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17 September 2026
Honduran National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that NELSON ROMERO-MARTINEZ, also known as “Nelson Dario Martinez,” “Nelson Martinez,” “Jose Del Arca,” and “Jose Delarca,” 48, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
The criminal complaint alleges that Romero-Martinez unlawfully entered the United States in approximately 1999. In 2005, Romero-Martinez was arrested by East Hartford Police for assault offenses related to his stabbing two individuals at a child’s birthday party. In 2006, Romero-Martinez was arrested by Manchester Police for unlawful restraint arising from a domestic physical altercation. In January 2007, Romero-Martinez was convicted and sentenced in state court to five years of imprisonment for these offenses. After he was released from prison, he was removed to Honduras in January 2010.
The complaint further alleges that Romero-Martinez subsequently tried to reenter the U.S. through Texas in 2012 and again in 2013. He was charged each time in the Southern District of Texas with immigration offenses, sentenced, and removed to Honduras. Romero-Martinez again unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, in March 2016, was arrested by Norwich Police for a traffic violation. He was removed to Honduras in April 2016.
The complaint further alleges that Romero-Martinez unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, on August 5, 2023, was arrested by Bridgeport Police in connection with an incident in which he stabbed a man in the chest. In October 2023, Romero-Martinez was charged in the District of Connecticut with illegal reentry and, in March 2024, he was released on bond in his federal case. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took custody of Romero-Martinez pursuant to an immigration detainer and, in April 2024, he was removed to Honduras.
The complaint further alleges that Romero-Martinez again unlawfully reentered the U.S. On August 5, 2025, Romero-Martinez was arrested by New Haven Police and charged with offenses related to an incident in which Romero-Martinez pointed a gun at a family member during a domestic dispute in the presence of several children. In February 2026, Romero-Martinez was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court of a threatening offense and sentenced to 11 months of imprisonment, execution suspended. Earlier this year, he also pleaded guilty to assault in the first degree related to the Bridgeport stabbing in 2023, and had been detained while awaiting sentencing in that case.
Romero-Martinez was transferred into federal custody and he appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven. If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Romero-Martinez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.
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.
High-Ranking Sinaloa Cartel Member Pleads Guilty to Importing Thousands of Kilograms of Cocaine, Laundering Millions of Dollars for Cartel in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Gerardo Julio Rueda Torres pleaded guilty in federal court today following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation to charges of conspiring to import and distribute multiple tons of cocaine and launder millions of dollars of drug proceeds for the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to the plea agreement, Rueda Torres was one of the leaders of the Los Rusos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. In that role, he oversaw the importation of approximately 50 kilograms of cocaine per week into the United States from Mexico for over a decade. Rueda’s underlings imported the cocaine into the United States in passenger cars crossing from Mexicali, Mexico into Imperial County, California, before transporting it to Arizona, Los Angeles, and elsewhere.
Rueda also admitted in his plea agreement that he maintained an armed security force to protect him and other Los Rusos leaders from violent attacks by members of the rival Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Rueda also pleaded guilty to his nearly 20-year involvement in laundering money for drug cartels. According to the plea agreement, this started with personally driving $30,000 to Mexico. Over the years, his operations evolved into a “network of load drivers” under his command who moved $500,000 at a time back to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2026, at 9:00am before U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Benjamin. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lauricella also assisted in the investigation and prosecution.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24-cr-2617-RSH
Gerardo Julio Rueda Torres Age: 49 Mexicali, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Import Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prisonConspiracy to Launder Money – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prisonINVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
United States Customs and Border ProtectionThis investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Guatemalan national sentenced to over a year in prison for illegally reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Guatemalan man who illegally reentered the United States was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Raul Pelico-Puac, 40, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to illegal reentry into the United States.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Pelico-Puac was arrested in Yellowstone County in September 2024 on suspicion of robbery. During the investigation, law enforcement learned Pelico-Puac was a Guatemalan citizen and was in the country without legal status; he had been removed previously for illegal reentry in 2009 and 2020.
Pelico-Puac was ultimately sentenced in Montana District Court to five years in prison with three years suspended for robbery. He began his parole on March 9, 2026. Once he was released from state custody he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and charged with the offense of illegal reentry.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Gray Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Gray man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court records, Anthony Jones, aka “Black,” 39, was part of a fentanyl and cocaine conspiracy that operated in southern Maine from October 2025 through February 2026. The drug ring was identified via controlled buys, surveillance, and interviews with people familiar with Jones and his role. During the investigation, investigators seized a safe from a Gray residence where Jones was known to reside. The safe contained identifying documents that belonged to Jones, a handgun, ammunition, and a significant quantity of fentanyl and cocaine. Jones has a 2021 conviction in the United States District Court for the District of Maine for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute.
Jones faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and up to life imprisonment; up to an $8 million fine; and up to eight years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
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.
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Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang member sentenced to 90 months for armed carjacking in Deep EllumRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang member was sentenced Sept. 16 to 90 months in federal prison for his role in an armed carjacking committed in Dallas’s Deep Ellum entertainment district.
Travion Williams, 23, pleaded guilty to carjacking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence on June 3, 2025.
“Armed gang members who hijack public spaces and terrorize citizens in North Texas will face federal consequences—period,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. This defendant chose violence and fear and today, he is facing the consequences of that decision. We will not allow criminal organizations like the Four Deuce Oakland Crips to operate with impunity in this District.”
“This sentence sends a clear message to violent gang members: if you choose to use firearms to terrorize our communities and commit violent crimes, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and our law enforcement partners will come after you,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner. “Through Operation Blue Laces, ATF and our partners will continue dismantling violent gang activity and holding those who threaten our communities accountable.”
According to court documents, Williams, an identified member of the Four Deuce Oakland Crips, participated in an armed carjacking on Dec. 6, 2023. The victim and a companion were returning to their 2020 Chevrolet Corvette parked near Elm Street in Dallas when Williams and two co‑conspirators approached. All three gang members were masked, and Williams brandished a Glock 19 pistol. They forcibly stole the victim’s keys, wallet, phone and other belongings before fleeing in the Corvette.
Dallas police attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, but Williams evaded officers at high speed before abandoning the Corvette under a bridge. Williams fled on foot into an industrial area but, he was ultimately apprehended by Dallas Police Officers.
Williams’ sentencing is part of Operation Blue Laces, an ATF-led initiative launched in January 2024 to identify and disrupt gang members operating along the Malcolm X Boulevard corridor in South Dallas. Residents had reported that Four Deuce Oakland Crip members created an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness, using storefronts to stash firearms and distribute drugs, while also maintaining an open-air drug market on the 2800 block of Casey Street—known to the community as “the Dead End.”
Members and associates of the Four-Deuce Oakland Crips wear jewelry and clothing that depicted the number “42” to show their allegiance to the gangU.S. District Judge Brantley Starr imposed the 90-month sentence yesterday morning.
To date, twelve defendants associated with the Four Deuce Oakland Crips have been convicted of federal offenses including drug conspiracy, firearms violations and carjacking.
ATF Dallas and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert, Major Crimes Section Chief, prosecuted the case.
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Former USCIS Contractor Faces Charge for Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Maryland man made his initial appearance in federal court in connection with a felony theft charge.
Bankole Olaniyi Akinfe, 49, of Laurel, is charged by criminal complaint with theft of government property. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG).
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in December 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters employed Akinfe as a contractor in its Information Technology Customer Support Center. On August 27, 2026, Akinfe was observed removing at least 10 Random-Access Memory (RAM) modules from USCIS laptops without authorization. Akinfe was further observed putting the RAM modules in his pocket and taking them off the premises.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by criminal complaint are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Akinfe faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison since the total value of the stolen government property exceeds $1,000.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DHS-OIG for its work on this case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Li, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Former Syrian Prison Official Sentenced for Torture and Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, a former Syrian prison warden and provincial governor, was sentenced today to 60 years in prison for torturing prisoners and lying to U.S. immigration officials to gain entry to the United States.
A jury found Alsheikh guilty in March 2026 of one count of conspiracy to commit torture, three counts of torture, one count of visa fraud, and one count of attempted naturalization fraud. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Alsheikh ordered and participated in the torture of prisoners while he was the head of Adra Prison, also known as Damascus Central Prison, outside of Damascus, Syria, from approximately 2005 to 2008. He committed human rights atrocities in Syria, including to silence political dissent, and he lied about his past to gain entry to the United States in 2020.
“Samir Alsheikh is the highest-ranking former member of the Assad regime to be tried and convicted in person outside of Syria,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He now answers to the United States justice system. The message is clear: human rights violators who come to the United States will receive no safe harbor here. We will find them, and they will be prosecuted and punished for their heinous crimes. The conviction in this case is a testament to the courage of his victims; the tenacity of our prosecutors, agents, and historians; and to the extraordinary cooperation and professionalism of Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office in arranging for us to meet with many witnesses in Germany.”
“Criminals who inflict the type of savage brutality that this defendant did on his victims must never be granted refuge in our country,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “We hope today’s sentence gives some semblance of healing and closure to this defendant’s victims.”
“This conviction stands as a powerful reminder that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will relentlessly pursue those who believe they can escape the consequences of their atrocities by hiding within our borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke of the HSI Los Angeles Field Office. “While the defendant may have thought his actions in Syria’s Adra Prison were forgotten by time, our agents and partners ensured they were not. Through the tireless work of HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and our collaborative efforts with the FBI and international partners, we have ensured that justice was served. The United States will never be a safe haven for human rights abusers, and we will continue to hold them accountable, no matter how much time has passed.”
“If you engage in torture and come to the United States, the FBI and its partners are going to ensure that you face the consequences for your illegal disregard for human rights,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI Criminal Division. “The acts Alsheikh ordered and directly participated in are gruesome and disturbing. We would like to offer our gratitude to the brave victims who testified leading to today’s sentencing. We hope that they are able to find some solace in the fact that it will now be their former prison warden who is incarcerated.”
Depiction of hinged wooden device known as “the Flying Carpet”Three of Alsheikh’s victims testified at trial about being tortured themselves and seeing and hearing the torture of other prisoners. The victims were fastened to a device, known as the “Flying Carpet,” that forcibly folded their bodies in half at the waist, manacled to the ceiling and suspended for days or hours, savagely beaten while immobilized inside tires, and packed into tiny, filthy, cold, wet cells that were infested with insects and other vermin.
According to evidence presented at trial, when two prisoners refused Alsheikh’s orders to harm political prisoners who were also housed at Adra Prison, and after a third prisoner’s letter of support to a political prisoner was intercepted by prison guards, Alsheikh ordered the prisoners to be sent to an underground section of the prison known as Wing 13, where they were held in tiny cells and tortured.
Evidence presented during the trial also established that Alsheikh lied to U.S. immigration authorities about his background to obtain a green card and on an application to naturalize as a U.S. citizen. Alsheikh entered the United States in 2020 and has been in custody since his arrest in July 2024.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua O. Mausner for the Central District of California prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Philip Hoffman and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
In addition to HSI Los Angeles and FBI Chicago, HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) also significantly supported the case, along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit (IHRU). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
Former Syrian Prison Chief Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Torturing Inmates and Lying to U.S. Immigration OfficialsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Syrian government official who was the head of one of that nation’s major prisons was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison for torturing inmates, then later lying about it to United States immigration officials to fraudulently obtain a green card and attempt to naturalize as a U.S. citizen.
Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, formerly of Lexington, South Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Judge Hernán D. Vera, who will schedule a victim restitution hearing at a later date.
A federal jury convicted Alsheikh on March 16 of one count of conspiracy to commit torture, three counts of torture, one count of fraud in possession and use of an immigration document, and one count of attempted naturalization fraud. Alsheikh has been in federal custody since July 2024.
“Criminals who inflict the type of savage brutality that this defendant did on his victims must never be granted refuge in our country,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “We hope today’s sentence gives some semblance of healing and closure to this defendant’s victims.”
“Samir Alsheikh is the highest-ranking former member of the Assad regime to be tried and convicted in person outside of Syria,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He now answers to the United States justice system. The message is clear: human rights violators who come to the United States will receive no safe harbor here. We will find them, and they will be prosecuted and punished for their heinous crimes. The conviction in this case is a testament to the courage of his victims; the tenacity of our prosecutors, agents, and historians; and to the extraordinary cooperation and professionalism of Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office in arranging for us to meet with many witnesses in Germany.”
“This conviction stands as a powerful reminder that Homeland Security Investigations will relentlessly pursue those who believe they can escape the consequences of their atrocities by hiding within our borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Field Office. “While the defendant may have thought his actions in Syria’s Adra Prison were forgotten by time, our agents and partners ensured they were not. Through the tireless work of HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and our collaborative efforts with the FBI and international partners, we have ensured that justice was served. The United States will never be a safe haven for human rights abusers, and we will continue to hold them accountable, no matter how much time has passed.”
“If you engage in torture and come to the United States, the FBI and its partners are going to ensure that you face the consequences for your illegal disregard for human rights,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI Criminal Division. “The acts Alsheikh ordered and directly participated in are gruesome and disturbing. We would like to offer our gratitude to the brave victims who testified leading to today’s sentencing. We hope that they are able to find some solace in the fact that it will now be their former prison warden who is incarcerated.”
According to evidence presented at a two‑week trial, Alsheikh was a brigadier general in charge of Damascus Central Prison, commonly known as Adra Prison, from approximately 2005 through 2008, under the regime of then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Alsheikh inflicted and ordered subordinates to inflict severe physical and mental pain and suffering on prisoners.
Alsheikh ordered certain prisoners to be sent to a section of the prison known as Wing 13, where they were held in tiny isolation cells and tortured. Victims who refused to harm or kill political dissidents imprisoned with them or who otherwise showed support for those dissidents testified at trial that they witnessed and suffered various forms of torture.
For example, guards used manacles to suspend prisoners by their wrists from pipes on the ceiling for extended periods of time and beat them with fists or cables. One victim testified that he felt like his limbs would be torn from his body when they suspended him for days.
Witnesses also testified that they were placed on a torture device known as the “Flying Carpet” or “Magic Carpet,” which consisted of two large wooden panels with hinges in the middle. Guards strapped the victims to the device on their backs, positioning their waists at the hinges, and then forcing the lower panel together with the upper, folding the upper and lower halves of the victims’ bodies together and causing excruciating pain and serious injury.
One victim recalled that Alsheikh himself stomped on the Flying Carpet with his foot while the victim was restrained in the device. One victim testified that as part of his punishment for writing a letter of support to a political prisoner, he was subjected to the Flying Carpet and then forced to wear a red jumpsuit solely assigned to those designated for execution. He testified that he thought he was going to die. Witnesses also testified to being folded into a car tire, restrained, and beaten by guards.
Alsheikh personally ordered these and other horrific acts of torture and brutality against the three named victims in the indictment. Following his time at Adra Prison, Alsheikh was appointed governor of the Syrian province of Deir Ez-Zour in 2011. In 2018, he applied for a visa to enter the U.S. and became a Lawful Permanent Resident. While completing his visa application, he concealed the acts of torture and violence he committed at Adra prison. Alsheikh entered the United States in 2020 and continued to lie about and conceal his past conduct in his 2023 application to become a United States citizen.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles and FBI Chicago investigated this matter with assistance from HSI and FBI legal attachés in Germany, the HSI-led Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, and the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany also provided substantial support.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the National Security Division and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Philip Hoffman and HRSP Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical support.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete its online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
Former Medical Case Management Coordinator Sentenced to 18 Months after Pleading Guilty to Tampering with Prescription MedicationsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Shelbi Wolken, 35, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product.
According to the plea agreement and the sentencing hearing, while working as a case management coordinator for Intermountain Health, Wolken abused her position and accessed electronic medical records and patients’ personal identifying information. In July 2024, officials at Intermountain Health discovered that the Wolken had used a patient’s information to pick up a prescription for oxycodone at the in-house pharmacy at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Denver. Wolken replaced the stolen medication with loratadine, an allergy medication. During further investigation, Wolken admitted to being addicted to opiates, and investigators found she had picked up approximately 139 prescriptions for approximately 127 patients between December 2023 and July 2024. Wolken replaced the stolen medications with a variety of ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, and loratadine. Several patients whose prescriptions were tampered with reported significant pain and post-surgical complications because they were unknowingly ingesting the wrong medication.
“This kind of conduct violates federal law, causes patient suffering, and puts people who are already facing medical challenges at risk,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I hope this sentence sends a message to others who consider feeding their addictions by stealing prescribed medications from patients.”
“Patients rely on receiving the proper FDA-approved medications from those entrusted with their medical care,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lamb, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We must hold medical personnel accountable when they take advantage of their unique position and tamper with medications their patients need.”
“The opioid epidemic can impact those in the medical profession. At DEA, our investigators strive to hold healthcare providers to the highest of ethical standards and practices,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Mark Putnam. “We appreciate our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in District of Colorado for its work on this important case.”
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing.
The investigation was handled by Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Fields handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 26-cr-00023-NYW
Former Junction City police officer indicted for soliciting sexual favors from informantRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a former police officer demanding sexual favors from a victim.
According to court documents, Troy Dwayne Watson, 55, of High Point, North Carolina, was indicted on one count of bribery.
Watson formerly served as a police officer with the Junction City Police Department. Between October 2021 and April 2022, Watson is accused of soliciting sexual favors from a confidential informant under the guise that he would in turn provide the victim with favorable resolutions with the government on then-pending criminal matters.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Investment Adviser Pleads Guilty to Cherry-Picking SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today that WILLIAM CARLTON has been charged and pled guilty to securities fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud his investment advisory clients by “cherry picking,” systematically allocating profitable trades to himself and allocating unprofitable trades to his clients. Through this conduct, CARLTON gained millions of dollars at the expense of his clients. CARLTON pled guilty today before Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman on January 27, 2027.
“Investment advisers are required to act with integrity and put their clients’ interests ahead of their own,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “William Carlton instead admitted to systematically steering profitable trades to himself while leaving losing trades for his clients. Today’s guilty plea holds him accountable for abusing that trust for personal gain.”
“William Carlton initially denied wrongdoing but later pled guilty to cherry‑picking profitable trades for himself and dumping poor‑performing trades on his clients,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Those clients trusted him to act in their best interest, and the FBI worked diligently to uncover his scheme and prevent further harm. The FBI remains committed to exposing financial-sector misconduct and upholding trust and integrity in the markets.”
According to the Information:
CARLTON served as an investment adviser to more than 50 clients every year. As an adviser, CARLTON managed his clients’ trading accounts and had the authority to buy and sell securities for those managed accounts. CARLTON owed his clients a fiduciary duty, including the duty to act in their best interests and to refrain from disadvantaging his clients in favor of his own personal trading.
From at least in or about January 2015, up to and including at least in or about August 2022, CARLTON engaged in cherry-picking, systematically assigning profitable trades to himself and unprofitable trades to his clients. CARLTON would purchase securities in his personal trading account and observe price movements during the trading day. When the price of a stock increased over the course of the day, CARLTON typically sold the stock the same day and kept the profits for himself. By contrast, when the price of a stock decreased over the course of the day, CARLTON typically assigned the stock to his clients’ accounts. As a result of CARLTON’s scheme, approximately 70% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his own accounts experienced same-day gains. At the same time, only approximately 16% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his clients’ accounts experienced same-day gains. Conversely, as a result of CARLTON’s scheme, only approximately 30% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his own accounts experienced same-day losses. At the same time, approximately 84% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his clients’ accounts experienced same-day losses. Through his cherry-picking scheme, CARLTON realized ill-gotten gains of approximately $6 million, while imposing losses on many of his clients.
When confronted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission about his conduct, CARLTON falsely denied that he had ever made trades in his personal account and later reassigned them to his clients’ accounts, claiming instead that he placed all client trades individually and directly in each client’s account. That statement was false and misleading.
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CARLTON, 66, of Seattle, Washington, pled guilty to securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. CARLTON will also be subject to forfeiture and restitution at the time of sentencing.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald thanked the FBI for its outstanding work. Mr. McDonald 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 Marguerite B. Colson, Peter Davis, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Correctional Officer sentenced to four years in prisonRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, Georgia: Multiple defendants, one of whom was a Bureau of Prisons correctional officer, have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a scheme to introduce contraband into Federal Correctional Institute – Jesup (FCI-Jesup).
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Ashley Brown, a/k/a “Honey Honey,” a/k/a “Bonnie Bonnie,” a/k/a “Clyde Clyde,” 37, of Hinesville, Georgia, was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to 24 counts of a Public Official Accepting a Bribe and 16 counts of Money Laundering.
According to court documents and testimony, from May 2022 and continuing through September 2022, Brown was employed as a correctional officer and later as a material handler supervisor at FCI-Jesup, when investigators initiated an investigation into a report of U.S. currency being sent to Brown from inmates inside FCI-Jesup.
Investigators determined that inmates sent money to Brown using Cash App in exchange for Brown to smuggle contraband, including methamphetamine, cell phones, K2, and marijuana, into the prison, before providing it to the codefendants, who would distribute it to other inmates through the commissary system. Brown received more than $80,000 for her role in the scheme.
All additional defendants associated with this case have also been sentenced, they include:
- Adrian Sims, a/k/a “Abe,” 53, an inmate at the FCI-Jesup, was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possessing Contraband in Prison.
- Navarus Bryant, a/k/a “Tez,” 48, an inmate at the FCI-Jesup, was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to 24 counts of Paying a Bribe to a Public Official and 24 counts of Money Laundering.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Public officials within a prison are entrusted with maintaining the safety and integrity of our penal institutions, and those who trade that public trust for personal profit compromise the security of everyone inside,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to relentlessly prosecute those who exploit their position to undermine the justice system.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.
“Introducing drugs and cell phones into a prison puts the whole facility at risk and violates the basic principles of what it means to be a correctional officer," stated Special Agent in Charge Eric Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General's Southeast Region. "The DOJ OIG will continue working with its law enforcement partners to bring to justice anyone who violates their oath and engages in this type of conduct."
This case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson and former Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan E. Bondura.
Former Bank Employee Who Targeted Elderly Victims in Identity Theft and Fraud Scheme Sentenced to a Decade in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Chinese national has been sentenced to prison for using his role as a bank employee to access confidential client information to target elderly customers and create a scheme to steal their money.
Yue Cao, 36, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison by J. Philip Calabrese after a federal jury convicted him in February of 10 counts of Bank Fraud, four counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Money Laundering. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to evidence presented before the jury, Cao was a quant analytics manager at an Ohio-based bank who was hired to help protect customers from fraud. He instead used his access to steal the identities and money of elderly customers who had not enrolled in the bank’s online services. He used an offshore service to create email addresses in the names of more than 100 victims. Then, he used these emails to enroll the victims in online banking—all without their knowledge or authorization. Additionally, Cao directed the victims’ bank statements and other notifications to the email addresses he created. Because he controlled their online banking, he transferred the victims’ money directly to his personal bank and credit card accounts.
He also used the victims’ identities to open bank accounts in their names without their knowledge and transferred their money into them. Some of these were brokerage accounts, where he then engaged in options trading using their money.
The victims targeted by Cao’s scheme resided in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Washington, and Ohio (Canton in Stark County ) and ranged in age from 90-103 years old at the time that Cao secretly enrolled them in online banking. In total, he conducted approximately $2 million in unauthorized transfers using his control of the victims’ accounts.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorneys Edward D. Brydle and Michael L. Collyer led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
Five-Time Deported Illegal Alien Convicted of Illegal Reentry into the United States Following Multiple Prior DeportationsRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Zeno Higgs, 51, of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, has been found guilty by a federal jury in Tallahassee following a single day jury trial for illegal re-entry into the United States following prior deportation. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty verdict.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our nation’s immigration laws are not mere suggestions that this criminal illegal alien could disregard, but that is exactly how he viewed them as evidenced by his five prior deportations and his illegal reentry into our country yet again. Thanks to this aggressive prosecution by my office that delivered a swift guilty verdict by a jury, we will hold this criminal illegal alien accountable for his brazen criminality before kicking him out of our country once and for all.”
Court records and trial testimony revealed that on September 11, 2024, officers of the Tallahassee Police Department responded to a theft and assault of a wheelchair-bound individual at a local convenience store. Officers contacted the suspect, who was identified as an illegal alien who had been previously deported from the United States on five prior occasions. Upon the defendant’s arrest, officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations examined the defendant’s immigration history which documented his prior deportations on July 9, 2014; November 6, 2015; June 14, 2016; February 15, 2018; and April 18, 2024. Further testimony revealed that the defendant was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 2017 of Bringing Aliens into the United States and 2022 for Illegal Re-entry into the United States. The defendant was also convicted in the Circuit Court for Broward County of Felony Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer in 2023.
The case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Senior United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Five Sentenced to Prison for Large-Scale Interstate Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Five individuals will now face prison time for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that trafficked illegal drugs from California to Ohio.
U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent imposed the following sentences:
Terrance Gainer, 29, of Akron, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison and five years of supervised released after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine (3 counts)
- Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering
Darquan Dixon, 27, of Akron, was sentenced to 200 months (16.6 years) in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
Allura Ward, 25, of Mansfield, was sentenced to 165 months (13.75 years) in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine (2 counts)
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Genaro Villa, 39, of San Diego, California, was sentenced to 136 months (11.33 years) in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
Najiyah Martin, 47, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to 24 months (2 years) in prison after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
Anthony Clark, 31, of Akron, also charged in this case, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 14 before Judge Charles Esque Fleming after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine (3 counts)
In August 2025, a 59-page indictment was unsealed charging the six defendants for operating an interstate drug conspiracy that smuggled large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and other controlled substances from California to Ohio.
According to court documents, from about February 2023 to April 2024, Villa supplied large quantities of drugs from California to Gainer, Clark, Dixon, and Ward. Martin facilitated kilogram-quantity drug deals involving Villa, Clark, and Gainer.
During the investigation, federal agents discovered that methamphetamine and cocaine were routinely mailed from locations in Los Angeles and San Diego and shipped to several cities in Ohio. Co-conspirators also smuggled drugs in suitcases on commercial flights and then drove to an apartment Gainer maintained in Columbus to drop off the drug shipments. Gainer also recruited additional couriers to help smuggle drugs and cash between California and Ohio.
Once the drugs were transported to Ohio, Gainer, Clark, Dixon, and Ward sold them to customers throughout the state. Additionally, Ward purchased a pill press machine and more than 55 pounds of pill-binding powder, had them shipped to her home in Mansfield, and then used them to press illicit pills.
In total, federal investigators seized more than 33 pounds (15 kilograms) of methamphetamine and more than two pounds of (1 kilogram) of cocaine that were smuggled from California to Ohio in mail parcels or on airline flights. Investigators also seized multiple firearms that were connected to the drug operation.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA Detroit Division’s Cleveland Field Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Cleveland Office, with assistance from the Cleveland MetroParks Police, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the Wayne County MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Columbus Division of Police, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
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 toward 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 Cleveland comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorney James P. Lewis leads the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
Felon in Possession of an Illegal Firearm Sentenced to Nine Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Grant Cole Harden, 29, was sentenced to nine years in prison yesterday followed by two years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Harden has prior felony convictions, including Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, and is thus prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On December 22, 2024, Harden entered an arcade in Charlotte. Upon entering the location, Harden brandished a firearm and disarmed a security guard. Harden then engaged in a shootout with another individual in the arcade and was struck by gunfire. He exited the arcade and was arrested by law enforcement. Law enforcement recovered a Glock 22 Gen 5, .40 caliber pistol that Harden illegally possessed and used at the arcade.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said, “One convicted felon. One illegal firearm. That’s all it takes to put multiple lives at risk. That’s why my office continues to identify dangerous criminals that threaten our communities and take their cases federal to get them off the streets.”
“Harden’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with our law‑enforcement partners to confront violent offenders and remove illegally possessed firearms from our communities,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge. “When individuals choose to endanger the public through armed violence, we will take decisive action to hold them accountable.”
Harden is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
This investigation was led by the FBI and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Felon Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession After Fleeing PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daveion Antonio Ervin, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 27-months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded Springfield Armory pistol discovered after he was stopped by police for smoking marijuana on a public street, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Ervin pleaded guilty on June 1 before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to the 27-month prison term, Judge Nichols ordered Ervin to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 33-month prison sentence.
According to court documents, on Feb. 18, 2026, at about 8:55 p.m., U.S. Park Police officers were patrolling in the area of Dix Street at 63rd Street NE. Officers were driving west when they spotted Ervin holding a hand-rolled cigarette and exhaling a large cloud of white smoke.
Moments later, the officers made a U-turn toward Ervin. The officers exited their cruiser, approached Ervin, and detected the strong odor of marijuana. Ervin attempted to flee the scene when officers ordered Ervin to stop. Ervin discarded the hand-rolled cigarette and continued running. After a brief foot pursuit, Ervin tripped and fell. Officers caught up with Ervin and told him to remain on the ground. When the officers asked Ervin why he ran, Ervin told the officers that he was in possession of a firearm and did not have a license to carry.
Officers recovered a Springfield Armory XDS-9 9mm pistol from Ervin’s front waistband. It was loaded with one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. Officers also recovered the remainder of Ervin’s marijuana cigarette along his flight path.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Scott Brecht of the U.S. Park Police.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful supports President Trump's Executive Order that cracks down on gun violence, prioritizes federal firearms violations, pursues tougher penalties, and seeks detention for federal firearms violators.
The firearm in the defendant’s waist prior to its recovery
Image of the Springfield Armory 9mm XDS-9 pistol, ammunition, and partially smoked suspected marijuana cigarette.
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Federal Jury in Chicago Convicts U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer on Civil Rights Charges for Sexually Assaulting and Robbing WomenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted a United States Customs and Border Protection officer on civil rights charges for sexually assaulting and robbing multiple women in the Chicago suburbs.
LUIS URIBE, who performed customs and immigration duties for CBP in the Chicago area, acted under color of law when he sexually assaulted and robbed two women in 2022. Uribe brandished a firearm in at least one of the assaults. He also robbed and attempted to sexually assault two other women. The robberies, sexual assaults, and attempted sexual assaults occurred in Schaumburg, Ill., and Naperville, Ill.
After a nearly two-week trial in federal court in Chicago, the jury today convicted Uribe, 45, of Pingree Grove, Ill., on all counts, specifically, ten counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The convictions carry a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso set sentencing for Jan. 21, 2027.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ryan Whalen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Erin Silk, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Region of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih and Richard Rothblatt.
Federal Jury Finds North Kingstown Man Guilty of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE — A federal jury has found Justin Duffer, 36, guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a child, following a multi-day trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
According to evidence presented at trial, Duffer responded to an online advertisement and communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as an intermediary. During these communications, Duffer agreed to pay for a commercial sex act involving a person he believed to be under the age of 14 and traveled to a meeting location, where he paid an undercover officer $120 in cash before being arrested.
“There is no acceptable circumstance in which a child becomes something to be bought, sold, or sexually exploited,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “Justin Duffer believed he was paying for sexual access to a child and took concrete steps to make that happen. Protecting children from those who seek to exploit them is among the most serious responsibilities we have, and we will continue to pursue those who fuel the demand for child sex trafficking.”
“Duffer arrived at a hotel with cash in hand, fully prepared to pay to sexually abuse an innocent child. Fortunately, instead of a child, special agents and police detectives were waiting for him. Now, a jury has found him guilty and he’s off the streets and facing serious prison time,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “Our work relies on the expertise of our law enforcement partners like the Warwick Police Department, whose local knowledge and skill helps bring cases like this to fruition. Together, we’re working to keep children safe and bring predators to justice.”
Duffer is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2027. He was permitted to remain on release pending sentencing. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release, and applicable mandatory special assessments. The sentence will be determined by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Dean and Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Warwick Police Department, and the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force.
Dumfries woman sentenced to over 10 years in prison for facilitating narcotics trafficking in her motelRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The operator of the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and managing a drug involved premises after she turned the hotel’s third floor into a protected marketplace for narcotics distribution and commercial sex and profited from it.
According to court documents, Kosha Sharma, 53, and her husband and co-defendant Tarun Sharma, 55, operated the Red Carpet Inn from May 2023 until their arrests in January 2026. The couple, who lived in a manager’s apartment within the motel, were regularly present on the premises. Under their management, the Red Carpet Inn was known in the area as a place where narcotics and commercial sex could be purchased.
Rather than removing guests engaged in criminal activity, Sharma and her husband channeled the illegal activity to the third floor and restricted who could access that floor, shielding the illegal activity from the view of law enforcement and the public.
Sharma profited directly from the arrangement. She and her husband charged more for third-floor rooms than for rooms on the first and second floors, and third-floor patrons understood the premium to be a fee for being permitted to conduct narcotics transactions and commercial sexual encounters there. Sharma personally collected payment door to door on the third floor each morning, at times pounding on doors and demanding money.
Sharma knew that narcotics, including fentanyl, were regularly used on the third floor, and knew that many third-floor guests were addicted to fentanyl. On multiple occasions during the conspiracy, guests overdosed at the hotel. At least two of those overdoses in 2025 were fatal, and Sharma found both victims’ bodies in third-floor rooms.
Between March 2025 and January 2026, the FBI and the Prince William County Police Department conducted a series of undercover operations at the hotel, including at least fourteen apparent prostitution encounters in third-floor rooms and sixteen controlled purchases.
Twelve of the controlled purchases involved fentanyl that was distributed by co-defendant Margo Waldon Pierce, aka Marko, 51, who distributed approximately 280.69 grams of fentanyl to undercover officers.
Waldon pled guilty on May 13 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced on Sept. 10 to four years in prison.
Tarun pled guilty on June 3 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and managing a drug involved premises. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6 and faces up to 40 years in prison.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Col. Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Braun and Catherine Rosenberg prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-30.
Dominican Republic Man Illegally in United States Pleads Guilty to Role in Large Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Dominican Republic resident illegally living in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of money laundering conspiracy in connection with a grandparent fraud scheme, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Elvys Nicanor Nunez Valerio, 33, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer on September 14, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Valerio was a participant in a sophisticated grandparent fraud scheme operating out of the Dominican Republic in which an organized crime group impersonating a grandchild—or other close relative—in a crisis contacted elderly victims and asked for immediate financial assistance. The scammers arranged for a rideshare driver to pick up cash from the elderly relative and deliver the money to a member of the criminal group. From there, portions of the money were deposited into bank accounts or sent back to the Dominican Republic via money transfer services. Specifically, Valerio’s role in the conspiracy was to receive the fraud proceeds from the rideshare drivers, to further launder the money, and ultimately to transfer the money to the Dominican Republic.
On July 12, 2025, an elderly resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania was contacted as part of the grandparent scheme and was deceived into providing $10,000 to a rideshare driver who came to his home to pick up the funds. Subsequently, the victim's family learned of the fraud and contacted the Pennsylvania State Police. The victim was still in contact with the scammer, who instructed the victim to pay another $12,000 so that his daughter could be released from prison. A driver picked up the second package, which did not contain any fraud proceeds. The Pennsylvania State Police initiated a traffic stop on the rideshare driver, who was an unknowing participant in the fraud. Authorities then allowed the driver to deliver the package to its destination address in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The driver provided the second package to Valerio, who was stopped by the Pennsylvania State Police before he was able to drive away.
A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of the second package as well as fraud proceeds associated with the first package. Further investigation revealed that Valerio was involved in the larger conspiracy, and had traveled around the country participating in the fraud. Activity in a bank account in Valerio’s name was determined to be consistent with involvement in the scheme, including, between January and July 2025, more than 40 cash deposits totaling more than $65,000. The financial records also showed payments to and from other members of the conspiracy and transfers of the fraud proceeds to the Dominican Republic.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for December 1, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Two of Valerio’s co-conspirators, Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez and Engels Guillermo Almengot Valerio, both also of the Dominican Republic and illegally residing in the U.S., each were sentenced by Judge Fischer earlier this month to two years of prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on their convictions for money laundering conspiracy in relation to the grandparent fraud scheme.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police, in conjunction with numerous other police departments throughout the United States, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Valerio.
District of Massachusetts Joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA and SBA-OIG in Nationwide COVID-Era Fraud Enforcement SurgeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced recent charges, convictions and sentencings in five cases involving fraud against COVID-19 pandemic relief programs as part of a nationwide enforcement surge led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the SBA Office of Inspector General.
From June 12 through Sept. 1, 2026, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions involving more than 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants and approximately $245 million in intended losses to American taxpayers.
The District of Massachusetts participated in the coordinated effort through prosecutions involving alleged identity theft to obtain pandemic benefits, fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications, and the diversion of taxpayer-funded relief money for personal expenses.
“Pandemic relief programs were created to keep businesses afloat and help Americans weather an unprecedented crisis – not to finance homes, luxury vehicles or other personal expenses,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Years after these programs ended, we are still identifying and prosecuting those who allegedly exploited them. The message should be clear: the passage of time will not shield fraudsters from accountability, and we will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and pursue those who stole from programs designed to help people in genuine need.”
Among the District of Massachusetts’ recent pandemic-relief fraud enforcement actions:
David Breen, 54, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., was sentenced in July 2026 to three years probation, with one year to be served on home detention and restitution in the amount of $1,148,368 after previously pleading guilty in March 2026 to theft of government property for misappropriating more than $1.2 million in EIDL funds for personal use. Breen obtained approximately $1.5 million in EIDL funds on behalf of “Fun Zone,” an entity through which he operated “Pinz,” a bowling alley and entertainment venue in Milford, Mass. Although Breen agreed to use the loan proceeds as working capital for the business, he instead used more than $1.1 million to build a home for himself in South Carolina and to make a down payment on a $111,000 truck.
Tanya Pierre, 29, of Miami, Fla. pleaded guilty in August 2026 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a multi-state PPP fraud scheme, as well as a separate conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud involving fraudulent mortgage and luxury apartment applications. In the PPP scheme, Pierre conspired with others to submit fraudulent loan applications on behalf of borrowers and created fake tax forms to support applications falsely claiming that borrowers operated qualifying businesses. According to court records, Pierre is responsible for approximately $4.8 million in losses resulting from the PPP scheme. Pierre is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19, 2026.
Wilfredo Payano Batista, 39, a Dominican national residing in Worcester, was arrested and charged in July 2026 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2026 in connection with an alleged scheme to use the identity of a U.S. citizen to obtain government benefits, including PPP and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds. Batista allegedly obtained a $20,832 PPP loan and more than $48,000 in PUA benefits using the victim’s identity. According to the charging documents, Batista collected approximately $17,682 of the PUA benefits for 21 weeks during which he was incarcerated in Massachusetts for drug-dealing convictions. He allegedly later told the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, while posing as the victim, that he had already spent the money and could not repay it.
Patrick Nerese, 48, of Randolph, Mass. was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2026 on bank fraud, money laundering and wire fraud charges in connection with alleged bank fraud and pandemic-relief fraud schemes. Prosecutors allege that Nerese submitted fraudulent EIDL and PPP applications between 2020 and 2022 by falsely representing his business’s gross income and, in connection with a PPP application, submitting a fake tax form to substantiate the claimed revenue. While the alleged fraudulent EIDL application was denied, the alleged PPP fraud resulted in approximately $20,833 in actual losses. Nerese is also alleged to have deposited or attempted to deposit approximately 17 stolen and altered checks totaling more than $3.2 million at Massachusetts banks.
Earlier this month, Wens Mathurin, 29, of Brockton, Mass. was sentenced to one day in prison (deemed served), three years of supervised release and $312,000 in restitution after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to engage in unlawful monetary transactions. Mathurin participated in a broader multi-state PPP fraud scheme in which fraudulent loan applications were submitted using fabricated employee and payroll information and false supporting documents. A fraudulent application submitted on behalf of Mathurin’s purported warehouse and cargo delivery business resulted in a $313,852 PPP loan. Mathurin subsequently made kickback payments in connection with the fraud.
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. 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 Massachusetts cases described above were investigated by various federal and state law enforcement partners, including the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Secret Service; the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; and the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The charged defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Department of Justice Returns Approximately $29.7M in Proceeds of Fraud, Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Scheme to the Government of CuraçaoRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it is transferring $29.7 million to Curaçao in three installments. The funds represent the proceeds of an eight-year fraud and money laundering scheme against the government of Curaçao involving the operation of an unlicensed lottery and failure to pay taxes on the income from the lottery and other sources.
According to court documents, Robertico A. Dos Santos orchestrated the scheme and was prosecuted in Curaçao. At Curaçao’s request, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section (MNF) obtained an order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia enforcing a pre-trial restraining order issued by a Curaçao court against the illegal proceeds. Those proceeds were deposited in investment accounts in a Miami bank opened by Dos Santos in the names of companies he controlled. After Dos Santos was convicted and sentenced in Curaçao, at Curaçao’s request, MNF obtained an order from the U.S. court enforcing the final forfeiture order issued by the Curaçao court against the restrained funds.
According to the transfer document, the forfeited funds are being returned in recognition of Curaçao’s losses and its valuable assistance to the United States, which substantially facilitated the successful forfeiture of the illicit proceeds through the enforcement of Curaçao’s court orders. The return of the funds is also intended to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the investigation and prosecution of transnational financial crime, money laundering, corruption, human trafficking and other crimes, as well as the forfeiture of criminal proceeds.
Minister of Justice of Curaçao Shalten Hato, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Hodge of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division at signing ceremony in Washington, DC.The recovered funds transferred to Curacao will be used over a period of time for various law enforcement purposes. The disposition of the transferred funds will be audited regularly by a non-profit accounting firm in Curaçao and annually by an external auditor. None of the funds may be disbursed to the defendant, Robertico Dos Santos, or his family and any businesses he controls. The transfer terms and the audit reports will be posted on public websites in Curaçao and provided to Curaçao’s Minister of Justice and the United States.
This case was handled by Senior Trial Attorney Teresa Turner-Jones of MNF. Substantial assistance was provided by the government of Curaçao, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Department of State.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.
Defuniak Springs Man Found Guilty of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Michael R. Foster, 49, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of attempted enticement of a minor. The conviction was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “We are fortunate to have excellent law enforcement partners – like the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, HSI, and the FBI – who work tirelessly to keep our kids safe, both online and in our communities, by targeting, investigating, and arresting predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize children. Aggressively prosecuting these sexual predators is one of the top priorities of my office to ensure we keep them locked away behind bars and away from our kids.”
Court records and evidence at trial demonstrated that in November 2025, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement partners, conducted an undercover operation, directed at finding people who were soliciting minors online for sex. On November 8, 2025, the defendant began talking with an undercover law enforcement officer who the defendant believed was a fifteen-year-old child. The defendant told the purported child the sexual act he wanted the child to perform, was told a price for those sexual acts, and he arranged a meeting location. When the defendant traveled to meet the purported child at the agreed upon location, he was arrested by law enforcement. Electronic evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant confirmed the defendant had, in fact, talked to the person he believed was a child and traveled to meet them.
This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
DOJ Sues Georgia Lab Executives for Defrauding Medicare by Targeting Faith-Based Communities and SeniorsRead the Press Release
Today, the United States filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against laboratory executives Jay Johnson and Austin Whiles, alleging that they used their roles at Capstone Diagnostics, an Atlanta-based clinical laboratory, to orchestrate two testing schemes — one targeting faith-based communities and the other senior citizens — that caused Medicare to pay millions of dollars for testing generated through unlawful kickbacks and without individualized treating-provider judgment. The complaint also seeks recovery under federal common-law theories against Johnson’s now-former wife, Sarah Haslock, and several affiliated entities that received funds allegedly derived from the conduct.
“Today’s complaint reflects the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to combatting fraud in federal health care programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Laboratory testing must be driven by patient needs, not financial incentives. We will continue to use the False Claims Act to hold accountable those who exploit Medicare for personal gain.”
“Johnson and Whiles allegedly took advantage of individuals at religious events and senior living facilities to line their pockets and drain millions of dollars from the Medicare trust fund,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “This lawsuit reflects our commitment to recovering unlawfully diverted public money from anyone who defrauds the government and taxpayers.”
In the first alleged scheme, Johnson and Whiles used church-sponsored health fairs and religious conferences to generate genetic testing through unlawful kickbacks and without individualized treating-provider judgment. The complaint alleges that they directed Capstone personnel to swab attendees at mass events and then, without permission, used physician names, signatures, standing orders, and other paperwork to make the testing appear properly ordered and medically necessary. In the second, Johnson and Whiles allegedly exploited senior living communities’ demand for COVID-19 testing to generate larger reimbursing respiratory pathogen panels through community- and chain-wide standing orders, copied or altered physician signatures, standardized diagnosis codes, and order entry by sales personnel rather than treating providers.
The complaint further alleges that Whiles secretly captured millions of dollars in volume-based commissions generated by independent marketers by routing the money to himself through Whitson Medical, a company he owned and controlled. The complaint separately alleges that Johnson transferred millions of dollars derived from the schemes to his now-former wife, Sarah Haslock.
The United States previously reached settlements with Capstone and its owner, Drew Maloney, for $14.3 million and with Capstone’s billing company, VitalAxis, Inc. for $300,479 to resolve their potential civil liability under the False Claims Act arising from the alleged scheme. In addition, on Dec. 10, 2025, Jay Johnson was indicted in the Northern District of Georgia for conspiracy to commit health care fraud charges for his role in the church health fairs genetic testing scheme; his prosecution is currently pending.
The Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia are handling the matter with assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA. Under the FCA, private parties can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The FCA permits the United States to intervene in and take over the action, as it has done here. If a defendant is found liable for violating the FCA, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus applicable penalties. The qui tam action is captioned United States et al. ex rel. Jesse Allen v. Capstone Diagnostics, LLC d/b/a Capstone Healthcare, No. 1:19-CV-5598-SEG.
One of the most powerful tools in the effort to combat health care fraud is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This year, the Trump Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s False Claims Act enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. False Claims Act matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s False Claims work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
Associate Deputy Attorney General Paul Perkins, Fraud Section Trial Attorney Asha Natarajan, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeli Ben-David for the Northern District of Georgia are handling this matter.
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
DOJ Sues Former Georgia Lab Execs for Defrauding Medicare by Targeting Faith-Based Communities and SeniorsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Jay Johnson, the former Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta-based clinical laboratory Capstone Diagnostics, LLC (“Capstone”); Austin Whiles, Capstone’s former Chief Sales Officer and Vice President of Business Development; and associated entities. The complaint alleges that the defendants caused Medicare to pay approximately $13.7 million for genetic and respiratory pathogen panel testing that was not medically necessary. Johnson also faces criminal health care and wire fraud charges arising from the scheme, which allegedly exploited church health fairs, religious conferences, and senior living communities to generate testing volume, including by paying kickbacks to conference organizers and independent marketers.
“Johnson and Whiles allegedly took advantage of individuals at religious events and senior living facilities to line their pockets and drain millions of dollars from the Medicare trust fund,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This lawsuit reflects our commitment to recovering unlawfully diverted public money from anyone who defrauds the government and taxpayers.”
“Today’s complaint reflects the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to combating fraud in federal health care programs,” said Brett A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division. “Laboratory testing must be driven by patient needs, not financial incentives. We will continue to use the False Claims Act to hold accountable those who exploit Medicare for personal gain.”
“The conduct alleged in this complaint reflects a blatant disregard for patient welfare and an abuse of trust,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our federal partners to safeguard Medicare and ensure that those who exploit the program and the vulnerable communities it serves are held accountable.”
“Laboratory companies have a responsibility to perform the specific testing requested by physicians,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Schemes like this raise healthcare costs for everyone. The FBI is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our federal health care programs.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the complaint, and other information presented in court: Between 2019 and 2021, Johnson and Whiles allegedly engaged in two schemes to defraud Medicare. First, Johnson and Whiles allegedly targeted church-sponsored health fairs and religious conferences to perform and claim reimbursement for massive amounts of genetic testing not requested by physicians. Johnson allegedly directed Capstone personnel to swab attendees at mass events and then, without permission, used physicians’ names, signatures, standing orders, and other paperwork to make the testing appear properly ordered and medically necessary.
Second, Johnson and Whiles allegedly added medically unnecessary respiratory pathogen panels to COVID-19 tests sought by senior living communities, which inflated the Medicare reimbursements paid to Capstone. They allegedly did so by improperly using community- and chain-wide standing orders, copying physician signatures, standardizing diagnosis codes, having sales personnel enter orders rather than treating providers, and paying unlawful remuneration in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
In total, the defendants allegedly caused Medicare to pay approximately $13.7 million for laboratory tests generated through the two schemes from 2019 through 2021. Johnson allegedly transferred millions of dollars derived from the schemes to his now-former wife, Sarah Haslock, and Whiles secretly routed to himself approximately $4.75 million in volume-based commissions from independent marketers.
Relatedly, the United States reached settlements with Capstone and its owner, Andrew Maloney, for $14.3 million and with Capstone’s billing company, VitalAxis, Inc. for $300,479 to resolve their potential civil liability under the False Claims Act.
On September 4, 2026, the United States intervened in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, United States ex rel. Allen v. Capstone Diagnostics, LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 1:19-CV-5598-SEG. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. Jesse Allen, the former laboratory manager for Capstone, is the whistleblower who filed the initial lawsuit.
On December 10, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Johnson for conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, health care fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to receive and pay kickbacks, and payment of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program. Those charges are currently pending.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeli Ben-David and Associate Deputy Attorney General Paul Perkins, Fraud Section Trial Attorney Asha Natarajan, and Healthcare Fraud Investigative Analyst Alena Evans of the Justice Department’s Civil Division are handling the civil False Claims Act matter, with substantial assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Adams and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Mooney are handling the criminal matter.
One of the most powerful tools in the effort to combat healthcare fraud is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This year, the Trump Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s False Claims Act enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. False Claims Act matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s False Claims work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
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.
D.C. Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murdering Same Woman He Was Previously Convicted of AssaultingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Garrett, 70, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on September 11, 2026, to 25 years in prison, in D.C. Superior Court in connection with the December 3, 2021, murder of Sylvia Matthews, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Garrett pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026, before D.C. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz to one count of second-degree murder while armed. Garrett attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, but that request was denied by Judge Kravitz. In addition to the 25-year prison sentence, Judge Kravitz ordered Garrett to serve five years of supervised release.
“Ms. Matthews deserved safety, dignity, and peace—rights that Michael Garrett repeatedly stole from her," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "Especially given the fact that a prior judge gave Garrett compassionate release from prison on another assault charge against her, which allowed him the opportunity to come out and kill Sylvia. Nothing will bring back Sylvia, but today’s sentence delivers a measure of justice and ensures the defendant will no longer pose a threat to anyone in our community.”
According to court documents, on December 3, 2021, Ms. Matthews contacted 911 after Garrett broke windows in her home and her car window after trying to enter her home. MPD officers responded twice and Garrett was no longer on scene. At approximately 11:20 am, a 911 call was received for Ms. Matthews’ address for a burglary in progress. Officers were dispatched to the scene for a third time. After speaking with a witness who told them Ms. Matthews was being held hostage, MPD officers entered the residence through a rear door. Once inside, officers located Ms. Matthews at the bottom of the basement stairs with severe head trauma. First responding officers located Garrett in the basement, after seeing a blood trail from the victim. He was taken into custody at that time.
Ms. Matthews was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Ms. Matthews died from blunt force injuries and ruled her death a homicide.
Garrett has a long history of assaultive and threatening behavior toward Ms. Matthews. Garrett was released in March 2021 following a Compassionate Release motion after serving a 20+ year sentence in a case where he assaulted Ms. Matthews and broke into her same home. The government opposed the release citing the defendant’s previous abuse of the victim.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natalie Hynum and Emma McArthur.
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D.C. Dentist Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Scheme to Defraud D.C. Medicaid of $3.4 MillionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Steven A. Price, 70, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for conspiring to defraud D.C. Medicaid of $3.4 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Fraud against taxpayer‑funded programs will not be ignored, excused, or allowed to persist in the dark," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "Mr. Price is going to prison and is ordered to pay $3.4 million in restitution. The days when individuals could hide behind complex billing schemes to steal from the American taxpayer are over. My office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who abuse the public’s trust and ensure they are held fully accountable.”
In March 2026, after a 6-week trial overseen by District Judge Amit P. Mehta, a federal jury found Price guilty of 21 counts including charges of conspiracy. health care fraud, false statements, and wire fraud. In addition to Price’s prison sentence of 24 months followed by 36 months of supervised release, the Court ordered Price to pay restitution of $3.4 million to D.C. Medicaid and entered a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The government requested a 108-month prison term. Moore is scheduled to be sentenced by the Court on October 23, 2026.
Price is a dentist who operated the Washington Smile Center in Northwest Washington. His codefendant, Keidi Moore, 40, was employed at the Washington Smile Center as a dental hygienist and was also found guilty by the jury.
According to court papers, Price and Moore treated many elderly and disabled patients. Beginning in January 2017 and continuing through March 2022, Price and Moore conspired to defraud D.C. Medicaid by filing fraudulent claims for clinical crown lengthening and space maintainers, when in fact the patients had not received the procedures or devices. Price and Moore included the false claims alongside procedures during actual patient visits. D.C. Medicaid paid out more than $3.4 million for the fraudulent claims. In some instances, patients were alleged to have been provided more than 30 clinical crown lengthening procedures and more than 20 space maintainers during the relevant period. As soon as D.C. Medicaid put in a pre-authorization requirement for the clinical crown lengthening procedure the false billing for both types of claims stopped.
“Today’s sentencing underscores our unwavering commitment to serving the American people, safeguarding taxpayer money, and preserving the integrity of the federal health care programs that support them,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Such schemes waste public funds and undermine trust in the Medicaid program. HHS-OIG, in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue efforts to identify and hold accountable individuals who exploit federally funded health care programs for personal benefit.”
Joining in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and Matthew Wilcoxson, Interim Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The District Department of Health Care Finance’s Division of Program Integrity referred this matter and provided assistance during the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Sarah Ranney.
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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Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Thirteen Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Jaloni McGhee (42) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. McGhee was found guilty on June 8, 2026, following a bench trial. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 11, 2025, officers from the Orlando Police Department conducted a traffic stop near Raleigh Street and Lenox Boulevard based on an alleged traffic violation. Upon approaching the SUV, the officers smelled the distinct odor of burnt cannabis emitting from the vehicle. McGhee was in the front passenger seat.
Upon learning that neither McGhee nor the driver had a medical marijuana card, the officers ordered both occupants out of the vehicle. The driver exited without issue. McGhee claimed that he had been shot in his upper right leg and stabbed in his left leg the week before in Jacksonville, and that due to his injuries he had difficulty moving his legs. Officers attempted to escort McGhee out of the vehicle for approximately five minutes. During this time, McGhee scooted across the seat and retrieved a firearm from under his buttocks and hunched his body forward. Officers gave McGhee several commands to drop the firearm. It took several officers to get McGhee to the ground and recover the firearm. The firearm was loaded, with one round in the chamber.
At the time of the offense, McGhee had multiple prior felony convictions. In May 2004, he was convicted of attempted robbery and sentenced to six months in jail followed by a term of probation. In July 2014, McGhee was convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. In December 2022, McGhee was convicted of sale or delivery of fentanyl and sentenced to 22 months in the Florida Department of Corrections. As a convicted felon, McGhee was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Chinese National Who Applied to U.S. Air Force Indicted in St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two Chinese nationals turned themselves in Thursday on charges that accuse one of a naturalization crime and both of a firearm crime.
Biqi “Ashley” Huang, 25, and Wentian Du, 35, were indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on September 9. Huang now faces one count of making a false statement in a naturalization proceeding and one count of fraudulent acquisition of a firearm. Du faces one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Both appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment says Huang made a false statement under oath in a matter relating to naturalization between August 1, 2025, and July 27, 2026. It also says she made a false statement to a firearm dealer on May 28, 2026, in connection with the purchase of a firearm. Du illegally possessed a firearm between June 1 and August 26 of 2026, the indictment says.
Motions seeking to detain both in jail until trial say Huang entered the U.S. on a student visa on July 13, 2023, and attended graduate school in St. Louis. She married on May 22, 2024, and received her Legal Permanent Resident status after misrepresenting the status of her marriage in an Oct. 14, 2025 interview and on her LPR application, her motion says. Du was issued a B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa in September 2022 and entered the U.S. on Oct. 2, 2022. About a year later, he applied for asylum, his motion says.
In June, Huang moved to New York and met Du, her motion says. She subsequently applied to join the U.S. Air Force, telling a recruiter that she wanted to join to get her citizenship as soon as possible, then divorce and marry Du, the motion says. During the investigation, FBI agents realized that Du tried to purchase a firearm on Oct. 18, 2025, the motions say. The purchase was denied and Du was notified why. He rented a firearm at least 13 times and his credit card was used on May 29, 2026, to buy a 9mm pistol, the motion says. Huang filled out a form falsely stating that she was the actual buyer, the motions say.
Making a false statement in a naturalization proceeding is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine. The firearm charges against Du and Huang are punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI investigated the case, with the assistance of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Eleven and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Two Postal Carriers and a Food Delivery DriverRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to eleven and a half years in federal prison for robbing two U.S. Postal Service carriers and a food delivery driver in a Chicago suburb.
DEVAN FLAX violently robbed a postal carrier on Nov. 25, 2023, and another carrier on Nov. 28, 2023, both in Forest Park, Ill. On Nov. 26, 2023, Flax robbed a food delivery driver who was working for a Berwyn, Ill. pizzeria. Flax brandished a handgun in two of the robberies.
Flax, 23, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal robbery and firearm charges. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings sentenced Flax to eleven and a half years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department; Forest Park, Ill. Police Department; and Lombard, Ill. Police Department.
“Defendant’s robbery spree occurred in public places and jeopardized the work of postal carriers,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C.R. Vermylen argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Motivated only by his own greed, defendant showed a complete disregard for human life.”
Buffalo man arrested on fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James McClain a/k/a Jungle, 42, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with the intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, which carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
According to the complaint, in July 2026, investigators conducted an undercover purchase of approximately 12 grams of suspected fentanyl from McClain, which later tested positive for fentanyl. In August 2026, investigators conducted a second controlled purchase of suspected fentanyl from McClain. The purchase involved approximately 50 grams, which again later tested positive for fentanyl.
McClain made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney MacCaelin A. Sedita. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Billings man sentenced to 4 years in prison for trying to traffic drugs from his sober living houseRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man, who was receiving shipments of illicit drugs through the mail while staying in a sober living house, was sentenced Wednesday to four years and a month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Drury Daniel Hill, 27, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to attempted possession with intent to distribute carfentanil.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hill was receiving fentanyl pills through the mail while staying in a sober living house in Billings. Law enforcement searched postal records in January 2026 and found multiple packages had been shipped from an address in Missoula to Hill in Billings. The distributor in Missoula had been recently arrested but investigators learned he had likely connected Hill with his source in California.
Law enforcement then intercepted a package sent from a California address to Hill in Billings. With a warrant, investigators searched the parcel and found roughly 2,000 pills of what appeared to be fentanyl. Testing later found the pills consisted of the fentanyl analogue, carfentanil.
Agents replaced the pills in the package and then sent it to the Billings address, where they monitored the delivery. After a short time, Hill arrived and picked up the package. He was arrested shortly after and admitted to ordering the pills through the California source. He said he planned to sell them.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The United State Postal Inspection Service and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Stephen Burks, 49, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 11, 2026, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a disturbance on North Kanawha Street in Beckley and encountered Burks. As part of his guilty plea, Burks admitted that he was intoxicated when officers encountered him and that he possessed a Smith & Wesson model Shield 9mm pistol that the officers found on his person during a search.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Burks knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for attempted first-degree murder, malicious wounding, wanton endangerment, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in Raleigh County Circuit Court on December 7, 2009.
Burks is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-110.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Drug-Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court to charges stemming from his role as a high-volume drug trafficker.
Rodrigo Lacayo, 48, is charged with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The charges are in connection with a multi-state, federal drug investigation.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank Saldana, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to court documents, in June 2025, the DEA ran an undercover drug operation to investigate Lacayo. During the undercover operation, Lacayo attempted to deliver money to an undercover officer (UC) for drugs previously provided to him. But then the UC informed Lacayo that they needed to meet for the delivery another time. In the meantime, the DEA obtained court authorization to track Lacayo’s cellular location. Through cellular tracking data, investigators identified Lacayo’s Northwest Baltimore residence and his vehicle.
On July 8, Lacayo’s cellular tracking revealed that he traveled to Houston, Texas, before traveling back to Maryland on July 10. Then on July 11, the DEA coordinated with the MCPD to conduct a traffic stop of Lacayo’s vehicle. MCPD officers later found Lacayo driving his vehicle in Bethesda, Maryland. Officers then initiated a traffic stop for suspended tags.
Law enforcement removed Lacayo from the vehicle before a K-9 officer scanned it for the presence of narcotics. The K-9 alerted officers of drugs in the vehicle which led to a search. Officers then discovered 12 kilograms of cocaine concealed in three car batteries inside the trunk and three cellular phones.
After the traffic stop, investigators obtained a search warrant for Lacayo’s residence. During the search of the residence, investigators recovered a hydraulic press, approximately 285 grams of Psilocin mushrooms, and a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition in Lacayo’s bedroom closet. Lacayo is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions.
Investigators also successfully downloaded one of Lacayo’s phones and found additional evidence of drug trafficking. Law enforcement found photos of packaged kilogram quantities of drugs, large amounts of cash, screenshots of six-figure wire transfers, and voice memos along with WhatsApp messages discussing drug trafficking on the cellphone.
Lacayo faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances along with a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson set sentencing for Thursday, January 28, 2027, at 10:00 a.m.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, DPSCS, and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Miner who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Avionics company owner sentenced to prison for thwarting U.S. Customs lawsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – A Kansas businessman was sentenced to 18 months in prison for violating United States customs laws by selling advanced aviation technology to Russian end users.
According to court documents, Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 63, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering.
Buyanovsky is the former president and owner of KanRus Trading Company, a Kansas-based avionics enterprise. As part of his plea agreement, Buyanovsky consented to the forfeiture of over $450,000 worth of avionics equipment and accessories and a $50,000 personal forfeiture judgment.After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. government tightened export controls concerning Russia. Buyanovsky and KanRus vice president Douglas Edward Robertson, 59, of Olathe conspired to continue to purchase, sell, and export sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to customers in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Robertson pleaded guilty to export control and money laundering violations and was sentenced to 32 months in prison.
“Congress put trade restrictions in place to discourage Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine. The defendants ignored those laws and saw the war not as a humanitarian crisis, but as a business opportunity to boost their profits,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
“The sentencing of Mr. Buyanovsky marks the final chapter of an investigation that exposed a deliberate conspiracy to circumvent U.S. export-control laws and facilitate the unlawful transfer of advanced aviation technology to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. This case underscores the FBI’s steadfast commitment to protecting the integrity of our nation’s export-control system and holding accountable those who seek to undermine it. Our message is clear: The FBI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and government partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt any efforts to exploit our laws,” said Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
A third defendant, Oleg Chistyakov, a/k/a Olegs Čitsjakovs, 57, of the Republic of Latvia, acted as a broker for KanRus. He was sentenced to 28 months in prison after pleading guilty to his part in the conspiracy.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement investigated the case. The Latvian authorities assisted in the investigation while U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas as well as Adam Barry, a former trial attorney of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.
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Armed Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Matthew Olando Allen, 35, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced today to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for selling fentanyl and firearms, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court records and proceedings, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Allen for distributing fentanyl in and around Cleveland County. Between February and April 2024, Allen sold fentanyl-laced pills to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. During one drug transaction, Allen sold the confidential informant 14 fentanyl pills and a Bryco Arms Jennings firearm. In April 2024, Shelby Police Department officers stopped Allen’s vehicle for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered from Allen a Canik 9mm pistol. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a Ruger SR22 firearm and more fentanyl pills.
In February 2026, Allen pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. e i
This investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Shelby Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Arizona woman, Dallas man receive lengthy federal prison sentences as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation into deadly fentanyl overdose in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Arizona woman and a Dallas man have been sentenced to federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation into a deadly fentanyl overdose in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Pamela Esquivias, also known as Azalea, 25, of Maricopa, Arizona, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on September 17, 2026.
Aaron Jay Perez, 29, of Dallas, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by Judge Mazzant on September 17, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in August 2023, a 16-year-old girl overdosed and died in Flower Mound after ingesting counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl. A law enforcement investigation into the death identified Esquivias as a fentanyl source of supply, distributing hundreds of thousands of blue M-30 fentanyl tablets from Arizona to multiple states, including Texas. The investigation also revealed Perez as a local distributor in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, responsible for trafficking not only fentanyl, but large quantities of marijuana and cocaine.
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 Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Arizona Addiction Treatment Clinic Owner Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Leadership Role in $69M Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Phoenix woman was sentenced to 14 years in prison in connection with her role in fraudulently billing Arizona’s Medicaid agency more than $69 million in less than one year for addiction treatment therapy. Many of the patients the defendant used to fuel her scheme were Native Americans covered by Arizona Medicaid under a specific program that reimbursed at higher rates than other Medicaid programs. In addition to the prison sentence, the defendant was ordered to pay almost $55 million in restitution, and to forfeit almost $9.5 million in fraud proceeds seized from seven bank accounts she controlled and almost $7 million in real estate properties.
“The Fraud Division is determined to hold accountable individuals who exploit the Medicaid system and Native American health care programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This sentence sends a clear message — if you take advantage of vulnerable populations to steal from the American taxpayer, you will pay the price.”
“Ms. Anagho’s scheme manipulated a program that was intended to help Native Americans in Arizona,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “The fourteen-year sentence that she received is a sign of how serious and damaging health care fraud is to our society, and how important it is that we stop individuals who undermine the value of these programs.”
“The FBI will investigate and hold those who target, defraud, and exploit our healthcare programs accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Phoenix Field Office “We will continue to work with our partners to stop imposters like Ms. Anagho in their tracks and bring them to justice.”
“Medicaid funds exist to support some of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals. Exploiting this program for personal gain steals taxpayer dollars and undermines a critical safety net relied on by millions,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who defraud Medicaid and ensure they are held fully accountable.”
According to court documents, Rita Ntusa Anagho, 54, of San Tan Valley, Arizona, owned and operated Tusa Integrated Clinic, LLC (Tusa), an addiction treatment center that fraudulently billed the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) over $69 million from approximately May 2022 through March 2023. AHCCCS paid Tusa approximately $54.9 million based on these false and fraudulent claims.
Anagho, a licensed nurse practitioner, coordinated and carried out this massive health care fraud scheme by exploiting vulnerable substance abuse treatment patients. Anagho enrolled patients whose health care coverage was provided by the AHCCCS in her fraudulent clinic, Tusa. Indeed, Anagho and her co-conspirators deliberately targeted AHCCCS patients who were covered under the American Indian Health Care Program (AIHP) fee-for-service plan available to Native Americans. Anagho and her co-conspirators often deliberately sought such patients because the AIHP provided higher reimbursement rates than other AHCCCS health care plans. Anagho orchestrated this scheme to defraud AHCCCS by submitting false claims for purported addiction treatment services that were either not provided at all or not provided as billed. In addition, Anagho and her co-conspirators paid illegal kickbacks to owners of numerous area sober homes for patients who were referred to her clinic. Anagho and others falsified the treatment notes and records related to the purported addiction treatment services to conceal the scheme. Anagho then laundered the proceeds of her fraud and obstructed the investigation of her crimes by instructing her former employees to create fake medical records when Tusa received a subpoena for documents.
In May 2025, Anagho pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant Deputy Chief James V. Hayes and Trial Attorney Sarah Edwards of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph F. Bozdech for the District of Arizona assisted with forfeiture matters.
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.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Alien Charged with Illegally Voting in Federal Election and Making False Statements While Applying for U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County woman was charged in a criminal complaint with illegally voting in a federal election and making false statements while applying for United States citizenship, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
According to the criminal complaint, Sanata Coulibaly, 64, of Hudson County was a non-citizen when she registered to vote via a paper application at the Office of the Hudson County Superintendent of Elections. On her voter registration form she falsely certified and attested that she was a United States citizen. In order to register, and to vote in federal elections, a person must be a United States citizen.
According to the criminal complaint, Coulibaly cast ballots in the November 2018 mid-term election, the July 2020 primary election, the November 2020 general election, and the 2024 general election. Each of those elections included candidates who were vying for election to federal offices. At the time she cast her ballots, Coulibaly, who entered the United States from Senegal on a B-1 nonimmigration visa, was not a United States citizen and was therefore not authorized to vote in federal elections.
The criminal complaint also alleges that after illegally voting in federal elections in 2018 and 2020, the defendant applied in October 2024 to become a United States citizen by submitting an application for naturalization (an “N-400”). An N-400 requires the applicant to swear under penalty of perjury that the information provided in the application is complete, true, and correct. In her N-400 application, the defendant falsely claimed that she had never registered to vote or voted in any federal elections.
Coulibaly was charged with voting by an alien in a federal election, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 611, and making false statements while applying for United States citizenship, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1425(a). She had her initial appearance on September 17, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court. If convicted of making false statements while applying for United States citizenship, Coulibaly faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. If convicted of voting by an illegal alien, Coulibaly faces a maximum sentence of 1 year’s imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the investigation.
The case was brought under the United States Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, a coalition of federal law enforcement partners focused on preserving and protecting the integrity of elections conducted in the District of New Jersey.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael K. O’Leary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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coulibaly.complaint.pdfAlabama Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — An Alabama man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rockford to sex trafficking and child pornography charges.
JAMES PRICE, 39, of Bay Minette, Ala., admitted in plea declaration on Wednesday that he traveled to Illinois to meet a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct. Price also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, causing a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, and producing, transporting, and receiving child pornography.
Price pleaded guilty in the middle of his trial in federal court in Rockford. A jury was selected on Monday, and testimony began on Tuesday. Price pleaded guilty after multiple government witnesses had testified, including the minor victim, who courageously described her ordeals for the jury.
The convictions are punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for Jan. 25, 2027.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ryan Whalen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. The South Beloit, Ill. Police Department, Roscoe, Ill. Police Department, and Rockton, Ill. Police Department provided valuable assistance during the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ladd and Taylor N. Burnett.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Addiction Treatment Clinic Owner Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for $69 Million Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Rita Ntusa Anagho, 54, of San Tan Valley, Arizona, was sentenced on Monday to 14 years in prison for her role in fraudulently billing Arizona’s Medicaid agency more than $69 million in less than one year for addiction treatment therapy. Many of the patients that Anagho used to fuel her scheme were Native Americans covered by Arizona Medicaid under a specific program that reimbursed at higher rates than other Medicaid programs.
In addition to the prison sentence, Anagho was ordered to pay almost $55 million in restitution, and to forfeit almost $9.5 million in fraud proceeds seized from seven bank accounts she controlled and almost $7 million in real estate properties.
“Ms. Anagho’s scheme manipulated a program that was intended to help Native Americans in Arizona,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The fourteen-year sentence that she received is a sign of how serious and damaging health care fraud is to our society, and how important it is that we stop individuals who undermine the value of these programs.”
“The Fraud Division is determined to hold accountable individuals who exploit the Medicaid system and Native American health care programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This sentence sends a clear message—if you take advantage of vulnerable populations to steal from the American taxpayer, you will pay the price.”
According to court documents, Anagho owned and operated Tusa Integrated Clinic, LLC (Tusa), an addiction treatment center that fraudulently billed the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) over $69 million from approximately May 2022 through March 2023. AHCCCS paid Tusa approximately $54.9 million based on these false and fraudulent claims.
Anagho, a licensed nurse practitioner, coordinated and carried out this massive health care fraud scheme by exploiting vulnerable substance abuse treatment patients. Anagho enrolled patients whose health care coverage was provided by the AHCCCS in her clinic, specifically targeting those who were covered under the American Indian Health Care Program (AIHP) fee-for-service plan available to Native Americans. Anagho and her co-conspirators often deliberately sought such patients because the AIHP provided higher reimbursement rates than other AHCCCS health care plans. Anagho orchestrated this scheme to defraud AHCCCS by submitting false claims for purported addiction treatment services that were either not provided at all or not provided as billed.
Anagho and her co-conspirators also paid illegal kickbacks to owners of local sober homes for patients who were referred to her clinic. Anagho and others falsified the treatment notes and records related to the purported addiction treatment services to conceal the scheme. Anagho then laundered the proceeds of her fraud and obstructed the investigation of her crimes by instructing her former employees to create fake medical records when Tusa received a subpoena for documents.
In May 2025, Anagho pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case and received substantial assistance from the AHCCCS Office of Inspector General.
Assistant Deputy Chief James V. Hayes and Trial Attorney Sarah Edwards of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph F. Bozdech for the District of Arizona assisted with forfeiture matters.
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.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-01044-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-160_Anagho# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Adair County Residents Plead Guilty to Child Neglect in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gary Logan Pruitt, age 24, and Jade Larae Duncan, a/k/a Jade Larae Nakedhead, age 29, of Rocky Mountain, Oklahoma, each entered guilty pleas to one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country, punishable by a term of up to life imprisonment.
The Indictment alleged that between on or about April 8, 2025, and on or about April 22, 2025, Pruitt and Duncan willfully and maliciously failed and omitted to provide supervision to protect from harm or threatened harm to a child under the age of eighteen by failing to seek medical care for the victim while the defendants were responsible for the victim’s health, safety, and welfare.
The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Defendants will remain out on bond with conditions pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
17 Individuals Charged with Drug Trafficking as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) InitiativeRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 1, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 17 individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances, announced Héctor Ramírez Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the collaboration of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
“Drugs destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities, said Acting U.S. Attorney Ramírez-Carbó. “This drug trafficking organization was using the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to smuggle cocaine from Puerto Rico to several destinations throughout the continental United States. Today, 17 organizers, recruiters and mules who made their distribution network possible will face the consequences for their criminal actions.”
“To those who believe they can use our airports and postal systems to traffic illegal substances: let these arrests be a warning. We are watching, and we are working tirelessly to identify, disrupt, and dismantle your operations,” said Yariel Ramos, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI.
The indictment alleges that from November 2022, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine for significant financial gain and profit. These individuals were transporting the narcotics via the airport and by mail to the continental United States using the U.S. Postal Service.
The defendants charged in the indictment are:
[1] Francisco J. Sánchez-Roque, a.k.a. “Chuleta”
[2] John O. Espinal-Zorrilla, a.k.a. “Taker”
[3] Humberto Mercedes-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Brujo”
[4] Michael J. Camacho-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Tiza/Chuky”
[5] Emanuel Miranda-Calvo, a.k.a. “Shelby”
[6] Kidanny J. Maysonet-Morales, a.k.a. “KJ/Kid/Kajoota”
[7] Luis D. Ramos-Ortiz, a.k.a. “PO/Podri”
[8] Thalia González-Van Tull
[9] Wilfredo Maldonado-De Jesús, a.k.a. “Marzan”
[10] Héctor I. López-Franceschi, a.k.a. “Ivancito/Ricitos”
[11] Johhy J. Figueroa-Mangual, a.k.a. “Jotta-Jotta”
[12] Erika M. Fernández-Miranda
[13] Christian J. Rivera-Caraballo
[14] Victor Pérez-Medina
[15] Bryan A. Serrano-Pérez
[16] Héctor R. Ortiz-Torres
[17] Jeremy Torres-Charbonier
If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI was in charge of the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit María L. Montañez-Concepción is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
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 San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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16 September 2026
Wilmington Man Arrested for Possession of More Than 400 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Wilmington man was arrested yesterday, September 15, 2026, on charges of possessing with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine.
On May 1, 2026, the New Castle County Police Department (NCCPD) and the FBI executed a search warrant at the apartment of Burtran Marshall, 49. When NCCPD officers entered the residence, Marshall jumped from a third-floor window, after which he was taken into custody. Inside the apartment, law enforcement located approximately 840 grams of fentanyl, around 450 grams of cocaine, marijuana, cash, and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
The indictment charges Marshall with knowingly possessing with the intent to distribute more than 400 grams of a mixture and substance of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), and knowingly possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). The indictment further alleges that Marshall has two prior federal convictions for “serious drug felonies” as defined by 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(1)(A). Due to that alleged criminal history, if convicted of the instant offense, Marshall faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace for the District of Delaware and FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul made the announcement. The FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force and New Castle County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Corey J. Hauser are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 26-cr-133-UNA.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Venezuelan National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced for Damaging Government VehicleRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Luis Nino-Moncada, 33, a Venezuelan national unlawfully residing in the United States, was sentenced today to the time he has served in custody since January 2026, approximately nine months, and one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $24,413 in restitution for damage to a government vehicle. Nino-Moncada will be deported.
According to court documents, Nino-Moncada entered the United States illegally around October 2022. He was ordered to appear at a removal hearing in Denver, Colorado, on November 21, 2024. Nino-Moncada failed to appear at the hearing and an immigration judge ordered his removal from the United States.
On January 8, 2026, Nino-Moncada drove a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with a female passenger into the parking lot of Adventist Health Portland. After Nino-Moncada parked, a Border Patrol agent parked his government vehicle behind the truck. Border Patrol agents exited their vehicles and surrounded the truck to arrest Nino-Moncada and the passenger because they were unlawfully in the country and eligible for removal. The female passenger was the primary target due to ties to a trans-national gang Tren de Aragua’s prostitution ring. Nino-Moncada, believing the agents were “ICE” agents, refused to comply with their lawful commands to exit the vehicle. Nino-Moncada instead forcefully drove the truck backwards, crashing into the government car. He then lurched his truck forward into the path of an officer and reversed again, severely damaging the law enforcement vehicle, before fleeing the scene.
As part of his plea agreement, Nino-Moncada admitted that his conduct placed others at risk of serious bodily injury and that he was conscious of or recklessly disregarded that risk. It was only after defendant struck the government car twice, within just a few feet of the officers’ positions, and with one officer in the path of the truck, that a government officer fired two shots at defendant. The car was declared a total loss, and defendant, as part of his plea agreement, agreed to pay restitution of over $24,000.
On July 28, 2026, Nino-Moncada pleaded guilty to the felony charge of depredation of federal property. As part of his plea agreement Nino-Moncada admitted he is subject to an Order of Removal and agrees not to contest his removal or file a habeas petition for release from immigration custody.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations. The United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon Appreciates Law Enforcement Partners in LEAP AwardsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Today, United States Attorney Scott E. Bradford presented awards to the Law Enforcement members who have supported cases and the Oregon community in 2025.
Today’s Law Enforcement and Agency Partner (LEAP) Awards recognize our partners in this work. It is due to the hard work of our law enforcement agencies in Oregon that we are able to bring charges, hold criminals accountable, and protect our communities. The officers and agents highlighted at the event are being honored for cases that include human trafficking, crimes against children, financial crimes, drug distribution resulting in death, and gang violence. These are crimes that harm not only the direct victims but our community as a whole.
“For those we honor today, this is a calling, not a profession or a job. They have devoted their lives and have sacrificed time with family and friends to protect our communities. The pursuit of justice is not confined to ordinary hours, and our work would be impossible without their steadfast commitment. The strength and success of our cases rests on the rigor and integrity of their investigations, and we extend our profound gratitude to our law enforcement partners whose unwavering service allows us to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect the rights of all citizens,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA, and SBA-OIG in Surge Takedown Exceeding $245M in COVID-era Loan FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has announced three cases that were part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
From June 12 to Sept. 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants and reaching approximately $245 million intended loss to American taxpayers.
“Unfortunately, many individuals saw the economic lifelines meant to help our small businesses as their chance for a cash grab,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “Those who lie, deceive, and con their way into obtaining stimulus funds for their personal benefit will be held accountable, and we owe it to every taxpayer to aggressively prosecute these shameless fraudsters.”
“Pandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns—not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications— but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners—to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.”
“This announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we’re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we’re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.”
In the Northern District of Ohio in July, Travius Holloway, 36, of Richmond Heights, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He obtained a fraudulent PPP loan for his production company in the amount of $121,865, along with $370,982 worth of fraudulent pandemic-era unemployment benefits, for a total intended loss of approximately $494,847. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 20 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A previously announced case in July charged a Lorain County mother and her two sons with conspiracy to defraud the IRS and pandemic-era programs of more than $5 million, including approximately $337,645 in fraudulent PPP loans. In August, Ralph Faulkner, 46, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was charged with obtaining multiple fraudulent PPP and Economic Injury Disaster loans for a purported vodka business. He has since pleaded guilty to causing a loss of approximately $485,541. He faces up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing date is yet to be set.
These cases are being investigated by:
- U.S. Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General
- Small Business Administration-Office of the Inspector General
- IRS-Criminal Investigations
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- FBI Cleveland Division
Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna Fasko, Stephanie Wojtasik, and Erica Barnhill are leading the prosecutions for the Northern District of Ohio.
An indictment, information, or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two Defendants Employed at L.A.-Area Homeless Nonprofits Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging Misuse of Millions of Taxpayer DollarsRead the Press Release
Law enforcement today arrested two defendants, out of three total, who have been charged in separate federal homelessness corruption and fraud cases, including a founder of a Culver City, California,-based nonprofit who allegedly misappropriated more than $7.5 million in taxpayer funds, and used this money for commercial real estate and to finance the construction of a nightclub and adjacent bingo hall.
Today’s enforcement action is the latest effort by the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force to investigate, combat, and prosecute fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption involving funds allocated toward the eradication of homelessness within the seven-county jurisdiction of the Central District of California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
“Today the Department of Justice, with the full force of the federal government, is announcing charges in a major fraud takedown targeting schemes that stole millions from programs meant to house California’s homeless,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “As alleged, Michael Young, through Home at Last, received more than $100 million in taxpayer funds and misappropriated more than $12 million, diverting that money into shell companies, real estate, and even a nightclub and bingo hall. That scheme is now halted in its tracks. My message to every fraudster who steals from the vulnerable is clear: We will track you down, bring charges where the evidence leads, and work relentlessly to reclaim every taxpayer dollar you stole.”
“These defendants are accused of systematically diverting over $12 million in taxpayer funds for personal gain – robbing hardworking American citizens and directly hurting the people those funds are intended to support,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and our interagency partners, fraud no longer has a safe haven in America. This FBI will act to hold those responsible accountable for their fraud – and today’s arrests demonstrate our continued commitment to protecting every dollar of taxpayer resources and ensuring that public funds are used exactly as intended.”
“Today’s arrests mark a major success for our Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force and this Administration’s commitment to protecting taxpayers,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “The scale and brazenness of these fraudsters expose a profound failure by the State of California and Los Angeles County to safeguard public funds. Millions intended to house the homeless allegedly financed private real estate, a nightclub, a bingo hall, and personal expenses. Taxpayers deserve accountability. We will follow the money, expose the corruption, and prosecute those who exploit the American people for personal gain.”
“Today’s actions reflect our commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring accountability of public funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The evidence uncovered by IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners reveals a deliberate scheme to defraud government programs designed to support vulnerable community members who are experiencing homelessness. We will continue to pursue those who steal from the public and hold them accountable.”
“Stealing from programs meant to feed, shelter, and support people experiencing homelessness isn’t just a financial crime – it’s an attack on the most vulnerable communities provided for by HUD programs,” said Acting Inspector General Brian D. Harrison of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG). “HUD-OIG is steadfast in pursuing those who exploit federal housing programs, and this case underscores the strength of our partnerships with law enforcement and prosecutors. Together, we protect taxpayer dollars and deliver justice for victims.”
The two defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
The three new criminal cases being announced today are described below, as well as a guilty plea in a previously charged case:
United States v. Young
Michael Young, 46, of Baldwin Hills, a founder of the Culver City-based nonprofit Home At Last (HAL), was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging he engaged in a years-long, complex scheme to defraud taxpayers and public entities providing funding for homeless housing. Some of the affected programs were administered by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the lead agency that coordinates housing and social services for the homeless in Los Angeles County.
Young is charged with wire fraud, a felony that carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Young used a web of shell corporations and fraudulent billing practices to misappropriate millions of dollars in taxpayer funds earmarked for homeless housing, including through programs administered by LAHSA.
Among other gross misuses of taxpayer money, Young spent more than $1 million to open and operate a high-end restaurant and nightclub in Inglewood called Six Seven Five Lounge.
Through numerous contracts with LAHSA and other public entities, Young received more than $118 million in public funds from LAHSA, the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. LAHSA alone paid HAL over $75 million for homeless housing services. Young allegedly used a sham vendor fraud to misappropriate more than $7.5 million of these funds.
Young lied repeatedly during the fraud, according to allegations in the complaint, claiming funds would be used for homeless housing or for vendors providing services for homeless housing, when he diverted large amounts of taxpayer money for personal use and unrelated businesses. He created sham vendors to hide self-dealing transactions, submitting fake bids, forged signatures, and fraudulent invoices to make it appear the sham vendors were legitimate, third-party companies, offering fair market services, when in reality, the vendors had no employees, no locations, no legitimate operations, and existed only to funnel public money back to Young.
Young allegedly controlled the sham vendors’ bank accounts and used millions in taxpayer funds for his personal enrichment, including spending millions for his lounge, luxury vacations, vintage car restorations, and commercial properties unrelated to homeless housing.
In June 2026, LAHSA cancelled its contracts with HAL.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kerry L. Quinn, Sarah E. Spielberger, and James C. Hughes (Major Frauds Section), and Tara Vavere (Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section) for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case.
United States v. Mitchell
Donye Mitchell, 55, also known as “Danya Mitchell,” of Orange, the CEO of a Los Angeles-based homelessness nonprofit, is charged in a federal criminal complaint alleging he was fraudulently awarded more than $1.2 million in grant money from a Los Angeles County-funded nonprofit.
Mitchell is charged with wire fraud, which carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He is considered a fugitive.
According to the complaint, Mitchell is the CEO and executive director of The Big Blue Umbrella (BBU), a Los Angeles-based nonprofit. In January 2024, Mitchell allegedly applied for over $9 million in grant money – and several months later was awarded over $1.2 million – from a separate nonprofit funded by the County of Los Angeles called Epidaurus, which does business as Amity Foundation, to provide housing and mental health services to vulnerable people.
The complaint alleges that Mitchell falsely claimed to Amity that BBU was a major homeless housing provider and misrepresented its work with Special Service for Groups (SSG), through its HOPICS division, a nonprofit administering large amounts of LAHSA funds, despite having no contract and previously displacing SSG clients by failing to pay rent.
After receiving grant funds from Amity Foundation, Mitchell allegedly lied about staffing and spending, instead using the money for personal expenses including inflated salary payments, paying his own bail bond costs, credit card debt, family transfers, rent, and PlayStation charges.
In May 2025, after Amity had disbursed approximately $315,000, it terminated BBU’s contract over concerns that Mitchell was misrepresenting his spending and failing to meet agreed-upon milestones.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Spielberger and Kerry L. Quinn (Major Frauds Section) and Juan M. Rodriguez (Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section) for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case.
United States v. Malone
Lakiya Malone, 48, of South Los Angeles and an employee of SSG, was arrested on a 21-count federal indictment accusing her of taking more than $180,000 in bribes and kickbacks from Alexander Soofer, the executive director of the nonprofit Abundant Blessings, who is separately charged and has agreed to plead guilty.
In exchange for the bribes and kickbacks, Malone allegedly provided priority referrals of homeless housing participants, including “ghost” participants who never lived at the sites.
Malone’s role at SSG involved referring homeless individuals to housing sites funded by HUD, LAHSA, and the City and County of Los Angeles. According to the indictment, Soofer paid her through checks made out to her and an entity she controlled, Grateful Hearts Realty & Consulting, disguising the payments as consulting fees. In reality, the payments were tied to the number of referrals Malone sent and to “ghost clients” whose files she helped fabricate with fake welcome letters, forged sign in sheets, and falsified eligibility forms.
Soofer allegedly received more than $17 million from SSG during the scheme, inflated substantially by these fraudulent referrals. Malone faces up to 20 years in prison per wire fraud count, 10 years per bribery count, and five years on the conspiracy charge.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kerry L. Quinn (Major Frauds Section) and Juan M. Rodriguez (Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section) for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case.
United States v. Soofer – Guilty Plea
Relatedly, Soofer has agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Soofer admitted in a plea agreement filed today to his role in the bribery scheme with Malone.
He further admitted that he obtained $23 million in public money intended to combat homelessness, at least some of which he admits he obtained through fraud, pocketing at least $2 million in taxpayer money for his own personal enrichment and for businesses unrelated to homeless housing.
Soofer has agreed to forfeit his ill-gotten gains to the U.S. government and is expected to plead guilty to the felony charges in the coming weeks.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kerry L. Quinn (Major Frauds Section), Juan M. Rodriguez (Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section), and Mariam Kaloustian and Thi Ho (Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section) for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and HUD-OIG are investigating these cases.
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tucson Man Charged with Theft of Deceased Mother's Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Ruffin Alford III, 48, of Tucson, Arizona, for Theft of Government Money. Alford is scheduled to appear in federal court on Sep. 25.
The indictment alleges that between October 2020 and August 2025, Alford III retained $104,013 in Social Security benefits issued to his deceased mother’s bank account.
A conviction for Theft of Government Money carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey Marasco and Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-04592-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-159_Alford# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.