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28 May 2026
Cedar Lake Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Katie M. Tristan, 41 years old, of Cedar Lake, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Tristan was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. Tristan was also ordered to pay $125,157.67 in restitution to the victims of the offense. Of that amount, which was paid in full at sentencing, $123,192.22 will be returned to the Hanover Community School District.
According to documents in the case, between October 2020 and June of 2023, Tristan used her leadership positions in the parent-teacher organizations (PTOs) at two Cedar Lake elementary schools to embezzle over $107,000 in funds that had been donated to support extracurricular programming. For a period of over two years, Tristan used the PTO debit cards for personal expenses including car rentals, travel and entertainment, utility payments, and retail shopping. Once Tristan had exhausted the PTOs’ funds, she executed a series of fraudulent check transactions to falsely inflate the balances of the PTO bank accounts and prolong the fraud.
When school administrators and the Cedar Lake Police Department began investigating the missing PTO funds, Tristan obstructed those investigations by forging bank documents and using fake email accounts to impersonate other PTO volunteers. In September 2023, Tristan used a fake email account to impersonate the Cedar Lake Police detective handling the investigation, enabling her to manipulate the detective’s communications with a key witness.
“By stealing from her parent-teacher organization (PTO), Katie Tristan stole from the children that she had supposedly volunteered to help,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “Money meant to support their education and personal growth was diverted to funded her personal wants and expenses to the tune of $107,000. She compounded her crime through blatant fraud and obstruction designed to hide the fact that she was a thief. Thankfully, the law enforcement professionals from the FBI, Cedar Lake Police Department, and our office saw to it that justice was served. While Tristan failed to honor her duties as a PTO volunteer, her example can at least serve to teach other would-be fraudsters a valuable lesson—if you steal from Hoosier students, you will be held accountable.”
“Tristan sought out and obtained a position of trust in the Cedar Lake elementary schools and then violated the trust the community placed in her,” said Timothy J. O’Malley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Office. “The FBI is proud to have worked this investigation with the Cedar Lake Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help protect a local Indiana community.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Lake Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.
Canton woman convicted of embezzling nearly $600,000 from her employerRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A small business’s former financial controller, who engaged in a five-year pattern of embezzling funds from her employer, pleaded guilty today, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - Detroit.
Deborah Beaudoin, age 56, from Canton, Michigan, was convicted of wire fraud for orchestrating a scheme that caused over $598,000 in losses to the business where she worked.
At the hearing, Beaudoin admitted to devising and executing a scheme to order and obtain unauthorized company debit cards linked to the company’s bank account. Beaudoin made repeated false and fraudulent entries on company ledgers to make the withdrawal of money using these cards appear legitimate. Once Beaudoin obtained the cards, she withdrew the money at local ATMs and deposited a portion of those funds into her personal bank accounts. Over the five-year scheme, Beaudoin obtained at least $598,000 in fraudulent funds.
Sentencing before United States District Judge Judith Levy will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Beaudoin faces a possible maximum sentence of not more than 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood.
Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Canadian Company That Sought to Purchase Protective Surgical Masks at Outset of Covid-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Julie Dotton pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud a company seeking to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown. When sentenced, Dotton faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment as well as restitution of at least $8.2 million in addition to $8.2 million in criminal forfeiture.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant took advantage of a provider’s need for life-saving personal protective equipment to line her own pockets,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute defendants who shamefully seek to profit from global health emergencies and crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Julie Dotton deprived a personal protective equipment provider of critical supplies during a global pandemic, stealing more than $8 million for her own benefit. The FBI continues to track down those who exploited the COVID-19 crisis and ensure they face the consequences for their selfish greed,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
According to court filings, between March 2020 and October 2020, Dotton misrepresented her ability to obtain PPE to a Canadian company that was an official provider of PPE to two Canadian provinces during the earliest stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a nominal entity she controlled, Dotton entered into a contract with the company to provide approximately 12 million face masks for $8.2 million. Dotton then caused the company to wire the $8.2 million payment to a purported third-party escrow agent’s bank account. After a superficial attempt to purchase PPE, and rather than use the funds to procure the PPE as promised, Dotton directed others to disburse the funds to various third parties for her benefit. After Dotton failed to procure the agreed upon PPE for the company, and the company demanded delivery of the PPE or a refund, Dotton strung them along with excuses for several months, all the while continuing to have the money disbursed for her benefit.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam R. Toporovsky and Joshua Dugan are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Timothy Migliaro.
The Defendant:
JULIE DOTTON
Age: 53
Orchard Park, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-394 (GRB)
Blood Test Lab Owner Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Using Shill to Collect Medicare Payments to Evade $11.2 Million in TaxesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Burbank man was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for evading the payment of more than $11.2 million in federal taxes by using a shill to illegally collect Medicare reimbursement payments made to his blood-testing company, and to fraudulently obtaining nearly $100,000 in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 business relief.
Armen Muradyan, 60, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt, who also ordered him to pay $15,158,033 in restitution.
Muradyan pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion.
Muradyan owned and operated a Burbank-based blood testing laboratory called Genex Laboratories Inc. Medicare and bank records showed that Medicare paid millions of dollars in reimbursements to Genex for blood testing. The reimbursements were wired to bank accounts in the name of an individual identified in court documents as “L.S.” – Muradyan’s long-time friend to whom Muradyan had offered to pay $2,000 per month to pretend to be Genex’s owner.
Muradyan told L.S. that he needed him to submit Medicare enrollment papers to Medicare on Genex’s behalf because Medicare had banned Muradyan from submitting claims.
L.S. and Muradyan opened bank accounts for Genex in L.S.’s name, but which Muradyan controlled. L.S. neither owned nor operated Genex and visited the company’s Burbank office to collect his $2,000 monthly payment and to sometimes sign documents at Muradyan’s direction. Muradyan used the proceeds from the health care fraud conspiracy to pay the mortgage on a property he owned as well as to support his gambling habit and to pay personal expenses.
For the tax years of 2015 through 2023, Muradyan instructed L.S. to report Genex’s financial activity on L.S.’s personal income tax returns using documents that L.S. provided to his own tax preparer. The documents purportedly showed that Genex had minimal net profit or was operating at a loss, meaning the company had little or no income tax liability.
For the same period, Muradyan submitted income tax returns that reported none of Genex’s financial activity as his own and that he averaged an income of $40,000 per year. In fact, Muradyan personally received and used millions of dollars in Medicare reimbursements to support his own expensive lifestyle.
Muradyan also did not file tax returns for the years 2021 through 2023.
In total, Muradyan’s unreported federal taxable income was approximately $23,915,762, resulting in a total federal income tax due and owing by him of approximately $11,236,356 plus prejudgment interest of $3,921,677.
In July 2020, Muradyan wired a false and fraudulent application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) that was funded by federal taxpayers. On the application, Muradyan falsely stated that an entity, GenMed, employed multiple people and generated $800,000 in income for the year 2019. In fact, Muradyan knew GenMed employed no one and generated zero income for that year. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) wired $99,900 to a bank account Muradyan controlled. He then used the money for personal expenses not permitted under the terms of the EIDL. Muradyan admitted he acted with the intent to deceive and cheat the SBA.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Mahana K. Weidler of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division prosecuted this case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Berkeley County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Levi Phillip Miles, 48, of Goose Creek, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and oxycontin, and distribution of fentanyl, resulting in the death of a local lawyer.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that from at least January 2022 to January 2023, Miles regularly distributed prescription pain pills to his employer and cousin, David Aylor. By the summer of 2022, Miles could no longer obtain legitimate prescription pain pills from his suppliers. Nevertheless, in December 2022, the victim continued to request pain pills, causing Miles to seek pills for an alternate source.
On Jan. 1, 2023, Miles obtained what he believed to be legitimate pain pills but were illicit pills laced with fentanyl. Miles distributed the pills to Aylor that afternoon. The victim was found dead in his home on Jan. 2, 2023. An autopsy of the victim revealed the presence of fentanyl in his system, and subsequent investigation confirmed that the fentanyl was present in the pills the victim received from Miles on Jan. 1. As part of his guilty plea, Miles agreed not to contest the fact that the victim’s death was caused by the controlled substances that he distributed.
“This case is yet another example of the tragic realities of fentanyl in our communities. Let this be a reminder that one pill can kill,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who funnel this poison into our communities. We send our condolences to the loved ones of Mr. Aylor and hope this sentence brings a sense of closure.”
United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Miles to 60 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. The court also imposed a $40,000 fine. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Sowards and Emily Limehouse prosecuted the case.###
Beaumont felon guilty of drug trafficking and firearms violations following Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont convicted felon has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms violations following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Micheal Corbin, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on May 28, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in April of 2025, law enforcement began investigating Corbin, a drug trafficker and convicted felon in Beaumont. As the investigation progressed, it was determined that Corbin was supplying other drug traffickers with methamphetamine to be distributed throughout the area. In total, law enforcement seized more than 8 kilograms of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine from Corbin, who was also found in possession of a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Corbin is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms.
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 Houston comprises agents and officers from the FBI; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Houston (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Beaumont Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety; Nederland Police Department; Jasper Police Department; and San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.
Corbin faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The actual sentence 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.
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Bank Insider Pleads Guilty to Facilitating Fraud Schemes at Two Financial InstitutionsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York-based former employee of TD Bank N.A., Cheungkin Lam, also known as “Kelvin Lam,” pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding TD Bank customers and bribing an employee at another financial institution to falsify bank records, which, in total, facilitated more than $3.4 million of fraud, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Lam, 28, pleaded guilty yesterday before the Honorable Esther Salas in Newark to a two-count Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution and making false bank entries or reports. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15, 2026.
“Lam leveraged his and a co-conspirator’s insider positions at two different financial institutions to facilitate millions of dollars of fraud in exchange for bribes. We expect bank employees to help root out fraud, not enable it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to hold financial institutions and their employees accountable when they break the law and undermine the integrity of the financial system.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Lam abused his position as a bank employee to help fraudsters steal money from unwitting customers and bribed another bank employee to do the same,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Bank employees are the first line of defense against money laundering, fraud, and other financial crimes. When bank employees violate the public trust by using their positions to enrich themselves through financial crime, the Criminal Division will investigate and prosecute them.”
“Cheungkin Lam’s conduct represents a grave breach of the trust placed in financial professionals. By exploiting his access to sensitive customer information, Lam facilitated a significant fraud and compromised the integrity of the financial system and the security of innocent victims,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “IRS-CI remains firmly committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Court:
From January 2021 through May 2021, Lam accepted bribes and leveraged his position at TD Bank to identify bank accounts with large balances and steal confidential customer information. Lam shared that information with outside co-conspirators, who used it to defraud customer accounts. Separately, from May 2022 through August 2022, Lam engaged in a scheme to bribe a co-conspirator employed at another financial institution to falsify bank records in opening a bank account for use in various fraud schemes by Lam’s co-conspirators. In total, Lam received at least $155,000 in bribes and facilitated $3,433,989.07 in fraud losses.
The charge of conspiring to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 or twice the amount involved in the offense or lost by a victim of the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of making false bank entries carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 or twice the amount involved in the offense or lost by a victim of the offense, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanked the Morristown Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney of the Bank Integrity Unit of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
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Defense counsel: Eric Jaso, Esq.
lam.information.pdfBank Insider Pleads Guilty to Facilitating Fraud Schemes at Two Financial InstitutionsRead the Press Release
A New York-based former employee of TD Bank N.A., Cheungkin Lam, also known as Kelvin Lam, pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding TD Bank customers and bribing an employee at another financial institution to falsify bank records, which, in total, facilitated more than $3.4 million of fraud.
According to court documents, from January 2021 through May 2021, Lam, 28, of Queens, New York, accepted bribes and leveraged his position at TD Bank to identify bank accounts with large balances and steal confidential customer information. Lam shared that information with outside co-conspirators, who used it to defraud customer accounts. Separately, from May 2022 through August 2022, Lam engaged in a scheme to bribe a co-conspirator employed at another financial institution to falsify bank records in opening a bank account for use in various fraud schemes by Lam’s co-conspirators. In total, Lam received at least $155,000 in bribes and facilitated $3,433,989.07 in fraud losses.
“Lam abused his position as a bank employee to help fraudsters steal money from unwitting customers and bribed another bank employee to do the same,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Bank employees are the first line of defense against money laundering, fraud, and other financial crimes. When bank employees violate the public trust by using their positions to enrich themselves through financial crime, the Criminal Division will investigate and prosecute them.”
“Lam leveraged his and a co-conspirator’s insider positions at two different financial institutions to facilitate millions of dollars of fraud in exchange for bribes,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “We expect bank employees to help root out fraud, not enable it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to hold financial institutions and their employees accountable when they break the law and undermine the integrity of the financial system.”
“Cheungkin Lam’s conduct represents a grave breach of the trust placed in financial professionals,” said Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office. “By exploiting his access to sensitive customer information, Lam facilitated a significant fraud and compromised the integrity of the financial system and the security of innocent victims. IRS-CI remains firmly committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain.”
“Lam abused his trusted position as an employee of TD Bank to engage in bribery and perpetrate fraud that resulted in financial losses to unknowing bank customers,” said Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) New York Region. “The FDIC OIG stands firm in its commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable bank insiders who exploit their positions for their own gain and threaten the safety and soundness of our Nation’s financial institutions.”
Lam pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution and making false bank entries or reports. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 15 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS-CI and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case. The Department also thanks the Morristown Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.
Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey, are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Austin Man Indicted for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Shadow Hawk Mallan, age 28, of Austin, Minnesota, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with three counts of Production of Child Pornography, one count of Interstate Communications with Intent to Extort, one count of Receipt of Child Pornography, one count of Possession of Child Pornography, and one count of Commission of a Felony Offenses Involving a Minor when Required to Register as a Sex Offender, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
According to state and federal court documents, Mallan owned multiple Snapchat, Discord, and other social media and email accounts that he used to solicit minor victims across the world to receive sexually explicit photographs and videos from them. Mallan also engaged in live video chats with the minor victims, which he recorded and saved. Mallan then threatened the minor victims if they refused to continue sending him sexually explicit material, including threats of physical violence and to distribute the sexually explicit material to their friends and families. To date, evidence shows that Mallan solicited hundreds of minors online over several years. Law enforcement has identified approximately thirteen minor victims. Mallan was previously convicted of Solicitation of a Child to Engage in Sexual Conduct in 2020 in Mower County, Minnesota and was required to register as predatory offender throughout the time of his charged offense.
“As alleged in this indictment, Shadow Hawk Mallan was a registered sex offender who used the worldwide reach of the Internet to continue sexually exploiting children, even after a prior conviction," said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "Not satisfied with the harm caused by the sexual exploitation of children, Mr. Mallan allegedly deepened the psychological damage caused by threatening to distribute child sexual abuse material depicting his child victims to their friends and family. The FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners work diligently every day to protect child victims and bring child predators to justice.”
Mallan made his initial appearance in District Court and was ordered detained pending trial.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Austin Police Department.
Investigators believe there may be other victims relevant to this investigation. As alleged in the indictment and elsewhere, the defendant used Snapchat ID “ps4programer420,” Discord ID “kushklouds420,” and several other online accounts to commit the alleged offenses. If you or your child believe you have been a victim of Shadow Hawk Mallan, we encourage you to contact 800-CALL-FBI or report to tips.fbi.gov.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Memphis man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, on October 29, 2023, a Loxley Police Officer initiated a traffic stop on a white sedan for improper lane change. Marshall BRATCHER, 40, was identified as the driver. Other passengers included an adult female and three juveniles. Following the admission of possession of marijuana by Bratcher, LPD officers conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, a stolen Ruger, Model P89 pistol was recovered under the driver’s seat. Further investigation uncovered that Bratcher used the firearm to kidnap the female passenger, force her to gather the juvenile passengers into the vehicle, and ultimately leave with him. Witness accounts revealed Bratcher drove erratically with the firearm in his lap until he was stopped by law enforcement.
Bratcher is an Armed Career Criminal under 18 U.S.C. § 924(e) because of his prior violent felony and serious drug offense convictions. Bratcher’s prior felony convictions include three separate convictions for Aggravated Assault, and convictions of Aggravated Burglary and Conspiracy to Violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, among other felony convictions. As a convicted felon, Bratcher is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Bratcher was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Bratcher to 180 months in prison to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Loxley Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Another Venezuelan Gang Member Sentenced for "Jackpotting"Read the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – A second Venezuelan man with ties to the Tren de Aragua (TdA) international gang was sentenced today for conspiracy to commit bank fraud by United States District Judge Michael P. Mills. Winder Alexander Canelon-Tiapa, 26, living as an illegal alien in Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today to ten months with three years of supervised release. Additionally, he is to pay the victim $47,250 in restitution.
According to court documents, upon release of this prison sentence, the defendant will be surrendered to the custody of ICE for removal from this country..
Commonly known as “Jackpotting,” Canelon-Tiapa, and his co-defendant, Darrin Daza-Segura, travelled throughout Mississippi and reprogrammed bank ATMs to disperse large amounts of cash. They successfully stole $47,000 from ATMs at Mississippi banks and attempted to steal much more. ATM Jackpotting is a significant problem throughout the country and is a known crime commonly perpetrated by members of the Tren de Araqua gang from Venezuela.
Darrin Daza-Segura was previously sentenced to ten months with three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay the victim $47,250 in restitution by Judge Mills.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated, “This administration has dedicated significant assets to identifying and prosecuting dangerous foreign gangs that have infiltrated our society. Tren de Aragua, originated in Venezuela, has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The fruit of this aggressive approach to gang activity is starting to pay off. Foreign gang members that enter our state and steal from our citizens will pay for their crimes and then be sent home. Thank you to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Division and the Secret Service. The citizens of Mississippi are receiving dedicated work and cooperation from federal and state law enforcement officers.”
The Cyber Crime Division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.
“Thanks to the diligent work of our Cyber Fraud Task Force, we were able to prevent nearly $180,000 in losses, deprive TdA gang members of money to fund their crimes, and set up the deportation of two criminal illegal aliens," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. "We are proud to stand with our local, state, and federal partners to stop this criminal scheme in its tracks."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton A. Dabbs is prosecuting the case.
Aguadilla Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 27, 2026, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias-Marxuach sentenced Leonardo Román-Domenech, age 40, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, to 14 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for the transportation of child exploitation material, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Román-Domenech was indicted on April 3, 2025, arrested on April 9, 2025, and pleaded guilty on February 2, 2026.
According to court documents, from July through October 2021, Leonardo Román-Domenech, used a cellphone device with internet capabilities to knowingly transport images of a 15-year-old female minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Carlos Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit prosecuted 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 the 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.
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27 May 2026
Zuni Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been charged in federal court for allegedly sexually abusing a minor.
According to court documents, between March 2013 and March 2015, Anthony Kaamasee, 40, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, engaged in sexual acts with a minor who had not then attained the age of 12 years.
Kaamasee is charged with aggravated sexual abuse and will remain in custody pending trial which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Kaamasee faces not less than 30 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Pueblo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wilmington Felon Sentenced to over 7 Years for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Quashon Nixon, 32, to over 7 years in federal prison. Nixon pleaded guilty on February 26, 2026, to possessing a gun as a convicted felon.
“We thank our dedicated federal and local law enforcement partners for keeping violent gun-toting felons away from our citizens. This guy knew he should not have a gun; hopefully, he learns his lesson this time.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
On October 2, 2024, the FBI, along with local officers, searched for Nixon to serve him with outstanding warrants for violent crimes. Officers located Nixon walking near a housing complex in Wilmington. When Officers took Nixon into custody, they found a loaded stolen gun stuffed in Nixon’s waistband. The officers also found crack cocaine, marijuana, and hatchet inside of his book bag.
Nixon is a convicted felon and member of the Bloods street gang. His most recent conviction was for robbery with a dangerous weapon in 2015, felony assault causing physical injury to a law enforcement, probation, or parole officer in 2016, and felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury in 2018.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III imposed the sentence. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, and the FBI investigated the case. Former-Assistant United States Attorney Jermaine Sellers and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaren Kelly prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-44-D.
Wichita bank robber sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 21 years in prison for using a firearm to rob three banks during which he pointed the gun at employees.
According to court documents, Zane Tilcock, 21, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of brandishing and using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and to two counts of bank robbery.
• On December 11, 2024, Tilcock entered Intrust Bank on South Webb Road in Wichita wearing a black mask and carrying a semi-automatic handgun. He pointed the firearm at bank employees and demanded money. They handed him money, and he left.
• On December 16, 2024, Tilcock entered Emprise Bank on East Harry Street in Wichita with a handgun and pointed it at the tellers. He told them to put their hands in the air and give him all the money. Tilcock asked for large bills and no dye packs or bait money. The tellers removed cash from their drawers and handed it to Tilcock.
• On December 27, 2024, Tilcock, entered Sunflower Bank in Junction City carrying a silver handgun. He pointed the firearm at customers and ordered them to stand to the side of the lobby. He then pointed the gun at tellers and demanded they empty their cash drawers. The money Tilcock took included bait bills.Law enforcement determined through investigation that the vehicle used in the crimes to be a gray Volkswagen Jetta belonging to Tilcock’s girlfriend.
On December 28, 2024, investigators conducting surveillance observed Tilcock shopping and using a large amount of cash. Days later, investigators followed Tilcock to the Sedgwick County Tag Office where Tilcock paid for a tag in cash. Investigators obtained the money he spent at the Tag Office and identified three of the bills as bait bills taken during the Sunflower Bank robbery. Tilcock was arrested and admitted to the bank robberies. Investigators found additional evidence while executing search warrants on the Jetta and the apartment where Tilcock lived.
“This case sounds like something out of the 1930s with these repeated and unhinged, dangerous bank robberies. Mr. Tilcock robbed banks to get fast cash until he was stopped by law enforcement. Nonetheless, during his crime spree, he inflicted terror by pointing a gun at innocent people who unlike himself were simply trying to make an honest living.” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
“Yesterday, victims stood in a federal court room and delivered powerful testimony on the impact of the violent nature of these crimes. Mr. Tilcock has received a lengthy prison sentence because of the brave work of the victims, the prosecutors and the men and women in law enforcement who are committed to ensuring justice in these matters. The public should know it takes a dedicated team to see these cases to their resolution, and the FBI is fully invested in securing justice for victims of these crimes," said Jeff Berkebile, FBI Kansas City Acting Special Agent in Charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Junction City Police Department, and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kari Burks and Aaron Smith prosecuted the case.
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Webster Groves Man Sentenced to 150 Months in Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a Webster Groves man to 150 months in prison for sending and receiving child sexual abuse material online.
Joseph A. Seiffertt, 44, possessed images and videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone, as well as AI-powered apps that he used to depict clothed individuals, including minors, in the nude. Seiffertt also discussed the sexual abuse of minors with someone online and shared and received CSAM via the Kik Messenger app.
Seiffertt pleaded guilty in December to one count of possession of child pornography After his release from prison, Seiffertt will be on supervised release for life.
The FBI and the St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Announces Sweeping Reforms to Internal Grand Jury Practices and Disclosures; Remediation Plan Includes Most Substantial and Significant Changes in DecadesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced a series of sweeping internal reforms to the Office’s grand jury practices and disclosures that took effect yesterday. The remediation plan, which represents the most substantial and significant internal changes to the Office’s grand jury procedures in decades, will streamline the Office’s grand jury processes and disclosures. The new process moving forward will be more transparent, effective, and impactful while greatly reducing the likelihood of mistakes and errors.
The important reforms, which took effect yesterday for all grand jury presentations in the Northern District of Illinois, establish clear and unequivocal expectations and rules for federal prosecutors related to grand jury disclosures and the timing of those disclosures. Among the many changes in the remediation plan are increased and expanded education about grand jury presentations, including extensive, deep-dive training from national experts outside the Office. U.S. Attorney Boutros and the Department of Justice have also taken swift action related to internal personnel matters.
“One of the benefits of being the first Chicago U.S. Attorney to have previously been Chair of White Collar in private practice is that I have represented and advised as my own personal clients some of the largest public and other companies and their audit committees, boards, C-suite executives, and others in highly sensitive and bet-the-company government and internal investigations,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Everybody who has handled high-stakes corporate cases knows that in addition to the importance of thorough, honest, and objective investigations, there must also be remediation, reforms, and process improvements to allow organizations to accept responsibility and make sure that the same mistakes don’t happen again. What I have formulated and thereafter implemented on Tuesday of this week are among the most sweeping reforms to address root-cause issues in the Northern District of Illinois’s federal prosecutorial practices and procedures, especially as they relate to the grand jury and grand jury disclosures. They also make the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office among, if not the leading district in the country on grand jury disclosures. These remediations should also be deeply curative and put to rest once and for all the divergent practices that have existed across the Office for decades, including from one Assistant U.S. Attorney to another as well as from one generation to the next. That’s because these are clear, bright line rules that everyone must abide by, which should streamline and simplify the decision-making and disclosure process, as opposed to bedevil it. It also should all but eliminate points of contention between federal prosecutor and defense counsel as it relates to these grand jury issues.”
After learning of certain conduct by the government in the grand jury during a recent case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office immediately moved to dismiss the indictment in that case and proactively initiated an immediate review of other grand jury presentations that could have been impacted in a similar fashion. The inquiry has included both a root cause analysis into the Office’s practices and procedures generally, as well as an exam of any cases by the AUSAs who went into the grand jury in that case that could have been impacted by similar conduct. The Office’s review is far along but remains ongoing. In addition, the Office has proactively reached out to the defendants’ attorneys in other cases handled by those AUSAs and has agreed to give them the “minutes” from the grand jury sessions in those cases. “Minutes” from a grand jury session include the highly secretive portion where AUSAs, as legal advisor to the grand jury, speak to grand jurors about the law—and sometimes the application of the law to the facts—without a witness present.
The reforms announced today, many of which are being implemented for the first time anywhere in the country, will transform and modernize the Office’s procedures, while continuing to adhere to the longstanding tradition that a prosecutor serves as “one of the most beneficent forces in our society,” as then-Attorney General (and later Supreme Court Justice) Robert H. Jackson shared in his seminal 1940 address, “The Federal Prosecutor.” Attorney General Jackson remarked that the prosecutor’s “powers have been granted to our law-enforcement agencies because it seems necessary that such a power to prosecute be lodged somewhere. This authority has been granted by people who really wanted the right thing done—wanted crime eliminated—but also wanted the best in our American traditions preserved.”
In announcing his reforms to the Office, U.S. Attorney Boutros thanked the Office’s Assistant U.S. Attorneys for all that they do for the people of the Northern District of Illinois: “Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for being on the front lines keeping our communities safe, making sure our victims are heard, protecting the public fisc, and working to hold accountable those defendants who commit serious crimes, all while doing so in the very best traditions of the Office and the Department. After all, the motto of the Department is ‘Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur,’ meaning, ‘Who prosecutes on behalf of Justice.’”
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This statement is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied upon to create any rights, substantive or procedural, that are enforceable at law by any party, in any criminal, civil, or administrative matter. This statement does not purport to offer legal advice nor is it intended to substitute for the advice of legal counsel. It does not in any way limit the enforcement intentions or litigating positions of the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, or any other U.S. Attorney’s Office or component of the Department, or any other U.S. government agency or department.
Undocumented worker pleads guilty to possessing a forged immigration documentRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican national who had previously been deported and was living in the country illegally with a forged permanent resident card admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Isaias Martinez Araiza, 48, pleaded guilty today to one count of possessing a fraudulent immigration document and one count of illegal reentry into the country. Araiza faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for each count.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 8, 2026, in Great Falls. Araiza remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in early April 2026, Araiza was living in Great Falls with a Permanent Resident Alien card containing another person’s alien number that he illegally obtained. Araiza had previously been deported from the United States in May 2017 after authorities discovered he had a felony conviction on his record from June 2003.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana Celebrates “Freedom 250” with Hometown Hero Award and Office Charity DriveRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, LA – In celebration of Freedom 250, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana presented the Alexandria Police Department’s Chief of Police Chad Gremillion with the Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Award on May 20, 2026. The award recognizes public officials who have demonstrated steadfast commitment to service and who embody the spirit upon which our Nation was founded.
“Freedom 250 is an opportunity to recognize and reflect upon the values that define our Nation: service, sacrifice, and community,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Chief Gremillion exemplifies those values through his dedication to public safety and his continued commitment to serving the citizens of Alexandria.”
Police Chief Gremillion began his law enforcement career at the Alexandria Police Department in 1995. While working for the Alexandria Police, Chief Gremillion worked as a patrol officer and was assigned to the traffic division. In 1999, Chief Gremillion graduated from the Louisiana State Police Training Academy and began his career as a Louisiana State Trooper assigned to Troop E. While employed with the Louisiana State Police, Chief Gremillion served in uniform patrol, criminal investigations, intelligence division, and the special victims unit.
During his time as a trooper and federal task force officer, Chief Gremillion was awarded the Louisiana State Police “Trooper of the Year” and received a lifesaving award, among other commendations. Chief Gremillion retired from the Louisiana State Police in 2023, and, that same year Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy appointed him as the Interim Chief of Police for the Alexandria Police Department. Chief Gremillion is a past board member of the Rapides Children’s Advocacy Center and Metanoia Manor for victims of human trafficking, and he and his family attend Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church where he is the chair of the Pastoral Council.
The United States Attorney’s Offices in Shreveport and Lafayette also celebrated Freedom 250 by participating in the gift-in-kind charity drives by collecting and donating food and clothing to individuals and families in need. In Lafayette, the clothing collected was donated to the Lovewell Center, while business attire was donated to the University of Louisiana Career Closet to assist individuals preparing to enter the workforce. In Shreveport, the Office collected over 400 pounds of food as part of a non-perishable food drive to support the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank.
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CONTACT
Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
USALAW-News@usdoj.gov
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Two Non-Profits Agree to Pay over $450,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Involving Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it has reached civil settlement agreements with two non-profit organizations to resolve allegations that the organizations violated the False Claims Act when they applied for and received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, Inc. (the JWV) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that supports Jewish uniformed service members and veterans in the United States. In 2020, JWV applied for and received a first draw PPP loan in the amount of $125,654 and later sought and received forgiveness for that loan. Section 501(c)(4) organizations, however, were never eligible for PPP loans. JWV has agreed to pay $210,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible.
Center for International Policy (the Center) is a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization described as a center for research and advocacy on U.S. foreign policy. In early 2021, the Center applied for a second draw PPP loan in the amount of $192,447 and subsequently applied for and received complete forgiveness of that loan. Congress, however, had prohibited second draw PPP loans to entities primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including those entities organized for research or for engaging in public policy advocacy or political strategy or publicly referring to themselves as think tanks. After an analysis of the Center’s ability to pay pursuant to a settlement, the Center agreed to pay $243,571.25, plus interest, to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible.
The civil settlements resulted from investigations by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy C. Hurley. The United States Attorney further wishes to commend attorneys Caitlin J. Kelly and Kandace Zelaya of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the General Counsel for their assistance in the investigations.
Tips and complaints regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Tulsa Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dwight Lowaine McGee, age 48, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged McGee with knowingly possessing one semi-automatic pistol and 8 rounds of ammunition on December 4, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
McGee will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Troy Rivetti Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Following Appointment by U.S. District CourtRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Acting pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546(d), the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania has appointed Troy Rivetti to serve as the United States Attorney for the District. After being appointed to the role by the Court’s Board of Judges last week, Rivetti was sworn in yesterday afternoon by Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. The appointment is effective May 28, 2026, and follows a 120-day appointment in January 2026 by the United States Attorney General.
“It is a tremendous honor to be appointed United States Attorney by the judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania; I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve this office and the citizens and law enforcement partners of our district,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “The Court’s decision is encouraging, as it assures consistency in the leadership of our office and recognizes the ongoing hard work and outstanding commitment to public service and public safety by our attorneys and staff, both individually and collectively.”
Rivetti has led the office since the resignation of United States Attorney Eric Olshan in January 2025, with Rivetti serving as Acting United States Attorney until November 2025 and then as First Assistant United States Attorney—the role Rivetti held prior to being named as Acting United States Attorney—until his appointment as United States Attorney by then-Attorney General Pamela Bondi in late January 2026.
Rivetti’s career in the Department of Justice has spanned nearly 30 years and has included a series of leadership positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In addition to previously holding the positions of Acting United States Attorney (February 2023 to June 2023) and First Assistant United States Attorney (November 2021 to January 2025), Rivetti served as Chief of the office’s Criminal Division from 2019 to 2021. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1997.
Throughout his career as a federal prosecutor, Rivetti’s primary area of concentration has involved the investigation and prosecution of violent crime, including large-scale drug trafficking organizations and firearms offenses. Of particular note, Rivetti co-led the multi-year investigation and prosecution of United States v. Robert Bowers, the perpetrator of the worst antisemitic mass shooting in U.S. history. He served as first chair for the trial team throughout the three-month capital jury selection, trial, and sentencing.
Rivetti obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickinson College and his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University. Following graduation from law school, Rivetti was employed for five years as a litigation associate at a large Pittsburgh law firm. He then served as a law clerk for two years for the Honorable D. Brooks Smith.
Three D.C. Men Found Guilty of Armed Robbery and 1st Degree Felony Murder in Killing of Rosendo MillerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Larry White, 25, Mark Anthony Fletcher III, 26, and Malik Keyon Bynum, 26, all of the District of Columbia, were found guilty late yesterday by a federal jury on all counts in connection with the July 2, 2021, armed robbery and killing of Rosendo Miller, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Rosendo Miller walked out of a convenience store and was surrounded by three masked men, thrown to the ground at gunpoint, and robbed of everything he was carrying. They took Mr. Miller’s watch, his bag, his shoes, his cash, even the ‘grill’ from his mouth. And when that wasn’t enough, Larry White shot him five times in cold blood,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These three men planned this together, armed themselves together, and carried it out together. Today’s verdict holds all of them accountable for what they did.”
Following a five-day trial, the federal jury deliberated for approximately five and a half hours before finding White, Fletcher and Bynum guilty of all counts: first-degree felony murder while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon (White and Bynum), conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence (robbery while armed), and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence (first-degree felony murder). First-degree felony murder carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years imprisonment. Sentencing before Judge Tanya S. Chutkan is pending.
Fletcher committed the offenses while on release in two pending Superior Court cases. Bynum committed the offenses while on release in a pending Superior Court case.
According to court papers, on July 2, 2021, White, Fletcher, Bynum, and others gathered outside a 2/4 Quick Trip convenience store on the 1300 block of Brentwood Road, NE. The men armed themselves with firearms and covered their faces with ski masks after Rosendo Miller, 21, arrived and saw that he was wearing a Rolex watch and designer clothes. Fletcher was wearing a court-issued GPS ankle monitor.
Miller, who stopped at the business to purchase tobacco, exited the store. White, Bynum, and Fletcher pointed firearms at Miller, grabbed him by his dreadlocks, and wrestled him to the ground. They stripped Miller of his Rolex watch, his Gucci crossbody bag, his cash, and the diamond-studded grill from his mouth.
As White and Fletcher held Miller down, Bynum fired a firearm multiple times in the direction of the intersection of Brentwood Road NE and 14th Street NE in response to a single shot fired from the corner. Fletcher still had Miller pinned down while White shot Miller five times in the back, shoulder and arms. The incident was captured on surveillance video with audio.
White, Fletcher, and Bynum fled the scene with Miller’s property. Miller died from his injuries that day.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris Y. McCranie and Lauren Galloway.
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Texas Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Khalid Ahamad, 55 years old, of Little Elm, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Ahamad was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $2,617,107.82 in restitution to the victims of the offense, including a victim company in Fort Wayne. As part of the sentencing judgment, Chief Judge Brady ordered the forfeiture of the fraud proceeds derived from the offense, further ordering a money judgment against Ahamad in the amount of $2,617,107.82.
“The Defendant knowingly conspired with others to defraud victims throughout the United States and taxpayers of millions of dollars and then laundered the fraud proceeds through his bank accounts. Starting in 2020, and extending through April of 2023, Ahamad and his conspirators engaged in several fraud schemes, including business email compromise schemes, unemployment benefits fraud from state agencies, and Small Business Administration loan fraud. The conspiracy primarily deceived victim businesses and some individuals into wiring money to accounts under Ahamad’s control. After laundering the money through his accounts, Ahamad sent fraud proceeds via cryptocurrency to other conspirators. In total, the conspiracy tried to steal over $6 million, and Ahamad and his conspirators obtained over $2.6 million in fraud proceeds. Thanks to the professional investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colony (Texas) Police Department and work of Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Sheridan and Anthony Geller, the Defendant has been caught, prosecuted, and sentenced,” U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred said.
This conspiracy victimized many businesses through business email compromise schemes. With this type of scheme, conspirators gained access to a business’s emails and obtained inside information about existing invoices and account payments. Conspirators then sent emails that looked legitimate and purported to change existing payment information, with the new payment account being under the control of a conspirator such as Ahamad. In wiring money, victims believed that they were sending payment to their vendors, clients, and business associates, but they were instead deceived into sending money to Ahamad.
“This 70-month prison sentence is another example of the FBI and our law enforcement partners working tirelessly to protect victims from fraudsters and scammers,” said Timothy J. O’Malley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from The Colony, Texas, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Sheridan and Anthony Geller.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud 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.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Tennessee man who paid a minor in Colombia to produce sexually explicit videos and traveled overseas to engage in commercial sex acts with the minor victim has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II sentenced Ramon Arellano Sandoval, 64, of Antioch, Tennessee, to 360 months in prison after a jury convicted him of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted production of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of a minor in February 2026.
“Ramon Arellano Sandoval targeted a 14-year-old child in Colombia, paid her to create child sexual abuse material, and then traveled overseas to exploit her in person,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Today’s 30-year sentence makes clear that distance is no shield from justice. If you use the internet, money, or international travel to prey on a child, we will find you, prosecute you, and seek the full measure of federal punishment.”
“This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to combating human trafficking and protecting vulnerable children from exploitation,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “HSI, together with our international partners, will continue to pursue United States citizens who prey on minors, ensuring they are held accountable regardless of their location.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Arellano Sandoval exchanged thousands of text and video messages with the victim, who lived in rural Colombia and was 14 years old at the time. Despite knowing the victim was underage, Arellano Sandoval repeatedly solicited sexually explicit videos from her and directed her to produce child sexual abuse material, often in exchange for electronic payments. Arellano Sandoval also flew to Colombia to have commercial sex with the minor victim.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge Figueroa made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from HSI Bogota and its Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU), as well as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Human Trafficking Unit (HTU).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Farina and Camille Smith prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20519.
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Staten Island Man Sentenced for Murder-For-Hire Plot and Stalking a Journalist and Prominent Critic of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
Jonathan Loadholt, 37, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his participation in a plot directed by the Government of Iran targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist. Loadholt previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Tehran attempted to murder a U.S. journalist in the United States simply because she exposed a few of that regime’s many abuses,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The defendant now stands convicted and sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence for his role in this plot. The Department and its colleagues will work tirelessly to protect Americans and to seek justice when our laws are broken.”
“The Government of Iran has repeatedly attempted to locate and murder Masih Alinejad, right here in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “The Government of Iran tried to silence Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to stand up to the Iranian regime and expose its discriminatory treatment of women, corruption, and human rights abuses. While this plot was directed from Iran, the would-be assassins were American citizens who agreed to kill Ms. Alinejad for money — out of greed. Today’s sentence should be a serious warning to anyone who tries to profit by carrying out the wishes of a hostile foreign regime on United States soil.”
“With today’s sentencing, Jonathan Loadholt will pay the price for participating in a plot orchestrated by Iran to kill a journalist and human rights activist who criticized the Iranian government’s policies,” said FBI Assistant Director Donald Holstead. “The FBI will use all our resources to detect and prevent anyone working for foreign powers who attempts to harm individuals living in the United States, and we will coordinate closely with the Justice Department to make sure such criminals face the full weight of American justice.”
“Jonathan Loadholt served as a hired gun to stalk, surveil, and ultimately assassinate Masih Alinejad — a United States citizen — on behalf of the IRGC,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. “The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force disrupted and arrested him before he could carry out his plan. The FBI will squash all attempts to silence critics of oppressive regimes on American soil.”
As reflected in the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings:
In 2024, Loadholt’s friend and co-defendant, Carlisle Rivera, also known as “Pop,” a convicted murderer, was hired by Rivera’s criminal confederate, Farhad Shakeri, to murder Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC is a military and intelligence organization that directly reports to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is the Government of Iran’s primary instrument for providing financial and lethal aid to proxy terror groups in the Middle East. Among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting, among others, U.S. citizens residing abroad and in the United States. Ms. Alinejad is one of the IRGC’s principal targets. The IRGC and the Government of Iran’s intelligence services have long sought to kidnap or murder Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to promote gender equality and civil liberties in Iran and to expose the regime’s corruption, oppression, and terrorism to the international community. In 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Ms. Alinejad in the U.S. for rendition to Iran; then, in 2022, the IRGC hired powerful, violent members of the Russian Mob to murder Ms. Alinejad. After those efforts failed, the IRGC turned to Shakeri, who hired Rivera, who in turn recruited Loadholt to assist him, to kill Ms. Alinejad.
Shakeri offered Rivera $100,000 for he and Loadholt to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, and Rivera agreed. Loadholt was recruited into the plot by Rivera and, using money sent by Shakeri, Rivera and Loadholt conducted surveillance on Ms. Alinejad with the aim of killing her. Using money sent by Shakeri, Rivera and Loadholt purchased a firearm and “burner” cellphones. Loadholt and Rivera spent several months attempting to find and kill Ms. Alinejad, using Loadholt’s car and fake license plates, including by following her to a public speaking event at Fairfield University and repeatedly stalking the Brooklyn house where Shakeri and the IRGC believed Ms. Alinejad lived.
During their efforts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, Loadholt and Rivera shared messages about their progress and photographs relating to their murder plot. For example, in February 2024, Loadholt and Rivera messaged about an incoming payment from Shakeri, and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Ms. Alinejad was scheduled to appear, and took photographs on campus. In July 2024, Loadholt and Rivera exchanged messages discussing their expected upfront payment for murdering Ms. Alinejad. During those messages, Loadholt expressed frustration about the apparent absence of a $10,000 advance, partial payment for Ms. Alinejad’s murder, writing to Rivera “So no 10 up front I’m guessing??” and, after Rivera confirmed no upfront payment had been made, Loadholt responded, “I’m so frustrated son I’m like ready to jump out the window.”
On November 7, 2024, before he and Rivera could complete their task of killing Ms. Alinejad, Loadholt was arrested. At Loadholt’s residence, law enforcement agents recovered, among other things, more than two dozen rounds of ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Loadholt was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Loadholt is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. In January 2026, Rivera was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Judge Liman, after previously having pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. Shakeri remains at large.
The case was investigated by FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents and analysts from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office. U.S. Attorney Clayton thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection New York Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the New York State Police.
This case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and Michael D. Lockard for the Southern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Staten Island Man Sentenced for His Role in Plot to Stalk and Murder A Journalist and Prominent Critic of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Donald Holstead, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced that JONATHAN LOADHOLT was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his participation in a plot directed by the Government of Iran targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist. LOADHOLT previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who imposed today’s sentence.
“The Government of Iran has repeatedly attempted to locate and murder Masih Alinejad, right here in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The Government of Iran tried to silence Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to stand up to the Iranian regime and expose its discriminatory treatment of women, corruption, and human rights abuses. While this plot was directed from Iran, the would-be assassins were American citizens who agreed to kill Ms. Alinejad for money—out of greed. Today’s sentence should be a serious warning to anyone who tries to profit by carrying out the wishes of a hostile foreign regime on United States soil.”
“Tehran attempted to murder a U.S. journalist in the United States simply because she exposed a few of that regime’s many abuses,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The defendant now stands convicted and sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence for his role in this plot. The Department and its colleagues will work tirelessly to protect Americans and to seek justice when our laws are broken.”
“With today’s sentencing, Jonathan Loadholt will pay the price for participating in a plot orchestrated by Iran to kill a journalist and human rights activist who criticized the Iranian government’s policies,” said FBI Assistant Director Donald Holstead. “The FBI will use all our resources to detect and prevent anyone working for foreign powers who attempts to harm individuals living in the United States, and we will coordinate closely with the Justice Department to make sure such criminals face the full weight of American justice.”
“Jonathan Loadholt served as a hired gun to stalk, surveil, and ultimately assassinate Masih Alinejad—a United States citizen—on behalf of the IRGC,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force disrupted and arrested him before he could carry out his plan. The FBI will squash all attempts to silence critics of oppressive regimes on American soil.”
As reflected in the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings:
In 2024, LOADHOLT’s friend and co-defendant, CARLISLE RIVERA, a/k/a “Pop,” a convicted murderer, was hired by RIVERA’s criminal confederate, FARHAD SHAKERI, to murder Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). The IRGC is a military and intelligence organization that directly reports to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is the Government of Iran’s primary instrument for providing financial and lethal aid to proxy terror groups in the Middle East. Among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting, among others, U.S. citizens residing abroad and in the United States. Ms. Alinejad is one of the IRGC’s principal targets. The IRGC and the Government of Iran’s intelligence services have long sought to kidnap or murder Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to promote gender equality and civil liberties in Iran and to expose the regime’s corruption, oppression, and terrorism to the international community. In 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Ms. Alinejad in the U.S. for rendition to Iran; then, in 2022, the IRGC hired powerful, violent members of the Russian Mob to murder Ms. Alinejad. After those efforts failed, the IRGC turned to SHAKERI, who hired RIVERA, who in turn recruited LOADHOLT to assist him, to kill Ms. Alinejad.
SHAKERI offered RIVERA $100,000 for he and LOADHOLT to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, and RIVERA agreed. LOADHOLT was recruited into the plot by RIVERA and, using money sent by SHAKERI, RIVERA and LOADHOLT conducted surveillance on Ms. Alinejad with the aim of killing her. Using money sent by SHAKERI, RIVERA and LOADHOLT purchased a firearm and “burner” cellphones. LOADHOLT and RIVERA spent several months attempting to find and kill Ms. Alinejad, using LOADHOLT’s car and fake license plates, including by following her to a public speaking event at Fairfield University and repeatedly stalking the Brooklyn house where SHAKERI and the IRGC believed Ms. Alinejad lived.
During their efforts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, LOADHOLT and RIVERA shared messages about their progress and photographs relating to their murder plot. For example, in February 2024, LOADHOLT and RIVERA messaged about an incoming payment from SHAKERI, and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Ms. Alinejad was scheduled to appear, and took photographs on campus. In July 2024, LOADHOLT and RIVERA exchanged messages discussing their expected upfront payment for murdering Ms. Alinejad. During those messages, LOADHOLT expressed frustration about the apparent absence of a $10,000 advance, partial payment for Ms. Alinejad’s murder, writing to RIVERA “So no 10 up front I’m guessing??” and, after RIVERA confirmed no upfront payment had been made, LOADHOLT responded, “I’m so frustrated son I’m like ready to jump out the window.”
On November 7, 2024, before he and RIVERA could complete their task of killing Ms. Alinejad, LOADHOLT was arrested. At LOADHOLT’s residence, law enforcement agents recovered, among other things, more than two dozen rounds of ammunition.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, LOADHOLT, 37, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
LOADHOLT is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. In January 2026, RIVERA was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Judge Liman, after previously having pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. SHAKERI remains at large.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents and analysts from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection New York Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the New York State Police.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and Michael D. Lockard are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Six Charged with Drug Trafficking Following HSTF InvestigationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Six defendants were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking organization, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.
The six defendants below were charged by a second superseding information on April 29, 2026, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine:
- Rafael Mora Contreras, 45, of Forest Grove, Oregon;
- Cristina Echeverria, 42, of Forest Grove;
- Nathalie Claire Buchanan, 28, of Bend, Oregon;
- Charles Ottis Johnson, 37, of Bend;
- Mariano Perez-Sanchez, 42, of Forest Grove; and
- Dagoberto Ayala-Lopez, 38, of Hillsboro, Oregon.
According to court documents, in July 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Oregon State Police (OSP), and Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine supplier in Forest Grove operated and run by Perez-Sanchez. Perez-Sanchez worked as a drug dispatcher and took orders from retail level distributors.
Johnson and Buchanan were drug trafficking partners who routinely purchased large amounts of methamphetamine in the Portland and Salem area to sell in the Bend area. On February 11, 2026, Echeverria, a courier for Perez-Sanchez, delivered a large quantity of methamphetamine to Buchanan at a hotel. Buchanan and Johnson were pulled over by police. Officers located over 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the car. Investigators reviewed text messages during the drug deal with Johnson and Buchanan showing further evidence of drug trafficking.
On February 17, 2026, Echeverria and Mora Contreras, driving separate cars, were both pulled over by OSP troopers after an overnight trip to California to re-supply drugs. OSP troopers located 28 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine in Echeverria’s car.
Ayala-Lopez worked as a drug courier for Perez-Sanchez. Ayala-Lopez’s vehicles and residence were searched pursuant to search warrant and investigators located over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine.
DEA is investigating the case with assistance from OSP and CCITF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis Burkhart is prosecuting the case.
CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, OSP, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on May 26, 2026.
John Brave Bird, age 52, was sentenced to 10 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.
Brave Bird was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026. He pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026.
Brave Bird was convicted of Sexual Abuse in United States District Court, District of South Dakota in June 2007. As a result of his conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or change in employment or student status. In October 2025, Brave Bird updated his sex offender registration to reflect that he was residing at a residence in Sioux Falls. Brave Bird left that residence in early October and did not update his registration. An arrest warrant was issued, and on November 25, 2025, Brave Bird was arrested in Sioux Falls.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit 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.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Brave Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Seven Indicted in Alleged Prison-Run Drug Network Linked to CartelsRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. — U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes today announced that seven people, including four who reentered the country illegally, have been indicted for a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking network directed by a state inmate with ties to Mexican cartels, following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized about 35 kilograms of suspected crystal methamphetamine and 3.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl with a street value of $225,000 plus $145,000 in cash. The investigation led to the discovery of two clandestine drug labs.
The initial appearances for the defendants will occur in the U.S. Magistrate Court in Albany, Georgia, at a date set by the Court. The defendants are in federal custody.
The federal indictment in Case No. 7:26-cr-00014, filed on May 13, charges the following individuals:
Luis Alfonso Ramirez, aka “Poncho,” aka “OG Ponch,” 40, of Washington State Prison, located in the Middle District of Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Jacquez Latron Franks, 41, of Gainesville, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Ramiro Villa Chaves, aka “Ramiro Villa Chavez,” 39, of Union City, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Misael Benitez Bustos, 33, of Hampton, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Alejandro Renteria Blanco, 46, of Lilburn, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Bergin Zeylaya Flores, 26, of Brookhaven, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Monique Renee Burton, 32, of Gainesville,is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Chavez, Bustos, Blanco, and Flores are in the U.S. illegally and have previously been deported or removed.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning as early as October 2024 and continuing until this month, the defendants allegedly conspired to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In July 2025, the HSI Violent Gang Unit and the GBI Metro Gang Task Force began an HSTF investigation into the alleged criminal actions of Ramirez, an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections who was suspected of trafficking large amounts of fentanyl and crystal methamphetamine using contraband cellphones, including when he was housed at Valdosta State Prison.
Ramirez is an alleged member of the Norteños criminal street gang with ties to Mexican drug cartels. At the time of the alleged offense, both Franks and Villa Chavez had separate prior serious drug felony convictions. The investigation revealed an alleged drug trafficking network operating in numerous counties within Georgia, including Hall, Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Fulton, Douglas, and Spalding.
This investigation and prosecution are part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threaten the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from the ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
HSI and GBI are investigating the case with critical assistance from the FBI North Georgia Major Offenders Task Force, GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, GBI West Metro Regional Drug Enforcement Office, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Clayton County Sheriff's Office, Hall County Sheriff's Office, Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, and East Point Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Security Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $26 Million from Girlfriend’s EmployerRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The owner of a security company pleaded guilty today to embezzling over $26 million from his girlfriend’s employer and purchasing high-end merchandise using the stolen funds and selling those items through an online consignment company.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from January 1, 2018 to February 28, 2025, William Keolanui Costa and his girlfriend, co-defendant Cynthia Marie Marabella, devised a scheme to defraud Marabella’s employer where she was employed as a controller at a Las Vegas-based construction company. As part of the scheme, Costa and Marabella fraudulently duplicated bonus checks and deposited the checks into bank accounts controlled by Marabella and Costa; opened credit cards in other peoples’ names and made unauthorized charges then paid the credit cards’ bills with stolen funds; provided false accounting records to the employer; created forged and false bank statements; and sent fictitious invoices from merchant accounts then paid the invoices with stolen funds.
Costa and Marabella used the stolen money to pay off vehicles, living expenses, and credit cards. They also purchased high-end merchandise with the stolen funds, such as expensive purses, shoes, clothing, and jewelry. Marabella sold the merchandise through an online consignment company. They received more than $245,000 from the sales. As a result of the fraud scheme, Costa and Marabella obtained more than $26 million from the employer.
“Stealing more than 26 million dollars through forged checks, fraudulent credit cards, and fabricated invoices is a deliberate and calculated financial attack against an employer,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “This criminal activity was not a mere lapse in judgment. It was a years‑long scheme built to siphon money, falsify records, and conceal the truth. IRS‑CI Phoenix will aggressively pursue anyone who uses deception and access to procure ill-gotten funds, and today’s plea makes clear that large‑scale financial fraud will be met with justice.”
In April 2026, Marabella pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of monetary transactions in criminally derived property. Sentencing has been set for August 4, 2026.
Costa pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of monetary transactions in criminally derived property. Sentencing has been set for September 2, 2026, before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. The total maximum statutory penalty is 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Henderson Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Frayn is prosecuting the case.
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Rosebud Man and Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man and woman, both from Rosebud, South Dakota, following their convictions for Voluntary Manslaughter.
Jamie Clairmont, a/k/a Jamie Clairmont-Rogers, age 42, pleaded guilty on January 26, 2026. On May 19, 2026, she was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Keanu Marshall, age 21, pleaded guilty on January 29, 2026. On May 26, 2026, he was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Clairmont and Marshall were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on April 9, 2024, in Rosebud, South Dakota, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, the victim, an adult male, was walking when he confronted a group of people. He picked up a piece of wood and swung it at Clairmont. Clairmont took the piece of wood and struck the victim with it. Marshall then repeatedly punched the victim, knocking him to the ground. The victim was hospitalized with traumatic injuries to the head and face, and he passed away on April 19, 2024.
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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Clairmont and Marshall were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencing hearings.
Romanian National Sentenced for Selling Access to Networks of Oregon State Government Office and Other U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A Romanian national was sentenced to 56 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release in connection with an online intrusion into an Oregon state government office in 2021 and other cyber attacks on U.S. victims, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.
“My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, here and abroad, to disrupt and dismantle malicious cyber criminal activity and to bring cyber criminals, wherever they may be, to account for their crimes in federal court in Oregon,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford.
According to court documents, Catalin Dragomir, 46, formerly of Constanta, Romania, sold access on the dark web to a computer on the network of an Oregon state government office after obtaining unauthorized access to it in June 2021. During the sale, Dragomir provided the prospective buyer with samples of personal identifying information from the computer. He also sold access to the computer networks of numerous other victims in the United States and across the world, causing losses of at least $250,000. Dragomir operated on the dark web, using aliases to obscure his identity.
In November 2024, Dragomir was arrested in Romania and extradited to the United States in January 2025.
On February 19, 2026, Dragomir pleaded guilty to obtaining information from a protected computer and aggravated identity theft.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorneys Benjamin A. Bleiberg and Alison M. Zitron of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Romanian Ministry of Justice, Directorate for International Law and Judicial Cooperation, and the Romanian Judiciary to secure the arrest and extradition of Dragomir. The Department of Justice also thanks Darkweb IQ for its assistance with the investigation.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Romanian National Sentenced for Selling Access to Networks of Oregon State Government Office and Other U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
A Romanian national was sentenced yesterday to 56 months in prison in connection with an online intrusion into an Oregon state government office in 2021 and other cyber-attacks on U.S. victims.
According to court documents, Catalin Dragomir, 46, formerly of Constanta, Romania, sold access to a computer on the network of an Oregon state government office after obtaining unauthorized access to it in June of 2021. During the sale, Dragomir provided the prospective buyer with samples of personal identifying information from the computer. He also sold access to the computer networks of numerous other victims in the United States, causing losses of at least $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
In November 2024, Dragomir was arrested in Romania. He was extradited to the United States in January 2025.
On Feb. 19, Dragomir pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining information from a protected computer and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The FBI Portland Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Benjamin A. Bleiberg and Alison M. Zitron of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken for the District of Oregon prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Romanian Ministry of Justice, Directorate for International Law and Judicial Cooperation, and the Romanian Judiciary to secure the arrest and extradition of Dragomir. The Department of Justice also thanks Darkweb IQ for its assistance with the investigation.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Rankin County Woman Sentenced to 37 months for Misappropriating Disabled Veteran Benefit FundsRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Rankin County woman was sentenced to 37 months in prison on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, for misusing Veterans Benefit Administration money entrusted to her to benefit a disabled Army Veteran. The total loss of taxpayer funds was $276,450.31. As part of the sentence, the loss amount was ordered payable as restitution to the veteran victim.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Darla Storey, 57, began serving as a fiduciary on March 18, 2016, and was responsible for managing the financial affairs of her adult son who was permanently disabled and wheelchair-bound due to service-connected disabilities. As part of her fiduciary duties, Darla Storey had agreed and was required to use funds entrusted to her solely for the veteran’s benefit, to file regular accountings, and to never commingle the funds.
During her five years as a fiduciary, Darla Storey misappropriated VA funds by using them for her own benefit through transferring the money to her personal bank account, purchasing a vehicle the beneficiary never used, paying bills, and taking trips even when the beneficiary was not living with her. She routinely failed to file proper accountings and used funds entrusted to her for the disabled veteran for her own benefit.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
The Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.
Queens Man Convicted of Extortion ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Brooklyn this afternoon convicted Shlomo Patchiav, also known as “Slava Fatkhiev,” of participating in an extortion conspiracy in which he repeatedly threatened a victim to force the victim to pay him. The verdict was returned after a three-week trial before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. When sentenced, Patchiav faces up to 20 years in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the verdict.
“Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for extorting a victim for money and threatening to hold him ‘hostage,’ and then covering up his connection to the victim after the victim’s murder by concealing his body,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.
“Shlomo Patchiav agreed to extort a victim for money before trying to hide his connection to this conspiracy once the victim was found murdered. May today’s verdict emphasize the FBI’s commitment to ensuring violent intimidation tactics and attempts to cover up crimes do not go unpunished,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As proven at trial, Patchiav and a co-conspirator (the Co-Conspirator) engaged in an extortion conspiracy in which they used threats and violence against the victim, Shehroz Tokhirov, after the three men failed to reach an agreement in a luxury watch deal. Patchiav owned a wholesale jewelry and diamond business. In June 2022, Patchiav and the Co-Conspirator engaged in discussions with Tokhirov about the potential sale of several luxury watches for approximately $500,000. Thereafter, Patchiav and the Co-Conspirator began demanding money from Tokhirov and threatening him.
On the morning of June 25, 2022, Tokhirov left his apartment in the Kensington section of Brooklyn carrying a plastic bag full of cash. Video surveillance footage showed Tokhirov and the Co-Conspirator at a TD Bank in Brooklyn, where Tokhirov withdrew approximately $10,000 in cash and obtained a cashier’s check for $20,000 that was made out to the Co-Conspirator. The two men then went to a tax services store where Tokhirov signed a document turning over his Mercedes Benz SUV to the Co-Conspirator. Tokhirov was not seen or heard from after that meeting, and, eight months later, his body was recovered from a residence in Ellenville, New York. Evidence admitted at trial, including cell phone location data, placed Patchiav and the Co-Conspirator in Ellenville, New York on June 26, 2022, the day after Tokhirov’s disappearance.
On June 27, 2022, the Co-Conspirator purchased a ticket for a Turkish Airlines flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Republic of Georgia, departing on June 28, 2022. On the date of his departure, law enforcement officers seized from the Co-Conspirator approximately $26,500 in cash and a receipt for the $20,000 check that Tokhirov had obtained at TD Bank on the day of his disappearance.
The Co-Conspirator remains at large.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Larkin and Benjamin Weintraub are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Rehnquist and Paralegal Specialist John Schneider.
The Defendant:
SHLOMO PATCHIAV (also known as “Slava Fatkhiev”)
Age: 45
Kew Gardens, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-99 (DLI)
Peoria County Deputy Receives Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – As part of the United States Freedom 250 celebration, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have been honoring community members during the month of May. The honorees have shown exemplary service going above and beyond in their capacity as law enforcement, public safety, or victim support.
The Central District of Illinois has recognized Peoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Jack Evans who, on January 31, 2026, conducted a lawful traffic stop and subsequent foot pursuit of a fleeing suspect on West Garden Street in Peoria. During the pursuit, the suspect abruptly turned and fired multiple rounds at Deputy Evans at close range, striking him in the leg and torso.Despite being ambushed, wounded, and knocked to the ground, Deputy Evans remained composed and mission-focused, providing information to other law enforcement officers that helped lead to the suspect’s arrest. Deputy Evans’s commitment to protecting the community even while gravely injured reflects the highest traditions of law enforcement service. In honor of his steady professionalism while wounded, Deputy Evans accepted the Hometown Hero Award from Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore on May 18, 2026.
“Deputy Evans’s brave actions and commitment to public safety during a moment of personal peril made him a natural choice for the Hometown Hero Award,” said Acting United States Attorney Gilmore. “We are immensely grateful for his service and for his recovery.”
“Deputy Evans demonstrated true bravery under fire, and we’re thankful he continues to recover.” said Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins. “I want to thank Acting U.S. Attorney Gilmore for coming to Peoria to recognize his actions and present the Hometown Hero Award.”
Penn Hills Felon Indicted for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Andre Aaron Yates, 26, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on October 8, 2025, Yates, who had been previously convicted of a felony, knowingly possessed a stolen Glock 19 pistol, ammunition, and a 30-round ammunition magazine. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania State Police, and Monroeville Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
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.An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Panama City Man Indicted for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Austen Scott Tucker, 29, of Panama City, Florida, has been federally charged with attempted enticement of a minor. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Tucker appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Charles A. Stampelos in Tallahassee, Florida. His jury trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Tucker faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment.
The case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Palmetto Man Indicted for Making False Statements in Connection with a Firearm PurchaseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Desmin Terrell Belvin, Jr. (21, Palmetto) has been charged by indictment with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 21, 2026, Belvin falsely represented to a federally licensed firearms dealer on an ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual transferee or buyer of a Glock handgun, when in fact he knew he was buying the handgun on behalf of someone else.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stalking and Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Abdalla Hatim Elhakiem (30, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 27 months in federal prison for stalking and interstate transmission of a threat to injure. Elhakiem pleaded guilty on February 13, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Elhakiem previously attended the Biochemistry Ph.D. program at the University of Utah. After slashing the tire of a car owned by the victim, a fellow student in the program, Elhakiem was suspended from the University of Utah and returned to Orlando. In November 2024, in violation of a Utah protective order, Elhakiem began sending threatening and harassing emails to the victim from email accounts created using foreign email services based in Switzerland and Germany. Elhakiem sent the victim threats that he would sexually assault and kill her. He used a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and other methods to hide his identity as the source of the threats. On August 6, 2025, Elhakiem sent a threat to kill the victim using a Gmail account that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents were able to tie directly to Elhakiem.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Salt Lake City Police Department and the University of Utah Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan.
Oregon Man Charged with Making Bomb Threats That Terrorized Schools in OhioRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – An 18-year-old man from the state of Oregon has been charged with making dozens of hoax bomb threat calls to schools and other organizations in Ohio.
In March, law enforcement began investigating bomb threats that were made to at least 17 high schools in Ohio, including in Lucas and Lake County. As a result of the threats, multiple schools were placed on lockdown while law enforcement searched for bombs or other signs of terrorism. The threats were found to be swatting, or hoax, calls originating from out of state. Following an investigation, federal agents identified Nathan Hayes, 18, of Sweet Home, Oregon, as the caller. As alleged in the criminal complaint and affidavit, Hayes used multiple aliases to threaten schools and organizations. It is also alleged that he offered swatting services for sale and doxed at least one individual in Illinois. Doxing is the act of publicly revealing someone's private, personally identifying information online without their consent. Hayes also monitored media coverage to see public reaction to his swatting calls.
If convicted Hayes faces up to 10 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Dexter L. Phillips is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Oglethorpe Inc. and Top Executives Agree to Pay $32M to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Oglethorpe Inc. (Oglethorpe), an operator of psychiatric hospitals headquartered in Tampa, Florida, along with its founder and principal owner, Robert Cohen, CEO John Picciano, and Chief Operating Office James O’Shea, have agreed to pay $32 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly failing to return overpayments received from the Medicare program for the admission of beneficiaries to three of Oglethorpe’s Ohio facilities.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2021 through the present, Oglethorpe and its executives knowingly failed to return to Medicare overpayments that Oglethorpe’s own consultants had identified. The overpayments related to beneficiaries who had been admitted to two hospitals (Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital and Georgetown Behavioral Hospital) and a substance abuse clinic (The Woods at Parkside), even though they did not qualify for inpatient psychiatric care.
“Healthcare fraud has negative impacts for taxpayers and patients alike,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reflects the Department’s commitment to protecting taxpayer money and ensuring that Medicare payments are consistent with the coverage and payment rules for those services.”
“My office is determined to protect the public fisc and our fragile public health programs,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to pursue companies and individuals who defy Medicare’s regulations for personal gain.”
In 2021, Oglethorpe entered a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) following an earlier False Claims Act settlement with the Department of Justice. As a result of violating that Corporate Integrity Agreement, the defendants agreed to enter into a voluntary exclusion agreement with HHS-OIG under which they will be excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, and all federal health care programs for a period of 10 years beginning in July 2026.
“By enforcing the Corporate Integrity Agreement and securing a voluntary exclusion agreement the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Chief Counsel Susan Edwards of HHS-OIG. “When entities fail to meet their obligations — especially after entering agreements designed to ensure compliance — we will take decisive action. This outcome underscores that accountability is essential to safeguarding both patients and taxpayer resources.”
The civil settlement concludes a lawsuit filed by four former Oglethorpe employees: Whitney Treloar, a registered nurse, Darren Caruso, former Chief Fiscal Officer, Jeanette Skinner, former Regional Director of Operations, and Joel Snook, the former Director of Financial Operations. The suit was filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and to receive a share of the recovery. The relators’ share of this resolution has not yet been determined. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Whitney Treloar, et al. v. Oglethorpe, Inc., et. al., No. 22-cv-00238 (M.D. Fla.).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Senior Trial Counsel Justin Draycott of the Justice Department’s Civil Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Keefe for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Oglethorpe Inc. and Top Executives Agree to Pay $32M to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — Oglethorpe Inc. (Oglethorpe), an operator of psychiatric hospitals headquartered in Tampa, Florida, along with its founder and principal owner, Robert Cohen, CEO John Picciano, and Chief Operating Office James O’Shea, have agreed to pay $32 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly failing to return overpayments received from the Medicare program for the admission of beneficiaries to three of Oglethorpe’s Ohio facilities.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2021 through the present, Oglethorpe and its executives knowingly failed to return to Medicare overpayments that Oglethorpe’s own consultants had identified. The overpayments related to beneficiaries who had been admitted to two hospitals (Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital and Georgetown Behavioral Hospital) and a substance abuse clinic (The Woods at Parkside), even though they did not qualify for inpatient psychiatric care.
“My office is determined to protect the public fisc and our fragile public health programs,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to pursue companies and individuals who defy Medicare’s regulations for personal gain.”
“Healthcare fraud has negative impacts for taxpayers and patients alike,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reflects the Department’s commitment to protecting taxpayer money and ensuring that Medicare payments are consistent with the coverage and payment rules for those services.”
In 2021, Oglethorpe entered a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) following an earlier False Claims Act settlement with the Department of Justice. As a result of violating that Corporate Integrity Agreement, the defendants agreed to enter into a voluntary exclusion agreement with HHS-OIG under which they will be excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, and all federal health care programs for a period of 10 years beginning in July 2026.
“By enforcing the Corporate Integrity Agreement and securing a voluntary exclusion agreement the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Chief Counsel Susan Edwards of HHS-OIG. “When entities fail to meet their obligations — especially after entering agreements designed to ensure compliance — we will take decisive action. This outcome underscores that accountability is essential to safeguarding both patients and taxpayer resources.”
The civil settlement concludes a lawsuit filed by four former Oglethorpe employees: Whitney Treloar, a registered nurse, Darren Caruso, former Chief Fiscal Officer, Jeanette Skinner, former Regional Director of Operations, and Joel Snook, the former Director of Financial Operations. The suit was filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and to receive a share of the recovery. The relators’ share of this resolution has not yet been determined. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Whitney Treloar, et al. v. Oglethorpe, Inc., et. al., No. 22-cv-00238 (M.D. Fla.).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Keefe for the Middle District of Florida and Senior Trial Counsel Justin Draycott of the Justice Department’s Civil Fraud Section handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
New Orleans Businessman Guilty of Covid-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – WELLINGTON BROWN (“BROWN”), age 53, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 21, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Anna St. John, to providing a false statement to a federal agency, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Sentencing is set for August 27, 2026.
According to court documents, BROWN provided a materially false statement to the Small Business Administration in an application to obtain a government sponsored loan designed to assist small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation revealed BROWN submitted several fraudulent SBA loan and loan forgiveness applications in 2021 and included false and fraudulent tax documents in support of these filings. The investigation confirmed that BROWN is responsible for a total loss of approximately $123,771.79.
The maximum penalty for false statements to a federal agency is five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney, Richard R. Pickens, II, of the financial crimes unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Mounds Resident Sentenced to Ten Years for Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ned Elmer Johnson, age 37, of Mounds, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
On August 12, 2025, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, from April 2021 until April 2023, Johnson knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a person who had attained the age of 12 years but not yet attained the age of 16 years, and who was at least four years younger than Johnson.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Johnson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Missouri Sex Offender Caught Again with Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man residing in a halfway house after serving prison time for producing child pornography on Tuesday admitted being caught again with child sexual abuse material.
Joseph Trahan, 62, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted that in August of 2025, he was on supervised release and residing at a halfway house. After learning that Trahan had an unauthorized electronic device and had been viewing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), Trahan’s probation officer met with him on August 6, 2025. Subsequent investigation discovered conversations between Trahan and another registered sex offender on supervised release in another judicial district about sex with a child, as well as more than 600 images containing CSAM. Trahan also had unregistered and unauthorized accounts on TikTok and Instagram.
Trahan is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9. Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Trahan’s lawyer have agreed to recommend 10 years in prison.
In 2007, Trahan, originally of Phoenix, Arizona, was convicted of production of child pornography in U.S. District Court in St. Louis and sentenced to 270 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Trahan videotaped himself engaged in sexual activity with a 16-year-old girl and distributed the tapes through the mail in exchange for money.
The U.S. Probation Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Bateman and Sila Karacal are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Matthew Perry’s Former Live-In Personal Assistant Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Ketamine to ActorRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man who was actor and author Matthew Perry’s live-in personal assistant was sentenced today to 41 months in federal prison for obtaining and repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine, including the fatal dose that ended Perry’s life in October 2023.
Kenneth Iwamasa, 61, of Toluca Lake, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, who also fined him $10,000.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury. He is the fifth and final defendant to be sentenced in connection with Perry’s death.
According to court documents, Iwamasa knew Perry since 1992 and became his live-in personal assistant in 2022. In this role, he was paid $150,000 per year and had various responsibilities, including coordinating Perry’s medical care and ensuring that Perry took the medication that he was lawfully prescribed by treating physicians.
Iwamasa is not a medical professional and has no expertise or training in that field. He also was aware of Perry’s long history of drug addiction. Prosecutors wrote in their sentencing position that “rather than help Mr. Perry maintain sobriety, [Iwamasa] became his enabler and drug supplier,” ultimately causing Mr. Perry’s death.
In September 2023 and continuing until Perry’s death on October 28, 2023, Iwamasa conspired with multiple people, including a physician, Salvador Plasencia, 44, a.k.a. “Dr. P,” of Santa Monica, and a drug counselor, Erik Fleming, 56, of Hawthorne, to knowingly and intentionally distribute ketamine to Perry.
Plasencia distributed 20 vials and multiple tablets of ketamine and syringes to Iwamasa and Perry and taught Iwamasa how to inject the ketamine into Perry, knowing that his conduct fell below the proper standard of medical care and that the ketamine transfers were not for a legitimate medical purpose. Plasencia charged a total of $57,000 for these efforts, even though the going price of ketamine was only approximately $15 per vial. Plasencia did not provide the ketamine that caused Perry’s death.
Iwamasa witnessed Plasencia inject Perry with a large dose of ketamine that caused the actor to “freeze up” and be unable to move or speak. Despite Plasencia stating, “Let’s not do that again,” Iwamasa already had begun arranging for a steady – and cheaper – supply of ketamine from Fleming, court documents state.
In October 2023, Iwamasa purchased 51 vials of ketamine from Fleming over the course of 11 days. Fleming obtained the ketamine from his drug source, Jasveen Sangha, 42, a.k.a. “Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood.
Leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that Sangha supplied to Fleming. During this period, Iwamasa witnessed Perry’s increasing addiction to ketamine. He found Perry unconscious at his residence on at least two occasions and witnessed an immediate adverse reaction following a ketamine injection where Perry froze up and was unable to talk or move. On October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine, which caused Perry’s death.
On the day of Perry’s death, after Iwamasa called 911 to Perry’s residence, Los Angeles Police officers questioned him. When asked about what medications Perry was currently taking, Iwamasa provided a robust list of treating doctors and medications
Perry had been prescribed. Iwamasa, however, intentionally omitted ketamine from the list. When Iwamasa recounted the events leading up to Perry’s death, he provided a chronology that concealed the ketamine injections he had administered to Perry, including the third shot that Iwamasa administered just hours earlier, prior to Perry’s death.
Iwamasa also took steps to remove and destroy evidence related to Perry’s use of ketamine in the days leading up to the actor’s death. After doing so, Iwamasa contacted Fleming on the phone and told him that he had cleaned up the scene, including the ketamine bottles and syringes, and that he had “deleted everything,” according to court documents.
Sangha, Plasencia, and Fleming are serving federal prison sentences, respectively, of 15 years, 2½ years, and two years, after pleading guilty to federal narcotics charges.
Mark Chavez, 55, a former San Diego physician, was ordered to serve a sentence of eight months of home detention, 300 hours of community service, and three years of probation. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and sold the drug to Plasencia, who then distributed it to Perry.
Chavez surrendered his medical license in November 2024. Plasencia surrendered his medical license in September 2025.
The Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello of the National Security Division and Haoxiaohan H. Cai of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Man Who Transported $9 Million in Illicit Cash Proceeds for Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who transported $9 million in illicit cash proceeds for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization has been sentenced to six years in federal prison.
RICARDO TELLO transported bulk cash proceeds for Mexico-based drug traffickers who had distributed cocaine to numerous cities in the United States. Tello picked up at least approximately $9 million from various locations and delivered the money via plane or car to others in the Chicago area. He received about $3,500 per pickup. On one occasion in November 2019, Tello delivered nearly $300,000 to an undercover law enforcement officer in Hillside, Ill.
Additionally, Tello used his logistics company to support the Mexico-based drug traffickers by exporting nearly 50 loads of plastic sheeting that had been used to smuggle at least 450 kilograms of cocaine into the United States.
The drug trafficking organization was allegedly led by OSWALDO ESPINOSA, of Mexico. Espinosa’s organization allegedly used warehouses, garages, and stash houses in Chicago to receive and store the cocaine and cash. Tello, Espinosa, and sixteen others were charged in federal court as part of this investigation. Ten of the co-defendants have pleaded guilty and admitted their roles in the trafficking operation. Espinosa is believed to be in Mexico, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Tello, 39, of Mission, Texas, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to drug distribution and money laundering charges. On May 15, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso imposed the six-year prison term and ordered Tello to forfeit $297,699.50 in cash and a Cessna 182P aircraft to the U.S. government.
Tello’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Todd C. Smith, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Michael J. Pfeiffer, Director of the Chicago Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Rosenbloom and Hanna Helwig.
Man Indicted and Arrested for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 21, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Barbaro José Del Valle-De Paula, 64 years old, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and firearms offenses, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, from April 29, 2026 through May 13, 2026, defendant Del Valle-De Paula, conspired with other persons to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and Oxycodone (commonly known as Percocet) at Las Gardenias Public Housing Project, and within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising a public or private school and playground. Del Valle-De Paula was arrested on May 13, 2026, in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The defendant made his initial court appearance May 14, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Michael Mayer, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Puerto Rico Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney José A. Contreras is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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