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26 June 2026
Operation Fast Track Leads to 83 Arrests and Numerous Drug SeizuresRead the Press Release
SARATOGA, NEW YORK – Operation Fast Track has led to the arrest of 83 defendants and seizures of more than 2,100 counterfeit pills, 1,100 fentanyl pills, 125 grams of methamphetamine, 510 grams of Crack Cocaine, 569 grams of Cocaine, 2,00 grams of Fentanyl & Heroin, more than 500 lbs. of Marijuana and 8 firearms.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby, Drug Enforcement Administration New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam, Special Agent in Charge Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli, Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone Investigations New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James, Saratoga County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Jeffrey Brown, Washington County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy, Saratoga Springs Police Department Chief Tyler McIntosh made the announcement.
Among the defendant’s charged, 18 are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, while the remaining 65 defendants’ cases are being handled by the District Attorney’s Offices in Washington, Warren, and Saratoga County. The charges range from drug trafficking and firearms offenses to child pornography and immigration offenses
The charging instruments in any jurisdiction contain merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Since being appointed to lead this office, I have worked tirelessly to drive collaboration between Federal, State and Local law enforcement. The results announced today speak for themselves 83 criminals off our streets, countless deadly narcotics off our streets, all because our law enforcement partners worked together, shared intelligence and collaborated on cases,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “That is the kind of action that makes our communities safer. Under the leadership of President Trump and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, my office is leveraging the resources of the federal government to step up and protect our communities when State laws fail to do so. Earlier this year, I led efforts to gather our law enforcement leaders in the region to create Operation Fast Track. With one goal in mind, to clean up our beautiful communities ahead of the busy summer season. Thanks to the countless leaders and law enforcement officers across the region who were involved in this operation, we now can enjoy all the beauty this region has to offer for locals and tourists alike, without the worry of violent criminals and deadly narcotics lurking in the shadows.
“The arrests of 83 individuals, removal of eight firearms, and the seizure of two kilos of fentanyl and heroin, along with thousands of counterfeit pills, some of which contained fentanyl and bromazolam, and other dangerous narcotics represent far more than enforcement statistics. They represent lives protected and communities made safer” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “The growing presence of counterfeit pills containing substances like bromazolam, often mixed with fentanyl, continue to pose an extraordinary threat to public safety, potentially turning a single pill into a fatal dose. Every pill removed from our streets is one less opportunity for tragedy. This operation demonstrates the power of partnership and our unwavering commitment to identifying, targeting, and dismantling those individuals and drug trafficking organizations that profit from poisoning our communities. Every life matters, and the DEA will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners, to pursue those who threaten them.”
“The coordination between the agencies involved was incredibly powerful and the results truly speak for themselves. 83 criminals are off the streets and can no longer harm our communities through their illicit activities and dangerous behavior. Operation Fast Track may be over, but the partnerships remain and our dedication to ensuring the safety of our communities together is unwavering.” Said FBI Albany Special Agent in Charge Craig TremaroliNew York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “As a result of the commitment among law enforcement partners, a major drug and weapon operation has ceased. Strong partnerships are key when it comes to keeping dangerous individuals out of our communities and stopping the heinous crimes that they perpetuate. These arrests are yet another example of how dedicated police work and strong collaboration among law enforcement officials are succeeding in keeping New York State safe.”
Saratoga County Sheriff Jeff Brown said, “Operation Fast Track is a clear example of the dedication and professionalism demonstrated every day by the men and women of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside our law enforcement partners. The safety of our great county remains my top priority. We will continue to collaborate with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure that the residents and visitors of Saratoga County are protected.”
The individuals listed below have been charged federally. The specific charges, along with additional case information, are contained in the publicly available court filings. The identities of two defendants are being withheld at this time due to ongoing investigations.
Defendant(s) NameLead ChargeALLEN, JoshuaDistribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance (21 USC 841(a)(1))BELILE, Christopher & Kelly JACOBSDrug trafficking conspiracy (21 USC 846)ELKINS, DanielReceive or distribute child pornography (18 USC 2252A(a)(2)A))HILL, JamesUnlawful possession of ammunition by a felon (18 USC 922(g)(1))MAMOUDOU, DialloDistribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance (21 USC 841(a)(1))MILEY, ShamikDistribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance (21 USC 841(a)(1))MORALEZ-SANCHEZ, IvanUse false visa or immigration document (18 USC 1546(a))MUCUR-YUCUTE, SergioReentry of a removed alien (08 USC 1326(a))PERU, AmyDistribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance (21 USC 841(a)(1))PHILLIPS, SeanDistribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance (21 USC 841(a)(1))REESE, MontrellDistribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance (21 USC 841(a)(1))SMITH-GARCIA, PatricioReentry of a removed alien (08 USC 1326(a))TAYLOR, DylanReceive or distribute child pornography (18 USC 2252A(a)(2)A))THURBER, WesleyAttempted enticement or coercion of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity (18 USC 2422(b))TORNEZ-SOLANO, PatricioReentry of a removed alien (08 USC 1326(a))The cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Enforcement Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police, Saratoga County Sheriff's Office, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the Saratoga Springs Police Department.
Omaha Woman Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Omaha woman was sentenced on June 26, 2026, to 48 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Summer Louisa Chrans, 43, distributed one-pound quantities of methamphetamine on separate occasions in Council Bluffs. Chrans admitted to purchasing one-half pound and one-pound quantities of methamphetamine from a Council Bluffs source of supply.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Chrans will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.Ohkay Owingeh Man Pleads Guilty to Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Ohaky Owingeh man pleaded guilty to assaulting a victim in 2019.
According to court documents, on August 28, 2019, Ashkia Trujillo, 31, and enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Tribe, assaulted Jane Doe and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
Trujillo pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Ohkay Owingeh Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
Norwalk Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that MARCOS FRANCISCO JAVIER GOMEZ, 23, of Norwalk, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with multiple child exploitation offenses.
As alleged in court documents, on April 3, 2024, Gomez was arrested by the Putnam County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office after he had traveled to New York to meet with a 13-year-old girl with whom Gomez had engaged in sexually explicit communications via text messages, FaceTime, and various social media applications. Subsequent court-authorized searches of Gomez’s cellphone revealed evidence that Gomez had been communicating with at least five minor females in Connecticut, had recorded himself engaging in sexual activity with four of these minor victims, had requested that the minor victims send him videos depicting them engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and had sent obscene images of himself to at least one of the minor victims. Gomez typically met his minor victims through Snapchat.
The complaint charges Gomez with production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of life; receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; possession or attempted possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and transfer of obscene materials to a minor, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Gomez, who has been serving a New York state prison sentence related to his conduct with the 13-year-old minor victim in New York, appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Putnam County (N.Y.) Sherrif’s Office, the Norwalk Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Watertown Police Department, and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
North Charleston Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Leonard Bernard Gregory, 40, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal drug trafficking offense involving methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Evidence presented in court showed that on Oct. 29, 2024, investigators conducting surveillance in Charleston County stopped a vehicle Gregory was riding in. During the stop, officers found Gregory carrying bagged quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and cocaine, along with more than $2,000 in cash. Gregory repeatedly attempted to destroy the drugs as officers took him into custody.
That same day, investigators searched a residence Gregory used on Bonaparte Street in North Charleston. Inside, they found additional methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine on top of the kitchen cabinets, a mechanical pill press and molds used to manufacture drugs, digital scales, and additional cash. Officers also recovered three firearms concealed in a duffel bag in the residence.
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.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Gregory to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by four years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Charleston Police Department, the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, and the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case.###
New Orleans Woman Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – LOREALL GORDEN (“GORDEN”), age 38, of New Orleans, was sentenced by the U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance on June 17, 2026, to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and the payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
The defendant plead guilty to Counts 2 and 3 of the indictment. In Count 2,
the defendant was charged with distribution of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 84l(a)(l) and 841(b)(1)(c). In Count 3, the defendant was charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(l) and 841(b)(1)(c)).
According to court documents, an individual GORDEN believed to be a legitimate buyer revealed that GORDEN worked with other individuals to distribute fentanyl and heroin from a house in New Orleans.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Minnesota Tax Preparer Convicted of Preparing $1M+ in False Tax Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Minnesota man yesterday for filing false tax returns for clients of his tax preparation business.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Cortez Hollis owned and operated Hollis Tax Time, a Minnesota tax preparation business that he used to prepare false tax returns for clients. Hollis told his clients he was able to provide them tax credits that other tax preparers did not know about. In reality, he reported fictitious businesses that claimed thousands of dollars of business losses the clients did not actually incur. Hollis filed these tax returns with the IRS and generated large refunds the clients were not entitled to receive. He often paid himself tax preparation fees of $2,000 or more out of the resulting refunds, sometimes without his clients’ knowledge.
“No matter the scheme, the agency, or the program involved, those who cheat on their taxes for personal enrichment undermine the very foundation of public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division is working across all fronts to detect, investigate, and prosecute criminal tax violations. We will protect the integrity of our tax system and ensure that those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of honest citizens face the full weight of federal prosecution.”
At trial, the government established that Hollis added more than $1 million in fraudulent losses to client tax returns and sought approximately $387,000 in refunds they were not entitled to receive.
Hollis was found guilty of 20 counts of aiding or assisting the preparation of false tax returns. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Hollis faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen for the District of Minnesota made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Eric B. Powers and Trial Attorney Megan E. Wessel of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is 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.
Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man pled guilty to assaulting and strangling a victim.
According to court documents, on October 23, 2025, Lance Marion Cojo, 39, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted and strangled Jane Doe during an argument.
Cojo pleaded guilty to assault and faces up to five years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dickens is prosecuting the case.
Memphis Man Sentenced to over 78 Years in Federal Prison for Three Business RobberiesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Maurice Harris, 32, to 946 months and a day in federal prison for committing a series of business robberies by discharging a firearm and violating the conditions of his supervised release from a previous case. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Harris conducted a series of armed robberies of businesses within the Western District of Tennessee:
- October 4, 2024 - Metro by T-Mobile - 4673 Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, TN
- October 7, 2024 - Cricket Wireless - 1129 S. Dupress Street, Brownsville, TN
- October 10, 2024 - AT&T- 5287 Airline Road, Memphis, TN
In each robbery, he pretended to be a customer, then produced a handgun and demanded the store’s phones and tablets. During the robbery of the Brownsville Cricket Wireless store, a 5-year-old child was present. Investigators found the driver’s license identification of Harris that he left behind at the store when he fled. He was arrested at his place of employment in possession of the same handgun used in each of the robberies, in the same car he drove to each of the robberies, along with items stolen from two of the robberies.
All three incidents were recorded on store surveillance videos, and Harris was identified in a photo line-up and later in court by each of the victims. Harris had a prior federal conviction for a business robbery and had just been placed on supervised release in June 2024 when he committed the new robberies.
After a three-day trial, Harris was convicted as charged of three counts of robbery, three counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On June 23, 2026, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Harris to 900 months and a day of federal imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release for the robberies and an additional 46 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “There is a heavy price to pay for a lifestyle of lawlessness. Within the short span of 7 days, this recidivist violent offender’s selfish and impulsive greed terrorized multiple victims across West Tennessee – and has rightly earned him an effective life sentence in federal prison."
"Maurice Harris engaged in an armed spree of violence and intimidation," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "This sentence should serve as a reminder that the FBI will not waver when it comes to protecting Tennesseans and taking dangerous criminals off the streets. The FBI will continue to combat these issues through strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement via task forces and other relationships to ensure the safety of our communities."
This case was investigated by officers from the Memphis Police Department assigned to the FBI Nashville Field Office-Memphis Resident Agency’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Brownsville Police Department, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates
Massachusetts Man Charged with Attempting to Entice a Minor Following Operation “Red Card”Read the Press Release
Providence- A Rehoboth, Massachusetts man has been charged federally for allegedly attempting to entice a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female to engage in sexual activity and travelling to Rhode Island to meet her, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks.
The charges stem from Operation Red Card, a multi-agency human trafficking and child exploitation enforcement initiative conducted by the Rhode Island State Police (RISP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Richard Lallier, 34, is charged by way of federal criminal complaint with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted interstate travel for illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and attempted transmission of obscene material to a minor. He was ordered detained at his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
“Behind every child exploitation case is an adult who made a deliberate decision to target a minor. The responsibility for that conduct rests solely with the offender,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to identifying those individuals, protecting children, and holding offenders accountable.”
According to court documents, for two days, beginning on June 16, 2026, Lallier communicated with a person he believed was a 15-year-old female, who was an undercover RISP Detective. It is alleged that, believing he was communicating with the minor, Lallier sent sexually explicit messages, videos of his genitalia, discussed meeting for sexual activity, and traveled to Rhode Island to meet her.
“Child sexual exploitation cases are among the most disturbing the FBI works, and they’re also some of the most impactful. We’re gratified to help take Richard Lallier off the street,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Know that your FBI is working 24/7 before, during, and after the World Cup to ensure those seeking to exploit our most vulnerable won’t get away with it. If child predators can’t or won’t keep themselves away from kids, the FBI stands ready to step in and shut them down.”
"I commend the outstanding work of our detectives, our partners at the FBI, NCIS, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, and the United States Attorney's Office whose coordinated efforts led to this arrest,” said Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and the Director of the Department of Public Safety. “We will continue to aggressively pursue those who target children and ensure they are brought to justice.”
Lallier was arrested on June 17, 2026, by members of the RISP and FBI after he arrived at the location where it is alleged he had arranged to meet with the person he believed he had been communicating with.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Dean and Denise Marie Barton.
The matter was investigated by the RISP and the FBI, with valuable assistance provided by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Marianna Man Sentenced for Armed Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Michael Termaine Bell, of Marianna, Florida, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of marijuana, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 50 grams or more of marijuana. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case was built upon the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners who dismantled this drug trafficking operation that flooded our streets with deadly drugs. Operation Take Back America is delivering win after win for communities in the Northern District of Florida, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenders to deliver the safe, drug-free streets our citizens deserve.”
Court documents reflect that investigators in Jackson County, Florida, obtained information that the defendant was a member of a drug trafficking organization selling illegal narcotics. After several months of investigation, law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant for the defendant’s residence and an adjoining family residence in Marianna, Florida. During the execution of the search warrants, investigators located over 1,000 grams of cocaine, five firearms, over 3,000 grams of marijuana, approximately $10,000 in cash, and other evidence of drug distribution. When the defendant was located and arrested a few months later, he was in possession of cocaine, marijuana, and a firearm.
“This sentence reflects the strength of the partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement,” said Sheriff Donnie Edenfield. “When we work together, we can dismantle drug trafficking operations, remove dangerous offenders from our communities, and make Jackson County a safer place for everyone.”
“This joint investigation highlights the value of a collective effort,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, DEA Tampa Field Division. “Working together we were able remove this drug trafficker from our streets and make our North Florida communities much safer.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Eric W. Welch.
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.
Manhattan Man Charged with Dealing Fentanyl Resulting in the Deaths of Two VictimsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Pete Gizas, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JERMAINE BROWN with drug-trafficking crimes that led to two fatal overdoses. BROWN was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang and ordered detained. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.
“As alleged, for years, Jermaine Brown dealt dangerous drugs, including heroin laced with fentanyl, to New Yorkers,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s unsealed indictment against Brown reiterates our Office’s clear message: if you deal in fentanyl, you deal in death, and our office will hold you accountable.”
“As alleged, Jermaine Brown callously pumped heroin laced with fentanyl into our communities, and in turn contributed to the horrific overdose deaths of two victims,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas. “His arrest removes an accused ruthless drug trafficker from our streets and provides a measure of long-overdue relief to the victims’ families and the neighborhoods he preyed upon. Every day, HSI New York is relentlessly committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the NYPD, and our invaluable law enforcement partners to investigate these heinous crimes and protect our communities from the lethal threat of fentanyl and other narcotics.”
“As alleged, this defendant distributed lethal drugs, including fentanyl-laced heroin, which ultimately led to the overdose deaths of two victims,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “We will not allow drug peddlers to flood our communities with dangerous poisons and put lives at risk without facing consequences. Thanks to the efforts of our NYPD investigators, alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, we are holding this criminal accountable.”
As alleged in the Indictment and documents submitted to the Court:
From at least in or around 2022 through at least in or around December 2025, BROWN, a Manhattan-based dealer, sold a variety of controlled substances, including heroin, to numerous customers. BROWN provided drugs to some customers over extended periods of time. Some of BROWN’s customers, however, were unaware that heroin sold by BROWN also at times contained fentanyl. Multiple victims who bought fentanyl-laced heroin from BROWN were poisoned by BROWN’s fentanyl and died. Specifically, BROWN’s drugs caused a least two overdose deaths: (i) the death of a 33-year-old man on or about March 19, 2024, in New York, New York and (ii) the death of a 35-year-old woman on or about December 10, 2025, in Frankin Square, New York.
BROWN relied on multiple coconspirators to facilitate his drug trafficking. Multiple individuals sourced narcotics for BROWN, including in response to explicit requests from BROWN for fentanyl. BROWN also relied on multiple individuals to assist in the distribution of narcotics by delivering or reselling BROWN’s narcotics, including fentanyl, to others.
On June 25, 2026, law enforcement searched Brown’s room in a Manhattan hotel pursuant to a judicially authorized warrant. The search revealed a multitude of narcotics in pill and powder form, along with a duffel bag full of cash. Photographs of some of the seized items are shown below:
* * *
BROWN, 55, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and two counts of distribution of narcotics resulting in death, all of which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Nassau County Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger and Lauren Phillips are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Taken into Custody in Somalia for Role in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota—one of the orchestrators of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme—was taken into custody on June 25, 2026, in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Eidleh was among the defendants originally charged by indictment in the Feeding Our Future scheme on September 13, 2022. The indictment alleges 31 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
According to court documents, Eidleh was an employee of Feeding Our Future who was responsible for recruiting and supporting Federal Child Nutrition Program sites under Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship. He and other Feeding Our Future employees solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from individuals and companies seeking approval to operate fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program sites. The indictment describes Feeding Our Future as operating a pay‑to‑play scheme in which operators of fraudulent meal sites kicked back a portion of their illicit proceeds to employees, including Eidleh, often disguised as “consulting fees” through shell companies.
The indictment alleges that Eidleh created his own Federal Child Nutrition Program sites in the name of nominee owners and fraudulently claimed that the sites were serving meals to thousands of children per day. He also created shell companies purporting to be meal vendors for those sites and created and submitted fraudulent invoices to obtain, misappropriate, and defraud federal nutrition program funds. Eidleh deposited more than $5 million in kickbacks, bribes, and other fraud proceeds into accounts associated with his shell companies, using them to conceal the true nature and source of the illegally obtained funds.
“This defendant was a central figure in one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota history,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “He not only stole taxpayer dollars, but he also robbed vulnerable children of critical resources they desperately needed. Rather than answer for his crimes in the United States, he fled to Somalia in a futile attempt to evade justice. That attempt ended thanks to the exceptional work of our FBI partners. The Department of Justice will continue to track down and prosecute fraudsters wherever they run and wherever they hide.”
“Eidleh’s capture shows that, if you commit fraud against the American taxpayer, and try hiding across the globe, the long arm of justice will find you,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “We salute the FBI’s work in finding Eidleh, and are grateful to all our federal and international partners that help us hold accountable those who defraud our government.”
“With the apprehension of Abdikerm Eidleh, the FBI's partnerships with law enforcement worldwide again send a message – the FBI’s reach is far and wide, we will track down and bring to justice any fugitive, from anywhere,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “According to the indictment, Eidleh's alleged fraud took millions of dollars from programs designed for children and families in need. When the alleged fraud was uncovered, he unwisely tried to hide from justice on the other side of the world. The FBI and our partners will shine a light on fraudsters wherever they may try to hide. The FBI extends its sincere appreciation to the National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia for their outstanding partnership in locating and apprehending Eidleh so he may be brought to justice.”
“Every dollar stolen from the pockets of hardworking Americans emphasizes the Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to protecting our communities,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge, Denver Division. “This arrest shows that criminals who abuse the financial system and exploit innocent people for their own gain will not escape their day in court. They are not above the law. Postal inspectors continue to be relentless in their pursuit of justice.”
This case is a result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Austin Bowyer are prosecuting these cases.
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.
Note: Previous press release on federal charges against Eidleh and other defendants here.
Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to distributing cocaine base (crack cocaine) and illegal possession of two guns.
Marc Sanchez, 31, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2025. Sanchez was arrested and charged in October 2025 and has remained in federal custody since.
Sanchez was identified as a drug distributor selling crack cocaine out of his apartment in Lowell. Specifically, on Sept. 17, 2025, a cooperating witness arranged to meet Sanchez at his apartment to purchase an ounce and a half of crack cocaine. At the time of the meeting, Sanchez was observed meeting with an unknown drug supplier in a car outside his apartment building to acquire powder cocaine. Sanchez then returned to his apartment with the cooperating witness, where Sanchez “cooked” the powder cocaine into crack cocaine, separated and weighed the substance, and then sold it to the cooperating witness. In addition, Sanchez used phone numbers and cars registered in other people’s names to deal crack cocaine. According to court documents, there were at least four outstanding arrest warrants for Sanchez in connection with open criminal cases in Derry District Court in New Hampshire, and in Boston, Lawrence and Lowell District Courts in Massachusetts.
On Sept. 25, 2025, Sanchez again produced and distributed an ounce and a half of crack cocaine to the cooperating witness at this apartment. During a search of Sanchez’s apartment approximately one week later, on Oct. 1, 2025, more cocaine, drug-coated cookware and drug packaging materials were recovered as well as over $3,000 cash and two loaded 9mm handguns from inside a safe in the apartment.
Sanchez has multiple felony convictions and he served over two years in a Massachusetts state prison in 2018 and 2019.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Greg C. Hudon, Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover, Salem (Mass.) and Manchester (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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).
Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to distributing fentanyl and cocaine base (crack cocaine).
Gino Hem, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base; one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base; and three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Sep. 30, 2026. The defendant was arrested and charged in October 2025 and has remained in federal custody since.
On four separate occasions between July 14, 2025 and Oct. 3, 2025, Hem met cooperating witnesses and an undercover officer in Lowell to sell them crack cocaine and fentanyl. Hem filled orders from the cooperating witnesses and undercover officer for “fingers” of “brown,” i.e., fentanyl, and quantities of “hard,” i.e., cocaine base.
On a fifth date, on Oct. 22, 2025, the undercover officer ordered two ounces of “hard” from Hem. He was taken into custody upon arriving at the agreed upon drug deal location. During a search of his person, more than two ounces (53 grams) of cocaine base were found hidden inside Hem’s underwear.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Los Angeles Man Convicted of Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Central District of California convicted a Los Angeles man today of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
“Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.”
“Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.”
“This case highlights Homeland Security Investigations’ determination to rescue victims from exploitation and ensure that those who commit such cruel and violent acts are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendant manipulated and terrorized the victim for his own gain, using violence, intimidation, and control. We commend the victim’s bravery for sharing her story. HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue justice for victims and relentlessly work to prevent these crimes from occurring in our communities.”
According to court documents, witness testimony, and evidence presented at trial, Elias Shabazz, 33, of Los Angeles, led his victim to believe that they were engaged in a romantic relationship, but he soon turned physically and sexually violent demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts. Shabazz carried a handgun with him and used it on occasion to pistol whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet when threatening to kill her. At trial, the victim explained how he introduced her to commercial sex, demanded she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds, and how he terrified her of the consequences of not meeting that quota. She also testified to how Shabazz compelled her to work on Figueroa Street in Los Angeles and how dangerous it was to do so. Shabazz confiscated the victim’s identification, social security card, and birth certificate. He looked through her phone constantly to keep her from communicating with family and friends. He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life including when she ate, slept, and showered.
The jury convicted Shabazz of one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. The jury found Shabazz not guilty of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. A sentencing date has not been set. Shabazz faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kate A. Alexander of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen I. Meyer for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Cody Bullman, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced June 25, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for attempted receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Bullman to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bullman’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release.
In March of 2024, a Facebook profile of an undercover officer, presenting themselves as a 13-year-old female, was sent a “friend request” from a Facebook profile determined to belong to Bullman. The undercover officer and Bullman communicated briefly. Then in May of 2024, Bullman asked the undercover officer, “you down to hook up?” The undercover officer responded, indicating to Bullman they were only 13 years old. Bullman said he was okay with that and told the undercover officer, “I just wanna [sic] say your [sic] attractive.” Later in the conversation Bullman sent a sexually explicit photo. Bullman then asked the undercover officer for sexually explicit images or videos of the minor, indicating he would not “do anything with your nudes. It’s for my viewing only.”
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations.
Last of Six Defendants Pleads Guilty to Role in Multi-state Securities FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The last of six men from Florida has pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme to manipulate the stock prices of publicly traded “penny stock” companies based in Florida, Colorado, and Wyoming. The stocks were sold at inflated prices to victim investors throughout the country, including in the Northern District of Ohio.
Charles Vaccaro, 68, of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud. Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. accepted Vaccaro’s plea on June 24.
In addition, the co-defendants below previously pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Dror Svorai, 57, of Hollywood, Florida - Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud, Securities Fraud, , Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments.
- Dennis Ruggeri, 80, of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida - Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
- Kevin Hagen, 57, of Davie, Florida - Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud.
- Gary Berlly, 74, of Plantation, Florida - Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud.
- Yosef Biton 45, of Sunny Isles, Florida - Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud.
- Eli Taieb, 52, of Davie, Florida - Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud (charged separately).
According to court documents and evidence presented in Court, from approximately January 2014 to July 2019 the defendants intentionally conspired, along with others, to defraud victims who bought shares of stock in public companies whose share prices the conspirators were manipulating. The companies were traded on the OTC Markets, which typically serve smaller public companies that don’t qualify to be traded through traditional U.S. stock exchanges..
The defendants acquired small publicly-traded companies, issued millions of shares to themselves and to friends, relatives, and other nominees at little or no cost, and then artificially controlled the price and volume of shares through a number of tactics. One method they used was through promotional media efforts designed to generate public interest and increase the price and trading volumes in the stock. The defendants had the ability to influence or control the authorship, timing, and content of the press releases and promotions, which were issued by the same companies whose stock they were selling. Because the defendants or their nominees controlled significant amounts of stock, they coordinated the sale of large blocks of shares to coincide with the press releases and promotions to entice would-be investors to purchase the stock.
The defendants also provided false and misleading information to attorneys and brokers to conceal their true relationship to the companies, which allowed them to deposit and sell stock they would not otherwise have been able to sell.
The defendants then profited by selling stock on the public market at artificially inflated prices without disclosing that they controlled both the stock and the companies themselves, or that they were artificially manipulating the companies’ stock prices. Once the defendants stopped promoting the stock, the stock price fell, causing investors to lose money. The defendants used the profits from their scheme to enrich themselves and fund luxurious lifestyles.
Among the items seized during the investigation, and later ordered forfeited, were:
- $236,131.05 from a bank account
- 2016 Range Rover vehicle, purchased for $90,327.79
- 2018 Rolls Royce Dawn vehicle, purchased for $376,660.94
- 2019 Porsche 911 vehicle, purchased for $164,481.14
- 2018 Tesla Model S 100D vehicle, purchased for $116,919.83
- 2001 Azimut 70’ yacht, purchased for $265,925
- AB JET 330 dinghy, purchased for $28,670.00.
In total, investors lost more than $26 million as a result of the scheme.
Each defendant’s sentence is determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal record, if any, role in the offense, and characteristics of the offense. Berlly was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered to pay $18,063.14 in restitution. Hagen was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and $2,033,442.04 in restitution. Biton was sentenced to six months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and $392,000 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erica Barnhill, Brenna Fasko, and James Morford.
Kansas man gets prison time for secretly recording child in a bathroomRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 264 months in prison for clandestinely recording a minor under the age of 12 through a crack in a wall to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Jeffrey T. Lyons, 33, of Olathe pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child.
In 2018, Lyons began secretly taking nude photos and videos of a child from a room adjacent to a bathroom through a gap in the wall. For several years, Lyons secretly recorded the minor victim partially or completely unclothed in the bathroom.
In October 2023, a relative of Lyons reported him to law enforcement. When officers approached Lyons, they had to forcefully take his cellphone because he refused to give it to them. A forensic exam on the phone uncovered the sexual exploitation videos he had taken of the minor victim and screenshots from those videos, along with almost 900 erotic photos of the child while clothed. Lyons also possessed over 2,800 CSAM photos and videos that did not involve the minor child.
“Children are innocent, defenseless, and rely on responsible adults to advocate on their behalf and shield them from predators,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “If you become aware of child abuse, you have an ethical obligation to contact law enforcement immediately. It doesn’t matter if the perpetrator is a friend or a relative. The victim’s welfare should always be the highest priority.”
“Mr. Lyons’ actions were both abhorrent and stomach-churning. The sentence ensures that a dangerous predator spends more than two decades behind bars and an additional 12 years of supervised release. The FBI remains committed to finding and bringing to justice anyone who dares to exploit or harm children,” stated Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Justice Department Sues States for Failing to Provide SNAP Data to the U.S. Department of AgricultureRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice filed lawsuits against Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota, seeking injunctions requiring their state SNAP agencies to turn over their last five years of SNAP applicant data. This comes after those four states refused to turn over the data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) so that USDA could ensure that states are properly administering and enforcing their determinations of residents’ eligibility for SNAP, including household benefit levels.
When USDA requested this data last year, these states and several others refused to comply. Twenty-eight other jurisdictions, however, promptly provided their data. Data received from the compliant 29 states indicate there are billions of dollars per year in SNAP funds going to overpayments and fraud.
Faced with this evidence, USDA again requested SNAP applicant data from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota in May. Yet again, these states refused to comply. The states’ ongoing noncompliance creates the likelihood of ongoing, material waste, fraud, and abuse going undetected. Such reckless disregard for Federal law and the public fisc cannot continue.
“The American people deserve a government that is transparent about how it spends their hard-earned tax dollars,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These four states are thwarting USDA’s efforts to ensure that the billions of dollars in SNAP benefits they distribute every year are not lost to fraud. It’s unacceptable, suspicious, and it will not stand under this Administration.”
“For nearly 365 days, several States have shamelessly defied federal law and withheld data to which the U.S. Department of Agriculture is entitled,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. “USDA has worked constructively with the majority of States to ensure criminals, fraudulent activity, and other waste, no longer plague a program meant to serve the most vulnerable households and communities among us. Today, I asked the Acting Attorney General to compel Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Michigan to comply with federal law. If a State misguidedly stands between the federal government and the information needed to protect the generosity of the American taxpayer, the Trump Administration will take them to court.”
“The Department of Justice is dedicated to combatting waste, fraud, and abuse in federal benefits programs, and ensuring that American taxpayers are not footing the bill for benefits that recipients are not entitled to under federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
“Stopping the rampant theft of taxpayer money demands a whole-of-government response, including strong participation at the state level,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “These states are happy to take hundreds of millions of federal tax dollars—much of which is exploited by fraudsters—but want zero transparency over how those tax dollars are spent. It’s pretty simple: share the data that shows how America’s money is being spent—and stolen—in your state. These lawsuits are required because these states refuse to take the most basic steps to help stop the rampant theft of taxpayer dollars.”
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Offense Involving Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Owens Coleman Parker, Jr. (51, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Parker pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Parker picked up and attempted to transport a vehicle which contained a hidden compartment holding more than 6 kilograms of fentanyl and more than 7 kilograms of methamphetamine. When law enforcement tried to stop him, Parker fled, leading police on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood. Parker then exited the vehicle and fled on foot before police apprehended him. Subsequently, Parker admitted that he knew he was picking up a load of drugs and that he intended to transport them to another location and was to be paid for doing so. Parker was arrested and given a bond, however, failed to appear in court and fled to Mexico before ultimately surrendering to authorities.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jesus Aranda-Martinez, age 25, from Mexico and living in Rock Valley, Iowa, was sentenced today to six years’ imprisonment in federal court in Sioux City. Aranda-Martinez pled guilty on February 6, 2026, to one count of possession of child pornography. Aranda-Martinez is a citizen of Mexico and is currently pending removal from the United States following his prison sentence.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from April 2024 through July 2025, Aranda-Martinez received, distributed, and possessed child pornography. Aranda-Martinez admitted he used several chat apps and that he likes females in middle school or younger. Aranda-Martinez admitted he had received child sexual abuse material over the internet, including depictions of children having sex with adults. A forensic review of Aranda-Martinez’s phone showed he distributed child pornography in “send to receive” groups. He possessed at least 62 images and 42 videos of child pornography. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct with prepubescent minors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Aranda-Martinez to 108 months’ imprisonment along with a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Aranda-Martinez was also ordered to pay $3,100 in fees and assessments. Aranda-Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Valley Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4053.
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Homeland Security Task Force investigation leads to seven-year sentence for Lakewood, Washington, drug traffickerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 21-year-old Lakewood, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 84 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking organization distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine, announced Fist Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Antonio Velazquez Encinas first came to the attention of law enforcement in 2022 when he was just 17 years old. The teen was stopped with his aunt (codefendant Martha Velazquez Sanchez) as the two were driving up from California with a load of 14 pounds of methamphetamine. Neither was charged at that time, but two years later Antonio Velazquez Encinas was leading a drug trafficking organization.
At today’s sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “The impact that controlled substances have in our communities are immeasurable,” and noted that Velazquez Encinas “had been involved in this conduct for some time,” and had “role models . . . guiding you on how to engage in this conduct.”
According to records filed in the case, the Velazquez Encinas drug trafficking organization (DTO) was indicted on March 12, 2025. Antonio Velazquez Encinas was the lead defendant. He arranged for multi-pound drug deliveries that were distributed by his brother Keven Velazquez Encinas or his aunt, Martha Velazquez Sanchez. In all, eight members of the DTO were indicted and linked to some 20 pounds of methamphetamine deliveries.
In asking for an eight-year prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court that “Velazquez Encinas distributed large quantities of methamphetamine to numerous local redistributors in the South Sound region. He acted as the leader of the drug trafficking network, taking orders for methamphetamine, setting prices, and directing others to distribute the drugs on his behalf. . . . The drug epidemic that has been raging for years has shown that this is by no means a victimless crime. Controlled substances have led to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths a year. It is as if we are living in an unending pandemic. But this epidemic only persists because of drug traffickers such as the defendant.”
Chief Judge Estudillo sentenced Velazquez Encinas to be on four years of supervised release following his prison term.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
This investigation was specifically led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force (TNT).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.
Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska - June 2026Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 13 unsealed Indictments charging 14 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Kenneth Powers, age 68, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Powers with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine beginning on or about September 1, 2025, and continuing to on or about January 15, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Powers with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about January 15, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Brian De Jesus-Garibaldi, age 20, of San Luis, Arizona, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine on or about April 30, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
William Finely, Sr., age 61, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about March 3, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Jason D. McCain, age 46, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with bank robbery on or about April 1, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Peere M. Shackelford, age 41, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl resulting in death between about January 26, 2026, and January 30, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 20 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 3 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
David J. Turner, age 63, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Turner with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on or about March 12, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 25 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a 10-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Turner with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute on or about March 12, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Turner with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on or about March 12, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Daniel Ray Corter, age 48, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Corter with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating and interfering with a federal officer with bodily injury on or about April 5, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Corter with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating and interfering with a federal officer with physical contact on or about April 5, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 8 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Corter with impeding, intimidating or interfering with a federal official by threat on or about April 5, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 6 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Marissa Halterman, age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Christopher Raudales, age 41, of Omaha, Nebraska, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl on or about April 27, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Acting Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Allan Padilla-Sanchez, age 26
Darwin Flores-Sanchez, age 27
Jose Valenciano-Moreno, age 39
Jose Omar Murillo-Herrera, age 42
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Acting Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Jose Caceres-Ascencio, age 49
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
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Four charged for violating national defense airspace during FIFA fan festivalRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Federal criminal complaints have been filed against four Houston area residents since the beginning of the World Cup for flying drones into sensitive national defense airspace without authorization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
John Alexander Meza, 26, La Porte; Jordan Lee Zale, 38, Richmond; and Huu An Nguyen Dinh, 30, Pearland, are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett at 2 p.m. July 7. Patrick Phillip Heer, 34, Katy, is scheduled for July 8 at 10 a.m.
According to one complaint, on or about June 13, law enforcement observed Heer operating a drone in restricted airspace in the vicinity of Polk and Chartres Streets in Houston. The charges allege it was specifically within the boundaries of the Temporary Flight Restriction zone established near the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone just east of downtown Houston. Heer was operating the drone, according to the complaint.
In a separate, but similar case, on or about June 11, law enforcement allegedly observed a small drone flying in the TFR zone near 612 Live Oak Street in Houston. The charges allege Meza was the pilot of that drone.
On that same date, another complaint indicates that a small drone was flying near 633 Middle Street in Houston, also within the TFR zone. Law enforcement determined Zale was operating the drone, according to the allegations.
In the 4th matter, Dinh was charged with also violating national defense airspace by flying a small drone June 18 in the vicinity of 3305 Jefferson Street in Houston. This area is also within the TFR zone, according to the charges.
To ensure a safe environment for all players, attendees and staff, Federal Aviation Administration and law enforcement have officially designated all FIFA World Cup stadiums and surrounding event spaces, to include Houston’s Fan Zone, as strict "No Drone Zones." This means that unauthorized drone flights are strictly prohibited in the designated airspace and surrounding grounds. During such major sporting events FAA implements temporary flight restrictions to limit air travel and secure the airspace. Taking off, landing or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a serious violation of federal and local regulations.
FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Air Marshal Service, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety are conducting the joint investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Roldolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
See a drone breaking the rules? Blow the whistle! Report it to 911, on-site law enforcement, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Fort Dodge Area Man Sentenced to Prison for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
Thomas Lee Clark, Jr, age 57, from Eagle Grove and Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced to over 15 years in prison on June 25, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. On January 27, 2026, Clark, Jr. pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distribution and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of meth.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings, showed that, from July 2024 through August 2025, Clark, Jr. and others distributed over 2500 grams of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Evidence further showed that on at least four occasions in July and August 2025, Clark, Jr. distributed or instructed others to distribute meth to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. During a search of a co-conspirator’s home, law enforcement officers seized over 12 grams of pure meth, over $4,000 in U.S. currency, marijuana, prescription medications, scales, and other drug distribution paraphernalia. Clark, Jr. admitted he and his co-conspirators had previously distributed meth and intended to distribute this methamphetamine. Clark, Jr. was previously convicted of possession of more than five grams of methamphetamine, a serious felony drug offense, on or about February 12, 2014, in the Iowa District Court for Webster County.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Clark, Jr. to 204 months’ imprisonment and ten-years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Clark, Jr. remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Wright County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3043. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former school board president gets 40 years after sexually exploiting minor relativeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 61-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Jerry James Svatek Jr. pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now sentenced Svatek to 480 months for the production and possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 480-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard Svatek previously served as president of the Boling Independent School District Board of Trustees and had joined an underground online community where he continued distributing images of a close family relative.
The court also considered information from the impact statements from the parents of the minor which detailed the harm Svatek caused to the family.
In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the particularly egregious nature of the offense by exploited his position within the family. Svatek was further ordered to pay $78,500 in restitution to the victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Authorities identified Svatek in 2025 when conducting undercover investigations into an online forum known as FetLife – a social networking platform designed for people interested in alternative sexual lifestyles. It revealed Svatek was sharing child sexual abuse material online.
During undercover conversations with Svatek, he exchanged multiple images taken from videos of himself with the victim. In some messages, he discussed the desire to have sex with prepubescent minors and admitted to sexual contact with at least one three-year-old victim and sought others that engaged in similar conduct.
On June 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle where they seized a cellular phone.
Forensic examination of the device revealed more than approximately 150 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The images depicted prepubescent victims as young as six months of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Svatek admitted to creating videos and distributing still images over the messaging platform.
Svatek admitted to creating videos of the minor relative in the bathtub and distributing the still images over the messaging platform.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Boone County, North Carolina, Police Department; Texas Rangers; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; and Wharton County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Teper prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Former U.S. National Security Advisor, John R. Bolton II, Pleads Guilty to Violating the Espionage ActRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A former National Security Advisor to the President of the United States entered a guilty plea in federal court, today, in connection with charges stemming from the transmission and retention of national defense information.
John Robert Bolton, II, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pled guilty to retention of national defense information, as alleged in Count 12 of the indictment. The plea agreement resolves all 18 counts charged in the indictment.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Hayden O’Byrne, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division (NSD), Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky, FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
“Mr. Bolton knew the damage mishandling confidential material could cause to national security, and yet he still committed this misconduct and put American lives at risk,” Hayes said. “Keeping Americans safe has always been, and will always be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. No one is above the law, and so anyone who endangers our national security will be brought to justice.”
“John Bolton held a position of extraordinary public trust as the country’s top National Security Advisor, and he betrayed that trust, jeopardizing our nation’s security,” O’Byrne said. “Today’s resolution ought to send a message to other public officials whom the public has entrusted with classified, national defense information. If you willfully mishandle these state secrets, the Department of Justice, led by the National Security Division, will investigate and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
“By his own admission, John Bolton willfully and carelessly copied top secret information into his personal notes and then transmitted those secrets to unauthorized family members,” Rozhavsky said. “When guardians of our nation’s secrets play fast and loose with classified information, it opens the door for foreign adversaries to get their hands on it, which is exactly what happened. This plea stands as a reminder: the FBI will remain steadfast in our pursuit of anyone who puts the security of America’s secrets at risk.”
“Americans’ safety and security were needlessly put at risk by Bolton’s reckless and illegal actions. In this case, the worst happened -- our most sensitive government secrets were stolen by an adversary," Paul said. “Today’s guilty plea is a testament to the diligent work by investigators and prosecutors to ensure anyone jeopardizing our national security is held accountable.”
Bolton served as National Security Advisor between April 2018 and September 2019. According to court documents, during this time, Bolton incorporated highly sensitive classified information that he learned from his official duties into personal “diary” entries that he wrote about his daily activities.
These diaries contained information classified up to the TOP SECRET level, as well as Sensitive Compartmented Information. This included foreign adversaries’ military operation plans, covert U.S. government actions in foreign countries, and intelligence about adversary foreign leaders obtained from clandestine human sources and intercepted communications.
Bolton sent these documents to two family members who were not authorized to access, receive, or possess classified information. He sent the documents via non-governmental email accounts and a non-governmental messaging application which are not approved for processing classified information. Bolton also retained copies of these documents at his Bethesda home where they were not permitted to be stored.
According to court documents, after Bolton left office in September 2019, a cyber actor, believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran, hacked Bolton’s personal email account. He reported the hack to law enforcement but did not tell the agents, or anyone else in the U.S. government, that the account contained national defense information.
Bolton is facing a maximum penalty of 60 months in prison. He also agrees to pay a $2.25-million fine. Further, under federal law, as noted in the plea agreement, Bolton’s conviction prohibits him, or his survivors, from collecting an annuity or federal retirement pay. The Honorable Theodore D. Chuang, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Maryland, set Bolton’s sentencing date for Wednesday, October 28, at 9:30 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its work in the investigation, along with the FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division and FBI New York Field Office, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, along with Acting Chief Tanner Kroeger and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle, NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Former U.S. National Security Advisor John R. Bolton, II Pleads Guilty to Violating the Espionage ActRead the Press Release
John R. Bolton, II, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in federal court to willfully retaining national defense information. Bolton used personal accounts to send classified information to family members who were unauthorized to access such information, including a personal email account that was later hacked by a cyber actor allegedly linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“John Bolton held a position of extraordinary public trust as the country’s top National Security Advisor, and he betrayed that trust, jeopardizing our nation’s security,” said Hayden O’Byrne, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division. “Today’s resolution ought to send a message to other public officials whom the public has entrusted with classified, national defense information. If you willfully mishandle these state secrets, the Department of Justice, led by the National Security Division, will investigate and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Mr. Bolton knew the damage mishandling confidential material could cause to national security, and yet he still committed this misconduct and put American lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O’Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Keeping Americans safe has always been, and will always be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. No one is above the law, and so anyone who endangers our national security will be brought to justice.”
“By his own admission — and with full knowledge it was a violation of his oath as a former security clearance holder — John Bolton willfully copied top secret information into his personal notes and then transmitted those secrets to unauthorized family members,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “As a former national security advisor, Bolton knew such careless disregard for the law could open the door for foreign adversaries to get their hands on incredibly sensitive and classified information, and that’s exactly what happened in this case. His plea stands as a critical reminder: The FBI will remain steadfast in our pursuit of all who place the security of America’s secrets and its citizens at risk.”
“Americans’ safety and security were needlessly put at risk by Bolton's reckless and illegal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “In this case, the worst happened — our most sensitive government secrets were stolen by an adversary. Today's guilty plea is a testament to the diligent work by investigators and prosecutors to ensure anyone jeopardizing our national security is held accountable.”
Bolton served as the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States between April 2018 and September 2019. According to court documents, during this time, Bolton incorporated highly sensitive classified information that he had learned in the course of his official duties into documents that he wrote about his daily activities, which he referred to as “diary” entries. The documents contained information classified up to the TOP SECRET level, as well as Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), including foreign adversaries’ military operation plans, covert U.S. government actions in foreign countries, and intelligence about adversary foreign leaders obtained from clandestine human sources and intercepted communications.
Bolton sent these documents to two family members who were not authorized to access, receive, or possess classified information. He sent the documents via non-governmental email accounts and a non-governmental messaging application which were not approved for processing classified information, and he retained copies at his home in Bethesda where they were not permitted to be stored.
According to court documents, Bolton’s personal email account was hacked by a cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran after Bolton left office in September 2019. Bolton reported that hack to law enforcement but did not tell the agents or anyone else in the U.S. government that the account contained national defense information.
In October 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Maryland indicted Bolton on 18 counts of willfully transmitting and retaining national defense information.
The plea agreement filed today resolves all 18 counts. According to the plea agreement, Bolton will face a maximum penalty of 60 months in prison. The defendant also agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine. Further, under federal law as noted in the plea agreement, Bolton’s conviction prohibits Bolton or his survivors from collecting an annuity or federal retirement pay. The Hon. Theodore D. Chuang, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Maryland, set Bolton’s sentencing date for Oct. 28.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case with key support from FBI’s Counterintelligence & Espionage Division, FBI New York Office, and FBI’s Operational Technology Division.
Acting Deputy Chief Tanner Kroeger and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. Multiple former prosecutors in both offices made significant contributions to the yearslong investigation.
This release includes an updated quote from the FBI.
Former Inland Empire Resident Found Guilty of Sex Trafficking Victim on L.A.’s Figueroa Street, a Prostitution HubRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Riverside County resident was found guilty by a jury today of forcing and coercing a victim into engaging in commercial sex acts on the notorious Figueroa Street in Los Angeles.
Elias Abdul Shabazz, 34, formerly of Perris and whose last known residence was in Washington, D.C., was found guilty of one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. He has been in federal custody since May 2025.
“Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.”
“Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.”
“This case highlights Homeland Security Investigations’ determination to rescue victims from exploitation and ensure that those who commit such cruel and violent acts are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. “The defendant manipulated and terrorized the victim for his own gain, using violence, intimidation, and control. We commend the victim’s bravery for sharing her story. HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue justice for victims and relentlessly work to prevent these crimes from occurring in our communities.”
According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, Shabazz led his victim to believe that they were engaged in a romantic relationship, but he soon turned physically and sexually violent demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts. The criminal conduct occurred from May 2021 to October 2021.
Shabazz carried a handgun with him and used it on occasion to pistol whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet when threatening to kill her.
At trial, the victim explained how he introduced her to commercial sex, demanded she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds, and how he terrified her of the consequences of not meeting that quota. She also testified to how Shabazz compelled her to work on Figueroa Street in Los Angeles and how dangerous it was to do so.
Shabazz confiscated the victim’s identification, social security card, and birth certificate. He looked through her phone constantly to keep her from communicating with family and friends. He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life including when she ate, slept, and showered.
The jury found Shabazz not guilty on one count of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.
United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., scheduled an October 6 sentencing hearing, at which time Shabazz will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kim Meyer of the Major Crimes Section and Trial Attorney Kate A. Alexander of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting this case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at (888) 373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Former Church Employee Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 43-year-old woman has been sentenced to prison for embezzling money from a church where she was previously employed.
Shenia Watson, aka Shenia Brown, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced to 40 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary, after she pleaded guilty in February to Wire Fraud, Access Device Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. Judge Zouhary also ordered Watson to serve three years of supervised release and pay $410,574.39 in restitution.
According to court documents, Watson was an employee of Perfecting Church in Toledo, Ohio.
As a church employee, Watson was responsible for managing parishioner donations. Investigators discovered that from about June 2019, to June of 2023, Watson used her position at the church to embezzle church funds from an app that was used to receive donations from parishioners. To conceal her embezzlement activities, Watson knowingly provided the board of directors with fraudulent monthly financial summary reports. Additionally, Watson secured a credit card in the name of the church’s pastor and used it to pay church expenses to conceal its true financial condition and to conceal her embezzlement activities.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Dexter Phillips led the prosecution.
Five Men Face Federal Charges for Trafficking Drugs in Franklin County, VermontRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON– The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on June 25, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tyree Canty a/k/a “Black,” 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lord Crayton a/k/a “Little Creep,” 35, of Woodhaven, New York, and Dimetrice Warner a/k/a “Unc,” 37, of The Bronx, New York, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Two additional men were also indicted for conspiring to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, but their identities remain under seal. Canty faces an additional charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Canty, Warner, and Crayton all appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on June 22 after they were charged via criminal complaint. Judge Doyle ordered that Canty and Warner be detained pending further proceedings. Crayton was ordered released on conditions.
According to court records, the five men conspired to distribute cocaine and cocaine base at various locations in and around St. Albans, Vermont and Highgate, Vermont between approximately April 7, 2026 and June 18, 2026. Confidential informants, under the supervision of law enforcement, conducted multiple purchases of crack cocaine from the group. The investigation culminated in the execution of two federal search warrants on June 18, 2026, one in St. Albans and the other in Highgate. During the execution of the search warrant in St. Albans, Crayton and Warner were arrested, and cocaine and packaging materials were seized. During the execution of the search warrant in Highgate, Canty was arrested and law enforcement seized controlled substances, thousands of dollars in cash, and a firearm.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, all of the defendants face up to 20 years of imprisonment for the drug trafficking conspiracy. Canty faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life imprisonment if convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Albans Police Department.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Dana Hill. Canty is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Warner is represented by Kevin Henry, Esq. Crayton is represented by Jessica Burke, Esq.
First official week of summer brings 265 more individuals charged as part of newest border security actionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has filed another 263 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from June 19-25, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A total of 223 illegal aliens are charged with unlawfully being in the United States - 56 and 167 for illegal entry and reentry, respectively. Most have previous convictions related to narcotics, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. The cases also include 29 people allegedly involved in human smuggling, while the remaining matters involve other immigration crimes.
One illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Rosendo Castelan-Reyes. Court documents allege he has a prior conviction for aggravated assault and was previously removed Oct. 30, 2018. However, law enforcement allegedly discovered him near La Grulla with no authorization to be in the country.
Similarly, authorities found another illegal alien near Cuevitas, according to the criminal complaint. Cuban national Angel Javier Cabrera-Rivero allegedly had a prior conviction for drug trafficking before his removal in December 2025.
If convicted of felony reentry after removal, both men face up to 20 years in federal prison.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Federal Trial Jury Convicts Former New Orleans Police Officer for Insurance Fraud and Bribery SchemesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that a federal jury has convicted CHRISTIAN CONRAD CLAUS (“CLAUS”), age 57, after a two-week trial of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; one count of Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; one count of Conspiracy to Use a Facility in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1952(a); one count of Use of a Facility in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1952(a)(3); and one count of Making a False Statement to a Federal Agent, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). The jury did not reach a verdict on one count of Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341.
Speaking to today’s conviction, First Assistant United States Attorney, and Acting Criminal Chief, Michael M. Simpson stated:
“Today’s verdict is a testament to the combined dedication and commitment of our office, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to ceaselessly pursue justice. Mr. Claus’s actions constituted a blatant breach of public trust, that threatened to undermine the public’s confidence in law enforcement. We will not allow public corruption, such as that perpetrated by Mr. Claus, to escape prosecution.”
“Mr. Claus flagrantly abused his trusted position as a sworn law enforcement officer to enrich himself. Actions like these erode public trust in law enforcement, and the FBI will continue its efforts to hold all who abuse that trust accountable.” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Koger of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI thanks the jury and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their assistance in finding justice in this case.”
The indictment alleges that in 2019, CLAUS, who was then an NOPD police officer, conspired with a New Orleans homeowner, and a Nevada art appraiser, to submit a fraudulent insurance claim. The claim reported that valuable paintings had been stolen from the insured’s house, when in truth, the paintings were neither valuable, nor stolen. In this case, the homeowner agreed, in exchange for CLAUS using his police position to further the scheme, to share the insurance proceeds with CLAUS ,and to provide CLAUS with assistance in obtaining employment positions.
The fraud and fraud conspiracy charges are each punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. The bribery, bribery conspiracy, and false statement charges are each punishable by up to five years imprisonment. Sentencing for each count of conviction, also includes a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release following imprisonment, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee.
The homeowner, Fouad K. Zeton, and the appraiser, Michael Jon Schofield, previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Sentencing has been scheduled for September 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. before Chief United States District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter, as well as the valuable efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Victim-Witness Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiwana Wright, were in charge of the prosecution.
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Federal Jury Convicts Madison Man of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin, man has been convicted of distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl and for possessing those same drugs for distribution. Jonathan Conley, 44, was convicted following a four-day trial in federal court in Madison. The jury reached a verdict yesterday after just over six hours of deliberation. The guilty verdict is announced by Chadwick M. Elgersma, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Following the guilt phase, Conley stipulated that prior to these offenses, he had been convicted of a serious drug felony as also alleged in the superseding indictment.
The government presented evidence at trial that on October 24, 2023, Conley distributed approximately 770 grams of methamphetamine and 29 grams of fentanyl to an individual, who was later arrested in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, with the drugs in her vehicle. The government also presented evidence that on February 7, 2024, Conley possessed approximately 204 grams of methamphetamine and 44 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. The drugs were recovered at a residence in Madison.
A witness from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory confirmed the chemical composition of the controlled substances. A separate witness from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory testified that Conley’s DNA was present on several of the baggies recovered from the vehicle and several of the baggies recovered from the residence. A witness from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration testified that the quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl found in the residence were consistent with an intent to distribute the drugs rather than an intent to use the drugs personally.
Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026. Conley faces a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the New Lisbon Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Wisconsin State Patrol. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Ginsberg and Steve Anderson.
Fallbrook Man Admits Dosing His Children with Hallucinogenic MushroomsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Randal Vance pleaded guilty in federal court today to multiple drug charges, admitting he dosed his children with hallucinogenic drugs and led a conspiracy that employed the children to help cultivate, produce and distribute the psilocybin mushrooms at locations in Fallbrook and Bonsall.
Vance, the ringleader of the conspiracy, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to use a minor to produce and distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distributing a controlled substance to minors, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Two co-defendants - his wife Rebecca Vance and friend Keir Ceballos-Rivera - previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
In his plea agreement, Randal Vance admitted his boys were 9 and 11 when the conspiracy to produce psilocybin began at locations on Ash Street in Fallbrook and Lilac Road in Bonsall. Psilocybin mushrooms are a controlled substance that act as hallucinogenic drugs, inducing altered states of consciousness and vivid sensory experiences.
The defendant admitted in his plea agreement that he maintained two websites, psillyrabbit.com and psillyrabbitmushrooms.com, as well as the Instagram page psillyrabbitca, to market and sell psilocybin. He sold whole dried and freeze-dried psilocybin mushrooms over the internet as well as chocolates containing psilocybin and capsules containing pure psilocybin.
Randal Vance admitted providing psilocybin capsules for his oldest son, age 12 at that time, to sell to his friends. He also admitted providing the drug to his wife, Rebecca Vance, to distribute to others.
According to his plea agreement, beginning around October 2023, Randal Vance began dosing the 9- and 11-year-old victims with psilocybin capsules every other day, increasing to every day by 2024.
According to the plea agreement, on October 4, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants on the Fallbrook and Bonsall locations. At the Ash Street location, law enforcement recovered approximately 204 pounds of fresh psilocybin mushrooms, 53 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms, 18 pounds of inoculated substrate to grow psilocybin mushrooms, and equipment used to grow, harvest, and process psilocybin mushrooms.
At the Lilac Road location, law enforcement recovered approximately 25 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms and five pounds of psilocybin capsules. Law enforcement officials also seized six firearms from the Lilac Road location: a Glock 34 pistol, a Walther P22 pistol, a Henry Survival AR7 rifle, a Smith and Wesson revolver, an H&R Model 900 revolver, and a Browning 30-06 rifle. None of the firearms were locked up, and loaded magazines were found next to the Glock 34 and Walther P22.
Randal Vance was arrested that day. Prior to his federal arrest, he was out on bond pending state charges. After Randal Vance’s arrest by local law enforcement, he and his co-defendants conspired together to destroy evidence by deleting phone messages and taking down the websites Randal Vance had used to distribute psilocybin, the plea agreement said
Randal Vance is scheduled to be sentenced September 18 at 9 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie. Rebecca Vance is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17; Keir Ceballos-Rivera on August 28.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Benjamin.
If you are concerned that your child may have been exposed to illegal drugs as a result of the activities alleged in this case, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-cr-00817
Randal Vance Age: 43 Fallbrook, CA
Rebecca Vance Age: 42 Oceanside, CA
Keir Ceballos-Rivera Age: 34 Oceanside, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Employ or Use Minors to Violate the Controlled Substances Act – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841, 846, and 861(a)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison
Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance- – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841 and 846
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
Distribution of a Controlled Substance to Minors– Title 21, U.S.C., Section 859(a)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison
Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice- – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1503(a), (b)(3), and 371
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
FBI Arrests Puerto Rico Resident for Threats of Violence and Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
San Juan, Puerto Rico – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Juan Field Office announced today the arrest of Robinson De La Cruz Hilario (DE LA CRUZ), following an investigation that uncovered repeated online threats of mass violence targeting the LGBTQ community, as well as the receipt and possession of illegal child exploitation material.
According to the criminal complaint and supporting affidavit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, DE LA CRUZ engaged in a pattern of alarming online activity between 2024 and 2026. Investigators identified multiple public social media posts in which DE LA CRUZ expressed admiration for past mass shooters, made violent anti LGBTQ statements, and referenced carrying out a future attack.
In February 2026, the FBI received a referral indicating that DE LA CRUZ had shared a “tactical” map suggesting preparations for a potential mass casualty event. Agents later executed federal search warrants on DE LA CRUZ’s online accounts and residence. Evidence recovered included communications transmitted through interstate networks in which DE LA CRUZ explicitly threatened acts of violence.
During the execution of a federal search warrant on June 24, 2026, agents also recovered electronic media containing illegal images and videos involving minors alleged to constitute child sexual abuse material and obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The affidavit states that investigators identified both real and AI generated visual depictions prohibited under federal law. DE LA CRUZ admitted during an interview to operating the accounts involved and acknowledged that some of his posts could be interpreted as threats.
DE LA CRUZ is charged with violations of:
- 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) — Interstate communication of threats
- 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2) — Receiving child pornography, or attempting to do so
- 18 U.S.C. § 1466A — Receipt and possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
DE LA CRUZ was taken into federal custody on June 24, 2026. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and is being investigated by the FBI San Juan Counterterrorism Squad.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. For further information, please contact the FBI San Juan Public Affairs Office.
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criminal_complaint.pdf-_signed.pdf affidavit.pdf-_signed.pdfExtradited Canadian American Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Deadly Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A dual Canadian American citizen who was extradited from Canada pleaded guilty today for his role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of a family, including two children under the age of three, in the St. Lawrence River.
“This case is a tragic example of what happens when alien smugglers act for their own greed with callous disregard for human life and for the orderly administration of our nation’s immigration laws,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through investigations and prosecutions, we will continue to eliminate alien smuggling networks that flout our laws and evade lawful entry at our borders.”
“Protecting our homeland remains a top priority and I thank our federal partners for their unwavering efforts along our Northern Border to keep Americans safe,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarone III for the Northern District of New York: This case highlights the success we can have when working together across government, federal law enforcement, tribal leaders on both sides of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reserve and our partners across the border in Canada, all played a key role in bringing this defendant to justice. Although this smuggling attempt ended in tragedy, let this case serve as a warning: Those who attempt to unlawfully bring individuals into our country will be stopped, identified, and brought to justice.”
“Rahsontanohstha Delormier’s actions led to the deaths of two young children and their parents — a loss that will be felt forever by their family and the North Country community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Field Office. “In response to this tragedy, HSI Massena and our federal, state, tribal, and Canadian partners worked tirelessly to dismantle this deadly smuggling organization, sending a clear message that those who endanger lives at our border will be identified, brought to justice, and removed from our communities.”
According to court documents, Rahsontanohstha Delormier, also known as “Storm,” 31, from the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Territory in Canada, was a boat driver for a human smuggling organization (HSO) that smuggled aliens from Canada into northern New York. Delormier, working with the HSO, routinely smuggled aliens into the United States by piloting boats across the St. Lawrence River.
Beginning in and around 2023, the defendant worked with an HSO that smuggled illegal aliens of various countries from mainland Cornwall, Ontario to Cornwall Island, Canada and through the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reserve into the Northern District of New York. The organization arranged for aliens to stay in local motels in Cornwall before they were transported from Cornwall Island and staged along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Members of the organization would then transport the aliens by boat over the St. Lawrence River to drivers who transported them further into the Northern District of New York.
On the night of March 28, 2023, and into the early morning of March 29, 2023, a co-conspirator travelled to mainland Cornwall and transported a family of four Romanian aliens to Cornwall Island in a truck provided by Delormier. At approximately 3:06 a.m., the co-conspirator dropped the Romanian family off at Delormier’s residence to be brought across the St. Lawrence River. Delormier launched a boat from a landing in St. Regis, Quebec, intending to pick up the family, but due to high winds, freezing temperatures, and limited visibility on the St. Lawrence River, Delormier’s boat broke down and he became stranded on St. Regis Island. Later that night a co-conspirator transported the Romanian family to a public boat launch on the tip of Cornwall Island where a different boat pilot picked them up and attempted to take the family across the St. Lawrence River. While in transit, the boat capsized due to severe weather. As a result, the Romanian family and the boat driver died.
Mother and child departing room 140 at the Elect Inn walking towards a co-conspirator’s vehicle on March 29, 2023 at 3:21 a.m. Father and child departing room 140, pulling the door closed before the father walks towards the co-conspirator’s vehicle on March 29, 2023 at 3:21 a.m. A second co-conspirators vehicle with light blue boat in tow on March 29, 2023, at 9:29 p.m., appearing to match the boat found in the river during recovery efforts. The second co-conspirators light blue and white boat being recovered from the St. Lawrence River near the bodies of the Romanian family.Delormier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and four counts of alien smuggling for financial gain. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27 and faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-conspirators Dakota Montour, 32, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 45, both of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reserve, New York; Janet Terrance, 46, of Hogansburg, New York; and Timothy Oakes, 35, from the Akwesasne Mohwak Indian reserve, entered guilty pleas on Jan. 23, 2025, Oct. 8, 2024, March 6, 2025, and May 11, 2026, respectively. Delormier and co-conspirator Stephanie Square, 53, of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Territory in Canada, were extradited to the United States from Canada in 2025. Square is awaiting trial.
HSI Massena engaged in an extensive years-long investigation of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, New York State Police, Canada Border Services Agency, Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Cornwall Police Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of Delormier and Square.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 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 the 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, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of 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 HSI and CBP USBP and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 458 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 408 U.S. convictions; and more than 357 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Setting Fire to a Home Killing Two OccupantsRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Second Degree Murder. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Jimi Jo Collins, age 27, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025. She pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred in March of 2025, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. On March 2, 2025, Collins set fire to a residence in Eagle Butte that was occupied by multiple people. Several people escaped from the residence, but two victims were unable to get out and died in the fire.
“This woman is an arsonist and a murderer,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “She intentionally set fire to a mobile home, with people asleep inside, because she thought someone had broken her car window. The result of that malevolent act is that two people were burned alive. The horror and tragic pointlessness of it all is unimaginable.”
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Collins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that CHANEL AYBAR-PENA, 31, a citizen of the Dominican Republic unlawfully present in the U.S., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Aybar-Pena as a significant fentanyl distributor. Aybar-Pena was arrested on March 19, 2026, after a court-authorized search of a house on Chipper Drive in East Hartford where he was living revealed approximately five kilograms of fentanyl.
Aybar-Pena pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. A sentencing date is not scheduled
Aybar-Pena has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
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.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Fernando Rivas, age 46, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was indicted on June 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Rivas illegally reentered the United States and was found in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on June 11, 2026. Rivas was removed from the United States through Alexandria, Louisiana, on April 7, 2015, after a conviction for an aggravated felony.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn M. Stoner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF York comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
District of Arizona Charges 365 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 19 through June 26, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 365 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 149 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 188 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 22 cases against 28 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Hernan Roberto Acosta-Valdez. On June 23, Hernan Roberto Acosta-Valdez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On June 22, a Border Patrol agent observed a driver of white GMC truck swerving while driving north on State Route 85. The agent attempted to conduct a vehicle stop for an immigration inspection, but the driver failed to yield and instead sped up, eventually crashing into a ditch 20 yards off the roadway. The agents then observed the driver, Acosta-Valdez, and the five other passengers flee the vehicle. Four of the passengers were wearing camouflage clothing. Officers apprehended five of the six occupants, including Acosta-Valdez. All five subjects were determined to be citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5260]
United States v. Mauricio Loza-Rivera. On June 25, Mauricio Loza-Rivera, was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mauricio Loza-Rivera had been previously removed from the United States in 2018. In 2015, he was convicted of Possession/Purchase for sale Narcotic/Controlled Substance, in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County. Loza-Rivera was sentenced to 180 days of incarceration and three years of probation. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05280]
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-111_June 26, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Defendant Previously Convicted of Murder Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Following Joint Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement OperationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that James Andre Banks, 39, was sentenced to a decade in prison for his role trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in South Minneapolis while also illegally possessing several firearms.
According to court documents, local, state, and federal law enforcement surged resources to a known problem area in Minneapolis to conduct a Focused Enforcement Detail. During the Detail, a law enforcement surveillance officer detected Banks conducting suspected narcotics transactions in South Minneapolis near Park Ave and East Lake Street. Officers from multiple agencies, including the Minneapolis and Metro Transit Police Departments, surrounded Banks and carried out a search of his person and vehicle.
When approached by officers, Banks fled on foot and tossed a firearm. The firearm Banks dropped was recovered by officers and identified as a Taurus G2C semi-automatic pistol equipped with an extended magazine with 18 rounds of ammunition and another round loaded in the chamber. On Mr. Banks’ person, officers found a second firearm, a Glock Model 17, also equipped with an extended magazine with 24 rounds of ammunition.
At the time of his arrest, Banks was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time, due to prior convictions under Minnesota law for Second-Degree Intentional Murder and Second-Degree Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Banks was on state parole for his previous murder and assault convictions when he was arrested.
On Banks’ person and in his vehicle, officers found distribution quantities of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prosecute the most serious violent felons who illegally possess firearms and traffic dangerous drugs,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
According to Chief Bill Peterson of the Minneapolis Police Department, “Taking dangerous offenders involved in drug trafficking and illegal firearm offenses off our streets makes our communities safer. We appreciate the work of everyone involved in bringing this case to the sentencing stage, and we remain committed to continuing our work to hold violent offenders accountable.”
“James Banks had already served roughly 15 years for murder and a violent assault. Within months of his release, and while still under court supervision, he chose to return to the streets armed with two loaded pistols and a stash of drugs,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Spence Burnett of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Banks had every opportunity to walk away from that life and made the opposite choice at every turn. ATF and our partners will keep holding repeat violent offenders accountable, because that is how we protect our community.”
Banks pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026, to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine.
This case was the result of collaboration and investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department, with forensic science laboratory support from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Sentencing took place today before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis.
Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Green and Mary S. Riverso are prosecuting the case.
D.C. Man’s Refusal to Answer Grand Jury Questions Gets 8 Years in Prison for Obstructing a Homicide InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonio Nicks, 34, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to eight years in prison for obstructing a homicide investigation, during grand jury proceedings between July 2023 and January 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Antonio Nicks was indicted and pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of obstructing justice and one count of contempt. His guilty plea for the indictment was entered on the eve of jury selection. The Honorable Judith Pipe sentenced Nicks to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 7, 2023, and July 28, 2023, Antonio Nicks testified under oath in a Superior Court grand jury proceeding in Washington D.C. that was investigating the July 9, 2022, stabbing death of Brittany Palmer.
On July 7, 2023, Nicks declined to answer certain questions and purported to invoke the Fifth Amendment privilege on various topics during his grand jury testimony. On July 14, 2023, a Fifth Amendment privilege hearing was held before Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring. At this hearing, the Chief Judge found that Nicks did not have a Fifth Amendment privilege and ordered him to answer certain questions in the grand jury. During his grand jury testimony on July 28, 2023, Nicks refused to answer questions even though he acknowledged that he was ordered by the Chief Judge to do so. In subsequent hearings before Chief Judge Josey-Herring on October 2, 2023, December 11, 2023, and January 12, 2024, Nicks continued to express his refusal to answer questions as ordered by the Chief Judge.
Nicks was arrested on a material witness warrant on June 21, 2023, and has been in custody ever since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated this case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Galloway, who prosecuted the case.
2024 CF2 002748
Cuyahoga County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – A 35-year-old man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of sending and receiving Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) and coercing a purported 14-year-old girl to meet him for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Michael Strimbu, of Cleveland, pleaded guilty to Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography, and Coercion and Enticement. District Judge John R. Adams accepted Strimbu’s plea June 25.
According to court documents and evidence presented to the judge, Strimbu communicated with a purported 14-year-old girl, through a social media application in January. Throughout his sexually explicit communications with her, he expressed interest in meeting her for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts. He was later arrested and taken into custody. During forensic examination of his electronic devices, investigators found hundreds of images and videos depicting real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent minors under the age of 12.
Strimbu is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 10. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Crimes Against Children Task Force-Internet Crimes Against Children, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Kane and Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Crow Agency man sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison for involuntary manslaughterRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Crow Agency man who while driving drunk caused a wreck that killed two people was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Curtiss Lee Schenderline, 39, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Schenderline was driving under the influence of alcohol, crashed his truck into another vehicle, and killed two people.
Schenderline was driving on Crow Mountain Road near Crow Agency on May 3, 2024, when he crossed the center line of the roadway and struck an oncoming vehicle with three people inside. The wreck killed the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene, and one of the passengers, who died hours later at a hospital. Before he died, the passenger told emergency responders that he watched Schenderline swerve into their lane of traffic and hit them.
A second passenger in the car was thrown through the windshield during the wreck, leaving her with multiple fractures, lacerations, and contusions. She was life-flighted to a Billings hospital. When Schenderline arrived at the hospital, doctors noted that he had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. Blood tests confirmed he had alcohol in his system.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey M. Hendricks prosecuted the case. The BIA and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 81 Months for Aggravated Identity Theft, Bank Fraud and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced David Watkins, 31, to 81 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, bank fraud, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Bartlett Police Department investigators responded to a burglary at Keytrader, an automotive locksmith business, on June 28, 2022, where suspects stole various equipment and key fobs. While fleeing the scene, one suspect dropped a cell phone. Examination of the cell phone assisted investigators in identifying Watkins as one of the suspects of the burglary.
While executing search warrants at addresses associated with Watkins, Bartlett Police detectives located the equipment and key fobs stolen from Keytrader, along with notebooks and documentation evidencing vehicle theft, bank fraud, and identity theft.
Further investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Social Security Administration revealed that Watkins had committed aggravated identity theft and bank fraud by using personal identifying information of various individuals to create fraudulent bank accounts and causing unauthorized withdrawals of funds from victims’ bank accounts to be deposited into accounts controlled by Watkins. Additionally, Watkins fraudulently possessed numerous counterfeit and unauthorized social security numbers with the intent to commit fraud.
On July 27, 2022, Bartlett Police investigators located Watkins at a residence in Memphis entering a 1999 GMC Sierra which had previously been reported stolen. When officers approached Watkins, he fled on foot, dropping bags containing a FN America 9mm caliber pistol, key programmers, key fobs, and a face covering.
On the evening of February 23, 2023, Memphis Police officers observed a silver Mercedes G500 being driven with no license plate and with its headlights off. When officers approached, the driver, who was identified as Watkins, fled on foot and tossed a Springfield Armory 9mm caliber pistol while running. The Mercedes G500 had also previously been reported stolen.
On January 9, 2026, Watkins pled guilty to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. On June 24, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Watkins to 81 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Watkins’ diversified portfolio of criminality finally caught up with him. He is clearly an opportunist who was willing to repeatedly victimize and endanger citizens by any means available, and this federal prison sentence is well deserved.”
This case was investigated by the Bartlett Police Department, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Social Security Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
This case is 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. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Connecticut Man Charged with Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carlos Torres, age 60, of Connecticut, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender upon relocating to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania from Connecticut.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from October 2025 and continuing to June 9, 2026, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), upon relocating to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, from Connecticut, Torres failed to register his address as required by SORNA.
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) investigated the matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Clinton County Woman Charged with Federal Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dawn Herlocher, age 48, of Loganton, Pennsylvania was charged by a federal grand jury with 40 counts of violating federal tax laws.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Herlocher was the sole owner, operator, and member of two employee leasing and staffing companies. For each company, dating back to the tax quarter ending on June 30, 2020, and through the tax quarter ending on March 31, 2025, Herlocher failed to account for and pay over the trust fund taxes due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service, on behalf of the companies’ employees.
The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
Upon conviction on all counts in the Indictment, the maximum combined penalties are 200 years imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Cleveland Resident Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa - A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Money Laundering Conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Bary Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that an organized crime group based in the Dominican Republic, operated what is commonly referred to as a Grandparent Fraud Scheme. The organized crime group, for a number of years, ran a scam in which they called elderly individuals impersonating a loved one (often a grandchild) and falsely claimed that the grandchild is in a crisis and needed cash quickly, typically to pay bond related to criminal charges. The victims then accessed cash, typically from their financial institutions, and provided the cash to unknowing ride share drivers from companies like Lyft and Uber. The drivers then drove the cash, often across state lines, and delivered the cash to a member of the conspiracy.
Bisono Rodriguez participated in the conspiracy by receiving the fraudulently obtained money from the Lyft or Uber drivers, and then laundering the money by depositing it into financial institution or wiring the proceeds to the Dominican Republic knowing that the money was obtained fraudulently.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with the Parma Police Department (Ohio), and six police departments in Western Pennsylvania conducted the investigation leading to prosecution of Bisono Rodriguez. The six police departments are Millcreek Township Police Department, the Grove City Police Department, the Scott Township Police Department, the Fox Chapel Police Department, the Finley Township Police Department, and the Hermitage Police Department.