Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
29 June 2026
Jacksonville Robbery Crew Sentenced to Federal Prison for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Tresonda Benefield (26), Nathanial Carter (25), Jakeithiyan Daniel (25), and Jackeri Lewis (28), all residents of Jacksonville, have been sentenced by United States Judge Jordan E. Pratt to federal prison terms for their involvement in a series of armed robberies of retail stores in Jacksonville. Benefield, Carter, and Lewis were each sentenced to 16 years and 1 month in federal prison and Daniel was sentenced to 14 years and 6 months in federal prison. In addition to their prison sentences, they were also ordered to pay restitution for the money they stole. Benefield, Carter, and Daniel pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, and Lewis pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between April 9 and May 1, 2024, the crew robbed four stores in Jacksonville. Benefield, Carter, and Lewis participated in all four robberies, while Daniel was involved in the last two. Benefield surveilled each of the stores prior to the robberies and drove the rest of the participants to the stores a few minutes prior to closing. Once the store employees began to lock up the store at night, the crew approached the employees wearing masks and brandishing firearms, demanding that they go back inside the store to unlock the safe. The store employees were then forced to hand over the money inside the safe. The group collectively stole more than $11,000 from the four stores.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Illegal aliens face immediate deportation for immigration violationsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants illegally inside the United States were sentenced in federal court in the Southern District of Georgia and transferred to immigration authorities for immediate deportation.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker, and announced by Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
- Aguelio Lemos Hernandez, 35, of Honduras, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Hernandez was identified as an illegal alien in January 2026 during a traffic stop in Chatham County and transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- Henry Marin-Hernandez, 41, of Guatemala, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Marin-Hernandez was identified as an illegal alien in February 2026 during a traffic stop in Chatham County and transferred to ICE custody.
- Luis Angel Velasquez-Montes, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Hernandez was identified as an illegal alien in April 2026 during a traffic stop in Chatham County and transferred to ICE custody.
- Miguel Aparicio-Ortiz, 40, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Aparicio-Ortiz was identified as an illegal alien in January 2026 during a traffic stop in Chatham County and transferred to ICE custody.
- Moises Valenzuela-Mendez, 42, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Valenzuela-Mendez was identified as an illegal alien in March 2026 during a traffic stop in Atkinson County and transferred to ICE custody.
Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation is a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.
“These defendants have previously been removed from the U.S., only to return and violate the law again and again,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We will continue to support our local law enforcement agencies’ efforts to identify and capture these illegal aliens; And they can rest assured that our office will prosecute and remove them.”
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys John P. Harper III, Lauren C. Olsen, Makeia R. Jonese, and Matthew A. Breedon.
Illegal Alien with Multiple Deportations and Felony Convictions Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced Friday by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware to 36 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed from the country on three prior occasions. The government recommended 36 months’ imprisonment.
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on October 19, 2024, Jose Luis Ruiz-Gutierrez was found in the United States after he was previously deported to Mexico on February 15, 2011, May 3, 2011, and December 24, 2013.
Ruiz-Gutierrez has two prior felony convictions out of the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada; Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell and Coercion with Physical Force or Immediate Threat of Physical Force Sexually Motivated. Ruiz-Gutierrez was also previously convicted of illegally reentering the United States after being deported out of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. This is his second conviction for illegally reentering the United States.
Ruiz-Gutierrez pleaded guilty to one count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. After serving his prison sentence, he will be deported to Mexico for a fourth time.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Alejandro Almeida made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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.
###
Idaho Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rigby, Idaho man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for cyberstalking a Massachusetts professor over the course of nearly six months.
Edward John Kay, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Kay was also ordered to pay $16,586.31 in restitution. In January 2026, Kay pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking. In July 2025, Kay was arrested and charged by criminal complaint.
Kay met the victim in January 2025 when he enrolled in the victim’s online course, which the victim taught at a university’s extension school. After one Zoom meeting with the victim and one virtual class session, Kay became fixated on the victim, dropped the course, and proceeded to harass and intimidate the victim over email and LinkedIn.
Between January and July of 2025, Kay sent the victim over 80 harassing communications via LinkedIn and email and also posted about her publicly on LinkedIn. In the communications, Kay oscillated between expressing his love and admiration for the victim, to threatening her safety and livelihood. Some of the communications also mentioned the victim’s minor child by name. The communications included:
- A LinkedIn message, in which Kay stated: “I miss you-truly, deeply- with all of my heart and soul. That day I saw you on Zoom…You were the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Not just appearance. Everything. Your presence. Your mind. Your light. To gain you…and then to lose you like that? It devastated me;”
- An email sent to several of the university’s offices with the victim copied, in which Kay threatened to file a licensing board complaint against the victim unless the university complied with his demands and stated: “Dr. [victim’s last name] has been copied on all communications. She knows what is coming.” He added that this was only the “VERY BEGINNING” because “Every day, starting today, will mark a **new action of serious consequence**, taken by me in accordance with divine alignment and institutional justice;”
- An anonymous email sent to the victim from the email address [victim’s name]consience@protonmail.com, in which Kay professed his love for the victim, encouraged the victim to leave the university and stated, “You are still free. But you are not unreachable.”; and
- A poem posted publicly to his LinkedIn profile in which he described the victim as a mouse living in a maze that needed to be set on fire.
In addition, Kay told another university professor about his obsession with the victim and his desire to separate the victim from her husband. After his arrest, Kay’s partner told law enforcement that Kay believed he was going to build a compound in Wyoming and live there with the victim and her minor child.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by FBI Salt Lake City and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joseph Moore, 47, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2025, Moore sold a mixture containing approximately 2.9 grams of heroin with the presence of fentanyl at his residence to a confidential informant in exchange for $150. As part of his guilty plea, Moore admitted that he conducted the transaction.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-21.
###
Guilty Plea for New York Man in National Fraud Enforcement Division ProsecutionRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Dustin Lemmon Carpio, 33, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, possession of 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices, use of a false passport, and aggravated identity theft. This prosecution was part of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud launched by President Donald J. Trump, a whole-of-government effort to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The theft and exploitation of personal identifying information by fraudsters can have a devastating effect on the innocent victims whose finances are imperiled by scammers, like this defendant, who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of others. With the support of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, my office is striking back against those fraudsters to hold them accountable and deliver justice for their victims.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant conspired with others to steal and use other people’s identities to fraudulently obtain money and property. The defendant’s co-conspirators provided him the personal identifying information of real individuals without their knowledge or authorization, which the defendant used to obtain or attempt to obtain thousands of dollars of high-value electronic devices, such as Apple products, and related accessories and services that would be charged to accounts at national wireless communication provider chain locations. The defendant was arrested in March 2024 in Okaloosa County, Florida, while attempting to conduct such fraudulent transactions against real customer accounts using a counterfeit United States passport card. At the time of his arrest, the defendant possessed the personal identifying information of over 80 people, including social security numbers and account numbers.
On April 7, 2026, 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.
Carpio faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to commit wire fraud count; up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the possession of 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices and use of a false passport counts; and a mandatory two years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence on the aggravated identity theft count. As part of his plea agreement, Carpio agreed to forfeit any forfeitable assets and to pay restitution.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service with assistance from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former Postal Worker Among Trio Charged with Stealing $255k in Prepaid Debit CardsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging three individuals in a significant mail theft and fraud scheme targeting at least 3,000 victims.
Former United States Postal Service employee Janea Reaves, 38, has been charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and illegal transactions with an access device. Her co-defendants, Jermaine Reaves, 22, and Dejon Fox, 39, have also been charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, as well as two counts of mail theft.
According to the indictment, between May 2023 and March 2025, the trio conspired to use and possess unauthorized access devices and to engage in transactions using unauthorized access devices. The indictment alleges that the defendants stole mail containing prepaid debit cards issued to real individuals. Using her position at the USPS Indianapolis Processing and Distribution Center, Janea Reaves identified and stole mail containing the prepaid debit cards. Jermaine Reaves and Dejon Fox, who were not USPS employees, also entered the facility and stole the mail.
The defendants activated the stolen cards and used them to pay for phone bills, DoorDash orders, and other personal expenses. The total loss is alleged to be at least approximately $255,851.
While investigators believe all victims have been identified, efforts to locate them have been unsuccessful. If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office via email at USAINS-Reaves@usdoj.gov or online here.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this case. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who is prosecuting this case.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former National Basketball Association Players, Current Player Agent, and Three Other Individuals Charged in Sports Bribery, Illegal Betting and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging six defendants — former National Basketball Association (NBA) players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis, and co-conspirators William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, Ernesto Plascencia, and current NBA player agent Paolo Zamorano—with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy for their alleged roles in a scheme to bribe Beasley to manipulate his performance in NBA games and use inside information about Beasley’s intended performance to profit via illegal betting activity. Several of the defendants were arrested today at locations across the country and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrests and indictment.“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Bribery and insider betting schemes like this one involving former NBA players and a current NBA player agent who exploited inside NBA information for profit erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public. Our Office will continue in its strong tradition of holding accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt sports through illegal means.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the FBI Field Offices in Charlotte, North Carolina; Los Angeles, California; Omaha, Nebraska; Chicago, Illinois; and Las Vegas, Nevada, for their valuable assistance.
“These defendants allegedly operated an illegal betting ring in an attempt to unlawfully earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. As alleged, Malik Beasley allowed himself to be bought and altered his gametime performance to line pockets of Ed Davis and his other co-conspirators. The FBI continues to dismantle fraudulent schemes that erode the integrity of any institution, including our nation's professional sports leagues,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As alleged, Beasley, then a player for the Milwaukee Bucks, agreed with his former NBA teammate Davis (known to the other co-defendants as Beasley’s “gatekeeper”) in advance of NBA games that Beasley would underperform, and at times overperform, relative to one or more of his betting statistics in those games. Davis, Brown, Gorodetsky, Plascencia, Zamorano and other co-conspirators subsequently used this non-public information relating to Beasley’s intended performance to place fraudulent wagers conditioned on Beasley’s performance in the games at issue, all with the intention of profiting off the scheme. As further alleged, in return for performance fixing, Beasley received bribes from the co-conspirators, typically by having Beasley’s gambling debts to Davis reduced or paid off.
Examples of some of the influenced games are described below.January 26, 2024 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
As alleged, prior to the Bucks game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 26, 2024, Beasley informed Davis that he intended to underperform with respect to rebounding in the game. Beasley provided this information to Davis to obtain a promised bribe payment and for the purpose of enabling Davis and other co-conspirators to place wagers based on this non-public information. Davis subsequently disseminated the non-public information regarding Beasley to multiple co-conspirators, including Gorodetskty, Plascencia and Zamorano, to enable them to place fraudulent wagers. Plascencia then provided this same non-public information to Brown to enable him to place fraudulent wagers. Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful.
February 27, 2024 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Charlotte Hornets Game
As alleged, prior to the Bucks game against the Charlotte Hornets on February 27, 2024, Beasley informed Davis that Beasley intended to underperform with respect to points and overperform with respect to rebounding in the game. Beasley provided this information to Davis to obtain a promised bribe payment and for the purpose of enabling Davis and other co-conspirators to place wagers based on this non-public information. Davis subsequently disseminated the non-public information regarding Beasley to multiple co-conspirators, including Gorodetskty, Plascencia and Zamorano, to enable them to place fraudulent wagers. Plascencia then provided this same non-public information to Brown to enable him to place fraudulent wagers. Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful.
March 10, 2024 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Clippers
As alleged, prior to the Bucks game against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 10, 2024, Beasley informed Davis that Beasley intended to overperform with respect to rebounding in the game. Beasley provided this information to Davis to obtain a promised bribe payment and for the purpose of enabling Davis and other co-conspirators to place wagers based on this non-public information. Davis subsequently disseminated the non-public information regarding Beasley to multiple co-conspirators, including Gorodetskty, Plascencia and Zamorano, to enable them to place fraudulent wagers. Plascencia then provided this same non-public information to Brown to enable him to place fraudulent wagers. Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful.
In total, the defendants and their co-conspirators placed fraudulent wagers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars conditioned on Beasley’s fixed performance in the influenced games at issue via multiple betting operators.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy counts, 20 years’ imprisonment on the money laundering conspiracy count and five years’ imprisonment on the bribery in sporting contests count.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kaitlin T. Farrell, Benjamin Weintraub and David I. Berman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Erika Ellis; former Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett previously worked on the case.
The Defendants:
MALIK BEASLEY (also known as “Beas,” “Bease,” “MB” and “5”)
Age: 29
GeorgiaWILLIAM BROWN (also known as “Willo”)
Age: 39
NebraskaEDWARD DAVIS (also known as “as “Ed,” “ED” and “E Davis”)
Age: 37
North CarolinaROBERT GORODETSKY (also known as “Rob”)
Age: 34
IllinoisERNESTO PLASCENCIA (also known as “Ernie,” “Erny,” “Ernie P” and “Erny P”)
Age: 39
CaliforniaPAOLO ZAMORANO (also known as “PZ”)
Age: 39
CaliforniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-190 (LDH)
malik_beasley_et_al_indictment.pdfFederal Judge Sentences Man to Eight Years in Prison for Robbing U.S. Postal Service Carrier in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to eight years in prison for robbing a U.S. Postal Service carrier in Chicago.
The robbery occurred on March 18, 2022, in the 700 block of South Claremont Avenue in Chicago. The carrier was delivering mail when HENRY L. MOORER approached on foot and demanded postal property from the carrier. Moorer then pulled a semiautomatic handgun from the pocket of his sweatshirt and displayed the butt of the firearm. The carrier raised his arms in the air as Moorer grabbed the postal property from the carrier and walked away. Moorer then fled the area in his vehicle.
At the time of the robbery, Moorer was on electronic monitoring for an unrelated criminal case in the Circuit Cook of Cook County. He was arrested in March 2024 and has remained detained in law enforcement custody since then.
Moorer, 33, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to a federal robbery charge. On June 18, 2026, U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. sentenced Moorer to eight years in federal prison, to be served concurrently with a criminal sentence Moorer is serving for an unrelated state court conviction.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
“Robbery is a serious, dangerous crime that threatens public safety,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia K. Schwartz argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The danger attendant to all robberies is heightened in cases where—like defendant—the robber possesses a firearm. This traumatized the victim Postal worker and could have escalated into a situation posing serious physical harm to the Postal worker and the public.”
Drug Trafficking Organization Leader SentencedRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg man will spend the next 15 years in federal prison for leading a drug operation that sold fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced today.
Thomas Charles Goodwine, 32, was sentenced to 188 months. Goodwine directed others to sell fentanyl, p-Fluorofentanyl, and methamphetamine from a home in Clarksburg. During a search of the stash house, investigators seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, a firearm, multiple cell phones, and drug paraphernalia. In total, Goodwine was responsible for nearly 33 grams of fentanyl, 4.42 grams of p‑Fluorofentanyl, and more than 11 grams of methamphetamine.
Goodwine is a career offender with prior drug, firearms, and other convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated the case.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. 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.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Dominican Republic Resident Illegally in U.S. Sentenced for Transporting Stolen Money from Skilled Gaming MachinesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A citizen of the Dominican Republic illegally residing in The Bronx, New York, has been sentenced in federal court to time served of approximately 35 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution totaling more than $896,000 to dozens of victims on his convictions for conspiracy to transport stolen money in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen money, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Stalin Acosta Paulino, 45. Paulino is expected to be deported to the Dominican Republic.
According to information presented to the Court, Paulino participated in a complex fraud with numerous other individuals then living in New York in which they traveled to various states, including Pennsylvania and Virginia, and stole cash from skilled gaming machines they had broken into. Paulino and his conspirators then transported the stolen money to the New York area.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Secret Service and United States Postal Inspection Service, who worked in conjunction with numerous police departments in Pennsylvania and Virginia, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Paulino.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Leading Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joshua Willie McCarver, also known as “TJ,” 28, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. McCarver admitted to a leading role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 5, 2025, McCarver sold approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $650 at a Huntington residence. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that he conducted the transaction, arranged it beforehand by phone with the confidential informant, and directed the confidential informant to the residence where the transaction took place.
McCarver further admitted that between January 2025 and August 2025, he answered phone calls and text message for himself and co-conspirators from drug buyers whom he directed to different co-conspirators to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl depending on the customers’ prior transactions and location. McCarver also admitted that he received 28 calls during the time period from a confidential informant and completed the sale of drugs to this individual on six occasions in Huntington.
On March 17, 2025, McCarver was traveling in a vehicle from Huntington to Detroit when Ohio law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found $27,951. Ohio law enforcement officers conducted a separate traffic stop on July 9, 2025, of a vehicle in which McCarver was traveling from Huntington to Detroit and seized approximately $23,453 during a subsequent search of the vehicle. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that the cash seized during both traffic stops was proceeds from the distribution of fentanyl.
On September 10, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington address and seized approximately 4.29 kilograms of methamphetamine, 337 grams of fentanyl, a loaded .38-caliber pistol, .38-caliber ammunition, and a digital scale. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that he and other individuals involved in the conspiracy jointly possessed and intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and fentanyl for money.
McCarver is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted to an aggravating role in the drug trafficking conspiracy for sentencing purposes as an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of criminal activity.
McCarver is among six defendants who pleaded guilty following their indictment on charges alleging they participated in the DTO while it operated from in or about January 2025 to in or about August 2025. The indictment remains pending against three other defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
McCarver has a criminal history that includes his prior conviction for distribution of fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 17, 2018.
“This defendant wasn’t a street-level dealer — he was a leader in a drug trafficking organization that flooded Huntington with methamphetamine while profiting from the addiction and misery of others,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Huntington has already endured more than its share of devastation from the opioid epidemic, and this office will aggressively pursue anyone who thinks they can exploit our communities for a paycheck. We will dismantle drug trafficking organizations from the top down, hold their leaders accountable, and work every day to make our neighborhoods safer.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-154.
###
D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Chinatown Murder, Shooting at PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jaykell Mason, 26, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty last week in connection with a February 2020 deadly shooting and subsequent police chase that occurred in Northwest Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Mason pleaded guilty June 26, 2026, to second-degree murder while armed and assault on a police officer while armed. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2026, before Judge Jason Park.
The government’s evidence indicates that on the evening of Feb. 13, 2020, the defendant, Jaykell Mason, approached Terence Dantzler, in the 700 block of 8th Street NW. The two spoke briefly and then Mason raised a firearm to Dantzler’s head and fired once, striking Dantzler, who then fell to the ground. Mason then fired two more rounds into the Dantzler's body before fleeing on foot.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department intercepted Mason in the 1000 block of H Street NW. Mason fired upon the officers, who then returned fire, striking Mason in the hand. He was apprehended shortly thereafter.
Dantzler was transported to a nearby hospital where he died of his injuries.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Peter Roman.
Follow us on X, Instagram, and YouTube
Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc
D.C. Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Role in Kidnapping that Led to Two DeathsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Terrell, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison in connection with a 2023 kidnapping in which two people were killed, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Malik Terrell and his co-conspirators kidnapped two people at gunpoint, beat them, and set off a chain of events that ended with two men dead,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This was brutal, deliberate violence, and it cost lives. Today’s sentence makes clear that anyone who takes part in deadly conduct will face serious and lasting consequences.”
Terrell pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2026, to kidnapping and aiding and abetting. In addition to the 87-month prison sentence, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Terrell to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court papers, in the early morning hours of June 9, 2023, Terrell and nine co-conspirators returned to the 4400 block of F Street SE after attending a birthday celebration at a nightclub on Connecticut Avenue NW. Two other men, identified in court papers as Victim-1 and Victim-2, arrived back at the area shortly afterward.
At about 3:45 a.m., the group set upon Victim-1 as he sat in the driver's seat of his Mercedes SUV. Co-conspirators lunged at Victim-1 from the driver's-side doorway, confined him, and began stripping clothing from his body. Terrell assisted in preventing both victims from fleeing while the co-conspirators pulled Victim-1 from the vehicle. The purpose of the kidnapping was to steal Victim-1's clothing, money, vehicle, and other belongings.
The co-conspirators drove away in Victim-1's Mercedes SUV with both victims inside. Terrell and three others fled in a white Nissan Altima. The victims were transported to a nearby location where they were threatened, assaulted at gunpoint, and sustained serious injuries.
The group then transported Victim-1 across state lines into Maryland, stopping first at an apartment complex in Suitland and then at a second location in Waldorf. About 5:45 a.m. in Waldorf, a shootout erupted in a parking lot. Victim-1 and another individual were struck by gunfire and were later pronounced dead. About 6:45 a.m., first responders found the victim’s Mercedes engulfed in flames in Capitol Heights, Maryland.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force and Safe Streets Task Force, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr. and Anthony Scarpelli of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
23cr292
Convicted Felon Faces Federal Charges for Allegedly Robbing Atlanta Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Quintavious Bailey, a multi-convicted felon, was arraigned today on multiple federal charges after he allegedly robbed a pawn shop in Atlanta.
“Bailey allegedly jeopardized the lives of ordinary people by discharging a firearm during a robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “In this district, we will not tolerate violent crime that endangers members of our community. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will hold perpetrators accountable.”
“According to the charges, innocent employees and customers were simply going about their day when they were forced to fear for their lives,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains committed to partnering with local law enforcement to investigate violent offenders and protect the people who live and work in our communities.”
“Armed robberies that place innocent employees, customers, and local businesses in harm’s way have no place in our city and will not be tolerated,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “We appreciate the strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI in helping hold dangerous offenders accountable. The Atlanta Police Department remains committed to protecting our community and working alongside our law enforcement partners to keep every neighborhood safe.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On October 24, 2024, Quintavious Bailey allegedly used a firearm to rob an Atlanta pawn shop while employees and customers were present. Upon entering the store, Bailey immediately discharged a firearm into the ceiling. Bailey allegedly then pointed his gun at customers and forced a store employee to open a jewelry case and a cash register. Allegedly, Bailey grabbed cash from the register and jewelry from the case before fleeing.
Earlier today, Quintavious Bailey, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, appeared in federal court after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 3, 2026, charging him with Hobbs Act robbery, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Bailey is currently being held without bail by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Previously, Bailey was convicted of Burglary and Armed Robbery in Fulton County. Because of his criminal history, Bailey will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years of imprisonment if he is convicted of the firearm- and ammunition-related offenses in the indictment.
Members of the public are reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Atlanta Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Hall is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Concord Resident Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty in Million-Dollar Fraud Scheme Involving the Sale of Counterfeit Sports MemorabiliaRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Daniel Damato was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison for his role in a wire fraud scheme in which he knowingly sold counterfeit sports memorabilia and attempted to obstruct the FBI’s investigation into his criminal conduct. United States District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence.
Damato, 40, of Concord, California, was charged by Information on October 20, 2025, with one count of wire fraud. The Information alleged that between 2022 and 2024, Damato, a sports memorabilia dealer, doctored and gave false provenance to valuable items to make them appear as authentic and legitimate sports collectables. Damato then attempted to sell these items to unsuspecting buyers at heavily inflated prices.
The Information specifically described two sports memorabilia items Damato fraudulently marketed and sold—a baseball bat he represented was a 1954 game-used World Series bat and a jersey he asserted was a 1972 game-worn jersey. Damato claimed that the bat was used and the jersey was worn by Willie Mays, described as one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived, according to the Information
On December 8, 2025, Damato pled guilty to the wire fraud count charged in the Information. In connection with his plea, Damato admitted that despite his assertions to the contrary, the bat he sold for $100,000 to one victim had not been used in the 1954 World Series by Mays. Rather, Damato admitted that the bat was a “factory error” bat that was an inch shorter than what Mays used during his career. Damato further admitted that he sold other fraudulent items, including a jersey he falsely claimed was worn by Mays that he sold for $50,000 to a second victim. In addition, the Court found that Damato defrauded a third victim in connection with his sports memorabilia scheme, determining that Damato stole over $900,000 from that victim while falsely promising to deliver sports memorabilia.
In addition to his fraudulent conduct, Damato admitted in his plea agreement that after the FBI executed a search warrant on his residence, he contacted at least one potential witness in an attempt to obstruct the government’s investigation.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martínez-Olguín sentenced Damato to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered restitution in the amount of $1,068,940. Damato had previously been remanded into custody and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
Assistant United States Attorney Abraham Fine is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Church Rock Woman Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Church Rock woman has been charged federally for assaulting another woman.
On September 10, 2025, Tiffany Jim, 37, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted Jane Doe, her dating partner, resulting in Doe’s hospitalization.
Jim is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault of a dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury. She will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Jim faces up to 15 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charleston Man Sentenced for Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joe Claude Schleider, 66, of Charleston, was sentenced today to time served and ordered to pay $1,850 in restitution for willful destruction of government property.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston found Schleider guilty following a one-day bench trial on April 14, 2026. Evidence at trial showed that on May 6, 2025, Schleider repeatedly struck an electric card entry scanner outside a U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations facility in Charleston with a long pole-like object, rendering it inoperable. Surveillance video footage showed Schleider approach the card entry scanner and strike it approximately eight times. The entry scanner had to be replaced at a cost of $1,850.
Schleider has a criminal history that dates to 1979 and includes multiple convictions for offenses including assault, battery, battery on a police officer, and disorderly conduct. Schleider was incarcerated for approximately seven months following his arrest on the current offense.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Federal Protective Service and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-173.
###
Central Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in $10 Million Real Estate Fraud Scheme with Federal Inmate Who Was Serving a Sentence for Another Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Gilberto Barron, 26, formerly of Delano and Las Vegas, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft relating to his participation in a nearly $10 million real estate fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.
According to court records, in 2021 and 2022, Barron and others conspired with federal inmate Seth Depiano, 44, formerly of Clovis, to commit the fraud charged in this case. At the time, Depiano was serving a 12-year prison sentence for a prior, multimillion-dollar fraud (Case No. 1:17-cr-172 DAD). Depiano, assisted by Barron and others, helped create fake identities for supposed real estate agents and shell companies that mirrored the names of legitimate real estate companies. They then used the fake identities and shell companies to market various properties online that were not actually for sale to would-be buyers in California’s Central Valley and elsewhere at discounted prices. This included properties where the actual owners had died.
Barron and others would meet with the buyers using the fake identities and close the sales. They even went so far as to present the buyers with fabricated deeds, title reports, and other real estate documents to substantiate the sales.
After getting the would-be buyers’ money, Depiano, Barron, and others would launder the funds primarily through Las Vegas casinos. For example, Barron and others would travel to the casinos, put large amounts of money into gaming machines, and quickly cash out with little to no gaming activity. They did this to try to hide the fact that the money was proceeds from their fraudulent scheme. They would then use the money to purchase properties for their own benefit.
Barron is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Barron faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for the counts of wire fraud and money laundering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years consecutive for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Zahria Barber, 28, of Las Vegas, was sentenced today to one year in prison for her involvement in the scheme. She helped launder money in the casinos, and in exchange, she received payments toward some of her living expenses and student loans.
Depiano was sentenced in January 2026 and received nine years in federal prison. This sentence is in addition to the 12 years he was already serving and makes for a total sentence of 21 years in prison.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Chapple and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.
Butler Man Sentenced for Willfully Failing to Pay Employment Taxes for Two BusinessesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $711,253.10 to the Internal Revenue Service on his conviction of willful failure to collect or pay over tax, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Michael D. Funovits, 51.
According to information presented to the Court, between 2016 and 2023, Funovits failed to pay over to the Internal Revenue Service payroll taxes he collected on behalf of his businesses, PennRo Associates LLC and Penn Exteriors LLC.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Funovits.
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.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Role in Southwestern Connecticut Drug RingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that BENJAMIN DOZIER, also known as “Ace” and “Blanco, 44, of Bridgeport, was sentenced on June 26, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. An investigation in 2024, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others orchestrated the street level distribution of narcotics through other members of the conspiracy. Investigators intercepted more than 5000 text messages and calls in which Canada coordinated his drug trafficking activities.
Dozier was identified during the investigation as supplier on fentanyl to Canada.
Dozier, Canada, and other members of the conspiracy were arrested on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien, and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles.
A subsequent search of a storage unit that Dozier rented revealed a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun, drug-packaging materials, and ledgers documenting drug trafficking activity.
Dozier’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics distribution and weapon possession offenses.
On December 30, 2025, Dozier pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Dozier, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 9.
Canada pleaded guilty and, on December 15, 2025, was sentenced to 110 months of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone.
Billings man pleads guilty to bank fraudRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who used a falsified bank loan to receive $50,000 admitted to charges Thursday, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jordan Andrew Hennessy, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Hennessy faces up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, five years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided and sentencing was set for a later date. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hennessy was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Hennessy, while employed by First Interstate Bank, falsified a loan application and awarded himself $50,000.
The incident began on March 11, 2022, when Hennessy was working as the commercial relationship manager for First Interstate Bank in Billings. From work, Hennessy submitted a commercial loan application for $100,000 under the name of his father’s business, Stillwater Group, LLC. In the application, Hennessy stated Stillwater Group would use the funds to develop real estate projects in Montana. He then opened a checking account, naming his father as a joint owner, on March 14, 2022.
Hennessy, as a First Interstate employee, was responsible for negotiating the counteroffer to his own loan request, which resulted in a $50,000 line of credit being issued to Stillwater Group. His position allowed him to be on both sides of the transaction, negotiating with himself. Once the $50,000 line of credit was funded, Hennessy transferred the Stillwater Group funds from the joint account he created with his father’s name into his personal checking account. Hennessy then used the funds to finance several transactions with an internet-based investment company and eventually defaulted on the $50,000 line of credit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich is prosecuting the case. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau conducted the investigation.
BVI Citizen Arrested for Illegal Reentry into the United States and Possessing Child Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS – U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Bruce Wheatley, a British citizen from Tortola, was arrested for possession and distribution of child exploitation material and illegal reentry into the United States. On June 29, 2026, Wheatley, 19, appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge G. Alan Teague for an initial.
According to court documents, on Friday, June 26, 2026, Wheatley was identified by Federal Agents in Havensight, St. Thomas, USVI. Agents identified Wheatley as a subject who had previously been deported from the United States in May of 2026 and banned from returning to the United States for a period of five years. Wheatley was detained pending arrest for illegal reentry.
During a search of Wheatley’s cellular phone, agents found sexually explicit content that depicted what appeared to be a minor and adult engaged in a sexual act.
Wheatley was detained pending further court proceedings. Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) is investigating the case. Attorney Natasha L. Baker of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands is prosecuting the case.Antonio DeWayne Watkins Sentenced to 36 Years for Assaulting A Person Assisting Federal Official, Drug Trafficking, and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On June 24, 2026, Antonio DeWayne Watkins, a/k/a “Tony Bologna” and “Gator Mac,” 32 of Chattanooga, was sentenced to 432 months of imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Following a four day trial, Watkins was convicted of possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), distributing methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), and assaulting a person assisting a federal official resulting in bodily injury in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a) and (b).
The evidence presented at trial and sentencing showed that Watkins, a member of the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang, was found in possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a loaded firearm during an encounter with Chattanooga Police Officers in July 2024. Following his arrest and release on bond, Watkins twice sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Following federal indictment, United States Magistrate Judge Susan K. Lee ordered Watkins be detained pending trial. While in pretrial detention, Watkins punched a Hamilton County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Deputy in the face. The Court found Watkins to be a Career Offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines based on previous Tennessee convictions for possession of cocaine for resale and voluntary manslaughter.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office, Drug Enforcement Administration Chattanooga Resident Office, United States Marshal Service, Chattanooga Police Department, and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Assistant United States Attorneys Scott A. Winne and Kevin T. Brown, and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Raven D. Austin represented the United States.
###
Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – An Alabama resident was sentenced to serve more than a decade in prison after he was caught by an undercover Homeland Security Investigations agent distributing child sexual abuse material of young female children online while he was living in Southwest Georgia.
Bradley Love, 37, of Dothan, Alabama, and formerly of Blakely, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison to be followed by 25 years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on June 29 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography on Feb. 26. In addition, he will have to register as a sex offender for life. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office will tirelessly pursue all those who exploit children online and hold them accountable for their crimes at the federal level,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “Working alongside law enforcement, we will use every resource available to safeguard children and bring offenders to justice.”
“Let this serve as a warning: Anyone who distributes child sexual abuse material will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “HSI’s undercover operations are designed to expose predators who target children online. We will not tolerate these crimes, and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect children and ensure offenders are removed from our communities.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, an undercover agent with HSI joined a “teen chat” room on a website called “chat-avenue.com” on Dec. 7, 2023, and posted “Dad of 2 8yro and 10yro.” Soon after, the agent received a private message from an individual with a screen name of “Whiteranger,” who was Love.
During the undercover investigation, Love asked the agent about his daughters and if he had sexually abused them. Love then asked the undercover agent to move their conversation to the messaging platform, Kik. On Kik, Love sent the undercover agent a photo of male genitals and requested explicit photos of his daughters. Love also relayed he had child sexual abuse material of children he wanted to share, but that he didn’t want to be kicked off Kik for sharing CSAM, and requested to move that conversation to another platform, Session.
On Session, Love’s screenname was “Jackkfrost.” Love sent one photo of a naked prepubescent female child, one picture of two naked female children, and a picture of a prepubescent female engaging in sexually explicit conduct to the undercover agent. HSI investigators located the defendant at his home address in Blakely, Georgia. On Sept. 5, 2024, HSI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Early County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at Love’s Blakely residence. Several electronic items belonging to Love were seized: one cell phone contained approximately 139 images depicting CSAM, and a second cell phone contained two images depicting CSAM. Love told investigators he was interested in minor children who were “toddler age,” and confirmed that he sent and received CSAM on these platforms.
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 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the GBI and the Early County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Julius Jefferson prosecuted the case for the Government.
Afghan Man Sentenced to 22 Months for Possessing a Firearm While Illegally in the U.S.Read the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Syed Haider Najib, 30, of Phoenix, was sentenced on June 22, by Senior United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 22 months in prison. Najib previously pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, an Alien Illegally and Unlawfully in the United States.
Najib, who is originally from Afghanistan, has been illegally and unlawfully present in the United States since at least March 8, 2018, when his asylum application to remain in the United States permanently was denied and a final order of removal was issued by a United States Immigration Judge. Because of conditions in Afghanistan, Najib was ordered removed to a third country. A third country could not be found for him, so he was released from custody. However, as he is still illegally and unlawfully present in the United States, Najib is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
In 2023, FBI special agents discovered photographs and videos of Najib with a firearm on a social media site. During a search of Najib’s home and car in October 2023, agents from FBI and HSI discovered an AR15-style rifle, a high-capacity magazine, and more than 175 rounds of ammunition in his car. As part of his plea agreement with the government, Najib agreed to forfeit the rifle and abandon the ammunition.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-1445-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-112_Najib# # #
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.
27 June 2026
National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe Named Freedom 250: Hometown Hero by U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey is proud to announce that Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe has been awarded the inaugural Freedom 250: Hometown Hero Award sponsored by the Department of Justice in honor of America’s 250th birthday.
In a ceremony today, United States Attorney Matthew Harvey awarded WV Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe the Hometown Hero Award at the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office. On November 26, 2025, WV Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Wolfe, and his partner U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, were bravely policing the nation’s capital when an Afghan national committed an ambush-style shooting of both West Virginia Guardsmen. Staff Sergeant Wolfe is a resident of the Northern District of West Virginia during the time of the shooting. Staff Sergeant Wolfe survived his injuries and continues to recover in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. SPC Beckstrom sadly succumbed to her injuries she sustained while on duty.
On February 24, 2026, President Donald J. Trump awarded Staff Sergeant Wolfe the Purple Heart and posthumously awarded SPC Beckstrom the Purple Heart.
“As we honor Staff Sergeant Wolfe, we recognize his bravery, patriotism, and sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey. “There is no person more deserving to be celebrated during this 250th anniversary of our freedom as the United States of America.”
The Freedom 250: Hometown Hero Award was created in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States of America. The Department of Justice is proud to honor law enforcement across the country with recognition of the extraordinary service to their fellow citizens.
26 June 2026
Zuni Man Sentenced for Shooting into an Occupied VehicleRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to 96 months in prison for firing a shotgun into an occupied vehicle and seriously injuring a passenger.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents on March 20, 2025, Shane Austin Loretto, 32, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, fired a shotgun at the car John Doe was a passenger in, with intent to do bodily harm. John Doe was hit in the face and neck with multiple pellets and required medical treatment.
Law enforcement tied Loretto to the shooting through witness statements and subsequently located the shotgun and ammunition in a safe inside a shed adjacent to Loretto’s residence. During a subsequent interview, Loretto claimed he had heard about the shooting but did not know where the gunshot came from.
Loretto pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon his release from prison, Loretto will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Wewahitchka Man Found Guilty of Three Counts of Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida –Ronnie Lee Small, Jr., 48, of Wewahitchka, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The guilty verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Meth has devastated entire communities in the Northern District of Florida, leaving a trail of addiction, death, and despair in its wake. This defendant enriched himself by peddling this deadly poison, but his drug dealing days are over thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners and the aggressive prosecution by my office. We have a lot more work to do, but I am committed to delivering the safe, drug-free streets that our citizens deserve with more successful prosecutions like this one.”
Evidence at trial demonstrated that the defendant sold methamphetamine to a confidential source working with the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office on three separate occasions with approximate weights of one ounce, one ounce, and two ounces.
“This case began with the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit working alongside the Northstar Multijurisdictional Drug Task Force, and it reflects the power of partnership,” said Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison. “I want to thank our state and federal partners for their outstanding support in getting this drug dealer off our streets and protecting our community.”
The defendant faces 10 years to life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $20,000,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 11, 2026, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Spaven and James A. McCain 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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
West Warwick Man Pleads Guilty to Steroid Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
Providence - A West Warwick man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to possession with intent to distribute a Schedule III controlled substance.
Edmond Paolucci, 67, pleaded guilty on June 23, 2026, to possession with intent to distribute Mesterolone, a Schedule III controlled substance. Under the terms of his plea agreement, additional charges pending against him will be dismissed at sentencing. Paolucci is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2026.
According to court documents, investigators executed a search warrant at Paolucci’s residence and seized more than 128,000 pills and more than 1,000 liquid-filled glass vials containing at least seven different steroids and other pharmaceuticals. Additional controlled substances were recovered from a post office box linked to the investigation.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, at least four years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million, and a mandatory special assessment. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Mansfield, Massachusetts Police Department
Volusia County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice and Use a 13-Year-Old Child to Produce Sexually Explicit PhotosRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Shane Christopher Abrams (38, Deland) has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to entice and use a 13-year-old minor to produce and send him photos depicting her own sexual abuse. Abrams was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Abrams pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2024, an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old child (the “child”) engaged in text conversation on a particular social media application (“app”) with another app user who was subsequently identified as Abrams. During this conversation, the “child” advised that she was 13 years old, and Abrams began asking questions about her body and sexual experience. Between April 4 and April 20, 2024, Abrams and the “child” exchanged numerous text messages. Abrams solicited the “child” to produce and send him photos of her genitalia, giving the “child” explicit instructions as to how to comply with his demands. As part of his efforts to entice the “child” to take and send him sexually explicit photos, Abrams sent the “child” photos of his own genitalia. On May 20, 2024, Abrams was arrested by FBI agents.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Vehicle with Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Firearms Lands Woman in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg, West Virginia woman was sentenced to 140 months in prison for selling hundreds of grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Taylor Danielle Jenkins, 32, distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in Harrison County. During two traffic stops, investigators seized more than 800 grams of methamphetamine, 203 grams of fentanyl, three firearms, and $6,006 in cash from her vehicle.
Jenkins was ordered to forfeit the three firearms, associated ammunition, and cash.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Philippi Police Department investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. 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.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
United States Seizes Hundreds of Internet Domains Used to Illegally Stream World Cup MatchesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of nearly 400 sites that were engaged in the unauthorized streaming of matches in the FIFA World Cup Finals in violation of U.S. copyright law.
“We have seized hundreds of domains, used to illegally stream World Cup matches for profit, to disrupt the international networks that profit from the global popularity of the World Cup,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the Department’s respect for intellectual property rights and the responsibility of the United States as a host nation to protect the FIFA World Cup from criminals. The Criminal Division will continue to disrupt and, where appropriate, seek to prosecute these sites and the subjects responsible for this criminal activity.”
“The unauthorized broadcast of World Cup matches violates intellectual property rights and fuels criminal organizations,” said Director Ivan J. Arvelo of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. “Through Operation Offsides and strong partnerships with law enforcement and the private sector, we identified and seized hundreds of domains, disrupting those who steal and distribute copyrighted content. Our ongoing efforts ensure that the excitement of the World Cup reaches fans through legitimate, secure channels.”
“When you open your network to illegal streaming sites, you’re taking a significant risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington Field Office. “These streamers not only violate copyright laws but also expose viewers to potential threats — including malware attacks and unsecure connections that can compromise personal and financial data. These website takedowns are a critical part of HSI’s strategy to uphold intellectual property laws, ensuring fans have a safe and authentic experience supporting their teams during the World Cup.”
According to an affidavit in support of a seizure warrant which was filed today in the Eastern District of Virginia, the seized domains were used to illegally offer users copyright-protected content in the form of real-time streams of 2026 World Cup matches as they are being played and first broadcast. In support of the application for seizure authority, HSI special agents confirmed that the seized domains were actively broadcasting World Cup matches without authorization. The seized domains were identified with assistance of FIFA, with further supporting information provided by beIN Media Group, NBC Universal, Motion Picture Association’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Brothers. FIFA is the international governing body of association football (soccer) and holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is being hosted in multiple cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Banner posted on seized sitesLaw enforcement actions targeting the illegal broadcast of FIFA World Cup matches was coordinated with international partners through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) Network of U.S. prosecutors. ICHIP-trained officials took part in actions across multiple countries and involved the following:
- Servers and domains linked to illegal streaming of World Cup games were targeted in Peru and Bulgaria, two known centers of online piracy activity. Additional ICHIP-supported disruptions took place in Croatia, Romania, Poland and Colombia.
U.S. authorities provided leads to assist in identifying domains associated with illegal streaming of the World Cup.
The U.S. action is part of Operation Offsides, led by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, targeting digital piracy domains associated with the World Cup. This operation is being conducted in coordination with HSI Washington, D.C., HSI Attaché offices, as well as private sector and law enforcement partners globally. This initiative focuses on disrupting illegal World Cup streaming and protecting intellectual property rights by identifying and seizing websites facilitating unauthorized broadcasts. Senior Counsel Brian Mund, Assistant Deputy Chief Adrienne Rose, and Acting Deputy Chief Christopher Merriam of the of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer for the Eastern District of Virgina are assisting. The Justice Department’s ICHIP prosecutors based in Sao Paul, Brazil and Bucharest, Romania, and the ICHIP for Internet-Based Fraud and Public Health in Washington, D.C. also provided crucial support to this operation.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
The Justice Department is providing intellectual property and cybercrime technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners in other countries through the ICHIP program. The Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program is jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section through partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida Charges Defendants as Part of National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
Today, United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces criminal charges against numerous individuals in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare. In addition, one civil settlement was announced. Many of the charges are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown and stem from schemes to defraud Medicare.
“Millions of Americans depend on critical services provided by our nation’s federal healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Companies or individuals who exploit these systems through fraud and deception for their personal gain compromise the efficacy of those services and commit theft from taxpayers. We will continue to leverage the resources of our law enforcement partners to ensure that these programs remain sound and effective in the future.”
This week, the USAO-MDFL participated in a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: charges in 56 federal districts and involving 45 U.S. states and territories, the most in Department history. The Takedown involved the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; seize over $182 million in cash, houses, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and provide full spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
The following individuals were charged in the Middle District of Florida:
Leigh Tesar (44, Sarasota), Walter Presha, Jr. (51, Ellenton), and Koby Evans (31, Apollo Beach) were charged by indictment for their roles in a more than $118 million wound care fraud scheme. Tesar, Presha, and Evans were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. Tesar was charged with health care fraud and payment of health care kickbacks. Presha and Evans were also charged with receipt of health care kickbacks. As alleged in the indictment, Tesar, Presha, and Evans targeted Medicare patients so that Tesar, a nurse practitioner, could bill Medicare for unnecessary and expensive wound allografts and so that Presha and Evans, both nurses, could be paid kickbacks for referring patients to Tesar. In certain instances, Tesar caused Medicare to be billed for expensive allografts that were never applied to patients, were applied to infected wounds, and were applied to wounds that would not heal because the patient was terminally ill. During a period of 18 months, Medicare was billed more than $118 million for skin grafts and wound care services that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for reimbursement, not performed, and procured through kickbacks. Medicare paid approximately $61 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. The government has seized approximately $11.8 million in assets in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Chris Wenger of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Owen Dunn of the Florida Strike Force. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Leo Corrigan (56, Tampa) was charged by information with conspiracy to defraud the United States, to purchase, sell, and distribute, and arrange for the purchase, sale, and distribution of Medicare beneficiary identification numbers, and to solicit and receive health care kickbacks in connection with two schemes to fraudulently bill Medicare for over $7.5 million and to receive approximately $1.7 million in illegal kickbacks and bribes. As alleged in the information, Corrigan conspired with others to purchase Medicare beneficiary identification numbers and used those numbers to bill Medicare for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests to be shipped to those whose Medicare beneficiary identification number had been purchased, regardless of whether the Medicare beneficiary had requested the tests. Further, Corrigan owned and controlled a corporation that he used to provide Medicare beneficiary information to certain laboratories that could then use the information to bill Medicare for genetic testing in exchange for payment. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.
Konstantin Braverman (40, Lake Worth) was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to solicit and receive kickbacks in connection with a scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for COVID-19 tests. From April 4, 2022, until the declared end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023, Medicare covered and paid for these tests at no cost to the beneficiary but only if the beneficiary requested the tests. As alleged in the indictment, Braverman and co-conspirators introduced “marketers” to medical service providers and the “marketers” agreed to sell the providers lists of Medicare beneficiaries and their identifying information. The providers shipped COVID-19 tests to the identified beneficiaries, none of whom had requested the tests, and billed Medicare for the tests. The providers then paid the “marketers” a set dollar amount per beneficiary, but the providers paid this amount only if a claim submitted on behalf of a beneficiary was reimbursed by Medicare. The “marketers” paid Braverman a share of the proceeds obtained from the providers. The conspirators caused the submission of approximately 152,000 fraudulent claims to Medicare for the period of January 2023 through November 2023, which resulted in reimbursements totaling approximately $14,405,700. Braverman received a total of approximately $1,509,426 in proceeds as a result of his involvement in the offense. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clint Locke is handling the forfeiture.
“This defendant allegedly exploited a program designed to serve the public during a national health emergency, fraudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in proceeds,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. It steals taxpayer dollars, undermines trust in critical public programs and diverts resources from those who need it most. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to pursue those who use deception and fraud to line their own pockets at the public’s expense.”
Lawrence Waldman, of Miami, has entered into a civil settlement to pay $5 million to resolve a False Claims Act case in connection with a health care fraud kickback scheme involving medically unnecessary genetic and respiratory diagnostic testing services. Waldman separately pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from his role in the scheme. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 28, 2026. As alleged, Waldman was a former sales representative of ASAP Labs and shared in its profits. Waldman paid kickbacks from ASAP Labs to certain physicians in return for agreeing to sign requisition forms for medically unnecessary laboratory tests that were submitted by ASAP Labs in violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and that were used to support false claims for Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE reimbursement. The civil case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen. The criminal case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields, and the forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Rustam Abdaev, (38, Tampa) a Russian citizen living in Tampa, was charged by information with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in defrauding Medicare and Medicaid by submitting false and fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment (“DME”). Abdaev has entered a guilty plea and is pending sentencing. According to court records, from at least December 2024 through June 2025, Abdaev and co-conspirators used the company “Sunny and Recovery Inc.” to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare Part C and Florida Medicaid for DME, including back, knee, and wrist braces. Medicare Part C and Medicaid were billed more than $19 million and paid approximately $941,000 for claims submitted between December 2024 and May 2025. Abdaev wired substantial portions of the proceeds to financial institutions outside the United States and used additional funds for personal benefit and to pay co-conspirators. The conspirators used stolen beneficiary information and physician provider numbers to submit DME claims that were not prescribed, not medically necessary, and not actually provided. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields, and the forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Henry Garcia (59, Bradenton) was charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to offer and pay kickbacks and bribes and nine counts of offering and paying kickbacks and bribes. According to court records, in 2020 and 2021, Garcia ran multiple medical equipment companies, including New Level 3 and On-Point Medical Alliance, that supplied knee and back braces to Medicare beneficiaries. Garcia worked with two co-conspirators: one in Florida who funneled him pre completed doctors’ orders, and another in Canada who ran call centers targeting Medicare beneficiaries to generate those orders. These call centers contacted seniors across the country and used telemedicine companies to obtain physician signatures on brace orders, even when the equipment was not medically needed. Garcia’s companies obtained the necessary provider identification numbers and submitted claims to Medicare Advantage plans as if the braces were legitimately ordered and required. Garcia paid kickbacks for each brace order that led to reimbursement. The scheme relied on call centers, sham telehealth encounters, and kickbacks to generate and submit claims that were not actually eligible for reimbursement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields, and the forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Blain Goff.
Marc Vincent Pazienza (56, Pasco County), a licensed Florida attorney, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of falsification of records in a federal investigation for his role in using his position and authority as an attorney to defraud clients, including by creating shell corporations to hide clients’ criminally derived proceeds and then stealing those funds. According to court documents, from June 2023 through at least March 2025, Pazienza orchestrated a scheme to steal money from two of his clients by falsely promising to safeguard their money, funds which were fraudulently obtained through defrauding Medicare. Instead of safeguarding the funds, Pazienza used the money, an amount over $300,000, for his personal benefit, including cash withdrawals, transfers to other accounts he controlled, and purchases of furniture, jewelry, and other items. Pazienza also provided false and fraudulent documents in response to a federal grand jury subpoena relating to a health care fraud investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Fields, and the forfeiture of his car, jewelry, and other property is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Laurent Cassagnol (Orange County) and Heriberto L. Rivera (Lake County) were charged by information with conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. According to court documents, Rivera was the Chief Executive Officer of Family Integrative Medicine of Orlando, LLC (“FIMO”) and paid kickbacks to Cassagnol, a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee, in exchange for Cassagnol sending VA patients to FIMO. Rivera allegedly paid kickbacks to Cassagnol based on the number of VA patients he was able to successfully steer to FIMO. FIMO then billed the VA for services it provided to those VA patients. Rivera paid Cassagnol approximately $175,172 in kickbacks, which resulted in approximately $14,080,969 in claims submitted by FIMO to the VA that were procured through the payment of kickbacks. The VA paid FIMO approximately $11,948,349 on those claims. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Angela Benoit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
“Today’s enforcement action reflects our firm commitment to protecting federal health care programs and the individuals who depend on them,” said Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Those who exploit patients or jeopardize the integrity of our programs for personal gain will be held accountable. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to pursue those who seek to defraud federal health care programs and ensure that they face justice.”
“These cases highlight the sickening exploitation of our nation’s healthcare system and the cold, callous efforts of those putting profit over patient care. These cases also emphasize the FBI’s collective resolve to work with our law enforcement partners to identify the fraud, dismantle the schemes, and ensure justice is served,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Rodney E. Crawford.
“The days of fraudulent healthcare schemes depriving veterans of essential services and benefits, while siphoning funds from taxpayers, are over,” said Cheryl L. Mason, Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs. “Thanks to the relentless dedication of the VA OIG’s special agents, healthcare inspectors, and auditors, we are actively identifying these offenders and ensuring they face justice. Our unwavering commitment is to protect veterans and safeguard the critical resources meant for their care.”
Descriptions of the nationwide cases involved in this week’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The Middle District of Florida worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Tampa and Jacksonville), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on 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.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Report Fraud:
Contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), or online at TIPS.FBI.GOV.
If you are reporting cyber-enabled crime, to include online scams, email hoaxes, or other internet-enabled crimes, please submit a tip to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.GOV.
For health care fraud, Medicare/Medicaid fraud, and related matters, contact the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS, or online at TIPS.HHS.GOV.
Court Documents:
Waldman Plea Agreement Pazienza Indictment Braverman Indictment Tesar et al Indictment Garcia Indictment Corrigan Information Cassagnol et_al Information Abdaev Information Abdaev Plea AgreementU.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 122 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 122 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On June 18, Manuel Salvador Hernandez Perez, Mexican national and border crossing card holder, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 185 pounds of methamphetamine in the hood, spare tire and tailgate of the Ford F-150 truck driven by Hernandez Perez while applying for entry to the U.S. at the the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On June 22, Ismael Molina-Ayala, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the undocumented defendant approximately three miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. He was previously convicted of immigration offenses and deported three times, including May 2026 from San Diego.
- On June 23, Jose Alonso Fernandez-Zavala and Edgar Luna-Ochoa, Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the defendants were co-captains of a panga-style smuggling vessel and were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard about 15 miles west of Point Loma. The vessel had 25 Mexican nationals and 1 Guatemalan national aboard, none of whom had lawful immigration status in the United States. Each passenger was paying between $4,000 and $17,000 to be smuggled into the United States by sea. The remaining defendants (Juve Garcia Santiago, Manuel Hernandez-Savedra, Leticia Policarpio Juarez Manuel Ramos, Francisco Roman Velasquez, Sureyma Velazquez Velazquez – all Mexican citizens, and Jose Lopez-Mendoza of Guatemala) had all been previously ordered removed from the United States and were charged with attempted reentry after deportation.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Men Sentenced to a Total of over 21 Years in Prison for Roles in Carjacking and RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal judge sentenced Marterrio Armstrong, 21, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jacam’Ron McIntosh, 21, of Oxford, Mississippi, to eight and one-half years and 13 years in prison, respectively, for a carjacking at gunpoint.
According to evidence presented to the court, on Nov. 24, 2024, police responded to a robbery in Memphis, Tennessee. A group of nine construction workers were packing their belongings following a residential construction project when Armstrong and McIntosh approached them with guns drawn. Armstrong and McIntosh pointed their firearms at the victims and stated, “Don’t move or we will f&*% you up,” and demanded the victims’ property. Working in tandem, Armstrong remained outside with the nine victims while McIntosh entered the residence and dragged a tenth victim outside at gunpoint. After rummaging through the victims’ pockets, the defendants took the victims’ wallets, cell phones, money, and keys, and drove away in one victim’s Nissan Maxima.
Less than one hour after the armed carjacking, Memphis Police Department officers tracked one victim’s cellphone to a residence in Memphis, where they located the Nissan Maxima hidden by several trash cans in a carport. Inside the residence, officers located Armstrong and the victims’ stolen property. McIntosh was also found in the house, hiding in the attic along with a Glock 19 pistol, a Romania Arms Mini Draco pistol, and a wallet taken from a victim during the robbery.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division made the announcement.
ATF and the Memphis Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Marcus Johnson and former Trial Attorney Shriram Harid of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Musselwhite for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. This joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute violent gang members and other violent criminals in Memphis.
###
CRM
26-709
If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.
Two Men Sentenced to a Total of over 21 Years in Prison for Roles in Carjacking and RobberyRead the Press Release
A federal judge sentenced Marterrio Armstrong, 21, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jacam’Ron McIntosh, 21, of Oxford, Mississippi, to eight and one-half years and 13 years in prison, respectively, for a carjacking at gunpoint.
According to evidence presented to the court, on Nov. 24, 2024, police responded to a robbery in Memphis, Tennessee. A group of nine construction workers were packing their belongings following a residential construction project when Armstrong and McIntosh approached them with guns drawn. Armstrong and McIntosh pointed their firearms at the victims and stated, “Don’t move or we will f&*% you up,” and demanded the victims’ property. Working in tandem, Armstrong remained outside with the nine victims while McIntosh entered the residence and dragged a tenth victim outside at gunpoint. After rummaging through the victims’ pockets, the defendants took the victims’ wallets, cell phones, money, and keys, and drove away in one victim’s Nissan Maxima.
Less than one hour after the armed carjacking, Memphis Police Department officers tracked one victim’s cellphone to a residence in Memphis, where they located the Nissan Maxima hidden by several trash cans in a carport. Inside the residence, officers located Armstrong and the victims’ stolen property. McIntosh was also found in the house, hiding in the attic along with a Glock 19 pistol, a Romania Arms Mini Draco pistol, and a wallet taken from a victim during the robbery.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division made the announcement.
ATF and the Memphis Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Marcus Johnson and former Trial Attorney Shriram Harid of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Musselwhite for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. This joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute violent gang members and other violent criminals in Memphis.
Two Illegal Aliens Sentenced in International ATM “Jackpotting” Conspiracy with Ties to Tren de AraguaRead the Press Release
Carlos Javier Padron, 36, an illegal alien from Venezuela, was sentenced yesterday to 78 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” His co-defendant, Oddry Arnoldo Cabrera Torrealba, also known as “Luis Alejandro Berdugo Barraza,” 37, an illegal alien from Venezuela, was sentenced on June 11, to 78 months in prison for similar conduct.
“Carlos Javier Padron and Oddry Arnoldo Cabrera Torrealba helped deploy sophisticated malware as part of a transnational criminal network that hacked ATMs across the United States and stole millions of dollars through a technique known as ATM jackpotting – which caused bank ATMs to dispense the cash inside of them,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Crimes like this undermine the security of our financial institutions and fuel the operations of violent transnational criminal organizations such as Tren de Aragua (TdA). This sweeping investigation with the District of Nebraska and our law enforcement partners has disrupted this network at all levels. We will protect our financial institutions from technology enabled fraud.”
“ATM jackpotting is TdA’s business plan and their assessed primary source of revenue to fund their terrorist activities that range from reprehensible forms of human trafficking to armed robbery, murder, and the general undermining of America’s national security by flooding our communities with controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods for the District of Nebraska. “We will use these prosecutions to put a chokehold on their funding pipeline.”
“TdA is a violent terrorist organization relying on a range of criminal activities to generate revenue supporting their campaigns of violence and terror,” said Special Agent in Charge Euguene Cowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “As criminal enterprises change tactics, we surge resources and adapt accordingly to protect the American people. FBI Omaha will continue standing shoulder to shoulder with our local, state, and federal partners in the fight to dismantle and disrupt the activities of TdA locally and globally.”
“These individuals participated in a crime that was both an attack on the American financial system, and an effort by Tren De Aragua to fund even more terror in our country,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City. “I’m proud of our agents and partners for working tirelessly to pursue justice and put consumers at ease, knowing their bank’s health is sound and not at risk of being damaged by violent, dangerous criminals.”
According to court documents, Padron and Torrealba were part of a sophisticated criminal network responsible for ATM jackpottings throughout the United States. The members of the network conspired to develop and deploy a variant of malware known as Ploutus, which was deployed on ATMs and used to permit the unauthorized withdrawal of currency. The conspiracy relied on individuals including Padron and Torrealba to deploy the Ploutus malware onto ATMs in person. Once installed and activated, the malware permitted the co-conspirators to issue commands to the cash dispensing module of the ATM in order to force unauthorized withdrawals of currency. The Ploutus malware also was designed to delete evidence of its existence to prevent financial institutions from detecting its use on ATMs. Padron and Torrealba were arrested by the Lincoln, Nebraska Police Department at the site of a jackpotting in October 2024.
Padron and Torrealba both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and one count of computer fraud and intentional damage to a protected computer. At their respective sentencings, the Court also ordered both Padron and Torrealba to jointly pay $1,537,696 in restitution to the multiple victim banks.
Following the arrest of Padron and Torrealba, a comprehensive federal investigation identified a network of co-conspirators throughout the United States and abroad. Since the arrests of Padron and Torrealba, 96 other defendants have been indicted for their roles in this conspiracy for related offenses including material support to a designated foreign terror organization, bank burglary, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.
The investigation has established extensive direct and indirect links between the indicted co-conspirators and TdA. According to court documents, TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities range from drug trafficking and firearms trafficking to commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other violent acts to advance the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has also developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using ATM jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash.
FBI’s Omaha Field Office and HSI Omaha are investigating the case, with assistance from FBI’s Denver, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, Oklahoma, Sacramento, Seattle, and Springfield Field Offices, and the United States Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Warrant Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Colombus Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Bluff City Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lincoln Police Department, Gothenburg Police Department, Loudon Police Department, Alcoa Police Department, Milford Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Papillion Police Department, Central City Police Department, Holdrege Police Department, New York State Police, Berkeley Police Department, Cook County Electronic Monitoring Unit, Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, City of Rome Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Nebraska DMV Crime Analysts, Rantoul Police Department, Olathe Police Department, North Platte Police Department, Walla Walla Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Missoula Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Denver Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Glendale Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grafton Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Dubuque Police Department, Fargo Police Department, and Paducah Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and Joint Task Force Vulcan. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, Eastern District of California, Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Eastern District of Oklahoma and Eastern District of Wisconsin, as well as the Larimer County Attorney’s Office, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 9th District Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 5th District Attorney General’s Office, the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police have provided significant assistance.
This Operation 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. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from the FBI and HSI with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.
Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded at the direction of the Attorney General to target TdA. JTFV is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Western District of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; District of Nevada; and District of Arizona; as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Criminal Division, and the Office of Judicial Attaché and DEA partners in Bogotá, Colombia. Additionally, the FBI, HSI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), USMS, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Two Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Violent Hostage-Taking and Human Smuggling OperationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two illegal immigrants have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy involving the hostage-taking, harboring, and transportation of victims at an Albuquerque stash house.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on November 2, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations received a report that a mother and her two daughters, aged six and nine, were being held for ransom at an Albuquerque stash house in southeast Albuquerque. Despite the victims’ family having already paid over $30,000 to have them smuggled into the United States, Marcelo Alonso-Almaraz, 36, and his wife Eloisa Almaraz-Vasquez, 38, both Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States, demanded an additional $6,000 for their release. All three victims reported that Alonso-Almaraz threatened the mother with a firearm by pointing it at her to ensure payment.
On November 3, 2022, investigators conducted surveillance on the stash house and observed Alonso-Almaraz and Almaraz-Vasquez exit the residence with the mother and children and enter a Dodge van. Agents maintained continuous surveillance of the van until it arrived at a meet location, where an undercover agent exchanged $6,000 in cash for the safe release of the mother and her daughters. Once the victims were secured, law enforcement moved in and arrested the couple. A search of the van yielded the loaded handgun on the driver-side floorboard and the $6,000 in extortion money.
Following the arrests, the rescued mother detailed a harrowing ordeal where victims were housed in a 1,000 square foot apartment with dozens of other people, stripped of their phones, and fed only twice a day. She described hearing her children’s stomachs rumbling from hunger and being forced to wash dishes and serve food to dozens of other occupants in exchange for extra food for her daughters. The rooms were so crowded that the victims could not lie down and were forced to sit on the floor with their legs curled in. On November 4, 2022, agents returned to the stash house and rescued approximately 50 additional victims, including an infant, who were being held in the same volatile environment.
Alonso-Almaraz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens, eight counts of harboring illegal aliens for financial gain, three counts of transporting illegal aliens for financial gain, and conspiracy to commit hostage taking, three counts of hostage taking, and reentry of a removed alien. Alonso-Almaraz was sentenced to 204 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, he will be subject to deportation.
Almaraz-Vasquez pled guilty to conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens, eight counts of harboring illegal aliens for financial gain, three counts of transporting illegal aliens for financial gain, conspiracy to commit hostage taking, and three counts of hostage taking. Almaraz-Vasquez was sentenced to 120 months in prison. Upon her release from prison, she will be subject to deportation.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan G. McRae of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations El Paso investigated this case with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department and Albuquerque Police Department VICE Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Moghadam and Patrick E. Cordova are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha, the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking that cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations commit. A highly successful partnership between the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney detailees from the Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas; Southern District of California; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and Districts of Arizona, New Mexico and Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE-HSI and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 440 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 390 U.S. convictions; more than 330 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Three Illegal Aliens with Prior Felony Convictions Charged for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Two Mexican nationals and one Honduran national unlawfully residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
“This indictment highlights the fact that aliens who show a complete contempt for the law will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The District of Nevada, through Operation Take Back America, will continue to use our existing laws as a deterrent for those who choose to engage in illegal acts.”
Cristian Omar Valencia-Gomez and Jose Flores, both citizens of Mexico, and Kevin Idel Moncada-Lopez, a citizen of Honduras, are each charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for all three defendants are scheduled for July 7, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Valencia-Gomez, Flores, and Moncada-Lopez were all previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally.
On June 7, 2024, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Valencia-Gomez for two counts of Battery Domestic Violence 3rd Offence, Child Abuse or Neglect with Substantial Bodily or Mental Harm, Attempt Home Invasion, Destroy Property of Another, and Harassment. On June 12, 2026, after serving a term of 19-to-48 months in prison for Battery Constituting Domestic Violence, and Child Abuse, Neglect, or Endangerment, Valencia-Gomez was remanded by the Nevada Department of Corrections to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Valencia-Gomez had been previously deported to Mexico three times, on or about October 7, 2017, January 14, 2018, and January 18, 2018.
On June 8, 2024, officers with the Las Vegas, Metropolitan Police Department arrested Flores in Las Vegas, Nevada, for Trafficking Controlled Substance, Own/Possess Gun by Prohibited Person, Carry/Possess Firearm During and in Commission of a Drug Offense, and four counts Sell/Transport Controlled Substance. On June 3, 2026, after serving a term of two-to-five years in prison for Trafficking in Controlled Substance, Flores was remanded by the Nevada Department of Corrections to ICE custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Flores also has a conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana out of the United States District Court, District of Arizona. Flores had been previously deported to Mexico on or about June 6, 2018.
On January 30, 2024, officers with the Sparks Police Department arrested Moncada-Lopez for assault with a deadly weapon. On June 4, 2026, after serving a term of 24-to-60-months in prison for battery with the use of deadly weapon, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Moncada-Lopez to ICE custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Moncada-Lopez had been previously deported to Honduras on or about October 13, 2012.
If convicted, Flores faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
If convicted, Valencia-Gomez and Moncada-Lopez each face a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Alejandro Almeida made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Stolen Federal FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Alexio Miranda, 32, has pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm, an offense that could carry a maximum of 10 years in prison.
According to court documents, on January 14, 2026, Miranda participated in a violent civil disturbance in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in which he and others broke into a vehicle belonging to the FBI. When Miranda and an accomplice arrived, the FBI vehicle was already badly damaged, covered in graffiti, and the rear hatch was open. Miranda then broke into a vault in the cargo area and took a rifle bag and a satchel of ammunition. The bag contained a semiautomatic rifle and a silencer. Two days later, police arrested Miranda and recovered the rifle and silencer.
A grand jury indicted Miranda for one count each of possessing a stolen firearm, possessing an unregistered firearm, and theft of government property. On June 26, 2026, Miranda pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of possessing a stolen firearm. Miranda’s sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2026.
“This case shows that actions which endanger the public and interfere with federal law enforcement operations carry serious consequences,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Our office remains committed to pursuing accountability for those who lack respect for the law.”
“This defendant made a series of deliberate choices that put a stolen firearm into the hands of a prohibited person: Raul Gutierrez, an alleged Latin Kings gang member. Today Miranda is taking responsibility for those choices,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Spence Burnett of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “ATF and our law enforcement partners stayed committed to seeing this case through, and we will continue to hold accountable anyone who chooses to endanger public safety. That accountability is how we keep our neighborhoods safe.”
“Today’s guilty plea reflects ATF’s dedicated efforts in addressing this dangerous criminal conduct that threatens community safety and undermines the lawful exercise of First Amendment rights. The FBI is proud to have assisted ATF in this case, and together with the USAO, DEA, and our state and local law enforcement partners, we remain committed to ensuring individuals are held accountable through the federal justice system,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson.
Assistant United States Attorney Campbell Warner and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Semivan are prosecuting this case.
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 27 years for Victimizing Minors Online and Possessing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney S. Peter Serrano announced that on June 24, 2026, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Corbett Lloyd Craig, age 42, of Goldendale, Washington, to 324 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime period of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of Enticement and Attempted Enticement of a Minor and one count of Possession of Child Pornography.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, from early in 2022 up until his arrest in June 2025, Craig, utilizing social media, contacted two minor girls for the purpose of coercing them to provide him with sexually explicit videos and images. Craig enticed one of the minor girls by offering her money via gift cards and on-line payments. It was clear from the online communications that Defendant knew these were minors and intended to elicit and did obtain child sex abuse material victimizing these minors online. Based upon that investigation, a search warrant was executed at Craig’s home that resulted in the discovery of thousands of additional images of child sex abuse material.
As noted by District Court Judge Dimke, what makes this case even more aggravated supporting this substantial sentence, is Craig’s prior history of engaging in the same and similar conduct. In 2017 Craig was convicted of Encouraging Child Abuse in the Second Degree, Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, and Contributing to the Sexual Delinquency of a Minor in Clackamas County Superior Court, Oregon. Child abuse images from this previous case and the child he victimized, were found on his computer by federal investigators in this case.
First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano stated, “This recidivist sex offender has continued to harm minor victims in our community. Despite court intervention and treatment, this sex offender has continued to victimize children and made it clear he will not stop. I commend the dedication and work from our law enforcement partners and the commitment of this office to bring justice to these victims. Removing this defendant from our community and ensuring he can’t have access to children is the only way to ensure its protection. Our office is committed to hunting down these offenders and holding them to account.”
“Mr. Craig was fully aware that his actions were not just extremely immoral, but illegal as well,” said acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “This sentence will keep this predator off the streets and keep our children safer. HSI will continue to investigate these crimes against children. We owe our communities nothing less.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.
1:25-cr-02073-MKDRecidivist Fraudster Pleads Guilty for Stealing Gustave Courbet PaintingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that THOMAS DOYLE, a/k/a “AJ” or “Austin Doyle,” pled guilty to wire fraud in connection with a scheme by DOYLE to defraud the owner of the painting “Mother and Child on a Hammock” by the 19th-century French Realist painter Gustave Courbet. DOYLE was previously convicted in the Southern District of New York in 2011 of a separate art-related fraud. DOYLE pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2026.
“Thomas Doyle defrauded the owner of a valuable painting by telling a series of brazen lies to get the painting and then sell it so he could keep the profits for himself,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s guilty plea reflects the commitment of this Office and its law enforcement partners to hold all fraudsters accountable, including bad actors seeking to conduct fraud schemes in the U.S. art market.”
According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in public court proceedings:
Between December 2022 and March 2025, DOYLE defrauded an art dealer (“Victim-1”) in connection with the sale of the painting “Mother and Child on a Hammock” (the “Hammock”) by Gustave Courbet. In June 2024, Victim-1 agreed to let DOYLE take custody of the Hammock to facilitate its viewing by a potential buyer. Soon after, DOYLE told Victim-1 that he had a potential buyer for the Hammock, and Victim-1 authorized DOYLE to sell the painting on his behalf for $550,000. By early August 2024, DOYLE falsely informed Victim-1 that he had sold the Hammock for that price.
Instead, DOYLE’s associate (“Associate-1”), acting on DOYLE’s behalf, offered the Hammock for consignment to a Manhattan gallery (“Gallery-1”). DOYLE provided Associate-1 with a false provenance for the Hammock that was passed on to Gallery-1. Gallery-1 sold the Hammock on October 1, 2024, for $125,000 to an art collector, and most of the proceeds from the sale went to DOYLE.
DOYLE never remitted to Victim-1 any proceeds from the sale of the Hammock. Instead, by February 2025, DOYLE had spent all the proceeds from the sale of the Hammock on personal expenses and his own debts. DOYLE subsequently falsely blamed his failure to pay Victim-1 on the purported buyer, fraudulently claiming the buyer had yet to pay when in fact DOYLE had been paid and was spending the proceeds of the Hammock sale.
* * *
DOYLE, 68, of Connecticut, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. DOYLE also agreed to forfeit all proceeds from the offense and pay $125,000 in restitution to the victim.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecilia Vogel is in charge of the prosecution.
Reading and Philadelphia Men Charged with Robbery and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Alfredo Cardona Padilla, age 48, Ceferino Charles Hernandez, age 49, both of Reading, Pennsylvania, and Paul Gerald Simmons, age 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by indictment with robbery and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on or about March 18, 2024, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Padilla, Hernandez, and Simmons conspired to and did unlawfully take and obtain United States currency that belonged to a company operating in Pennsylvania as a skill-game operator. The indictment further alleges that the company’s property was taken from two employees against their will by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury. The indictment also alleges that, during and in relation to the robbery, the defendants brandished firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Chambersburg Police Department, Reading Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalties under federal law are life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and special assessment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons indicted are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the InternetRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Elmer Hopper, 37, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
Hopper was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
During the 2025 Sturgis Bike Rally, Hopper initiated communications on the internet-based application Plenty Of Fish with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. The girl, in fact, was a Rapid City Police Detective operating in an undercover capacity on Plenty Of Fish, an app used for dating and sexual encounters. Hopper and the undercover persona started communicating through texting. Hopper told her that he wanted someone to lay in bed with him. Later, Hopper explained that he meant that he wanted someone to have sex with, not lay in bed with. Hopper and the undercover persona agreed to meet at West Middle School in Rapid City. When Hopper arrived at the school, he was arrested.
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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Hopper was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Delivers Historic Report DraftRead the Press Release
- Last May, President Donald J. Trump established the Religious Liberty Commission to advise and report to the President on opportunities to “identify emerging threats to religious liberty, uphold Federal laws that protect all citizens’ full participation in a pluralistic democracy, and protect the free exercise of religion.”
- Today, during an Oval Office presentation, Chairman Dan Patrick, Vice Chairman Ben Carson and the members of the Commission delivered the final draft report with recommendations to the President.
- The report is based on findings from the seven hearings that the Religious Liberty Commission held over the last year, receiving input from more than 100 witnesses of diverse ages, religions, expertise, and backgrounds. Many experienced religious persecutions in the United States.
- The hearings specifically covered religious liberty in the military, education, healthcare, the public and private sectors, as well as the importance of protecting parental rights and faith-based institutions, and combatting the rise of anti-Semitism and violence against houses of worship.
Powerful Testimonies Highlight Recent Threats to Religious Believers
- In recent years, Americans from all religious backgrounds have faced increasing persecution for their religious beliefs.
- The Commission heard from mothers who were lied to by their children’s school administrators, children who were bullied because of their religious beliefs, healthcare workers who have risked losing their jobs due to religious objections to certain procedures, a grandson of Holocaust survivors who was restricted from public spaces because of his Jewish faith, nuns who were targeted by New York State, and workers—including military service members—who lost pensions and life savings when forced to choose between their faith and vaccine mandates, among many others.
- For example, elementary student Shea Encinas was bullied for standing up for his Christian faith when he was forced to read his peer a book that told him he could choose his gender—the school refused to help and doubled down on pushing gender ideology onto the students. Teacher Marisol Arroyo-Castro was told she had to remove a cross near her desk or lose her job. Jennifer Mead’s 11-year-old daughter was pressured by school authorities to believe she was a boy. Navy Seal Blake Martin lost his pension when he was just three years away from retirement eligibility because he objected to the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Eithan Haim was indicted by the Biden Department of Justice for blowing the whistle on Texas Children’s Hospital’s gender mutilation surgeries for minors. Shabbos Kestenbaum was targeted on Harvard’s campus simply for being Jewish. And Lacey Smith was fired from her flight attendant position at Alaska Airlines because she answered the invitation to respectfully share her thoughts on the Equality Act. These Americans have suffered greatly for their religious beliefs.
- In many cases the law protects the religious expression of Americans, but government officials and employers often use fear tactics to silence individuals into believing that they don’t have the right to publicly express their faith.
- The final report will equip all Americans with the knowledge and support needed to defend their Constitutional rights.
12 Key Recommendations to Strengthen Religious Liberty for All Americans
- Instruct the Department of Justice to issue guidance clarifying the proper understanding of the Establishment Clause and separation of church and state.
- The Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall issue “Know Your Rights” Posters for students, parents, public school teachers and administrators, religious leaders, religious institutions, healthcare workers, and military servicemembers.
- Any public official who alleges a person under their supervision has improperly engaged in religious expression must provide a written explanation of the alleged violation to the person accused within 30 days of any action and explain that charge based upon a specific constitutional provision or provision of law.
- Instruct the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to create religious liberty violation reporting hotlines/online portals for students, parents, teachers, healthcare workers, and others to obtain support in the face of religious liberty violations and promote public awareness of existing reporting channels.
- Nominate and confirm federal judges with the courage to decide religious liberty cases on the merits where warranted, rather than engage in improper judicial avoidance.
- Ask the Department of Justice to create a religious liberty task force to track and prioritize litigation protecting religious liberty.
- Combat anti-Semitism through enforcement of civil rights laws, litigation of credible allegations of anti-Semitic discrimination and violence, and civic education.
- Protect religious Americans from government-led litigation targeting their free exercise.
- Repeal the Johnson Amendment.
- Order the Department of War to streamline and improve the religious accommodation process.
- Continue efforts to restore the retirement or re-enlistment eligibility for service members who lost employment, health insurance, pensions, and other benefits because of their religious beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Honor the courage of religious liberty heroes through creating a Presidential Medal of Religious Liberty and First Freedom Hero Awards to recognize Americans who stand up for religious freedom and play an indispensable role in protecting citizens’ Constitutional rights.
Read the Religious Liberty Commission's draft report HERE
Pittsburgh Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Rafael Gary, 31, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that On December 9, 2022, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers were patrolling the East Hills section of Pittsburgh when officers noticed Gary’s vehicle parked. When Gary drove away, officers observed a traffic violation and pulled Gary over. Eventually, the officer developed evidence that Gary concealed illegal material inside the vehicle and got a search warrant for Gary’s vehicle.
The search warrant revealed a handgun, evidence of marijuana trafficking and a cellular telephone. Agents from, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives obtained a search warrant for the cellular telephone, which revealed that Gary had purchased the handgun through the female associate who was the registered owner. Gary has multiple felony convictions that preclude him from the lawful possession of firearms, including previous federal convictions for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for October 22, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gary.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Marvin Murphy, 50, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 24, 2026 before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb. He also received 3 years’ supervised release and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Murphy was previously convicted on March 18, 2025 after a two-day bench trial before Chief Judge Bumb. Murphy was remanded into custody after the verdict.
According to documents filed in this case and evidence at trial:
From June 2021 through July 13, 2021, Murphy conspired with Carl Lee Holloway, Lavinston Lamar, and others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. On June 23, 2021, Holloway traveled to San Diego, California, to meet with an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer. Holloway and the undercover agent discussed arranging a drug deal in New Jersey during which the undercover agent would deliver at least 10 kilograms of cocaine for Holloway and his associates. During the meeting, Holloway called Murphy, and the two proceeded to communicate about the drug deal during the subsequent weeks.
On July 13, 2021, Holloway, Murphy, and Lamar separately arrived at a hotel in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, each with bags containing U.S. currency collectively totaling over $340,000. They met with undercover agents inside a hotel room. They briefly inspected one of the kilograms of cocaine that undercover agents previously brought into the room. After the inspection, agents entered the room and arrested Holloway, Lamar, and Murphy.
Chief Judge Bumb previously sentenced Holloway to 120 months in prison after Holloway pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy. Chief Judge Bumb also previously sentenced Lamar to 114 months in prison, which was later reduced to 100 months, after Lamar pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy and to violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas in Newark and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy in San Diego; and the Mount Laurel Police, under the direction of Chief Timothy Hudnall, with the investigation leading to this sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
###
Defense counsel: Margaret Grasso, Esq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Pensacola Felon Indicted for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Damien R. Johnson, 46, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Johnson appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 9:00 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Pensacola, Florida.
Johnson faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Pensacola Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Thomas S.P. Geeker.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Palmdale Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking Crimes, including Distribution of Fentanyl Causing the Overdose Death of U.S. MarineRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley man has been found guilty by a jury of federal drug trafficking and firearm crimes, including supplying fake fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills that caused the fatal overdose of an active-duty United States Marine Corps lance corporal stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, the Justice Department announced today.
Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 31, was found guilty on Thursday of six felonies: one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death, one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute LSD, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to evidence presented at a 17-day trial, McCormick engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy from at least October 2019 to September 2020 during which he and his co-conspirators obtained and sold several drugs, including LSD, thousands of fake Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine, and thousands of fake oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. McCormick and his co-conspirators communicated via text messages and Snapchat to coordinate their drug trafficking business.
On May 21, 2020, McCormick informed one of his co-conspirators via text message, “I’m seeing my oxy guy today he has a boat,” referring to 1,000 purported oxycodone pills, also known as “M30s.” The next day, McCormick sold 1,000 of those pills to a co-conspirator, who then posted a picture on his Snapchat account of several pills with the caption, “Who f*** with M30s? Tapp in.” Later that same night, the co-conspirator sold approximately 10 of those pills to a 20-year-old U.S. Marine identified in court papers as “L.M.,” who died after consuming some of the fentanyl-laced pills in the early morning hours of May 23, 2020.
On July 26, 2020, McCormick again sold another 1,000 purported oxycodone pills to the same co-conspirator. Three days later, investigators arrested that co-conspirator and seized narcotics, including approximately 900 of those purported oxycodone pills, and several firearms – including a 9mm “ghost gun,” or a firearm lacking a serial number – from his residence. Those pills were confirmed to contain fentanyl.
In September 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants on McCormick’s person, vehicle, and residence, seizing numerous drug trafficking materials and narcotics, including lab-confirmed methamphetamine and LSD, and a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol.
At sentencing, McCormick will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the Southern California Drug Task Force (SCDTF), a Drug Enforcement Administration-led multi-agency task force within the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Castañeda of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Kathrynne Seiden, of the National Security Division, and James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.