared to be a person standing in the sleeper portion of the cab. The individual was removed from the truck and later identified as Iordache. Subsequent investigation determined that Iordache, who was living in Canada, has no authorization for lawful entry to the United States.
Both defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were detained.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan W. Fitzgerald and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Two High Ranking Members of the United Cartels Charged with Drug Trafficking, Providing Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Firearms Offenses as Part of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) InitiativeRead the Press Release
Note: Please see a copy of the indictment here.
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday against Juan Jose “Juanjo” Farias Mendoza, 31, and Israel “Papo” Vega Farias, 37, both of Tepalcatepec, Michoacan, Mexico, and high-ranking members of the United Cartels.
The Michoacan-based United Cartels is one of the world’s most significant methamphetamine producers, capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. The organization controls a distribution network that spans the United States, with hubs in Dallas; Houston; Atlanta; Kansas City, Missouri; Sacramento, California; Los Angeles; Denver; and Chicago; and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (also known as Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended. In August 2025, the Department of Justice announced criminal charges by the Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) against several command-and-control elements of the United Cartels, including Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, also known as “Abuelo,” the cartel’s top leader, as part of a multi-agency effort to dismantle the United Cartels.
“Juan Jose Farias Mendoza and Israel Vega Farias are charged with trafficking immense amounts of methamphetamine into the United States and supporting a foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The two defendants indicted yesterday are close relatives of the United Cartels’ top leader Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, who was charged by the Criminal Division in 2024. This indictment demonstrates the systematic and focused effort of the Criminal Division to dismantle Mexican cartels by targeting their command-and-control elements, including those within cartel leaders’ closest circles.”
“The investigation into the United Cartels began in the Eastern District of Tennessee, with a seizure of methamphetamine in a small town outside Knoxville, and a larger interdiction of over 950 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl outside of Atlanta,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “From Tennessee to Mexico, a whole-of-government investigation followed that partnered multiple federal law enforcement agencies with their critically important state and local counterparts, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 9th Judicial Task Force, and resulted in last August’s and today’s announcements of criminal charges against this Foreign Terrorist Organization’s leadership structure. With our Criminal Division partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee remains unwavering in its commitment to eliminate the cartels and prosecute their leaders, members, and supporters who endanger our communities with dangerous drugs and violence.”
“This indictment is a testament to the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to dismantle the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon of HSI. “The United Cartels have fueled violence, addiction, and instability both in the United States and abroad. Through the Homeland Security Task Force’s whole-of-government approach, HSI is committed to identifying and investigating cartel leadership and their networks, wherever they operate. We will continue to leverage every available tool to protect our communities, disrupt transnational criminal enterprises, and ensure those who threaten our nation’s safety and security are brought to justice.”
Farias Mendoza and Vega Farias are, respectively, Abuelo’s son and nephew. Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine for importation into the United States, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and using, carrying and possessing firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices, during and in relation to the alleged drug trafficking crime charged in their indictment. If convicted, both defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison.
HSI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Quencer for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two High Ranking Members of the United Cartels Charged with Drug Trafficking, Providing Material Support to A Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Firearms Offenses as Part of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) InitiativeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday against Juan Jose “Juanjo” Farias Mendoza, 31, and Israel “Papo” Vega Farias, 37, both of Tepalcatepec, Michoacan, Mexico, and high-ranking members of the United Cartels.
The Michoacan-based United Cartels is one of the world’s most significant methamphetamine producers, capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. The organization controls a distribution network that spans the United States, with hubs in Dallas, Houston; Atlanta; Kansas City, Missouri; Sacramento, California; Los Angeles; Denver; and Chicago; and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (also known as Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended. In August 2025, the Department of Justice announced criminal charges by the Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) against several command-and-control elements of the United Cartels, including Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, also known as “Abuelo,” the cartel’s top leader, as part of a multi-agency effort to dismantle the United Cartels.
“Juan Jose Farias Mendoza and Israel Vega Farias are charged with trafficking immense amounts of methamphetamine into the United States and supporting a foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The two defendants indicted yesterday are close relatives of the United Cartels’ top leader Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, who was charged by the Criminal Division in 2024. This indictment demonstrates the systematic and focused effort of the Criminal Division to dismantle Mexican cartels by targeting their command-and-control elements, including those within cartel leaders’ closet circles.”
“The investigation into the United Cartels began in the Eastern District of Tennessee, with a seizure of methamphetamine in a small town outside Knoxville, and a larger interdiction of over 950 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl outside of Atlanta,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “From Tennessee to Mexico, a whole-of-government investigation followed that partnered multiple federal law enforcement agencies with their critically important state and local counterparts, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 9th Judicial Task Force, and resulted in last August’s and today’s announcements of criminal charges against this Foreign Terrorist Organization’s leadership structure. With our Criminal Division partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee remains unwavering in its commitment to eliminate the cartels and prosecute their leaders, members, and supporters who endanger our communities with dangerous drugs and violence.”
“This indictment is a testament to the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to dismantle the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon of HSI. “The United Cartels have fueled violence, addiction, and instability both in the United States and abroad. Through the Homeland Security Task Force’s whole-of-government approach, HSI is committed to identifying and investigating cartel leadership and their networks, wherever they operate. We will continue to leverage every available tool to protect our communities, disrupt transnational criminal enterprises, and ensure those who threaten our nation’s safety and security are brought to justice.”
Farias Mendoza and Vega Farias are, respectively, Abuelo’s son and nephew. Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine for importation into the United States, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and using, carrying and possessing firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices, during and in relation to the alleged drug trafficking crime charged in their indictment. If convicted, both defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison.
HSI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Quencer for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Defendants Charged with Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was filed yesterday in federal court in Central Islip charging Saad Aziz and Zabed Chowdhury, also known as “Jared,” with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay health care kickbacks, paying health care kickbacks, and money laundering conspiracy. The defendants allegedly offered and paid health care kickbacks and submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for ambulette services to medical appointments that were not performed, or the costs were artificially inflated. The defendants were previously charged by complaint and will be arraigned at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), and Raymond A. Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendants turned a transportation program intended to provide vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries with access to critical medical care into a vehicle for personal enrichment,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “By paying illegal kickbacks, billing for rides that were never provided, and inflating reimbursement claims through false information, they allegedly stole tens of millions of taxpayer dollars. It is a priority of the Office and the Administration to protect the integrity of federally funded health care programs and to hold accountable those who seek to profit through fraud.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York's Homeland Security Task Force John F. Kennedy International Airport Financial Crimes Group and the Office of the New York State Comptroller for their work on the case.
“This scheme, as alleged, reflects an egregious abuse of the Medicaid program, diverting vital health care dollars away from the vulnerable individuals who depend on them,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz. “HHS‑OIG remains steadfast in working with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer funds and uphold the integrity of federally funded health care programs.”
IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge, Chavis, Jr. stated: “This scheme took advantage of a program meant to help people get to the medical care they rely on. By gaming the system for their own benefit, the defendants didn’t just misuse taxpayer money — they made it harder for people who genuinely need support. We’re committed to protecting public funds and making sure anyone who tries to commit fraud is held responsible.”
“Medicaid's transportation benefit exists so that vulnerable people can get the care they need. These defendants allegedly exploited that lifeline, paying kickbacks and billing for trips that never happened in order to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers,” stated Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney. “I thank the United States Attorney's Office, HHS-OIG, IRS-CI, and the State Comptroller for their partnership in rooting out this alleged scheme.”
As set forth in court filings, the defendants owned and operated Tri-Hamlet Taxi Inc. From approximately January 2019 to October 2025, the defendants paid illegal health care kickbacks to Medicaid beneficiaries to induce them to request medical transportation services from Tri-Hamlet Taxi, primarily for purported necessary methadone treatment. In reality, the defendants often did not provide the medical transportation services for which they billed Medicaid, yet, fraudulently submitted millions of dollars in claims for these nonexistent trips.
The defendants also systematically inflated their Medicaid reimbursements. Although numerous addiction treatment centers on Long Island were available to beneficiaries, the defendants directed beneficiaries to request transportation to addiction treatment centers in New York City and to provide false pickup or drop-off addresses so they could bill Medicaid for longer, more expensive trips. Through this scheme, the defendants submitted more than $18 million in claims for rides exceeding 75 miles and, overall, fraudulently billed Medicaid more than $35 million.
The defendants used the illicit proceeds of the scheme to, among other things, fund their lifestyles and purchase multiple investment properties and homes with a combined value of approximately $6 million.
If convicted of the charges, the defendants each face up to 20 years in prison, and restitution and forfeiture of at least $35 million, including several real properties and 15 bank accounts.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Adam R. Toporovsky is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section is handling forfeiture matters.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.
The Defendants:
SAAD AZIZ
Age: 52
Shirley, New YorkZABED CHOWDHURY (also known as “Jared”)
Age: 49
Lake Ronkonkoma, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-201 (NJC)
2026.07.01_filed_indictment.pdf 2026.07.01_tri-hamlet_bond_memo.pdfTwice Deported Ecuadorian National Previously Convicted of Sex Abuse, Other Offenses, Sentenced to 18 Months for Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE RAUL MAITA, 55, a citizen of Ecuador, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 1996, Maita was granted status as a legal permanent resident in the United States following approval of an application based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen. In February 1998, Maita was convicted in Westchester County Court in New York of sexual abuse first degree involving sexual contact by forcible compulsion. The victim of the offense was nine years old. Maita was sentenced to five years of probation and was required to register as a sex offender. In November 2000, Maita was convicted in New York of failure to register as a sex offender. In August 2001, he was convicted of driving while intoxicated and for violating his probation stemming from his sexual abuse conviction. Maita’s probation was revoked and he was sentenced to one year of incarceration. In October 2003, Maita was deported to Ecuador.
Maita illegally reentered the U.S. and, in November 2006, he was convicted in Westchester County Court of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. In April 2007, he was convicted in New York of failure to register as a sex offender. In April 2008, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Maita and, in October 2008, he was convicted in the Southern District of New York of unlawful reentry. In August 2009, Maita was again removed to Ecuador. He subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S.
On September 20, 2025, Maita, who identified himself as “Jose P. Maita” and provided a false date of birth, was arrested by the Connecticut State Police in Southbury on charges of illegal operation of a motor vehicle without a license and illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Maita was subsequently released on bond.
On November 4, 2025, the U.S. District Court in New Haven issued a criminal complaint charging Maita with unlawful reentry. Maita was located and arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on March 18, 2026, in Waterbury. He pleaded guilty to the offense on April 8, 2026.
Maita has been detained since his arrest.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Texas Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jazzmen La Vone Gaskins (39, Texas) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell to 15 years in federal prison for sex trafficking. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $40,000, the proceeds of the sex trafficking. Gaskins pleaded guilty on April 2, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between July 2023 and March 2024, Gaskins trafficked “Victim 1” using force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion to cause the victim to engage in a commercial sex act.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
Talbot County Man Indicted on Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced a federal grand jury indicted a Maryland man in connection with child sexual exploitation charges.
Timothy William Fish, 38, of McDaniel, is charged with producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), distribution of CSAM, and possession of CSAM.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; State’s Attorney Joseph Coale, Talbot County State’s Attorney’s Office; and Sheriff Joseph J. Gamble, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
According to the indictment, between December 2024 and October 2025, Fish sexually exploited a minor by recording her during video calls and recording himself with her while the two engaged in sexual acts. Fish then distributed some of the image and video files over Snapchat. During a search, law enforcement found multiple images of the minor, along with other CSAM, on Fish’s two cell phones.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Talbot County State’s Attorney’s Office, and TCSO for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Statement on Federal Decertification of the New York Medicaid Fraud Control UnitRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) has formally denied the recertification of the New York State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) and suspended its federal funding effective July 1, 2026. According to HHS-OIG’s findings, New York’s MFCU—despite receiving roughly $60 million in federal funding each year and employing more than 270 staff—has repeatedly produced the lowest levels of criminal Medicaid fraud enforcement among large states.
In FY 2023 and 2025, the Unit secured only eight to nine criminal indictments annually, while other states of similar size produced results in the hundreds. Over that same period, the Unit obtained just four convictions involving patient abuse or neglect, despite receiving more than 2,000 such referrals each year. HHS-OIG also identified long-standing issues that contributed to these outcomes, including slow case progression, a significant backlog in investigations, and systemic referral and tracking deficiencies.
In response to these persistent gaps, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York along with its partners in the Northern District of New York Healthcare Fraud Task Force have continued to expand its federal enforcement efforts involving Medicaid fraud, patient abuse, and related offenses to protect program integrity and ensure accountability.
“Attorney General James’ apparent inability to explain the New York MFCU’s indefensible criminal enforcement performance is not a political distraction as she puts it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “Instead, based on its own reported statistics, the New York MFCU—despite having a staff of 272 employees and a $60 million budget—has failed to address public benefits crime in any meaningful way. According to the data the unit is required to report to the HHS‑OIG for annual recertification, the New York MFCU averaged only nine criminal indictments per year from 2021 to 2025. Yet between 2016 and 2018—just prior to Ms. James taking office—the unit averaged more than 100 indictments per year.”
Sarcone continued, “Public benefits fraud and Medicaid fraud did not abruptly stop in 2019. Instead, under the failed leadership of AG James, criminal Medicaid fraud in New York State has been ignored. Highlighting civil recovery data—figures that may or may not combine New York’s results with those of other states to create an impression of financial success—only serves to gloss over and obscure the unit’s dramatic failure to enforce criminal law. Rather than spending resources ‘assessing legal options,’ the New York MFCU would better fulfill its mandate by focusing on investigating and prosecuting crime, as it is both required and funded to do.”
South Dakota Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Obtaining Drugs by FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Benjamin L. Wallace, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a South Dakota man has pleaded guilty to ordering thousands of opioid pills by stealing the identity of medical professionals with whom he worked. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall accepted the plea.
According to court documents, Ty Mauldin, 35, used his access as a medical biller and credentialer—which allowed him to obtain medical professionals’ licensure information—to order himself thousands of opioid pills through wholesale pharmaceutical suppliers, all unbeknownst to the medical professionals who were the victims of his scheme.
Mauldin also exploited this access to electronic medical records by falsifying his own health information so that he could pose as a cancer patient and thereby obtain pain management services, including the installation of an intrathecal pain pump and the prescription of opioids, all of which were paid for by his private health insurer.
Additionally, Mauldin represented himself as a certified health professional to his colleagues and patients, including holding himself out as a licensed nurse. Based on these false representations, Mauldin convinced a Nurse Practitioner to allow him to perform Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy on patients and then submitted false claims to Medicaid for reimbursement for performing said therapy.
Mauldin pleaded guilty to Aggravated Identify Theft and Obtaining Drugs (Oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance) by Fraud. He faces a mandatory minimum of 2 years in prison on the Aggravated Identity Theft charge, which would run consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed on the Obtaining Drugs by Fraud charge.The maximum penalty for the Obtaining Drugs by Fraud Charge is 4 years of imprisonment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace, FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings made the announcement. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Delaware Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. David Tambussi Jr. is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-cr-147.
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Six Charged in Homeland Security Task Force Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that six people have been charged with drug trafficking in the Madison, Wisconsin area. All the defendants have now made their initial appearances in federal court.
Christain Garrett, 26, Jerden Montgomery, 55, Edward McClain, 56, and Antanisha Branch, 29, of Madison, Wisconsin, and Tevin Newell, 27, and Cierra McGary, 28, of Chicago, Illinois, are charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, methamphetamine, and fentanyl between March 3, 2025, and January 27, 2026.
Montgomery is also charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon on October 9, 2025.
Garrett and Newell are also charged with possessing more than 280 grams of cocaine base intended for distribution on February 25, 2026.
Garrett appeared in federal court on March 2, 2026, and was ordered detained pending trial. Newell and McGary both appeared on May 7, 2026. Branch appeared on June 4, 2026. McClain made his initial appearance on June 11, 2026, while Montgomery appeared on June 12, 2026. Trial dates have not yet been set.
If convicted for their roles in the conspiracy, Garrett and Newell each face a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted, McGary faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted, Montgomery, McClain, and Branch each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charges against them are the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Madison Police Department, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigations, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program 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 federal 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.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sewell Man, a Former Marine, Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Forging Court Orders and Impersonating a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A former Marine pled guilty to sending false and fraudulent military orders and United States District Court Orders to various banks to obtain relief under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, forging a document with a judge’s signature, and impersonating a Federal Protective Services Inspector when searching a house, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Nicholas Cabral, 33, Sewell, New Jersey pled guilty to a three-Count Information, which charged him with one count of bank fraud, one count of counterfeiting and using an official court seal, and one count of impersonating a federal officer to conduct an unlawful search. The plea hearing took place before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA), 50 U.S.C.A § 3901 et. seq., postpones or suspends certain civil obligations to enable service members to devote their full attention to duty and to relieve stress on their families. The act covers obligations related to, among other things, outstanding credit card debt, mortgage payments, pending trials, taxes, termination of leases, eviction from housing, and life insurance protection. The SCRA covers all active-duty service members while on active duty.
Between November 2011 and May 30, 2014, Cabral served in the United States Marine Corps and was honorably discharged as a Private First Class. His separation from the Marine Corps was due to a disability that existed before his military service. After discharge, Cabral never again served in the U.S. Military as either an active-duty or reserve member.
After his military discharge, and before July 4, 2019, Cabral decided to use the SCRA to have financial institutions change his annual credit interest rates and give him relief from payments and fees. To convince the financial institutions that he was eligible for relief under the SCRA, Cabral mailed false and fraudulent military orders purportedly issued by the Department of the Army and the Department of the Navy.
In those false orders, Cabral represented that he currently was a Captain in the U.S. Army or a Lieutenant and then a Captain in the U.S. Marines who was called for active duty for a period of at least 180 days. The fraudulent orders were purportedly signed by a military official. Between July 2019 and November 2022, Cabral mailed at least 9 fraudulent military orders to various financial institutions to obtain benefits under the SCRA. Once received, at least one financial institution granted Cabral’s request and returned fees associated with his account; adjusted his Annual Percentage Rate; suspended all annual fees, late fees, returned-payment fees, cash advance fees, and authorized user card fees; and adjusted the minimum monthly payment to $0 for the duration of his fictitious deployment.
Additionally, Cabral mailed fraudulent court orders to various financial institutions in September 2024. The fraudulent court orders were purportedly based on civil complaints filed pursuant to the SCRA in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The fraudulent court orders alleged that the financial institutions failed to appear on September 19, 2024 before the New Jersey District Court Judge Kevin McNulty for a hearing on a motion that Cabral had filed. The fraudulent court orders made findings of facts that, among other things, Cabral was an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces and entitled to protection under the Servicemember Civil Relief Act. The court orders also found that the financial institutions failed to appear and had violated the SCRA. The fraudulent court orders required the financial institutions to remove any negative remarks on Cabral’s credit report and purportedly found that Cabral was in compliance and had made timely payments based on the SCRA. The fraudulent court orders bore the forged signature of the Honorable Kevin McCarthy.
Finally, Cabral was never employed by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service (FPS) as an Inspector. Despite that fact, on December 10, 2025, Cabral called the Washington Township Police Department (WTPD) non-emergency telephone number and reported that he observed the front door of a residence in Sewell, New Jersey ajar. As the WTPD Officer arrived at that residence, Cabral arrived driving a marked “Homeland Security Police” Dodge Charger with its overhead emergency lights on. Cabral emerged from the FPS-marked police vehicle while wearing a gold-colored badge and semi-automatic handgun in a holster on his belt. When asked by the WTPD Officer if he was a Homeland Security officer, Cabral responded “Homeland, yeah.”
After speaking with the WTPD Officer, Cabral drew his semi-automatic pistol from the holster and entered the residence. While inside the house, Cabral shouted “police department” while searching the residence. Cabral admitted to driving the “Homeland Security Police” vehicle on other occasions without permission.
The bank fraud charge to which Cabral pled guilty carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a statutory maximum fine equal to the greatest of $1,000,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss, whichever is greatest. The Seals of Court charge to which Cabral pled guilty carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and the impersonation of a federal law enforcement officer to conduct a search carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 3 years. Both of those violations also carry a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Cabral’s sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Maltese, Postal Inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Deputy U.S. Marshals of the United States Marshal Service, under the direction of United States Marshal Nicholas Ricigliano, Special Agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., Special Agents of the Defense Logistics Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Defense Logistics Agency Inspector General David Opatz and Detectives and officers of the Washington Township Police Department, under the direction of Sergeant Robert Durham, Captain Tim Breen and Chief Robert Durham, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanks the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, Special Agents of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Richardson of the Criminal Division in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Jerome Ballarotto, Esq. Trenton.
cabral.information.pdfSeattle man who sexually assaulted teen on flight from Billings, Montana, to Seattle sentenced to 18 months in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 58-year-old Seattle man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 months in prison for abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Keith Witt was convicted by a jury in February 2026, finding he molested the 19-year-old victim on an August 11, 2023, flight from Billings, Montana to Seattle. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez noted that Witt testified falsely at the trial. “It was a deliberate attempt to get the jurors to look at the evidence in a different light… Perjured testimony to try to convince the jury the conduct did not happen. Abusive sexual contact on an aircraft is a serious offense with serious consequences.”
“The Western District of Washington is leading the way in holding offenders who prey on victims aboard aircraft accountable,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “The office has prosecuted at least 15 of these cases in the last three years, and at least six of these cases have gone to trial before a jury—each resulting in a guilty verdict. We will keep doing this work to get justice for victims and to deter those who mistakenly think such conduct on an aircraft will escape punishment.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, the victim was in the window seat, and Witt was next to her in the aisle seat on the 90-minute flight. Witt engaged the victim in conversation immediately upon boarding. The victim testified that he asked a number or personal questions that made her uncomfortable and touched her shoulder and earbuds, invading her space. The victim moved as far as she could towards the wall of the plane and feigned sleep to avoid having to interact further.
As she pretended to sleep, the victim felt Witt’s hand first move to her seat and touch her thigh. After pausing, he continued to move his hand up along her thigh onto her inner thigh. Witt pulled his hand away when the flight attendant came by but placed it back on the victim’s thigh once the flight attendant had left. The victim flinched, and Witt would remove his hand, only to move it slowly back a few moments later. She flinched again and after pulling his hand away quickly, he would soon return his hand to her thigh and slowly move up toward her genitalia. When the victim opened one eye, she was able to see that Witt appeared to be sexually aroused, and he was rubbing his erection. When Witt’s hand was within one to two inches of her genitalia, the victim pretended to wake up and go to the lavatory to get away from Witt. She went to the front of the plane, where she reported the conduct to the flight crew and closed herself in the restroom. In tears, she texted her mother about what had happened.
The flight attendants moved Witt to a seat at the back of the plane and reported the incident to the flight crew. The flight crew alerted personnel at SeaTac Airport, who contacted the Port of Seattle Police who met the plane and interviewed both Witt and the victim.
In asking for a 21-month prison sentence, prosecutors told the court that Witt sexually assaulted and traumatized a teen-aged girl. The sentence should send a message of deterrence to such abuse. “A plane is a uniquely vulnerable environment: passengers are often seated in close proximity to strangers, with little room and few options for removing themselves from unwanted situations; passengers regularly attempt to sleep on planes while sitting next to unknown persons, increasing their vulnerability; and outside of a passenger’s immediate neighbors (assuming there are any), there is limited visibility and a low likelihood of witnesses, particularly when cabin lights are dimmed and other passengers are asleep or focused on screens. These factors embolden perpetrators who believe they can engage in sexual misconduct with impunity,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Martinez ordered Witt to pay a $10,000 fine and more than $4,000 in restitution to the victim. Witt will be on five years of supervised release following prison and is required to register as a sex offender.
Judge Martinez noted the courage of the victim in coming forward saying, “Unfortunately, this type of offense happens more often than reported. Victims may decide to live with it rather than go through reporting to law enforcement and a trial.” The judge noted that the sentence must deter others from thinking they could get away with abusive sexual contact on an aircraft.
“The courage this young woman showed in reporting her traumatic and disturbing experience to the flight crew is admirable,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Many people may not know it, but sexual misconduct on aircraft is a federal crime, one the FBI takes seriously. We encourage victims and witnesses to report these crimes to the flight crew, Port of Seattle Police or your local airport police, and the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Yemini and Brian Wynne.
Romanian Man Sentenced to 15 months Imprisonment for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI –United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper of the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Beni Lacatusu, aka Beni Aleman, aka Beni Burcea, 34, of Romania, was sentenced on June 25, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy to 15 months imprisonment for illegally entering the United States after having been previously removed.
According to court documents, on December 11, 2025, Lacatusu was encountered by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents near the Nisky Center in St. Thomas, VI. Agents stopped the defendant and another male, introduced themselves as “Immigration,” and asked the men about their nationality. Lacatusu stated that he was Romanian and did not have status to be in the United States legally. Lacatusu was taken to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office where he was confirmed to be a Romanian citizen without legal status to be present in the United States.
While performing routine records checks to confirm the identity of Lacatusu, agents discovered that Lacatusu had previously been deported twice on June 21, 2019, and July 4, 2025, from New York, New York. Further record checks revealed that Lacatusu was convicted of felony offenses of credit card theft and fraud in Freehold, New Jersey on April 17, 2025, and had five outstanding warrants spanning four states. He was also convicted of Illegal Re-entry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326, on June 6, 2025, in the District of New Jersey, and received a sentence of time served.
The case was investigated by HSI. It was prosecuted by Criminal Chief Kyle Payne of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.Red Lodge man sentenced to over 18 years in prison for drug, gun crimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Red Lodge man who trafficking large amounts of meth into Montana and unlawfully possessed a handgun was sentenced Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Chad Allen Bachmann, 46, who pleaded guilty in January 2026, was sentenced to 18 years and eight months in prison with five years of supervised release for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release for one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Both sentences will run concurrently.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Bachmann had smuggled roughly 20 pounds of methamphetamine into Montana from the Pacific Northwest, and that he unlawfully owned a handgun.
In early spring 2025, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force received information that Bachmann was possibly involved in trafficking meth. After surveillance, agents obtained a warrant for Bachmann’s storage unit and searched it on May 29, 2025. They found Bachmann inside.
Bachmann acknowledged after the search that he had trafficked “large amounts” of meth from Washington, Oregon, and California into Montana. He admitted to taking multiple trips to meet with his suppliers, two men he knew only as “Tony” and “Tiger.” In the storage unit, agents found 14 pounds of meth, $10,520 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and a drug ledger. In Bachmann’s truck, they found a .45 pistol. Bachmann has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In June 2025, law enforcement learned Bachmann was continuing to sell meth and was planning to leave the state to renew his supply. Using a search warrant, Task Force members monitored Bachmann’s truck and tracked it travelling to Spokane, Washington, and back into Montana. West of Missoula, Montana Highway Patrol pulled Bachmann over and found 6 pounds of meth in his truck.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
Pottstown & Wayne-Area Physician Agrees to Pay $100,000 to Resolve Alleged Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Xiang Yuan, M.D., will pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) by failing to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances, writing a prescription of stock, and improperly moving controlled substances from his registered address. The United States’ investigation involved Yuan’s medical practice located at 600 Creekside Drive, Pottstown, PA 19464.
As part of the settlement, Yuan has entered into a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), which includes additional responsibilities regarding the handling of controlled substances. The MOA imposes compliance obligations significantly more stringent than those in the applicable laws and regulations.
“Physicians who fail to maintain proper records of controlled substances create conditions ripe for diversion, or, at worst, may be engaging in diversion itself,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Physicians have a responsibility to ensure that all controlled substances are tracked through a distribution chain and are prescribed in the usual course of professional practice. Our office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the Controlled Substances Act and we will vigorously enforce violations whenever we find them.”
“This investigation further solidifies this District’s focus on holding healthcare providers and pharmacies accountable for their handling of controlled substances, and the importance of maintaining an honest inventory balance, instead of putting profits at the forefront.”
“The goal of DEA’s closed system of distribution is to ensure accountability for controlled substances,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In prescribing controlled substances ‘for stock,’ Dr. Yuan made himself a middleman in this same closed system and created an environment where controlled substances are not properly inventoried or secured.”
Congress enacted the CSA to deter the illegal importation, manufacture, distribution, possession, and improper use of controlled substances, including prescription medications, and requires individuals and entities registered with the DEA to maintain complete and accurate records of all controlled substances and security systems so that controlled substances are not lost, stolen, or inappropriately dispensed.
“The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating diversion of controlled substances, and this resolution highlights this District’s continued emphasis on combating fraud, waste, and abuse, while maintaining one of the most active affirmative civil dockets in the country,” said Metcalf. “The record keeping and other regulations applicable to DEA registrants, including physicians, are the tools by which the DEA deters drug diversion.”
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division, Diversion Regulatory Group 72. For the United States Attorney’s Office, Assistant United States Attorney Alfred J. Vogt handled the investigation.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Portland Man Charged with Firearm Offenses After Firearms Went Missing at the Portland International AirportRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Terell Wayne Overton, 51, of Portland, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with felon in possession of a firearm and theft of a firearm after multiple victims reported firearms stolen at the Portland International Airport.
According to court documents, in June 2026, the Port of Portland Police began receiving a series of calls from airline passengers traveling through Portland International Airport reporting that their firearms did not arrive at their destinations and were missing. On June 28, 2026, a victim called to report their firearm was stolen, which had an Apple AirTag inside the locked case. Police used the AirTag information, which led them to Overton and a black backpack.
Pursuant to a search warrant, investigators searched the backpack and found a locked handgun case containing the handgun the victim had reported stolen.
Overton made his first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. magistrate judge. He was ordered released pending further court proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The FBI, Port of Portland Police, and PDX Task Force are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Firearms into New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in prison for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy that funneled unserialized guns from Pennsylvania into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Evander Theus, 27, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner on February 11, 2026 in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with conspiracy to traffic firearms.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between April 2025 and August 2025, Theus, who was not a licensed firearms dealer, conspired with others to sell and traffic 47 firearms in Middlesex, New Jersey, which either had a defaced serial number or were privately made firearms (also known as “ghost guns”) lacking a serial number.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Theus to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; and personnel with the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard G. Shephard and R. Joseph Gribko of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton.
Operation Patriot Shield Results in Arrest of 224 Fugitives in Missouri and IllinoisRead the Press Release
ST, LOUIS, MO. – The United States Attorneys and United States Marshals for the Southern District of Illinois and Eastern District of Missouri announced today the results of a regional public safety initiative led by the U.S. Marshals Service and its task force law enforcement partners.
The coordinated effort was executed over the month of June and was designed to promote safe communities in advance of our country’s 250th Birthday.
Since June 1, the U.S. Marshals Service and task force members have arrested 224 fugitives in both Missouri and Illinois during Operation Patriot Shield, clearing 290 outstanding felony arrest warrants. Sixteen of those arrested in Illinois and six in Missouri have been linked to gangs. About 31% of those warrants were for narcotics charges, 28% for weapons offenses and at least 20% for violent crimes including homicide. Deputy U.S. Marshals also seized fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamines, marijuana and 32 firearms.
Deputy Marshals also located three missing children.
“This work highlights the mission and accomplishments of the men and women of the United States Marshals Service and the great work in conjunction with our state and local partners through our Task Force Officer Program,” said U.S. Marshal Steven Lewis of the Eastern District of Missouri. “While our deputies are on the streets daily serving high risk warrants and taking truly dangerous criminals off the streets, the ability to perform operations such as Patriot Shield show the tenacity and capabilities of the United States Marshals Service. We are proud to contribute to a safer America.
“Operation Patriot Shield represented an intensive effort by the U.S. Marshals Service in the apprehension of the most violent offenders in the St. Louis Metro Area and the Southern District of Illinois,” said Southern District of Illinois U.S. Marshal David C. Davis. “The task force concentrated on arresting the most egregious defendants who were wanted for homicide, drug offenses, weapons offenses, and other violent crimes. The USMS was successful in this operation because of our dedicated task force partners who participated in this operation, and we are appreciative for their enduring support. We believe it is essential that U.S. Marshals Service continue to combine the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives to reduce violent crime in our communities.”
“Our goal with Operation Patriot Shield is to try to head off the typical summer surge in violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus of the Eastern District of Missouri. “The U.S. Marshals Service arrested fugitives with active warrants in state and federal court involving crimes ranging from criminal sexual assault to drug trafficking to murder. These are folks who have been actively evading capture, some through the use of an alias and others by fleeing the jurisdiction where they were charged. We have also sought and obtained federal indictments against nearly three dozen people during that period.”
Since June 3, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has indicted 35 people for violent crimes, drug crimes and/or gun crimes. Most are alleged to have been found with drugs, guns or both during the investigation and some are felons previously convicted of violent crimes.
In June, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois has indicted 11 defendants for violent crimes, including crimes involving firearms, assault, drugs, and child sexual exploitation.
“Those indictments represent just a snapshot of the work we do every day to try and keep the St. Louis area safe,” U.S. Attorney Albus said. “And those efforts aren’t stopping. We will continue to aggressively prosecute violent crime, and we have more anticrime efforts in the works.”
“Operation Patriot Shield is about more than arrests. It is about reclaiming safe communities — freedom from killers, shooters, sex offenders, and drug dealers — so Americans can enjoy the way of life envisioned by our Founders as we celebrate the blessings of liberty on America’s 250th anniversary,” said Southern Illinois U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
Some of 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.
Some are also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Chicago comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, IRS-CI, HIDTA, and DSS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
The U.S. Marshals Service Southern District of Illinois Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force consists of participating agencies from the Illinois State Police, Belleville Police Department, Granite City Police Department, Alton Police Department, ATF Chicago, Homeland Security Investigations, Illinois Department of Corrections – Parole, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department.
Operation Patriot Shield Results in Arrest of 224 Fugitives in Missouri and IllinoisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The United States Attorneys and United States Marshals for the Southern District of Illinois and Eastern District of Missouri announced today the results of a regional public safety initiative led by the U.S. Marshals Service and its task force law enforcement partners.
The coordinated effort was executed over the month of June and was designed to promote safe communities in advance of our country’s 250th Birthday.
Since June 1, the U.S. Marshals Service and task force members have arrested 224 fugitives in both Missouri and Illinois during Operation Patriot Shield, clearing 290 outstanding felony arrest warrants. Sixteen of those arrested in Illinois and six in Missouri have been linked to gangs. About 31% of those warrants were for narcotics charges, 28% for weapons offenses and at least 20% for violent crimes including homicide. Deputy U.S. Marshals also seized fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamines, marijuana and 32 firearms.
Deputy Marshals also located three missing children.
“This work highlights the mission and accomplishments of the men and women of the United States Marshals Service and the great work in conjunction with our state and local partners through our Task Force Officer Program,” said U.S. Marshal Steven Lewis of the Eastern District of Missouri. “While our deputies are on the streets daily serving high risk warrants and taking truly dangerous criminals off the streets, the ability to perform operations such as Patriot Shield show the tenacity and capabilities of the United States Marshals Service. We are proud to contribute to a safer America.
“Operation Patriot Shield represented an intensive effort by the U.S. Marshals Service in the apprehension of the most violent offenders in the St. Louis Metro Area and the Southern District of Illinois,” said Southern District of Illinois U.S. Marshal David C. Davis. “The task force concentrated on arresting the most egregious defendants who were wanted for homicide, drug offenses, weapons offenses, and other violent crimes. The USMS was successful in this operation because of our dedicated task force partners who participated in this operation, and we are appreciative for their enduring support. We believe it is essential that U.S. Marshals Service continue to combine the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives to reduce violent crime in our communities.”
“Our goal with Operation Patriot Shield is to try to head off the typical summer surge in violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus of the Eastern District of Missouri. “The U.S. Marshals Service arrested fugitives with active warrants in state and federal court involving crimes ranging from criminal sexual assault to drug trafficking to murder. These are folks who have been actively evading capture, some through the use of an alias and others by fleeing the jurisdiction where they were charged. We have also sought and obtained federal indictments against nearly three dozen people during that period.”
Since June 3, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has indicted 35 people for violent crimes, drug crimes and/or gun crimes. Most are alleged to have been found with drugs, guns or both during the investigation and some are felons previously convicted of violent crimes.
In June, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois has indicted 11 defendants for violent crimes, including crimes involving firearms, assault, drugs, and child sexual exploitation.
“Those indictments represent just a snapshot of the work we do every day to try and keep the St. Louis area safe,” U.S. Attorney Albus said. “And those efforts aren’t stopping. We will continue to aggressively prosecute violent crime, and we have more anticrime efforts in the works.”
“Operation Patriot Shield is about more than arrests. It is about reclaiming safe communities — freedom from killers, shooters, sex offenders, and drug dealers — so Americans can enjoy the way of life envisioned by our Founders as we celebrate the blessings of liberty on America’s 250th anniversary,” said Southern Illinois U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
Some of 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Some are also 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 St. Louis comprises agents and officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Untied States Marshal Service (USMS); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Olean man pleads guilty to narcotics conspiracy chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Theodore E. Coffie a/k/a Teddy Ticklez, 55, of Olean, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to narcotics conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
Coffie was a drug trafficking associate of Charles Washington a/k/a Telly, a Jamestown-based drug trafficker. He sold marijuana, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine supplied Washington, utilizing social media to conduct his drug trafficking activities.
On March 5, 2025, Coffie possessed a firearm. He was previously convicted of felonies in February 2023, in Cattaraugus County Court, in June 1993, September 2002, and August 2008, in Monroe County Court, and in November 2007, in Livingston County Court, and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. That same day, Olean Police Department investigators conducted a controlled narcotics purchase from Coffie, who was arrested a short time later. During a search of Coffie, they recovered a loaded handgun, and approximately 20 grams of crack cocaine, and two cell phones.
Charges remain pending against co-defendant Charles Washington.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Emergency Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Northampton Felon Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Gas Station Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Timarcus Lavonnte Britt, 29, to 35 years in federal prison for robbing four gas stations while brandishing a gun.
“Britt and his crew of thugs terrorized hard-working citizens as they prowled around Eastern NC one late night in July 2023. These men traded decades of their lives to steal a few bucks and cheap cigars. For the next 35 years, he can sit behind federal bars, living with the weight of his crimes and reflecting on the consequences of his actions: steal, gets steel.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
Three individuals including Britt, Jaliek Grant, and a juvenile, engaged in a spree of four armed robberies on July 11, 2023, between 1:00 and 4:00 a.m. in Greenville, Williamston, and Robersonville. Britt’s crew started by driving over 50 miles from their homes in Northampton County to Greenville and robbed a woman at gunpoint in the parking lot outside of a Speedway on Highway 264. The victim described how two masked men ran up on each side of her car, pointed guns at her, and took her cell phone.
Next, they drove to another Speedway in Greenville. Two masked men burst into the store waving guns with extended magazines. They pushed behind the counter, shoved the guns into the cashier’s face, and demanded money. After emptying the register and stealing the cashier’s phone, they ran out of the store.
Then the crew drove to a Speedway on NC 33 in Greenville, wearing the same outfits and armed with guns. Again, they pointed their guns at the cashier’s head, emptied the register, and stole cigarettes and Backwoods cigarillos. They repeated the same pattern at Speedway stores in Williamston and Robersonville—two suspects, same outfits, same guns, shoved in the cashiers’ faces, and stole money, cigarettes, and Backwoods cigarillos.
Britt’s gang ended their spree at a Speedway in Oak City. After the spate of other robberies, Martin County Sheriff’s Deputies thankfully called ahead to employees at the Oak City store with a timely warning: lock the doors. When the criminals arrived at the Oak City store at 4:15 a.m., they could not figure how to open the glass doors, so they just tucked their tails and ran away.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The FBI, ATF, Greenville Police Department, Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, Williamston Police Department, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, and Robersonville Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-00068-C-2.
No one is above the law—Florida mother-daughter duo sentenced and ordered to pay over $800k for fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Tera Marie Campbell, 47, of Maitland, Florida, and her daughter, Tayler Ann Krauss, 27, of McDavid, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.
Campbell was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, while Krauss received two years of home confinement. The court ordered both women to pay $735,717.63 in restitution to Wyoming Medicaid for losses related to the conspiracy. The judge also ordered Campbell to pay $135,890.91 to the military's Tricare program, specifying that Krauss is co-responsible for up to $71,509.44 of the Tricare total. Separately, Campbell was sentenced in January for related frauds in North Dakota, where she received a three-year suspended sentence, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to repay an additional $225,000 to North Dakota’s Medicaid program.
According to court documents, Campbell, was the owner of The Olive Branch, LLC, a behavioral health clinic that offered services for children with autism in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Minot, North Dakota. The charges accused Campbell of using the clinic to orchestrate a multi-year Medicaid fraud scheme that included fraudulent Medicaid claims for uncertified care, claims upcoded to a higher-paying service, and bills for services that did not occur. This included dates when the clinic was closed and while Campbell was out of the country on vacation. Investigators alleged Krauss worked as a medical biller and assisted with service documentation for the clinic from December 2020 through October 2022. The investigation found the clinic relied extensively on untrained employees, falsified certification and supervision records, and submitted fraudulent claims despite knowing the services did not meet Medicaid requirements. The pair was indicted on May 21, 2025, and pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin sentenced Krauss on June 29 and Campbell on June 30 in Cheyenne.
This case is the result of a joint investigation between the Wyoming Attorney General's Office's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Kirchefer prosecuted the case.
“Medicaid fraud steals taxpayer dollars from programs that millions of Americans depend on and undermines care for vulnerable patients,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “I am committed to holding accountable those who exploit these programs for personal gain. Working alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute healthcare fraud to protect public resources and preserve the integrity of our nation's healthcare system.”
“This prosecution represents a successful partnership between state and federal law enforcement agencies to combat fraud,” said Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz as he praised the work of his office's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The Wyoming Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes fraud and related crimes committed by Wyoming Medicaid providers. The unit also investigates and prosecutes instances of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation by Medicaid providers and in Medicaid-funded settings.
Suspected fraud against Medicaid or Medicare can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) and the agency’s website https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/. Wyoming residents can call the Wyoming Medicaid Fraud Control Unit toll free at 1-800-378-0345, or visit their website at http://ag.wyo.gov/medicaid-fraud-control-unit.
Case No. 25-CR-00091
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –ERIC ROGERS, (“ROGERS”), age 35, was sentenced on June 16, 2026, by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. ROGERS was sentenced to 92 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on October 10, 2024, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Department of Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents, and New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) special operations division officers arrived at ROGERS’s residence in New Orleans, to arrest him on an outstanding warrant. As officers approached, ROGERS fled into the house. Law enforcement then ordered ROGERS and all occupants to exit, but ROGERS refused to comply. An ATF special agent then called ROGERS on the telephone and instructed ROGERS to surrender with his shirt off and hands raised to show that he was unarmed. Shortly after, ROGERS exited the residence and surrendered to law enforcement. During a search of the residence, law enforcement discovered a stolen Sig Sauer, Model SP2022, .40 caliber pistol concealed among pots and pans beneath the kitchen sink. ROGERS knew that he was previously convicted of a felony offense and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Mobile Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Samuel Paul Poulos, age 51, was sentenced today to 7 years in prison after entering a guilty plea to one count of distributing child pornography on March 10, 2026.
According to court documents, during June 2025, law enforcement identified Poulos as an active participant in an online chat room dedicated to the sharing child pornography. Investigators observed Poulos distributing videos depicting sexual abuse of children through the chat room.
On November 13, 2025, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Poulos’ residence and seized his cell phone. A forensic examination of the device revealed thousands of images and videos depicting sexual abuse of children. During an interview with investigators, Poulos admitted that he viewed child pornography and stored the files in a hidden folder on his phone.
United States District Judge DuBose sentenced Poulos to 84-month imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. As conditions of supervision, Poulos must participate in sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment. He also must register as a sex offender and is prohibited from having contact with minors.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Poulos to pay a $100 special assessment and $74,500 in restitution to victims.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.
Maryland Man Indicted for Vandalizing Reflecting PoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was returned today charging David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, for charges related to vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 19, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“After months of renovations ordered by President Trump to prepare our capital for America’s 250th anniversary—including the restoration of more than 50 parks, 48 monuments, and 22 fountains—these deliberate acts of destruction set back real progress and violate the law,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Vandalism at treasured places like the Reflecting Pool is an affront to our shared history and the dignity of our national heritage. These monuments belong to all of us, and we will protect them—and hold accountable those who seek to deface or diminish them.”
On July 2, 2026, a grand jury in Superior Court returned an indictment against Hearn for one count of felony destruction of property in violation of DC Code § 22–303. A court hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2026.
The indictment was in response to an incident that occurred on June 19, 2026, in which Hearn allegedly ripped a piece of the recently installed blue pool sealant on the bottom of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Deputy Chief David Lamond of the U.S. Park Police.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Park Police.
These charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Stabbing Passenger During Flight to Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A man granted legal permanent resident status in 2018 from Mexico pleaded guilty on Tuesday to stabbing another passenger on a flight from Seattle, Washington, to Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 24, 2024, Julio Alvarez Lopez, punched, hit, and stabbed another passenger on a flight with a dangerous homemade weapon, consisting of three pens bound together with hair bands. The victim suffered injuries to the body and eye area, requiring stitches. After Lopez stopped stabbing the victim, he began walking towards the front of the aircraft and was restrained for the remainder of the flight.
The flight landed at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Lopez was taken into custody by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. During an interview in which Lopez waived his Miranda rights, he admitted that he armed himself with his homemade weapon, selected the victim because the victim had been looking at him in a harassing way, and attempted to murder the victim by shoving the homemade weapon into the victim’s brain.
Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office, and Supervisory Air Marshal in Charge Garrett Donaldson - LE/FAMS Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenna Bush is prosecuting the case.
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Man Admits Guilt to Threatening the President and ICERead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg, West Virginia man has admitted to making threats against President Donald J. Trump and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Cody Lee Smith, 20, admitted to making threats to kill the President and to harm ICE agents. According to court statements, on January 17, 2026, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department reported that Smith had posted threats on social media, including threats to attack and kill ICE agents and President Trump. Homeland Security and ICE agents reviewed his Instagram posts and confirmed multiple threats against President Trump, his supporters, and federal law enforcement. That same day, Smith also sent a direct Instagram message to Donald J. Trump Jr. containing a sexually violent threat against President Trump. On January 18, 2026, Smith called the ICE tip line and threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg, as well as the operator and the operator’s family.
Smith faces up to 5 years for the presidential threat charge and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the threats against ICE. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
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Lexington Park Felon Indicted in Connection with Sales of Firearms and FentanylRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a grand jury issued a 13-count indictment against a Lexington Park drug trafficker, stemming from a federal drug-and-firearms investigation.
Paul Dewayne Dorsey, 46, is charged with distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. These charges are in connection with the sale of firearms and fentanyl across multiple counties in Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); and Sheriff Steven A. Hall, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the indictment, beginning in November 2025, and continuing into May 2026, Dorsey distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl to an undercover officer on eight separate occasions. On three of these occasions, Dorsey sold one or more firearms, in addition to the controlled substance. Dorsey is prohibited from possessing any firearms due to at least one prior felony conviction.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Dorsey faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of up to 40 years in prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl; a mandatory minimum of five years, consecutive to all other charges, and a maximum of up to life for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and a maximum of 15 years for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, MSP, and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Brosh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Lehigh County Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Distributing A Fatal Dose of FentanylRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dimitris Smith, Jr., age 48, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 1, 2026, to life imprisonment by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for distributing fentanyl resulting in death.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Smith distributed a deadly dose of fentanyl on December 11, 2023, in East Stroudsburg, Monroe County. A 38 year old female died after ingesting the fentanyl. Between March 14, 2024, and April 1, 2024, Smith also distributed fentanyl and cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer. During this time period Smith was on federal supervised release from a prior drug trafficking conviction. On January 26, 2026, Senior United States Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Smith to 2 years imprisonment, to be served consecutive to the sentence on this case, for the supervised release violation. This is Smith’s third federal drug trafficking conviction.
During the five-day trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented testimony of 32 witnesses, including experts in forensic pathology, forensic toxicology, serology DNA profiling, forensic chemistry and historical cell site data. Witness testimony, the victim’s cell phone data and text messages, DNA evidence seized at the crime scene, and CashApp payment records were among the evidence presented that proved Smith was the dealer who supplied the fentanyl that killed the victim.
The FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Patrick Bannon 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.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Lame Deer woman sentenced to 6 years in prison for sex trafficking a childRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Lame Deer woman who trafficked a child for sex was sentenced today to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Veronica Clarice Baker, 31, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of sex trafficking a minor.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in spring 2023, Baker met Dr. Usman Khan on a social media website for people interested in a commercial sex relationship. On April 9, 2023, Baker and Khan arranged a commercial sex date between Khan and an underage girl. Baker had known the girl for some time and knew she was a minor; the girl had, on occasion, watched Baker’s children.
On April 9, 2023, while Baker and Khan were texting about Baker providing the girl for a commercial sex date, Baker and the girl were in a hotel room in Billings. Baker sent Khan pictures of her and of the girl, and she and Khan discussed rates. Ultimately, Baker agreed to take the girl to Khan’s residence for the commercial sex date. Baker delivered the girl, and Khan had sex with her. Khan paid the girl for the encounter, and the girl provided some of the money to Baker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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.
Juvenile probation officer sentenced to federal prison for soliciting sexual relations with an eleven-year-old in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A juvenile probation officer was sentenced to federal prison for 190 months for soliciting sexual relations with an eleven-year-old, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Steven Dale Criddle, 51, a former Juvenile Probation Officer from Bryan, Texas, pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and was sentenced to 190 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 1, 2026.
According to information presented in court, Criddle was convicted for conversing on the dark web with who he believed to be a mother that would allow Criddle to sexually molest her eleven-year-old daughter. Arrangements were made, and on September 28, 2025, Criddle drove three hours from Bryan to Wylie, Texas, the location where he planned to sexually molest the eleven-year-old girl. Criddle was apprehended by law enforcement and admitted that he traveled to Wylie to sexually molest the girl. He further admitted that he had child pornography on his cell phone.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Anderson.
Justice Department Rejects International Criminal Court Jurisdiction over U.S. PersonsRead the Press Release
In a letter this week addressed to the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote that the Department of Justice rejects any assertion of jurisdiction by the ICC over Americans.
The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and has never consented to the ICC’s authority. As a matter of international law, a treaty cannot bind a non-consenting country. Accordingly, the ICC has no jurisdiction over Americans — anywhere in the world — and any attempt to assert such authority is illegitimate, unlawful, and a direct affront to the sovereignty of the United States.
“The ICC has acted in an increasingly lawless and illegitimate manner,” writes Blanche in his letter to Judge Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court. “Its record of selective enforcement and credible allegations of internal misconduct raise serious doubts about the ICC’s impartiality, credibility, and legitimacy.”
In 2002, Congress passed the American Servicemembers’ Protection Act which expressly repudiates ICC jurisdiction over U.S. persons, including U.S. servicemembers, government officials, and civilians. The statute prohibits cooperation with the ICC and authorizes the President to use all means necessary and appropriate to secure the release of any U.S. person detained pursuant to any ICC warrant or request.
Going forward, the United States will not cooperate with any ICC investigation, inquiry, summons, or proceeding. This includes the extradition or transfer any U.S. person to the ICC. The Department will also oppose any effort by other countries to do so.
“The Department of Justice is fully committed to defending our Nation’s sovereignty and protecting the rights of U.S. persons against unlawful international overreach,” the letter continues. “Our Constitution — the supreme law of the land — vests the judicial power of the United States in its own courts, and our legal system is the envy of the world. The United States will not subordinate the liberty and security of our people to a foreign tribunal in The Hague with no accountability to any electorate or fidelity to the Constitution.”