Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
16 September 2026
To’Hajiilee Man Charged for Fatal 2021 BeatingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A To’Hajiilee man has been charged in a federal indictment alleging he beat a woman to death.
According to court documents, on September 17, 2021, Richard Tom, Jr., 37, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly beat Jane Doe to death.
Tom is charged with second degree murder and will remain in third party custody pending trial which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Tom faces up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the To’Hajiilee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tallahassee Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of MailRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Napeaches Shouetta Blair, 43, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of theft of mail by postal employee. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens should be able to trust that the mail they deposit with the U.S. Postal Service will be delivered quickly, securely, and efficiently, but this defendant’s reprehensible conduct violated that public trust and victimized numerous people as she enriched herself. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work by the USPS Inspector General and FDLE, and this successful prosecution by my office, we will ensure she is held fully accountable for her crimes.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant has been a United States Postal Service employee for approximately eight years. An investigation revealed that the defendant had stolen numerous gift cards from outgoing mail in her capacity as a Postal employee.
In December 2025, the defendant intercepted two envelopes containing gift cards while at work. The defendant removed the gift cards from the outgoing mail and then proceeded to use them at a store in Tallahassee and at a gas station in Quincy, Florida. Later, in July 2026, law enforcement observed the defendant open a letter, put $1,000 in her pocket, and placed the empty envelope in an outgoing mail tub. The defendant was placed under arrest, and law enforcement found the stolen $1,000 in the defendant’s pocket. Following the defendant’s arrest, law enforcement conducted a search of her vehicle. Numerous gift cards were recovered. According to court records, law enforcement successfully identified several victims who had sent the gift cards before their mail was intercepted by the defendant. The defendant was also captured on security footage at various locations using the stolen gift cards while still dressed in her Postal employee uniform.
Blair faces up to five years in prison for each count of theft of mail by a postal employee.
The case was jointly investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Takedown Dismantles Methamphetamine Conversion Lab; Three ArrestedRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Three individuals were charged today following a multi‑agency investigation that dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine conversion laboratory in Terra Bella in Tulare County, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Jose Diarte-Perez, 46, and Carlos Beltran-Ochoa, 27, both from Mexico and illegally residing in Terra Bella, are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and traffic methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Lamberto Elorza-Chavez, 39, of Mexico, illegally residing in Terra Bella, is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at a residence in Terra Bella. The investigative team encountered the three defendants and arrested them. During the search, the investigative team located cannisters of acetone, boxes of muriatic acid, propane tanks, blue 50-gallon drums, multiple coolers, and two large freezers. All of these items were being used to form a methamphetamine conversion laboratory. In all, they seized approximately 100 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, hundreds of gallons of methamphetamine in solution, approximately $600,000, and six firearms.
The Stanislaus County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Kern County HIDTA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlyn Tobin is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years and up to life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. If convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the defendants face minimum sentences of five years, consecutively, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, Elorza Chavez faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Photograph of igloos with liquid methamphetamine
Photograph of large tubs lined with trash bags containing methamphetamine residue
Photograph of stock pot containing methamphetamine residue
Photograph of IBC container containing methamphetamine in liquid form
Photograph of some U.S. currency found in home
Photographs of 50 gallon drums, propane tanks, stock pots, coolers, and acetone barrels, all of which are used to convert methamphetamine
Photograph of buckets, acetone buckets and coolers, all of which are used to convert methamphetamineStamford Man Receives Effective Sentence of More Than 18 Years in Prison for Role in Southwestern Connecticut Drug RingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAMION BAKER, also known as “Ray Ray,” 46, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 162 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and PCP in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. An investigation in 2024, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others orchestrated the street level distribution of narcotics through other members of the conspiracy. Investigators intercepted more than 5000 text messages and calls in which Canada coordinated his drug trafficking activities.
Baker and Canada were close associates who conspired to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, and PCP. Baker stored and packaged drugs at his Stamford residence on Hoyt Street, and also paid another individual to store drugs at their residence.
Baker, Canada, and other members of the conspiracy were arrested on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien, and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles.
A search of Baker’s residence revealed more than 300 grams of cocaine, a distribution quantity of fentanyl, a .38 caliber revolver, and $4,543 in cash.
At the time of Baker’s federal arrest he had been released on bond and awaiting sentencing in three state robbery cases. In August 2024, Baker was sentenced in state court to an effective sentence of 10 years of imprisonment for the three robberies.
Baker’s criminal history also includes state convictions for robbery and assault, and a federal crack cocaine trafficking conviction in 2010.
On December 17, 2025, Baker pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Judge Shea ordered a portion of Baker’s federal sentence to be served consecutively to his state sentences, giving Baker a total effective federal sentence of approximately 222 months of imprisonment.
Canada pleaded guilty and, on December 15, 2025, was sentenced to 110 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone.
St. Louis County Felon Admits Being Caught with Guns in Stolen Car After Shootout, ChaseRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from Berkeley, Missouri on Tuesday admitted being caught with two guns in a stolen car after a shootout and police chase last year.
Ja’Lon Pittman, 22, of Berkeley, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted being caught with a stolen AK-style pistol and a Glock pistol on July 28, 2025. Earlier that day, a man told the Columbia, Missouri police that Pittman had taken his Chrysler 300 without his permission, and possibly his watch and gun. The victim told officers that he located Pittman and during a confrontation, the two exchanged gunfire. Police notified the Missouri State Highway Patrol that Pittman may be heading to the St. Louis area, and troopers spotted him and tried to stop him on Interstate 70. Pittman sped away, driving in excess of 120 m.p.h. and weaving in and out of traffic before crashing near the Blanchette Bridge. Pittman ran away but was found hiding under a van in a nearby parking lot. Investigators found the victim’s Romarm Cugir Micro Draco pistol in the car and a Glock in a bag that Pittman discarded. Pittman was wearing the stolen watch.
The Columbia Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
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.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on September 15, 2026, United States District Court Judge Rebecca L. Pennell sentenced Shawn P. Sather to a total of 18 years in custody—15 years imposed after a plea of guilty to Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, and an additional 3 years imposed based on admissions to violations of the conditions of federal supervised release. Sather will also serve a lifetime of supervised release and will be required to pay $15,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act of 2018.
According to court documents and public proceedings, Sather has a long history of crimes related to child sexual abuse material. In 2001, Sather was discharged from the military after a conviction for receipt and possession of child pornography. Following a prison sentence in that case, Sather was again investigated for similar behavior. In 2011, a search warrant was executed twice at his residence in search of child sexual abuse material, ultimately resulting in federal charges and a federal conviction for Receipt of Child Pornography. He received a sentence of 120 months in federal prison and was released in 2019.
Following his release from that sentence, Sather was placed on federal supervised release. He violated those conditions on multiple occasions, resulting in short prison sentences. The investigation into the instant case arose when a probation officer received notification of suspicious internet activity on Sather’s phone, resulting in a search of Sather’s phone and other online accounts. Sather ultimately admitted to seeking out images of sexual abuse material during his entire time on federal supervision, including images of infants and young children.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Pennell rejected Sather’s argument that he had recently deleted images of child sexual abuse material because he had decided to change. Rather, Judge Pennell noted that Sather was likely attempting to hide the material, based on his decades-long pattern of accessing such images. Judge Pennell acknowledged the severity of Sather’s offenses, noting the significant impact these crimes have on vulnerable victims.
“Crimes against children are among the worst offenses in society,” stated Serrano. “Sather chose to victimize children for decades and persistently sought of images of sexual abuse. My office will aggressively protect our community by continually prosecuting individuals, like Sather, who seek to harm children. The sentence today reflects the extreme harm which individuals like Sather can cause.”
"Shawn Sather has demonstrated a pattern of criminal conduct across at least 25 years by repeatedly seeking out child exploitation material online,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “These thousands of images represent real children, and re-victimize them every time they are shared or copied. Tragically, Sather's actions have made it clear that the only way to stop his harmful behavior is yet another prison sentence. The FBI and our partners remain vigilant and determined to hold child predators accountable.”
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Spokane Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Perez.
2:25-CR-146-RLP; 2:11-CR-3-RLP.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the InternetRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief United States District Court Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on September 14, 2026.
Ryan Nigro, age 34, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, Nigro must register as a sex offender for 25 years.
Nigro was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. He was found guilty at a jury trial on June 4, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an undercover chat operation in which several law enforcement agencies worked together to identify individuals using the Internet to attempt to have sex with children. In this case, Nigro used the application Reddit to start a conversation with a person he believed was a 12-year-old girl. Nigro introduced the topic of sex into the conversation and asked the child to meet with him at a local hotel for sex. Nigro arrived at the hotel where he was arrested by law enforcement. The 12-year-old female persona was operated by a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Nigro was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Seven-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than 13 Years in Prison for Gas Station RobberyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for Hobbs Act Robbery of a gas station in Atalla, Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Joseph Lee Rainey, 35, of Munford, Alabama, to a total of 157 months in prison. Rainey pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“This sentence sends a clear message that violent offenders – particularly convicted felons who knowingly choose to disregard the law and commit violent crimes – will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their hard work and dedication to keeping the citizens of the Northern District of Alabama safe.”
“In this case, a multi-convicted felon committed a premeditated, terrifying act of violence and showed blatant disregard for human life,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet. “ATF, along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, remains committed to protecting our communities and confronting offenders such as these, swiftly bringing them to justice before they can commit other senseless, violent crimes.”
According to court documents, on August 20, 2025, Rainey entered the Marathon gas station in Attala, Alabama, took a drink from the cooler, and approached the cashier as if he were going to pay for it. When Rainey got to the register, he drew a gun and demanded the money in the register. The cashier complied and gave him nearly $500. On August 25, 2025, members of the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit found Rainey in Ohatchee, Alabama, during a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Rainey was a passenger. The driver of that vehicle stopped abruptly when officers tried to pull him over, and he jumped from the car. When he did, Rainey moved into the driver’s seat and sped away. The officers pursued Rainey in a high-speed chase across Calhoun County that ended when Rainey jumped out of the vehicle and ran. A short time later, officers found Rainey hiding in a wooded area. During their search of the vehicle, officers found a Taurus 9mm pistol, matching the gun used during the Marathon gas station robbery, and a cell phone. Rainey later admitted that firearm was the same one used during his Attalla robbery.
Rainey is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his six prior felony convictions that span from 2016 to 2024, in the Circuit Court of Calhoun County, Circuit Court of Talladega County, and Circuit Court of St. Clair County.
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 ATF investigated the case along with the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit and the Attalla Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney L. Plyler and Scott Woodard prosecuted the case.
Russian National Sentenced for Synthetic Identity Theft Fraud Scheme and Conspiring to Submit Fraudulent Voter RegistrationsRead the Press Release
Dmitry Shushlebin, 45, a Russian citizen living in Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced to six years in prison and three years of supervised release for organizing an identity theft fraud scheme that included efforts by the conspirators to submit fraudulent voter registrations.He was also ordered to pay $458,839.69 in restitution.
“Those who engage in fraud and deception in our election processes will be investigated and prosecuted,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “After arriving in the United States, Dmitry Shushlebin created sham companies to facilitate a multi-year financial fraud scheme. He used these companies to commit identity theft, which allowed him to create synthetic or fake identities that appeared real after they were used to submit over 100 false voter registrations.”
“Voting is one of the most significant rights and responsibilities Americans have,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to investigate threats to the integrity of our electoral process and prosecute those who engage in fraud or other means to violate our nation’s voting laws.”
“The FBI is committed to supporting our election security partners ensuring fraudulent schemes, like the defendant’s identity-theft scheme using fraudulent voter registration applications, never have a chance to succeed,” said Special Agent in Charge Rodney Crawford of the FBI Tampa Division. “We have the investigative tools and the strong partnerships to detect and disrupt these crimes.”
“Combatting fraud and identity theft are critical missions of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service” said Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to investigate those individuals who use the mail to enrich themselves at the expense of others.”
On July 24, 2025, the United States filed a four-count superseding information charging Shushlebin with conspiracy to give false information in registering to vote and submit fraudulent voter registrations, wire fraud, making false statements, and aggravated identity theft. Shushlebin pleaded guilty to all four counts on July 25, 2025.
According to court documents, Shushlebin hired Sanjar Jamilov, an Uzbekistani national, and others to submit more than 100 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in February and March 2023. One purpose of registering these fake voters was to create synthetic or fake identities that Shushlebin could use to commit financial fraud. Shushlebin used the fake identities to obtain fraudulent credit cards and loans. He perpetrated this scheme against the victim financial institutions hundreds of times using hundreds of different synthetic identities.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Acting Chief Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Schmidt for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Marcet for the Middle District of Florida and Public Integrity Section Trial Attorney Leo Wise provided substantial assistance with the investigation and prosecution.
Romanian Nationals Arraigned in Federal Court for Alleged Card-Skimming SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two Romanian nationals have been charged in a card-skimming scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Cosmin Vaduva, 37, and Elena Andree Caldarareasa, 33, with conspiracy to commit access device fraud (i.e., card fraud) and possession of device making equipment (commonly referred to as a “skimmer”).
“Skimmer fraud is rampant with losses in the United States alone reaching over $1 billion each year,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “It is a silent insidious theft that occurs by merely swiping a credit card at a point of sale without realizing that thieves have placed a data skimming device on the card machine. Nationwide the Department of Justice is pursuing the apprehension and ultimate conviction of skimmer thieves. I’m glad to see this indictment and look forward to the prosecution of Vaduva and Caldarareasa.”
“The Birmingham area is a target-rich environment for illegal skimmers. The high concentration of small, locally owned businesses in and around the city makes it easier for criminals to install these devices,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick Glaze of the Birmingham Field Office. “Illegal credit card skimming can have devastating financial ramifications on innocent, law-abiding citizens who are victimized by this insidious fraud. That is why the U.S. Secret Service has devoted significant resources toward combatting this criminal effort. I want to commend all of our Federal, state and local partners who helped us with this operation.”
According to the indictment, the defendants installed skimmers at three businesses located in Jefferson County. The alleged incidents occurred on February 24 and 25, 2026. On March 12, 2026, the defendants were arrested in Grenada County, Mississippi. Mississippi law enforcement officers seized skimmers, approximately 15 counterfeit cards, and more than $10,000 in cash.
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 United States Secret Service investigated the case along with the Birmingham Cyber Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Cross and John B. Ward are prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Richmond men sentenced to prison for “card cracking” and stolen mailRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men were sentenced for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of stolen mail.
According to court documents, from May 2023 through April 2024, Tremont Hancock, 25, and Olden Ellerbe III, 27, conspired with other individuals to steal U.S. mail, sometimes using stolen USPS “arrow” keys, which unlock all Postal Service collection boxes in a given geographic area. Ellerbe and Hancock obtained the personal and financial information of numerous victims through these mail thefts and utilized it to fraudulently withdraw funds from those victims’ accounts at local banking institutions.
Hancock and Ellerbe targeted victims’ financial accounts through a variety of means, including the creation of fictitious checks drafted on the victims’ bank accounts; using stolen debit and/or credit cards to withdraw funds from the victims’ bank accounts; and applying for loans in the names of victims, then withdrawing the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds with the victims’ stolen debit cards.
On Nov. 15, 2023, during a spree of five withdrawal transactions totaling $84,000 from victims’ accounts, law enforcement officers confronted Hancock and Ellerbe following the final transaction. Officers arrested Ellerbe after a brief pursuit and found him in possession of stolen mail, $59,940 in cash, 83 stolen checks with a total face value of $153,630.83, nine stolen credit or debit cards, six stolen U.S. Saving Bonds with a total value of $5,000, and a handgun. In Ellerbe’s rental car, officers found another stolen debit card, a counterfeit driver’s license, and more stolen mail.
Ellerbe pled guilty on Feb. 16, 2024, and was sentenced on Aug. 19, 2024, to three years in prison. Hancock pled guilty on Dec. 4, 2025, and was sentenced today to five years and six months years in prison.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Day 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. 3:25cr-153.
Reno Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
RENO – A Reno man pleaded guilty Tuesday to receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors.
“The exploitation and abuse of children captured in these images represents an unimaginable harm to the most vulnerable among us,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The acquisition and possession of child sexual abuse material fuels a destructive cycle of re-victimization. Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to working with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who traffic in these horrific materials.”
“Crimes involving the receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material are among the FBI’s most disturbing investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Those who receive, possess, or distribute such material perpetuate the ongoing exploitation of children, fueling cycles of abuse and re-victimization that can last a lifetime. FBI Las Vegas, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to protect innocent children, identify child predators, and bring offenders to justice.”
According to court documents, from November 16, 2021, to June 20, 2023, Luis Caceres received and possessed child sexual abuse material including prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Caceres faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 15, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne R. Traum. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force which includes the FBI, Washoe County Sherrif’s Office, Sparks Police Department, and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Isaiah Pushia-Keith, 26, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Pushia-Keith pleaded guilty before Judge Reggie B. Walton to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Walton scheduled sentencing for March 17, 2027.
According to court documents, Metropolitan Police officers responded to a report of an assault in the vicinity of 214 Jefferson Street NW on May 10, 2025. A woman met officers and reported Pushia-Keith assaulted her and that she had left her phone at the location of the assault. The woman was able to track the location of her phone, which led police to a Safeway at 3830 Georgia Avenue NW. There, Pushia-Keith was located and detained by law enforcement. The defendant informed officers that he had the woman’s phone. The defendant was wearing a black cross-body satchel, and he confirmed to police that he was carrying a ghost gun with no serial number. Officers retrieved the firearm and removed the loaded 12-round, high-capacity magazine containing six live rounds.
Photograph of the satchel bag containing the firearm and magazine. The magazine was detached from the magazine well and protruding from the bag in this photograph.
Photographs of the firearm with the parts of a machine gun conversion device removed from inside the satchel.
Pushia-Keith has a previous 2024 felony conviction in Alexandria, VA, making it unlawful for him to possess any firearm.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf and Charles Klug.
25-cr-0196
President of Environmental Company Sentenced to More Than Six and a Half Years in Prison for Leaving Asbestos at Suburban Chicago Demolition SiteRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced the president of an environmental services company to more than six and a half years in federal prison for knowingly leaving asbestos at a suburban Chicago demolition site after accepting full payment for the purported remediation.
CARL FIORAVANTI is the president of Alliance Environmental Control, Inc., a Lansing, Ill.-based company that performs asbestos removal services. In 2023, Alliance was hired to remove asbestos-containing materials ahead of a planned demolition of a largely abandoned medical campus in Waukegan, Ill. The owner of the site agreed to pay Alliance nearly $1.8 million to remove the asbestos-containing materials in accordance with laws designed to prevent people from breathing or ingesting airborne asbestos fibers, which have been shown to cause lung cancer and other serious illnesses. During the purported remediation, Fioravanti fabricated air-sampling clearance reports that fraudulently stated that the site had been scientifically tested and was clear of asbestos. Two months after Fioravanti certified the project as fully remediated, the property owner learned that Alliance had left enormous amounts of asbestos-containing materials throughout portions of the site.
Substantial amounts of the toxic materials had become commingled with ordinary demolition debris, releasing asbestos into the air and substantially increasing the remediation costs. To date, the owner has spent more than $26 million on large-scale remediation of the property.
In addition to the asbestos-related fraud, Fioravanti also defrauded the IRS and the State of Illinois of more than $2.7 million in combined tax revenues by causing a tax preparer to file false individual and corporate income tax returns that greatly understated the amount of income Alliance and Fioravanti had earned from 2013 to 2022.
Fioravanti, 58, of Lansing, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal wire fraud and tax charges. On Sept. 10, 2026, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama sentenced Fioravanti to six years and eight months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Allison Landsman, Acting Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID); Robert J. Kuszynski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) in Chicago; and Ryan Whalen, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Chapman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Cardick.
“Environmental fraud causes substantial damage to the health, safety, and economic security of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “When individuals falsify emissions reports or fabricate safety data, they are trading public welfare for illicit profit. As this case demonstrates, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will work hard with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who commit environmental frauds.”
“By falsely certifying that asbestos at an old hospital site had been properly abated, the defendant ensured that piles of friable asbestos wrongly remaining were cast about during demolition, contaminating the entire site and endangering workers and the community members,” said EPA CID Acting Director Landsman. “Fraud under environmental programs does more than financial harm—it places real humans in danger and poisons communities. This sentencing underscores that there are criminal consequences for those who deliberately cut corners that endangers human health and the environment.”
“Workers trusted that a hidden danger had been removed before they entered that building,” said IRS-CI Acting SAC Kuszynski. “The paperwork said the site was safe, but the physical and financial evidence told another story. Our agents followed the payments and tax records to help show what was concealed, who profited, and the human cost of putting money ahead of people.”
“Carl Fioravanti placed workers, families, and the environment at risk of exposure to asbestos by falsely claiming that enormous amounts of asbestos-containing material had been removed and disposed of when he knew that it had not,” said HUD OIG SAC Jindra. “This was not an oversight or a mistake; it was a deliberate scheme that placed personal financial gain above the safety of others. HUD OIG remains committed to working with the U.S Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners to hold bad actors accountable and bring to justice those who exploit federal programs and endanger the public for personal gain.”
“This environmental fraud scheme was a purposeful attack on public safety, putting innocent Americans and their health at risk,” said FBI SAC Whalen. “This sentencing confirms that the FBI, along with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, are committed to defending our homeland, which includes the very environment that surrounds the communities we serve. Anyone who endangers the health and safety of Chicago’s residents for unlawful profit will be fully held accountable and be brought swiftly to justice.”
One Woman Sentenced and Another Pleads Guilty in COVID-19 Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, McCayla Myers, 27, of Charleston, was sentenced to one year of federal probation and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined for aiding and abetting theft of government money and Elizabeth Wells, 36, formerly of Cabin Creek, pleaded guilty to theft of public money, property, or records. Each woman admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about April 22, 2021, through on or about May 22, 2021, Myers provided her personal information to another individual to apply for and obtain four PPP loans, each for $20,833.00, through fraud. Two of the loan applications falsely claimed those loans were for an automotive repair business, and the other two falsely claimed those were for a delivery service business.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible essential expenses. As part of her guilty plea, Myers admitted that she knowingly defrauded the PPP program, that she did not own or operate the businesses listed on the loan applications, and that she did not have payroll or other qualifying business expenses at that time. Myers further admitted that she spent the PPP loan proceeds on clothing, firearms, vacations, and other personal expenses while knowing that none of these purchases were eligible expenses.
Myers also admitted that she sought to have one of the $20,833 loans forgiven on or about December 16, 2022, by falsely claiming that she had spent $19,000 of the proceeds on payroll.
Wells admitted that a PPP loan application was submitted on her behalf on March 20, 2021, alleging that she operated a business under her name and earned a gross annual income of $106,600. The application was approved and $20,833.00 in loan proceeds was deposited into Wells’ personal bank account. As part of her guilty plea, Wells admitted that she did not own any business and had not earned the income alleged on the application. Wells further admitted that she had no legitimate reason to receive the PPP loan, and that she spent the proceeds on personal expenses not allowed by the loan program.
Wells, who now lives in Sumter, South Carolina, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Wells also owes $23,637.22 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG).
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman prosecuted the cases.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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 Nos. 2:26-cr-53 (Myers) and 2:26-cr-54 (Wells) .
###
Ohio man sentenced to eight years in prison for $1.9M fraudulent construction schemeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – An Ohio man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for wire fraud relating to a scheme to bid for construction projects for which he was not licensed and divert payments for his own gain.
According to court documents, Matthew Paul Taylor, aka Matt Wolfe, 49, of Fairborn, incorporated and formed business entities in dozens of states and used these entities primarily in the construction industry, where he held himself out as a licensed general contractor for construction projects across the United States.
Between January 2020 and February 2023, Taylor successfully bid for contracts for business construction projects in several states. Taylor concealed his lack of status as a licensed contractor by fraudulently using the licensing credentials of other businesses. Taylor forged notary stamps, presented fabricated certificates and lien waivers, and made false representations to receive payments for projects. He made lulling payments, if any, to subcontractors or offered false explanations for lack of payment, such as that he had not received payment. In truth, Taylor diverted payments he received for contract work and instead used the funds for his personal benefit. Taylor also knowingly made misrepresentations to regulators to conceal his fraud.
Taylor was ordered to pay $1,936,882.22 in restitution.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mack Coleman and Brian J. Samuels 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. 4:25-cr-35.
Ohio Man Sentenced to More than 6 Years in Prison for Cyberstalking Three WomenRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for making extremely violent and graphic threats that terrorized three women on social media platforms.
Logan Stanford, of Shelby, Ohio, was sentenced to 78 months (6.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty in June to three counts each of :
- Cyberstalking
- Threatening Interstate Communications
Stanford was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence which includes a provision that prohibits him from internet usage.
According to the indictment, throughout about a three-year period, Stanford harassed, stalked, intimidated, and threatened three separate female victims online. Some of the victims had never even met Stanford. He would reach out to the women via various social media platforms, using mostly fake names. Although the women blocked the unwanted communications, Stanford would respond by opening new accounts under different, fictitious names to continue to harass and threaten them. His communications included multiple threats to violently kill the women.
This case was investigated by the FBI Mansfield Resident Agency.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report cyberstalking, visit stalkingawareness.org/what-to-do-if-you-are-being-stalked/.
Oglala Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Shooting on the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Second Degree Murder. The sentencing took place on September 14, 2026.
Teldon Kills Small, 19, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kills Small was indicted for Second Degree Murder, Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 9, 2026.
On the evening of November 29, 2025, Kills Small and others were consuming alcohol to excess. The male victim told Kills Small and others with Kills Small that they needed to leave. Kills Small discharged nine rounds from his firearm, striking the male victim seven times in the chest and torso, as well as a juvenile female victim who was nearby. This all occurred on the male victim’s mother’s exterior porch. The victim died on scene and the female sustained bodily injury to her arm. The defendant fled the residence and was later apprehended in Rapid City.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Kills Small was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Norris Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Norris, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on September 14, 2026.
Chauncy Crow Dog, age 32, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Crow Dog was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 9, 2026.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in an area of Mellete County, South Dakota, that is part of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On the evening of October 16, 2024, Crow Dog was at a residence in the Corn Creek Community when he observed two men fighting outside. Crow Dog exited the residence, picked up a shovel, and struck one of the men in the face with it, causing a broken jaw.
This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be
prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Crow Dog was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Norridgewock Woman Sentenced for Maintaining a Drug-Involved PremisesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Norridgewock woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for maintaining a drug-involved premises.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Jiamin Liao, 32, to six months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Liao pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.
According to court records, between December 2022 and March 2024, Liao operated a marijuana grow at a residence in Madison. Starting in November 2023, Liao owned a second property in Norridgewock that she used to store the marijuana grown at the Madison location. On March 25, 2024, investigators executed state search warrants at both locations. At the Madison location, agents seized 551 marijuana plants. At the Norridgewock location, agents seized approximately 30 pounds of processed marijuana and $39,625 in U.S. currency. Liao was not licensed to grow marijuana by the Office of Cannabis Policy.
The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
###
Nigerian National Arrested for Unlawfully Voting in 2022 Midterm ElectionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nigerian national residing in Lynn, Mass. has been arrested and charged with illegally voting in the 2022 midterm elections. Defendant also allegedly voted in the 2024 Presidential primary election.
Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, is charged with unlawfully voting as an alien. The defendant was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the charging documents, Okafor is a citizen of Nigeria who was born in Aba, Nigeria. Okafor obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but is not a U.S. citizen and has not applied for U.S. citizenship.
In July 2022, Okafor allegedly submitted a voter registration card, signing her name under a certification which provided “I AM A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES … Signed under penalty of perjury.” The City of Lynn subsequently registered her to vote, and Okafor allegedly voted in the midterm elections that fall.
It is further alleged that Okafor submitted a second voter registration form in October of 2023, checking the “U.S. Citizen” box and signing under the U.S. citizen certification. Okafor allegedly voted in the 2024 presidential primary election.
The charge of unlawful voting as an alien provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. The defendant may be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within federal benefit programs.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Murdo Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Murdo, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on September 14, 2026.
Dane Menard, age 20, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Menard was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 15, 2026.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in an area of Mellette County, South Dakota, that is part of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On March 15, 2025, Menard struck the victim, an adult male, with his vehicle in the driveway of a residence near White River, South Dakota. The victim was hospitalized with injuries that included a broken arm and broken ankle.
This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Menard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Monroe Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession; Two Others Also SentencedRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On September 8, 2026, Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced three defendants to federal prison in separate federal firearm cases.
Judge Doughty sentenced Jason C. Turner, 46, of Monroe, to 78 months in federal prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, followed by three years of supervised release.
Judge Doughty also sentenced Colten McClain, 31, of Pioneer, to 57 months in federal prison for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon followed by three years of supervised release.
Finally, Judge Doughty sentenced Zavion J. Hundley, 33, of Monroe, to 37 months in federal prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon followed by three years of supervised release.
All three men had previously pled guilty to their respective charges.
“These sentences reflect our Office’s commitment through the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program to reducing violent crime in Northeast Louisiana by getting dangerous felons illegally possessing guns off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “We will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute offenders who illegally possess firearms to make our communities safer in the Western District.”
TURNER
According to court documents, on November 4, 2024, Monroe Police Department (MPD) officers observed a verbal argument in the parking lot of a gas station on MLK Drive. When officers arrived, the defendant had already left in a white Ford Explorer. A witness informed officers that the vehicle was often seen at a nearby apartment complex. Officers located the Explorer and detained Turner. During the encounter, officers detected a strong odor of marijuana from the vehicle and conducted a search. They located a small amount of marijuana and a loaded SCCY CPX‑2 9mm pistol in the rear seat. The firearm matched witness descriptions from the gas station. Turner admitted possessing the firearm. ATF later confirmed the pistol was a functional weapon. Turner had a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
MCCLAIN
According to court documents, on August 25, 2025, a Louisiana State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 65 in Tallulah. McClain was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. The trooper observed a Diamondback AR‑15 rifle and .223 ammunition on the rear floorboard of the vehicle. Law enforcement later test‑fired the rifle and confirmed it was a functional weapon. McClain had prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
HUNDLEY
According to court documents, on October 21, 2025, deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) observed Hundley riding a bicycle in the dark and against the flow of traffic. When deputies attempted a traffic stop, Hundley fled into a ditch and then into a tree‑line area before running behind a nearby residence. Deputies detained Hundley and conducted a lawful search. Deputies found a 9mm hollow‑point round in Hundley’s pocket. Nearby in the tree line, in the same location where Hundley had slowed during the pursuit, deputies located a tan Taurus G3 9mm pistol wrapped in a black face mask. Hundley is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
MPD, Louisiana State Police, OPSO, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated these cases.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Frank Moody, Earl M. Campbell, and Allison Colomb Foster, with assistance from Legal Assistant Stephanie Stewart and Paralegal Specialist Emily Favrot.
This case was prosecuted as 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.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer under the relevant case numbers: 3:26‑cr‑00187‑01 (Turner); 3:26‑cr‑00090 (McClain); 26‑00140 (Hundley).
###
CONTACT: Public Affairs: USALAW-News@usdoj.gov
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
Cara Alexander: (337) 262-6704
Missouri Man Who Possessed AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material Sentenced to 18 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man who possessed child sexual abuse material, including images generated by AI, was sentenced Wednesday to 18 years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark also ordered Michael A. Huseman, 32, to pay $23,000 in restitution to five identified victims. Huseman possessed over 22,000 files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on two cell phones and two laptops. Investigators also found 6,000 anime files depicting children being sexually abused and well as over 400 files of AI-generated CSAM. Included among the CSAM are about 201 files depicting child abuse victims who have been identified by law enforcement.
Huseman also told someone to delete almost 5,000 social media communications that Judge Clark said were likely not favorable to his case.
Huseman, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receiving child pornography.
The Manchester Police Department, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group of Greater St. Louis and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Leading Multi-Million Dollar Money Laundering Conspiracy in Connection with HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal-prison term, today, in connection with his role in a multi-million-dollar money laundering scheme.
Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Adanegbe “Gift” Osemwenkhae, 41, of Upper Marlboro, to eight years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for money laundering. Judge Maddox also ordered Osemwenkhae to pay $20,851,940.80 in restitution. In April 2025, Osemwenkhae pled guilty to serving as a manager and supervisor of the large, multi-member, money laundering conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG). This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud along with the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).
According to court documents, beginning in 2020, and continuing until February 2024, Osemwenkhae conspired with multiple individuals to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud. The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the conspiracy.
Osemwenkhae supervised and exercised significant managerial control over the money laundering conspiracy and facilitated the laundering of more than $20 million in stolen proceeds from at least 15 different victims. The victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others.
As supervisor, Osemwenkhae used and controlled several different encrypted electronic communication accounts to supervise and manage the money laundering conspiracy. Osemwenkhae directed and worked with members of the conspiracy to create limited liability companies to serve as shell entities; open bank accounts and/or cause bank accounts to be opened in the name of their shell entity; and receive and launder fraud proceeds. He also helped coordinate the flow of fraudulent proceeds through various bank accounts and determine how to split funds between each member of the conspiracy as payment for their role in the conspiracy.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland charged 14 defendants in two different cases in connection with the money laundering conspiracy with 13 pleading guilty and receiving federal-prison sentences. Faizou Gnora, 29, previously of Alexandria, Virginia, remains a fugitive from justice. The Office also charged other co-conspirators in additional cases.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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 Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI-led Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, and thanked IRS-CI and EPA-OIG for their work in the investigation, and praised the Anne Arundel County, Queen Anne’s County Sherriff’s Office, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Bijon A. Mostoufi, who prosecuted the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber, for her assistance.
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.
# # #
Maryland Fugitive Sentenced to 115 Months on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A wanted fugitive out of Maryland, who led police on a 115-mph high-speed car chase through a work zone on Interstate 81 before crashing into the median, was sentenced yesterday to 115 months in federal prison on federal drug and gun charges.
Corey Frances Potter, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pled guilty in June 2026 to one count of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“This sentence should send a clear message to any fugitive from justice who seeks refuge in the Western District of Virginia,” First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “I commend the Roanoke City Police, the Virginia State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding work on this case.”
“Every arrest like this is a win for public safety. Our determination ensures that those who try to evade justice are brought back to face it — protecting the peace our community deserves,” said Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
According to court documents, in February 2026, Potter was a known fugitive traveling north on Interstate 81 from Roanoke, Virginia, towards Winchester, Virginia. When Potter entered Rockingham County, Virginia, law enforcement pulled behind the defendant’s vehicle and turned on their lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop.
Rather than pull over, Potter sped up to evade law enforcement, eventually hitting a tractor trailer’s front tire, spinning out, striking a pick-up truck, and rolling over into the median.
Law enforcement retrieved various items from the crash scene, including a backpack that belonged to Potter, which contained two firearms, various magazines, and significant amounts of ammunition. Law enforcement also found inside the vehicle approximately 13.7 ounces of cocaine, bags of white pills, another firearm, $14,755, and a fraudulent Drug Enforcement Administration credential.
Potter’s criminal history shows that he was convicted in 2015 of two felony charges in Pennsylvania, both involving fleeing from, or attempting to elude, law enforcement.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia State Police investigated the case with assistance from the City of Roanoke Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cagle Juhan is prosecuting the case.
Martin Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor on the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Martin, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on September 14, 2026.
Austin Starr, 33, was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Starr will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Starr was indicted for two counts Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 9, 2026.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Starr was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Man Found Guilty of Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kan. man was found guilty by a federal judge of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence on Sep. 14, 2026.
According to court records, Van Calvin Callahan, Jr., 46, assaulted an individual at a bus stop near East 3rd Street and Grand Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo. During the assault, Callahan stole a firearm from the victim. As an off-duty police officer from the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department drove by, he observed the assault and attempted to intervene. Callahan then pointed the stolen firearm at the off-duty officer and moved towards the officer and his vehicle. The off-duty officer ran to safety as Callahan stole the vehicle.
Using a tracking device, the stolen vehicle was located in Kansas City, Kan., shortly after it was taken. When officers with the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department attempted to stop the vehicle, Callahan fled. Ultimately, the stolen vehicle wrecked into a house, and Callahan was taken into custody after a foot chase.
Callahan was later charged in a five-count indictment. On Sept. 1, 2026, he pleaded guilty to stealing a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Callahan proceeded to a bench trial on the two remaining counts, carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and was found guilty of those offenses at the conclusion of the trial.
Callahan faces a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison for stealing a firearm and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle and a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison for carjacking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Callahan also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in federal prison for brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The sentence for that crime must also run consecutive to any other sentence Callahan receives. These statutory penalties are provided for informational purposes only. The court will determine the final sentence based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 25, 2027.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alec Guy for the Western District of Missouri. The investigation was conducted by the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
MTV Star and Former Childhood Actor Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who previously appeared on hit sit-coms such as MTV’s Wild ‘N Out, 30 Rock, That’s So Raven, and Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, as well as playing “Ronnie Shields” in the movie Role Models, was sentenced today to more than 2 years in federal prison.
Bobbe Thompson, age 30, from Kansas City, Missouri, received the prison term after an April 28, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed that on September 22, 2025, law enforcement observed a vehicle, being driven by Thompson, driving 104 mph, in a 70-mph zone in Cerro Gordo County. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and as the officer was exiting his vehicle, he observed Thompson and the passenger switching seats. The odor of marijuana was also emitting from the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a backpack belonging to Thompson that contained multiple bags of dispensary-bought marijuana, and a .40 caliber handgun that was fully loaded with a 15-round magazine, and a round in the chamber. The firearm had been reported stolen from a vehicle in Kansas City, Missouri.
Thompson’s criminal history includes acts of violence, including a 2020 conviction for battery with serious bodily injury and a 2020 conviction assault with force (possibly resulting in great bodily injury). His criminal history also includes a 2022 conviction for prohibited possession of a firearm.
Thompson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Thompson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-3001.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Liability for Unregistered Foreign AgentsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice would like to remind the public of federal laws that require individuals to register as foreign agents when they act in the United States at the direction or control of a foreign government or foreign principal, and that they will face civil and criminal liability if they fail to do so.
The Department recognizes and protects the First Amendment rights of those who seek to express their opinions publicly. The Department will not take action to inhibit anyone’s constitutionally protected right to free speech and free expression. Nor will any decisions be illegitimately influenced by anyone’s political associations, activities, or beliefs.
At the same time, the Department is committed to upholding the rule of law and keeping our country safe against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. It does so by holding to account those who violate federal law. Two such federal laws — the Foreign Agents Registration Act, known as FARA, and 18 U.S.C. § 951 — impose disclosure or notification obligations when a person acts in the United States as an agent of a foreign principal or foreign government. These obligations aid in stopping foreign governments or their representatives from using undisclosed agents, intermediaries, false affiliations, covert funding, or other deceptive activities to illegally influence public debate, suborn sedition, or interfere with official proceedings.
Both citizens and noncitizens are reminded that anyone who violates FARA or § 951 may face federal civil or criminal liability. If a person acts as an agent of any foreign power to carry out any public activity, including (but not limited to) public demonstrations designed to further the propaganda or other goals of the foreign power, he or she must register with or notify the appropriate federal authorities. Failure to do so may result in significant civil or criminal sanctions, up to and including a maximum of five years in prison.
More information about FARA is available from the Department’s FARA Unit. Individuals with questions about potential obligations under FARA or 18 U.S.C. § 951 should consult legal counsel or seek an Advisory Opinion from the Department’s FARA Unit under 28 C.F.R. § 5.2. Members of the public who believe they have information about undisclosed foreign government direction or control may contact the FBI or their local U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Lehigh County Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegal VotingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Evelyn Miller, 37, of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, a Philippine citizen lawfully residing in the U.S., pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott M. Reid to illegally voting in the 2024 general election. Under both federal and state law, only U.S. citizens may vote in Pennsylvania.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16 and faces a maximum possible sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, a $100,000 fine, and a $25 special assessment.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI.
Justice Department Sues San Jose for Unconstitutional $1600 Firearm Permit FeeRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department filed suit against the City of San Jose, California, and the San Jose Police Department for charging private individuals unreasonable fees to exercise their Second Amendment right to lawfully carry a firearm. At nearly $1,600 per license, the City’s application fee to carry a firearm is the highest in the nation. Indeed, San Jose’s fee towers over those imposed by the country’s biggest cities. New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago all charge a small fraction of San Jose’s fee. The Supreme Court has held that “exorbitant fees” such as San Jose’s violate the Second Amendment because they deny ordinary citizens their right to carry firearms for self-defense.
"All law-abiding Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms for self‑defense. This right is not a luxury reserved for a privileged few, but a fundamental element of our republic,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “You don’t need a law degree to recognize that charging a fee several times higher than the cost of the firearm itself is illogical, and an unconstitutional attempt to impede Americans’ Second Amendment rights."
The Civil Rights Division’s Second Amendment Section enforces the Second Amendment, the Police Pattern or Practice Act (34 U.S.C. § 12601), and Executive Order 14206. If you are a current or prospective gun owner and believe that a state or local government has infringed your right to keep or bear arms, please submit a complaint through https://www.justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
Jury Convicts Mexican Citizen for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An illegal alien was found guilty by a federal jury for illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed from the United States.
Amador Salinas-Rodriguez, 47, was found guilty of one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien.
On April 7, 2026, the federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Salinas-Rodriguez with illegal reentry after removal. On April 24, 2026, officers with the Columbia Police Department arrested Salinas-Rodriguez on a federal arrest warrant issued with the indictment.
The evidence at trial established that on Aug. 1, 1999, Salinas-Rodriguez entered the United States at a border crossing at Nogales, Ariz., using another person’s border crossing card. Federal agents discovered Salinas-Rodriguez’s deception and removed him back to Mexico. After that removal, Salinas-Rodriguez was found in Columbia, Mo., in February 2025 and again in February 2026, without having obtained the consent of the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission into the United States.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., returned a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial beginning Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026.
Under federal statutes, Salinas-Rodriguez is facing up to two years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Komoroski and Ashley Turner. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Jamestown man arrested on meth charge following Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Koran Leeper, 54, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
According to the complaint, on April 30, 2026, Jamestown Police officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Leeper was riding in. During the stop, the officers observed an unusual amount of a crystal-like substance on Leeper’s chest and legs. When questioned about it by one of the officers, Leeper stated it was cigarette ash. However, the officer did not believe that the substance was fully cigarette ash, but instead an illegal drug. Officers attempted to search the vehicle, but the driver declined. Officers did observe what they believed to be loose crack cocaine on the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat in plain view. Officers also observed the corner of a ripped off baggie containing a white powdery residue. Believing that the driver and Leeper were in possession of controlled substances, officers conducted a search of the vehicle and located a clear container with the residue of a white powdery substance, as well as a glass smoking device. The driver and Leeper were taken into custody. Officers then located a plastic bag containing a large amount of a crystal-like substance in Leeper’s left pocket and a plastic bag containing a white powder-like substance in his right pocket.
Leeper made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
This investigation was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, ATF, IRS Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Emergency Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, the DEA, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster.
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.
# # # #
Jackson County Postal Employee Sentenced for Delay or Destruction of MailRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Stacy Michelle Braxton, 39, of Marianna, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker to 59 days of incarceration and two years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to one count of delay or destruction of mail. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens rely upon the mail to be delivered quickly, securely, and efficiently, and this postal carrier’s reprehensible violation of the public trust placed in her to fulfill that duty deserves serious punishment. I applaud the excellent work of the USPS Inspector General to identify, investigate, and hold accountable this criminal behavior by a postal carrier. My office will aggressively prosecute crimes impacting our U.S. mail system to ensure our citizens can continue to trust the reliability of our postal service.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant was a rural mail carrier for the Greenwood Post Office in Jackson County, Florida. In February 2026, law enforcement recovered 498 pieces of mail from the defendant’s mail route that were discarded in a burn barrel in Marianna, Florida. The defendant admitted to investigators that she attempted to discard and burn the mail from her route rather than delivering the mail to the designated recipients.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Illegal alien from Guatemala sentenced to over six years in prison for immigration and child sexual abuse crimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Falls Church was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and illegally reentering the United States following a prior removal.
According to court documents, Roni Mendez Escobar, 33, has been removed from the United States three times since a final a final order of removal dated Aug. 24, 2015. On Oct. 23, 2025, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Mendez Escobar had been detained at the Fairfax Detention Center.
A forensic review of Mendez Escobar’s electronic devices revealed his collection of 46 images and 65 videos containing CSAM. Mendez Escobar used WhatsApp to encourage others to consume CSAM and chat and video-call young girls. Mendez Escobar also used WhatsApp to distribute CSAM, including depictions of the sexual abuse and exploitation of prepubescent children. Mendez Escobar intentionally and repeatedly viewed, downloaded, and possessed images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct from at least October 2024 to August 2025.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Robert Guadian, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Washington, D.C., comprises agents and officers from Enforcement and Removal Operations; FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
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. 26-cr-95.
Illegal alien charged with providing material support to Gulf Cartel—a foreign terrorist organizationRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old Mexican national has been indicted for allegedly providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Jose Flores-Flores of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, remains in custody following his arrest. A federal grand jury returned the superseding indictment, and he is expected to appear for arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker in the near future.
“Thanks to President Trump designating certain cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, federal law enforcement now has a whole new arsenal of legal tools to dismantle their activities,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “Flores-Flores in just one defendant today. But under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Blanche, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas is on the very forefront of Making America Safe Again through the destruction and dismantling of these terrorist cartels.
According to the charges, authorities encountered Flores-Flores near Mission July 10. A records check allegedly revealed authorities had previously removed him from the United States earlier this year.
The indictment further alleges Flores-Flores was an active member of the Gulf Cartel for more than a year. He allegedly provided services including personnel, regional protection and enforcement, law enforcement countersurveillance, and disposal of human remains.
Flores-Flores allegedly worked nights maintaining an assigned sector in Reynosa. He also conducted countersurveillance against the Mexican military and law enforcement.
According to the indictment, Flores-Flores received names or photographs of individuals targeted for kidnapping. He allegedly kidnapped those individuals and delivered them to higher-ranking cartel members.
The indictment also alleges Flores-Flores dismembered at least two victims on the outskirts of Reynosa after they ran afoul of the Gulf Cartel.
The United States designated the Gulf Cartel, also known as Cartel del Golfo, as a foreign terrorist organization Feb. 20, 2025. According to the Department of State, the northeast Mexico-based cartel is involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling, and other illicit activities. They also use violence, including assassinations of civilians and government officials, to intimidate the public and control territory.
If convicted, Flores-Flores faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin Walker and Avery Benitez are prosecuting the case.
A recording of the press conference announcing the indictment is available on YouTube at the following link: https://youtube.com/live/VNE8hvY3cns?feature=share.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Illegal Alien from Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Seeking to Obtain Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien ChildRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Gladys Marina Caal Chen, 21, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of an unaccompanied alien child (UAC).
According to court documents, Caal Chen falsely stated in a UAC sponsorship application under the penalty of perjury that she was the UAC’s sister. The HHS-funded care provider discontinued its consideration of Caal Chen’s application based in part on concerns that Caal Chen misrepresented her identity and relationship with the UAC in application materials. Caal Chen was arrested on May 22, after law enforcement encountered her during a court-authorized search of a residence belonging to another illegal alien from Guatemala who was charged with crimes relating to UACs. Caal Chen was previously sponsored as a UAC by one of that alien’s co-conspirators who fraudulently used an alias. Caal Chen is also alleged to have lied to ORR in or around January 2024 in an application to sponsor a UAC using an alias. At the time of her arrest, Caal Chen lied to law enforcement by providing another alias, but she later admitted her real name was Caal Chen.
“This defendant defrauded and undermined a government program designed to protect children,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The investigative efforts that led to this guilty plea demonstrate that the United States and Joint Task Force Alpha will prosecute those who seek to take advantage of children, ignore the laws designed to protect them, and take measures to thwart our government’s efforts to ensure their safety.”
“Those who intentionally manipulate federal systems and programs to gain illegal custody of children are despicable,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We will aggressively prosecute anyone who lies to federal authorities, and we will not tolerate actions that enable them to smuggle or traffic others — especially children.”
“This guilty plea underscores Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) commitment to protecting unaccompanied children from individuals who attempt to exploit the sponsorship process through fraud and deception,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of HSI Detroit. “False statements in these applications can and have placed vulnerable children at serious risk. HSI will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to identify fraudulent schemes, protect potential victims and ensure those who undermine the integrity of the process are held accountable.”
“Caal Chen abused the very program that is designed to help vulnerable children by lying and taking advantage of the system,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI. “The FBI will use every resource at our disposal to safeguard the government programs designed to help these children and to pursue justice against anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
“Fraudulently manipulating the sponsorship process for unaccompanied children not only violates federal law, it endangers vulnerable young children who rely on these protections,” 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 safeguard programs designed to protect children and will hold accountable anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
Caal Chen pleaded guilty to making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing is set for Nov. 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The HSI, FBI, and HHS-OIG Cleveland field offices jointly led the investigation with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and ORR, have provided valuable assistance. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and prosecutors from Guatemala’s Office of Public Ministry provided significant assistance in this matter.
Deputy Chief Christian Levesque and Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney/Senior Litigation Counsel Carol Skutnik and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward D. Brydle for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
The investigation and indictment leading to the guilty plea announced today was supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s HRSP Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement/HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 483 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 436 U.S. convictions; and more than 371 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
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 other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.
Illegal Alien with Seven Prior Deportations and Multiple Felony Convictions Sentenced to 13 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 13 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed from the country on seven prior occasions. The government recommended a sentence of 13 months and one day in prison. Judge Navarro also sentenced him to 10 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release based on his 2025 conviction for illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. The government recommended 10 months in that case.
“The defendant in this case showed a complete disregard for United States law by repeatedly returning to our communities after being deported seven times,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. "This sentence sends a clear message that individuals who have been convicted of multiple felonies and continue to violate our borders will face criminal prosecution and prison time. We will continue to work closely with our federal law enforcement partners to protect public safety and uphold the rule of law.”
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on March 29, 2026, Uriel Lira-Cabrera was found in the United States by immigration officials less than a year after his last deportation.
Lira-Cabrera was previously deported to Mexico on or about February 7, 2007; September 11, 2013; November 15, 2016; March 27, 2017; August 27, 2018; November 27, 2021; and July 19, 2025.
Lira-Cabrera has prior felony convictions for Assault with Deadly Weapon by Means Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury and for illegally returning to the United States after a removal. This is his fourth conviction for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Lira-Cabrera pleaded guilty to one count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. After serving his prison sentence, he will be deported to Mexico for an 8th time.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Luis Alberto Garcia, age 64, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office.
On September 2, 2026, Garcia pleaded guilty to a Felony Indictment of the charge. According to investigators, on August 17, 2026, Garcia, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on May 30, 2008.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Previously Convicted of Drug Trafficking and Identity Theft Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national who unlawfully resided in Dorchester, Mass. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after having been deported on three separate occasions. The defendant has previously been convicted of drug trafficking, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud dating as far back as 1997.
Wilson Radhames Peguero Brea, a/k/a Jose Perez Antonio, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to time served (eight months in prison), to be followed by two years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 21 months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In July 2026, Peguero Brea pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien with a prior felony conviction. The defendant was previously charged by criminal complaint in February 2026 and indicted in April 2026. He is currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
Peguero Brea illegally entered the United States at least four times, and used numerous aliases, including aliases belonging to U.S. citizen victims. In 1997, under an alias associated with a U.S. citizen victim, Peguero Brea was convicted of drug trafficking. He was removed from the United States in 2005 and thereafter illegally reentered the country. In 2016, Peguero Brea was arrested and charged by the state with possession of a fraudulently obtained driver’s license. That criminal case remains in default status. He was removed from the U.S. a second time in 2016.
After Peguero Brea illegally entered the U.S. a third time, he was charged in Dorchester District Court with trafficking cocaine and fentanyl in a criminal case that remains in warrant status. According to court documents, Peguero Brea’s Massachusetts criminal history is associated with his alias Jose Perez Antonio.
In 2021, Peguero Brea was arrested and charged with his true name in federal court for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. He was convicted of both charges on Jan. 11, 2023, and sentenced to more than two years in federal prison. In 2023, Peguero Brea was removed from the United States a third time. Peguero Brea then illegally reentered the United States a fourth time and was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on Feb. 5, 2026, while using a false identity document.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Francisco Martinez-Infante, a/k/a Raymundo Infante-Ochoa, age 43, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Spiro, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than twenty years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged that on June 23, 2026, Martinez-Infante, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on March 1, 2024.
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 Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Martinez-Infante will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
ISIS-K terrorist sentenced to 20 years in prison for role in Abbey Gate and other terror attacksRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Afghan national Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for his participation in a nine-year conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“Mohammad Sharifullah has dedicated his life to violence and murder for the sake of hatred,’” said Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We cannot restore the lives he has taken, but we can bring a measure of justice to the families who lost so much on that day.”
“Sharifullah spent nearly a decade at the heart of a horrific campaign of terror, providing critical support for attacks against civilians around the world and, ultimately, contributed to the deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers and dozens of others at Abbey Gate,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for the blood on his hands. The United States will pursue, capture, and bring to justice anyone, anywhere in the world, who takes part in the killing of our servicemembers or citizens.”
“With today’s sentencing Mohammad Sharifullah will be held accountable, on U.S. soil, for his role in the horrific ISIS-K terrorist attack which killed 13 American service members and numerous Afghan civilians,” said Assistant Director Jarod Brown of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The bombing occurred in Afghanistan – thousands of miles from the United States – but that did not stop the FBI and our interagency partners from bringing Sharifullah here to face American justice. No matter where you are, and no matter how long it takes, we remain steadfast in our duty to bring to justice those who have harmed our citizens. I’m grateful to the men and women of the FBI, and our domestic and international partners, for their tireless efforts in this case.”
“Sharifullah, an ISIS K operative, pledged allegiance to a doctrine of hate and contributed to more than a dozen terrorist attacks — including the Abbey Gate bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and dozens of Afghan civilians,” said Darren Cox, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Over the years, he was a critical link in ISIS K operations, relaying communications, conducting surveillance, and transporting suicide bombers. His sentence demonstrates the lengths the FBI will go to apprehend terrorists who harm Americans and deliver justice for the innocent.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting a non-combatant evacuation operation at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation.
ISIS-K leadership tasked Sharifullah with surveilling a road to the Hamid Karzai International Airport to ensure it was clear of Taliban checkpoints. At about 2:00 pm, Sharifullah travelled his assigned route and communicated to ISIS-K leadership that the route was clear. At approximately 5:36 p.m., ISIS-K operative Abdul Rahman al-Logari, whom Sharifullah knew previously from their time together in an Afghan prison, detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.
Additionally, on June 20, 2016, a suicide bomber acting for ISIS-K detonated a bomb targeting Nepali security guards protecting the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Prior to the attack, Sharifullah conducted surveillance to prepare the suicide bomber and later transported the suicide bomber toward the attack site.
On March 22, 2024, a group of ISIS-K gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall near Moscow. On behalf of ISIS-K, Sharifullah shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons with attackers and was in communication with them during the attack. The ISIS-K attackers used AK-style rifles to kill over 100 civilians in the attack.
In all, Sharifullah participated in over a dozen additional ISIS-K attacks from 2016 through his eventual apprehension in 2025. Throughout these attacks, Sharifullah was involved in various aspects of ISIS-K operations, including providing surveillance for attacks, transporting suicide bombers, transporting and cleaning armaments, communicating messages among ISIS-K personnel, and video recording explosions for ISIS-K propaganda purposes.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs, Avi Panth, and Reed Sawyers for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White for the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are prosecuting 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. 1:25-cr-143.
ISIS-K Terrorist Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Role in Abbey Gate and Other Terror AttacksRead the Press Release
Afghan national Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for his participation in a nearly 10 year conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“Sharifullah spent nearly a decade at the heart of a horrific campaign of terror, providing critical support for attacks against civilians around the world and, ultimately, contributed to the deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers and dozens of others at Abbey Gate,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for the blood on his hands. The United States will pursue, capture, and bring to justice anyone, anywhere in the world, who takes part in the killing of our servicemembers or citizens.”
“Mohammad Sharifullah has dedicated his life to violence and murder for the sake of hatred,’” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We cannot restore the lives he has taken, but we can bring a measure of justice to the families who lost so much on that day.”
“With today’s sentencing Mohammad Sharifullah will be held accountable, on U.S. soil, for his role in the horrific ISIS-K terrorist attack which killed 13 American service members and numerous Afghan civilians,” said Assistant Director Jarod Brown of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The bombing occurred in Afghanistan — thousands of miles from the United States — but that did not stop the FBI and our interagency partners from bringing Sharifullah here to face American justice. No matter where you are, and no matter how long it takes, we remain steadfast in our duty to bring to justice those who have harmed our citizens. I’m grateful to the men and women of the FBI, and our domestic and international partners, for their tireless efforts in this case.”
“Sharifullah, an ISIS‑K operative, pledged allegiance to a doctrine of hate and contributed to more than a dozen terrorist attacks — including the Abbey Gate bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and dozens of Afghan civilians,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Over the years, he was a critical link in ISIS‑K operations, relaying communications, conducting surveillance, and transporting suicide bombers. His sentence demonstrates the lengths the FBI will go to apprehend terrorists who harm Americans and deliver justice for the innocent.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting a non-combatant evacuation operation at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation.
ISIS-K leadership tasked Sharifullah with surveilling a road to the Hamid Karzai International Airport to ensure it was clear of Taliban checkpoints. At about 2:00 pm, Sharifullah travelled his assigned route and communicated to ISIS-K leadership that the route was clear. At approximately 5:36 p.m., ISIS-K operative Abdul Rahman al-Logari, whom Sharifullah knew previously from their time together in an Afghan prison, detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.
Additionally, on June 20, 2016, a suicide bomber acting for ISIS-K detonated a bomb targeting Nepali security guards protecting the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Prior to the attack, Sharifullah conducted surveillance to prepare the suicide bomber and later transported the suicide bomber to the attack site.
On March 22, 2024, a group of ISIS-K gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall near Moscow. On behalf of ISIS-K, Sharifullah shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons with the attackers, and was in communication with them during the attack. The ISIS-K attackers used AK-style rifles to kill over 100 civilians in the attack.
In all, Sharifullah participated in over a dozen ISIS-K attacks from 2016 through his eventual apprehension in 2025. Throughout these attacks, Sharifullah was involved in various aspects of ISIS-K operations, including providing surveillance for attacks, transporting suicide bombers, transporting and cleaning armaments, communicating messages among ISIS-K personnel, and video recording explosions for ISIS-K propaganda purposes.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs, Avi Panth, and Reed Sawyers for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White for the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are prosecuting 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. 1:25-cr-143.
Houstonian charged in violent attack in Medical Center parking garageRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 46-year-old local resident has been indicted on charges of kidnapping and attempted carjacking following a violent stabbing attack.
Perry Bernard Green made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray on Sept. 15.
According to the indictment, Green kidnapped and attempted to carjack a woman at knifepoint May 11 in a parking garage near the Houston Medical Center.
During the attack, Green allegedly bound the victim’s hands with zip ties and repeatedly stabbed and cut her in the face, chest, arms, hands, and ankle.
Green has been and will remain in custody pending trial.
If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison and a possible maximum fine of $250,000.
FBI – Houston and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Sand is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Haitian National to Spend 17 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robberies of Delivery Driver and Store ClerkRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Laurens Jean-Francois, 23, of Haiti, has been sentenced to 17 years and 10 months, followed by three years of supervised release. In June 2026, a federal jury found Jean-Francois guilty of two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Jean-Francois will be subject to removal from the United States upon release from federal prison.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Jean-Francois committed two armed robberies in Indianapolis over a three‑day period in July 2025.
On July 19, a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver arrived at the Scarborough Lake Apartments to deliver an order. As the victim knocked on the apartment door, Jean‑Francois approached from a stairwell holding a USDS multi-caliber AR‑15 style pistol. He demanded the driver’s wallet, cell phone, and food order before telling him to run. The victim later provided police with a description of the suspect, and the robbery was captured by external surveillance cameras.
Three days later, on July 22, Jean‑Francois entered the Xpress Pantry on North High School Road wearing a ski mask, clear latex gloves, and dark clothing. After initially asking a clerk to retrieve a phone charger kept in a locked display, Jean-Francois brandished the same AR-15 style pistol used in the previous robbery, demanding cash from the register.
IMPD officers arrested Jean‑Francois on July 29, 2025, during a traffic stop of a Ford Fusion in which he was a passenger. Officers observed the AR-15 style pistol in plain view, leaning against the rear driver’s side door. Jean‑Francois was also wearing the same ski mask worn in the Xpress Pantry robbery.
Further investigation revealed he was unlawfully and illegally present in the United States, and had been at the time that he committed the armed robberies.
“Jean‑Francois has no regard for the law, as shown by these violent crimes and his status as an illegal alien. In armed robberies committed just seventy‑two hours apart, he terrorized innocent victims who were simply doing their jobs,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This is exactly the type of case the Department of Justice is focused on to rid our streets of the most dangerous, brazen criminals.”
“Pointing an AR‑15 at someone to steal from them isn’t just a crime - it’s an act of violence that puts innocent lives at risk. This criminal made that choice twice in three days,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “If you threaten our communities with violence, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you, we will stop you, and we will ensure you’re held accountable.”
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Matt Barloh and Michelle P. Brady for their work on this case.
###
Government contractor pleads guilty to embezzling travel reimbursement fundsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man pled guilty yesterday to theft of government property relating to his embezzlement of travel funds intended to reimburse Department of War personnel. This case is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
According to court documents, Kevin D. Mickie, 47, was employed by a government contracting firm that provided technical support services to the Department of War, which uses the Defense Travel System (DTS) to manage, approve, and reimburse official government travel for authorized employees and personnel. From November 2019 through February 2023, Mickie managed DTS profiles with authority to view user accounts, reset credentials, and modify profile details, including changing bank account and disbursement information.
Mickie used his access to the DTS accounts to steal and divert $107,316.82 in Department of War travel funds by replacing account holders’ bank and routing numbers with his own, causing reimbursement payments to be disbursed via electronic funds transfers directly into Mickie’s personal bank accounts. After modifying the traveler’s DTS profile, Mickie completed the diversion by either modifying authorized travel vouchers to redirect a portion of legitimate travel reimbursement to himself or by creating fictitious travel authorizations and vouchers for travel that never occurred. Mickie also changed the primary e-mail address associated with the DTS accounts to his own e-mail address.
Although Mickie left his position with the contracting firm in February 2023, his scheme continued through January 2024 because several of the compromised DTS account holders were unaware portions of their travel were being diverted to Mickie’s bank account.
Mickie is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2027, and faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Platte B. Moring III, Inspector General for the Department of War; and Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McManigal is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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-156.
Gastonia Distributor of Fentanyl-Laced Pills Sentenced to over 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Bryan Tromon Green, 35, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced to 151 months in prison today followed by four years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl-laced pills and selling firearms in Gaston County, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Green’s co-conspirator, Jarvis Sentell Lynn, 38, also of Gastonia, was previously sentenced to 110 months in prison and three years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine.
“When repeat felons like this spread deadly drugs and illegal guns on our streets, we will take those cases federal to put an end to it,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson
“The combination of drug dealing and illegal firearm possession is a recipe for violence and tragedy,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Taking back firearms from prohibited individuals and stopping the flow of drugs into our communities is a priority for ATF and all of our law enforcement partners.”
According to court documents, law enforcement determined that Green and Lynn, both multiple-time convicted felons, were selling drugs and firearms in Gaston County. Between March 2024 and April 2024, Green sold fentanyl pills multiple times to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. During the investigation, the confidential informant also purchased two firearms from Green: a Walther, Model PK380, .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and an American Tactical Imports, Model Omni Hybrid, 5.56 caliber semi-automatic rifle.
Court documents show that, from March to May 2024, law enforcement also set up multiple controlled drug purchases with Lynn at his residence in Gastonia for pills pressed with fentanyl. During one of the controlled purchases, law enforcement also bought a Ruger, Model P89DC 9 mm semi-automatic pistol from Lynn. On May 16, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lynn’s residence, seizing firearms, ammunition, and drugs. Specifically, law enforcement located and seized a Taurus, Model G3C, 9mm semi-automatic pistol; Point Blank body armor; a Smith & Wesson, Model SD9VE, 9mm semi-automatic pistol; an SKS style rifle; an extended rifle magazine containing 32 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition; a Hi-Point, Model C9, 9mm semiautomatic pistol; additional magazines and 9mm rounds of ammunition; plastic baggies used for drug distribution; digital scales; marijuana; and cocaine.
Green and Lynn both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and distribution of fentanyl. They are 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gaston County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Gainesville Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Jomekia Archer, 46, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the investigative work by the Gainesville Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, which facilitated our successful prosecution of this violent offender. Keeping our communities safe from the predations of violent felons, like this defendant, is a top priority for my office.”
Court documents reflect that on March 14, 2026, the defendant arrived at her home to find her neighbors hosting a birthday party. The defendant appeared to be intoxicated and became upset that people were parked in front of her residence. The defendant began using profanity, demanded that the neighbors move their cars, and stated “I got some for y’all.” The defendant went inside her residence and returned carrying a rifle which she then pointed at multiple adults and children. The subsequent investigation determined the rifle had been previously reported stolen out of Polk County, Texas. The defendant had been previously convicted of possession of cocaine and sale of cannabis, and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming prosecuted the case.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Fourteen-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Terrance Banks, a fourteen-time convicted felon with a violent history, has been sentenced to nearly nine years in prison for illegally possessing a stolen firearm.
“Banks is a gun-wielding predator whose violence was unabated by nearly a quarter century of arrests and convictions at the state level,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Finally, imposition of a significant federal sentence that must be served without the possibility of parole will keep Banks from terrorizing our community.”
“Terrance Banks has not learned from his previous mistakes,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “At the FBI, we work alongside our partners every day to make our communities safer by tracking down and holding violent repeat offenders like Banks accountable for their actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On October 11, 2024, Banks was arrested after Atlanta police officers found a stolen pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop. Banks has a lengthy and violent criminal record, including fourteen felony convictions. Banks has been convicted of aggravated assault twice, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; robbery or armed robbery three times; illegal possession of a firearm six times; and forcible obstruction of a law enforcement officer. Banks’s convictions resulted from numerous acts of violence, including stabbing a victim in the head with a homemade shank, striking a state prison medical officer in the face while another individual grabbed the officer around the neck, and shooting a handgun at another victim.
On September 16, 2026, U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Terrance Banks, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, to eight years and nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Banks pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on June 9, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Grill and former Assistant United States Attorney Jamil Favors prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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.