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8 June 2026
Three-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Dealing Fentanyl and Carrying Stolen HandgunRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. – Sincere M. Billingslea, a three-time convicted felon and armed fentanyl dealer who operated in northwest Georgia, was sentenced to nine years in prison after his conviction on federal drug and weapons charges.
“The successful prosecution of this serial offender is a prime example of law enforcement working together to rid the streets of dangerous recidivist felons who continue to peddle poison for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “With nearly a decade of imprisonment ahead of him, Billingslea will no longer cause trouble for the citizens of northwest Georgia.”
“Billingslea is a repeat offender who continued to pollute our community with his drugs, all while having guns he wasn’t supposed to be carrying,” said Mitchell Jackson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent in FBI Atlanta’s Cartersville office. “The FBI will continue to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to keep dangerous criminals off our streets.”
“Cases like this highlight the importance of strong partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The successful removal of a repeat offender involved in trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms makes our community safer and sends a clear message that these crimes will not be tolerated,” said Major Mark Mayton, Special Operations Commander of the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office. “Sheriff Clark Millsap is proud of the work performed by the men and women of the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office and our law enforcement partners. Their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to public safety continue to make a difference in the lives of the citizens we serve.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On December 30, 2024, law enforcement attempted to arrest Billingslea on an outstanding warrant as he left a Cartersville, Georgia motel in the backseat of a taxicab. As officers approached the taxicab, Billingslea yelled to the driver, “Go, go, go!” When the cab driver did not comply with Billingslea’s demand to drive off, Billingslea threw items into the front seat, including a recently stolen Glock pistol, another handgun, approximately two ounces of purple-colored fentanyl, over six ounces of methamphetamine, a black digital scale with suspected drug residue, a Gucci bag, and $3,450 in cash. Law enforcement promptly seized the contraband and took Billingslea into custody.
When law enforcement later searched Billingslea’s cellphone, they found several pictures and videos of Billingslea pointing a Glock handgun at the camera and flaunting drugs and stacks of cash. Billingslea was already a three-time convicted felon whose criminal history included aggravated assault, armed robbery, and obstruction of law enforcement. Accordingly, Billingslea was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The investigation further revealed that Billingslea had bought thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Atlanta the night before his arrest and was selling it out of his Cartersville motel room.
On June 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II, sentenced Sincere M. Billingslea, a/k/a “Trouble,” 27, of Rockmart, Ga., to nine years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Billingslea was convicted on February 25, 2026, after he pleaded guilty possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bartow County Sheriff's Office, and Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Thomas M. Forsyth, III prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
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.
Three New Mexico Men Charged in Elk Tag Fraud and Tax Conspiracy SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Three New Mexico men have been charged with operating a years’ long scheme to fraudulently obtain and sell New Mexico elk hunting tags to out of state hunters and conceal the proceeds from the IRS.
According to public court documents, from approximately 2019 through 2022, Danial Adair, 44, Daniel Nicolds, 57, and his brother Lary Nicolds, 59, allegedly operated a scheme through Big Horn Outfitters in which they fraudulently obtained New Mexico elk tags through the state resident draw system and transferred them to out of state hunters in exchange for payment, along with outfitting and guiding services.
The indictment alleges the defendants created fictitious hunter accounts, used false identifying information, and paid draw fees with prepaid debit cards to unlawfully secure resident elk tags. Prosecutors further allege they submitted fraudulent medical transfer requests and supporting documents, including fake doctor notes and forged agreements, to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in order to transfer tags to out of state clients. The defendants are also alleged to have concealed the scheme through the use of prepaid debit cards, alternate email accounts, and false tax reporting while guiding hunts and facilitating the transport of harvested elk across state lines.
“As a hunter, I know it’s extraordinarily difficult for New Mexico residents to draw elk tags,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “In fact, many New Mexicans who apply annually wait years—sometimes decades—to draw a coveted tag and win the opportunity to fill their freezer with elk. Fraudsters who illegally rig the system and make it more difficult for New Mexicans to hunt elk in their own state will be aggressively prosecuted and held fully accountable.”
“This case is a testament to what federal law enforcement can accomplish when we work together across jurisdictions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. “Our office joined forces with our colleagues in the District of New Mexico to dismantle a scheme that has cheated honest hunters and corrupted public resources, according to the charges. Those who rig the system for profit will be held accountable, no matter where the investigation leads."
“We work closely with our state partners to investigate wildlife crimes that cross state lines and violate federal wildlife laws” said Doug Ault, Assistant Director for the Office of Law Enforcement at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “These collaborative investigations will continue in New Mexico and across the country to ensure that legal hunters have fair access to licensing opportunities and are not disadvantaged by individuals who exploit public resources for their own profit. These efforts support the conservation and responsible stewardship of our nation’s wildlife resources.”
“Outdoorsmen are some of our nation’s greatest stewards of natural resources and the laws and finances that govern them, but even among the best of us are criminals that steal at the expense of those abiding the laws,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “IRS-CI is devoted to rooting out fraud in whatever form it takes: whether it’s fraud against the hunters of New Mexico or tax fraud against the United States, IRS-CI will find and prosecute you.”
“It is great to see the joint effort from these agencies in combating wildlife crime,” said Colonel Tim Cimbal. “It has and continues to produce excellent results in stopping violators from stealing the wildlife held in public trust.”
Adair, Danial and Lary are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and violate the Lacey Act, five counts of wire fraud, and five counts of violations of the Lacey Act. Adair and Danial are additionally charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico, Acting U.S. Attorney
John G.E. Marck for the Southern District of Texas, Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office and Colonel Tim Cimbal of New Mexico Department of Game and Fish made the announcement today.
This case was jointly investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, IRS Criminal Investigation and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Johnson of the Southern District of Texas and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher McNair of the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tallahassee Convicted Felon Indicted for Possession of a Firearm & AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Jarvis Wayne Myers, 40, has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Myers appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick, in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Myers faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
This case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emma Schwan and Jason R. Coody.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Sugar Land man sentenced for role in conspiracy involving smuggling firearms to IraqRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 54-year-old Iraqi national has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to violate gun export laws, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before finding Hassan Al Gharawi guilty on one count of conspiracy to violate export control laws following a three-day trial, Oct. 1, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen has now ordered Gharawi to serve 63 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay a $5,000 fine.
From approximately November 2020 to June 2021, Gharawi conspired with others to knowingly stockpile, conceal and transport firearms in vehicle parts bound for Iraq.
At trial, the jury heard Gharawi received two deliveries in 2020 and 2021 totaling approximately 77 firearms, which he had stored in his home.
On June 10, 2021, authorities observed Gharawi load firearms into his vehicle and transport them to a storage facility.
The jury saw photos of more than 500 firearms and listened to recordings of Gharawi discussing the trafficking plan.
The defense argued Gharawi acted under duress from the traffickers in Iraq. The jury rejected those claims after seeing the extent of his involvement and found him guilty as charged.
Gharawi will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Winter, John Pearson and Steven Schammel prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Felon Sentenced to 189 Months in Prison for Robberies, Car Theft, ShootingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Friday sentenced a convicted felon who stole a woman’s gun and car, robbed two men he’d met on a dating app and then used the stolen gun in a shootout to 189 months in prison.
Corey M. Felton’s two-week crime spree began on Nov. 27, 2024, when he was supposed to be driving a friend home but instead grabbed her gun, pointed it at her and demanded that she get out of her car. The woman had just retrieved her belongings from a boyfriend’s house after a breakup, and Felton drove off with those belongings also.
The next day, Felton robbed a man that he’d met on Grindr. As they walked through an alley in south St. Louis to get a drink, Felton pulled a handgun and stole the victim’s wallet and the $1,200 inside it.
On Dec. 2, 2024, Felton robbed another man he’d met via Grindr. The two agreed to meet at the victim’s house. Once there, Felton produced a handgun and demanded cash. The victim transferred $600 to Felton via Cash App. Felton then stole the victim’s Xbox, Nintendo Switch and phone.
Eight days later, Felton used the stolen handgun to exchange fire with a group in the 3500 block of South Grand Boulevard in St. Louis. The next day, members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted a court-approved search of Felton’s apartment and found the stolen gun and Xbox.
The robberies and shootout “in a densely populated area of St. Louis” risked “the safety and wellbeing of countless individuals,” a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Voss said. Felton’s criminal history also shows that he “lacks any respect for the law and poses a significant risk of danger to the public,” the memo said.
Felton, now 29, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in October to one count of robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Friday, he was also ordered to pay $1,800 in restitution to victims.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Voss 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
St. John the Baptist Parish Men Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –RICARDO JIMENEZ RAMOS (“JIMENEZ RAMOS”), age 58, and DARIEL HERNANDEZ GARCIA (“HERNANDEZ GARCIA”), age 33, residents of Laplace, Louisiana, were sentenced by United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess, and possession with intent to distribute, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) and 846, and possession with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
JIMENEZ RAMOS was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and $200.00 in mandatory special assessment fees, and HERNANDEZ GARCIA was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and $200.00 in mandatory special assessment fees.
According to court documents, on September 10, 2023, St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office deputies seized 69 kilograms of cocaine from a co-conspirator’s, residence in Laplace, LA. Continued investigation by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Saint John Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies revealed that HERNANDEZ GARCIA, JIMENEZ RAMOS, and others, conspired to conduct large-scale cocaine transactions utilizing a vessel off the coast of the Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico). On March 19, 2024, DEA agents seized 85 kilograms of cocaine from a residence in Laplace where HERNANDEZ GARCIA, JIMENEZ RAMOS and another co-conspirator were living. This cocaine was smuggled in through a marina at Grand Isle, and these co-conspirators intended to distribute it throughout the United States.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the DEA and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Sarver, now serving with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Schiffman, of the Narcotics Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Southeast Missouri Man Admits Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from southeast Missouri on Monday admitted participating in the armed robbery of two businesses and their patrons in 2024.
Tarrence Raybon, 41, of Kennett, In Dunklin County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to two counts of robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that while out on bond and wearing a GPS monitoring device on his ankle, he and two other men robbed a tobacco and liquor store in Kennett on Jan. 17, 2024. The two other men were armed. One grabbed a man and threw him to the ground while pointing a gun at him. They stole cash and a cell phone from victims and cash and lottery tickets from the store. GPS data from Raybon's ankle monitor places him at store at the time it was robbed.
Four days later, Raybon and two other men robbed another business in Kennett. One of Raybon’s two accomplices held a gun to a victim’s head while Raybon stole cash from the store’s office. Raybon used bolt cutters to break into video gambling machines and stole cash while his accomplices held employees and patrons at gunpoint. They also stole cash, a gun and a cell phone from victims. Raybon's ankle monitor again put him at the scene of the robbery at the time it was robbed. Both robberies were also captured on video.
On Feb. 27, 2024, Raybon and two other people were in a stolen car and being pursued by Pemiscot County Sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Portageville Police Department. The driver of the vehicle crashed. After Raybon fled on foot, officers found his driver’s license and a distinctive chrome Lorcin .380 handgun used during both robberies. GPS data from Raybon’s ankle monitor placed him in the vehicle during the chase and tracked him as he fled on foot.
The Kennett Police Department, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Portageville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton prosecuted the case.
Raybon is scheduled to be sentenced On September 8. Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Raybon’s lawyer have agreed to recommend 20 years in prison.
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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Anthony Braden Jewett, 31, was sentenced to four years and three 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.
Jewett was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
On New Years Day, 2025, Sioux Falls Police responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment building in town. Upon arrival, they found a male victim with a gunshot wound to his leg. Investigation revealed the victim had gone to the door of Jewett’s apartment to confront him about a previous incident. During the altercation, Jewett produced a handgun and shot the victim in the leg. Jewett is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has multiple prior felony convictions.
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 Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Jewett was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Romanian Man Sentenced for Card SkimmingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DANIEL IULIAN TEUTOC (“TEUTOC”), also known as “Simon Mikula,” citizen of Romania, was sentenced on June 4, 2026, in connection with a nine-count indictment against him for conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343, 1344, and 1349; conspiracy to commit access device fraud, in violation of Title 18 , United States Code, Sections 371, 1029(a)(3) and 1029(a)(4); and seven counts of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, TEUTOC, and others, went to Walmart stores across the Eastern District of Louisiana, including Laplace, Slidell, Harvey, Boutte, Chalmette, and New Orleans. TEUTOC, and others, captured card information at different the points of sale, where previously installed card skimming devices had been installed by other members of the conspiracy. TEUTOC, and others, used magnets to activate the card skimmers and send the card information electronically to TEUTOC, and others’, cell phones. After gaining possession of the Walmart customer credit, debit, and EBT card information, TEUTOC, and others, sent the information to another co-conspirator with the intent to allow members of the conspiracy to make fraudulent charges with the stolen card information.
United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced TEUTOC to sixty months of incarceration and two years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $11,275,777.90 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Secret Service, New Orleans Police Department, St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul J. Hubbell of the Narcotics Unit, Nicholas Moses, Deputy Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, and André Jones, lead OCDETF Narcotics Task Force Attorney, are in charge of the prosecution.
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).
Recidivist and Felon Sentenced to Four Years for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Recidivist and Felon Sentenced to Four Years for Illegal Firearm Possession
CONCORD – Jonathan Balamotis, 34, of Plaistow, was sentenced today in federal court for firearm offenses, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Balamotis was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Samantha Elliott to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Balamotis previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Despite being a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, the defendant chose to disregard the law and is now being held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Our office will continue to pursue significant consequences for felons who unlawfully threaten public safety.”
“ATF enforcement operations prioritize habitual offenders,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Greco. “A recidivist who seeks out a firearm poses an immediate and obvious danger to public safety. The ATF will pursue criminal actors who show a blatant disregard for the law.”
According to the public record, Balamotis was previously sentenced to 2-4 years of imprisonment in New Hampshire State Prison for Arson and Second-Degree Assault. After he was sentenced, Balamotis committed nine (9) separate probation violations. A few years later, Balamotis was sentenced to another felony in 2015 for possession of a Class A Controlled Substance. Balamotis’ last conviction was in 2017 for another Possession of a Class A Controlled Substance in Massachusetts.
On October 21, 2024, the Plaistow Police Department executed two residential search warrants related to a separate investigation. While that investigation was ongoing, Plaistow Police Department and ATF agents learned that the defendant attempted to purchase a gun on June 25, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation. The Plaistow Police Department provided valuable assistance. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin prosecuted the case.
Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to five months of incarceration on his conviction of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Michael Allen Barnes, 42, also ordering Barnes to serve two years of supervised release following his imprisonment, with the first 150 days of supervised release to be served on home detention with location monitoring.
According to information presented to the Court, on April 11, 2024, law enforcement arrested Barnes in downtown Pittsburgh pursuant to an outstanding Georgia arrest warrant. From the waistband of Barnes’ pants, law enforcement recovered a chambered pistol loaded with approximately nine rounds of ammunition. Barnes had been previously convicted of burglary in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barnes.
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.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal and Threatening to Murder Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer and Threatening a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on May 8, 2026.
Franklin Long Black Cat, 32, was sentenced to serve three years and five months in federal prison for the Assaulting a Federal Officer conviction to run concurrently with the Threatening a Federal Officer conviction, followed by three years of supervised release. Long Black Cat was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Long Black Cat was indicted for Assaulting a Federal Officer and two counts of Threatening a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He was found guilty following a two-day jury trial on January 29, 2026.
On November 18, 2025, Long Black Cat was in the custody of the United States Marshals Service at the federal courthouse in Rapid City in connection with a court hearing. Long Black Cat spit in the face of one Deputy United States Marshal and threatened to shoot two other Deputy United States Marshals.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Long Black Cat was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Peever Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Two Assault ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Peever, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding. The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026.
Brandon Jared St. John, age 45, was sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $125 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
St. John was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025.
On July 28, 2021, St. John assaulted Crystal Diane White by kicking her with boots, which constituted a dangerous weapon. St. John’s intent was to cause White physical harm. At the same time, St. John also assaulted Shelby Candace Renville by striking, beating, and wounding her. Both victims sustained bodily injuries because of St. John’s conduct.
The assaults took place in the tribal community of Sisseton, South Dakota. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate’s Law Enforcement office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
St. John was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
Passaic Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A Passaic County man was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS).
Mohamed Sagha, 22, of Wayne, New Jersey was charged by complaint with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS. He made his initial appearance today in federal court. He was ordered detained.
“As alleged, the defendant sought to support ISIS and expressed interest in violence directed at targets within the United States, including places of worship,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Those who seek to advance the objectives of foreign terrorist organizations should expect a swift and coordinated response from federal law enforcement. This Office will continue working relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and prosecute individuals who support terrorism and threaten the safety of our communities.”
“The defendant allegedly wanted to attack targets in the United States in support of ISIS and its hateful ideology, but the FBI detected and put a stop to his violent plans,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “This should be a stark reminder to the American people of the FBI’s resolve to pursue anyone who tries to harm Americans and provide material support to terrorist organizations, and we will work with our Justice Department partners to make sure they face justice.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately December 2025 to June 2026, Sagha participated in one or more online chat groups wherein ISIS supporters discussed, among other things, potential attacks on targets within the United States, including places of worship. In or around October 2025, he met a confidential human source (“CHS”) online, whom he believed to be a member of ISIS.
In his discussions with the CHS, Sagha expressed an intent to assist one of the members of an ISIS-supporters online chat group with an attack on a place of worship. He also told the CHS he was contemplating carrying out an attack of his own, possibly on a National Guard location or on a Jewish place of worship. He then shared images and/or videos of both locations with the CHS, and stated that they were near his residence in Wayne, New Jersey.
During these conversations, the CHS repeatedly held himself out as an ISIS fighter, sending Sagha messages and photographs that indicated the CHS was in ISIS territory in Syria. These included a photograph of the CHS in the back of a truck holding an ISIS flag, as well as a photograph of the CHS leaning against a vehicle over which the ISIS flag was draped, holding what appeared to be an AK-47-style assault rifle. Sagha, in turn, repeatedly expressed a desire to travel to ISIS territory, and even made an unsuccessful attempt at doing so in early March, 2026.
Between on or about May 31 and June 2, Sagha and the CHS discussed the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for the CHS and other ISIS fighters referred to as “brothers.” VPN technology enables users to conceal their online activities, mask their locations and identities, and communicate with greater anonymity. In the hands of members of a foreign terrorist organization, the technology can assist efforts to evade detection, maintain communications, and further the organization’s activities. Sagha ultimately purchased a VPN, sent it to the CHS — whom he believed to be a member of a terrorist organization — and explained to the CHS how to use the VPN.
The count of attempt to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization has a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of life of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of the FBI Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, officers of the New York City Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and the Wayne Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Rooney, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek of the National Security Unit, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Jay Rezai of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Passaic Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS), U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg announced.
“As alleged, the defendant sought to support ISIS and expressed interest in violence directed at targets within the United States, including places of worship. Those who seek to advance the objectives of foreign terrorist organizations should expect a swift and coordinated response from federal law enforcement. This Office will continue working relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and prosecute individuals who support terrorism and threaten the safety of our communities.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“The defendant allegedly wanted to attack targets in the United States in support of ISIS and its hateful ideology, but the FBI detected and put a stop to his violent plans,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “This should be a stark reminder to the American people of the FBI’s resolve to pursue anyone who tries to harm Americans and provide material support to terrorist organizations, and we will work with our Justice Department partners to make sure they face justice.”
Mohamed Sagha, 22, of Wayne, New Jersey was charged by complaint with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS. He made his initial appearance today in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda D. Wettre. He was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately December 2025 to June 2026, Sagha participated in one or more online chat groups wherein ISIS supporters discussed, among other things, potential attacks on targets within the United States, including places of worship. In or around October 2025, Sagha met a confidential human source (“CHS”) online, whom Sagha believed to be a member of ISIS.
In his discussions with the CHS, Sagha expressed an intent to assist one of the members of an ISIS-supporters online chat group with an attack on a place of worship. Sagha also told the CHS he was contemplating carrying out an attack of his own, possibly on a National Guard location or on a Jewish place of worship. Sagha then shared images and/or videos of both locations with the CHS, and stated that they were near Sagha’s residence in Wayne, New Jersey.
During these conversations, the CHS repeatedly held himself out as an ISIS fighter, sending Sagha messages and photographs that indicated the CHS was in ISIS territory in Syria. These included a photograph of the CHS in the back of a truck holding an ISIS flag, as well as a photograph of the CHS leaning against a vehicle over which the ISIS flag was draped, holding what appeared to be an AK-47-style assault rifle. Sagha, in turn, repeatedly expressed a desire to travel to ISIS territory, and even made an unsuccessful attempt at doing so in early March, 2026.
Between on or about May 31, 2026 and June 2, 2026, Sagha and the CHS discussed the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for the CHS and other ISIS fighters referred to as “brothers.” VPN technology enables users to conceal their online activities, mask their locations and identities, and communicate with greater anonymity. In the hands of members of a foreign terrorist organization, the technology can assist efforts to evade detection, maintain communications, and further the organization’s activities. Sagha ultimately purchased a VPN, sent it to the CHS—whom he believed to be a member of a terrorist organization—and explained to the CHS how to use the VPN.
The count of attempt to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization has a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of life of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and officers of the New York City Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and the Wayne Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Rooney, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek of the National Security Unit, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Jay Rezai of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Linda Foster, Assistant Federal Public Defender.
sagha.complaint.pdfPanama City Serial Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – John D. Ford, 49, of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial offender had a dozen prior felony convictions, and continued to not only illegally possess firearms but also trafficked those guns to other criminals. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute career criminals, like this defendant, to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives assisted the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Panama City. Three firearms were found in the defendant’s bedroom (a short-barreled shotgun and two pistols), along with job application paperwork with the defendant’s biographical information on it and court paperwork for the defendant. The defendant admitted that one of the firearms belonged to him. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s cellphone and discovered messages that indicated that the defendant was trading or selling the recovered firearms. The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because of 12 prior felony convictions.
Ford’s federal prison term will be followed by two years of supervised release. Forfeiture was ordered as to the recovered firearms.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Orlando Resident Charged with Mortgage and COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Yan Daniel Inclan Hernandez (32, Orlando) has been charged by indictment with one count of making a false Statement to a financial institution and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted on all counts, Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison per count. The indictment also notifies the defendant that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $157,500, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, in September of 2021, Hernandez made a false statement on a mortgage loan application submitted to a financial institution claiming $12,350 in monthly income. This false statement influenced the financial institution’s decision to approve and fund a $411,350 mortgage loan which Hernandez used to purchase a property in Orlando.
Additionally, between May 2020 and August 2021, Hernandez engaged in a wire fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 pandemic Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for himself and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for his company from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Hernandez caused PPP and EIDL applications to be submitted that overstated gross monthly payroll, gross monthly income, gross annual revenues, and the number of employees. These material misstatements, and others, fraudulently induced the SBA and PPP lenders to fund the loans.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Development – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
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.
Orange County Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Using Semi-Automatic Rifle to Shoot at O.C. Sheriff’s Department HelicopterRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A Laguna Niguel man was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for using a semi-automatic rifle to repeatedly shoot at an Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) helicopter from a second-story window at his home.
Justin Derek Jennings, 41, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb.
Jennings pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of attempting to damage, destroy, disable, or wreck an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.
On March 9, 2024, Jennings – from a second-story window of his residence – used a semi-automatic rifle to shoot at a helicopter operated by OCSD.
Court documents previously filed in this case stated that Jennings and his family were celebrating his birthday party on that day. Jennings had been drinking and later removed a rifle from his gun safe and fired an entire magazine worth of ammunition inside the home. Jennings’ family fled and reported the incident to law enforcement.
The O.C. Sheriff’s Department responded with several deputies and a police helicopter that flew in circles around the area. Jennings then went to the home’s second story and began shooting a rifle upwards in the sky, firing only when the helicopter was visible to him. The shooting continued intermittently for at least 20 minutes. After speaking with an Orange County sheriff’s deputy, Jennings exited the residence and surrendered.
During a search of Jennings’ residence, law enforcement seized numerous firearms and rifles along with multiple rounds of ammunition. Bullet casings were scattered throughout the floor and law enforcement also seized two magazines and a box of ammunition that was on a couch immediately beneath the window from where Jennings fired the weapon.
“This is a serious offense involving violent and disturbing conduct that endangered many lives,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Jennings] repeatedly shot at an OCSD helicopter from a second-story window with the goal of shooting it down.”
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office charged Jennings in connection with this incident but dismissed the case so the federal case against him could proceed.
The FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin J. Campbell of the Orange County Office prosecuted this case.
North Carolina Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl into Virginia SentencedRead the Press Release
CHARLOTESVILLE, Va. – A North Carolina man. who trafficked fentanyl from North Carolina into Virginia, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison.
Semaj Montaque Sledge, 35, pled guilty to one count of distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have killed a quarter million Americans,” First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said. “This office is committed to eradicating the illegal distribution of this toxin from the Western District of Virginia.”
According to court documents, on August 26, 2025, Sledge traveled from North Carolina to Virginia to sell an individual approximately 252 grams of pressed fentanyl in exchange for $8,000. The transaction was observed by law enforcement.
Several days later, Sledge once again traveled from North Carolina to Virginia to sell the same individual fentanyl. This time selling 437 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $14,500. This purchase was once again observed by law enforcement.
A few weeks later, officers with the Virginia State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested Sledge along I-64 near Zions Crossroads in Virginia.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Christopher Goumenis, DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Virginia State Police investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Swartz is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Nine coconspirators convicted in drug, money laundering, $4.5 million COVID-19 relief fraud conspiraciesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Nine defendants are now convicted in a case involving drug trafficking, money laundering and COVID-19 relief fraud conspiracies after the lead defendant pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here.
Alex Garnett, 49, of Mason, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, as well as wire fraud.
According to court documents, between September 2022 and March 2024, Garnett operated a drug trafficking organization, obtaining kilogram quantities of fentanyl and cocaine from co-defendant sources of supply and providing the drugs to other co-conspirators for resale.
Garnett and others deposited their drug proceeds into bank accounts in the name of fictitious businesses.
Co-defendant Kimberly Hubbard, 50, of Griffin, Georgia, conspired with other defendants to prepare materially false and fraudulent claims for COVID-19 relief funds, namely Employee Retention Credits (ERC). In total, Hubbard filed 26 fraudulent IRS forms claiming more than $4.5 million in ERC. The IRS disbursed approximately $207,000 of the fraudulent claims.
The others convicted include:
NameAgeCityChristopher Perkins53CincinnatiMarvious Hester45Decatur, GeorgiaJorge Peraza36MexicoMarkail Smith28CincinnatiRichard Watson III27Batavia, OhioAdrian Myles25CincinnatiTierra Womack42Duluth, GeorgiaThe defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Cincinnati comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); announced the guilty plea entered on June 5 before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Amy M. Smith and Assistant United States Attorney Christina E. Mahy are representing the United States in this case.
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New York City Man Charged with Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ezriel Green, age 41, of Brooklyn, New York, appeared in federal court June 2nd, 2026, on charges of theft of government property. This action is part of an ongoing effort of the Trump Administrations Fraud Task Force aimed at eliminating fraud across the country.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, Boston/New York Field Division, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Division made the announcement.
The complaint filed against Green alleges that between October 2024 and April of 2025, Green was employed by an assisted living facility in Mohawk, New York to manage the facility’s finances. While functioning in that capacity Green obtained and cashed over $573,000.00 of checks made payable to the facility and issued by the United States Treasury Department and New York Medicaid. Although these funds were intended for the operation of the facility and the care of its elderly residents, Green cashed the checks and converted the funds to his own use.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.First Assistant United States Attorney John Sarcone stated, “This defendant’s greed was astounding and the way he went about satisfying it was despicable. His conduct targeted and harmed a community of elderly New Yorkers, and he will now be held accountable for that. My office and our agency partners remain dedicated to rooting out and eliminating this type of conduct and we will relentlessly pursue anyone involved in it.”
“Mr. Green callously stole more than $500,000 from elderly beneficiaries, diverting the funds for his own benefit,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Boston–New York Field Division. “We will continue to investigate those who misuse funds and work with our law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.”
“Stealing money that was meant to support a community’s most vulnerable is simply unacceptable,” said Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York. “At IRS‑CI, we follow the money wherever it leads, and in this case, the path was clear. We’re committed to working alongside our partners to make sure anyone who abuses their position of trust faces the consequences.”
The charges filed against Green carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. Green may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offense. 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.
IRS-CI and SSA-OIG are investigating the case, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle.
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.
Nashville Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Nashville man was sentenced on June 4, 2026, to 2 years and 2 months in federal prison for two counts of wire fraud.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
Aaron Vallett, 48, was sentenced to 2 years and 2 months in federal prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $101,630.56 for two counts of wire fraud. In or about and between July 2020 and November 2021, Aaron Vallett, as the Chief Financial Officer for a local home remodeling company, stole more than $100,000 from his employer. He used access to the company’s bank account, granted to him by virtue of his position, to devise and execute a scheme to steal the company’s funds for his own use and benefit.
Vallett was previously convicted in 2012 of mail fraud, wire fraud, and theft from an ERISA plan, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,492,548.77. Vallett’s current scheme began almost immediately after his release from his 2012 conviction, while he was on supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Elver prosecuted the case.
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Missouri Man Admits Role in Cryptocurrency Robbery SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SAIF FAIQ, 22, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to an offense related to his involvement in an attempted robbery of Bitcoin and a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin. In an attempt to steal some of that Bitcoin, Faiq and others planned and coordinated the attempted robbery and ultimately the kidnapping. Faiq’s alleged co-coconspirator, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging. Faiq’s brother, Adam Iza, communicated via cellphone and encrypted messaging applications with certain of the kidnappers, directed them as to the logistics of the scheme, and also provided funding. Faiq recruited participants for the crime, traveled to Connecticut for the planned home invasion and kidnapping, coordinated with Iza, and helped conduct surveillance on the victims.
Faiq pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (“Hobbs Act Robbery”), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 28.
Faiq has been detained since his arrest on November 12, 2025.
Iza pleaded guilty to the same offense on June 1, 2026, and is detained while awaiting sentencing.
Six other individuals were charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping. All have pleaded guilty.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Daniel George.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Columbia, and the District of New Jersey, and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury, for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Manager of Investment Firm Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Defrauding Investors in “Pre-IPO” SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that GIOVANNI PENNETTA, the manager of a Manhattan-based investment adviser and private equity firm, was sentenced to four years in prison for committing wire fraud by running a scheme to fraudulently induce multiple investment clients to part with millions of dollars in exchange for economic exposure to shares of non-public companies. PENNETTA pled guilty on March 5, 2026, and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
“Falsely promising access to sought-after pre-IPO shares is fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The pre-IPO market is a securities market just like the public markets, and there is no place for fraud in any securities market. This Office and our law enforcement partners are watching and will continue to protect investors, no matter the market.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
Over a period of roughly six years, PENNETTA, the manager of a Manhattan-based investment adviser and private equity firm, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors who had entrusted him with millions of dollars to access shares of private companies. PENNETTA induced investors to contribute capital to his private equity fund by promising them economic exposure to shares of pre-IPO companies. In reality, PENNETTA did not have access to the shares he promised, and the investment interests he sold did not provide the exposure he had guaranteed. Instead, PENNETTA misappropriated more than $10 million in investor money, moving much of it to his personal bank account.
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In addition to the prison term, PENNETTA, 51, of New York, New York, and Italy, was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,928,266.25 and forfeiture in the amount of $12,546,279.86, representing proceeds from his illegal scheme.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra N. Rothman and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.
Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Submitting Fraudulent FEMA Claims for Lahaina and California Wildfire Federal DisastersRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Daylyn Harris, 35, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced on June 5, 2026, to 24 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with false claims he submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) seeking disaster relief related to the Lahaina and Pacific Palisades wildfire disasters, as well as a separate obstruction of justice charge. Harris was also ordered to pay $60,458 in restitution to FEMA. His codefendant Chelsea Johnson was previously sentenced to four months in prison.
According to Court records, Harris and Johnson conspired to defraud FEMA by submitting false disaster relief claims tied to the Lahaina and Pacific Palisades wildfires. They claimed lost income, housing, and property even though they did not live in the disaster area or suffer those losses.
Specifically, Harris falsely claimed that he resided in Lahaina during the Lahaina wildfires, and that he lost housing, income, suffered medical bills, and lost property as a result. Johnson assisted the fraud by posing as Harris’s Maui landlord. Johnson then falsely claimed to live in Pacific Palisades, California during the Pacific Palisades wildfires and falsely claimed she lost housing and incurred other expenses as a result. Together, Harris and Johnson received over $60,000 in disaster relief from FEMA intended for victims of the wildfires.
After he pled guilty, Harris also submitted fabricated flight records to the court to refute allegations that he had violated his conditions of pretrial release. For this conduct, he was charged with and pled guilty to obstruction of justice.
“At a time when federal resources were desperately needed by victims of the Lahaina and Pacific Palisades wildfires, Harris stole from the public to satisfy his own greed,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Preventing, investigating, and prosecuting the theft and fraudulent diversion of disaster relief funds is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and those who seek to profit through fraud off of the devastation and hardship of our neighbors will face swift and certain justice in federal court.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Life Sentence Imposed for Murderer in 21 Defendant Arlington, TX Street Gang ProsecutionRead the Press Release
The twenty-one members and associates of the violent Kiccdoe street gang that ravaged the streets of Arlington, Texas, have pled guilty to federal charges of racketeering (RICO conspiracy) or other drug and violent crimes in aid of racketeering charges , announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Yesterday, June 4, one of those defendants, Chauncey Ross, 22, of Arlington, Texas, was sentenced to life in federal prison by United States District Judge Mark T. Pittman for his role in the RICO conspiracy.
“I will not tolerate gang-related violence in our district, so rest assured that our gang-related prosecutions will continue,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I am extremely proud of the work done by my prosecutors on this case, and I hope the citizens of Arlington feel safer knowing that these gang members are behind bars. Through his conduct, defendant Ross earned the life sentence he received, and I hope his sentence serves as a warning to all gang members in our community.”
“This defendant’s role in the commission of a murder and his involvement in a violent gang that terrorized the Arlington community warrants the life sentence imposed in this case,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities.”
“This is a major win for our community,” said Arlington Police Chief Al Jones. “In Arlington alone, we documented more than 180 criminal incidents, many of them violent in nature, involving the members of this street gang. I have no doubt that our city is safer with these defendants off our streets. I’m extremely grateful to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas for their partnership on this case and for helping us achieve this outcome.”
During the sentencing hearing, the government drew the court’s attention to various aspects of evidence for its consideration in determining Ross’s sentence. The government argued that Ross had shot and killed one young male and shot and injured another young female, while she was shielding her infant child with her body. And that shortly after committing the murder, Ross had recorded a rap song bragging about the incident—with lyrics that “fiending for murder . . . gave [him] an itch,” among other graphic lyrics directly referencing the victim and the murder.In addition to Ross, seven other defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy (RICO conspiracy) or conduct stemming from their association with the Kiccdoe gang:
• Kyron Oates, 22, of Grand Prairie, Texas, pled guilty to a RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment. During the sentencing hearing, the government highlighted evidence that showed that Oates was one of two shooters in a pre-meditated attempted murder occurring in February 2024.• Cortez Atkinson, 19, of Fort Worth, Texas, pled guilty to a RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 176 months imprisonment. During the sentencing hearing, the government drew the court’s attention to evidence showing that Atkinson initiated a gang-related shootout directly outside of an apartment complex, during which a stray bullet struck a 13-year old girl while she was in her bedroom.
• KeyShawn Burton, 21, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to a RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 127 months imprisonment. During the sentencing hearing, the government argued that Burton not only trafficked narcotics but also actively participated in online group chats with other Kiccdoe gang members to conspire to shoot and kill a member of a rival gang.
• Jaylen Jeshawn Franklin, 23, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to a RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 122 months imprisonment. During the sentencing hearing, the government highlighted evidence that showed Franklin had conspired with other Kiccdoe gang members to commit at least two drive-by shootings – in January and November 2022, and he also posted in a Kiccdoe group chat an image of one of the houses to target for the shootings.
• Sir James Mack Williams, 22, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to a RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 92 months imprisonment. During the sentencing hearing, the government emphasized evidence showing that Williams was a shooter during a November 2022 drive-by shooting spree of two separate houses in Arlington, Texas.
• Raphael Opare, 19, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to a RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment. In addition to trafficking narcotics, R. Opare admitted in court documents that he, together with other Kiccdoe gang members, conspired to kill a member of a rival gang in retaliation for a shooting that had occurred in April 2024.
• JaMarion Manogin, 20, of Forney, Texas, pled guilty to two counts of Use of a Communication Facility in Causing or Facilitating the Commission of a Felony under the Controlled Substances Act and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for engaging in drug trafficking while using a cellphone.
The remaining 13 defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks:
• June 12, 2026: Bradley McArthur, Jr., 21, of Fort Worth, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
Vernell Woods, 19, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
• June 18, 2026: LaMarion Austin, 21, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
Isaiah Wiley, 21, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
Joseph Hill, 18, of Fort Worth, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
Marcus Shaw, 20, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
• July 2, 2026: Sadedrick Wilson, 22, of Fort Worth, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
Dillen Opare, 20, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
DaTraven Warren, 18, of Mansfield, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
DeMarco Westmoreland, 19, of Mansfield, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
• July 9, 2026: Michael Mensah, 18, of Grand Prairie, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.
• September 10, 2026: Jakayla Totten, 21, of DeSoto, Texas, pled guilty to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering.
• September 17, 2026: Blake Aaron Scott, 22, of Arlington, Texas, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy.The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Arlington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura G. Montes and Eric B. Chen prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Capoccia.
Knoxville Man Indicted on Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Crack Cocaine, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 20, 2026, a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, returned an indictment charging Brandon Allen Foxx, 36, of Knoxville, TN, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, seven counts of distributing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack cocaine, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On June 8, 2026, Foxx appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jill E. McCook, in the Eastern District of Tennessee, and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He was detained pending trial, which has been set for July 28, 2026, before the Honorable Judge Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge.
According to court documents, between November 25, 2025, and May 7, 2026, Foxx sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on seven occasions. Court documents also allege Foxx possessed firearms while selling methamphetamine to the confidential informant. On May 12, 2026, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF) and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (“TBI”) executed a search warrant of Foxx’s residence. Inside the residence, agents found 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, 93 grams of fentanyl, 28.1 grams of crack cocaine, 1.4 kilograms of marijuana, 181 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, $2,405 in cash, and two firearms.
If convicted, Foxx faces a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.
Francis M. Hamilton III, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and ATF Resident Agent in Charge Nellie Waterman, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the TBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Gilmore of the Eastern District of Tennessee is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Justice Department Moves to Strip U.S. Citizenship from 17 Naturalized Sex Offenders, Fraudsters, Drug Dealers, and MoreRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it filed denaturalization actions in various U.S. district courts against 17 individuals accused of serious offenses—including sexual abuse of a minor, wire and bank fraud, and distributing drugs wholesale without a license.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
“When criminal aliens exploit the naturalization process by breaking the law, there are consequences. Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters. Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We continue to work around the clock with our interagency partners to make sure U.S. citizenship is granted to those who truly deserve it.”
“American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly. If you come here break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “DHS will not stand idly by while Americans are harmed by criminals including sex offenders, perpetrators of fraud, and drug traffickers who have exploited our generosity and gamed our immigration system. We will continue to use every lawful avenue to denaturalize and remove aliens.”
“We will not turn a blind eye to those who unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Anyone thinking they can defraud the naturalization process should think again. We will continue to pursue anyone who unlawfully or fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.”
- Leidys Delmas Garcia (Age 54/Cuba): Delmas Garcia is a native of Cuba who was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The U.S. seeks an order revoking Delmas Garcia’s naturalization based on her admission in criminal proceedings that she and her co-conspirators established and operated 30 physical therapy clinics in Florida that fraudulently billed commercial insurance provider Blue Cross, Blue Shield approximately $36,728,595 for physical therapy services that were not medically necessary and/or never provided. During her naturalization interview, Delmas Garcia represented under penalty of perjury that she had not committed crimes for which she had not been arrested and that she had never given false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit. Neither was true.
- Jean Claude Alfred (Age 68/Haiti): The United States filed a denaturalization action against Jean Claude Alfred, a native of Haiti who naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1994. Beginning in September 1993, approximately one month before filing his naturalization application, Alfred repeatedly sexually abused his minor daughter and continued that conduct during the pendency of his naturalization proceedings. During the naturalization process, Alfred represented in his application and under oath that he had not committed any crime for which he had not been arrested and concealed his ongoing criminal conduct. In 1996, a Florida jury convicted Alfred of attempted sexual battery upon a child in a familial or custodial relationship and lewd, lascivious, and indecent assault upon a child under the age of 16 for Alfred's criminal conduct that began in September 1993, before he naturalized. The denaturalization complaint alleges that Alfred illegally procured his citizenship because he provided false testimony which prevented him from establishing good moral character required for naturalization. The complaint further alleges that Alfred obtained citizenship through the concealment and willful misrepresentation of material facts concerning his sexual abuse of a minor.
- Andrea Marroquin (Age 44/Colombia): Marroquin is the daughter of a major Colombian drug trafficker who inherited his money when he died. She obtained permanent residence in the United States by concealing her bigamous marriage to a United States citizen. Between 2003 and 2011, she conspired to engage in wire and bank fraud and money laundering, using her late father’s drug money to finance fraudulent real estate transactions in Miami, Florida. She became a naturalized citizen in 2009 by concealing her crimes. The United States has brought four claims against Marroquin seeking her denaturalization, including claims she knowingly lied to immigration authorities and lacked the good moral character to become a U.S. citizen.
- Maria Lourdes Montoya (Age 63/Mexico): On June 4, 2026, the United States brought a denaturalization action against Maria Lourdes Montoya, who misrepresented her husband’s identify to secure permanent residence and later citizenship. In support of both her application for permanent residence and naturalization, Montoya represented herself to be the spouse of a U.S. Citizen—Gilberto Montoya. But Montya was never married to Gilberto Montoya, who died decades earlier. Instead, Montoya was marred to Ernesto Orozco-Viramontes, a Mexican national who had assumed the identity of Gilberto. Montoya was aware of her husband’s deception and leveraged it to obtain immigration benefits, including naturalized citizenship. The United States filed a five-count complaint against Montoya seeking to cancel her naturalized citizenship.
- Tahir Lekaj (Age 43/Yugoslavia): Lekaj was admitted to the United States in August 1999 and subsequently obtained permanent residence. When he applied to naturalize in 2004, Mr. Lekaj wrote in his application that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested. He later repeated that claim orally and under oath during his naturalization interview. His application was approved, and he naturalized in May 2005. However, in 2022, the State of Connecticut convicted Mr. Lekaj of two counts of sexually abusing a child under the age of 15 in January 2003. Evidence at trial indicated that the victim was 10 years old when the abuse began. The United States filed a complaint seeking to revoke Mr. Lekaj’s citizenship because he illegally procured his citizenship because he was unable to demonstrate the good moral character required of naturalization because of the sexual abuse. Additionally, Mr. Lekaj is subject to denaturalization because he willfully misrepresented or concealed the sexual abuse while seeking United States citizenship.
- Talman Harris (Age 49/Jamaica): Over an eight-year period, including during his 2012-2014 naturalization proceedings, Talman Harris, a native of Jamaica, conspired to manipulate the price and volume of shares of stock in publicly traded companies, causing more than $54 million to be invested in artificially controlled shares and an ultimate loss to investors of approximately $39 million from the scheme. In 2016, after Harris naturalized, a jury found him guilty of wire fraud and conspiring to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, with his fraudulent wire transfers and the conspiracy occurring during the period in which Harris was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character to naturalize. The denaturalization complaint against Harris alleges that, during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, he committed a crime involving moral turpitude, committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crime. The complaint additionally alleges that Harris willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crimes during his naturalization proceedings.
- Armando Mendoza (Age 39/Mexico): Before Mendoza naturalized, he began knowingly receiving sexually explicit images of minors as early as 2009. In his 2011 naturalization application and interview, however, Mendoza, a Mexico native, claimed that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. In 2013, after he naturalized, Mendoza pled guilty to the receipt of such images. The denaturalization complaint against Mendoza alleges that, during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, Mendoza was precluded from doing so because he had committed a crime involving moral turpitude, committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crime. Additionally, the complaint alleges that Mendoza willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crime during his naturalization proceedings.
- Neeraj Sharma (Age 50/India): Neeraj Sharma, a native of India, was both the owner and chief executive officer of Magnavision LLC, a staffing company located in New Jersey. As an officer of Magnavision LLC, Sharma signed and filed eleven fraudulent H-1B visa petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). Each petition included false representations that the visa beneficiaries would be employed with a particular global financial institution, and also included letters on official corporate letterhead with forged signatures of the executives. In 2017, Sharma applied for naturalization, and under penalty of perjury, falsely asserted that he had never: (a) committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested; (b) given any U.S. Government officials any information or documentation that was false or misleading; and (c) lied to any U.S. Government official to gain immigration benefits. Based on these material falsehoods, USCIS approved his application, and Defendant became a U.S. citizen in December 2017. Subsequently, Defendant was convicted of Fraud and Misuse of Visas, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1546, with the date of offense between April 25, 2015, through April 27, 2017. The United States seeks to revoke Defendant’s naturalization, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1451(a), as an alien who illegally procured his naturalization by: (1) failing to disclose unlawful acts; (2) providing false testimony; and (3) concealment of a material fact and willful misrepresentation.
- Federico Michel Fermin (Age 54/Dominican Republic): From September 2004 through August 2005, Federico Michel Fermin, a native of the Dominican Republic, conspired with others to distribute more than $1.7 million in prescription drugs wholesale without a license. As part of the criminal conspiracy, Fermin altered drug packaging and caused it to be altered so that the prescription drugs that were distributed to pharmacies would appear to have been purchased from persons who were licensed to distribute them. On May 12, 2011, a jury convicted Fermin of conspiracy to distribute prescription drugs wholesale without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. He was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment. However, during his naturalization process, Fermin represented, under penalty of perjury, that he had never knowingly committed any crime for which he had not been arrested and testified under oath to the same at his naturalization interview. Accordingly, Fermin illegally procured is naturalization as a United States citizen because he misrepresented and concealed facts that were material to determining his eligibility for naturalization.
- Abdikadir Ali Kadiye (Age 54/Somalia): On June 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota filed a civil denaturalization complaint in District of Minnesota against Abdikadir Ali Kadiye. Beginning in April of 1997, Kadiye sought admission to the United States by filing applications under two separate identities. Kadiye initially sought admission to the United States under the identity Liban M. Degel and he claimed that he was married with no children. After an immigration judge denied his application for immigration benefits, Kadiye submitted a second application under the identity of Abdikadir Ali Kadiye. After his naturalization, Kadiye admitted to a customs and border patrol agent that he had previously used two identities for admission for admission.
- Victor San Shing Kwok (Age 50/People’s Republic of China): On June 4, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of the Northern District of Georgia filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Victor San Shing Kwon in the Northern District of Georgia. In September 1994, Kwok sought admission to the United States under the identity of Xin Cheng Guo. After an immigration judge denied his application for an immigration benefit, Kwok sought admission to the United States by marrying a U.S. citizen. In his application to adjust his resident status, Kwok failed to disclose the prior denial of his prior application for an immigration benefit and his pending order of removal. There is no record that Kwok departed the United States as ordered by the immigration judge.
- Louise Hunkporti (Age 64/Congo): In 1995, Hunkporti applied for and was denied an immigration benefit. When he was denied the immigration benefit, Hunkporti adopted a new identity and submitted a falsified application using the new identity. Hunkporti naturalized as a U.S. citizen on March 2, 2010 under the adopted identity. After USCIS digitized its paper fingerprint cards, the U.S. Department of Justice discovered that the fingerprints Hunkporti submitted when she naturalized matched those she submitted when she applied for the immigration benefit in 1995. The complaint alleges eight counts for her numerous misrepresentations and unlawful acts that adversely reflect her moral character.
- Fernando Cristancho (Age 69/Colombia): Cristancho, an ordained Roman Catholic priest, entered the United States as a religious worker and then used his leadership position in the church to gain access to minor victims. In that capacity, Mr. Cristancho sexually groomed and abused a minor parishioner from when the victim was 11 to 13 years old. Mr. Cristancho later admitted to the crime—and egregious conduct involving other minor victims—and pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), resulting in a 22-year prison sentence. The denaturalization complaint filed against Mr. Cristancho charges that he hid his ongoing crime from immigration officials, thereby illegally procuring his naturalization by concealing material facts and willfully misrepresenting his unlawful sexual activity and by his inability to demonstrate the requisite good moral character in support of his application. (Park/Burley)
- Ronnie Price (Age 40/Trinidad and Tobago): Before his naturalization in 2016, 30-year-old Ronnie Price had sexual intercourse with a female who was under 16 – a statutory rape crime to which he eventually pled guilty. During his naturalization proceedings, however, Price claimed he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, he falsely testified to the same, and he concealed facts that would have uncovered his criminal activity. The denaturalization complaint alleges that Price engaged in unlawful conduct during a critical statutory period during which he was required by law to maintain good moral character, that he provided false testimony during his naturalization interview, and that he did so in order to conceal his crimes and willfully misrepresent material facts that would have revealed his ineligibility for the privilege of United States citizenship.
- Rodger George Gurdon (Age 55/Jamaica): Prior to naturalizing in 2011, Rodger George Gurdon, a native of Jamaica, engaged in a conspiracy to steal and resell medical products from military hospitals operated by the Department of Defense. Gurdon likewise engaged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 100 kilograms of a substance containing marijuana. In 2013, after he naturalized, Gurdon pled guilty to Conspiring to Steal Pre-Retail Medical Products, Interstate Receipt of Stolen Property, and Conspiring to Distribute Marijuana, with the conspiracies occurring during the period in which Gurdon was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character to naturalize. The denaturalization complaint against Gurdon alleges that, during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, Gurdon was precluded from doing so because he had committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crimes. Additionally, the complaint alleges that Gurdon willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crimes during his naturalization proceedings. (McManus/Bic)
- Jheromell Obejera Arcilla (Age 39/Philippines): On Friday, June 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the United States District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, against Jheromell Obejera Arcilla, a native of the Philippines who, prior to his naturalization, began sexually abusing the 15-year-old daughter of his biological cousin, with whom he lived. The sexual abuse lasted for over a year, during which time Mr. Arcilla successfully naturalized. In 2020, a grand jury indicted Mr. Arcilla on three counts of sexual offenses in violation of the Maryland criminal code, and in 2021, Mr. Arcilla pleaded guilty to one of those counts, sex abuse of a minor. Mr. Arcilla lied about the commission of this crime in connection with his naturalization application. The United States has brought three claims against Mr. Arcilla seeking his denaturalization, including claims that he lacked the good moral character to become a U.S. citizen and that he knowingly lied to immigration authorities.
- Milagros Marileisis Acosta Torres (Age 40/Cuba): Before Milagros Marileisis Acosta Torres naturalized, she was part of a larger conspiracy to defraud a tribal casino in Florida. Her husband and several others stole millions of dollars from the casino by creating false credit vouchers. Acosta Torres subsequently engaged in various financial transactions involving the criminal proceeds to disguise the fact that they were obtained though fraud and to circumvent transaction reporting requirements imposed by federal and state law. But in her naturalization application and interview, Acosta Torres falsely claimed that she had never committed a crime or offense for which she had not been arrested. The denaturalization complaint against Acosta Torres alleges that she is subject to denaturalization because during the period in which she was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, she committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on her moral character and falsely testified about her crime. Additionally, she willfully misrepresented the material fact of her crime during her naturalization proceedings.
These cases were prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, with assistance from USCIS, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, and New Jersey.
The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Launches Compliance Review Concerning Gender Ideology in San Francisco Unified School District and Three Additional California School DistrictsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched a compliance review into four California public school districts: Graves Elementary School District, San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), Santa Rita Union School District, and Soledad Unified School District (collectively, the California School Districts) regarding instruction on sexual orientation and gender ideology (SOGI) in grades pre-K-12.
“This Department of Justice will not tolerate local school authorities trampling on the rights of parents concerning the education of their children,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Supreme Court’s recent decisions in Mahmoud and Mirabelli have put all school districts on notice: policies that keep parents in the dark about sexuality and gender ideology in the classroom must end now.”
The review will examine whether, and to what extent, the California School Districts have notified parents of their right to opt their children out of such instruction. Under California law, sex education must include SOGI topics. While parental notice and opt-out provisions apply to “all or part of” sex education, SFUSD, for example, has previously advised its teachers that neither parental permission nor notification are required to teach or discuss SOGI topics. Further, SOGI topics appear to be embedded in California’s social studies and history classes. The compliance review will also assess policies that permit access to single-sex intimate spaces (such as bathrooms and locker rooms) and girls’ sports teams based on purported gender identity rather than biological sex.
The review will examine whether the California School Districts, which all receive taxpayer funding, are adhering to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. DOJ will also evaluate whether what actions, if any, the California School Districts have taken in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions in Mirabelli v. Bonta and Mahmoud v. Taylor, which reiterated the nation’s extensive precedents on parental rights.
The Civil Rights Division has not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigation.
Jury Finds Norcross Man Guilty of Laundering More than $400,000 in Proceeds from Fraudulent Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – After a one-week trial, a federal jury convicted Festus Anyiam of stealing government funds and laundering the proceeds of fraudulent tax refunds obtained through identity theft.
“This defendant attempted to conceal his brazen theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent tax refund payments by converting the stolen refunds into money orders and then transferring the cashed money orders into accounts he controlled,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will always pursue wrongdoers who steal from the tax system and attempt to conceal their wrongdoing.”
“This verdict is a victory for the U.S. tax system. It should send a message to would-be thieves that IRS-Criminal Investigation and its law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves on the backs of U.S. taxpayers,” said Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, St. Louis Field Office, Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “No matter how many steps a thief takes to hide their ill-gotten gains, our special agents will track them down and bring them to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2015, the IRS received fraudulent tax returns claiming refunds that used the personally identifiable information (PII) of taxpayers in Illinois and Missouri. The returns directed the IRS to send the refund payments to a third-party tax preparation software company, which deposited the tax refunds into prepaid debit cards that had been activated using taxpayers’ stolen PII. After the debit cards were loaded with refund payments, the debit cards were used to purchase money orders from various retail stores in the Atlanta area.
During a three-week period in June and July 2015, Anyiam used ATMs throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area to deposit hundreds of those money orders into his personal bank account. To conceal the true source of the funds, Anyiam later sought to clear the tax refund proceeds from his bank account by buying a cashier’s check for $406,000 and depositing it at another bank.
On June 5, 2026, a federal jury found Festus Anyiam, 41, of Norcross, Georgia, guilty of four counts of theft of government funds and one count of money laundering.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen. The Court may sentence the defendant to not more than 10 years of imprisonment on each of the theft counts and not more than 20 years of imprisonment on the money laundering count. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sekret T. Sneed and Daniel Grill are prosecuting the case.
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.
Jefferson County felon charged with federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont felon has been indicted in the Eastern District of Texas and charged with a federal firearms violation, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jared Cole Stephenson, 41, was indicted by a federal grand jury last week and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Stephenson appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on June 8, 2026.
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, to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is being investigated by the Jasper Police Department, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
A federal indictment or complaint is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Jefferson County Man Convicted for Drug Trafficking from Inside the Alabama Department of CorrectionsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been convicted of using a contraband cell phone to run a methamphetamine conspiracy while in custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
The jury returned a guilty verdict against Samdrekus Eugene Bester, 43, after four days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala. Bester was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bester was serving a life sentence inside the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) for a 2016 murder he committed in Jefferson County. While inside ADOC, Bester used a contraband cell phone to coordinate the sale of methamphetamine in December 2022 and January 2023. Specifically, Bester arranged for the sale of over 10 pounds of methamphetamine, which the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recovered. Bester used females on the outside to facilitate his drug trafficking operation. The DEA recovered over 20 pounds of methamphetamine from a co-defendant’s home. Throughout December 2022 and January 2023, Bester facilitated the possession and distribution of 165 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the greater Birmingham metro area.
“Despite being imprisoned for murder, the defendant continued to endanger our communities through drug trafficking. This guilty verdict sends a clear message that criminal activity will not be tolerated behind prison walls or anywhere else,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “I commend the dedicated collaboration of our law enforcement partners in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“Drug trafficking is a scourge on our communities, and we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who engage in drug trafficking are held accountable for their actions, even if they are already incarcerated,” said Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Byrd.
“This conviction demonstrates the reach of our federal and state law enforcement partnership,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John P. Scott. “Even from behind bars, this individual continued to pose a grave danger to our community by orchestrating a large-scale drug trafficking operation. We are committed to dismantling these criminal networks, regardless of where the coordinators are located, and holding them fully accountable for the devastation they bring to the Birmingham area.”
The DEA investigated the case, along with the Birmingham Police Department, Hoover Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany T. Byrd and Benjamin A. Keown, Sr., are prosecuting the case.
Jason Khan, Owner of Foot Fetish Company, Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of a three-count Indictment charging JASON KHAN with sex trafficking offenses. KHAN was arrested this morning in the Northern District of New York and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis.
“As alleged, Jason Khan lured his victims in under the lucrative promise of being a foot model, before he repeatedly and violently sexually assaulted and raped them,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “We commend the victims for their courage in coming forward, and we urge anyone else who has been a victim of Khan, or knows anything about his alleged crimes, to do the same. Our investigation is ongoing.”
“Jason Khan allegedly operated a website to exploit multiple women’s employment aspirations and lure them to hotel rooms before brutally raping them,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI-NYPD Human Trafficking Task Force continues to target sexual predators who abuse women.”
“This defendant lured women to hotel rooms under the false pretense of offering employment opportunities, and then raped and sexually assaulted them,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This horrific behavior has no place in our city, and we will not allow predators to prey on vulnerable women. The NYPD will always protect survivors of sexual assault and work to stop the deception, exploitation, and abuse of traffickers. I am thankful to the men and women of the NYPD, our partners at the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their tireless work to bring this perpetrator to justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment and other filings and statements made in public court proceedings:
From at least 2019 to 2021, KHAN, who resides primarily in New York City and Albany, operated the foot fetish website FootPadNYC.com. KHAN used his foot fetish website to lure and recruit victims to hotel rooms under the pretense of providing them with job opportunities as foot models. As depicted in the below image, the “Employment” section for KHAN’s website sought to attract foot models with the promise of “get[ting] paid to have your feet worshipped.”
KHAN and others working with him then scheduled meetings with aspiring “foot models” in Manhattan hotel rooms. When the aspiring models showed up to be interviewed by KHAN, he sexually assaulted or raped them.
On at least three occasions, KHAN deployed this playbook: scheduling interviews with women who were seeking professional opportunities as foot models and using the promise of this additional income to lure them to Manhattan hotel rooms. Once in the hotel room, KHAN raped or sexually assaulted the women—penetrating two of the victims vaginally and, among other things, forcibly putting the third victim’s feet on his penis. Each victim expressed her lack of consent to the sexual activity, but her non-consent was ignored by KHAN. Each of the victims reported her assault to law enforcement and others, and two of the victims performed rape kits in a hospital in the aftermath of their rapes.
If you have been victimized by KHAN in any way, or have any additional information about his alleged illegal behavior, please call the FBI at 212-384-2700, reach out to us at JasonKhanVictims@fbi.gov, or fill out this questionnaire. KHAN is depicted below.
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KHAN, 47, of Albany and New York, New York, is charged with three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The statutory maximum and mandatory penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI-NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in New York, as well as the assistance of FBI Albany and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Lisa Daniels, and Remy Grosbard are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitutes only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Inmate Sentenced to Additional 57 Months of Incarceration for Racketeering Activity at Cambria County PrisonRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A former inmate at the Cambria County Prison was sentenced in federal court to an additional 57 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of conducting and participating in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendant is among 10 individuals charged through an Indictment unsealed in July 2025 with racketeering charges related to the Cambria County Prison (read the Indictment news release here).
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Blake Young, 37, on June 5, 2026. Judge Haines ordered the sentence to be served consecutively to the 92-month prison sentence imposed on Young in May 2024 on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, while incarcerated at the Cambria County Prison, Young conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, Young bribed correctional officers and medical staff to smuggle contraband into the prison, namely cell phones, K2, and Suboxone, which were then sold to other inmates for a substantial profit.
To date, four of the 10 defendants in the case have pleaded guilty, with two now having been sentenced.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Young.
Illinois Investment Advisor Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges for Allegedly Swindling Clients in Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An Illinois investment advisor has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly swindling at least three clients in a Ponzi scheme.
JOHN MYERS operated Illinois-based Sterling Capital Investments, LLC. From 2022 to 2025, Myers fraudulently solicited and obtained money from three victims, including a husband and wife from Michigan, based on false representations about the performance and value of the investments, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Myers provided false documentation reflecting the investments were worth more than they were, when Myers knew the value had actually decreased due to his trading losses, the indictment states. Myers engaged in a Ponzi scheme by using some investor funds to repay prior investors, the indictment states.
Myers, 41, of Chicago, is charged with four counts of wire fraud. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago is set for June 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
u.s._v._myers_no._26_cr_278_n.d._ill._-_indictment.pdfIllegal Alien from England Pleads Guilty to Entering the US Without Inspection and Lying to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A citizen of the United Kingdom pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to entering the United States without inspection and lying to federal investigators.
According to court records, Hameed Mohammed Nagi, 21, and three other men walked through the heavily wooded border between Quebec and Somerset County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their point of entry was within a few hundred yards of the Saint Zacharie, Maine port of entry that was manned by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (“OFO”). Upon exiting the woods, Nagi and his companions began walking down the Golden Road heading east.
Passersby in the area reported to an OFO agent seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road. The OFO agent reported the sighting to the U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) station in Jackman. A USBP agent and an OFO agent responded to the area of the sighting, located the four men and took them into custody without incident. When questioned about their citizenship, Nagi and his three companions stated they were citizens of the United Kingdom. The four were subsequently transported back to the Jackman Border Patrol station.
During subsequent questioning by FBI and USBP agents, Nagi maintained that he had not intentionally entered the United States. He falsely claimed that he and his friends were on a hike in Canada and had accidentally crossed into the U.S.
On the false statement charge, Nagi faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. On the illegal entry charge, he faces up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. Nagi will be sentenced following the preparation of a presentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Illegal Alien with Extensive Criminal Record Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Unlawfully Re-Entering United States After Multiple DeportationsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien with an extensive criminal record has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being deported on multiple occasions.
MANUEL ALBERTO CORTES CUAN, a native of Mexico, was unlawfully present in the United States on June 17, 2025, when he was arrested in Lyons, Ill. Police received a report that a vehicle identified in an ongoing theft investigation was located in a residential area of Lyons. When police approached the vehicle and attempted to detain Cortes Cuan, he vigorously resisted arrest, causing injuries to himself and two police officers.
Cortes Cuan was previously deported from the United States on five occasions. Each deportation occurred after Cortes Cuan sustained criminal convictions while unlawfully present here. The prior offenses of convictions included theft, escape, trespassing, aggravated assault, and aggravated DUI.
Cortes Cuan, 38, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of unlawful re-entry after removal. On June 3, 2026, U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt sentenced Cortes Cuan to 14 months in federal prison. The conviction subjects Cortes Cuan to removal from the United States.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lyons, Ill. Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly.
Honduran national pleads guilty to reentering U.S. illegallyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A man who previously had been removed from the country four times admitted to charges of illegal reentry today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
The defendant, Tony Noe Oviedo Zelaya, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of reentry to the United States after having been previously removed. Oviedo Zelaya faces 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided at the change of plea proceedings. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 8, 2026. Oviedo Zelaya remained in custody pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Oviedo Zelaya is a native citizen of Honduras and that he illegally entered the United States on multiple occasions.
West Yellowstone police officers pulled over Oviedo Zelaya on April 14, 2026, and discovered he was driving on a suspended license. They learned he was a Honduran national who had been removed from the country on four different occasions. The last time was March 21, 2025, when he was barred from returning to the U.S. for 20 years.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Immigration and Custom Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Honduran Nationals Sentenced to More than Two Decades in Prison for Kidnapping OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –HECTOR MONDRAGON-FLORES (“MONDRAGON”), age 33, and EDWIN SALGADO-NUNEZ (“SALGADO”), age 31, were sentenced on May 21, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe for multiple felony offenses including kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
MONDRAGON was sentenced to 27.5 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with an $800 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously being convicted by a jury of all eight counts of a superseding indictment against him. The jury found MONDRAGON guilty of kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1201(a)(1) and 1201(c); two counts of interstate transmission of a ransom demand, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(a); conspiracy to receive a ransom payment, and two counts of receipt of a ransom payment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1202(a) and 371; and assault on a federal officer using a deadly weapon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 111(a)(1) and (b).
SALGADO was sentenced to 22 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $500 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to five counts of a superseding indictment against him. SALGADO pleaded guilty to kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1201(a)(1) and 1201(c); interstate transmission of a ransom demand, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(a); and conspiracy to receive a ransom payment, and receipt of a ransom payment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1202(a) and 371.
According to court documents and evidence at trial, on October 2, 2024, MONDRAGON and SALGADO kidnapped the victim and bound his feet together and bound the victim’s hands together behind his back. The two men then held the victim at gunpoint in MONDRAGON’s apartment, and demanded payment of a $7,000 ransom from the victim’s father for his son’s release. MONDRAGON called the victim’s father over 50 times and threatened to kill the victim if the ransom was not paid. The victim’s father agreed to pay the ransom but reported the kidnapping to the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) on his way to the ransom exchange. NOPD detectives monitored the ransom exchange and arrested SALGADO after the victim’s father paid $3,000 cash to an associate of MONDRAGON and SALGADO. Before he was arrested, SALGADO attempted to flee by ramming a law enforcement vehicle.
Following SALGADO’s arrest, MONDRAGON took the victim at gunpoint to co-defendant Janette Ramirez’s apartment. MONDRAGON then demanded a ransom payment from the victim’s girlfriend for his release. After the victim’s girlfriend was unable to successfully transfer the payment to MONDRAGON or Ramirez, MONDRAGON took the victim at gunpoint to an ATM. The victim then withdrew $400 and gave it to MONDRAGON to secure his release.
The next day, law enforcement officers spotted MONDRAGON at an apartment complex in New Orleans East. When officers attempted to arrest him, MONDRAGON pulled out a gun, forced his way into an occupied apartment, and took a hostage inside the apartment. The hostage escaped when MONDRAGON attempted to climb out of a window. As MONDRAGON was kicking out the window screen, he pointed his gun at two law enforcement officers, who forced him to turn back inside. MONDRAGON barricaded himself in the apartment for nearly eight hours until the NOPD SWAT team deployed tear gas and forced him to surrender.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Results in Convictions for Eleven Drug TraffickersRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – The final defendant in a multi-defendant Northern District of New York drug trafficking organization was sentenced last month in Utica, New York, by Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Demario Shell, 52, previously of Michigan, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison to be followed by a term of 5 years of supervised release. The sentence stems from his convictions for federal drug trafficking and money laundering offenses.
The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo Acting Special Agent Charge Anthony Patrone and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations New York Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis Jr. New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James
A total of eleven defendants were charged and convicted for their roles in the organization that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and other drugs primarily from 2019 to 2021 throughout the Southern Tier of New York including Broome, Tioga and Chemung Counties. Shell, along with other convicted Michigan based defendants Hawkins and Merritt, supplied drugs to re-distributors in Broome, Tioga and Chemung Counties including to convicted co-defendants David Wemmer, David Cobb, Brandon Vanorman and Shawn McCabe. Several of these re-distributors also provided drugs to other re-distributors convicted as part of this case including Phillip Acciarito, Alan Wheeler, Jennifer Patton and Eini Raupers.
“The successful conclusion of this case is a testament to the tireless work of the Homeland Security Task Force and our partners,” said First Assistant United States Attorney John Sarcone. “With the sentencing of this final defendant, a dangerous drug trafficking group has been dismantled, those responsible held accountable, and our communities are safer as a result.”Members of the organization also unlawfully possessed firearms as felons or in furtherance of their drug trafficking. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement obtained over 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, various other drugs, over 65 firearms and proceeds of drug trafficking including currency and ATVs.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone: "These traffickers pumped methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and guns into the Southern Tier, profiting from addiction and violence. This investigation demonstrates the Homeland Security Task Force’s mission: dismantling complex, multi-state criminal networks from suppliers to street-level dealers and bringing them to justice. Working side-by-side with our federal, state, and local partners, HSI Syracuse remains firmly committed to driving criminal organizations out of our communities and protecting the homes, businesses, and futures of the people we serve.”
“Today’s outcome reflects the unwavering commitment of our federal, state, and local partners to continue our work together towards safer communities. By bringing this group to justice, we’ve helped protect families across the Southern Tier of New York and closed the door on a drug network that caused real harm,” said Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York.New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The final sentencing in this case is a true testament to the perseverance and aggressive strategy of law enforcement in stopping illegal drug trafficking at its source. This sends a strong message to all those trafficking drugs in New York that we will not tolerate these threats in our state. With our partners in law enforcement, we will remain in full force to combat the infiltration of illegal drugs into our communities and the dangers they impose.”
Below is a list of all the other defendants convicted in the case and the sentences they received:
NameAgePrevious Residence Charges of ConvictionSentenceTushaun Merritt49Jackson, MichiganConspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Drugs (PWID) and Conspiracy to Commit Promotional Money Laundering
170 months with 5 years post release supervisionMichael Hawkins43Benton Harbor, MichiganConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs, PWID Drugs and Conspiracy to Commit Promotional Money Laundering
121 months with 10 years post release supervisionDavid Wemmer55Spencer, New YorkConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs, Conspiracy to Commit Promotional Money Laundering, Possession of Short Barreled Shotgun in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of Machine Gun
161months with 5 years post release supervisionDavid Cobb37Spencer, New YorkConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs and Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition
121 months with 4 years post release supervisionBrandon Vanorman50Spencer, New YorkConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs and PWID Drugs
60 months with 4 years post release supervisionShawn McCabe38Windsor, New YorkConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs and PWID Drugs
121 months with 5 years post release supervisionPhilip Acciarito39Owego, New YorkConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs, Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition
90 months with 5 years post release supervisionAlan Wheeler40Basset, VirginiaConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs and PWID Drugs
120 months with 5 years post release supervisionJennifer Patton 44Spencer, New YorkConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs and PWID Drugs
87 months with 4 years post release supervisionEini Raupers49Candor, New YorkConspiracy to Distribute and PWID Drugs
37 months with 5 years post release supervisionThis case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP VGNET, Troop C and E), the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and the Tioga County District Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force (BCSIUTF), the Elmira Police Department, the Michigan Jackson Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET),Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, the Owego Police Department and the Sayre Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Grabowski, with the assistance of the United States Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the Western District of New York and the District of Nevada.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS/ CID), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Border Patrol (CBP/ OBP), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Field Operations (CBP/ OFO), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
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Holyoke Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holyoke, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for conspiring to distribute fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
Jose Heredia Jr., 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to seven years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2026, Heredia Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and carrying a firearm in in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
Over an eight month period, Heredia Jr. conspired with others to distribute massive amounts of fentanyl in Western Massachusetts and throughout the Northeast. On one occasion, Heredia conspired to distribute one and a half kilograms of fentanyl, which was intercepted by law enforcement. The investigation revealed a number of other occasions during which Heredia supplied mid-level drug dealers with large amounts of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; the Berkshire, Hampden and Franklin County Sherriff’s Offices; and the Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, West Springfield and Easthampton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Merck and Neil L. Desroches, Chief of the Springfield Office prosecuted the case.
High-Speed Chase Leads to Six-Year Federal Prison Sentence for Warr Acres Man who Possessed MachinegunsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – RO’VELT DADDY PRICE, 19, of Warr Acres, has been sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of machineguns, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on October 8, 2025, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop near the intersection of Lyrewood Lane and Wilshire Boulevard on a vehicle that had been reported stolen. The driver, Price, refused to stop, and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, Price traveled at high rates of speed, crossed a grassy median, and collided with an occupied vehicle in the pick-up line outside an elementary school. Price then attempted to drive through school property to escape but collided with a concrete post. He then fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later. No one was injured.
During a search of the stolen vehicle, officers recovered two handguns which had been modified with machinegun conversion devices (MCDs). When installed, MCDs convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Possession of MCDs violates federal law.
On November 4, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Price with unlawful possession of machineguns. Price pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026, and admitted that he knowingly possessed two machineguns, specifically firearms equipped with MCDs.
At a sentencing hearing on June 4, 2026, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Price to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk noted the need to protect the public from further crime by Price.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department’s Violent Crimes Apprehension Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Veca prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (OTBA), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is also part of “Project Switch Off,” which targets illegal machinegun conversion devices to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Gary Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl Precursor and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Nathaniel Johnson, 21 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to distribution of a schedule II-controlled substance and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Nathaniel Johnson was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
“An armed drug dealer will spend the next 8 years in prison because he sold over 20,000 pills containing a fentanyl precursor to undercover law enforcement agents while in possession of a semi-automatic pistol loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine, after which he was arrested at the scene. Thanks to the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force, the DEA North Central Laboratory, and Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter, the poison was intercepted and the drug dealer went to prison,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
“The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with its law enforcement partners, will use every available resource to investigate and stop those who distribute illegal drugs and possess illegal automatic weapons. DEA’s commitment to protecting the people of Northern Indiana remains unwavering. The sentencing of Mr. Johnson sends a clear message to those who engage in this dangerous, criminal conduct. You will be identified, held accountable, and brought to justice,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and supported by the DEA North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.
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.
Gainesville Felon Indicted for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Terry Lajace Lee, 43, of Gainesville, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Lee appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida. Trial is scheduled for July 22, 2026, in Gainesville before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Lee faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Gainesville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Four Abusive Tax Shelter Promoters Found Guilty in $40M Nationwide Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the District of Colorado convicted four individuals today of conspiracy to defraud the United States for their operation of an abusive trust tax evasion scheme that caused approximately $40 million in losses to the United States.
“The defendants orchestrated an abusive trust tax scheme designed to help clients evade their tax obligations through a web of sham trusts, false representations, and fraudulent transactions,” said Colin M. McDonald, Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Tax fraud schemes undermine the integrity of our tax system and deprive the government of resources, shifting the burden to honest Americans who follow the law. Today’s trial convictions underscore the Fraud Division’s commitment to holding accountable those who promote and profit from abusive tax shelters and other fraud schemes.”
“These defendants were repeatedly warned by attorneys, CPAs, financial professionals, and IRS guidance that this trust-based scheme was illegal, yet they chose to ignore those warnings. Their conspiracy was a deliberate attempt to conceal income and undermine the integrity of our nation’s tax system while lining their own pockets through their lies,” said Amanda Prestegard, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “We appreciate the jury’s verdict and the message it sends to those who promote or engage in abusive tax schemes. IRS-CI will continue to partner with DOJ-Tax to pursue these criminal tax evaders.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Marcia Predmore, Roderick Prescott, Suzanne Thompson and Weldon Wulstein promoted an illegal “layered” trust tax shelter to hundreds of high-net-worth business owners nationwide. The tax shelter was made up of four trusts called a business trust, family trust, charitable trust, and private family foundation. The four promoters taught clients how to use the layered trust tax shelter to evade paying federal income taxes on upwards of 98% of their business profits, in part by claiming a tax deduction for non-deductible personal living expenses and fraudulent charitable contributions. Some of the promoters marketed this tax shelter at seminars hosted across the country and advertised that using the tax shelter would allow clients to “own nothing, control everything.” The tax shelter cost between $25,000 to $50,000 to set up.
Wulstein, a CPA, prepared hundreds of false tax returns for clients who purchased the tax shelter. He did so in partnership with Thompson, who operated a bookkeeping firm and prepared financial statements for the clients’ trusts. Prescott, who had previously been convicted of tax evasion and permanently enjoined from promoting abusive tax shelters, promoted the so-called private family foundation, which was the final layer of the tax shelter. Prescott taught clients how to claim a tax deduction for funds donated to the foundation while maintaining control over those funds for their own personal benefit.
Predmore, a registered life insurance agent, promoted the tax shelter to clients through the business she operated with her spouse. In December 2025, Predmore’s spouse, Timothy McPhee, was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy, tax evasion, and wire fraud. Those charges stemmed from his role in this scheme and for his operation of a multi-million-dollar investment fraud scheme called the ROI Cash Flow Fund.
Suzanne Thompson and Weldon Wulstein were also convicted of six counts each of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns for clients who purchased and used the fraudulent tax shelter. Marcia Predmore was convicted of six counts of tax evasion for her personal use of the same tax shelter she promoted to others.
All four promoters each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Thompson and Wulstein also face a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Predmore faces an additional maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Lauren K. Pope and Patrick Burns of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Former Tallahassee Postal Employee & Accomplice Plead Guilty to Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida –Taija Avion Smith, 25, and Jaheed Anthony Williams, 24, both of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail theft, theft of a mail key, bank fraud conspiracy, and multiple counts of aggravated identity theft. Williams also pleaded guilty to 14 counts of bank fraud. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Postal service employees occupy positions of public trust through which they are expected to responsibly process and deliver our nation’s mail. This defendant repeatedly violated that public trust while seeking to enrich herself and her co-defendant at the expense of others, but thanks to this multi-agency investigation and successful prosecution their scheme has been dismantled and federal prison awaits both defendants.”
Court documents reflect that between March 11, 2021, and May 21, 2024, Smith was employed by the United States Postal Service, in Tallahassee, Florida. Due to her employment, Smith had access to a postal key, which she stole and gave to her co-defendant, Williams. Together, Smith and Williams conspired to steal U.S. Mail, which included stealing mailed checks that they fraudulently deposited in financial institutions and thereafter split the proceeds of their scheme. Court records also show that Smith fraudulently received and used online bank login credentials of other individuals as part of the conspiracy.
Smith and Williams face the following penalties: up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to commit mail theft count; up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the unlawful possession or theft of a mail key; up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the bank fraud conspiracy count; and a mandatory consecutive term of 2 years’ imprisonment for each of the aggravated identity theft counts. Williams also faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the theft of mail count and up to 30 years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count.
This case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Smith’s sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2026, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
Williams’s sentencing is scheduled for August 10, 2026, at 3:30 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
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.
Former Taliban Commander Sentenced to 42 Years in Prison for Hostage Taking and Providing Material Support for Acts of Terrorism Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Attorney General for the United States, Todd Blanche, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Kash Patel, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today that HAJI NAJIBULLAH, a/k/a “Najibullah Naim,” a/k/a “Abu Tayeb,” a/k/a “Atiqullah,” a/k/a “Nesar Ahmad Mohammad,” was sentenced to 42 years in prison for terrorism charges based on NAJIBULLAH’s role in the hostage taking of an American journalist and two Afghan nationals in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2008 and 2009, and his leadership of Taliban fighters who carried out attacks on U.S. servicemembers in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, resulting in the deaths of American soldiers and other victims. On April 25, 2025, NAJIBULLAH pled guilty to hostage taking and providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death. Today’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.
“Haji Najibullah’s conduct resulted in the brutal hostage taking of innocent civilians and the killing of U.S. servicemembers in Afghanistan,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Najibullah caused unimaginable harm to the victims of his crimes and their loved ones. Today’s sentence demonstrates again that those who seek to terrorize Americans will face justice.”
“Those who harm Americans and engage in acts of terrorism will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how long it takes,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “As a Taliban commander, Najibullah supported brutal terrorist attacks that killed American servicemembers and orchestrated the savage hostage-taking of an American journalist and Afghan civilians. Today’s sentence delivers justice for the victims and their families.”
“Najibullah commanded Taliban fighters responsible for enforcing the Taliban’s ruthless reign of terror, including fighters who carried out the 2008 attack that killed three U.S. servicemembers and their interpreter,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “However incomplete, today’s sentence delivers long‑awaited accountability and a measure of justice to the families of the victims.”
“This former Taliban commander led fighters who committed acts of terrorism that resulted in the killing of U.S. servicemembers and engaged in hostage-taking, and now he will pay the price for his brutal crimes,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The men and women of the FBI will not forget when Americans are killed or taken hostage by terrorists. We will find you no matter where you are and work with our partners to bring you to justice.”
“Former Taliban commander Haji Najibullah's acts of terror are horrific,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Najibullah is responsible for the deaths of U.S. servicemembers and the hostage taking of an American journalist. This sentencing demonstrates the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force's relentless pursuit of an overseas terrorist and our commitment to delivering justice for our brave DOW partners whose families have been irreparably harmed by the defendant's actions.”
As reflected in the charging instruments, court filings, and statements in the public record:
Starting in or around October 2001, as a result of the U.S.- and NATO-led invasion of Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Taliban—a militant Islamist organization that provided safe harbor to some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists, including Usama bin Laden—engaged in a deadly insurgency campaign aimed at killing U.S. servicemembers and their allies and terrorizing civilians. As part of that campaign of jihadist violence, the Taliban conducted numerous suicide bombings, targeted killings, assassinations, improvised explosive device (“IED”) attacks, paramilitary ambushes, and hostage takings against military personnel and civilians.
Between in or around 2007 and 2009, NAJIBULLAH served as a Taliban commander in Afghanistan’s Wardak Province, which borders Kabul. During that time, Taliban fighters under NAJIBULLAH’s command were prepared to and did carry out deadly attacks against American and NATO troops and their Afghan allies, using, among other things, (i) suicide bombers, (ii) automatic weapons, (iii) IEDs, and (iv) rocket-propelled grenades (“RPGs”) and other anti-tank weapons and explosives, including against U.S. military helicopters. NAJIBULLAH proudly spoke about the brutality of the attacks that he and his men were prepared to conduct, including by stating that his men were “ready to die” and “put on a belt and blow themselves up if we ask them.”
For example, on or about June 26, 2008, Taliban fighters under NAJIBULLAH’s command ambushed and attacked a U.S. military convoy in the vicinity of Wardak Province, Afghanistan, with IEDs, RPGs, and automatic weapons, killing three U.S. Army servicemembers: Sergeants First Class Matthew L. Hilton and Joseph A. McKay, and Sergeant Mark Palmateer, and their Afghan interpreter. Several other servicemembers were also injured in the attack. NAJIBULLAH later claimed responsibility for the attack, telling multiple individuals that his men carried out the attack and that it resulted in the deaths of U.S. servicemembers. A few months later, NAJIBULLAH and fighters under his command attacked and destroyed an Afghan National Police outpost using automatic weapons and rockets, reportedly killing three Afghan police officers.
NAJIBULLAH’s campaign of terror also was directed at civilians. On or about November 10, 2008, NAJIBULLAH and other Taliban fighters kidnapped an American New York Times journalist (“Hostage-1”) and two Afghan nationals traveling with Hostage-1 at gunpoint in Afghanistan. For the next approximately seven months, NAJIBULLAH held the hostages captive in the Taliban-controlled tribal areas of Pakistan, under the constant watch of guards armed with machineguns. NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators forced the hostages to make ransom calls and proof-of-life videos, intended to extort ransom payments and the release of Taliban prisoners by the United States Government, and during which the hostages emotionally pleaded for their lives. In one such video, NAJIBULLAH forced Hostage-1 to say, with a machinegun pointed at his head, “If you don’t help me, I will die. Now, the key is in your hand. . . . If you do not meet their demands, you will be responsible for my killing, not the Taliban. Please help me, please have mercy on me. Do not shed my blood. Please, save me. I want to go home.” Eventually, the hostages were able to escape and return to their families.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, NAJIBULLAH, 50, of Afghanistan, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD. He also thanked the New York and New Jersey Port Authority Police, the Department of Defense, and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance with this investigation, as well as the Ukrainian authorities and the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division for their assistance in the arrest and transfer of the defendant.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the Counterterrorism Section.
Former MPD Officer Found Guilty in Scheme that Defrauded More than $18,000 from TaxpayersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Roberto Adams, 39, a former Metropolitan Police Department officer residing in Hyattsville, Maryland, was found guilty today in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $18,000 in taxpayer-funded Covid-era disaster relief funds, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A federal jury deliberated a day and a half before finding Adams guilty on one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for October 23.
According to the evidence at trial, Adams obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans on behalf of his business SuperKlean LLC, a janitorial services company that was not operational at the start of the pandemic. He obtained a first PPP loan in July 2020 and spent those funds in approximately one month at casinos in Maryland and Las Vegas, on airfare and hotels in Miami, at restaurant and bars, and on hangover treatments.
On Jan. 21, 2021, Adams applied for a second PPP loan. Eight days later, on Jan. 29, 2021, $18,345, representing the second draw of the PPP loan funds, was deposited into Adams’ checking account. He quickly spent those funds paying off personal debts, including over $12,000 in back rent as well as other personal extravagances such as clothing and high-end sneakers.
In April 2021, Adams applied for a job with the Seattle Police Department. In the course of his background check, a Seattle Police Department detective noticed that Adams had obtained a PPP loan but had failed to disclose it in his written application or during an interview with the detective, as required. When confronted, Adams falsely claimed that the “purpose of the loan was to provide relief and assistance for my small business during the pandemic.”
This case was investigated the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Santiago and Caelainn Carney.
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.
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Former Brookline Doctor Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Health Care Fraud and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Brookline, Mass. physician was sentenced on June 5, 2026 in federal court in Boston for health care fraud, money laundering, tax evasion and conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Dr. Pankaj Merchia, 52, of Brookline, Mass. and Boca Raton, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 58 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Merchia was also ordered to pay $1,847,931 in restitution. In January 2026, Merchia was convicted of one count of health care fraud, three counts of money laundering, two counts of tax evasion and one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Merchia was indicted for money laundering and health care fraud in December 2022 and later charged with tax offenses in a superseding indictment along with alleged co-conspirator Dr. Shona Pendse in February 2023.
Merchia perpetrated two distinct health care fraud schemes. First, Merchia billed former patients’ insurance companies for monthly rentals of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPap) machines from 2017 to 2019, despite not having treated the patients since at least 2011. In some cases, the patients had returned the devices to him. Merchia used the proceeds of this fraud to purchase an expensive home in Brookline.Additionally, Merchia defrauded another insurance company out of over $390,000 by submitting claims for a CPAP machine provided to his brother. After he was told that the insurance carrier would not pay for treatment rendered by a family member, Merchia created a new medical business and submitted new claims so that the company would pay. Merchia used the proceeds of this fraud to fund a wire transfer of $250,000 and to purchase at least $140,000 in securities.
Finally, from 2009 to 2019 Merchia did not report, or pay taxes on, over $6.5 million in income he earned from his medical businesses by falsely claiming that those businesses were owned by his co-conspirator. To defraud the IRS, Merchia fabricated a sham transaction by which he claimed to have sold his medical businesses to his co-conspirator in 2008. To ensure that his co-conspirator did not owe taxes, they claimed large amortization deductions, spread across many years, for the fabricated sale.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Anthony M. DiPaolo, Executive Director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil J. Gallagher, Jr. of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Flint man charged with setting fire to St. Mark Missionary Baptist ChurchRead the Press Release
FLINT - A Flint man was charged today in a criminal complaint with arson and other related offenses for setting fire to St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Charged was Billy Chambers, 63. Chambers appeared in federal court this afternoon and was temporarily detained pending a detention hearing which has been set for Wednesday in Bay City, Michigan.
According to the criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of August 30, 2025, St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Flint, Michigan was intentionally set on fire. The incident was captured on St. Mark’s video surveillance cameras and shows a suspect, alleged to be Billy J. Chambers, setting the church on fire. In the video, Chambers brought a gas can wrapped in a black trash bag to the church and used an ignition device to set the church on fire. As a result of the fire damage, St. Mark was unable to hold services at the church for approximately two months.
Chambers has been charged with arson, obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs and arson to commit a federal offense. Chambers faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and maximum sentence up to any term of imprisonment.
“This alleged attempt to burn down a church is yet another attack against Christians. But the Department of Justice will protect all Americans and their right to worship without fear,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“Setting fire to a house of worship is a deliberate attack on our community and an assault on one of our most fundamental freedoms in this country,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Billy Chambers’ alleged actions in this case are deeply disturbing, vile, and completely unacceptable. ATF is committed to protecting our communities from violent crime and will relentlessly pursue those who commit these heinous acts of violence. No one has the right to intimidate, terrorize, or disrupt the free exercise of religion. Those who commit these crimes should most certainly expect justice to be swift and severe.”
The investigation is being conducted by agents of the ATF and the Flint Police Department and being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Vance.