Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
27 May 2026
Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Arizona man was sentenced on May 26, 2026, to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Raul Misael Lopez Murrieta, 23, delivered approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine in May 2025 to Richard Allen Tuan Casey, 37, of Coralville. In July 2025, law enforcement stopped Lopez Murrieta and found approximately 117 pounds of methamphetamine in the tires of a vehicle he was towing. Lopez Murrieta admitted he was compensated for transporting methamphetamine from Arizona to the Midwest for distribution.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Lopez Murrieta will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Casey is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2026, following his plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and use of a communication facility.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The University of Iowa Police Department, Johnson County Drug Task Force, Iowa City Police Department, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
A Romanian National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Romanian national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for defrauding elderly victims by stealing their bank cards and taking money from their bank accounts.
Rexona Caldararu, 34, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, beginning in the summer of 2023 and continuing through the summer of 2025, Caldararu and her co-conspirators would memorize the debit card pin numbers of elderly victims as they checked out at the grocery store. Caldararu or one of her co-conspirators then followed each victim back to the parking lot, told the victim they dropped cash and insisted on helping place the cash back in their wallet while at the same time removing their debit card. Caldararu and her co-conspirators would then proceed to the victim’s bank and remove as much money as possible and sometimes also use the debit card to make purchases. Caldararu defrauded 12 victims from the District of Oregon and elsewhere and stole more than $73,500. Caldararu had been previously arrested for similar conduct throughout the country, in the United Kingdom, and in France.
On Oct. 7, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 12-count superseding indictment charging Caldararu and her co-conspirators. On Jan. 22, 2026, Caldararu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken prosecuted the case.
26 May 2026
Washington Man Formally Charged by Information with Harassing Endangered Monk Seal by Hurling Large Rock at Its HeadRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was charged today, May 26, 2026, by Information, with “taking” an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. Under the statutes, a “taking” includes, among other things, harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, wounding, and killing a protected species, or attempting to do so. Lytvynchuk was previously charged by criminal complaint on May 12, 2026 and arrested the following day, near Seattle, Washington by Special Agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
According to court records, Lytvynchuk was observed and filmed on May 5, 2026 walking along the shoreline in the Lahaina area of Maui tracking the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal as it playfully pushed a floating log close to the shoreline. According to the complaint, Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock, took aim, and threw the rock directly at the seal head. The rock narrowly missed the seal’s nose, startling it, and causing it to rear up out of the water. Witnesses immediately confronted Lytvynchuk and told him they had contacted law enforcement, to which Lytvynchuk reportedly responded that he was “rich enough to pay the fines,” before walking away. According to witnesses, the monk seal remained largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident, which caused much concern over the seal’s welfare.
If convicted, Lytvynchuk, faces up to one year in prison for each charge, plus a term of supervised release. Lytvynchuk also faces a fine of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act, a fine of up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and a fine of up to $100,000 under the Criminal Fine Improvements Act.
“Today’s charges against Igor Lytvynchuk demonstrate our solemn commitment to not only protect Hawaii’s endangered monk seals, but all of our unique and endangered wildlife species from those who illegally harass, injure, or attempt to take them in defiance of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Igor Lytvynchuk now stands formally charged for these alleged offenses and will face justice in federal court. We urge all to allow the process of justice to proceed and understand that Lytvynchuk enjoys certain rights, including the presumption of innocence. We look forward to proceeding with our case in United States District Court.”
The charges in the Information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service – Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar is prosecuting the case.
Three Individuals Charged with Interstate Kidnapping After Transporting Victim from New Hampshire to Vermont and Holding Her for RansomRead the Press Release
Three Individuals Charged with Interstate Kidnapping After Transporting Victim From New Hampshire to Vermont and Holding Her for Ransom
CONCORD – A federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging three individuals in connection with an interstate kidnapping conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
The Grand Jury charged Damarcus Bonner, 30, and Tyron Harris, 27, with one count of Kidnapping and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping. Nicole Palardy, 37, of Claremont, New Hampshire, was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping. All three defendants were previously charged by the State of Vermont and had been in Vermont state custody since January. Harris and Bonner had previously been named in a complaint and are currently held in federal custody. According to allegations in the complaint, the defendants kidnapped an adult victim in Claremont, New Hampshire, and brought her to a residence in Springfield, Vermont. For approximately 24 hours, they held her there against her will, tortured and beat the victim, and demanded money from her and others on her behalf. Springfield Police ultimately learned of kidnapping and went to the residence in the early morning hours of January 25, 2026. They rescued the victim from the residence and arrested the defendants. A search of the residence revealed a firearm, drugs packaged for distribution, duct tape that was used to bind the victim, and items used for torture.
The charging statutes provides a sentence of up to life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI is leading the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Vermont State Police, the Springfield, Vermont Police Department, and the Claremont, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
Three Convicted Felons Charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition Stemming from Shooting Outside La Danse NightclubRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Traivon Bohannon, 27, of Smyrna; Tynerick Turner, 27, of Nashville; and Veretez McGill, 26, of Goodlettsville, with possession of ammunition by a previously convicted felon, for their role in the shooting outside of La Danse Nightclub on May 3, 2026, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
“Gun violence is unacceptable anywhere, but gunfire that took place in the shadow of the federal courthouse cannot be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “We will continue to work steadfastly with our local partners to hold felons with guns accountable for their unlawful and dangerous actions.”
On May 3, 2026, at approximately 2:43 a.m., the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) was dispatched to La Danse Nightclub, located at 142 Rosa L. Parks Avenue in Nashville. Officers located three victims with gunshot wounds. One of the Victims (Victim 1) died from his injuries. Officers also found extensive gunfire damage to nearby vehicles, businesses, and the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. MNPD Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) processed the scene. CSI collected multiple fired projectiles from vehicles, the streets, and the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. They also collected approximately 110 fired shell casings of multiple calibers.
Through the investigation, law enforcement learned that a physical altercation began outside of La Danse between two of the Victims and a group of males, three of whom were later identified as Bohannon, Turner, and McGill. Numerous witnesses advised that people at La Danse were celebrating “Five-Deuce” day inside the club. The night prior to the shooting (May 2 - the fifth month and second day of the month) is celebrated by the Five-Deuce Hoover Crips as a “founder’s day.” Witnesses stated that the physical altercation at La Danse began when Victim 1 walked up to a group of Five-Deuce Hoover Crips and stated, “Fuck the Crips.”
Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were identified as being involved in the physical altercation that severely injured one Victim (Victim 2). Victim 2 was repeatedly beaten and suffered a gunshot injury. Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were also identified as being involved in the shooting that ultimately killed Victim 1.
MNPD collected numerous surveillance videos from La Danse, the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse, and MNPD cameras in the area. Both the initial physical altercation and subsequent shootings are captured on video surveillance.
The investigation revealed that Bohannon, Turner, and McGill physically assaulted Victim 2 on Commerce Street outside La Danse. Victim 1 then ran towards Victim 2.
Video surveillance captured Bohannon lifting his right arm with what appears to be a gun. The cameras show a muzzle flash, and after, Victim 1 turned his back and fell to the ground. Bohannon continued walking towards Victim 1 while firing the gun. The same video surveillance video also shows that Turner fired in the direction of Victim 1. The video also captured McGill standing a short distance behind Turner and also firing a gun. McGill then ran towards the corner of Commerce Street and Rosa L. Parks Avenue, where he lifted his arm and fired multiple shots towards the parking lot to the rear of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. Spent cartridge casings were collected from each of the areas where Bohannon, Turner, and McGill fired their guns.
At the time they possessed the ammunition in this case, Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were all convicted felons. Bohannon has prior convictions in Sumner County, Tennessee for aggravated robbery, carjacking, and theft of property in an amount greater than $2,500; and in Rutherford County, Tennessee for possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver and attempted possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony with a prior conviction. Turner has two prior convictions from Rutherford County for aggravated assault. McGill has previous convictions in Davidson County, Tennessee for facilitation of second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
If convicted, Bohannon, Turner, and McGill each face up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel M. Stephens and Carlin C. Hess are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # # # #
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Ballardo Andres Polanco (32, Seffner) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Polanco faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the attempted enticement offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for the attempted transfer of obscene material offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, between December 29, 2025, and February 10, 2026, Polanco messaged an individual whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl. That individual was actually an undercover special agent from Homeland Security Investigations. During the conversation, Polanco graphically described the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the minor. Polanco also sent explicit images of himself during this conversation. Ultimately, Polanco encouraged the minor to skip school to engage in sexual activity with him. On February 10, 2026, Polanco traveled from Tampa to Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Polanco was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tallahassee Business Owner Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Perry Crane Walker, II, 44, of Tallahassee, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for six counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of transfer of obscene material to minors. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This substantial prison sentence is an excellent outcome in a very sad case, as this sexual predator preyed upon and exploited numerous innocent children online and deserves to spend the next several decades in prison for his disgusting crimes. Keeping our kids safe online is a top priority, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute cases like this to accomplish that.”
Court documents reflect that between December 26, 2024, and October 10, 2025, Walker used social media applications to meet and communicate with children between 13-15 years of age. During his online communications, the defendant enticed and induced the minors, some of whom resided in Europe, to produce and send him images and videos constituting child pornography. Court records also revealed that, as a result of the defendant’s illicit communications with the children, one of the social media platforms submitted a CyberTip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which notified the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Pursuant to search warrants, the defendant’s business and residence were searched, and his electronic devices were seized as evidence. A search of the defendant’s devices confirmed that he had been sexually exploiting the children using social media, and that he received and possessed multiple child pornography images and videos.
After serving his term of 30-years’ imprisonment, Walker will have to register as a sexual offender and serve the rest of his life on supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $3,000 in victim restitution.
“This deviant predator’s calculated use of social media to target vulnerable children is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by people who seek to exploit the most vulnerable in our society,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing these predators and delivering them to the justice they deserve. We will protect our children from falling prey to such depraved acts.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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.
Straw Purchaser Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Numerous Firearm Purchases Made on Behalf of OthersRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Esai Pastrana Cruz (30, Puerto Rico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington to five years and three months in federal prison for conspiring to and making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer (“FFL”). Pastrana Cruz pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Pastrana Cruz purchased approximately 90 firearms from various FFLs within the Middle District of Florida and falsely represented to the FFLs that he was the actual purchaser and recipient of the firearms. At least 21 of the firearms were seized by various law enforcement agencies and traced to purchases that Pastrana Cruz had made. Among the recovered firearms, two had been associated with shootings, including a drive-by shooting where two individuals had been struck by gunfire.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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.
Shooter and Getaway Driver Sentenced for Armed Robbery That Left Dollar Store Clerk WoundedRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jeremy Helms, 24, and Jaylynn McKinney, 24, both of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to 13 years and 10 months and 10 years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Each defendant will also serve three years of supervised release following their prison term.
According to court documents, on April 23, 2023, Helms and McKinney robbed the Family Dollar store located at 1836 East 10th Street. McKinney acted as the getaway driver in a blue Ford Focus, which he parked behind the store. Helms entered the business, pointed a handgun equipped with an extended magazine at the clerk, and demanded money from the registers. When the clerk was unable to open them, Helms reached into the victim’s pockets and stole $120 in cash.
As Helms exited the store, he fired the handgun toward the victim, striking him in the left leg.
Helms then fled to the waiting Ford Focus, entering the passenger side. Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were in the area and quickly received a description of the suspect vehicle. When officers located the Ford Focus and attempted a traffic stop, McKinney failed to stop immediately, instead turning onto a nearby street and slowing the vehicle. At that point, Helms exited the car and fled on foot.
Helms was later located with assistance from an IMPD’s K‑9 unit. Along his flight path, officers recovered the black sweatshirt he wore during the robbery and the Glock Model 45, 9mm pistol used in the robbery.
“An innocent employee showed up to work that day and left wounded and lucky to be alive. No one should endure fear of violence while trying to earn an honest living.,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Thanks to the swift work of IMPD and our federal partners, both men will serve significant time, reflective of the seriousness of the trauma inflicted on the victim and our commitment to holding violent offenders fully accountable”
“An armed robbery that results in an innocent person being shot is a stark reminder of how quickly violent crime can change lives forever,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The defendants’ actions showed a reckless disregard for human life in pursuit of a senseless crime. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to removing dangerous offenders from our communities and protecting the public from those who threaten our safety.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigations and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
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.
###
Shippensburg Detective Indicted for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Shippensburg Police Department Detective, Matthew S. Pleisse, age 36, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on May 6, 2026, by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges. The case was unsealed following Pleisse’s detention hearing.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges Pleisse received, attempted to receive, and possessed child pornography on several dates between July 2024 and April 2025. It is alleged that Pleisse utilized cryptocurrency to purchase child pornography from the darknet and possessed child pornography depicting prepubescent minors.
“Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting vulnerable children and holding offenders accountable,” said HSI Philadelphia Acting Special Agent in Charge Nathan Abel. “The indictment alleges that Pleisse utilized cryptocurrency to purchase and possess child sexual abuse material, actions that are reprehensible and illegal. HSI will continue to pursue those who exploit children online and work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”
During Pleisse’s detention hearing on May 19, 2026, Chief Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom ordered Pleisse to be detained pending trial.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen W. Dukes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each charge is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. This offense also carries a mandatory minimum term of five years imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Scranton Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Keith Fox, Jr., age 48, was found guilty of possessing methamphetamine for the purposes of distribution and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on May 20, 2026, following a three-day trial, a jury found Fox guilty of possessing over 500 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine for distribution and of possessing three firearms and ammunition illegally due to a prior felony conviction.
The government presented evidence that on August 22, 2024, after several months of investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Fox’s Scranton residence. They discovered an automated pill press and multiple other items used to manufacture illicit pills. They also seized over 1000 pills containing methamphetamine and other controlled substances, methamphetamine powder, a large amount of ammunition and three handguns, including one with an obliterated serial number.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2026, before District Court Judge Joseph Saporito, Jr. Fox is facing a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General- Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts and Senior Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michelle Hardik prosecuted the case.
# # #
Rock Hill Man Indicted for Threatening the PresidentRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a two-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging John Alexander Bellue, 32, of Rock Hill, for threatening the President of the United States and for interstate communication of a threat to injure.
The indictment alleges that on Sept. 7, 2025, Bellue posted the following threat to the President on the social media platform X: “@realDonaldTrump you have the right to remain silent, I’m gonna kill you in the most brutal way possible.”
Bellue faces a maximum penalty of not more than five years’ imprisonment and a fine not to exceed $250,000. His arraignment date has not been scheduled yet.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry McTigue is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Rochester man sentenced for defrauding MedicareRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John Weinmann, 57, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of knowingly receiving a kickback under a federal health care program, was sentenced to serve three years’ probation and a $2,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
In 2017, Weinmann, while operating as an independent insurance broker, entered into an agreement with a Syracuse, NY, company to target Low Income Subsidy (LIS) Medicare beneficiaries. Under the terms of the agreement, the Syracuse company agreed to pay Weinmann money, as a kickback, for each prescription medication he was able to get filled and paid for under a beneficiary’s Medicare coverage. Between September 2017 and August 2018, Weinmann recommended the purchase of, and then arranged for, the purchase of prescription medications that were medically unnecessary. The payments Weinmann received were made in whole or in part by the beneficiaries Medicare coverage. The total amount of money received by Weinmann in kickbacks was $32,150.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz, the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow, the U.S. Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher M. Silvestro, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A registered sex offender was sentenced to 25 years in prison today for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Justin Trey Yeats, 41, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $6,000 in restitution.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court records, in April 2023, CMPD received information that an individual later identified as Yeats had distributed CSAM online. CMPD officers conducted an interview of Yeats who admitted to producing CSAM of a prepubescent female victim. Yeats also admitted to sharing the CSAM with people he met in sex-related chatrooms online, such as Reddit. Court documents further show that Yeats molested second minor victim and distributed images of that second minor victim wrapped in a towel just after exiting the shower. At the time of the offense, Yeats was a registered sex offender for a 2010 conviction of Indecency with a Child by Contact in Texas.
Yeats is in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and CMPD their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Randolph Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Randolph man was indicted today by a federal grand jury for allegedly possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and MDMA and for possessing a loaded gun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Tayvon Harper, 32, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 25, 2026, in Holbrook, Mass., Harper allegedly possessed fentanyl, cocaine and MDMA intended for distribution as well as a Glock 21 .45 caliber pistol. It is further alleged that he possessed one magazine containing 13 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and $1,040 in cash.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of not less than five years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Holbrook and Randolph Police Departments, Massachusetts State Police and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Carlos Rodriguez, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment, a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, and a term of at least four years to life of supervised release
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force was conducting an investigation into drug trafficking in and around the Providence area and, during the investigation, law enforcement determined that Rodriguez and his co-conspirators were involved in the distribution of fentanyl pills.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
The Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, the Rhode Island State Police, the Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Central Falls Police Departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant John Thomas Donnafield, age 44, from Ordot, Guam was sentenced to 115 months imprisonment. He was charged in the U.S. District Court of Guam with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The Court also ordered four years of supervised release and a mandatory $200 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On December 5, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Donnafield’s residence. He was found in his bedroom, where he directed officers to a black Sentry safe containing drugs and a firearm. He provided keys to the container and admitted that the black box held several grams of methamphetamine and a firearm, while additional items in the bedroom were drug paraphernalia. Officers also noted a surveillance system monitoring the home’s exterior.
A search of the bedroom resulted in the seizure of $1,786 in U.S. currency, identified as proceeds of unlawful drug activity. Cash was recovered from multiple locations, including a silver suitcase, a portable table, the Sentry safe, and a plastic chair. Officers also seized digital scales and additional drug‑distribution materials.
Seven Ziplock bags of suspected methamphetamine were collected from the Sentry safe. After testing by the DEA Southwest Laboratory, the Ziplock bags were found to contain 42.8 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride at 95% purity. A stolen 9mm Beretta pistol, loaded with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition, was also recovered from the safe. Forty-four additional rounds of ammunition were found in the bedroom.
Donnafield is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions. His record includes a 2012 federal conviction for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, for which he received 27 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. He also has a 2016 Guam Superior Court conviction for third‑degree felony family violence, which resulted in a mandatory one‑year sentence.
“Drugs and firearms are a dangerous combination for our communities,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Armed drug traffickers are prime targets for federal prosecution. The possession of a single round of ammunition by a felon can result in substantial penalties. I applaud the outstanding work by GPD and ATF in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“There is a reason Mr. Donnafield is prohibited from possessing firearms. After his 2012 conviction and incarceration, you would think he had learned his lesson, but this newest conviction makes it clear: Mr. Donnafield is unwilling to obey the law,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Dawn Dodsworth. “But ATF is unwilling to allow offenders to put our community in danger. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure these criminals are brought to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Guam Police Department Special Investigation Section, and Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency.
Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Devarup Rastogi in the District of Guam.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Peabody Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining over $100,000 in coronavirus relief funds.
Jonathan Carpenter, 52, pleaded guilty to theft of government money before U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2026. Carpenter was arrested and charged in January 2026.
Carpenter defrauded the United States Small Business Administration in 2020 by applying for and obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorized SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small business experiencing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carpenter fraudulently obtained $125,000 in EIDL funds for Homeland Electric, an electrical contractor that had not existed for approximately five years at the time of his application. In addition, Carpenter falsely claimed that Homeland Electric was established on March 1, 2011; had gross receipts of $250,000; and had eight employees as of Jan. 21, 2020. Carpenter also failed to indicate that he had a criminal record.
The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Peabody Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Owner of Multinational Investment Company Sentenced in $2B Fraud, Money Laundering, and Bribery SchemesRead the Press Release
Greg Lindberg, 56, of Tampa, Florida, and the founder and chairman of Eli Global LLC and owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group (GBIG) was sentenced today to a combined 12 years in prison for his role in a bribery conspiracy and multibillion-dollar fraud conspiracy that bankrupted multiple insurance companies with thousands of unpaid policyholder victims.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from at least 2016 through at least 2019, Lindberg conspired with others to defraud various insurance companies, other third parties and hundreds of thousands of insurance policyholders. Lindberg and others conspired to deceive the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) and other regulators, evaded regulatory requirements meant to protect policyholders, concealed the true financial condition of his companies and improperly used insurance company funds for his personal benefit. Lindberg and his co-conspirators caused companies he controlled in North Carolina, Bermuda, Malta, and elsewhere to invest more than $2 billion in loans and other securities with his own affiliated companies and laundered the proceeds of the scheme. Lindberg directed the scheme and personally benefitted from the fraud in part by “forgiving” more than $125 million in loans to himself from the insurance companies that he controlled. Lindberg used his ill-gotten gains to fund a lavish lifestyle, buying private jets, mansions and a 200-foot luxury yacht.
To carry out these conspiracies, Lindberg and others engaged in circular transactions among Lindberg’s web of entities using insurance company funds and misled or omitted material information from regulators, various ratings agencies, insurance companies and ultimately policyholders, regarding these transactions.
As Lindberg’s fraud and money laundering conspiracies were beginning to unravel, from April 2017 to August 2018, Lindberg and others engaged in a bribery scheme for the purpose of causing the Commissioner of Insurance of the NCDOI to take official action favorable to Lindberg’s company, GBIG. Lindberg and others gave the Commissioner millions of dollars in campaign contributions and other things of value in exchange for the removal of NCDOI’s Senior Deputy Commissioner, who was responsible for overseeing the regulation and the periodic examination of GBIG.
As a result of Lindberg’s conduct, his insurance companies, third-party entities and policyholders suffered substantial financial hardship, and multiple of his insurance companies have been placed in rehabilitation and liquidation. To date, thousands of individual policyholders and other victims are collectively still owed more than $1 billion. A special master was appointed by the court in the fraud case to assist with the restitution process and distribution of funds to victims. A separate restitution hearing will be set at a later date.
In November 2024, Lindberg pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In May 2024, Lindberg was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated both cases.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina prosecuted the fraud case. Trial Attorney William Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington for the Western District of North Carolina prosecuted the bribery case.
Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Christopher Shaun Jonas (34, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Jonas faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement and court records, on July 23, 2024, Jonas contacted a profile on an internet application designed for prostitution. This profile, however, was operated by an undercover detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The undercover account identified themself as a 13-year-old girl. Jonas described in graphic detail the sexual acts in which he wanted to engage in with the minor and subsequently arranged to meet the minor for sexual activity at a location in Marion County. When Jonas arrived at the meeting location, he was taken into custody by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Destruction of Mail by Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DWAYNE WEST (“WEST”), age 24, was sentenced on May 21, 2026, to one year of probation and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
WEST previously plead guilty to unlawfully delaying, opening and destroying mail in his possession, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1703(a).
According to court documents, WEST, unlawfully delayed, opened and destroyed mail which had come into his possession while he was employed as a Postal Service employee.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
* * *
New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Offense for Sexually Abusing Fifteen-Year-Old Female Aboard Cruise ShipRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - KENDRICK WHITE, SR. (“WHITE”) age 43, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion to committing sexual abuse, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2242(3), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, WHITE and three relatives, two of whom were minors, traveled on a commercial cruise ship that departed out of New Orleans on November 18, 2023, and returned on November 22, 2023. Minor Victim, a female born in or around January 2008 (who was fifteen years old at the time), was also a passenger on the cruise. While aboard the vessel, Minor Victim met two of WHITE’s minor-aged relatives.
While the boat was in international waters, on or about November 22, 2023, WHITE approached Minor Victim and told her that one of his minor-aged relatives was in his cabin and wanted to see Minor Victim. WHITE brought Minor Victim to the cabin and then instructed his minor-aged relative and Minor Victim to engage in sexual intercourse. Both declined. WHITE then brought Minor Victim into the hallway and offered to pay Minor Victim to take his minor-aged relative’s virginity. When Minor Victim refused, WHITE pulled at Minor Victim’s waist band and looked down her pants. Minor Victim pushed WHITE’s hand away, at which point WHITE proceeded to put his hand down Minor Victim’s pants and into her underwear.
After WHITE pulled his hand out of Minor Victim’s pants, he pushed Minor Victim into the cabin, pulled down Minor Victim’s pants, and ordered his minor-aged relative to take off his pants. WHITE then proceeded to perform a series of sexual acts on Minor Victim and forced Minor Victim to perform various sexual acts on WHITE and WHITE’s minor-aged relative.
WHITE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years. WHITE also faces a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and can be required to register as a sex offender. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
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 United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Criminal Division, is in charge of the prosecution.
* * *
New Haven Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Federal Prison for Pandemic Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM ROSARIO LOPEZ, 40, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 348 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for committing several armed robberies of Connecticut gas stations in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the evidence presented during his trial:
On March 18, 2020, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 1302 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon. Wearing a black mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee, grabbed him by the collar, directed him to walk to the cash register, and struck him in the back of the head as they were walking to the cash register. After the employee provided Rosario Lopez with cash from the register, Rosario Lopez ordered the employee to lay on the floor and then fled the store.
On March 22, 2020, at approximately 10 p.m., Rosario Lopez entered the Fleet Gas Station located at 1611 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike in Southington. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. The employee provided Rosario Lopez with a small amount of cash and, after explaining that all of the money was already in the safe and that he did not know the combination, Rosario Lopez kicked the employee, ordered him to lay on the floor, and then fled the store.
On March 22, 2020, approximately one hour after the Southington robbery, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 883 Hamilton Avenue in Waterbury. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. After the employee opened the cash register and provided cash to Rosario Lopez, Rosario Lopez ordered the employee to lay on the floor and then fled the store.
On March 23, 2020, less than two hours after the Waterbury robbery, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 696 Main Street in Ansonia. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee, demanded money and threatened to shoot the employee. After the employee was unable to open the cash register quickly, Rosario Lopez fired one round in the direction of employee and then fled. The employee was not struck by the projectile.
On March 26, 2020, Rosario Lopez entered the Citgo Gas Station located at 788 West Main Street in New Britain. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he waited for another customer to leave the store, approached the counter, pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. The employee opened the cash register and Rosario Lopez took cash from the register drawer. Rosario then fled the store.
Rosario Lopez was arrested on April 9, 2020. In association with his arrest, investigators searched a vehicle he used during the robberies and recovered a silver .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition. He has been detained since his arrest.
On April 28, 2025, the jury found Rosario Lopez guilty of four counts of obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), one count of attempted obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
Rosario Lopez’s criminal history includes convictions in New York for attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon, and convictions in Puerto Rico for importation and unlawful possession of a firearm, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, threatening a witness, and aggravated robbery.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Vernon, Southington, Waterbury, Ansonia, New Britain, New Haven, and Guilford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham, Daniel P. Gordon, and Robert S. Ruff.
Naugatuck Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, J. Buck Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, announced that GIANNA PARENTE, 23, of Naugatuck, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately July 2022 and February 2023, Parente was involved in a scheme in which individuals (“runners”) were recruited to provide their debit cards and banking information so that Parente and others could deposit fraudulent checks into the runners’ accounts at Bank of America. Some of the checks were stolen from the U.S. Mail, with original payee information and dollar amounts “washed” and altered. After depositing the fraudulent checks into the accounts, Parente and her co-conspirators then withdrew or attempted to withdraw money before the bank realized the checks were fraudulent.
Bank fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.
Parente is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.
Milford Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Milford Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms
CONCORD – A previously convicted felon was charged in a three-count indictment last week for being a felon in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Jacob Valley, age 31, appears before the Court today for his initial appearance and arraignment. Valley had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms in the District of New Hampshire on March 23, 2021, and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison on September 10, 2021.
According to the indictment, Valley allegedly possessed four firearms in April, 2025. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon provides a maximum prison term of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin are prosecuting the case.
May Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the May Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Gustavo Barranco Labastida. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Barranco Labastida, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in July 2014. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-190
Agustin Alberto Becerra Ambriz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Becerra Ambriz, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in September 2013. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-195
Aaron Michael Bennett. Manufacturing a Controlled Substance; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Bennett, 41, of Tulsa, is charged with intentionally manufacturing a controlled substance, N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Further, Bennett is charged with possessing ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma National Guard are assisting in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-198
Miguel Cerrato Argueta. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cerrato Argueta, 24, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2017. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-196
Juan Cornelio Gomez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cornelio Gomez, 47, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in June 2010 and August 2015. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-200
Marcellino James Davis, Jr. Felon in Possession of Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Davis, 40, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, is charged with possessing ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. Additionally, Davis is charged with assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The Broken Arrow Police Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-199
Roger Fuentes Ramos. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Fuentes Ramos, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. Additionally, he is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed twice in 2014 and in 2017. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-188
Terry Joe Hicks. First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Hicks, 34, of Vinita and a member of the Wyandotte Nation, is charged with killing Robin Sharp with malice during a burglary. He is charged with breaking into an occupied dwelling to commit a crime and assaulting Robin Sharp with a firearm. Lastly, Hicks brandished and discharged a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and the Grove Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Ihler and Blithe Cravens are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-179
Christopher Brandon Kay. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Kay, 26, of Sand Springs and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Further, Kay is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-180
Melisa Susan Kyle. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Kyle, 46, of Crane, Missouri, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-189
Francisco Javier Pantoja Santillan. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Pantoja Santillan, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed three times in 2001, once in 2009, and once in 2020. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-202
Servando Perez Arrollo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Perez Arrollo, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in 2008, twice in 2009, and 2013. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-197
Willie Carl Stanley. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Stanley, 41, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case.
26-CR-203Jamie Lynn Stephens. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Conspiracy to Tamper with Evidence by Engaging Misleading Conduct. Stephens, 48, of Miller, Missouri, is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. Further, Stephens is charged with knowingly misleading another person in an attempt to alter or destroy evidence on a cellular device. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-187
Victor Varona Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Varona Lopez, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in 2011, 2012, three times in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2022. He is additionally charged with attempting to possess more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intention of distributing. Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-181
Andrew Cordario Wagoner. Escape from Federal Custody. Wagoner, 24, transient, is charged with escaping federal custody and knowingly departing the Turley Residential Center without permission. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-182
Henry Adam Watashe. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Watashe, 35, of Sapulpa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-204
Camille Jordan Winchester. Production of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Winchester, 36, of Mounds and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with using a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material. Additionally, he is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children and knowingly engaging in a sexually explicit act with a child under 12 years old. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-183
Phaylen Lloyd Yellow Robe. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Yellow Robe, 34, of Tulsa and a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, is charged with strangling an intimate dating partner. He is charged with threatening to inflict injury on two victims and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-201
Marion County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Meet a Minor for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Jason Shane Ejmali (51, Silver Springs) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Ejmali pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between July 24 and 26, 2025, Ejmali messaged an individual whom he believed was willing to provide their 13 to 14-year-old foster child to engage in sexual activity. That individual was actually an undercover special agent from Homeland Security Investigations. Ejmali discussed the type of sexual activity he wanted to have with the minor and agreed to meet for that purpose at a location in Marion County. When Ejmali arrived at that location, law enforcement placed him under arrest.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Running a Multi-State Identity Theft and Bank Fraud RingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Armani Ryan Purandah, 27, of Los Angeles, was recently sentenced by U.S. District Judge Angela Martinez to 70 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud.
Purandah, who primarily lived in New York up until 2023 when he moved to Los Angeles, was a leader in a bank fraud and identity theft scheme involving multiple co-conspirators that targeted individuals and banks across the United States, to include Arizona, Colorado, and California. Purandah and his co-conspirators illegally used victims’ personal identifying information as well as fraudulent identifications to open phony business accounts linked to the victims’ legitimate bank accounts. The co-conspirators then transferred funds from the victims’ accounts to the phony accounts, allowing the co-conspirators to then withdraw the victim’s funds in cash from the phony accounts at banks and tribal casinos. The cash would then be delivered to Purandah or other conspiracy supervisors.
As part of his sentence, the court ordered Purandah to pay restitution to victims totaling $1,188,008.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson Office conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-00927
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-083_ Purandah
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Luzerne County Woman Sentenced to 122 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rasheeda Kelly, age 47, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 21, 2026, to 122 months’ imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for attempted possession of methamphetamine for distribution.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in February 2025, Kelly conspired with another individual to have a package containing 4.4 kilograms of methamphetamine delivered to her house for purposes of distribution. The package was intercepted by law enforcement, and a search warrant was executed at Kelly’s residence in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County. Law enforcement seized a dozen firearms, one of which had been reported stolen, from her residence. At the time, Kelly had been previously convicted of offenses which prohibited her from possessing firearms.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Narcotics Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
###
Kansas City Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine, Possessing Firearm to Further Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing and conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug distribution conspiracy.
Derone D. Gipson, 44, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Beth Phillips to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Gipson was on federal supervised release for a previous federal drug conviction when he committed these offenses and Judge Phillips sentenced Gipson to 24 months in prison for violating his supervised release. His 24-month sentence will be served consecutively with the 180 months for a total of 204 months.
According to court documents, between on or about April 27, 2022 and June 1, 2022, members of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Gipson of 112 grams, 110 grams, and 110 grams respectively.
On June 8, 2022, law enforcement officials served a search warrant at the apartment from which Gipson performed the earlier methamphetamine sales. Gipson was arrested and he had $3,000 cash in his left pants pocket and $839 in cash in his right pants pocket. Officers also located a Glock 26, 9 mm handgun on a shelf under a coffee table in the living room that Gipson admitted was his.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean T. Foley and Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo. Police. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted in executing the search warrant.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Justice Department Sues University of California for Antisemitic Hostile Educational Environment in the Wake of 2023 Hamas AttacksRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit against the University of California for its deliberate indifference to race and national origin discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students at its University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Earlier this year, we sued UCLA for subjecting its Jewish and Israeli employees to an antisemitic hostile work environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Now, the Department of Justice calls UCLA to account for its toleration of the equally appalling hostile educational environment against its Jewish and Israeli students.”
“Universities have an obligation to maintain safe and inclusive campuses for all students,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “Universities that violate our nation’s civil rights laws by repeatedly failing to shield Jewish students from antisemitism will be held accountable.”
After the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, antisemitic hatred against UCLA’s Jewish and Israeli students reached a point where students were physically assaulted, injured, excluded from campus, and deprived of educational opportunities because of their perceived Jewish or Israeli heritage. As alleged in the United States’ complaint, UCLA violated Title VI through its deliberate indifference to this pervasive on-campus antisemitism.
UCLA also breached its funding contracts and grants with the United States by certifying the school’s compliance with its Title VI duties to protect all students from unlawful discrimination while allowing discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students to infect its campus.
UCLA’s tolerance of antisemitism reached a flash point in April 2024 when masked demonstrators erected an encampment outside of Royce Hall and slapped, kicked, beat with sticks, doused with pepper spray, and knocked unconscious Jewish and Israeli students. During this time, occupiers formed “human phalanxes” to block Jewish and Israeli students from entering academic buildings.
This lawsuit — filed in the Central District of California — stems from the Department’s investigation into reports of antisemitic incidents against students on UCLA’s campus and written findings concluding, in part, that UCLA failed to fulfill its legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in responding to those incidents.
Justice Department Sues University of California for Antisemitic Hostile Educational EnvironmentRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit against the University of California for its deliberate indifference to race and national origin discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students at its University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Earlier this year, we sued UCLA for subjecting its Jewish and Israeli employees to an antisemitic hostile work environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Now, the Department of Justice calls UCLA to account for its toleration of the equally appalling hostile educational environment against its Jewish and Israeli students.”
“Universities have an obligation to maintain safe and inclusive campuses for all students,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Universities that violate our nation’s civil rights laws by repeatedly failing to shield Jewish students from antisemitism will be held accountable.”
After the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, antisemitic hatred against UCLA’s Jewish and Israeli students reached a point where students were physically assaulted, injured, excluded from campus, and deprived of educational opportunities because of their perceived Jewish or Israeli heritage. As alleged in the United States’ complaint, UCLA violated Title VI through its deliberate indifference to this pervasive on-campus antisemitism. UCLA also breached its funding contracts and grants with the United States by certifying the school’s compliance with its Title VI duties to protect all students from unlawful discrimination while allowing discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students to infect its campus.
UCLA’s tolerance of antisemitism reached a flash point in April 2024 when masked demonstrators erected an encampment outside of Royce Hall and slapped, kicked, beat with sticks, doused with pepper spray, and knocked unconscious Jewish and Israeli students. During this time, occupiers formed “human phalanxes” to block Jewish and Israeli students from entering academic buildings.
This lawsuit — filed in the Central District of California — stems from the Department’s investigation into reports of antisemitic incidents against students on UCLA’s campus and written findings concluding, in part, that UCLA failed to fulfill its legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in responding to those incidents.
In Celebration of Freedom 250, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah Holds Charity Book DriveRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – As part of America’s birthday celebration, Freedom 250, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country are honoring America by spearheading a gift-in-kind charity drive for their staff to participate in to benefit the community. In the District of Utah, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is holding a book drive from April 16 to May 29, 2026, to assist the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and the Navajo Nation in our district.
As part of the four corner states, Utah is home to eight federally recognized Tribes, spread throughout the state. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecutes crimes committed on Tribal land while also building partnerships, strengthening relationships, and serving victims of crime in Tribal communities.
“The remote location of our Tribal communities often limits available resources compared to more populated areas of the state,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Access to books can be more challenging in these remote areas, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office wanted to help by donating some of our personal favorites to benefit people of all ages.”
The Department of Justice is committed to addressing the persistent violence endured by Native American families and communities across the country, including by working with Tribal nations. For more information about the Departments work visit https://www.justice.gov/tribal.
*Note: This is an internal book drive
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Alante Omar Allen, also known as “Suey,” 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 31, 2022, Allen sold approximately 20.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,300 while at a business on U.S. Route 60 in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Allen admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-159.
###
Hudson Man Indicted for Obtaining Child Sexual Abuse Material from Multiple Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
Hudson Man Indicted for Obtaining Child Sexual Abuse Material
from Multiple Minor Victims
CONCORD – A Hudson man was indicted last week for inducing multiple minor victims to send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Robert Lemoyne, 54, was arrested on Thursday after being indicted by a federal Grand Jury on multiple counts of production of CSAM, as well as counts of CSAM distribution and possession. He appeared in federal court on May 21 and again on May 22, 2026. He is currently detained.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Lemoyne had been communicating for months with numerous minor victims online via multiple chatting platforms and persuading them to create and send him CSAM. He also distributed CSAM to minor victims on multiple occasions.
The charging statutes provides a sentence of up to 30 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hudson Police Department and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Houston man sentenced to federal prison as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation in ATM hook and chain crime spree involving Prosper banksRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jacobei Townsend, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft and was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on May 26, 2026.
According to court documents, from August to September 2020, Townsend was involved in a crime spree referred to as “Hook and Chain” burglaries, which involved stealing a truck, attaching hooks and chains to the vehicle, and using it to drag the door off an ATM to retrieve the cash currency from the machine. This crime spree involved several burglaries in Texas and Arizona, including Independent Bank on North Prosper Road and Texas Bank on South Preston Road, both located in Prosper.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
###
Grand Prairie Man Gets 20 Years in Federal Prison for Alien Smuggling Conspiracy Investigated by Homeland Security Task ForceRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Grand Prairie man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 240 months in prison for his involvement in a failed human smuggling event, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Van Donovan Brown aka “Sledge,” 31, was actively recruiting load drivers, particularly on Facebook, for an alien smuggling organization while living abroad in Colombia and facilitated an April 2023 smuggling attempt through a WhatsApp group chat. Records also indicated that Brown submitted multiple CashApp payments to co-conspirator John Klotz aka “Remy.”
Brown was indicted on Oct. 2, 2024, with co-defendant Cameron Alexander Ford. Ford was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on March 4, and Klotz, who was sentenced to 72 months on May 1. A fourth defendant, Jeffrey Ray Jilpas, was arrested Feb. 20, and is currently awaiting hearings set for next month. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presides over the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
###
Georgia Man Sentenced to 37 Months After Pleading Guilty to Defrauding COVID-19 Era Economic ProgramsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Brian Graham, 49, Lithia Springs, Georgia, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and was directed to pay restitution in the amount of $441,546.876, and forfeiture after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud.
According to the plea agreement, between April 2020 and August 2021, Graham prepared and submitted fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications on behalf of several business entities that he controlled. The EIDL and PPP are economic relief programs launched and expanded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In those applications, the defendant made materially false statements regarding the entities’ number of employees, gross revenues, cost of goods sold, and payroll. He also certified that the information provided in the applications was true and accurate, and that the funds would be used to pay payroll and other permissible business expenses when, in fact, he used the bulk of the proceeds for his personal benefit.
“A fraud on the federal government is a fraud on the American taxpayer,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I am proud that our office continues to seek out and prosecute these greed-driven criminals who choose to benefit from funds meant to help their fellow Americans in a time of need.”
“This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to investigate and bring to justice those who victimize the American taxpayer,” said Krystofor Proev, TIGTA Special Agent in Charge. “Fraudulently applying for loans through a federal program meant to assist Americans in need will be met with aggressive investigation and prosecution.”
“Intentional misrepresentation to gain access to Small Business Administration (SBA) program funds intended for the nation’s small businesses is reprehensible,” said SBA Office of Inspector General Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Huang. “Our Office will remain relentless in the pursuit of fraudsters who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs.”
Senior United States District Judge John L. Kane presided over the sentencing.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General handled the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cassidy handled the prosecution.
The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it.
Department of Justice efforts 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
Case Number: 1:25-cr-00079-JLK
Gang Member and Prior Felon Sentenced for Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A gang member and prior felon was sentenced for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Micah Jordan Mims, aka Micah Jordan Lester, 34, of Tulsa, to 46 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in April 2023, 911 received a call saying that Mims was waving around a gun and that he had outstanding warrants. When Tulsa Police officers arrived on scene, they were unable to locate Mims. Officers ran a records check and discovered that Mims is a certified gang member who had outstanding warrants for probation violations in Tulsa and felony theft in Kansas.
Based on that information, officers obtained a search warrant for Mims’s social media account and his home. Mims’s social media photos showed him with a firearm and supported that he was selling and trading firearms. When officers executed a search warrant on his home, they found a loaded firearm hidden in his car in the garage. When officers spoke with Mims, he admitted that the firearm was his.
Court dockets show that Mims previously pleaded guilty in Tulsa in 2015 for unlawful possession of controlled drugs with intent to distribute, leaving the scene of a collision involving property damage, and for misdemeanor larceny from a retailer. In Kansas, court dockets show that Mims was previously convicted for felony theft and a misdemeanor protective order violation.
Mims will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses on the most pressing violent crime issues facing our communities. This nationwide initiative brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to strategically address and reduce violent crime, in collaboration with other agencies and organizations that serve communities.
Founder and CEO of mIQroTech, Inc., a Technology Company in the Oil and Gas Industry, Indicted for Defrauding Investors of More Than $7 MillionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Meade Lewis (32, Temple Terrace) has been charged by indictment with five counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Lewis that the United States intends to forfeit at least $7,096,458, which is alleged to represent proceeds obtained from the offenses. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Lewis was the founder, chief executive officer, and majority shareholder of mIQroTech, Inc., a purported technology company in the oil and gas industry. Lewis is alleged to have fraudulently raised more than $7 million from investors by making false and misleading statements about mIQroTech, Inc.’s financials, customers, and product. He also used some of the investors’ funds for his personal enrichment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Blain Goff.
Founder and Managing Director of Investment Firm Sentenced for Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Sean S. Buckley, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced today that JOHN ARTHUR HANRATTY, the founder and managing director of a multimillion-dollar municipal tax lien investment firm, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield to 12 months and a day in prison for his role in a fraudulent scheme to steal nearly $20 million from a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”)-insured bank. In August 2025, HANRATTY was convicted following a jury trial of wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering.
“John Arthur Hanratty scammed his bank by falsely claiming to own millions of dollars of assets to secure more than $20 million in loan advances,” said Attorney for the United States Sean S. Buckley. “In reality, the bank was left without the promised collateral and suffered millions in losses. The defendant’s conduct, which occurred over the course of years, jeopardized the bank’s lending ability. Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his conduct.”
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
HANRATTY was the Founder and Managing Director of Ebury Street Capital, LLC (“Ebury Street Capital”), an investment firm with a portfolio primarily comprised of municipal tax liens. HANRATTY has also been an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of New York since 2002 and held legal and compliance positions at well-known investment firms and financial institutions, including serving as the Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel for a trading broker-dealer.
Between 2017 and 2021, HANRATTY participated in a fraudulent scheme to steal money from an FDIC-insured bank (“Victim Bank-1”) by drawing down on commercial lines of credit that had been extended to Ebury Street Capital. Specifically, HANRATTY made materially false statements about the tax lien collateral pledged to Victim Bank-1, inflating the value of that collateral by millions of dollars by adding supposed assets that Ebury never owned. As a result of HANRATTY’s misstatements, Victim Bank-1 was defrauded of over $20 million. In addition, HANRATTY falsely told both his investors and Victim Bank-1 that the tax lien collateral was managed by an independent third-party custodian, when, in reality, that was not true. HANRATTY fabricated records to hide the truth about Ebury’s actual assets and the independent custodian. The defendant’s fraud ultimately resulted in nearly $20 million of losses for Victim Bank-1. Ebury investors also lost more than $8 million in investment capital when the defendant’s fraud unraveled and Ebury collapsed. After fraudulently obtaining money from Victim-1, the defendant laundered that money through his business accounts for his own ends.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, HANRATTY, 51, of Little Silver, New Jersey, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit approximately $17.7 million, with restitution to follow.
Mr. Buckley praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and also thanked the FDIC Office of the Inspector General for their assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Chan, Nicholas Chiuchiolo, Danielle Kudla, and Adam Sowlati are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Alexander Ross.
Former USPS postmaster pleads guilty to theftRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee pleaded guilty to using her position as postmaster to steal tens of thousands of dollars in government funds.
According to court documents, Joyce L. Smith, 51, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of theft by government employee.
Smith previously worked as the postmaster for a post office in Scott City, Kansas. Between January 2023 and February 2025, Smith embezzled approximately $57,400 from the USPS.An audit revealed Smith stole approximately $10,600 in cash payments from customers and issued herself approximately $3,700 in money orders. Smith also embezzled approximately $3,400 that customers paid for their post office boxes.
Some customers made regular check payments for permits or mass mailings. Smith accepted the checks and provided the services to customers, but she did not log the receipts into USPS records. The USPS cannot account for checks for a total of $16,788 issued by the City of Scott City, $5,850 in checks issued by Scott County Landfill, and $17,108 in checks issued by a local newspaper.
“As postmaster, Joyce Smith likely thought her position would allow her to continue to fill her pockets with money that didn’t belong her without getting caught or facing any consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Her behavior reminds us of why audits and other forms of government oversight of financial records are necessarily.”
“This guilty plea represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this financial fraud investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
The U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (USPS- OIG) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
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.
###
Former Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang Member Sentenced to Ten Years for Armed Assault Against RivalRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club was sentenced in federal court today for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club.
John J. Hahn, also known as “Krazy Legs,” 47, of Cameron, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to ten years in federal prison without parole for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On Sept. 17, 2022, Hahn and 12 other members of the Pagan’s and their support club, the Los Valerosos, chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo. Various members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle. Hahn, who was a member of the Los Valerosos at the time, and the others, confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks, and back of his leg. Following the shooting, Hahn received his Pagan’s patch signifying his membership.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Homeland Security Task Force
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Former Department of Justice Contractor Sentenced to Prison for $1.3 Million Cell Phone Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Javan King, 42, of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison in connection with his theft of more than 4,800 government cell phones when he worked for the Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
King pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2026, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to one count of mail fraud. In addition to the 12-month prison term, Judge Cobb ordered King to serve two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $1,319,172.85 in restitution. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 24 months.
“King’s theft of thousands of government phones was a brazen betrayal of the public trust that drained taxpayers of more than a million dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He then squandered the stolen money on gambling, luxury vacations, and a high‑end vehicle. He will now be required to repay the very funds he siphoned from the American taxpayer and serve a prison sentence for his crimes. "
Between 2021 and 2025 King worked as an information technology contractor for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ). During that period, he defrauded DOJ out of more than $1.3 million by successfully requesting that DOJ order thousands of mobile devices that the Department did not need.
After the phones were shipped to King at DOJ, he sent them to phone reselling businesses. In total, the businesses paid him more than $1.3 million for the phones. He spent the proceeds on a variety of things, including gambling at MGM casinos and on FanDuel, vacations, private school tuition, and a down payment on a $92,000 Range Rover SUV.
The scheme came to light when a private citizen in Kentucky contacted the DOJ in late August 2025 noting that she had learned that an iPhone that she had purchased online belonged to the Department.
King acknowledged that his scheme caused the Department of Justice to suffer an actual loss of more than $1.3 million because of fees that it paid AT&T for the unnecessary phone lines and phones.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.
26cr15
Follow us on X, Instagram, and YouTube
Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcFlorida woman pleads guilty for her role in bank fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Renee M. Thompson, 53, of North Lauderdale, FL, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Thompson also agreed to pay restitution totaling $28,500.
Beginning in April 2023, Thompson conspired with others to commit bank fraud. In April 2023, a Victim Company mailed a $12,914.11 check from the Western District of New York to a vendor in Florida. Thompson or a co-conspirator stole the check and altered it, making it payable to Thompson. In July 2023, Thompson deposited the check into an account in her name at TD Bank. Thompson or her co-conspirators then used the Victim Company’s name, address, bank account number, routing number, and signature to create 16 more fraudulent checks. Between July 24 and August 15, 2023, Thompson and her co-conspirators deposited the fraudulent checks and successfully obtained $205,780.52 from the Victim Company’s account at C&N Bank. In June 2023, Thompson deposited two additional counterfeit checks totaling $7,098 into an account in her name at Truist Bank.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
# # # #
Felon convicted for selling dozens of firearms and hundreds of ammunition roundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Houston man has been found guilty after accepting cash as payment for firearms and machine gun conversion devices, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now imposed the guilty verdicts against Jonathan Chimney following a three-day trial that concluded May 7. He was convicted of engaging in a firearms business without a license, two counts each of being a felon in possession of a firearm and failure to register a firearm.
From Feb. 10 through July 27, 2022, Chimney and James Price sold firearms to authorities during an undercover operation.
At trial, the court heard the two engaged in eight firearms transactions, selling a total of 66 firearms and 887 rounds of ammunition for approximately $41,000. During the final transaction, the pair agreed to accept cash as payment along with two kilograms of meth. The investigation revealed Chimney and Price intended to sell the drugs for a profit.
Judge Hoyt also saw recordings of each transaction during the trial.
Testimony showed Chimney sold two pistols equipped with machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as switches which convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Switches are classified as machine guns and require registration with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Evidence revealed Chimney did not possess the required license to deal firearms nor did he register the switches as federal law requires.
Chimney also has a prior federal felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Further information also indicated he conducted these sales in multiple apartments, at least one of which had surveillance cameras monitored via TV. Young children were also in the residence which contained multiple firearms and drugs along with several pit bulls.
The defense attempted to convince the court that Chimney sold the firearms out of apartments that were not leased to him. However, there was no evidence regarding who was the listed leaseholder of the residences. Judge Hoyt did not believe the claims and found Chimney guilty.
Sentencing has been set for Sept. 8. With the exception of engaging in a firearms business without a license which carries a five-year possible sentence, Chimney faces up to 10 years in federal prison on the remaining convictions and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Price, 55, Houston, previously pleaded guilty and is pending sentencing. Four others have also been convicted for related firearms offenses as part of the investigation and sentenced to terms ranging from 24-57 months.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keri Fuller and Anh-Khoa Tran are prosecuting the case.
Federal Judge Sentences Armed Convicted Detroit Felon to 200 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man with multiple felony convictions and on federal supervised release was sentenced to over 16 years’ imprisonment today for possession of firearms, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by ATF Detroit Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Justin Meyer.
Cartez Howard, 38, of Detroit, Michigan was convicted by a jury of two counts of possession of firearms as a felon in December 2025. On May 26, 2026, United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson sentenced Howard to 200 months in federal prison.
According to court records, in September 2025, Howard, a convicted felon with a violent criminal history, was on federal supervised release and got into an argument over a parking spot outside a business. The argument ended when Howard pulled an AR-style rifle from his car, pointed it at the victim, and fired a shot at the victim’s feet. Howard then tried to grab the victim’s glasses before driving away. The victim followed Howard to report him. Howard drove into a residential neighborhood and fired approximately 30 shots. Eleven days later, Howard drove the same car to a gas station with the same rifle in the backseat, and abandoned the car when police located it. After Howard was arrested, agents searched Howard’s apartment, where they found a second gun hidden in his bedroom closet—tucked under a baby blanket in the room he shared with his infant child and the child’s mother.
“This man is the kind of hell-raiser that can make a neighborhood unlivable. He did just about everything wrong with a gun, except kill somebody. We are thankful that the ATF took him off of our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“Howard repeatedly showed a complete disregard for human life and the safety of those around him — including children inside the home where firearms were hidden. Violent felons who continue to arm themselves and terrorize our communities will be held accountable. This 16 years plus sentence sends a clear message that ATF and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue armed violent offenders.” — ATF Detroit Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Justin Meyer.
The ATF investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas McIntyre and Nhan Ho prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
D.C. Man Charged by Federal Indictment in Armed Robbery of U.S. Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
paris_simmons_indictment.pdfWASHINGTON – A three-count indictment filed May 22 charges Paris Simmons, 26, in connection with the alleged January 2026 armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service carrier, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Simmons, of the District of Columbia, is charged with postal robbery, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He is currently being held at the District’s Central Detention Facility.
“An armed robbery of a postal worker is a brazen act that endangers not just the victim, but every member of the community whose mail and financial information can be exploited through a stolen arrow key,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “A single key can unlock hundreds of mailboxes along a carrier’s route, giving criminals access to checks, personal data, and entire clusters of residential mail. Those who commit violence against letter carriers and attempt to profit from these crimes will be met with aggressive federal prosecution.”
On Jan. 12, 2026, about 4:55 p.m., Simmons parked his vehicle near the corner of 16th and Hamlin Street, NW, exited his vehicle and waited on the sidewalk. About 4:57 p.m., a U.S. Postal Service carrier who was delivering mail in the area walked west on Hamlin Street and turned south onto 16th Street.
Simmons allegedly approached the postal carrier from behind and shoved an object into the carrier’s back. According to the indictment, Simmons then threatened to shoot the carrier and demanded the carrier’s postal arrow key. Simmons fled the area with the victim’s arrow key.
Postal arrow keys, which provide access to mailboxes, mail collection boxes and apartment buildings, can be used in furtherance of financial crimes, such as bank fraud, check fraud, identity theft, and other criminal schemes.
Law enforcement arrested Simmons on Jan. 18, 2026.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The matter is being prosecuted by the Federal Major Crimes Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
26cr117
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc
Convicted felons sentenced to federal prison for possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Two previously convicted felons found in possession of a firearm face years in prison after sentencing in federal court.
- Laron Allen, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police found Allen in possession of a firearm after attempting to elude police officers in May 2024.
- Jeffrey Ronald Moyer, 42, of Augusta, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and a $1,500 fine, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Augusta University Police found Moyer in possession of a shotgun during a March 2025 traffic stop.
The sentences were announced by Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Heap.
Under federal law, it is prohibited for previously convicted felons to possess firearms or ammunition. There is no parole in the federal system.
The cases were investigated by the Augusta University Police Department, Savannah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr and L. Alexander Hamner.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man and previously convicted felon pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to multiple firearm and drug offenses.
Luis Martinez, 47, of Providence, pleaded guilty to three counts of the sale or transfer of a firearm to a prohibited person; two counts of distribution of cocaine; three counts of distribution of cocaine base; four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm; one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 27, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Court records reflect that Martinez was previously convicted in Rhode Island state courts on felony firearm and drug trafficking charges and was serving a term of state probation at the time of his arrest in this matter on May 7, 2025.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Providence Police Department Narcotics Unit.