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25 June 2026
California Man Charged with Distributing and Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Central District of California returned an indictment yesterday charging Andrew Dominguez, 37, of Los Angeles, California, with producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Dominguez also faces charges for committing these offenses while registered as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Dominguez attempted to entice three minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in 2013, 2014, and 2023. He also distributed CSAM videos of a minor and used a facility of interstate commerce to entice minors to engage in sexual acts.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
Dominguez is charged with two counts of production of child pornography, one count of attempted production of child pornography, two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Dominguez faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Los Angeles Office, Victorville Resident Agency is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Denver Office, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Buckeye Man Sentenced to Ten Months in Prison for Laser Strikes on United States Air Force F-35 Fighter JetsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz – William Wilson, 56, of Buckeye, Arizona, was sentenced on June 15, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to ten months in prison for aiming a laser pointer at U.S. Air Force F-35 Fighter Jets.
“Military pilots risk their lives to protect Americans. They should not have to worry about threats from people on the ground when they are training here at home,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Interfering with any aircraft is dangerous and the United States Attorney’s Office can and will protect our pilots by bringing bad actors to justice.”
“Directing a laser pointer at aircraft of any kind, much less an F-35 Air Force fighter jet, is extremely dangerous and a federal felony,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day. “The FBI advises people to think twice before committing this crime because we’re focused on identifying and investigating people who do, and a federal prosecution could lead you straight to prison.”
“Interfering with aircraft by pointing lasers or any other means is dangerous and illegal. It puts the safety of the aircrew, passengers, and everyone on the ground in jeopardy,” said Special Agent Keith M. Daniels, Senior Enlisted Leader, AFOSI Detachment 421. “The Air Force Office of Special Investigations will continue to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to hold offenders accountable for their actions.”
Wilson struck multiple United States Air Force F-35 jets training in the airspace around Luke Air Force Base with lasers between September 2024 and January 2025. On the night of January 8, 2025, an FBI surveillance plane captured video of the laser strikes coming from Wilson’s residence in Buckeye. Pilots of the FBI plane and of two F-35 jets were all struck by lasers that night. Wilson’s home was later searched, and two lasers, one red and one green, were found in his possession. Wilson admitted to agents that he had pointed the lasers at planes on several occasions.
On July 29, 2025, Wilson was indicted on four counts of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft. Wilson later pleaded guilty to two of the counts.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and Air Force Office of Special Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie Broughton, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00391-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-110_Wilson# # #
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.Bronx Man Sentenced to 27.5 Years in Prison for Enticing Two Minors, Committing A Felony Offense While Being A Registered Sex Offender, and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that JOSE MEDINA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to 27 and a half years in prison for coercing and enticing two minors, committing a felony offense while being a registered sex offender, and possessing child pornography. MEDINA previously pled guilty on March 11, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein.
“Jose Medina coerced two minors, boys just seven and nine years old, to engage in sexual acts with their mother,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He then created child pornography videos depicting his crimes. Participating in this depraved act of sexual abuse was not the end. The defendant also physically assaulted the boys, including beating and tasing them. Today, I hope that some measure of justice has come for the victims.”
According to the Information, public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:
In February 2024, while MEDINA was living in a truck with his then-girlfriend (“Female-1”) and Female-1’s two minor children (the “Victims”), he coerced and encouraged the Victims to engage in sexual acts with their mother, Female-1, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. MEDINA recorded child pornography videos depicting these crimes. After MEDINA and Female-1 ended their relationship in September 2024, MEDINA returned home to the Bronx, New York, where he distributed the child pornography videos to at least three individuals, including a family friend who promptly reported MEDINA to child protective services. Further investigation revealed that MEDINA had been physically, emotionally, and sexually abusing the Victims, while they were in his and Female-1’s care.
At the time MEDINA coerced the Victims to engage in sexual acts with Female-1, he was already a registered sex offender, based on a prior conviction for raping a 14-year-old girl.
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In addition to the prison term, MEDINA, 57, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Remy Grosbard is in charge of the prosecution.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAIME SANTIAGO, 44, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department investigated an open-air drug market that was operating in the area of Noble Avenue and Shelton Street in Bridgeport. Between March and September 2024, investigators made 11 controlled purchases of narcotics from various sellers. The investigation, which also included court-authorized wiretaps and physical surveillance, revealed that Santiago and others supplied fentanyl to the drug sellers.
Santiago was arrested on February 12, 2025. On January 22, 2026, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Santiago, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 24.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department. The Task Force is composed of personnel from the FBI, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
Bozeman man sentenced to 14 months for threatening elected state, federal officialsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman man who threatened elected officials online and at the state capitol was sentenced today to 14 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Daniel Alan Verbanec, 47, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of threatening to murder or assault a United States official.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Verbanec made aggressive, threatening online statements at elected representatives in Washington, D.C., and in Montana.
A special agent with the United States Capitol Police contacted the FBI in January 2025 to report that a man in Bozeman had made a number of violent threats on the social media platform X directed at Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.
The FBI contacted Verbanec, who told agents that the government was trying to kidnap and kill his family, including him. He also told agents that the FBI had contacted him before when he threatened then U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and that the Secret Service had contacted him after Verbanec had threatened Pres. Joe Biden.
Months later, in October 2025, Verbanec traveled to Helena, arriving at the state capitol building and demanding to speak to Gov. Greg Gianforte. Verbanec told Gianforte’s staff that the governor was trying to kill him and his family and that the governor was responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk. He also told staff that he had made threats toward the governor before. Verbanec then told staff that he would not leave the building unless he spoke either to the governor, was arrested, or was forced out by police.
At that point, Verbanec learned the governor was in Bozeman attending a summit and announced that he planned to travel to Bozeman to confront him. Officers then escorted Verbanec from the building and contacted the governor’s security detail.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Billings man sentenced to 16 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a felony strangulation conviction was sentenced today to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Patrick Hunter Shaver, 34, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Shaver, a convicted felon prohibited from owning a firearm, was found at work with a handgun in his vehicle.
Shaver was convicted in March 2025 in Yellowstone County of felony strangulation of a partner or family member. As part of his conviction, he’s prohibited from possessing a firearm. On July 31, 2025, Billings police received a tip that a man named Pat Shaver had a gun. Police followed up the next day, contacting Shaver at work and asking him about the firearm. He acknowledged to the officers that he had a .32 caliber Beretta Tomcat in his vehicle along with seven rounds of ammunition.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
Anchorage man sentenced for illegally trafficking firearms, including 3D printed firearm and machinegun conversion devicesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 4.75 years in prison for trafficking firearms and illegally possessing a machine gun.
According to court documents, starting in January 2025, Kendon Rowcroft-Ivy, 20, began communicating via text message with an individual to arrange the sale of firearms. On Jan. 31, 2025, Rowcroft-Ivy met with the individual and sold them two machine gun conversion devices for $1,000. On Feb. 4, 2025, Rowcroft-Ivy sold the same individual 10 other conversion devices and a pistol with a silencer. Two days later, Rowcroft-Ivy sold the individual a 3D printed machinegun with a conversion device and ammunition for $700.
Machine gun conversion devices, aka “switches”, shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. None of the firearms Rowcroft-Ivy sold to the individual were registered to him and the defendant never possessed a federal firearms license to deal firearms legally.
In total, Rowcroft-Ivy sold two firearms, 13 machinegun conversions devices (“MCDs”), and a silencer to two individuals over the course of 10 days for a total of $12,500.
In March 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Rowcroft-Ivy on three counts of trafficking in firearms, one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, three counts of illegal possession of machine guns and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Rowcroft-Ivy was placed on pretrial release with conditions that prohibited him from possessing firearms and controlled substances, including marijuana, but rearrested following a search of his residence and vehicle in September 2025.
Law enforcement learned that Rowcroft-Ivy was not living at the address he provided to pretrial services, and that he continued his criminal behavior while on pretrial release. Rowcroft-Ivy’s social media accounts revealed he continued to possess firearms, and advertise firearms and marijuana for sale.
During a search of his residence and vehicle on Sept. 18, 2025, law enforcement found multiple firearms, ammunition, and distribution level quantities of marijuana.
On March 12, 2026, Rowcroft-Ivy pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking in firearms and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. At sentencing, the Court also ordered Rowcroft-Ivy to serve three years on supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.
“The defendant sold over a dozen firearms, including machinegun conversions devices and a 3D printed firearm, putting the Anchorage community at significant risk, as 3D printed firearms are extremely dangerous, increasingly abundant and difficult to track,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Multiple violations of his pretrial supervision and boasting posts on social media showcased Mr. Rowcroft-Ivy’s complete disregard for the law and accountability of his crimes. The message is simple, if you traffic illegal firearms, switches and ghost guns, you face time in federal prison.”
“The dangerousness of illegal machineguns and machinegun conversion devices cannot be overstated,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “By distributing these items in bulk quantities, Mr. Rowcroft-Ivy became a direct threat to public safety, putting both law enforcement officers and Alaskans at risk. There will be no refuge for those who traffic these illegal firearms, and we will leverage every available resource to bring them to justice.”
The ATF Seattle Division investigated the case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson prosecuted the case.
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A Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Charged with Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican national unlawfully residing in the United States has been indicted after investigators seized over 17.5 pounds of narcotics, firearms, and cash, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Baltazar Plata Bringas, 31, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 26, 2026, investigators arrested Plata Bringas during a drug deal and found approximately 17 bags of methamphetamine in his car. In total, Plata Bringas had more than 8 kilograms of methamphetamine. Investigators searched Plata Bringas’ residence and found firearms and approximately $25,000.
Plata Bringas was arraigned on June 24, 2026, in federal court, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Oregon Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A Lenoir County Social Services Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing over $100k from SNAP BenefitsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. –A federal judge sentenced Deshaune White, a Wayne County man, to 6 months in federal prison and 6 months home confinement, followed by 3 years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to defraud more than $100k in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and managed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and county Division of Social Services (DSS). He also must pay a Forfeiture Money Judgment of $102,733.80.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
“We are proud to prosecute this case as a part of the President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. This office will continue to hold accountable anyone who defrauds any of our taxpayer funded programs. This SNAP benefits fraudster is now a felon and will have to pay back his ill-gotten gains. Hopefully, he has learned the lesson – Cheaters. Never. Win.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
“It is an unconscionable betrayal of the public trust for a county employee responsible for administering federal food assistance to needy North Carolinian families to exploit his privileged access to recipient information to steal from those in need for his personal gain. USDA OIG is committed to working with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud under VP Vance’s leadership to hold everyone who defrauds American taxpayers and exploits the vulnerable to account. OIG will relentlessly pursue insider threats who try to abuse their position for profit.” – Inspector General John Walk.
White, using his position and privileges as a Lenoir County Social Services case worker, unlawfully accessed the SNAP accounts of qualified individuals and converted $102,733.80 in government funds for his own personal benefit and use.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II sentenced the defendant. The USDA-OIG and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-48-M.
22-Year-Old Austin Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl DeathRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Keithrick Carter, 22, was a drug dealer who primarily sold blue “M30” fentanyl pills and marijuana. On March 23, 2023, a 24-year-old male living in Leander was found deceased in his apartment. In the man’s bathroom, Leander Police found an unlabeled pill bottle containing one blue “M30” pill and some marijuana. The autopsy and toxicology determined the cause of death as “drug toxicity: fentanyl.” A review of the deceased man’s phone revealed a text exchange between the victim and Carter.
An investigation by the Austin Police Department confirmed that Carter was dealing fentanyl in the form of blue “M30” pills. Carter was indicted for one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death on May 6, 2025. He was arrested on May 21, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2026. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman sentenced Carter on June 24.
“This administration has made clear that protecting Americans from the fentanyl crisis is a national priority, and we are at the front of that fight every day in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Keithrick Carter knowingly sold poison in a pill bottle to a young man in our community. He was held directly responsible for that young man’s death and will now spend the next 20 years of his life in federal prison. However, no measure of manmade justice can assuage the pain felt by the victim’s family in this case. The best we can do is to remove the defendant from society so that he cannot inflict the same level of grief on any other families in our community. I’m proud of AUSA Keith Henneke and our law enforcement partners for making that happen in this case.”
“Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing our nation, devastating families and claiming the lives of young people across the country,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration San Antonio Division, Miguel Madrigal. “That is why the DEA remains committed to holding those who traffic this deadly substance into our communities accountable and to protecting the safety and well-being of our citizens.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Leander Police Department, and the Austin Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke prosecuted the case.
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24 June 2026
West Oahu Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Purchasing over 100 Pounds of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Heroin from an Undercover Officer in Homeland Security Task Force OperationRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Bryson Couch, 42, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced on June 23, 2026 by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Derrick K. Watson to 188 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin.
According to court records, in July 2023, Couch was introduced to an undercover federal investigator posing as a large-scale drug supplier from the continental United States. In subsequent meetings, Couch arranged to purchase 100 pounds of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and approximately one kilogram of heroin from the undercover officer for $134,000. On November 29, 2023, the defendant met the undercover officer at a Honolulu hotel with $134,000 in cash. He then accepted three suitcases containing the agreed upon controlled substances and left the hotel room where he was arrested by law enforcement.
“The lesson to drug traffickers in Hawaii from Bryson Couch’s sentencing should be clear: there is nowhere for you to run and hide. We are proactively working with our law enforcement partners to hunt down and bring to justice anyone trafficking dangerous narcotics into our islands,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Dealer by dealer, supplier by supplier, we are tirelessly working to disrupt and dismantle any drug trafficking operations infecting our state.”
“The 15-year sentence handed down to Bryson Couch is a clear reminder that drug trafficking is a losing gamble. It’s only a matter of time before the person you’re making these deals with is working with us,” said CJ Ammons, Acting Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Honolulu Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Albanese prosecuted the case.
This prosecution was 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 Hawaii comprises agents and officers from ICE-HSI, FBI, ATF, CBP, CGIS, DCIS, DEA, DSS, IRS-CI, NCIS, USMS, USPIS and HHIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii.
Walton Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jerry N. Butler III, 20, of Walton, New York pled guilty yesterday to receiving child pornography. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Butler admitted that in January and February 2025, he used a social media messaging application to receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from an out-of-state minor victim. Butler exchanged approximately 20,000 messages with the victim in which Butler persuaded the victim to create and send to Butler sexually explicit depictions of herself. Butler accomplished this by, at times, implying to the victim that he would distribute and/or “leak” sexually explicit content of her or would otherwise publicly embarrass her if she did not comply with Butler’s demands.
In addition to those admissions the investigation into Butler revealed that he was involved in a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network, whose members seek to corrupt and exploit vulnerable populations, including minors. Butler was the administrator of an online offshoot of the “764” NVE group that operated across multiple social media channels and whose members engaged in extortion of minors, coercive self-harm, harm to animals, and the production and dissemination of CSAM.
Those involved with “764” and related NVE networks methodically target vulnerable, underage populations by using social media to encourage the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Members of NVE groups, including 764, seek to desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms regarding violence. They normalize the possession, production, and sharing of explicit CSAM and gore material to corrupt and groom their victims toward future violence, gain notoriety among other members of the network, and spread fear for the purpose of accelerating chaos under the NVE ideology with an aim toward the disruption of society.
“When FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli brought this case to my attention, I immediately deployed the resources of the U.S. Attorney’s office, to pick up a case that had been neglected by previous administrations,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “Those involved with Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) groups such as this defendant, exhibit among the most reprehensible behavior and will be met with justice. Thanks to the diligent work of our investigative partners, Mr. Butler can no longer hide behind a screen to harm children. Instead, he now faces a federal prison term of up to 20 years. My office, and our investigative partners will relentlessly pursue anyone engaged in such grotesque conduct.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: "Mr. Butler’s days of forcing minors to send CSAM and sowing chaos online are over. Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks pose a troubling threat to our most vulnerable, but the FBI continues to dedicate every resource necessary to aggressively investigate the predators connected to these violent networks and ensure they are sent to prison for their heinous actions."
At his sentencing on October 16, 2026. Butler faces a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison. Butler also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Butler will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by FBI with the assistance of the New York State Police, Walton Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI Atlanta and Milwaukee field offices. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown is currently prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Former Assistant United States Attorney and PSC Coordinator Michael Gadarian prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Venezuelan Illegal Alien Sentenced to Twenty-Seven Months in Federal Prison for Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Robinson Abraham Esparragoza Regalado, 27, a citizen of Venezuela who resided in Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Operation Take Back America was launched to devote the substantial resources of the Department of Justice toward capturing and removing the violent illegal aliens who threaten the safety of our communities. My office continues to aggressively prosecute criminal illegal aliens, like this defendant, to keep the citizens of the Northern District of Florida safe.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant is an illegal alien unlawfully present in the United States, and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On November 25, 2025, Florida Highway Patrol pulled over the defendant’s vehicle in Alachua County, and during a subsequent search of the vehicle law enforcement located a bag containing a Glock 9mm pistol. The firearm was equipped with a 33-round extended magazine, which was almost fully loaded with ammunition.
“An illegal alien found in possession of a loaded firearm poses a significant threat to public safety,” said ICE Miami interim Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “This case underscores the importance of strong partnerships among Florida’s law enforcement agencies, whose coordinated efforts continually ensure the safety and security of our communities through the identification and apprehension of individuals unlawfully possessing firearms.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
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.
Utah Man Sentenced to 15 Years After Selling Fentanyl Laced Pills that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Weber County man was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay $9,983 in restitution to the victim’s family after he distributed fentanyl to another person who was later found dead as a result of fentanyl intoxication.
Cullin Anthony Bullen, 39, of Roy, Utah, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl on April 10, 2026.
According to Bullen’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, he admitted that on December 19, 2023, in the District of Utah, he knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl, a highly addictive and dangerous controlled substance, to another person. As a result, on December 20, 2023, the person he sold fentanyl to was found dead by law enforcement. Bullen admitted that the victim who was found dead would not have died but for the ingestion of the fentanyl he sold. He further admitted to having sold the victim 25-30 small blue pills marked “M30” on the night before he was found dead. Bullen told law enforcement that he was suspicious about the pills he sold because the pills were “shinier” and “harder” than pills he typically received. He also described the M30 stamp as being unusually crisp. Despite these misgivings, Bullen sold the pills representing that they were “Roxicodone.” Bullen’s criminal history includes a number of convictions for controlled substance offenses dating back to 2009.
“There is no measure of justice that can ever make up for the loss of a life,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “In the United States’ view, few federal crimes—short of intentional homicide or offenses involving children—are more serious than the offense to which Bullen has admitted guilt. We hope the victim’s family, who has been profoundly impacted by the death of their loved one, can find some measure of peace knowing that Bullen is now behind bars.”
“Let the judicial outcome in this investigation be a warning: if you cause death in our communities through trafficking fentanyl, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will do everything in our power to see you are held accountable,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “Our goal at DEA is a Fentanyl Free America. Far too many lives have been lost. The work done by the investigative and prosecutorial team demonstrate our commitment that we will not forget those impacted by the fentanyl epidemic.”
This case was investigated jointly by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Tremonton City Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
United States Reaches $1 Million Settlement over Waived Pharmacy CopaysRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has finalized a civil settlement to resolve allegations that SSM Health Care, at its Saint Louis University Hospital’s pharmacy, improperly waived patient copays, causing Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) to overpay for prescriptions.
SSM has agreed to pay $939,290, or double the amount of the restitution owed. SSM will also pay $150,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs to the whistleblower who filed a qui tam suit in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in 2023 (4:23-cv-1396). The whistleblower will receive $159,210 of the settlement amount.
The settlement contains no admission of liability by SSM, which fully cooperated in the investigation and took appropriate remedial action.
The qui tam suit alleged that from Sept. 1, 2020, through Feb. 28, 2023, employees of the retail pharmacy at SSM-SLUH, including the pharmacist-in-charge, routinely waived and failed to collect copays. Routine waivers of copays are improper because they are viewed as improperly inducing patients to use a specific pharmacy. They also misrepresent the actual cost of the prescription, resulting in Medicare and FEHBP paying inflated costs for the prescriptions in violation of the False Claims Act.
“Consistently failing to collect patient copays in any instance, other than a well-documented case of financial hardship, violates federal law and inflates the prescription costs that federal health care programs must pay,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “Without the willingness of whistleblowers to shed light on allegations of fraud, preserving government funds would be far more challenging.”
“Routinely waiving copays is not a minor oversight—it misrepresents the true cost of prescriptions and leads Medicare to pay improperly inflated amounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “These improper financial incentives undermine fair competition and weaken federal program safeguards. HHS-OIG will continue to pursue individuals and entities whose actions compromise the integrity of the Medicare program.”
This civil settlement was a result of the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
Under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery.
United States Pays Approximately $17M Settlement for Nearly 630 Plaintiffs in Red Hill Jet Fuel SpillsRead the Press Release
On June 22, the Department of Justice, Civil Division, issued payments to 629 Plaintiffs in Feindt v. United States and Hughes v. United States who brought claims against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) as a result of the 2021 jet fuel spills at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (2021 Red Hill Spills). Settlements totaling approximately $17 million were approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii on May 19.
“This Justice Department is proud to announce the fair and efficient resolution of claims relating to the Red Hill jet fuel spills,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “These latest settlements show that we strive to handle all potential settlements justly, and according to the public interest, without exception.”
“These settlements are the latest example of the United States’ good faith efforts to resolve the over 6,500 FTCA claims arising from the 2021 Red Hill Spills,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The settlements represent a fair and just resolution of claims and we look forward to paying additional claims once they are approved.”
In 2024, following extensive discovery, the claims of 17 Plaintiffs went to trial. Based on the results of that trial, the Civil Division has reached settlements with approximately 3,600 civilian Plaintiffs, including the 629 Plaintiffs who recently received payment.
The Civil Division continues to process settlements and has filed several additional motions for settlement approval, which are pending with the Court for approval or with the Treasury Department for payment. The Civil Division is prepared to file additional motions for settlement approval as soon as Plaintiffs provide sufficient proof of eligibility and signed releases. Currently, there are more than 300 Feindt and Hughes Plaintiffs that have met all settlement criteria and need only provide a signed release.
Additionally, the Civil Division is waiting on sufficient proof of settlement eligibility from approximately 400 Feindt and Hughes Plaintiffs who accepted the United States’ settlement offer as long ago as October 2025. Once these documents are provided, the Civil Division will file additional motions for settlement approval and, once they are approved, pay additional claims.
Note: The first quotation has been updated from a previous version.
Union County Man Admits Role in Armed Carjacking with an Assault RifleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man on June 23, 2026 admitted his role in an armed carjacking involving an assault rifle, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Elijah Lott, 28, of Scotch Plains, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to three counts of an indictment charging him with one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking and one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On August 6, 2020, Lott and two accomplices committed a gunpoint carjacking with an assault rifle in Irvington, New Jersey. During the carjacking, the accomplices ordered the victims to get out of the car while pointing firearms at them. Then, one of Lott’s accomplices got into the car and drove away.
The conspiracy to commit carjacking offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison. The carjacking and conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence offenses each carry maximum potential penalties of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October 21, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and members of the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers, with the investigation leading to the charges and guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark, and Assistant United States Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the National Security Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq.
whiteheadlott.indictment.pdfUSAO-KS gives “comfort donations” to charity that helps abused childrenRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – In the spirit of Freedom 250, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country are taking part in charity drives to benefit their local communities. In the District of Kansas (USAO-KS), we sought to give small tokens of joy to Kansas children struggling emotionally after physical and/or sexual abuse by donating to a non-profit agency which helps abused children.
The Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kansas (CAC) supports 19 local child advocacy centers throughout the state of Kansas. CAC’s mission is to provide an immediate and compassionate response for child abuse victims by facilitating coordination among law enforcement, child protection services, mental health providers, as well as parents and caregivers.
USAO-KS organized a collection drive for CAC. Staff in the Wichita, Topeka, and Kansas City, Kansas offices bought books, toys, blankets, snacks and other items which will be given to children who arrive at the centers.
“When they come to a CAC, they are kind of handling some of the harshest days in the midst of crisis,” said Klarissa Ponce of the CAC. “To be able to greet them with either a snack or leave them with an item of appreciation for their time, just brings that moment of joy back to a sensitive and really traumatic experience for them. We’re very excited that we are able to have some fun items to bring back that childhood spirit.”
“I would like to thank USAO employees for their generosity in helping the CAC accomplish its important work on behalf of the children of Kansas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Placing service above self is one of the pillars on which our nation was founded 250 years ago, and I’m proud to see our staff continue that legacy.”
If you want to learn more about the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kansas and the invaluable services it provides, click on this link https://www.kscac.org/
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U.S. Attorney Eric Grant Warns the Public That Scammers Are “Spoofing” the U.S. Attorney’s Office Phone Number to Try to Obtain Money or Personal InformationRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California is warning the public about spoofed phone calls that according to Caller ID originate from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and appears to display the Office’s number. The scammers pose as the Department of Justice investigators, using fake names and case numbers to demand money for supposed attorney fees. In some cases, they reference personal details taken from public records or social media to sound credible.
These are government impersonation scams, in which criminals pretend to be government officials and often threaten physical or financial harm. They are increasingly sophisticated and frequently target both younger and older victims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will never request money or personal information by phone.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), 32,424 people reported government impersonation scams in 2025, with losses of about $797 million.
To protect yourself, avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, never send money to people you don’t know, and never share personal or financial information over the phone. Suspected scams should be reported at www.ic3.gov. More information on government impersonation and other fraud schemes is available at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes.
U.S. Attorney Announces Major Health Care Fraud Cases in Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced criminal charges against Christina Charles, 52, in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
Charles is charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to solicit and receive health care kickbacks in connection with a hospice fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Charles received illegal kickbacks in return for referring patients to multiple San Antonio area hospice companies. Based on those referrals, Charles caused the submission of over $9 million in claims for hospice services that were procured through illegal kickbacks and bribes and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. Medicare paid approximately $3 million based on those claims. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung of the Western District of Texas.
“Americans place a lot of trust in their healthcare providers,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “When those in the healthcare field engage in fraudulent conduct, it erodes that trust. Here in the Western District of Texas, we have and will continue to hold providers accountable, both civilly and criminally, when they attempt to defraud federal healthcare programs and steal from the American taxpayer.”
The charges announced by U.S. Attorney Simmons are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.
The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history.
In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme.
The Takedown involved the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
Also, as part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, Ellen B. Duncan, M.D., of Boerne, and her practice entity, Ellen Boyle Duncan, PLLC d/b/a Duncan Medical Group, located in San Antonio, reached a civil settlement in the amount of $3,440,538.65 to resolve allegations that Dr. Duncan: (i) caused the submission of claims to Medicare and TRICARE for injections of Fluid Flow, aka Fluid GF, an amniotic-based product that is considered an experimental, unapproved biologic; and (ii) upon being later informed this product was not eligible for reimbursement, took steps to avoid repayment of the reimbursements. The case was settled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Van De Walle of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit for the Western District of Texas.
In Killeen, Trevor’s Place LLC, an applied behavioral analysis clinic located in Killeen, Texas, agreed to entry of a $430,280.79 civil consent judgment to resolve allegations the company submitted inflated claims for reimbursement to the TRICARE program by misrepresenting and billing for services not provided. The case was settled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham for the Western District of Texas.
Descriptions of each case from Districts across the country involved in the Health Care Fraud enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Two Georgia Men Charged in National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Today, United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg announced criminal charges against two defendants for health care fraud schemes that exploited Medicare, Medicaid, and health care providers. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from services not rendered and services misrepresented that were billed to health care programs, including Medicare and the Georgia Medicaid program. In total, the defendants in the two cases are alleged to have obtained $2.7 million through fraud.
“These defendants exploited our health care system to enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Not only did they steal from taxpayers, but they also harmed Medicare and Medicaid’s ability to provide critical health care benefits to patients in need. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice criminals who prey on government health care programs.”
“We’re prosecuting fraud in all its forms, and we’re fighting to protect taxpayer dollars,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Let me be clear – if you steal from our Medicaid program, you will be held accountable and forced to pay back all the money you stole. This is a nationwide effort, and we’re proud to work with all of our state and federal partners to ensure the integrity of our publicly funded healthcare programs.”
“Medicare and Medicaid funds are intended to provide essential services to some of our most vulnerable populations. When individuals exploit these programs for personal gain, they not only steal taxpayer dollars but also compromise the integrity of these programs,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our federal and state partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. This Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: charges in 56 federal districts and involving 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a $1.2 billion telemedicine scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; seize over $182 million in cash, houses, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and provide full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The two individuals charged in the Northern District of Georgia in connection with the nationwide Takedown are Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr. and Lonnie Releford.
Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr.
On June 17, 2026, the United States moved to unseal a federal indictment charging Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr., 52, of Atlanta, Georgia, with 40 counts of health care fraud. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rutledge established Rutledge Medical Associates, a medical practice located in East Point, Georgia, in May 2014. Beginning in or about January 2017 and continuing for at least six years, Rutledge billed Georgia Medicaid for thousands of wound care, cyst removal, psychotherapy, and allergy testing services that were never performed:
- Between in or about February 2019 and in or about June 2022, Rutledgesubmitted and caused to be submitted nearly 900 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly excising and removing complex pilonidal cysts.
- Between in or about January 2018 and in or about June 2022, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted nearly 1,500 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly completing the incision and drainage of deep abscesses or hematomas.
- Between in or about July 2017 and in or about March 2023, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted nearly 7,900 false and fraudulent claims for extended, face-to-face psychotherapy sessions.
- Between in or about January 2017 and in or about June 2022, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted over 1,000 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly completing medically unnecessary percutaneous allergy tests.
These false and fraudulent claims sought $4.3 million from Georgia Medicaid, with approximately $2.6 million actually being paid out.
Lonnie Releford
On June 11, 2026, Lonnie Releford, 57, of Atlanta, Georgia, was charged in a federal criminal information with one count of concealment of material facts related to health care matters. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From August 2021 to April 2025, Releford allegedly applied for and obtained nursing jobs at hospitals and nursing homes around metro Atlanta by lying about his educational and professional qualifications, submitting fraudulent documents, and stealing the identity of a real licensed practical nurse. Releford did not have a nursing degree, nor was he qualified to practice as a licensed practical nurse in Georgia. When asked about his criminal history, Releford allegedly falsely stated he had none, despite his prior convictions for identity theft and fraud. Based on these alleged misrepresentations, numerous health care providers paid Releford’s salary and billed Medicare and Medicaid for services Releford could not legally perform.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.
Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathelynn Tio and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Mooney are prosecuting the case against Rutledge, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Robinson Jr. is prosecuting the case against Releford. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia worked with the Georgia Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment against Rutledge and information against Releford only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt or admit guilt in a court of law.
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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Two Fresno Women Sentenced to 20 and 17 Years in Prison for Kidnapping a Mother and Child and Withholding Her Infant for Seven MonthsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Monday, U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston sentenced Fresno residents Rosa Ventura, 36, to 20 years and Claudia Gonzales, 39, to 17 years in prison for conspiring to kidnap a woman and her nine-year-old daughter while unlawfully withholding the woman’s five-month-old baby, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, the adult victim was a young mother of a nine-year-old daughter living in Mexico who met Rosa Ventura’s brother and later became pregnant with his child. Before she gave birth, Ventura arranged for the mother and her daughter to come to the United States despite lacking legal status.
After settling in Fresno, the mother gave birth to a second daughter. On May 8, 2024, she reported her boyfriend to police for domestic violence, and he was arrested. His arrest angered his family, especially Ventura, who blamed the mother and devised a plan to kidnap her and take her to Mexico.
On May 9, Ventura told the mother she needed help raising money for Ventura’s brother in jail. The mother agreed and left her five‑month‑old baby with a relative. Ventura drove the mother and her older daughter to her home where they waited. While waiting, Ventura contacted her friend and co-defendant Claudia Gonzales to come and help her carry out her plan. Gonzales hid in the trunk of Ventura’s car to wait for the next phase of the plan.
Then, instead of taking the mother to retrieve the baby, Ventura drove the mother and daughter to an open field where Gonzales emerged from the trunk and moved to the front and sat with the victims. Ventura then drove south. During the drive, Ventura threatened the mother and warned her she might never see her baby again. At a gas station around 3 a.m., the victims attempted to flee, but Gonzales and Ventura forcibly restrained them. Gonzales used a taser on the mother. Ventura confiscated their phones before driving across the border to Tijuana.
Around 4 a.m., Ventura abandoned the mother and her daughter at a bus stop in Tijuana with no means to return. When the mother asked about her infant, Ventura said it depended on what happened in her brother’s case.
While in Mexico for the next seven months, the mother sought help from lawyers, law enforcement, and Ventura to recover her baby. In December 2024, U.S. law enforcement brought the mother and daughter back to the United States and arrested Ventura and Gonzalez. The baby was reunited with her mother that day in Fresno.
On Jan. 21, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Ventura and Gonzales with three kidnapping counts, including conspiracy to kidnap a minor. On Feb. 23, 2026, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnapping involving a minor.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Two Charged in District of Rhode Island as Part of National Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
Providence: First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda announced charges against two defendants in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicaid. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
“Fraud against public health care programs is not a victimless crime. It undermines trust in essential government programs and drains resources intended to provide care and assistance to the members of our community that need it most,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “The District of Rhode Island is proud to participate in this nationwide effort to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who abuse these programs for personal profit.”
The charges announced on June 23, 2026, are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. This Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The following individuals were charged in the District of Rhode Island:
Mareli Arias Batista, 57, of Providence, Rhode Island, was charged by indictment with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, false statement in application for a passport, use of a false passport, and bank fraud, in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person. Among other benefits, Batista fraudulently obtained approximately $28,236.42 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Moreira of the District of Rhode Island and the Social Security Administration.
Balni Pimentel Lara, 59, of Providence, Rhode Island, an alien living unlawfully in the United States, was charged by indictment with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person. Among other benefits, Lara fraudulently obtained approximately $24,018.86 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Moreira of the District of Rhode Island and the Social Security Administration.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.
Descriptions of each case involved in the enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The District of Rhode Island worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown: U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service Boston Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Providence, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations Providence, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Twelve Indicted in Alleged Drone Smuggling Conspiracy at Ten PrisonsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. — An indictment was unsealed this morning charging twelve individuals in a vast alleged conspiracy using drones to smuggle contraband, such as drugs and cell phones, into ten prisons across eight states, including Georgia, representing the largest federal prosecution to date involving coordinated drone operations to smuggle illegal items into prisons.
The 17-count indictment in Case No. 5:26-cr-00026 was returned by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Georgia on June 10 and unsealed on June 24. According to the indictment, beginning in September 2023 until May 2026, the defendants allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to use six drones to drop illegal contraband at least 38 times into ten federal prisons: Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Atlanta; FCI Beckley (Beaver, West Virginia); FCI Jesup (Georgia); Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington (Kentucky); FCI Manchester (Kentucky); FCI Memphis (Tennessee); Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Petersburg (Hopewell, Virginia); FCI Pollock (Louisiana); FCI Talladega (Alabama); and FCI Yazoo City (Mississippi).
The following individuals are charged by indictment:
Ira Christopher Jackson, aka “Chris,” “CJ”, “Action,” “Action Jackson,” 42, of Macon, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a schedule I controlled substance (K-2); one count of possession with intent to distribute a schedule III controlled substance (suboxone); one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence; and two counts of owning and operating an unregistered drone and is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Kenna Middleton, aka “Cuz,” “K Day,” “KD,” 45, of Macon, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a schedule I controlled substance (K-2); one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; one count of travel in aid of racketeering; two counts of use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating the commission of felonies under the controlled substances act; and one count of owning and operating an unregistered drone and is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Leviticus Blash, 42, of Macon, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance (K-2); and two counts of travel in aid of racketeering and is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Chrystal Dunn, 37, of Macon and Greenville, South Carolina, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of travel in aid of racketeering; and two counts of use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating the commission of felonies under the controlled substances act and is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Jeff Richardson, 23, of Macon and East Point, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; and one count of travel in aid of racketeering and is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Tysean Richardson, 23, of Macon and East Point, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Glenn Middleton, 70, of Macon, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison; one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is facing a maximum of 20 years in prison, plus a minimum of five years imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence if convicted of the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Aaron Hubbard, 37, a BOP inmate, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a schedule I controlled substance (K-2) and is facing a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Xavier Maxwell, 30, of Macon, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison and one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence and is facing a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Lametheus Douglas, aka “Mephy,” 47, a BOP inmate, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison and is facing a maximum of five years in prison.
Robert Lee Whisby, Jr., aka “Lil Pumpkin,” 51, a BOP inmate, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison and is facing a maximum of five years in prison.
James Phillips, 51, of Jacksonville, Florida, is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison and is facing a maximum of five years in prison.
According to court documents, the BOP had a drone detection system that provided alerts when drones were within the vicinity of BOP properties. In addition to alerting that drones were present, the system provided information on the drone's make, model, and drone identification number, along with the launch location, flight path, and altitude.
Heavy payload drone as seen at press conference announcing unsealing of indictment in
U.S. v. Jackson et al in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
Illegal items and contraband allegedly dropped during the conspiracy were methamphetamine, marijuana, and other controlled substances; objects including saw blades designed and intended to be used as weapons and to facilitate escape; cell phones; and tobacco.
As further alleged in the indictment, Jackson used a former day care center, referred to as “The Lab” by the defendants, to store items used in the conspiracy, and five of the drones were routinely activated at and near “The Lab” in the days leading up to prison contraband drops. In addition, Jackson allegedly communicated with federal prison inmates to facilitate the contraband drops. Kenna Middleton allegedly assisted in flying drones, storing contraband, and communicating with federal prison inmates to facilitate the drops. Blash allegedly assisted in the contraband drone drops by traveling to the federal prisons to help with the drone flights and drops. Dunn allegedly provided transportation and served as a lookout for the drone drops. Jeff and Tysean Richardson allegedly flew drones for contraband drone drops. Glenn Middleton allegedly stored items to support the contraband and narcotics conspiracies at his home. Maxwell allegedly helped to prepare and package contraband for the drone drops.
The indictment alleges that Douglas, a BOP inmate at FCI Manchester and FMC Lexington; Whisby, Jr., a BOP inmate at FCI Memphis; Hubbard, a BOP inmate at FCI Beckley; and Phillips, a former BOP inmate at FCI Jesup, FCI Talladega, and other BOP facilities; all utilized contraband cell phones to schedule contraband drops at their federal prisons.
U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia; Director William K. Marshall III of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP); Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of FBI-Atlanta; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Harris of the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Southern Region, made the announcement.
The initial appearances for the defendants will occur in the U.S. Magistrate Court in the Middle District of Georgia at times set by the Court. The defendants are in federal custody.
FBI-Atlanta, BOP, and DOT-OIG are investigating the case. Today’s arrests were made possible thanks to the assistance of the BOP Special Investigative Services and its Intelligence & Investigations Unit, along with FBI-Jacksonville, DEA-Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, and several state and local agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Trenton Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County man was sentenced yesterday to 90 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Anthony Brown, 31, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch on February 17, 2026 in Trenton federal court to an Indictment charging him with possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
During the evening of October 3, 2023, Trenton Police Officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Brown. During the stop, Brown exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Brown then led law enforcement on a foot pursuit along the Delaware and Raritan Canal while he clutched a dark-colored cross-body style bag in his hands. Brown attempted to discard his bag in brush adjacent to the canal before he dove into the canal. Officers caught up with Brown, assisted him getting out of the canal, and subsequently arrested him. Inside Brown’s bag were two semi-automatic handguns. Brown’s status as a felon—at the time, he had prior felony convictions—prohibited him from possessing firearms.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Brown to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the supervision of Director Steve Wilson; and members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard G. Shephard and Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Aidan P. O’Connor, Esq., of Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.
The Department of Justice Reaches a Proposed Consent Decree with Kansas to Enjoin the State from Enforcing its Unconstitutional In-State Tuition and Scholarship Programs for Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the United States filed a complaint against Kansas and joined with the State in filing a proposed consent decree to permanently enjoin Kansas laws that provide in-state tuition for illegal aliens.
The proposed consent decree, which must still be approved by the court, would resolve the Department’s claims that Kansas’s laws unconstitutionally discriminate against American citizens in favor of illegal aliens. Specifically, Kansas’s challenged laws grant reduced tuition to illegal aliens over U.S. citizens, which not only violates federal law but also incentivizes illegal immigration and rewards illegal immigrants with scholarship benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for.
“For decades, the Kansas legislature gave preferential treatment to illegal aliens over American citizens,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “We encourage all States to follow the commonsense correction of Attorney General Kobach, ceasing any policy that rewards illegal entry into our nation with educational opportunities not available to U.S. citizens.”
“Kansas’s unconstitutional and un-American laws should never have been passed in the first place and are prohibited by federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice has won on this exact issue in Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Nebraska, and we will take this fight to any states that fail to put American citizens first.”
“This proposed consent decree demonstrates the quality of partnership between Kansas state leaders and the Department of Justice for the shared purpose of ensuring that federal tax dollars are not used to discriminate against Kansas’s lawful citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas.
The motion came just hours after the Justice Department filed a complaint in the District of Kansas against the state of Kansas seeking to enjoin the state from enforcing laws that require colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates to all aliens who maintain Kansas residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States.
This is the 10th lawsuit in a series of actions the department has filed to fulfill President Trump’s commitment to ensure that illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. These efforts have already delivered wins for the American people, as three similar lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Nebraska have resulted favorable orders permanently enjoining and declaring unconstitutional analogous laws that gave reduced tuition to illegal aliens. Lawsuits against other states that similarly put illegal aliens ahead of U.S. citizens are pending across the country in Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia, California, and New Jersey.
Tennessee Man to Serve 60 Months for Trafficking Fentanyl at Hotel and Casino in BristolRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Tennessee man, who trafficked fentanyl-laced pills and fentanyl powder into Southwest Virginia, including to the parking lot of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol, Virginia, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.
Jermaine Crayton Jr., 20, of Chattanooga, Tenn. pled guilty in February to one count of conspiracy possess with the intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, following a law enforcement operation in August 2025, investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, City of Bristol Virginia Police Department, Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration developed intelligence that Crayton was trafficking fentanyl-laced pills and powder fentanyl. The intelligence indicated that Crayton, on a regular basis, had been bringing large quantities of fentanyl pills into Smyth County for further distribution.
On August 18, 2025, law enforcement arranged a controlled purchase of 1,000 fentanyl pills and two ounces of fentanyl powder from Crayton at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol, Virginia.
After they identified Crayton, law enforcement converged on Crayton’s vehicle, at which time Crayton fled on foot. While fleeing, Crayton dropped several items, including a baggie containing pressed fentanyl pills and a baggie containing powder fentanyl.
Following his arrest, it was determined that Crayton had brought 2,372 fentanyl pills and 58.72 grams of fentanyl powder to the casino. The type of pills Crayton was distributing are increasingly common and extremely dangerous. They are known as “pressed” pills or “M30s” designed to resemble a pharmaceutical preparation of oxycodone pills. However, they often contain fentanyl, in inconsistent doses that can lead to overdose and death.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Christopher Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Division, made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, City of Bristol Virginia Police Department, and Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Whit Pierce is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Sixth Defendant Pleads Guilty for Role in Conspiracy to Launder Tens of Millions of Dollars in Illicit Cash ProceedsRead the Press Release
A Brazilian man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking, and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida accepted the guilty plea today. On June 1, the district court also accepted the guilty pleas of five co-defendants.
According to court documents, Omar Aliperti De Mello Correa, 34, a U.S. citizen residing in Orlando; Ygor Fokin Saviolli, 35, a Brazilian national; Gabriel Cezar Menezes, 29, a Brazilian national; Joao Andrade De Mello, 29, a Brazilian national; Tadeu Sebastiane Rabelo Alves Barbosa, 30, a Brazilian national; and Leandro De Avila Goncalves, 42, a Brazilian national, all illegally residing in Orlando, were part of a sophisticated money laundering organization that operated across the United States and spanned several countries.
Members of the conspiracy arranged for bulk cash proceeds from the sale of controlled substances to be received by U.S.-based couriers and deposited at banks across the country in order to conceal and return those profits to, among others, the sources of drug supply operating outside the United States. Dozens of pickups across the country were coordinated through WhatsApp message chains that included facilitators and couriers. Saviolli provided upfront funds to facilitate the operations of the money laundering organization and oversaw the receipt and laundering of the bulk cash drug proceeds. Menezes also served as a facilitator, providing direction to and oversight of couriers, and personally picked up bulk cash on multiple occasions. Correa, De Mello, Barbosa, and Goncalves all served as couriers for the money laundering organization, conducting bulk cash pickups in cities including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Rochester, New York, and Tampa, among others. During the course of the conspiracy, the organization concealed more than $30 million in cash.
Saviolli, whose plea was accepted today, and the five co-defendants each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Saviolli is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11. Menezes, Correa, De Mello, Barbosa, and Goncalves are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 20. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rochester Resident Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Brasilia Attaché Office and Miami Field Office.
Trial Attorneys James Hepburn and Jessee Alexander-Hoeppner of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Warren Allen McBride, 33, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
McBride was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
According to court records, on April 23, 2025, McBride possessed a short-barreled shotgun, even though he knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearms as a result of prior felony convictions. The shotgun had a barrel length of less than 18 inches, and it was unregistered in the National Firearms Registry. McBride possessed the short-barreled shotgun in a residence where others had direct access to it, and it was seized during the execution of a search warrant at his 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
McBride was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Several Illegal Aliens Indicted in Connection with Baltimore-Area Drug InvestigationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today, that six aliens unlawfully in the United States face indictment, stemming from a local drug investigation. The illegal aliens, along with a seventh defendant, are charged with several crimes in connection with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in the Baltimore metropolitan area.
Pablo Aberlardo Molina, 35, of Honduras; German Dario Aguilar Mencias, 20, of Honduras; Santos Ayala Serrano, 27, of Honduras; Hamilton Estuardo Cha Pacay, 23, of Guatemala; Brayan Juarez Cruz, 30, of Honduras; Benjamin Rivas Lopez, 39, of Honduras; and Gerson Alex Tabora-Chinchilla, 31, of Honduras; made their initial appearances to face the charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to the indictment, beginning in March 2025, and continuing into October 2025, the DTO members conspired to distribute five kilograms or more of a cocaine mixture along with 280 grams or more of a cocaine-base mixture. They are all charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Additionally, Molina, Serrano, Cruz, and Rivas Lopez are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, while Aguilar Mencias, Cha Pacay, andChinchilla are charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Aguilar Mencias and Cha Pacay are also charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; and Aguilar Mencias, Cha Pacay, andChinchilla are charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, the co-conspirators face a minimum mandatory of 10 years imprisonment to life imprisonment for conspiring and possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine or 280 grams or more of cocaine base (counts one and two), and a maximum of 20 years for possession with intent to distribute cocaine (counts three and four); a maximum of 15 years for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (count five); and a maximum of 20 years for conspiracy to possess firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (count six).
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BCPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office and Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai Everett and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison for Robbing Weymouth Bank at GunpointRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for the December 2024 armed robbery of a Santander Bank in Weymouth.
Glenn Legere, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 110 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In December 2025, Legere pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery. Legere was arrested and charged in June 2025.
At approximately 4:52 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to a Santander bank branch in Weymouth for a reported bank robbery. There, a bank teller told law enforcement that as employees were preparing to close the bank, a man wearing a sweatshirt, baseball hat, face covering and gloves entered the bank through the main entrance. The suspect, later identified as Legere, approached a teller’s window, removed a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt, opened a black cloth bag and demanded all the money. As the bank teller handed Legere money from the cash box, Legere yelled words to the effect of “I need money,” “I want the money” and “I don’t play.” At various times, Legere pointed the firearm directly at the teller. Legere also ran towards other teller windows, gesturing towards the cash box areas and demanding more money, but the teller explained that there was no more money and displayed an empty cash drawer. Legere then left the bank with approximately $947 in stolen cash.
A subsequent review of surveillance video footage from nearby locations determined that Legere drove to and from the robbery location in a silver or grey Jeep Grand Cherokee. A vehicle matching the description was captured on cameras in Quincy immediately before and after the robbery. The vehicle was registered to Legere.
Legere has multiple prior convictions for committing armed and unarmed robberies, including a 2011 conviction of armed robbery in Norfolk Superior Court for which he was sentenced to three to five years in state prison, as well as a 2010 conviction for armed and unarmed robbery of banks in Braintree, Hanover, Duxbury and Plymouth for which he was sentenced to three years in state prison.At the time of Legere’s arrest, a firearm and some of the clothing believed to be used by Legere during the robbery were recovered.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Weymouth Police Chief Richard M. Fuller made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the Wellesley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Leon Brown, age 35, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, each punishable by a period of 30 years to life in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in March 2023, and continuing until in or about November 2025, Brown knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a victim who had not attained the age of 12 years.
The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Brown will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Ruston Area Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization DismantledRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT – In June 2026, the last three defendants in a fourteen‑defendant methamphetamine trafficking organization were sentenced to federal prison. After pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, the defendants received sentences of varying lengths, with the highest reaching 27 years.
According to court documents, in February 2024, federal authorities began investigating Shedrick Green III, 41, and Cornelius Boston, 45, for distributing methamphetamine in and around Ruston, Louisiana. As part of the investigation, agents made controlled drug purchases, obtained Title III wiretaps, subpoenaed financial records, conducted traffic stops, and carried out multiple search warrants. The investigation revealed that the men obtained their supply of methamphetamine from two sources: Ferrano Barnes, 55, of Lodi, California, and Felipe Penaloza Gomez, 40, of Mexico. The methamphetamine was then stored and distributed from five locations in Ruston. Search warrants and CashApp records revealed coordinated payments among conspirators used to obtain, transport, and distribute the drugs. Searches ultimately led to the seizure of more than 22 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately $55,000 in cash from locations in Ruston and Sulphur.
“This case shows the power of coordinated effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement, who worked together here to dismantle a large and complex drug trafficking conspiracy devoted to poisoning our rural North Louisiana community with methamphetamine,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office is tirelessly working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle these networks throughout the District as part of the nationwide Operation Take Back America initiative.”
For their roles in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, the defendants were sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment:
Cornelius Boston, 45, of Ruston, LA180 monthsShedrick Green, 41, of Ruston, LA146.5 monthsLandon Askins, 44, of Ruston, LA300 monthsFerrano Barnes, 55, of Lodi, CA168 monthsJakevdrick Carter, 35, of Ruston, LA162 monthsReyna Chavez-Rios, 43, of Mexico18 monthsBroderick Graham, 32, of Ruston, LA120 monthsMarcus Gray, 42, of Salinas, KS210 monthsLadavid Hunter, 38, of Jonesboro, LA262 monthsKimoni McMurray, 47, of Ruston, LA324 monthsJason Potts, 47, of Ruston, LA120 monthsTangua Raybon, 57, of Winnfield, LA40 monthsRoy Lee Williams, 41, of Ruston, LA120 monthsFelipe Penaloza Gomez, 40, of MexicoFugitiveU.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, Ruston Police Department, Sulphur Police Department, Louisiana National Guard Counterdrug Unit, Louisiana Air National Guard, and U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Cassidy and Elliott Cassidy with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Emily Favrot.
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).
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 24-cr-00264-01.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
USALAW-News@usdoj.gov
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Rosebud Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a “Sawed-Off” ShotgunRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Theodore Running Bear III, age 29, was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Running Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from conduct that occurred in June 2025 within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On June 11, 2025, Running Bear was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement in connection with an alleged assault that occurred earlier that month. At the time of his arrest, Running Bear was in possession of a short (“sawed-off”) shotgun. The short shotgun was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Running Bear will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States.
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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Running Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rockwood Detective Sentenced to 12 Years for Attempted Enticement of A ChildRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 23, 2026, Charles Andrew Crothers, 39, of Oliver Springs, TN, was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Crothers will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Crothers agreed to plead guilty to one count in the indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a child, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).
Investigators with the Blount County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation targeting known chat websites. An undercover officer, posing as a 15-year-old girl, was contacted by Crothers. Crothers was given a phone number he believed to be for a cell phone for the 15-year-old. Crothers requested nude photographs of the girl and spoke to her about sexually explicit topics. On the final day of texting, Crothers sent the undercover officer pictures of his erect penis. In those pictures, and pictures sent earlier depicting his face, investigators with the Blount County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office was able to determine that Crothers was employed as a detective with the Rockwood, TN Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Blount County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office. This investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Jordan Foreman.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving More than $60 Million in Fraudulent Claims from Paying Kickbacks for Patient ReferralsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Raleigh man, James Shuford Price, III, 59, pleaded guilty in federal court to the crime of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals to his California-based lab and filing a false federal tax return. At sentencing, Price faces a statutory maximum of 13 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Price will also be required to pay restitution to the California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and others.
“Stealing taxpayer dollars that should be used to help legitimate beneficiaries is lowdown, dirty pool. We have a message to fraudsters who steal federal dollars: we will catch, prosecute, and imprison you. Cheaters. Never. Win.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
“This guilty plea demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting federal healthcare programs and the taxpayers who fund them. Orchestrating a $60 million Medicare fraud scheme is a profound violation of public trust. This guilty plea is the direct result of meticulous investigative work conducted alongside our law enforcement and government partners," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
“Today’s plea reflects our commitment to protecting patients, clinicians, and taxpayer funded programs from those who try to profit through deception,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “The defendant orchestrated an extensive fraud scheme generating thousands of illegitimate laboratory test claims to Medi Cal and Medicare resulting in multimillion-dollar reimbursements. This scheme not only violated federal healthcare programs but undermined trust in critical medical services.”
“Effectively investigating complex fraud schemes like this one requires close coordination among federal and state agencies from coast to coast. This favorable outcome shows that HHS-OIG and its partners will aggressively pursue fraudsters who try to illegally boost profits using kickbacks, which compromise impartial medical decision-making and drive up health care costs for everyone,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG) Pacific Region. “This case shows how teams of dedicated investigators and prosecutors working together across jurisdictions can make a powerful impact in protecting Medicare and Medicaid and the millions of Americans served by these programs. HHS‑OIG will continue to collaborate closely with our partners to safeguard patients and defend federal health care programs from fraud.”
“California is committed to protecting the integrity of our health care programs and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used appropriately,” said Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Baass. "We appreciate our partnership with our colleagues at the U.S. Department of Justice in pursuing this case. Together, we are strengthening oversight, holding bad actors accountable, and safeguarding the Medi-Cal program so it can continue delivering vital services to the Californians who rely on it every day.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Price owned and operated Golden Star Labs (GSL), a laboratory facility in Los Angeles, California. Between August 2023 and June 2025, GSL submitted more than $85 million in false claims to Medi-Cal and more than $11 million in false claims to Medicare for multi-panel testing for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), Influenza A and B (the flu), and Respiratory Synctial Virus (RSV). The fake claims came from fraudulent test samples and resulted in Medi-Cal and Medicare’s disbursing of more than $60 million to GSL.
As part of the scheme, GSL engaged so-called “collectors” in California and elsewhere to source test specimens from Medi-Cal/Medicare beneficiaries. Under Price’s direction and control, GSL unlawfully induced the collectors to supply samples by compensating them, in whole or in part, based on the volume of samples provided to the lab. Between August 2023 and January 2025, GSL paid over $17 million to these collectors. In exchange, the collectors supplied GSL with bulk quantities of bogus test samples obtained under fraudulent circumstances, including widespread identity theft. GSL then systematically billed Medi-Cal and Medicare for testing the sham samples.
For example, in the first six months, approximately 96% of GSL’s Medi-Cal claims were fraudulent test authorizations from a single out-of-state physician whose personal identifiers were stolen and misapplied. In February 2024, Price purported to pause GSL’s testing operations for a month to “clean up” the billing issues. However, GSL went right back to it, basing its claims on fraudulent specimens provided by collectors after the lab resumed operations and billing in March 2024. From late March 2024 until January 2025, approximately 92% of GSL’s Medi-Cal claims were premised on phony test authorizations generated from the stolen personal information of five different clinicians.
During this same period, Price directed GSL to enter written contracts with collectors specifying a fixed fee for services and prohibiting payments based on the volume or value of referrals. These fake contracts were meant to give the false appearance that GSL was complying with the law. However, the same kickback scheme with GSL paying collectors on a per-specimen basis to induce referrals continued without regard to these phony contracts, resulting in millions of dollars in Medi-Cal/Medicare payouts to GSL.
During the investigation, the FBI worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to seize more than six million dollars in assets attributable to the fraud.
Price also pleaded guilty to filing a false federal income tax return for the 2022 calendar year. According to the investigation, Price failed to report income from multiple sources, including money received from victims in connection with a prior investment scam.
Medi-Cal is a state-administered Medicaid program funded jointly by California and the U.S. government. The law only provides for Medi-Cal and Medicare to pay private clinical labs like GSL for diagnostic testing services when an authorized treatment provider ordered such medically necessary services.
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.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The FBI (Charlotte Field Office, Raleigh Resident Agency) investigated this case in partnership with IRS-CI (Charlotte Field Office), the U.S. HHS-OIG (Pacific Regional Office), and the California Department of Health Care Services, Investigations Division.
More information about the Healthcare Fraud Takedown can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-CR-00087-M-1.
Pekin Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Pekin, Illinois, man, Mark Steven Peterson, 42, was sentenced on June 18, 2026, to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor. Peterson is also required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the evidence showed that in April 2025, Peterson engaged in multiple online conversations with a person he believed to be a stepfather of a 10-year-old female, discussing specific sexual acts he would like to perform, he then scheduled a meeting to engage in those acts. Peterson traveled from Pekin to Peoria for the purpose of having a sexual encounter with the minor stepdaughter and was subsequently arrested by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Peterson in May 2025, and he was released on bond with conditions in July 2025. In August 2025, Peterson was arrested for a violation of his pre-trial release and pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor in December 2025. Peterson has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in August 2025.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor include a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, five years to life term of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Peterson was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
One Man Charged and Another Man Sentenced to Prison for Roles in $2 Million TheftRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was charged for his role in stealing $2 million from a Glassboro business, and another Philadelphia man was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment for his role in the same theft, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Ruben Cruz, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as Davenport, Florida, was charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to transport stolen property, transportation of stolen property, and conspiracy to launder money. He made his initial appearance and was arraigned yesterday in Camden federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal.
Ricky Rivas-Ortiz, 43, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with transporting stolen property. U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn sentenced Rivas-Ortiz earlier today in Camden federal court to 21 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Over the 2021 July 4th holiday weekend, Cruz and Rivas-Ortiz burglarized a Glassboro business, stealing a safe that contained more than $2 million in money orders and cash. After the burglary, Cruz and another co-conspirator proceeded to negotiate money orders from the stolen safe in a manner designed to conceal their control of the money orders. One method they used to launder the proceeds was depositing the stolen money orders in piecemeal fashion. For example, Cruz deposited some of the stolen money orders on the same day at different banks that were next door to each other and deposited other stolen money orders at the same bank branch over several consecutive days.
For Cruz, the count of conspiracy to transport stolen property carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. The count of transportation of stolen property carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. The count of conspiracy to launder money carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the value of the laundered money, whichever is greatest.
The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment against Cruz are merely accusations, and Cruz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, and agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to these charges and this sentence. He also thanked the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns, and the Elk Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Lance Hitzelberger, for their valuable assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel:
Rivas-Ortiz: Claressa Lowe, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender.
Cruz: Brian O’Malley, Haddon Township, New Jersey.
cruz.supersedingindictment.pdfOhio Man Back in U.S. Custody After Fleeing to Bangkok to Avoid Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 35-year-old man is in federal custody after being charged for possessing numerous illicit drugs intended for distribution. After his initial encounter with law enforcement, he fled the country. Authorities located him in Asia where he was arrested and deported back to the United States.
According to the criminal complaint and affidavit filed in April, the U.S. Postal Service received for mailing, three packages in late 2025 that were suspected of containing illicit drugs. The packages were mailed from San Bernadino, California, to an address in Parma, Ohio. During a search warrant execution on the packages, agents found pills which later tested positive for being 1,136 grams (2.5 pounds) of methamphetamine. The packages were destined for a residence connected to Stanislav Vinokurov. During a consensual search of the residence, investigators located various controlled substances and drug trafficking tools, including:
- Methamphetamine – approximately 7,149 grams
- Fentanyl – approximately 305.1 grams
- Bromazolam – approximately 193.6 grams
- Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) – approximately 101.3 grams
- Cocaine – approximately 79.3 grams
- Ketamine – approximately 17.4 grams
- Dimethyltryptamine – approximately 17.3 grams
- Approximately $24,512 in U.S. Currency
- Scales, a vacuum sealer, and packing materials
In May, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Vinokurov with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Fentanyl, and MDMA. Federal and international law enforcement partners located him in Bangkok, Thailand. They arrested him and brought him to the United States to face pending charges. If convicted, Vinokurov faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio, Acting Inspector in Charge David Cunningham for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Pittsburgh Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon for the DEA Detroit Field Division, made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DEA Cleveland District Office, and the Parma Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service for their valuable assistance in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Joines is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Oak Ridge Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 23, 2026, Travis O’Neil Todd, 48, of Oak Ridge, TN was sentenced to 324 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Todd will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Todd agreed to plead guilty to two counts in the indictment charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(2) and (b)(1); and one count of possession and access with intent to view child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2).
Investigators with the Homeland Security Investigations-Internet Crimes Against Children (HSI-ICAC) in Detroit, MI were conducting an undercover operation into KiK groups related to child exploitation. An undercover agent with HSI was contacted by KiK user “Loudnhard” now known to be the defendant regarding exchanging child sexual abuse material. Todd sent the undercover agent two images of a nude, teenage female. HSI and Todd set up an interchange on the Wire application, where Todd sent the undercover agent more sexually explicit images: one of two nude, teenaged girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct; one of a nude, teenage girl in a sexually provocative position; and one of a nude, female toddler with sexually explicit writing on her stomach and legs. Investigation into the KiK user’s subscriber information identified Todd as the account holder residing in Oak Ridge, TN. HSI and Knoxville Police Department executed a search warrant of Todd’s home. Forensic examination of Todd’s phone identified 26 videos and 5 images containing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by HSI-ICAC and Knoxville Police Department–ICAC, assisted by Oak Ridge Police Department. This investigation was led by HSI-ICAC Task Force Officer Tom Evans.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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Nine Illegal Aliens Convicted of Immigration Offenses in MayRead the Press Release
Pensacola and Tallahassee – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that nine illegal aliens were convicted of federal immigration crimes in the month of May.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These criminal aliens tried to lie, cheat, and steal their way into our country, but thanks to my office’s commitment to aggressively prosecuting all criminal offenders and the strong partnerships we have with our state and federal law enforcement agencies, they are being held accountable for willfully – and often repeatedly – violating our immigration laws. These successful prosecutions were made possible thanks to the Department of Justice’s commitment to the rule of law under Operation Take Back America, and my office will continue to deliver the safe, crime-free streets our citizens deserve.”
According to court records, nine previously indicted illegal aliens were convicted of federal offenses in the Northern District of Florida in the month of May. Eight of the criminal aliens were convicted of illegal reentry by a removed alien, including:
- Edwin Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 31, of El Salvador, who was previously removed in July 2019, was encountered in Gadsden County on November 6, 2025.
- Rodolfo Garcia Martinez, 38, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in February 2009, May 2014, and May 2017, was encountered in Escambia County on February 17, 2026.
- Ricardo Castrejon Lucatero, 31, of Mexico, who was previously removed in April 2018, was encountered in Santa Rosa County on May 12, 2025.
- Anibal Murcia-Barrera, 27, of Honduras, who was previously removed in August 2017, was encountered in Okaloosa County on March 4, 2026.
- Santos Gomez-Diaz, 41, of Mexico, who was previously removed in November 2013 and November 2017, was encountered in Walton County on September 11, 2022.
- Simon Mateo-Simon, 36, of Mexico, who was previously removed in December 2015, was encountered in Okaloosa County on March 21, 2026.
- Noe Alexis Lopez Suarez, 27, of Mexico, who was previously removed in November 2022, was encountered in Santa Rosa County on April 4, 2026.
- Deyzon Altamirano Pineda, 21, of Mexico, who was previously removed in February 2024, was encountered in Taylor County on March 14, 2026.
Two illegal aliens were also convicted of false document crimes:
- Luis Armando Lopez Lopez, 27, of Guatemala.
- Rodolfo Garcia Martinez, 38, of Guatemala, who also pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a removed alien, as noted above.
The cases involved investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with the assistance of the Florida Highway Patrol, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Naval Air Station Pensacola Police, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Gulf Breeze Police Department and the Perry Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain, Thomas S.P. Geeker, Brooke Lindsay, Jessica S. Etherton, Jeffrey M. Tharp and Eric Welch are prosecuting the cases.
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.
New Hampshire Man Charged with Assaulting Deputy U.S. MarshalRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON– The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Christopher Palermo, 49, of Andover, New Hampshire, has been charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer. On June 23, 2026, Palermo appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Palermo be detained pending trial.
According to court records, a Deputy U.S. Marshal and Vermont State Police Troopers were attempting to arrest Palermo on April 24, 2026, at a residence in Groton, Vermont. At the time, Palermo had multiple extraditable arrest warrants issued by New Hampshire state courts. Palermo attempted to flee on foot, and resisted arrest after his apprehension. While law enforcement was attempting to secure Palermo in a VSP cruiser, Palermo bit the Deputy U.S. Marshal on the bicep, causing injury.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Palermo is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Palermo faces up to 20 years of imprisonment if convicted. 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 thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its assistance investigating the case.
The prosecutor is First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt. Palermo is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sam Ansell.
National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in 455 Defendants Charged in Connection with More Than $6.5 Billion in Alleged FraudRead the Press Release
Today, United States Attorney Leif Olson announced criminal charges and a civil enforcement action in connection with alleged schemes to defraud the Veterans Community Care Program, Medicare, and Tricare. The cases are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. They stem from alleged schemes to submit claims for home health care services not actually provided and to receive payments from Medicare based on false invoices.
The cases are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.
Today’s Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Cyprus in connection with an $3.7+ billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of more than $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
Today’s coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to more than $73 million, more than 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’s Office of Inspector General under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
These cases were brought by the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa:
- Hughes Home Care, Inc., d/b/a Synergy Homecare (“Synergy”) and its owner, Jacob Hughes, age 35, both of Cedar Rapids, were indicted in connection with a scheme to defraud the Veterans Community Care Program out of more than $350,000. As alleged in the indictment, Hughes and Synergy submitted claims for home health care services not actually provided to elderly and infirm veterans, including claims for services purportedly provided after a veteran client passed away. As alleged, Hughes used the proceeds of the scheme to pay sports gambling debts and other personal expenses. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyndra Lundquist.
- Heartland Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, P.C., and its owner, Eugene J. Cherny, of Des Moines, were sued for damages and civil penalties arising from false pricing information they sent to Medicare. The complaint, filed jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, alleges that Heartland and Cherny gave Medicare false invoices for skin substitute products used to treat Medicare patients. Medicare used the invoices to set the reimbursement Heartland received. The complaint alleges that Medicare and Tricare paid Cherny more than $2 million based on the false information provided. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon J. Gray and Brian J. Keogh, of the Northern District of Iowa, and Andy Kahal, of the Southern District of Iowa, represent the United States.
The cases across the country are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central and Southern Districts of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware; Middle, Northern, and Southern Districts of Florida; Northern District of Georgia; District of Hawaii; District of Idaho; Northern District of Illinois; Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa; Western District of Kentucky; Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana; District of Massachusetts; Eastern District of Michigan; Southern District of Mississippi; District of Montana; District of Nebraska; District of New Hampshire; District of New Jersey; District of New Mexico; Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of New York; Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina; Northern District of Ohio; Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma; District of Oregon; Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania; District of Puerto Rico; District of Rhode Island; District of South Carolina; District of South Dakota; Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee; Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas; District of Vermont; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia; Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The Northern District of Iowa, in particular, worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division, the Fraud Section of the Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa; the Attorney General of Iowa, through her office’s MFCU; and: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Veteran Affairs – Office of Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Defense – Office of Inspector General.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
NDOK Announces Charges Related to the 2026 National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, United States Attorney Clint Johnson announced a criminal charge and a civil complaint in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and the Child Care Development Block Grant Program. These charges are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
The National Health Care Fraud Takedown (Takedown) is part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history.
In the Northern District of Oklahoma, Jeremy Michael Bowles, 41, of Bixby, Oklahoma, was charged by Indictment with 16 counts of Healthcare Fraud. Court documents allege that Bowles was the operator of 3 pharmacies and submitted the false billings on behalf of those pharmacies, which he controlled. In doing so, Bowles allegedly attempted to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by submitting false claims for reimbursement for COVID-19 tests.
Additionally, a civil forfeiture complaint was filed against real property located at 6303 and 6311 Tecumseh Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Court documents allege that Tamara and Qunicy Reid, brother and sister, and Dameion Ray are owners of the properties. In December 2022, Dameion Ray applied for a Child Care Desert Grant. This federal funding is part of the Child Care Development Block Grant Program and is awarded through the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Dameion Ray was allegedly awarded $600,000 and improperly used approximately $300,000 of those funds to purchase the subject real property.
Nationally, during the two-week Takedown, law enforcement received unprecedented international cooperation that resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctors’ offices to corporate boardrooms.
This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The cases within the Northern District of Oklahoma are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Greenough, Reagan Reininger, and David Whipple. They worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the cases filed: The Office of the Inspector General – Health and Human Services, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Secret Service is the investigative agency, with assistance from the Oklahoma Board of Pharmacy.
Descriptions of cases involved in the Takedown are available on the Department’s website here. The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virginia participated in the investigation of federal cases announced.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mississippi Man Arrested for Advertising Child Pornography on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mississippi man has been arrested and charged with allegedly publishing and advertising child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online.
Jesse Ladner, 26, of Pass Christian, Miss., was charged in U.S. District Court in Boston with one count of advertisement of child pornography. Ladner was arrested today in the Southern District of Mississippi and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, as part of an ongoing international investigation into online child exploitation, law enforcement has been targeting individuals who advertise, distribute, or access CSAM on dark web platforms. One such platform, referred to as “Website A,” operated on the Tor network from approximately August 2024 to October 2025 and was dedicated to the exploitation of children.
It is alleged that Ladner was identified as an active participant on the site from approximately Aug. 29, 2024, through Sept. 3, 2025, during which time he contributed approximately 1,450 posts depicting CSAM. Investigators reviewed posts allegedly by Ladner on Website A, demonstrating his history and use of Website A over time. On Sept. 5, 2025 numerous posts allegedly contributed by Ladner were located across various sections of Website A. including on a thread previously created by Ladner. On this thread Ladner allegedly advertised CSAM files including those with titles like, “Next up Melissa the naked 11 yo! Incoming Live Preview:” and “Next up a classic blonde! (2 Vids). Incoming Live Previews.”The charge of advertisement of child pornography provides for no less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Gulf Port, Miss. and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Role in Drug Trafficking and Possession of Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Denzel Christopher Meeks, 33, was sentenced yesterday, June 23, 2026, to 148 months in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking operation uncovered during a 2023 investigation.
According to court documents, investigators with a drug task force identified Meeks as a wholesale narcotics trafficker operating throughout the Twin Cities and Minnesota. During the fall of 2023, officers observed Meeks accessing multiple stash locations, including two apartments and a storage unit, to store fentanyl, drug proceeds, and firearms.
On October 18, 2023, law enforcement executed multiple court‑authorized search warrants. Officers conducted a traffic stop of Meeks’ vehicle and discovered a loaded Glock 29 pistol with an extended magazine in a hidden compartment in Meeks’ vehicle, along with approximately 25 grams of fentanyl concealed on his person.
Searches of Meeks’ stash locations revealed:
- Inside a Minneapolis storage unit, approximately 500 grams of fentanyl, along with two Glock pistols equipped with “switch” devices—which enabled the pistols to function as fully-automatic machineguns—and extended magazines, and more than $32,000 in cash drug proceeds.
- In a Minneapolis apartment, approximately 4,500 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 370 grams, drug packaging materials, and digital scales.
- Over $48,000 in cash drug proceeds inside an apartment in St. Louis Park.
In total, Meeks admitted to possessing between 1,200 and 4,000 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, and that he possessed several firearms in furtherance of his drug activity. In the government’s sentencing position, the United States argued that “Meeks was not a small-time or sporadic drug distributer,” and noted that the “volume of cash found at locations he controlled, more than $80,000, demonstrates the scope and profitability of Meeks’ drug trafficking enterprise.”
“Fentanyl continues to take lives across Minnesota, and those who choose to traffic this lethal drug while armed with illegal firearms will meet justice,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “This sentence is necessary to protect the public and to send a clear message that fentanyl trafficking will not be tolerated.”
“The deadly fentanyl Denzel Meeks trafficked around the Twin Cities put our community members at risk,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie. “Fentanyl is lethal in extremely small amounts and each dose removed by law enforcement, without a doubt, saved lives. Meeks peddled poison in our communities and for that, he now faces several years in a federal prison with no opportunity at parole.”
“The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office West Metro Drug Task Force, which operates with funding provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), played a critical role in this investigation, identifying Meeks as a suspected narcotics trafficker and executing search warrants that led to the seizure of fentanyl powder, cocaine, thousands of fentanyl pills, and illegally possessed firearms. We are grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office whose efforts helped bring this case to a successful prosecution. This sends a clear message that those who traffic dangerous drugs and endanger our communities will be held accountable for their actions,” said Dawanna S. Witt, Sheriff of Hennepin County.
Meeks pleaded guilty on November 3, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Sentencing took place on June 23, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank in St. Paul.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Green is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Sentenced for Possessing Firearm and Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today for being an alien in possession of a firearm, and for illegal reentry into the United States.
Isreal Ramirez-Jaramillo, 34, a citizen of Mexico who has been previously deported on two occasions and was living in Osage Beach, Mo., pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2025.
United States District Judge Stephen R. Bough sentenced Ramirez-Jaramillo to two years in federal prison without parole, to be followed by one year of supervised release.
On April 20, 2025, Osage Beach Police Department responded to an apartment in response to a report of a man abusing his wife and discharging a firearm. Through investigation, officers learned Ramirez-Jaramillo consumed alcohol, became intoxicated and was arguing with his girlfriend. During the argument, Ramirez-Jaramillo went to his car in the parking lot, and his girlfriend followed him and they continued arguing. Neighbors exited their apartments to observe the disturbance, which angered Ramirez-Jaramillo. He removed a firearm from his car, yelled “where is the tough guy at,” and fired a round into the sky. Police officers located Ramirez-Jaramillo within the apartment and recovered the firearm, a SCCY, model CPX-2 9mm pistol.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Komoroski and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Duenckel. It was investigated by the Osage Beach Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in the Springfield, Mo. area, was sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of a prior felony.
Pedro Lopez-Dominguez, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Megan Benton to eight months imprisonment and one year of supervised release.
On Jan. 18, 2026, Greene County Missouri Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Lopez-Dominguez during a traffic stop for erratic and intoxicated driving. After the arrest, authorities learned that Lopez-Dominguez had an outstanding arrest warrant from Taney County, Missouri, for a previous criminal offense and failing to appear before that court. Upon determining that Lopez-Dominguez was illegally within the United States, local law enforcement contacted agents with the Department of Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE). Agents responded and determined Lopez-Dominguez was illegally in the United States and had illegally entered the United States in violation of federal immigration law on at least five previous occasions.
Lopez-Dominguez was previous convicted for illegal entry into the United States as a previously removed alien in 2019.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Greene County Missouri Sheriff’s Department.
Operation Take Back America
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.
McLeansville Woman Charged with Health Care Fraud, Part of National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Dan Bishop announced criminal charges against Deborah Lanell White, age 54, in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicaid. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from a multi-year scheme to defraud Medicaid. As alleged in the criminal complaint, White, the owner of Reginald Center of Turn Around, billed North Carolina Medicaid for thousands of fictitious drug tests resulting in a loss of $2.8 million dollars.
The charges announced yesterday by U.S. Attorney Bishop are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
The coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced as part of the enforcement initiative.
Descriptions of each case involved in the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown are available on the Department’s website here.
The Middle District of North Carolina, in particular, worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the case filed during the Takedown: the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson, Special Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Spillman, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Waid.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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McCurtain County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault and Federal Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kyle Wayne Hudgins, age 40, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea in federal district court to one count of Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by a minimum of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that on November 18, 2024, Hudgins assaulted the victim with the intent to commit a robbery, and that Hudgins knowingly possessed two semi-automatic pistols in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The crimes occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Hudgins will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Leaman and Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.