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26 May 2026
Columbus man who sexually abused non-verbal boy with autism sentenced to 35 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Christian Toms, 47, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 420 months in prison for child pornography crimes involving a non-verbal boy with autism.
According to court documents, between October 2024 and February 2025, Toms sexually exploited the 11-year-old, wholly non-verbal boy and created child pornography of the abuse. Toms distributed the child sexual abuse materials to others with whom he communicated online about their sexual interest in children.
Investigators searched Toms’s residence and electronics after cyber tips were submitted regarding one of the men with whom Toms was communicating online.
A search of Toms’s iPhone revealed more than 130 files, including images and videos, that depicted the non-verbal minor nude or being sexually abused by the defendant. The phone contained a total of 700 images and videos of child pornography.
In his online conversations, Toms shared photos of other minor males in his residence and discussed grooming a second victim. He messaged, in part, “…too bad [minor victim] is neuro typical…” and “I’m gonna get him I swear lol.”
Toms pleaded guilty in December 2025 to producing, distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio: Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
This case is 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.
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Casino Owner Andy Sanborn Charged with Misusing over $250,000 of CARES Act FundsRead the Press Release
Casino Owner Andy Sanborn Charged with Misusing Over $250,000 of CARES Act Funds
CONCORD – Anthony Sanborn, a/k/a Andy Sanborn, has been charged by information with one count of Theft of Government Funds, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. A plea hearing will be scheduled by a federal district court judge.
According to court documents, Sanborn owned and operated Win Win Win, a company that did business as Concord Casino. Sanborn applied for and obtained $844,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funding from the Small Business Administration. In applying for the loans, Sanborn certified that he would use the loan proceeds solely as working capital for Win Win Win. However, Sanborn misused $255,232.72 of the funds on personal expenditures. For example, on January 18, 2022, Sanborn used $48,750 of EIDL funds to purchase a 2006 Porsche Cayman. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
The charge of Theft of Government Funds carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 FBI, IRS Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (‘Fraud Division’). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Cape Girardeau Man Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft, Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a man who used stolen identities to fraudulently apply for pandemic loans, file tax returns and seek state benefits to 39 months in prison.
Judge Limbaugh also ordered Myles Benjamin Depew, 35, of Cape Girardeau, to pay $25,000 restitution to the United States and $10,728 to the State of Missouri.
Depew used the name of someone else to fraudulently apply for and receive an $11,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) in June of 2020. The next month, Depew used another person’s name to fraudulently apply for and receive a $14,000 EIDL loan. Finally, he used a third person’s identity to open a checking account with a West Virginia-based bank. Depew prepared two fraudulent Missouri state tax returns, triggering a refund of $2,060 into the bank account in February of 2022 and $8,668 in April of 2023.
U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration agents interviewed Depew, who estimated that he had spent about $40,000 on casino gambling, $5,000 on food and another $5,000 on methamphetamine. Depew used his job as a tax preparer to gain access to names, birthdates and Social Security numbers.
Depew pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in February to three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis prosecuted the case.
Canada Resident Charged with Six Counts of Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Alberta, Canada, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal law related to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The six-count Indictment named Cyril Borle, 55, as the sole defendant, and charges Borle with three counts of employing, using, persuading, inducing, and enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct and three counts of receiving a visual depiction involving the sexual exploit of a minor.
According to the Indictment, on three separate dates in early 2020, Borle persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. The Indictment further alleges that, on those same dates, Borle received a visual depiction, the production of which involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit content.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $1.5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment, with the assistance of Canadian law enforcement and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs in the arrest and extradition of the defendant.
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 Attorneys’ 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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Buffalo man going to prison for selling methRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Mario Pittman Jr., 32, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of distribution of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 114 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
In March 2024, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Lackawanna Police began investigating Pittman’s drug trafficking activities. The investigation included several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Pittman. On April 30, 2024, investigators attempted to stop Pittman’s vehicle, but he fled at a high rate of speed through a residential neighborhood. Law enforcement eventually made a forced stop of his vehicle. Pittman fled on foot but was apprehended by law enforcement. Investigators recovered a clear plastic baggy of suspected methamphetamine, which Pittman dropped on the ground as he attempted to flee.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
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Ashland Woman Charged with Bank and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Ashland Woman Charged with Bank and Wire Fraud
CONCORD – An Ashland woman has been charged in connection with committing fraud against two prior employers, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Kellianne MacKay, age 48, a/k/a Kelli Anne Lamontagne and Kelli Anne Ludwick, of Ashland, New Hampshire, was charged by a federal Grand Jury with two counts of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud. She is scheduled for an initial appearance and arraignment on the charges on June 4, 2026.
According to the charging documents, MacKay is alleged to have improperly utilized two different employers’ credit cards to make purchases for her personal benefit, and additionally obtained bank funds from the employers’ accounts that she took without permission, including to fund the purchase of a Chevrolet truck.
The bank fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and the wire fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Both charges carry terms of supervised release of up to 3 years and fines 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.
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 investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Laconia Police Department, the Concord Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, and the Belknap County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
Armed Schenectady Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Multiple Federal OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Emery Moore, age 57, of Schenectady, New York pled guilty May 20th, to distributing methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a felon. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam and Schenectady Police Chief Brian Whipple made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Moore admitted that on five occasions from March through July, 2025, he sold methamphetamine and cocaine in Schenectady, including at his home and on a playground. Moore further admitted that when DEA agents executed a search warrant at his home in July 2025, they recovered three guns, 50 rounds of ammunition, and 91 grams of cocaine that he intended to sell. Moore was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law because he had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including state drug and gun offenses.
“Thanks to the fine work of the DEA and Schenectady Police Department, this repeat offender will be spending a minimum of 10 years to life in federal prison where he can no longer poison our streets.” Said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “My office along with our partners are committed to Project Safe Neighborhoods by deploying the resources of the federal government to stop the crime and drug abuse plaguing our communities.”
“Drugs and weapons too often go hand in hand. Today’s guilty plea from Emery Moore serves a clear reminder that justice will be delivered to those who flood our communities with illicit drugs” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “The DEA remains steadfast in its commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners in protecting our communities and enhancing public safety.”
Schenectady Police Department Chief Brian Whipple stated: “This guilty plea is another powerful example of what can be accomplished through strong local and federal partnerships to get deadly guns and dangerous drugs off our streets. Every firearm and narcotic removed from our community has the potential to save numerous lives and prevent devastation throughout our community.”
When he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe on September 9, 2026, Moore faces a combined mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, a maximum term of imprisonment of up to life, a maximum fine of up to $5,500,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes that the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Moore has been detained since his July 1, 2025 arrest.
The DEA investigated the case with significant assistance from the Schenectady Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Alleged active-shooter illegal alien in Kings Colony confrontation facing federal chargesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 60-year-old illegal alien from Mexico living in New Caney who is accused of firing an AR-style rifle at multiple individuals over the holiday weekend is now facing federal charges of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Juan Ayala-Montero is currently in custody on a related charge and is expected to make his appearance in federal court in the near future.
The investigation began following an active shooter incident May 23, according to the federal criminal complaint.
Ayala-Montero had allegedly been making threats after an argument ensued with a group of individuals. The charges allege Ayala-Montero walked to his house and returned with a rifle. He initially began shooting at the ground but then directed it at a group of individuals and began firing multiple times, according to the allegations.
One victim allegedly suffered gunshot wounds to his torso and head.
Upon their arrival, authorities heard gunshots coming from the residence and began rescuing individuals, according to the complaint. Additional law enforcement arrived on scene, and thereafter, took Ayala-Montero into custody.
Authorities allegedly recovered an Olympic Arms .223 AR-style rifle with a scope in Ayala-Montero’s bedroom as well as approximately 30 spent .223 casings at the scene.
The charges allege Ayala-Montero is not lawfully present in the United States and had been removed in 2006 with no legal authority to reenter the country. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition per federal law.
If convicted, Ayala-Montero faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance of FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anh-Khoa Tran is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
24 May 2026
Defendant Sentenced to 36 Months for Fraud and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Richland, WA - First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano, announced that on May 21, 2026, Ahmad K. Bachay, age 40, of San Diego, California, was sentenced after having pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and witness tampering. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Bachay to a 36-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison. Judge Dimke also ordered Bachay to pay restitution in the amount of $400,805 and forfeiture of $85,277.
According to court proceedings, in February 2019, the FBI opened an official investigation into allegations that Bachay and others were involved in a scheme to defraud insurance companies and obtain money and property by staging automobile accidents, and filing false and fraudulent claims with insurance companies. As part of the investigation, the FBI used a confidential human source (CHS) who covertly recorded conversations with individuals suspected of being involved in the staged accident scheme. The CHS provided information to the FBI regarding violations and suspected violations of the Federal criminal laws.
In May 2020, the FBI executed warrants to search residences in Washington and California for evidence of federal crimes. Following the execution of search warrants, a number of Defendants, including Bachay, attempted to identify who was cooperating with the FBI. On December 21, 2020, Bachay, used the threat of physical force against a person, by telling “John Doe”, an individual who was assisting the FBI in an ongoing investigation, that Bachay would identify and kill a particular person’s family in Iraq if that person was working with the FBI. On January 3, 2021, Bachay telephoned “John Doe” and accused “John Doe” of carelessly discussing the staged accidents with other individuals in the Iraqi community. “John Doe” later reported to the FBI that Bachay verbally threatened “John Doe” stating that he would travel to Eastern Washington to kill “John Doe” and “John Doe’s” family.Prior to the grand jury returning the indictment, Bachay, his wife, and children, left the United States. Bachay was considered a federal fugitive until his arrest on May 17, 2024, in the United Kingdom. After 16 months of resisting his return to the United States, Bachay was extradited back to the Eastern District of Washington.
First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano said, “Staged collisions, like those involved in this case, make our streets dangerous, unnecessarily divert first responders’ attention and resources, and increase insurance premiums for all of us. Bachay’s attempts to undermine justice by threating to kill others and moving half-way across the world were unsuccessful thanks to our federal and state law enforcement and private industry partners who worked tirelessly to hold this fraud perpetrator accountable. This great resolution is a win for tax payers and insurance premium payers.”
“Over the course of several years, Mr. Bachay conspired with multiple others to defraud insurance companies with false claims, risking the safety of those involved in the staged collisions while wasting the time and resources of first responders who should have been assisting people with real emergencies," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "Even worse, he threatened to kill a suspected witness and his family, then fled overseas for more than a year to evade the law. As this case demonstrates, staged auto accidents are serious crimes with real victims and real consequences."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This case was prosecuted by Brandon Pang, Patrick Cashman and former AUSA George Jacobs.
4:21-CR-6042-MKD-5
22 May 2026
“Seventh Ward Soldier” Sentenced to New Term of ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LESHAWN PARKER (“PARKER”) was sentenced by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance on May 13, 2026, to serve a total of 60 months in federal prison, after pleading guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. This 60-month sentence was ordered to be served consecutive to the 37 months sentence that Parker received earlier this year from United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for the revocation of a previous term of Supervised Release, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
PARKER had previously been convicted by a jury following a 1999 trial, in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana, for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base and Cocaine Hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, and for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Evidence at that trial proved that he was part of a violent street gang known as the Seventh Ward Soldiers. This gang was responsible for several drug related murders and shootings in New Orleans. After being convicted, PARKER was sentenced to life in prison as to the drug conspiracy charge and a consecutive 60-month sentence for the firearm violation. He was also sentenced to serve 60 months of supervised release.
In 2021 his life sentence for Count 1 was reduced to 220 months pursuant to the First Step Act. His 60-month consecutive sentence was not disturbed. Parker was released from federal custody on December 1, 2021.
In his most recent case, on January 10, 2023, PARKER was arrested by members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) after officers observed him in possession of a firearm. PARKER initially fled on foot from the officers and discarded his firearm over the fence onto the practice field of St. Augustine High School. The incident was captured on the officer’s body worn camera, and the firearm was recovered. PARKER was initially booked on state charges but made bond shortly thereafter.
On May 3, 2024, PARKER was once again arrested by NOPD officers after he refused to pull his car over on a traffic violation. While resisting arrest, officers observed a gun on the floorboard of PARKER’S vehicle. A search incident to arrest revealed that PARKER was also in possession of several rocks of crack cocaine and several hundred dollars in small bills. PARKER admitted to having the intent to distribute the cocaine.
Federal prosecutors adopted both January 10, 2023, and May 3, 2024, state charges and charged PARKER in Federal Court.
This case was investigated by Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (A.T.F.) and members of the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Violent Crime Unit.
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.
Wilkinsburg Man Indicted for Threatening to Assault and Murder Law Enforcement Officers and Federal Officials Including U.S. President and Member of CongressRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official or federal law enforcement officer by threat, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The five-count Indictment named Raymond Eugene Chandler III, 40, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, between April 18, 2025, and May 1, 2026, Chandler repeatedly called members of Congress and left voicemails related to his disagreements with immigration enforcement actions, armed conflicts, and wealth inequality. In those messages, Chandler advocated for various acts of violence against U.S. officials, their families, ICE agents, and the wealthy; shared his plan to publish personally identifiable information of ICE agents; accused U.S. officials of violating their covenants with God or otherwise inciting God’s anger; implied knowing where members of Congress lived; described his purchase of bladed weapons; and stated “I am willing to personally kill.” The Indictment alleges that Chandler threatened to assault and murder ICE agents, a member of Congress and the member’s daughter, and the President of the United States with intent to impede, intimidate, interfere with, and retaliate against U.S. officials and federal law enforcement on account of the performance of their official duties. Chandler’s voicemails included descriptions of the targeted murder and assassination of ICE agents, as well as his plan to “teach” restaurants how to poison ICE agents. The voicemails further asserted his desire to hang a member of Congress, attack a member of Congress and their family member, and instruct a member of Congress to assassinate the President in the Oval Office.The Indictment further alleges that, on May 1, 2026, Chandler left a voicemail for a member of Congress in which he praised anarchists for committing a historical bombing, ending the message with “I want you to be terrified.” Later that day, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Chandler at his residence. During his subsequent preliminary and detention hearings, the prosecution presented excerpts from Chandler’s journal, which was seized from his residence after his arrest. Chandler wrote in one entry: “I keep calling Congress telling them I want them to kill all the ICE agents and billionaires. I must sound insane to them and yet that is where my heart and head are really at.” In another entry, Chandler wrote: “I emotionally, politically, and intellectually support violence assaults on ICE agents. I actually support it. This is a very scary place to be.” At the conclusion of the hearings, the Court found that the United States had established by clear and convincing evidence that the weight of the evidence against the defendant “is strong,” and that Chandler presents a risk of serious danger to the community and ordered him detained pending trial.
At each count, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Vermont State Police Detective with Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont is proud to announce that Detective Trooper Jesse Dambrackas of the Vermont State Police has been awarded the inaugural Hometown Hero Award, sponsored by the Department of Justice in honor of America’s 250th birthday.
Detective Dambrackas has been a member of the Vermont Drug Task Force in southwest Vermont since 2019. During this tenure, Detective Dambrackas has assisted the United States Attorney’s Office in securing convictions for over 65 defendants in federal court. Many of these defendants were armed with firearms, and many employed violence in Rutland, Addison, and Bennington Counties as part of their drug trafficking activities.
Detective Dambrackas is well known among federal, state, and local law enforcement as a willing and effective investigatory partner who sets aside concern for personal credit and recognition, focusing instead on pursuing violent and armed drug traffickers that cause harm in Vermont communities. In addition to his work on the Vermont Drug Task Force, Detective Dambrackas is a member of the Vermont State Police Underwater Recovery Team, assisting the team with recovering people and evidentiary items from bodies of water throughout Vermont.
In a ceremony on May 19, 2026 at the Vermont State Police Rutland barracks, First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt (on left) awarded Detective Dambrackas (on right) the Hometown Hero Award. In addition to Detective Dambrackas’s colleagues from the Vermont State Police, representatives from the FBI, DEA, and HSI were present to thank Detective Dambrackas for his support and partnership on federal investigations and prosecutions.
United States Seeks Civil Forfeiture of Real Properties and Vehicles Purchased with Proceeds of Goliath Ventures Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A civil forfeiture complaint has been filed against 7 real properties and 11 vehicles allegedly purchased by Christopher Delgado with proceeds of a wire fraud scheme for which he was charged in February 2026, making them subject to civil forfeiture. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the civil forfeiture complaint, Delgado was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Goliath Ventures (“Goliath”), formerly known as Gen-Z Venture Firm. From January 2023 through January 2026, Delgado operated Goliath as a “Ponzi scheme,” which is a form of investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. Delgado’s scheme involved soliciting victims to invest substantial sums of money under false and fraudulent promises of monthly returns generated through cryptocurrency “liquidity pools.” Victims were induced to give money to Goliath through personal referrals, professional marketing materials, luxury events, charitable sponsorships, and some monthly payments of purported returns, all of which were designed to establish Goliath’s bona fides with investors. Based on these false and fraudulent representations, Goliath obtained at least $400 million from more than 1,000 victim investors.
Although Goliath represented that it would place the victim investors’ funds in cryptocurrency liquidity pools, in reality, the funds were primarily used to pay purported returns to earlier investors, to return principal to investors who requested it, and for Goliath’s extravagant business gatherings, holiday parties, and luxury travel accommodations. Delgado used approximately $17 million in victim investors’ funds to buy five homes and office space. He also spent more than $2.5 million in victim investors’ funds to purchase, lease, or pay off loans on 11 vehicles (the “Defendant Assets”). Most of these purchases or loan satisfactions constituted monetary transactions knowingly conducted by Delgado with more than $10,000 in proceeds of wire fraud, making those Defendant Assets subject to forfeiture as property involved in money laundering. In addition, Delgado used victim investors’ funds to make mortgage payments on a home he had purchased in 2021.
The chart below includes the Defendant Assets as well as their purchase price and acquisition date.
Purchase Date Defendant AssetPurchase Price9/5/20255271 Isleworth Country Club Drive, Windermere, FL$8.5 million7/31/2025141 S. Phelps Avenue, Winter Park, Fl $3.2 million5/29/2025189 S. Orange Avenue, Unit 1800S, 1810S, 1820S & 1870S, Orlando, FL$3.2 million4/22/20252025 Lamborghini Revuelto$719,517.014/21/20252024 Rolls Royce Ghost$379,9954/9/20252024 Bentley Bentayga$285,5403/30/20252024 Lamborghini Huracán EVO Spyder$473,7233/19/20252025 Cadillac Escalade V$238,561.253/4/20252024 Lincoln Navigator L$125,862.372/13/202517416 Bal Harbour Drive, Winter Park, FL$740,00012/5/2024222 Pawnee Trail, Kissimmee, Fl$862,5008/5/20247333 Bella Foresta Place, Sanford, FL$1.65 million4/12/20241951 Mercury$52,0001/12/20242017 Mercedes Benz C300$15,00010/27/20232023 Rolls Royce Cullinan$472,3509/5/20232022 Mercedes Benz Sprinter$235,804.9610/23/20222022 GMC Sierra HD$93,96312/20/2021746 Cavan Drive, Apopka, FL$725,000Since February 2026, the United States has been seizing assets traceable to the fraud scheme perpetrated by Delgado and others through Goliath Ventures, Inc. The Defendant Assets are a particular subset of forfeitable assets that are expensive to maintain and either depreciating in value, secured by liens and/or subject to property taxes that are continuing to accrue significant interest and may be in default. In order to maximize the recovery of fraud proceeds, the United States has determined that these assets must be forfeited as expeditiously as possible. One of the primary goals of the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program is recovering assets that may be used to compensate victims when authorized under federal law. See The Attorney General’s Guidelines on the Asset Forfeiture Program (July 2018), at 1, https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-mlars/file/1123146/dl?inline=. The civil forfeiture statutes relied upon in this case provide such authority.
The United States’ criminal investigation of the fraud scheme is ongoing. Investigators are also working to locate and seize additional property— held by Christopher Delgado or others—traceable to proceeds of Goliath fraud. If you have information related to execution of the fraud scheme or the identification or location of assets traceable to the fraud, please contact Goliathvictims@ci.irs.gov.
This civil forfeiture case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anita Cream and Blain Goff.
Civil Forfeiture ComplaintU.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Providence Police Lieutenant Patrick Potter as Hometown HeroRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island recognizes Providence Police Department Lieutenant Patrick Potter as a “Hometown Hero” for his courageous actions during the Brown University shooting incident.
Lt. Potter was honored during an award presentation held Thursday at the United States Attorney’s Office in Providence.
As the first supervising officer to enter the engineering building during the Brown University shooting, Lt. Potter acted without knowing whether the shooter remained inside the building. His swift response and leadership during a rapidly evolving and dangerous situation helped protect lives and support the ongoing emergency response.
“Lt. Potter demonstrated extraordinary courage, professionalism, and commitment to public safety during an incredibly dangerous and uncertain situation,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “His actions reflect the very best of law enforcement service and exemplify the spirit of community protection recognized through the Hometown Hero program.”
The recognition was presented as part of the Department of Justice’s Freedom 250 initiative, a nationwide effort in which United States Attorneys’ Offices across the country recognizes individuals whose service, courage, leadership, and commitment have made a meaningful impact in their communities in advance of America’s 250th anniversary.
The award presentation was attended by members of the Providence Police Department, Lt. Potter’s family, and representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 114 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 114 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On May 15, Jose Alberto Garcia Zamudio, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found more than 466 pounds of cocaine concealed in the gas tank of a commercial passenger bus driven by the defendant. Garcia, who had applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, admitted being paid $13,000 to smuggle narcotics into the U.S.
- On May 19, Ashley Aremy Ruiz, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Transportation of Illegal Aliens and Conspiracy to Transport Aliens. According to a complaint, Ruiz was taken into custody at Costco in Chula Vista when she attempted to pick up an alien from a smuggler who had been caught with the alien in his trunk while trying to cross into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On May 20, Federico Cruz Alverdin, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found the defendant hiding in a tree about half a mile north of the border and 13 miles east of the Tecate Port of Entry. He was previously deported to Mexico on May 1, 2026, through Phoenix, Arizona.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office Names Memphis Police Department Sergeant April Moseley as "Hometown Hero"Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The United States Attorney's Office of the Western District of Tennessee selected Sergeant April Moseley, of the Memphis Police Department, as its "Hometown Hero" for the Western District of Tennessee. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, made the announcement today.
The "Hometown Hero" award honors the enduring ideals of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility. The award is dedicated in recognition of a steadfast commitment to these ideals and an embodiment of the spirit upon which our Nation was founded.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant presented Sergeant Moseley with this award on May 21, 2026 on behalf of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office as part of Freedom 250 events hosted around the country to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Sgt. Moseley is one of 93 individuals in the country selected to receive this award.
Sgt. Moseley has been a member of the Memphis Police Department for over 21 years and has worked in several units, such as the Organized Crime Unit, Sex Crimes Bureau, General Investigations Bureau, and Uniformed Patrol. She is currently assigned to the FBI Safe Street's Task Force (SSTF), where she investigates cases and oversees the daily tasks of task force officers from multiple other agencies. She relentlessly investigates each case and does not stop until every single investigative option has been fully explored. She is victim-focused and ensures that each victim is informed of case status and that their victim's rights are honored.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Sgt. April Moseley is most deserving of this high honor to recognize her tireless work to achieve justice for victims and consequences for criminals. As we celebrate our Nation’s 250th Birthday, it is our honor to also recognize, celebrate, and thank Sgt. Moseley for her outstanding service to Memphis, the Western District of Tennessee, and the United States. She is truly our Hometown Hero.”
Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis, of the Memphis Police Department, attended the ceremony and thanked Sgt. Moseley for her outstanding work and service with the Memphis Police Department. She stated, "This is truly one of the most joyous experiences in a Chief's career when they see their hard-working officers, supervisors recognized for the work that they do". She stated Sgt. Moseley is "professional and about getting the work done", and that she was proud to see her being recognized as Memphis' Hometown Hero.
The ceremony was held at the U.S. Attorney's Office and attended by Sgt. Moseley's family, Memphis Police Department Commanders, FBI Safe Streets Task Force officers, and many of her law enforcement partners and friends.
Sgt. Moseley with U.S. Attorney Dunavant, MPD Chief Davis, and MPD Commanders
Sgt. Moseley with U.S. Attorney Dunavant and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Tom Barlow
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
U.S. Attorney David Metcalf Appointed to Attorney General’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania David Metcalf has been appointed, along with 17 other United States Attorneys, to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (“AGAC”).
Created in 1973, the AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting U.S. Attorney’s Offices and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The first meeting of the AGAC took place earlier this month.
“I am honored that the Department of Justice has selected me to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “It is a great opportunity to consider how we can further the work of the Department and maximize our protection of the public.”
In addition to Mr. Metcalf, the appointees to the AGAC are:
■ United States Attorney Dan Bishop, Middle District of North Carolina
■ United States Attorney Andrew Boutros, Northern District of Illinois
■ United States Attorney Scott Bradford, District of Oregon
■ United States Attorney Jay Clayton, Southern District of New York (AGAC Chairman)
■ United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine, District of Arizona
■ Acting United States Attorney Catherine Crosby, Northern District of Alabama
■ United States Attorney Michael Dunavant, Western District of Tennessee
■ First Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Ellison, District of New Mexico
■ First Assistant United States Attorney Bilal Essayli, Central District of California
■ United States Attorney Leah Foley, District of Massachusetts (AGAC Vice-Chairwoman)
■ United States Attorney Adam Gordon, Southern District of California
■ United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Eastern District of Michigan
■ Acting United States Attorney John Marck, Southern District of Texas
■ United States Attorney Peter McNeilly, District of Colorado
■ United States Attorney Jeanine Pirro, District of Columbia
■ United States Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones, Southern District of Florida
■ United States Attorney Lesley Woods, District of Nebraska
Mr. Metcalf was sworn in as the Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in March of 2025, following his appointment by Attorney General Pamela Bondi. That June, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (“EDPA”) appointed Mr. Metcalf to continue as the U.S. Attorney for EDPA, extending his term indefinitely pending his confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The Senate confirmed Mr. Metcalf’s nomination for the full four-year term as U.S. Attorney on October 7, 2025.
Before his appointment, Mr. Metcalf served several years as a federal prosecutor and senior Department of Justice official. In October 2022, he left the Department of Justice to serve as Corporate Counsel, Government and Regulatory Litigation, for Amazon.com, Inc. Mr. Metcalf’s full biography can be found here.
U.S. Attorney Announces Conviction of Daniel Sikkema for Murder-For-HireRead the Press Release
“Moments ago, Daniel Sikkema was found guilty of hiring a hitman to murder his husband in cold blood,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Amid contentious divorce proceedings with his then-husband, Daniel Sikkema used a burner phone line to callously order the killing of his husband in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As a result of great investigative work by the FBI, Daniel Sikkema’s efforts to evade detection were thwarted. The tragedy of Brent Sikkema’s death now has a meaningful measure of justice as a unanimous jury of New Yorkers has held Daniel Sikkema accountable for this senseless, cold-blooded murder.”
Tulsa Resident Sentenced for Theft in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Allen Winkler, age 38, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to twelve months and one day in prison for one count of Theft in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 15, 2025, Winkler pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Winkler was appointed guardian to manage the victims’ property and assets. Between November 16, 2022, and June 14, 2024, Winkler unlawfully transferred funds from the victims’ bank accounts into his personal bank account and spent the money for his own benefit.
The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. On June 18, 2026, Winkler will self-report to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration at a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
This Week in Fraud: The Fraud Division Announced Expansion of Midwest Task Force and Authorization to Hire 15 New Medicaid Prosecutors, an Unprecedented Minnesota Health Care Fraud Takedown, and a $2 Billion Telemedicine Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
This week, the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division continued to advance its mission to fight fraud and protect taxpayers.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald, along with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen, and FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia, announced unprecedented charges against 15 defendants for Medicaid fraud schemes. The defendants allegedly participated in various schemes to defraud federal benefit programs totaling over $90 million in intended loss. The charges included the two largest Medicaid fraud cases ever charged in Minnesota and first-of-their-kind charges for certain Medicaid programs.
While in Minnesota, Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald also announced the expansion of the Health Care Fraud Midwest Strike Force, bringing additional law enforcement resources to prosecute fraud in Minnesota, and the hiring of 15 additional prosecutors dedicated to combating Medicaid fraud nationwide.
“This is just the beginning,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald at the announcement. “With the support of President Trump, Vice President Vance, Acting Attorney General Blanche, Chairman Ferguson and the White House Anti-Fraud Task Force, Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Oz and his team, and the entire federal fraud-fighting apparatus, the Department of Justice will continue expanding our reach across the country to pursue all fraud, no matter how large, no matter how small, no matter how hard.”
Other top highlights from the fight against fraud this week include the following enforcement actions.
Health Care Fraud
In Brooklyn, a defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his participation in a $2 billion international health care fraud conspiracy.
Benefits Program Fraud
In Idaho, a jury convicted a man whose true identity remains unknown for theft of government funds and other crimes for using the identity of a long-deceased man to receive Social Security and other benefits. For more than two decades, the Defendant used the deceased individual’s name and identity to fraudulently obtain numerous government benefits totaling approximately $283,000.
A school district board member pleaded guilty in federal court for her role in a wire fraud scheme that defrauded the school district out of $385,000.
The United States obtained a court order authorizing the recovery of nearly $30 million in restitution related to a $63 million scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program.
A Michigan jury convicted a nurse and home health care agency nurse for operating a $1.6 million scheme to defraud Medicare. From 2018 through 2021, the defendant bribed a nurse at a Detroit hospital to give the defendant their confidential records, which were used to unlawfully bill Medicare.
Government Fraud
A man pleaded guilty to a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $229.6 million in loans and properties. Ultimately, he defaulted on the loans, or the loan balances substantially exceeded the value of the underlying collateral, resulting in approximately $94.4 million in losses to lenders, including the Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, commonly known as Freddie Mac.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that it collected over $4.4 million in civil and criminal actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Among others, the office collected over $320,000 of restitution and fines from a defendant convicted of federal income tax evasion.
In West Virginia, a man pleaded guilty to theft of public money for fraudulently cashing U.S. treasury checks at businesses in West Virginia and Maryland totaling over $14,000. The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and owes approximately $14,000 in restitution.
A man pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and other charges for depositing stolen and altered U.S. Treasury checks into bank accounts he opened in the name of a shell company. In total, the defendant stole or laundered more than $1.2 million in government funds.
Tax Fraud
A defendant was sentenced to 65 months in prison for his participation in an extensive COVID-19 employment tax credit fraud scheme. Members of the conspiracy filed numerous false tax returns, claiming over $3.4 million in tax refunds. The defendant and his co-conspirators were ordered to pay over $1.8 million in restitution.
Trade Fraud
An engineer for an Illinois company was sentenced to federal prison for trade fraud, counterfeiting, and other fraud schemes.
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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 U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Retired United States Army Green Beret Justin Self as Hometown HeroRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama is proud to recognize retired United States Army
Green Beret Justin Self as our Hometown Hero. The United States Attorney’s Office welcomed Special Agents in Charge from the United States Army OIG, United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, leadership from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Mayor of Homewood at the ceremony celebrating Sergeant Self.
The Hometown Hero award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It honors the enduring ideals of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility. This award is given to a Hometown Hero who has displayed a steadfast commitment to these ideals and an embodiment of the spirit upon which our Nation was founded.
“We are so proud to honor Sergeant Self as our Hometown Hero for his service to his country and community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “Sergeant Self is the best among us. Because of his service, and others who joined him, the United States has enjoyed 250 years of Freedom. We applaud Sergeant’s Self’s bravery, service, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.”
Sergeant Self joined the United States Army as an 11B (Infantryman) in 1998. After graduating from basic training and Airborne school he joined the Army Special Forces where he earned his Green Beret as a Weapons Sergeant. Sergeant Self was deployed to Afghanistan from August 2002–2003 and again from October 2007–2008. He also deployed to Iraq in January 2011 for nine months. During his 20-year career with the 20th Special Forces Group based out of Alabama, Sergeant Self conducted numerous Joint Combined Exchange Trainings (JCETs) in central Africa and Eastern Europe. He completed numerous schools while in the Army, including Jumpmaster, Rappel Master, FRIES Master, and Sniper School. For his exemplary service, Sergeant Self received many awards, including two Bronze Star Medals. He retired from the Army in May 2018.
Sergeant Self has also served his community as a police officer for 24 years and is currently the supervisor of the Homewood Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit. He is the Team Sergeant for the Tactical Team, and has served as a Patrol Officer, Street Crimes Task Force member, and Tactical Team Officer. He also spent nearly eight years as Homewood’s Training Sergeant.
Ten-Time Convicted Scammer Charged in New $1.5 Million Romance Fraud Targeting Elderly WomanRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Troy Clinton Van Sickle of Temecula appeared in federal court today to face charges that he stole more than $1.5 million from an elderly woman he claimed to be romantically interested in, and that he obstructed federal law enforcement efforts to investigate the alleged fraud scheme.
According to the indictment and court records, Van Sickle – a 10-time convicted felon who worked as a janitor at a San Diego County preschool – targeted a wealthy divorced woman and cultivated what appeared to be a romantic relationship in order to gain access to her finances. Prosecutors allege that Van Sickle concealed his criminal history, which included convictions for fraud, theft, extortion, and perjury, and instead portrayed himself as a trustworthy and successful businessman.
After gaining the victim’s confidence, Van Sickle allegedly claimed he was facing financial hardship and needed money from the victim to pursue business deals and investment opportunities. He allegedly promised to repay the funds promptly and share future profits.
But it was all a lie. Van Sickle did not intend to repay the woman. He used her money to enrich himself and others and to pay for personal expenses, including to make payments on luxury cars, gamble at casinos, and send money to other women.
The government also alleges that Van Sickle created a miniature replica car company and provided the woman a fake multi-million dollar contract between the company and Lotus Cars to give the impression that his company was legitimate. The woman sent the contract to her financial advisor and wired $150,000 to Van Sickle to fund the purported agreement. Van Sickle then used the money to purchase a 2022 Ferrari SF90 Stradale worth $650,000.
According to the indictment, Van Sickle was on federal supervision for a prior fraud conviction at the time of the criminal offense. He had been ordered to pay $250,000 in restitution to nine victims of that offense and was required to truthfully and accurately report his financial resources to his probation officer.
To conceal the offense and avoid paying restitution, Van Sickle submitted a false financial packet signed under penalty of perjury to his probation officer that did not include the money he received from the woman, the luxury cars he had purchased and sold, and his gambling winnings and losses.
According to the indictment, upon learning that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had contacted the woman to discuss the money she had wired him, Van Sickle manipulated and exploited her to delete text messages, lie to law enforcement, and sign a false and fraudulent promissory note to make the wired proceeds appear simply as lump-sum loan payable over a 10-year period. Van Sickle also directed the woman to sign a false statement to make it appear as though Van Sickle had already made a $140,000 payment to her through the note. Van Sickle disclosed the woman’s payments to his probation officer, along with the false promissory note and statement, and lied that he had already made a $140,000 payment to the woman.
Between 2022 and 2023, Van Sickle received approximately 20 money transfers from the woman totaling more than $1.5 million. He has not repaid any of the money to date.
According to court records, there may be other victims of Van Sickle’s scheme to defraud. If you or someone you know has given more than $25,000 to the man depicted in the photographs below, please contact the FBI at (858) 320-1800.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Swan and Sarah M. Fix.
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 26-cr-1774-RBM
Troy Clinton Van Sickle Age: 55 Temecula, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
False Writing or Document – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1001(a)(3) and 2
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
Falsification of Record in Federal Investigation – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1519
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
False Statement – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001(a)(2)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sureno Gang Member Found Guilty of Possessing Child Pornography and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal jury in Del Rio convicted a Sureno gang member this week for possession of child pornography and failure to appear, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in February 2020, ICE Homeland Security Investigations received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which revealed that a Google account had uploaded six videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to a Google Drive in January 2020. HSI agents reviewed the videos and confirmed they contained CSAM. The email account and its corresponding phone number belonged to Samuel Sandoval Chavez, 42. A search warrant for the Google account further revealed that Sandoval had searched terms included “cute teenage Latino boys” and “teen boyfriend.”
HSI found additional videos of child pornography saved on Sandoval’s account under a folder labeled with the “devil” emoji. HSI executed a search warrant on Sandoval’s home and retrieved a cell phone containing 71 images of child pornography and 82 images of child erotica.
Sandoval was indicted and subsequently arrested in Idaho, where the district judge granted release pending trial and ordered Sandoval to appear in the Western District of Texas for initial appearance, a hearing at which Sandoval failed to appear. Sandoval had instead fled to Mexico and was later apprehended at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in April 2025.
At trial, defense attorneys argued that Sandoval did not knowingly possess the material because it came from a WhatsApp group chat and automatically downloaded to his phone. The evidence, however, showed that the material was not merely passively downloaded. A forensic review of Sandoval’s phone revealed cached data showing that he personally opened the images and videos. Given the strength of the government’s case, the jury returned a swift 30-minute guilty verdict.
ICE HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Amy Greenbaum are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Stanislaus County Deputy District Attorney Appointed to Federal Team Prosecuting Transnational Drug Organizations in Stanislaus County as part of the Homeland Security Task ForceRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Eric Grant and Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero announced today the appointment of Deputy District Attorney Cindy De Silva to be a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to prosecute cases in federal court relating to transnational drug organizations with ties to Stanislaus County.
De Silva will work on the Homeland Security Task Force, a team of federal and state prosecutors, agents, and analysts dedicated to combatting transnational organized crime and targeting cartels. As a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, De Silva will remain employed by the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office and will be able to prosecute cases in both state and federal court. De Silva will work in this role for at least two years.
“Communities across the Central Valley continue to feel the devastating effects of dangerous drugs: addiction, homelessness, property crime, violence, and loss of life,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Our partnership with the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office strengthens our ability to investigate and prosecute transnational drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of Stanislaus County residents. Cindy De Silva is a highly skilled and experienced prosecutor whose work will help ensure that drug traffickers are held accountable. I appreciate the continued collaboration and commitment of District Attorney Laugero and his office in protecting our communities.”
“I am proud to join with the United States Attorney’s Office in the fight against drug trafficking organizations,” said Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero. “The resources and capabilities this partnership provides will directly improve our ability to prosecute and punish drug dealers operating in our region and devastating lives in Stanislaus County. By combining resources and expertise, and cross-designating exceptional Deputy District Attorneys such as Cindy De Silva as Special Assistant United States Attorneys, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant has demonstrated his commitment to enhancing public safety, and I thank him for his continued support for law enforcement in Stanislaus County.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office currently has Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the District Attorney’s Offices of Yolo, Sacramento, and Fresno Counties.
Sixty-Nine Count Indictment Returned Against Alleged Mass Shooter Who Opened Fire at a Bus StopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Del Cid-Morales, 18, of the District of Columbia, was indicted this week on 69 charges in connection with a January 2026 mass shooting, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Del Cid-Morales is charged with Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Aggravated Assault While Armed, and related counts. The indictment includes multiple enhancements for committing crimes of violence against Metro Transit passengers. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled a detention hearing for July 10.
According to the Government’s evidence, on Jan. 22, 2026, about 5:40 p.m., Del Cid-Morales allegedly sexually assaulted a juvenile victim on a bus which led to a physical altercation between them. When the bus arrived at a stop a short time later, the juvenile victim and her group of friends exited the rear of the bus and Del Cid-Morales exited from the front.
As Del Cid-Morales exited the bus, he allegedly drew a handgun, racked the slide, and fired five rounds into the crowd of more than 15 people who were standing at the bus stop near 16th Street NW and Missouri Avenue NW.
Five people were struck by gunfire. Three of the victims had been with the juvenile victim on the bus. One victim was waiting at the bus stop to go home. The last victim was taking an evening walk. After allegedly firing into the crowd, Del Cid-Morales fled on foot.
Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office and the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.
Charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2026 CF1 007691
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Sioux City Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
April Nikkel, 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on May 18, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Nikkel pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location.
At the plea hearing, Nikkel admitted her involvement in a conspiracy from January 2025 through November 2025 that distributed more than three pounds of methamphetamine. On at least three occasions Nikkel distributed and helped another distribute a total of over 184 grams of pure methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. These distributions occurred within 1,000 feet of Fairmount City Park and Cecillia City Park in Sioux City.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Nikkel remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Nikkel faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is25-4063. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Second Individual Charged in Connection with Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Yarmouth man has been charged in connection with two armed bank robberies last month.
Angel Gonzalez, 25, was charged by criminal complaint with armed bank robbery. He is currently in state custody in connection with unrelated offenses and will make his initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date. Another suspect in the robberies, Steven Harris, was charged by complaint with armed bank robbery earlier this month and remains in federal custody.
According to the charging documents, Gonzalez participated in the armed robberies of a Santander Bank branch in Roxbury, Mass. and a TD Bank branch in Roslindale, Mass., on April 28, 2026. It is alleged that Gonzalez brandished a firearm during both robberies. During the first robbery, at the Santander Bank, Gonzalez allegedly dragged a bank employee from her office to the teller window, threatening to shoot her and held her at gunpoint:
* The victim’s face has been redacted.
At the TD Bank location, Gonzalez allegedly entered the bank wielding the same firearm, with his index finger inside the trigger guard on the trigger of the firearm. Once inside, Gonzalez’s partner, Harris, allegedly moved multiple employees from their offices to the main area of the bank. It is further alleged that Gonzalez, while brandishing the firearm, threatened to shoot the bank employees if they did not comply with his and Harris’s directives. Gonzalez then allegedly took approximately $3,000 from a teller drawer, and the suspects left in a getaway vehicle.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five 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 Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the cases.
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.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Defrauding the IRS of over $270,000Read the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Toyed Xiong, 40, of Sacramento, was sentenced Thursday to 12 months and one day in prison for one count of aiding or assisting in the preparation or presentation of a false or fraudulent tax return, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, for the tax years from 2018 through 2021, Xiong falsified more than 20 of his clients’ tax returns to increase his clients’ refund amounts and reduce their tax liabilities. He reported false businesses, false income, false expenses, and false deductions for his clients to the Internal Revenue Service. In one instance, Xiong prepared a client’s 2021 tax return and falsely reported that the client incurred $10,017 in business losses when the client did not operate any business. On the same return, Xiong also falsely reported that the client was entitled to a $3,000 loss on the client’s Schedule D. He knew that the client was not entitled to the Schedule C or Schedule D losses. Xiong repeated similar fraudulent conduct with respect to several of his clients’ tax returns.
On Dec. 4, 2025, Xiong pleaded guilty. Xiong’s conduct resulted in a loss to the IRS in the amount of $270,592, which he was ordered to pay in restitution to the IRS.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima prosecuted the case.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Cannabis Investment Scheme Involving Victims Solicited at Casinos, Bars, and Restaurants Throughout the RegionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Keinyatey Deboros Chambers, 49, of Sacramento, is scheduled to make an initial appearance today after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with 10 counts of wire fraud for an investment scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between December 2017 and March 2026, Chambers falsely represented that he was involved in the cannabis industry. He met victims at various casinos, bars, and restaurants throughout California and represented that if they invested with his cannabis company, they would receive very high returns within days or weeks. Chambers, however, was not involved in the legitimate cannabis industry, and he never invested or used the investment money as promised. Instead, he stole it and used it to finance his personal life, spent it at casinos, or paid his associates.
After receiving investment money, Chambers pressured the investor-victims to invest additional money, and he encouraged investor-victims to find and recruit other investors. In total, Chambers is charged with having obtained more than half a million dollars through the scheme.
If you have information related to this case or believe you may be a victim, contact your local FBI office.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Gambling Control conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Chambers faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Repeat Criminal Alien from Guatemala Sentenced to Federal Prison for Third Illegal Reentry ConvictionRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jose Francisco Santizo-Perez, also known as “Jose Mynor Castillo Lazaro,” 42, of Guatemala, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry by a removed alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This criminal illegal alien has clearly not gotten the message that violating our nation’s immigration laws will not be tolerated, so now he will spend more than a year in federal prison before being deported once again. We are a nation of laws, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute anyone who dares to violate those laws in the Northern District of Florida.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant has been deported from the United States four times, and had twice been convicted of illegal reentry by a removed alien in 2018 in this district and again in 2020 in the Western District of Texas. After his most recent deportation in 2021, he illegally returned to the United States and was found in Okaloosa County, Florida, in January 2026.
“This criminal illegal alien is a repeat offender who has been deported four times and twice convicted for illegal reentry and continues to demonstrate his contempt for the laws of the United States,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami acting Field Office Director Kelei Walker. “This conviction highlights the persistent issues associated with criminal illegal aliens who continually break immigration laws. The 16-month federal prison sentence demonstrates ICE’s dedication to upholding the law and safeguarding our communities from individuals who ignore the legal process.”
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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.
Regions Bank to Pay $4. 9 Million to Resolve Civil Liability in Connection with Ineligible Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
Regions Bank, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, has agreed to pay the United States $4,919,631 to resolve allegations that Regions received payments it should not have received from the United States in connection with Regions approving forgiveness of a customer’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, despite the fact that the PPP loan was not eligible for forgiveness.
“The PPP was intended to provide critical assistance to eligible businesses during the economic uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that PPP lenders are held accountable for failing to comply with applicable program requirements, including approving forgiveness of PPP loans that were not eligible under program rules.”
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide federally guaranteed loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administered the PPP. The CARES Act authorized private lenders to approve PPP loans for eligible borrowers who could later seek forgiveness of the loans so long as they used loan funds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. Upon forgiveness of a PPP loan, the SBA paid the lender the forgiven principal loan balance and any accrued interest. SBA also paid to lenders who originated PPP loans a fee calculated as a percentage of the loan amount.
The United States alleged that, on or about Aug. 3, 2021, Regions Bank approved forgiveness of a PPP loan obtained by an individual through Regions Bank, but the PPP loan was not eligible for forgiveness. The United States further alleged that Regions Bank was unjustly enriched by the payment the SBA made to Regions Bank upon forgiveness of the PPP loan.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Offices of the General Counsel and the Inspector General as well as from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General.
Trial Attorney Gavin Thole of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U. S. Attorney Matthew Sparks of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri are handling the matter.
The claim resolved by the settlement reflects allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Rancho Cordova Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Daragh Finbar Hayes, 45, of Rancho Cordova, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 40 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material and one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between June 25, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2024, Hayes used a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Hayes hid cameras inside a bathroom that he knew the victim used and used the cameras to take videos and pictures of the victim while they were undressed. He then edited and saved those images in a hidden folder on his computer. Hayes went into illicit online chatrooms where he bragged about these images and shared them with others. Hayes pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2026.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell prosecuted 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 Attorneys’ 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Police Officer Charged with Child Exploitation Crimes Involving Multiple Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed in San Diego today charging Brandon McGibbon, a San Diego Police Officer, with five counts of child sexual abuse offenses involving three minor victims.
According to court records, between October 25 and November 6, 2025, McGibbon engaged in the attempted receipt and production of child pornography and the attempted enticement and coercion of the minors to engage in obscene matter and sexual conduct.
Special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the cooperation of the San Diego Police Department, led the investigation. This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit and was done with the collaboration of the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. Formed in April 2025, the SVU is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving sex trafficking and child exploitation, civil rights, and labor trafficking.
McGibbon is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Brammell and Lyndzie M. Carter.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr1939-JO
Brandon McGibbon Age: 33 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography – 18 USC § 2252(a)(2)
Maximum penalty: Five-year mandatory minimum and up to life
Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – 18 USC § 2251(a)
Maximum penalty: Ten-year mandatory minimum and up to life
Attempted Enticement of a Minor – 18 USC § 2422(b)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen-year mandatory minimum and up to life
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Plattsburgh Man Arrested and Detained for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – George Shimell, age 29, of Plattsburgh, New York, formerly of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was detained, May 14, 2026.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
The defendant was arrested on May 11, 2026, for possession of child pornography. A tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to his arrest.
In making his detention decision, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favro stated that Shimell is a danger to the community.
The defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, supervised release for life, a fine of $250,000, restitution to victims, and sex offender registration. The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
First Assistant United States Attorney John Sarcone said: “We thank HSI and the NYSP for their tireless work in this case that, once again, resulted in an alleged child predator brought in to face justice. This arrest and detention should serve as a warning to all who seek to exploit children: we will pursue you relentlessly, and we will ensure you face the full force of the law.”HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan: "As alleged, this defendant’s possession of child sexual abuse material is among the most depraved conduct we investigate, and individuals who collect and trade in this material revictimize children again and again. HSI Albany utilizes every tool at our disposal, including and especially strong partnerships with our federal, state, and local counterparts, to identify, target, and confront child predators wherever they operate.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Implementing effective response strategies to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation, cyber enticement and any crimes against children is paramount in keeping our communities safe. The New York State Police stand firm on the mission to assist in the prosecution of those who use the internet to gain access to and victimize our children. I thank our law enforcement colleagues for their partnership and coordinated efforts on the monumental task of keeping all children safe from predators.”HSI and NYSP are investigating the case. Also assisting on the investigation were the NYSP Special Operations Response Team (SORT), United States Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Branch, Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, and the Plattsburgh City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of the Allentown neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics law as part of a Homeland Security Task Force prosecution, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Malik Martinez, 28, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on May 21, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, between March 2024 and July 2024, Martinez participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances, by functioning as a redistributor of street-level amounts of both substances.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for September 16, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court continued Martinez’s detention.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Katherine C. Jordan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations that have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Western District of Pennsylvania is part of the Philadelphia HSTF, which comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the United States Department of State–Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and state and local law enforcement partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh Felon Indicted for Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Jadus Stubbs, 21, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about March 22, 2026, Stubbs had two firearms and ammunition in his possession after having been convicted on a prior state felony drug trafficking charge. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Philippines National Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint Charging Him with Importing Quarter Ton of Cocaine from EcuadorRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Philippines man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with smuggling 227 kilograms (500 pounds) of cocaine on an oil tanker inbound from Ecuador to El Segundo, narcotics that were intended to be delivered to a Mexican drug cartel, the Justice Department announced today.
Ceasar Tubay Gelacio, Jr., 43, of The Philippines, is charged with importation of a controlled substance.
He was arrested Thursday, and he is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, earlier this month, law enforcement was notified that the Greek-owned and Liberian-flagged oil tanker Aquatravesia, whose last port of call was Ecuador, was inbound to the United States carrying kilogram quantities of drugs intended to be delivered to a Mexican cartel.
Crew members discovered numerous packages hidden inside the ship’s garbage room that contained suspected narcotics. The ship’s captain interviewed the crew and discovered that Gelacio possessed the drugs. The captain then secured the narcotics in a different room inside the ship.
The captain was informed that while the Aquatravesia was in Mexican waters, small naval crafts with armed Mexican cartel members would be waiting 80 nautical miles from the shore on the evening of May 14 and the early morning of May 15. If the drugs were not delivered at this time, additional crafts would be waiting in Mexican waters to board the oil tanker and recover the contraband.
The captain also reported receiving what he believed were radio calls from the cartel attempting to hail the Aquatravesia prior to a boarding or takeover.
U.S. law enforcement directed the Aquatravesia to navigate the ship to the combined port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where it would board the oil tanker. The ship anchored in the directed area on Thursday.
Once on board, law enforcement recovered approximately 227 kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement learned that Gelacio possessed the cocaine inside the ship, had received the drugs in Ecuador, and intended to distribute them to another party while the boat was traveling past Mexico.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Gelacio would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Coast Guard are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Monika L. Hara of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Out of state trucker among 273 charged as part of newest Operation Take Back America actionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has filed another 271 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from May 15-21, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A total of 249 illegal aliens are charged with unlawfully being in the United States - 67 and 182 for illegal entry and reentry, respectively. Most have previous convictions related to narcotics, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. The cases also include 19 people allegedly involved in human smuggling, while the remaining matters relate to other immigration crimes.
One such case involves an out of state truck driver arrested in a failed human smuggling attempt of 42 illegal aliens in a hot, locked trailer. The charges allege that on May 16, Juan Nasario-Reyes arrived at a checkpoint and claimed his vehicle was empty, but a K-9 alerted, and law enforcement ultimately discovered four illegal aliens concealed inside the cab with 38 more in the trailer. It had been latched shut from the outside with a temperature inside of approximately 92.5 degrees, according to the complaint. A total of 13 of the illegal aliens are also facing either illegal entry or reentry charges, while the remaining are expected to be immediately removed from the country.
Three more complaints involve illegal aliens from Mexico who were allegedly found unlawfully in the United States. One - Santos Rivera-Garcia - has a significant prior conviction for felony illegal reentry and was ordered to serve 63 months in federal prison in 2022 and removed April 24 of this year, according to the complaint. However, the charges allege authorities discovered him near Mission less than a month after that removal. Two other cases allege law enforcement discovered Faustino Soto and Genaro Perez-Alonso near Escobares and Mission, respectively. Both allegedly have prior narcotics convictions and had been sentenced to at least 10 years in prison prior to their removals from the country. With no authorization to be in the United States, all could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Also announced this week were the guilty verdicts in two trials against illegal aliens unlawfully in the United States.
A Houston federal jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before convicting Mexican national Eduardo Aguilera-Gallardo – an illegal alien who claimed he was kidnapped and forced to return to the United States. Testimony revealed that authorities found him in Houston after a deportation officer had previously escorted him across the international boundary in Laredo following his removal order. The jury heard that neither Aguilera-Gallardo nor his family sought assistance from law enforcement in either country and never reported the alleged kidnapping to authorities once in the United States.
In Corpus Christi, a federal jury took less than 10 minutes to convict Jose Leandro Juarez-Rivas, an illegal alien from Mexico. Authorities had identified him on a commercial bus Feb. 18 with no legal authorization to be in the country. The defense attempted to convince the jury Juarez-Rivas did not know he was ordered removed from the United States or that he was not allowed to reenter the country. The jury rejected those claims and found him guilty as charged.
In another Houston case, Jose Angel Martinez Menjivar, an illegal alien sex offender from El Salvador, was ordered to federal prison for 40 months for unlawfully reentering the country without authorization. He has previous convictions for illegal reentry and indecent assault by touching and was first removed in 2022. However, authorities discovered him again in Houston July 9, 2025, with no authorization to be in the United States.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Oro Valley Man Charged with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering for Defrauding Investors in Business SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Brandon Aaron Kreutz, formerly known as Brandon Aaron Moushey, 40, of Oro Valley, Arizona, was arrested Tuesday after being charged by criminal complaint with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering. Kreutz made an initial appearance Wednesday in federal court.
Kreutz is alleged to have operated under business names Brandon Kreutz Custom LLC, Brandon Kreutz Custom LLC, dba BKC Firearms, Balor Defense LLC, Vice Manufacturing, and Vice Fitness Inc., and defrauded three victims of approximately $10.9 million between May 2023, through the present.
According to the complaint, Kreutz told victims he was a former U.S. Government subcontractor and holder of a patent-pending firearms device with contracts to produce it. He further told the victims that he was party to multi-million-dollar contracts with foreign governments for the purchase of the device.
Kreutz allegedly made false claims to secure loans from the victims, saying that loan proceeds would be used to fund the device’s production and sale to the foreign entities, ultimately yielding high returns and repayments of the loans. In reality, Kreutz did not apply for a patent on the device nor had the equipment to produce it. Furthermore, he had not secured manufacturing contracts nor lucrative contracts to purchase the device.
Instead, the funds were used on a million-dollar personal residence, upgrades to the residence, dozens of luxury and exotic vehicles, a race car and membership in a racing club, travel, and firearms and accessories. Kreutz further concealed some of the victims’ funds in health and wellness business ventures and bank accounts owned by close associates.
Anyone with information regarding this alleged scheme or who may have fallen victim to the scheme are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 26-MJ-2189
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-081_Kreutz
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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.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 126 Months for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Byron G. Morales, 57, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for receipt and distribution of child pornography. Chief District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Morales to 126 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Morales’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On October 20, 2020, Facebook, Inc., sent four files to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC’) in a CyberTipline Report, which were subsequently passed along to law enforcement to investigate.
On July 7, 2023, two FBI agents interviewed Morales at his place of employment. Morales admitted to receiving and possessing child pornography. He also provided the agents with his black Samsung Galaxy cell phone. Specifically, Morales admitted to viewing child pornography beginning in 2018 through spring of 2023. Morales stated he would typically receive the child pornography through Facebook and WhatsApp chat groups. During the review of Morales’s phone, FBI agents located multiple photographs and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Between December 7, 2018, and July 7, 2023, Morales knowingly received, by computer, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Between December 7, 2018, and July 7, 2023, Morales knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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 Attorney’s 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.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ocala Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Jonathan Travis Pruitt (46, Ocala) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to six years and three months in federal prison for bank fraud. Pruitt pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Pruitt and his associates stole checks written by local businesses from their outgoing mailboxes. Pruitt then created fake businesses with nearly identical names as the intended recipients of the stolen checks. Afterward, he opened bank accounts for the newly created businesses and deposited the stolen checks. Pruitt then extracted the funds from these accounts by making large ATM withdrawals. Ultimately, Pruitt was responsible for fraudulently depositing 36 stolen checks with a total face value of more than $860,000. When he was arrested by federal agents, a search of his phone revealed scans of some of the stolen checks as well as the photo-editing software Pruitt had used to alter them.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Ocala Police Department, and the Belleview Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison after Being Found Guilty by a Jury of Armed Carjacking and Being an Armed Career CriminalRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOVANTE MATTHEWS, (“MATTHEWS “), age 30, of New Orleans, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance on May 13, 2026 to serve a total of 350 months in federal prison, after being found guilty by a jury of Carjacking, Using a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, Being an Armed Career Criminal, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and being an Armed Career Criminal, due to his three previous convictions for crimes of violence, a fact that enhanced his sentence further.
MATTHEWS was also sentenced to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
At around noon on April 3, 2024, MATTHEWS approached two contractors who were renovating a house in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans. He produced a semi-automatic handgun and put it to the head of one of the victims and demanded his keys and wallet. The victims complied and MATTHEWS drove off in their work truck, a Ford F-350 truck that belonged to a construction company. The victims called 911 and reported the incident. Officers with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) arrived on the scene and obtained a security camera video from neighbors. This video showed the perpetrator, who was wearing distinctive clothing, walking up to the truck and the victims, but did not capture the actual robbery. NOPD officers also put out a bulletin on the stolen truck. Approximately one hour and 15 minutes later, two Levee Board police officers observed the truck in the Gentilly neighborhood near Lake Pontchartrain. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled at a high rate of speed. As the truck sped through the intersection of Franklin Ave. and Mendez Street it collided with an 18-wheel truck, causing a massive crash. JOVANTE MATTHEWS was apprehended inside the stolen truck. He was found wearing the carjacking victim’s jacket and had the victim’s wallet in his back pocket. Police also located a semi-automatic firearm on the driver’s side floorboard of the truck. Officers also noted that MATTHEWS was wearing the same distinctive clothing that the perpetrator was wearing in the surveillance footage just prior to the carjacking.
To prove that MATTHEWS fit the legal definition of being an Armed Career Criminal, federal prosecutors presented evidence to the jury at a sentencing hearing that MATTHEWS participated in an armed carjacking on May 16, 2022, an armed carjacking on May 18, 2022, and an armed robbery on May 18, 2022.
A review of Matthews criminal history revealed that on June 3, 2023, Matthews pled guilty in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court to three counts of simple robbery and to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to serve five years in custody of the Louisiana Department of Corrections for these state convictions but did not serve the full five years as he was arrested on this new federal carjacking charge on April 3, 2024.
This case was investigated by Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (A.T.F.), members of the New Orleans Police Department, and the Levee Board Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu and Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Violating the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARVALE WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 20, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on May 20, 2026, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, for possessing a stolen firearm, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. WILLIAMS was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on March 19, 2024, as part of an ongoing Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation, agents conducted surveillance at an apartment complex in New Orleans East. At that time, special agents observed a white Camry that was previously taken during an armed robbery/carjacking two months earlier. This same white Camry was used the day before in another crime, which FBI agents were also investigating. During the surveillance, the Camry circled around the side of the complex to leave. To prevent it from leaving, an agent blocked the Camry’s exit with his vehicle. Both the driver, Kenneth Jackson, and the passenger, DARVALE WILLIAMS, attempted to flee on foot. Both were apprehended by law enforcement shortly after exiting the vehicle. When WILLIAMS fled from the car, he left behind a loaded Romarm/Cugir Draco 7.62 millimeter rifle in the backseat. The Romarm/Cugir Draco rifle had been reported stolen on December 26, 2022, during a home robbery. Jackson also possessed a stolen firearm.
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.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted out of the Violent Crime Unit by Assistant United States Attorneys Liz Privitera and Sarah Dawkins.
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More Than 300 New Federal Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 319 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 15 to May 21, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DUIs, violent crimes, burglary and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, 110 were filed in El Paso, where convicted felon Martha Lopez, of Socorro, was charged with alien smuggling. A criminal complaint alleges Lopez had arranged to pick up a group of four illegal aliens in the early morning hours of May 19 near the intersection of Angus Drive and Carablanca Drive. She allegedly fled at a high rate of speed as law enforcement vehicles responded. A U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop and Lopez was placed under arrest. Later that morning, USBP agents allegedly located two illegal aliens at Lopez’s residence, which had previously been identified as a possible stash house. In 2005, Lopez was convicted for voluntary manslaughter and child cruelty.
Yvette Yarelli Vasquez also faces human smuggling charges. Vasquez is the girlfriend of previously convicted alien smuggler Yovani Garcia-Cruz. A criminal complaint alleges Vasquez was aware of Garcia-Cruz’s most recent alleged involvement in alien smuggling and the money he was receiving. The complaint also alleges agents discovered proof of life videos and messages sent to Vasquez by Garcia-Cruz. Further investigation allegedly revealed a proof of life video depicting a female child saying she was in El Paso. Another video of the child allegedly shows the tattooed hand of Vasquez providing food for harbored children.
Convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico Osiel Alfonso Marroquin-Morales was found nearly five miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. He’s been removed from the U.S. to Mexico twice, the last being on July 9, 2025. In 2014, Marroquin-Morales was convicted of a DUI, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and obstructing an officer in Tampa, Florida, for which he was sentenced to 45 days of confinement. In 2014, he was convicted in Indiana for causing death and serious injury while operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Juan Santiago-Alavez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was found approximately half a mile west of the Tornillo Port of Entry. He was previously deported for the second time on Nov. 11, 2025, and has six DUI convictions in his criminal record, along with convictions for domestic battery, false imprisonment, violating a court order, and vandalism. He now faces a charge for illegal re-entry.
In Del Rio, where 173 of the district’s new immigration cases were filed this week, Mexican national Juan Manuel Escareno-Anguiano was charged with illegal re-entry having been deported for the seventh time on Dec. 18, 2025. Escareno-Anguino’s lengthy criminal history includes three burglary convictions, escape from custody, and two convictions for re-entry after deportation.
Convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico Luis Baena-Olivares was arrested near Del Rio for illegal re-entry. He was most recently deported for the sixth time on Oct. 15, 2025. Additionally, Baena-Olivares has been granted seven voluntary returns, the last one being in 2002. His criminal record of five felonies contains two illegal re-entry convictions along with convictions of robbery, kidnapping and evading arrest.
Mexican national Juan Pablo Bermudez-Cueto was arrested near Del Rio and charged with illegal re-entry. In December 2020, he was convicted in Kansas of kidnapping and inflicting bodily injury. For those convictions, Bermudez-Cueto was sentenced to 59 months imprisonment and then removed from the U.S. in April 2024.
Fidel Rodriguez-Herrera, an illegal alien from Mexico, was stopped by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on May 14 for an alleged traffic violation in San Antonio. ICE Enforcement Removal Operations assisted and, according to a criminal complaint, Rodriguez-Herrera was taken into custody without incident. A review of his criminal record revealed an extensive criminal history from 1987 to 2011 and includes DUI, assault causing bodily injury, and failure to identify, along with multiple convictions for illegal re-entry.
In Austin, Marlon Ramirez-Castro, an illegal alien from Honduras, was transferred into ICE custody after being found in the Travis County Jail, where he was jailed for evading arrest. Ramirez-Castro was last removed from the U.S. to Honduras in 2016, after being convicted of bulk cash smuggling. Additionally, Ramirez-Castro has been convicted of DWI, terroristic threat, and two assaults causing bodily injury.
Mexico national Pedro Valadez-Galindo was also found in the Travis County Jail, after being arrested for assault of a pregnant person. He was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in 2009 following a conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to 28 Years of Imprisonment for Online Sexual Extortion of Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington- Pete Serrano, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Andrew Steven Otto, age 27, of Escanaba, Michigan, was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography. United States District Court Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 28 years of imprisonment to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, and $30,640.68 in restitution.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, beginning in November of 2023, and continuing for months thereafter, Otto, then a 24 year old male, presented himself to be a 15 year old male on an online application frequently used by children and teens. During this timeframe, Otto pursued a 14 year old girl in the Eastern District of Washington, manipulating the child into believing that the two were in an online relationship. Otto told the child she was beautiful and that he wanted to date her. Otto solicited sexually explicit photos of the minor; when she refused, Otto assumed another person’s online identity and threatened the child. These threats included physical harm to the victim and the victim’s mother. After the victim sent one photo, Otto used the other online identity to extort the child, threatening to post the sexually explicit photo on the child’s school website.
Otto pursued another 11 year old child in the State of Illinois in the same manner. He complimented her and made her believe that he loved her. Thereafter, he requested sexually explicit images of the minor. When the minor refused, he coerced her, using multiple, fraudulent, online identities to threaten her. Otto also used these identities to inform the minor that Otto had died by suicide because of the child’s lack of response.
Both minor victims experienced significant and ongoing trauma as a result of Otto’s crimes.
The Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force members went to Escanaba, Michigan, to locate Otto. There, they worked with local Homeland Security Investigations agents and local law enforcement to arrest Otto for his crimes. A search warrant was executed at Otto’s residence and multiple electronic devices were seized. A forensic examination of these devices included sexually explicit images and videos of the local Eastern District of Washington victim and the Illinois victim. Investigators located additional sexually explicit content depicting other children, as well as communications wherein Otto sought and received a sexually explicit video depicting a 6 to 8 year old child.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Dimke commended the local victim’s bravery and resilience throughout the court process. She highlighted the “absolute terror” that each minor victim must have felt in the face of Otto’s tactics. Judge Dimke also informed Otto that it appeared that he did not sufficiently understand the level of harm that he had inflicted on the young victims, and that this posed a significant concern for Otto’s potential rehabilitation.
“Otto preyed upon these young victims in the most harmful way possible. With the help of our local and federal law enforcement partners, my office will continue to pursue individuals such as Otto, who victimize young children in our community, regardless of where they live. I am grateful for the cooperation of our local ICAC team, Homeland Security Investigations, and the law enforcement agencies in Michigan who brought Otto to justice,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano.
“Mr. Otto’s crimes are particularly heinous and highlight the actual dangers lurking online for minor children,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “We will continue to aggressively work as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children task force to find and arrest those responsible for taking advantage of our children.”
“The collaborative partnership of the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SER-ICAC) unites our law enforcement counterparts from Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, Benton County, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in conjunction with the concerted efforts of law enforcement agencies in Michigan and the United States Attorney’s Office, has proven instrumental again in securing a guilty plea with a substantial sentence, ” stated Commander Damon Jansen with the Richland Police Department. “Outcomes like this, marked by their severity, contribute significantly to the administration of justice for the children within our community and beyond who have endured egregious abuse yet have emerged as survivors.”
The case was investigated by the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Kennewick Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Escanaba Department of Public Safety and the Michigan State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland.
Members of transnational money laundering organization charged with laundering cartel fundsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An indictment returned in the Eastern District of Virginia was unsealed yesterday charging Ruhuan Zhen and Hongce Wu, both Chinese nationals, with conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with transnational criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación.
According to court documents, beginning in at least November 2016 and continuing to April 2025, Zhen, Wu, and their co-conspirators are alleged to have used a variety of secretive and clandestine methods, including mirror transfers, foreign bank accounts , encrypted communications applications, a serial-number verification system, and trade-based money laundering, to launder substantial volumes of narcotics proceeds and funds represented to be narcotics proceeds on behalf of transnational criminal organizations. The conspiracy is alleged to span the course of years with co-conspirators operating across the United States, Mexico, Latin America, China, and elsewhere, and involve drug proceeds stemming from the importation and sale of illicit narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl.
Zhen and Wu were indicted on April 24, 2025, by a federal grand jury empaneled in Alexandria, Virginia, and remain at large.
If convicted of the offense, Zhen and Wu each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case, with assistance from DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit, and DEA’s offices in Memphis Resident Office (RO), Lexington RO, Chicago Field Division (FD), New York FD, Washington FD, Charleston RO, Atlanta FD, Charlotte District Office, Bogota Country Office (CO), and Dubai CO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Chelsea R. Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case. MNF Trial Attorney Caylee E. Campbell provided substantial assistance throughout the investigation.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Members of Transnational Money Laundering Organization Charged with Laundering Cartel FundsRead the Press Release
An indictment returned in the Eastern District of Virginia was unsealed yesterday charging Ruhuan Zhen and Hongce Wu, both Chinese nationals, with conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with transnational criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
According to court documents, beginning in at least November 2016 and continuing to April 2025, Zhen, Wu, and their co-conspirators are alleged to have used a variety of secretive and clandestine methods, including mirror transfers, foreign bank accounts, encrypted communications applications, a serial-number verification system, and trade-based money laundering, to launder substantial volumes of narcotics proceeds and funds represented to be narcotics proceeds on behalf of transnational criminal organizations. The conspiracy is alleged to span the course of years with co-conspirators operating across the United States, Mexico, Latin America, China, and elsewhere, and involve drug proceeds stemming from the importation and sale of illicit narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl.
Zhen and Wu were indicted on April 24, 2025, by a federal grand jury empaneled in Alexandria, Virginia, and remain at large.
If convicted of the offense, Zhen and Wu each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division made the announcement.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case, with assistance from DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit, and DEA’s offices in Memphis Resident Office (RO), Lexington RO, Chicago Field Division (FD), New York FD, Washington FD, Charleston RO, Atlanta FD, Charlotte District Office, Bogota Country Office (CO), and Dubai CO.
Trial Attorney Chelsea R. Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. MNF Trial Attorney Caylee E. Campbell provided substantial assistance throughout the investigation.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Maryland man was sentenced to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty for his role in a conspiracy to traffic personal identifying information (PII), U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced. Chief United States District Judge Renée M. Bumb imposed the sentence on April 23, in Camden federal court.
Chouby Charleron, 27, of Severn, Maryland, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Bumb on November 19, 2025, to a single count Information that charged him with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least February 2020 through his arrest on January 22, 2024, Charleron accessed and obtained the PII of thousands of unwitting individuals and then sold that PII to a network of co-conspirators through interstate wires using a web-based encrypted messaging application that users could access on their cellphones. Charleron was the administrator of a chat group that advertised the sale of PII to prospective co-conspirators. Charleron sold the PII, including Social Security numbers, of more than 5,000 victims to multiple co-conspirators. Charleron sold the PII with the knowledge that his co-conspirators would use the PII to, among other things, defraud or attempt to default the victims whose PII had been stolen.
In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Bumb also ordered $102,288.18 in restitution and a term of supervised release of 2 years.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dak Cohen and Alison Thompson of the Criminal Division in Camden and Newark respectively.
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Defense counsel: Gary Mizzone, Esq.
Maryland Man Sentenced for SNAP Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal prison term, today, for masterminding a supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits fraud scam and other related crimes.
U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Brendyn Andrew, 34, of Gaithersburg, to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for SNAP benefits fraud, possessing unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and witness tampering, in connection with the scheme. Judge Chuang also ordered Andrew to pay $41,699.79 in restitution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region, and Special Agent in Charge David Richeson, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – Washington Field Office. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
In February 2025, a grand jury indicted Andrew for aggravated identity theft, SNAP benefits fraud, social security number misuse, and theft of government property. Then, in May 2025, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Andrew with additional crimes for possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices; aggravated identity theft; passport fraud; and tampering with a witness, victim, or informant.
According to court documents, between February and June 2021, Andrew used the Department of Human Services’ online system to apply for SNAP benefits and obtain electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards later found in his possession. Andrew, who used identities belonging to more than 30 individuals, intentionally misrepresented his identity to obtain the benefits.
In October 2022, during the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement found Andrew in possession of more than 15 EBT cards in the names of other individuals. Then, in January 2023, and again, in February 2024, Andrew submitted United States passport applications. On the applications, Andrew stated he was other individuals, and without legal authority, used the victims’ social security numbers. One of the individuals is Andrew’s brother. Records obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed Andrew flew multiple times, using the fraudulent passport he obtained in his brother’s name.
Additionally, in March 2025, while detained on the original indictment at the Chesapeake Detention Facility in Baltimore, Maryland, Andrew spoke to Dominique Collins, 38, of Stafford, Virginia, his girlfriend and co-conspirator, on the phone. During the call, Andrew asked Collins to delete an e-mail account to make the account unavailable for use in an official proceeding.
In March 2026, Collins pled guilty to tampering with a witness, victim, or informant. Collins’s sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, July 2, at 9:30 a.m.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USDA-OIG and DSS for their work in the investigation, along with the Montgomery County Police Department for its investigative assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Man Convicted on Federal Robbery and Firearm Charges Following Armed Crime Spree in MontgomeryRead the Press Release
On May 20, 2026, a jury convicted 24-year-old Rayshon Frances Demonta Hall, of Montgomery, Alabama, on multiple federal robbery and firearm charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Sara J. Jones with the FBI Mobile, Alabama Field Office.
“Armed robberies place innocent employees and customers in danger and create fear throughout the community,” said Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. “This verdict demonstrates that those who choose to terrorize businesses with violence and firearms will be held accountable in federal court.”
“FBI Mobile is focused on protecting our neighborhoods from violent crime and the fear it creates,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who threaten public safety.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Hall and 21-year-old co-defendant Najari Denarka Mitchell carried out a series of armed robberies targeting three Montgomery businesses over a four-day period. The crime spree began on August 1, 2025, when the defendants robbed a fast-food restaurant on Troy Highway while threatening an employee with a firearm. The following day, the pair committed a similar robbery at an auto parts store on Fairview Avenue. On August 4, 2025, Hall and Mitchell robbed a gas station on Troy Highway.
At the conclusion of his three-day trial, the jury found Hall guilty of three counts of robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months. At sentencing, Hall faces a sentence of 21 years to life in federal prison without the possibility of parole.
Mitchell previously pleaded guilty to his role in three robberies and one attempted robbery involving Hall. In addition, Mitchell pleaded guilty to four other armed robberies he committed in Montgomery before partnering with Hall, along with two charges for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence. Those robberies targeted a cell phone store on June 5, 2025; the same Troy Highway gas station on June 20, 2025; a gas station on Eastern Boulevard on June 24, 2025; and another gas station on Virginia Loop Road on July 28, 2025.
Mitchell’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 26, 2026. Per his plea agreement, Mitchell is facing a sentence of 300 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Montgomery Police Department, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Andreu and Eric M. Counts.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (OTBA) and the Middle District of Alabama’s Violent Offender Intervention and Deterrence (VOID) program. OTBA is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
VOID aims to reduce violent crime by enhancing coordination, communication, and collaboration with law enforcement partners. The program focuses on working directly with local agencies and traditional federal partners to prosecute violent offenders and armed felons, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and build proactive cases targeting gangs and repeat violent offenders. VOID prioritizes the most serious violent crime cases and fosters close working relationships with state and local prosecutors and law enforcement throughout the Montgomery River Region.