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14 May 2026
Previously Deported British Citizen Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN O’ROURKE, also known as JOHN CASEY, 27, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, O’Rourke has used several other aliases including “John O’Rouke,” “Michael Casey,” “John Joyce,” “Robert Davanzo,” “David Collins,” and “James McCormack.” On October 7, 2024, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended O’Rourke, under an alias, and four other individuals near Fort Covington, New York, close to Canadian border. An investigation revealed that O’Rourke did not have legal status in the United States and, on October 15, 2024, he was removed by foot from New York to Canada.
O’Rourke subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S. On February 18, 2025, O’Rourke was arrested under the name John Casey in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and charged with state offenses including evading responsibility and breach of peace. On March 2, 2026, O’Rourke was arrested under the name John Casey in Pleasonton, California, on an arrest warrant issued by a judge in Torrington, Connecticut, charging O’Rourke with larceny in the first degree, making home improvements without a valid home improvement certificate, and mispresenting or impersonating a registered contractor. O’Rourke also has a pending state case in Danbury, Connecticut for larceny.
Additional investigation revealed that O’Rourke has pending cases stemming from arrests under various aliases in Suffolk County, New York, in November 2023; Everett, Washington, in September 2025; Linden, New Jersey, in December 2025; and Snohomish County, Washington, in January 2026. He also is being sought by law enforcement in Surrey, England.
O’Rourke has been detained since his arrest in California on March 2, 2026. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for August 6, at which time O’Rourke faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj. N. Patel.
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.
Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse Materials ChargesRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – A Stark County man, and previously convicted sex offender, has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography offenses.
Shane Stouffer, 46, of Canton, Ohio, has been sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko, after pleading guilty in January to the following charges in the indictment:
- Receipt of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
- Possession of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM)
He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, agents conducting investigations into suspected CSAM activity on social media platforms identified Stouffer in 2025. During a search warrant execution at his residence, which he shared with co-defendant Daniel J. Dobies, 57, investigators found electronic devices belonging to Stouffer which contained approximately 158 videos and 43 images which were CSAM. The files included depictions of children under the age of 12 being raped and molested.
During the investigation, agents conducted a criminal history search of Stouffer and Dobies. Stouffer was convicted in October 1999 for Rape and Gross Sexual Imposition involving minor victims and was again convicted of Gross Sexual Imposition involving a minor victim in 2014. Dobies also had prior convictions related to sexual abuse including Gross Sexual Imposition in 1991, and Attempted Rape in 1993.
Dobies also pleaded guilty to charges of receipt and distribution, as well as possession, of CSAM and is scheduled to be sentenced June 11.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Canton Resident Agency and the Canton Police Department with assistance from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Stark County Sex Offender Registry.
Assistant United States Attorney Peter E. Daly for the Northern District Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Pittsburgh Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Role in Network That Brought Kilogram Quantities of Cocaine to Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 144 months of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction through a Homeland Security Task Force prosecution of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Jamal Stoner, 38, on May 13, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, Stoner conspired with others to bring kilogram quantities of cocaine to the Pittsburgh region for redistribution. On September 27, 2021, law enforcement conducted a search of Stoner’s stash apartment, where they recovered 11 kilograms of cocaine. As part of his plea agreement, Stoner also accepted responsibility for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that the sentence was appropriate given the defendant’s recidivist history and involvement in kilogram quantity drug distribution.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted 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 is comprised of 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.
Owner of Health Care Software Company Convicted of 1 Billion Dollar Medicare Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted the founder and owner of HealthSplash yesterday for his role in operating a platform that generated false doctors’ orders and prescriptions to defraud Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs out of more than $1 billion.
Photo of defendant Brett Blackman“The Department of Justice crushed one of the most egregious fraud schemes in Florida history,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This illegitimate operation stole more than $1 billion from American taxpayers — including hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries. This was cold, calculated, industrial-scale theft targeting the sick and elderly, coercing vulnerable people into buying unnecessary medical equipment. We will not rest until every fraudster ripping off the American people is held accountable.”
“The defendant orchestrated a massive telemarketing scheme that used foreign call centers and spam mailers to target our country’s senior citizens and defraud government health care benefit programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division will continue to aggressively prosecute health care fraud schemes, hold criminals accountable, and protect the integrity of America’s health care system.”
“This was not health care. It was a billion-dollar fraud machine,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “The defendant built and operated a platform that generated false doctors’ orders, used foreign call centers to target seniors, and helped push medically unnecessary equipment through Medicare and other federal health care programs. Seniors were exploited. Taxpayers were robbed. Programs meant to care for the elderly, veterans, service members, and families were treated like a cash register. This conviction is a major victory for patients, taxpayers, and the rule of law, and it sends a clear message: if you steal from federal health care programs in South Florida, we will find you, prosecute you, and make sure fraud does not pay.”
"The scale of greed in this case is staggering. Brett Blackman and his co-conspirators systematically preyed upon hundreds of thousands of elderly and vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries, converting a platform meant for modern healthcare into a $1 billion vehicle for outright fraud,” said Brett Skiles, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Today's verdict sends a definitive message to unscrupulous healthcare executives and fraudulent networks alike: no matter how complex you make your web of sham contracts and shell companies, law enforcement will unravel it, and you will be held fully accountable."
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brett Blackman, 42, of Johnson County, Kansas, and his co-conspirators aggressively targeted hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries to get them to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces and other items. They then arranged for purported telemedicine doctors to sign bogus prescription orders for these items, so that their co-conspirators could bill Medicare for them. All told, Blackman and his co-conspirators billed Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs over $1 billion for this unnecessary equipment.
Blackman owned, controlled, and was the CEO of HealthSplash, which acquired Power Mobility Doctor Rx, LLC (DMERx) in September 2017. DMERx was an internet-based platform that generated false and fraudulent doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment (DME) and prescriptions for other items. As part of the scheme, Blackman and his co-conspirators connected pharmacies, DME suppliers, and marketers with telemedicine companies that would accept illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for signed doctors’ orders created using the DMERx platform. Blackman and his co-conspirators took a cut for themselves in exchange for the referrals.
Photo of mansion used in defendant's music video“This conviction further underscores our dedication to protecting the integrity of military healthcare from large-scale exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “Fraud of this magnitude drains vital resources and jeopardizes the care promised to our service members, retirees, and their families. DCIS, alongside our partners, remains steadfast in rooting out and dismantling these schemes, ensuring every conspirator faces justice.”
“This verdict shows exactly what happens when people exploit Medicare for personal gain,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “The actions of this defendant severely undermined the integrity of the Medicare program. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to relentlessly pursue those who try to profit by defrauding federal health care programs.”
“This conviction sends a clear message that those who exploit VA programs and services for personal profit will be found and held accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Wentz with the VA Office of Inspector General Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to uncover complex fraud schemes, protect veterans and taxpayers, and ensure accountability.”
The fraudulent doctors’ orders and prescriptions generated by DMERx falsely represented that a doctor had actually examined and treated the Medicare beneficiaries when, in fact, the doctors were simply paid to sign orders and prescriptions without any meaningful interaction with the beneficiary, and in some cases, no interaction at all. Doctors signed these orders and prescriptions without regard to whether the equipment was medically necessary. Testimony and evidence presented at trial from an undercover agent who posed as a Medicare beneficiary showed the scheme in action—starting with a foreign call center that pushed the undercover agent to agree to multiple braces to a doctor signing bogus orders for the braces using Blackman’s DMERx platform. The doctor’s order for one of these undercover agent beneficiaries claimed that the doctor conducted various tests that can only be performed in person even though the doctor never even spoke with the undercover agent “patient.”
The DME suppliers and pharmacies that were paying illegal kickbacks for these orders billed Medicare and other insurers for more than $1 billion. Medicare and the other insurers paid more than $450 million based on these claims. According to evidence presented at trial, Blackman and his co-conspirators concealed the scheme through sham contracts and by manipulating the doctors’ orders to avoid Medicare audits.
The jury convicted Blackman of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements in connection with health care matters. Blackman’s co-defendant, Gary Cox, was convicted in a prior trial and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Blackman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud conviction, five years for the conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks conviction, and five years for the conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements in connection with health care matters conviction. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 26, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG, FBI, VA-OIG, and DCIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Reginald Cuyler Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and Jennifer E. Burns assisted in the prosecution. Trial Attorney Evan N. Schlom with the Fraud Section’s Special Matters Unit provided valuable assistance.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Norwalk Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More than 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE ORJUELA, also known as “Hov,” 37, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 188 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for trafficking narcotics and unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Norwalk Police Department identified Orjuela as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the Norwalk area. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Orjuela and others transported kilogram-quantities of cocaine from Texas and Ohio, and kilogram-quantities of fentanyl and heroin from New York City, and distributed the narcotics in and around Norwalk through a network of associates. Orjuela stored narcotics and drug proceeds at his Marlin Drive residence in Norwalk, and also used the Darien residence of his co-conspirator, Christopher Pomponi, to store narcotics and drug proceeds, convert cocaine into crack cocaine, and package narcotics for street sale.
Orjuela, Pomponi, and others were arrested on April 29, 2024. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple federal search warrants and seized approximately 15,000 dose bags of suspected fentanyl, approximately 350 grams of raw heroin, and quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine.
Orjuela was apprehended while attempting to flush several hundred grams of fentanyl down a toilet. A search of a vehicle parked outside of his residence revealed a loaded 9mm pistol.
Orjuela has been detained since his arrest. On April 30, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and a quantity of heroin, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Pomponi pleaded guilty and, on November 12, 2025, was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Norwalk Police Department, the Darien Police Department, the Stamford Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Kenneth L. Gresham.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A North Carolina man was sentenced on May 12, 2026, to 324 months in federal prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for producing child pornography of an Arkansas minor and for transporting a phone containing child pornography across state lines. The Honorable Chief Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, Brian Issac Hughes, age 21, communicated with a 15-year-old female through social media and arranged to travel to Arkansas to engage in sex acts with her. In April of 2025, Hughes flew from North Carolina to Arkansas and picked up the minor near her school before transporting her to a nearby hotel where he had sex with the minor and produced explicit images and videos of the act. Later the same night, Hughes distributed the produced imagery of the minor on social media. A subsequent search of Hughes’s cellphone revealed numerous child pornography files, including files of children as young as 4. Investigators also located social media chats in which Hughes distributed and received child pornography files with other online users and at least one chat thread in which Hughes posed as a 16-year-old female to trade files with another minor female.
Hughes was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in April of 2025 and entered a plea of guilty in November of 2025.
U.S. Attorney Kimberly D. Harris of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Nigerian Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Nigerian man, legally residing in Newark, New Jersey, Charles Nnamdi Emesim, 53, was sentenced on Wednesday to 115 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The Defendant engaged in a decade-long scheme to receive and launder the proceeds of different internet- and telephone-enabled scams, including romance scams, government imposter scams, lottery scams, investment scams, inheritance scams, and medical expense scams. Between December 9, 2013, through at least June 28, 2024, Emesim opened and operated at least 17 bank accounts in his name, or in names of his companies, Chadon Export or Chadon Trucking. Throughout this time, at least 23 individuals located around the United States were defrauded into sending a total of more than $700,000 to Emesim by mailing cash or cashier’s checks to his addresses, sending money transfers, or otherwise wiring funds into his bank accounts.
One victim, a senior citizen and widow living in the Eastern District of Kentucky, fell victim to a romance scam, believing she was in a romantic relationship with an individual named “Michael Oliver,” who wanted to transfer his wealth to the victim. To accomplish this goal, “Oliver” connected the victim with a “customs agent” to facilitate the receipt of money. The victim most frequently communicated with “Customs Agent Samuel Rock,” via WhatsApp. The victim traveled to the Lexington, Kentucky airport to meet with “Customs Agent Rock” in person, and during the meeting, gave him additional money, drove him to a local store, and bought him a computer tablet. The Court found that Emesim was the individual who impersonated “Customs Agent Rock” when meeting with this victim in person. This victim lost tens of thousands of dollars to this scam, by sending Emesim and his co-conspirators cash, cashier’s checks, and prepaid debit or gift cards.
Emesim often withdrew the victims’ funds in cash, transferred the money to accounts in the name of relatives or businesses, or transferred the funds to his own bank accounts or bank accounts belonging to family members located in Nigeria.
“Romance scams and financial fraud schemes are predatory crimes because they target victims through deception, emotional manipulation, and calculated exploitation,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This defendant spent years helping funnel stolen money from hardworking Americans, including an elderly victim in Eastern Kentucky who was manipulated into believing she was building a genuine relationship. These criminals do not see victims as people—they see them as targets. The Eastern District of Kentucky, alongside the FBI, will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute those who exploit trust, devastate families, and profit from fraud.”
“For more than a decade, Mr. Emesim preyed upon trusting men and women, stealing their hard-earned money to line his own pockets,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “Today’s sentencing is a powerful reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are steadfast in our pursuit of criminals who operate financial scams at the expense of innocent Americans, and that we will devote every available resource to seeking justice on behalf of victims and their families.”
During the sentencing hearing, the Court characterized Emesim’s conduct as heartless and unquestionably reprehensible, explaining that it caused terrible financial damage and incredible emotional and psychological tolls on the victims. The Court urged all people in this country with ears to hear that there will be accountability, and those convicted of these international, internet-enabled schemes will be met with a sentence that is far worse than the potential for profit.
Under federal law, Emesim must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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New York Man Guilty of Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice as Part of Six-Defendant Prosecution of Nationwide, Multi-Million Dollar Fraudulent Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – JAMES MICHAEL KAFES (“KAFES”), age 57, a resident of Carmel, New York, pleaded guilty today before United States Judge Susie Morgan to Count 8 of an eight-count indictment charging KAFES and a co-conspirator, Josiah David (“David”), with conspiracy to obstruct justice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1503(a) (Count 8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, KAFES and David conspired to obstruct the due administration of justice, namely a federal grand jury investigation in the Eastern District of Louisiana concerning the operation of companies that sought investments to launch a medical reimbursement account program. Specifically, KAFES and David agreed, and arranged, for David to withhold material responsive to a federal grand jury from production and discouraged an owner-investor from meeting with federal investigative authorities. Additionally, on or about March 27, 2025, KAFES testified falsely while under oath before a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The federal investigation began as a result of a spin-off investment opportunity David and KAFES marketed related to The Total Financial Group (TTFG), a Louisiana business incorporated in 2005 that was located in, Covington, Louisiana, until its operations ceased in 2017. Denis Joachim incorporated, owned, and operated TTFG. TTFG and Joachim created and marketed a Medical Reimbursement Account program called “Classic 105,” which had three fundamental parts: monthly administration fees charged to employee-participants and employer-clients for participating in the program, a loan from a lender to employee-participants that would effectively offset the amount of an employee-participant’s monthly fee that the employee-participants never needed to repay, and an insurance policy secured on the life of the employee-participant and payable to the lender at the time of the employee-participant’s death to repay the loan amount. David, and a company under his control, Provision Corporation, LLC (“Provision”), formed an association with Joachim and TTFG to market Classic 105 to prospective employer-clients and to seek, ultimately unsuccessfully, financial institutions to fund the loan component of Classic 105.
Federal law enforcement authorities executed search warrants at Joachim’s residence and TTFG’s office in Covington, Louisiana in January 2017, effectively shutting down TTFG. Joachim was charged by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and thereafter pleaded guilty, based on the fraudulent development, marketing, and sale of Classic 105. Nevertheless, soon after the search warrant, David and KAFES signed a “letter of intent” promising Joachim they would establish a program that would be a successor to Classic 105. David and Provision then created a successor entity, The Premier Healthcare Solution, LLC (“Premier”), for two purported purposes: to develop and administer a program modeled on and that was a continuation of Classic 105 (the “New 105 Plan”) and to solicit investors to purchase “units” in Premier by representing that investor-owners would profit significantly once the New 105 Plan “launched.” Premier and David also entered into a consulting agreement with Joachim that agreed to pay Joachim up to $20,000 per month, which they referred to as “royalty payments,” despite Premier having no clients and generating no outside revenue. In fact, the New 105 Plan never launched.
KAFES was the President of Premier. While David was advertised as merely KAFES’s assistant, in reality he was responsible for its development, operation, and management and was its primary representative. The New 105 Plan had the same components as Classic 105. To convince potential and current investor-owners to contribute, David, KAFES, and the entities they oversaw, made numerous false statements and material omissions in their marketing efforts. Among the false representations David, KAFES, and their entities made were that the New 105 Plan was close to launch, that the New 105 Plan and its underlying intellectual property were “patent protected,” that Premier had already solidified funding for the loan component from financial institutions, and that law firms had vetted the New 105 Plan and found it to be legal and legitimate. David, KAFES, and their entities also withheld material information from current and prospective investors, including falsely characterizing their relationship with and obligations to Joachim, failing to disclose that DAVID (under his original name, “Dennis Lee”) had multiple felony convictions, suits filed against him for violations of state securities and/or consumer protection laws, public warnings about him issued by multiple state regulator entities, and a stipulated order for a permanent injunction and final judgment entered based on charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission, as well as understating David’s role in the program. In total, investor-owners made purchases and contributions totaling over $4,000,000. David, KAFES, and Premier sent over $550,000 of these funds to Joachim in more than 120 transactions.
KAFES face up to five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing before Judge Morgan has been scheduled for August 27, 2026. The trial of KAFES’s co-defendants is scheduled to begin on June 8, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. U.S. Attorney Courcelle also recognized the contributions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Criminal Division, is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Castle Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Melvin Dorsey-Pace, 33, pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on February 12, 2025, Dorsey-Pace possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, as well as a quantity of a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lawrence County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dorsey-Pace.
Multiple defendants indicted on federal drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants have been indicted by the May term of the federal Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia on federal drug trafficking charges.
Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced the indictments. Those facing federal charges include:
- Tyriquez McFadden, 39, and Nichael Lessey, 44, both of Augusta, charged in a five-count indictment with Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Crack Cocaine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Jacquez Sturgis, 36, of Augusta, indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; and,
- Roman Kelly, 51, of Augusta, indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin; and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
The charges carry statutory penalties up to life in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency and local law enforcement partners and are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Kyle Davis and Kelsey L. Scanlon.
Monroeville Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Exchanging Vapes for Sex with 13-Year-OldRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Joseph Mitchell McDonald, age 60, was sentenced to life in prison after entering a guilty plea to Sex Trafficking of Children on February 6, 2026.
According to court documents, in March 2025, McDonald was found to be sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl. The child was interviewed and reported that McDonald would give her vapes in exchange for sex acts. McDonald admitted that he provided the child with vapes in exchange for sex acts and her silence about the sex acts. McDonald admitted that the child was 12 years old when the abuse began.At sentencing, United States District Judge Steele imposed a life sentence of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release in the unlikely event that McDonald is ever released from prison. During his term of imprisonment, McDonald will be subject to sex offender treatment and mental health treatment. McDonald will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. McDonald was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Charles Pheal, Jr., 35 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distributing 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Pheal was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
“The Defendant sold 100 methamphetamine pills while on probation for burglary of a dwelling and domestic battery where he kicked open a door of a residence and slapped a mother in the presence of three minor children. His criminal history also includes a misdemeanor domestic battery conviction where he broke into a residence through the window of a child’s bedroom and struck the child’s mother causing swelling to her left eye and scratches on her hands and knuckles. He was sentenced for that misdemeanor domestic battery on the same day that he was sentenced in a different case for carrying a handgun without a license. The criminal justice system’s efforts at the Defendant’s rehabilitation have failed because he chose to continue his career of antisocial behavior by peddling poison in our community,” US Attorney Adam Mildred said.
“While drug dealing, Mr. Pheal alleged to be selling ecstasy; however, his drugs were methamphetamine, a highly addictive and deadly substance. Methamphetamine is often mixed with illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, which are driving the overdose and poisoning deaths in the United States. Mr. Pheal’s actions are yet another example of the cruelty of drug traffickers. They always lie. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, along with their prosecution partners, will continue to collaborate to bring drug dealers to justice and to keep the Hoosiers of northern Indiana safe. Northern Indiana is not where drug dealers should want to do their evil work. Mr. Pheal is realizing that now,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the DEA North Central Laboratory and LaPorte County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
Mexican National Sentenced for Role in Cross-Border Tunnel SmugglingRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – As a result of diligent work done by members of the Homeland Security Task Force, a Mexican national with Legal Permanent Resident status was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 42 months in prison for facilitating alien smuggling operations using cross-border tunnels and storm drains, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Ricardo Guadalupe Dominguez, 54, of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, along with other members of an alien smuggling organization, used a subterranean passage and the connecting storm drain tunnels to bring aliens into the U.S. from Mexico. Dominguez facilitated the human smuggling events by providing vehicles and tools used to tamper and cause damage to the existing storm drains. Dominguez was also identified as being involved with the construction of a man-made cross-border tunnel that was discovered on Jan. 10, 2025.
Dominguez was arrested while attempting to cross into the U.S. from Mexico via the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to bring in aliens.
Co-defendant Oscar Ivan Carrillo was sentenced in January to 33 months in federal prison for conspiracy to use a border tunnel. Carrillo and others would guide aliens through the tunnels and into the U.S. At the tunnel exit, a box truck modified with a trap door was driven over a manhole cover; the trap door was then opened, allowing the aliens to climb up out of the tunnel and into the box truck without being detected.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Engelbaum prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with DHS, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 300 U.S. convictions; more than 250 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
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Menifee County Man Sentenced for Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Wellington, Ky., man, Jarod Nicely, 39, was sentenced on Thursday to 276 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
On February 24, 2025, law enforcement stopped a vehicle driven by Nicely for suspected traffic violations on I-75. Nicely was questioned about his travels and he said he was driving to see friends in Cincinnati but initially claimed not to know where they lived of their last names. Law enforcement conducted a search of Nicely and found $12,246 in cash bound by rubber bands in his wallet. A search of Nicely’s vehicle found approximately 94 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the center console, along with a stolen firearm. Nicely admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Les Hill, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel King is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Memphis Man and His Mother Sentenced to Prison for Armed Robberies of U.S. Postal Carriers and Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – On May 8, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Lakita Carroll, 46, to three and a half years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On April 15, 2026, Judge Parker sentenced Carroll's son, Marshun Lewis, 25, to 42 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers in August 2023 and October, November, and December of 2024 in the Western District of Tennessee. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentences today.
According to information presented in court, Lewis conducted a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers as a masked gunman for the purpose of obtaining keys to unlock blue collection mailboxes throughout the city of Memphis. He used the keys to steal checks and money orders from the mail for use in committing bank fraud. He then altered the payee information on the checks and money orders for deposit into third party accounts for withdrawal. Investigators located his vehicle on surveillance video at the scene of the robberies.
Postal Inspectors served a search warrant at his home and located stolen mail and the keychain for one of the stolen keys. Text messages located on his phone linked him to each of the robberies and several co-conspirators in the bank fraud scheme. Inspectors determined the total amount of stolen checks and money orders exceeded $940,000.
Carroll assisted Lewis by depositing stolen checks and money orders in her bank account. Carroll pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud.
After a four-day trial, Lewis was convicted as charged of four counts of robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of possession of stolen mail. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "In order to break the cycle of violent crime in Memphis, we must break the generational lifestyles of lawlessness. This mother’s greed led to her son’s extreme violence, and their brazen selfishness has landed them both in federal prison. Their family business driven by a culture of criminality is over."
“As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety of our employees,” said Atlanta Division Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “Make no mistake. We will use every resource available when our postal carriers are robbed. Postal carriers are an integral part of our communities, and the Inspection Service is committed to ensuring their safety, protecting the sanctity of the U.S. Mail, and safeguarding the public’s trust in the Postal Service by holding those that commit violent crimes and theft accountable for their actions. We extend our appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support in this case.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and William Bateman prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States government.
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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.
Memphis Fugitive Sentenced to over Seven Years for Illegal Possession of Seven FirearmsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – Keon J. Carwell, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison, 3 years supervised release, for possessing seven firearms as a prior convicted felon after he was located in Hernando, Mississippi.
At the time of his arrest, the 39-year-old Carwell was wanted as a fugitive for eight years stemming from a federal gun charge in the Western District of Tennessee from 2016. On March 31, 2024, officers with the Hernando Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Carwell was riding in. Further investigation confirmed Carwell’s identity and active warrant. Officers found Carwell in possession of seven firearms, including a pistol identified as stolen in a burglary of a federal firearms licensee store, a rifle with an obliterated serial number and a sawed-off shotgun. Six of the guns were loaded. Carwell pled guilty to the charge on a prior date.
Senior U.S. District Court Michael P. Mills sentenced Carwell to 87 months imprisonment followed by a 3-year term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary stated, “The Declaration of Independence stands as one of the greatest man-made documents ever written. It is the very foundation of our country. The Declaration states that we get our rights not from government, but from God. That our government was instituted to secure these God-given rights, and that our government derives its rights from the people of this great country. I hope the people of the Northern District of Mississippi are proud of their law enforcement officers, especially the people of Hernando, Mississippi. The Hernando Police Department conducted an investigation and apprehended a man that had been a fugitive for eight years. When arrested, the defendant was in possession of seven firearms, some of which were stolen and extremely dangerous. A community is safer today as a result of their hard work. A hardy thanks also to the ATF, day in and day out your trustworthiness in bringing these cases to fruition is commendable.”
“In our effort to disrupt violent gun crime in our community, ATF will continue to focus efforts on prohibited individuals who unlawfully possess firearms,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed today sends a message that ATF will continue to work alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure these offenders are removed from our communities and held fully accountable so we can keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the Hernando Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Maryland Man Sentenced in D.C. in Connection with Multi-Kilogram Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Marcus Devonta Williams, 47, of Brookeville, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 70 months in connection with his role as the Washington, D.C.-area distributor in a large-scale cocaine trafficking conspiracy that funneled multi-kilogram quantities of the drug from New York into the Washington metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Marcus Williams played a central role in a cocaine trafficking pipeline that moved multi-kilogram quantities of dangerous drugs from New York into the Washington metropolitan area,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He distributed cocaine to re-sellers throughout the region and profited substantially from that criminal activity. Today’s sentence reflects the serious harm caused by large-scale drug trafficking and demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who flood our communities with illegal narcotics.”
Williams pleaded guilty before Judge Amir H. Ali on Feb. 4, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In addition to the 70-month prison sentence, Judge Ali ordered Williams to serve five years of supervised release and to pay a $150,000 money judgment. Federal prosecutors had requested a 78-month prison term.
According to court papers, beginning in the summer of 2024, the FBI investigated a large-scale cocaine conspiracy operating in the Washington, D.C., area, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. Williams served as the D.C.-area point person for the conspiracy, receiving multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine transported from New York by co-defendant Daryl Smith-Winfree. Williams then distributed it to re-sellers and individual buyers throughout the region.
Between February and April 2025, law enforcement made four controlled purchases of cocaine from Williams. During that same period, surveillance documented Williams meeting with Smith-Winfree in Wilmington, Delaware, in a manner consistent with drug supply transactions.
On March 24, 2025, GPS tracking data placed Williams' vehicle in a Walmart parking lot in Wilmington, where surveillance footage showed Smith-Winfree's vehicle pull alongside. Williams entered Smith-Winfree's vehicle briefly, then returned to his own truck carrying a brown paper bag.
The following day, Williams met co-defendant Tavon Valentine Lee in a Silver Spring, Maryland, parking lot. Lee entered Williams' vehicle empty-handed and departed two minutes later carrying a brown paper bag, which he deposited in a trash receptacle. Law enforcement recovered the bag, which contained packaging consistent with a kilo of cocaine, cocaine residue on cutting and mixing instruments, and a parking receipt bearing Williams' vehicle's license plate number. Montgomery County police stopped Lee shortly after and recovered about 257 grams of cocaine and a loaded firearm from his vehicle.
Later that day, law enforcement stopped Williams and recovered more than $33,000 in cash from his vehicle. On June 3, 2025, federal agents executed search warrants at Williams' Brookeville, Maryland, residence and a construction trailer associated with him, recovering about five to six ounces of cocaine, about $31,000 in cash, a money counter, and drug packaging materials. That same day, Howard County police stopped Smith-Winfree en route to resupply Williams and recovered about three kilograms of cocaine hidden in his vehicle.
The $31,000 in cash recovered from Williams’ residence.
A warrant for Smith-Winfree's iCloud account revealed digital ledgers tracking cocaine quantities supplied to Williams totaling 5.5 kilograms between January and February 2025. Williams agreed he was accountable for at least five kilograms of cocaine.
Smith-Winfree, 44, pleaded guilty on January 28 before Judge Ali to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and was sentenced to 96 months in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Howard County Police Department, and the Arlington County Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and Michael L. Barclay.
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Madison Man Sentenced to over 8 Years for Drug Trafficking and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jalen Hayes, 26, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on May 6, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 97 months in federal prison for possessing controlled substances intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Hayes pleaded guilty to these charges on February 10, 2026.
In 2025, Hayes was under state supervision after being released from prison for an armed drug trafficking case. On July 5, 2025, he fled from a traffic stop. On July 25, 2025, officers arrested Hayes, who was carrying a backpack. Hayes set the backpack down and mouthed to his girlfriend, “get the bag.”
Officers searched the backpack and found a loaded 9mm handgun, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, oxycodone, and Xanax pills. A search of Hayes’s phone showed he was advertising controlled substances for sale in social media posts and had purchased the 9mm handgun.
Hayes was prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions, including convictions for armed robbery, armed drug trafficking, and distributing drugs in jail.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that Hayes having a loaded gun meant he was ready to use it. Judge Peterson said that drug dealing is inherently violent and that risk increased by Hayes carrying a gun. Noting an epidemic of gun violence in the community, Judge Peterson said the purpose of the sentence was to send a message to Hayes and the community.
The charges against Hayes were the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Madison Man Pleads Guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Madison man pleaded guilty on Wednesday, May 13th in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers stopped Cornelius Ellis and another man on September 13, 2024, in Hinds County and discovered that Ellis was in possession of a handgun at the intersection of Ridgeway and Missouri Street. At the time of the stop, Ellis had previously been convicted of two felony offenses in Hinds County including aggravated assault by firearm in 2015 where he served an eight-year sentence in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Cornelius Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Jackson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Lynchburg Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Directing Drug Trafficking Operation While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Lynchburg, Va. man, who used friends and family members to help him distribute more than a kilogram of fentanyl while he was incarcerated at the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center, was sentenced yesterday to more than 21 years in federal prison.
Tremon Jaquil Burford, 31, pled guilty on July 10, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
“We are committed to enhancing cooperative relationships with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to eradicate the clear and present fentanyl threat to our citizens and communities. I commend Chief Edwards, the Lynchburg Police Department, and ATF for their outstanding work ensuring clear accountability in this case,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci.
“The success of this case was built on collaboration, trust, and the collective determination of multiple law enforcement agencies working toward a common goal,” said Lynchburg Police Chief Edwards. “Our partnership with federal investigators strengthened this operation from start to finish and sends a clear message that criminal organizations targeting our community will face a coordinated and relentless response.”
“Fentanyl trafficking continues to devastate our communities, destroying families and ultimately fueling violence and addiction,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Samuel Ward. Today’s sentence demonstrates our unwavering commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners to combat violent crime and narcotics trafficking. ATF will continue identifying and dismantling the criminal networks responsible for distributing this deadly poison throughout our neighborhoods while holding those responsible fully accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, from approximately February 2023 to November 2023, Burford headed an organization that trafficked tens of thousands of pressed fentanyl pills in the Lynchburg area while he was incarcerated at the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center awaiting trial on gang and firearm charges.
Burford was able to accomplish this using a network of co-conspirators outside of the jail— predominantly women with little to no criminal history, including his own relatives. These co-conspirators held controlled substances and money for him, communicated with suppliers and customers, and delivered drugs and drug proceeds at Burford’s direction.
Even following his conviction in this matter, Burford continued his brazen criminal activity. On September 8, 2025, he slipped a correctional officer a note offering him $2,500 to smuggle Suboxone strips into the jail.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lynchburg Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lee Brett and Kelly McGann prosecuted the case.
Leader of Multi-State Check Fraud Conspiracy ConvictedRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A New York man who led a multi-state check fraud scheme pled guilty today, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Inspector in Charge Felicia George of the Postal Inspection Service’s Detroit Division, and Special Agent in Charge Philip Spampinato of the Transportation Security Administration Office of Law Enforcement/Investigations Detroit .
Nazaly Mason Smith, age 33, originally from Maryland, was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud for a scheme where he was responsible for over $1,500,000 in losses.
At the hearing, Smith admitted to leading a check fraud conspiracy where he provided his subordinates with fake identification documents and stolen personal identifiable information (PII) for several victims. Smith then trained them to memorize the victims’ PII, open bank accounts in the victims’ names, and later fraudulently deposit the stolen checks.
Sentencing before United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith will occur after a presentence report is prepared. Smith faces a possible maximum sentence of not more than 30 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, and up to five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, TSA Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Dorval Norwood and K. Craig Welkener.
Leader of Alaska drug trafficking organization sentenced to 15 years in Homeland Security Task Force caseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A California man that acted as the leader for an Alaska drug trafficking organization was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for his role in the illegal enterprise.
According to court documents, in Spring 2022, Tyrone Hampton, 44, moved his pregnant wife and co-defendant, Stephanie Blanchard, 39, and two other associates from Southern California to Alaska to participate in the drug trafficking trade. The two associates were co-defendants Keith Crossley, 37, and Lawrence McGirt, 27. All three men were gang members in Southern California.
Upon arrival in Alaska, Hampton and his co-conspirators began selling illegal drugs, primarily heroin and fentanyl. One of the locations Hampton used for drug trafficking was an apartment in Wasilla. On April 12, 2022, the landlord of the apartment called law enforcement to trespass multiple people frequenting the apartment.
Hampton’s main drug supplier was codefendant Kevyn Watson, 43, a fellow gang member from California. At the time, Watson was serving a 40-year prison sentence in prison in Oklahoma. He had access to multiple contraband cellphones in prison. Watson used the phones to coordinate continued drug trafficking using his associates in California. Hampton and Watson coordinated the shipment of multiple packages of drugs to Alaska through the mail.
At some point in April 2022, Hampton’s cousin and co-defendant, Charles Holyfield, 41, of Arizona, reached out to Hampton about a debt that Hampton owed him. During that conversation, the two men agreed to have Holyfield mail illegal fentanyl pills from a supplier in Arizona to Alaska to be sold for a high profit and split the proceeds together. On April 25, Holyfield mailed over 2,500 fentanyl pills by stuffing them inside one of two pillows and packaging the pillows up in a box and addressing it to the Wasilla apartment building. Hampton directed Blanchard to send Holyfield $2,000 via wire transfer for the cost of the pills.
The next day, UPS attempted to deliver Holyfield’s package to the apartment in Wasilla but could not because there was no apartment number written on the label. UPS marked the package as “suspicious.” They searched the package, found fentanyl pills and alerted the Alaska State Troopers. This same day, Hampton directed Holyfield to board a flight to Alaska and Hampton picked him up from the airport. Hampton, Holyfield and Blanchard spent a night in a local motel.
United States Attorney's Office, District of Alaska; U.S. v. Holyfield et al., Case #: 3:22-cr-00084On April 27, Hampton, Blanchard and Holyfield drove from the motel to the Wasilla apartment and realized the package had not arrived yet. What the defendants didn’t know is the Alaska State Troopers (AST) had seized the drugs, resealed the package with sham drugs and obtained a state search warrant for the Wasilla apartment.
That same day, AST conducted a controlled delivery of the package and waited until Hampton, Holyfield, McGirt and Crossley returned to the building to execute the warrant and arrest them. Troopers recovered the package inside a closet and found evidence of a makeshift methamphetamine lab in the apartment.
On April 28, UPS notified AST that they received another suspicious package destined for the Wasilla apartment. Inside the package, AST found a tupperware container with one kilogram of heroin wrapped in six levels of packaging. Through the investigation, law enforcement determined that Watson and Hampton coordinated the shipment of this package, referring to the one kilogram of heroin as “the whole chalupa” in text messages. Hampton directed Keith Crossley and Lawrence McGirt to each transfer $2,500 in drug proceeds via wire transfer to two individuals in California as partial payment to Watson for the shipment of heroin.
United States Attorney's Office, District of Alaska; U.S. v. Holyfield et al., Case #: 3:22-cr-00084Court documents explain that in just over six weeks, Hampton deposited over $26,900 into his bank account through Cash App or ATM deposits. Extrapolated out over a year, Hampton was earning more than $228,000 a year dealing drugs in Alaska. He had no other legitimate source of income.
On June 20, 2025, Hampton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy. During sentencing, the Court also ordered Hampton to spend 10 years on supervised release after serving his federal prison sentence. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized that Hampton was motived by profit and preyed upon vulnerabilities to distribute fentanyl into Alaska. The Court also focused on Hampton’s characterization as a career offender that spent his life offending and hurting people and the communities he lived in.
“Mr. Hampton is a career criminal that moved his family and friends to Alaska for the sole purpose of peddling poison to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “With no legitimate source or income, an extensive criminal history, gang membership, and a propensity to seek out crime, Mr. Hampton poses a significant risk to community safety. Communities in both Alaska and California are safer knowing that this defendant will be behind bars for the next 15 years.”
“Hampton led a multi-state fentanyl and heroin trafficking conspiracy, recklessly endangering countless lives in Alaska and in the Lower 48,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “As a result of this investigation, Hampton and his co-conspirators will now be held accountable for their crimes. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue using all available tools to disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises, holding traffickers accountable for the havoc they wreak on our communities.”
“Daily, drugs and those who peddle them put our friends and neighbors at risk. Taking drugs off the streets is critical to the safety of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners are committed to the health and safety of our communities; we will continue to bring traffickers like Mr. Hampton to justice.”
“This sentence should serve as serious warning to anyone trafficking drugs in our state. The Alaska State Troopers and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners will find you, arrest you, and hold you accountable for your actions," said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. "The incredible work by all of the agencies involved in this investigation and prosecution demonstrates the level of effort that Alaska law enforcement will put into dismantling illicit drug operations targeting Alaska.”
- Blanchard pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy on April 24, 2023. She was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and three years’ supervised release on Aug. 10, 2023.
- Crossley pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy on June 7, 2024. He was sentenced to roughly two years and eight months in prison and three years’ supervised release on Oct. 7, 2024.
- Holyfield pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 27, 2023. He was sentenced to time served and two years’ supervised release on Sept. 17, 2025.
- McGirt was found incompetent to stand trial due to a severe mental illness, and his case was dismissed on March 4, 2026.
- Watson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on May 17, 2024. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 10 years’ supervised release on Aug. 22, 2024.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and IRS-CI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Anchorage Airport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Team and Mat-Su HIDTA Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Schroeder and Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region One comprises agents and officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – Seattle; the United States Attorney’s Office(s) for the Districts of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP – Office of Field Operations; CBP – Air & Marine Operations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
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Lancaster Medical LLC agrees to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations related to Paycheck Protection Program eligibilityRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that Lancaster Medical LLC, a former medical practice located in Depew, NY, has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations arising under the False Claims Act (FCA), that it fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which it was not eligible to receive. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Lancaster Medical LLC applied for and received a PPP loan in April of 2020, which was fully guaranteed by the SBA in the amount of $249,290. The United States alleges that Lancaster Medical LLC violated the FCA by falsely certifying its eligibility for the PPP loan. Lancaster Medical LLC was not eligible for the PPP loan because its assets had been sold pursuant to an asset sale in 2019—months before it applied for the PPP loan. The United States further contends that the PPP loan proceeds were used for impermissible purposes, such as personal expenses for Lancaster Medical LLC’s former owners. The United States further contends that after being informed that the PPP loan was not approved for forgiveness, Lancaster Medical LLC did not repay the loan.
The civil settlement also resolves pending civil forfeiture litigation in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, United States of America v. One 2020 BMW X5, Vin: 5UXCR6C00L9C83972, Titled and Registered to Kevin G. Cleary, 23-cv-272. In that action, the United States was seeking the forfeiture of a vehicle that it contends was proceeds of and traceable to the proceeds of Lancaster Medical LLC’s PPP loan.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Jason Buckley, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., and the United States Attorney’s Office. The FCA matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Coriell and Jonathan W. Ferris, and Investigator Peggy McFarland. The Civil Forfeiture matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Clare Kane.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability.
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Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to 240 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jimmy Bell, age 33, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 13, 2026, to 240 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marihuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marihuana, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Bell had plead guilty on an earlier date. As part of his guilty plea, Bell admitted that on or about May 26, 2023, in Lackawanna County, he conspired with his co-defendants to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 2KG of methamphetamine and nearly 4KG of marihuana. Bell, a previously convicted felon, also admitted that he possessed a rifle with an obliterated serial number and additional ammunition and a Smith & Wesson .38 special handgun with an obliterated serial number and additional ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking offense.
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 matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Gerard Donahue prosecuted the case.
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Kansas City Tax Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. woman was sentenced in federal court for filing false tax returns for others.
Tanisha Spencer, 35, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes to 18 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Spencer to pay restitution of $730,709.00 to the Internal Revenue Service. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
On Dec. 3, 2025, Spencer pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the preparation and filing of false tax returns.
According to court documents, Spencer prepared income tax returns for pay for persons who contacted her via Facebook. She prepared the income tax returns in Kansas City, Mo., and the returns were electronically filed with the Internal Revenue Service in Kansas City, Mo. The Federal income tax returns prepared by Spencer included fraudulent sick leave and family leave credits, illegitimate fuel tax credits, and fraudulently inflated federal tax withholdings. By including these and other fraudulent items on the client’s tax returns, Spencer was able to manufacture substantial refunds to her clients that they would not have been entitled to if the returns had been accurately prepared.
Spencer charged her clients a return preparation fee of between $500 and $14,840 per return. The 156 returns that Spencer prepared claimed $4,047,531 in refunds, of which the IRS paid $689,872.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
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.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Covid-19 FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a wire fraud case that resulted in more than $312,500 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Jarrell Curne, 37, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes to 36 months imprisonment, followed by three years’ supervised release based upon his guilty plea to wire fraud. Curne pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the CARES Act. The court also ordered Curne to pay restitution of $318,220.49 to the SBA. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
According to court documents, Curne was the owner of a Missouri limited liability company called Hustle Ova Everything Entertainment (Hustle). On May 13, 2020, Curne submitted a $312,500 PPP loan application to a bank on behalf of Hustle. In the loan application, Curne falsely stated that, in 2019, Hustle had an annual payroll of $1.5 million and 100 employees. In reality, Hustle had no eligible employees or payroll whatsoever.
Based on the fraudulent representations Curne made in the Hustle PPP loan application, on May 15, 2020, the bank transferred $312,500 to an account controlled by Curne in the name of Hustle. In furtherance of his wire-fraud scheme and in an effort for the SBA to forgive the Hustle PPP loan, Curne falsely certified that the loan proceeds were used for permissible business purposes under the PPP. In reality, the funds were used by Curne for personal expenses. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.National Fraud Enforcement Division
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.
Justice Department Investigation Determines Yale’s Medical School Discriminated Based on Race in AdmissionsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has completed a year-long investigation into the admissions policies and practices at the Yale School of Medicine.
Yale’s documents show that its leadership intentionally selected applicants based on their race. Yale’s documents reveal that they studied how to use racial proxies to circumvent the Supreme Court’s prohibition on using race to select students. Yale’s admissions data demonstrate that Black and Hispanic students have a much higher chance of admission to Yale than White or Asian students with the same test scores.
“Yale has continued its race-based admissions program despite the Supreme Court and the public’s clear mandate for reform.” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department will continue to shed light on these illegal practices, and demand that institutions of higher education comply with federal law.”
The investigation showed that, in general, Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted with consistently lower academic qualifications than their White and Asian counterparts. These facts support the Department’s finding that Yale violated the law by intentionally discriminating based on race in its admissions, in clear violation of federal law.
Medical schools use substantial federal financial assistance to train the next generation of doctors. The Department is continuing its focus on eradicating illegal race politics from admissions at medical schools, where quality and excellence are vitally important to public safety.
Jury Finds D.C. Man Guilty of First-Degree Sexual Abuse Against Two VictimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maurice Spears, 34, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury for charges stemming from the sexual abuse of two different women, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Spears was found guilty of six counts of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of felony threats, and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse. The verdict was returned today, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for July 21, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 15, 2024, Spears went on a single date with the first victim. They ended up back in the defendant’s storage unit, where he was living. Inside the storage unit, the defendant threatened to kill the victim and her children if she left. Spears told her that he planned to force her into prostitution and that he had law enforcement in his pocket, even showing her a fake police badge. The defendant forced the victim to spend the next three days with him, walking her all over the District of Columbia. The defendant twice sexually assaulted the victim inside his storage unit. He later took her to Virginia and kept her in a motel room. Eventually, the victim’s family was able to learn the defendant’s identity and track him to the motel room, where they rescued her and took her to the hospital.
On July 26, 2024, the second victim met Spears when they were both at a services provider for homeless individuals. The defendant promised to help the victim get some shoes. When the victim ran into Spears the next day, he started to follow her around and refused to leave her tent when she asked him to. Eventually the defendant started threatening her, telling her that he was connected to law enforcement and that he had people who would harm her if he told them to. For the next five days, Spears refused to let the victim out of his sight. He repeatedly sexually assaulted her, including in her tent and at a storage facility where she rented a unit. Eventually, the victim was able to call 911 and escape from the defendant.
Spears was arrested on September 9, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Swanson and Sarah Roessler.
2024 CF1 009131
Indian National Pleads Guilty for Smuggling a Dozen Illegal Aliens Across Canadian Border into United StatesRead the Press Release
An Indian national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to smuggle aliens from India across the northern border with Canada into the United States.
According to court documents, Shivam LNU, 22, directed smuggling operations beginning from at least October 2024 through June 2025, coordinating the illegal transport of aliens across the U.S.-Canada border into the Northern District of New York. The defendant’s role was to coordinate drivers to pick up aliens from the border and transport them further into the United States, specifically to stash houses around Northern New York and to hotels in Plattsburgh, New York. The defendant, who expected to be paid for his role, paid his drivers for each alien they smuggled. On Jan. 25, 2025, the defendant directed a co-conspirator to smuggle 12 aliens from India and the United Kingdom from Canada into the United States. The defendant paid his co-conspirator $100 per alien smuggled. On Jan. 26, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to stop two vehicles traveling in tandem near the U.S-Canada border. Both vehicles accelerated to avoid agents, triggering a pursuit. One vehicle went off the road and became immobilized, while the other was later stopped in Mooers, New York. The vehicles contained a total of 12 illegal aliens.
Shivam pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and three counts of alien smuggling for financial gain. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 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, First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York, and Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Rouses Point and U.S. Border Patrol Burke Station are investigating the case, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Deputy Chief Rami S. Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
Honduran National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Associated Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Nidia Roxana Maradiaga-Flores (28), an illegal alien from Honduras, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to two years and two months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. Maradiaga-Flores was found guilty on January 14, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Maradiaga-Flores was an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On March 23, 2022, Maradiaga-Flores applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Maradiaga-Flores falsely identified herself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
High-Ranking CJNG Leader Charged with Federal Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, Firearm Offenses, and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a superseding indictment yesterday against Audias Flores Silva, also known as “Jardinero,” 45, of Mexico, a high-ranking leader of the Mexico-based drug trafficking organization the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). The superseding indictment expands on charges first filed in August 2020, when Flores Silva was accused of trafficking cocaine and heroin into the United States, now alleging he also trafficked methamphetamine and conspired to launder drug proceeds from the United States back to Mexico.
Before his capture on April 27 by Mexican authorities, Flores Silva was reportedly a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” the former top CJNG leader who died after a military operation to capture him in February 2026. The State Department designated the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization in February 2025.
“Audias Flores Silva is charged with trafficking massive amounts of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine into our country and funneling the profits back to Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The drugs and violence that cartels inject into communities have no place in the United States. Our mission in the Criminal Division is to dismantle cartels and foreign terrorist organizations at every level, targeting their leadership, financing and operations and ensuring those who have harmed our country face justice.”
“Jardinero believed he would assume control of the violent foreign terrorist organization CJNG following the death of El Mencho. He was wrong.” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Yesterday’s superseding indictment demonstrates the combined strength of DEA and the Homeland Security Task Force in dismantling the command and control structures of the cartels and holding their leaders accountable. I thank the Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR) for taking Jardinero into custody in Mexico. DEA and our partners will continue to relentlessly pursue the leaders of these terrorist organizations, disrupt their global operations, and protect the American people from the violence, poison, and chaos they spread.”
“The superseding indictment of Audias Flores Silva underscores how the Homeland Security Task Force and our partners are systematically targeting the command structure of violent cartels that traffic drugs, violence, and fear into our communities,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The HSTF will continue to marshal the full strength of our interagency and international partnerships to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these transnational criminal organizations wherever they operate.”
Flores Silva is charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine for importation into the United States, use of a firearm, one of which was a destructive device, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted he faces a minimum penalty of at least 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
HSI and the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
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 Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ghanaian Nationals Indicted for Romance Fraud ScamsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Two brothers from Ghana and a woman from the U.S. have been indicted for allegedly being a part of a criminal network that devised romance fraud schemes to obtain money from victims by mostly targeting the elderly in the United States.
An indictment was recently unsealed in United States v. Jamal Abubakari, et al., charging the following three individuals with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering:
- Jamal Abubakari, aka Jamal Abubakar, aka Arrangement, 22;
- Kamal Abubakari, aka Kamal Abubakar, aka Lancaster, 22; and
- Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, aka Amanda Joy Glum, aka Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman, 53.
All three defendants were arrested in Virginia and remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
According to allegations in the indictment, from about July 2024 to April 2026, the defendants targeted older Americans on dating websites and social media platforms to engage in romance fraud schemes. The defendants conspired with others to use fake personas to establish close personal relationships with the victims which were often romantic in nature. After being misled by false stories, the victims sent money via wire transfer to financial accounts controlled by conspiracy members. Portions of the funds were further provided to co-conspirators in Ghana and elsewhere.
A series of cases related to this matter, which have also charged conspiracies tied to Ghana for targeting elderly victims, have been assigned to one U.S. District Judge to coordinate proceedings. While many defendants in those matters are pending trial or sentencing, nine defendants have already pleaded guilty and been collectively sentenced to approximately 50 years of imprisonment.
In United States v. Frederick Kumi, aka Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, aka Abu Trica, and Daniel Yussif, aka Denteni, aka Slab, Kumi, 31, of Swedru, Ghana, and Yussif, 31, of Accra, Ghana, were charged in December 2025 with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy.
In United States v. David Onyinye Abuanekwu, et al., the defendants below are currently serving prison sentences after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy:
- Dwayne Asafo Adjei, 29, a citizen of Ghana, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $372,943 in restitution.
- Nancy Adom, 30, of Akron and Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $1,079,559 in restitution.
- Eric Aidoo, 46, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $668,228 in restitution.
The defendant below is currently serving a prison sentence after pleading guilty to Obstruction of Justice:
Nader Wasif, 31, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment; one year of supervised release; and ordered to pay $172,644 in restitution.
Additionally, Kelvin Asmah, 28, a citizen of Ghana, was recently arrested after being charged in a second superseding indictment.
In United States v. Otuo Amponsah, et al., the defendants below are currently serving prison sentences after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy:
- Otuo Amponsah 34, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $3,324,675 in restitution.
- Portia Joe 28, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment; three years supervised release; and ordered to pay $2,035,438 in restitution.
- Anna Amponsah 35, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $1,444,639 in restitution.
- Dwayne Asafo Adjei, 29, a citizen of Ghana, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $372,943 in restitution. This will run concurrent to the sentence from U.S. v. Abuanekwu et al.
- Hannah Adom, 27, of Akron and Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $278,894 in restitution.
Defendant Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal records, if any, roles in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations.
The investigation leading to the indictments was led by the FBI Cleveland Division.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer would like to acknowledge international and national partners for their valuable assistance in this matter:
- Ghana Attorney General’s Office
- EOCO – Economic Organised Crime Office
- GPS – Ghana Police Service
- Ghana Cyber Security Authority
- NACOC – Ghana Narcotics Control Commission
- Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre
- Ghana Immigration Service
- Ghana National Intelligence Bureau
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Sensitive Investigation Unit
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs
- U.S. Department of State
- FBI Washington Field Office
- FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Virginia
Assistant United States Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Elliot Morrison are leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation and prosecution are in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population.
Report suspected elder financial abuse at: tips.fbi.gov/home or justice.gov/elderjustice/financial-exploitation.
Former Reno Nurse Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
RENO – A Reno man, previously employed as a registered nurse, who admitted to sending and receiving child sexual abuse materials was sentenced Wednesday by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum to 84 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. The government recommended 151 months and lifetime supervision.
According to court documents and information provided in court, between March 2024 and August 2024, Ryan Horton used the Kik messenger application to send and receive images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. A subsequent search of Horton’s cellphone conducted by the FBI revealed over 5,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material, including children as young as toddlers engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adults.
Horton pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
"The images shared by Mr. Horton exemplify the serious issue of child exploitation," said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. "By sharing and trading abusive images, his actions perpetuated a vicious cycle of harm. Horton possessed thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse; much of it was particularly violent, even depicting the abuse of children as young as toddlers. We extend our gratitude to the dedicated members of the FBI's Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force and the U.S. Attorney's office for investigating these critical cases to hold dangerous child predators accountable."
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Horton will be required to register as a sex offender and keep the registration current in each of the following jurisdictions: (1) where he resides; (2) where he is an employee; and (3) where he is a student.
The case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force comprised of the FBI, Nevada Attorney General’s Office, Sparks Police Department, and the Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Keenan prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Former Manager of Fraternal Order of Police Lodges Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Kevin Ryan Straw, 40, was charged by information and pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Thursday before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove.
According to the information and his plea agreement, between 2021 and 2024, Straw served as President of Metropolitan Lodge 32, Fraternal Order of Police, based in Louisville, Ky., and, at various times, served as the Vice President and Government Affairs Chair of the Kentucky State Fraternal Order of Police, based in Frankfort, Ky. Straw devised a scheme to defraud both FOP Lodges and numerous individual victims of money through materially false pretenses, representations, and promises. Straw defrauded individuals through an investment fraud scheme, defrauding at least ten individuals out of a total of $80,200. In addition, Straw misappropriated $49,760 from Metro Lodge 32 through cash withdrawals he falsely claimed were made to transfer the funds to a different Metro Lodge 32 account. Finally, Straw charged $15,501.48 in personal expenses to the State FOP credit card and requested reimbursement from the State FOP for $41,562.97 in travel expenses not incurred. In total, Straw defrauded $187,024.45 from Metro Lodge 32, the State FOP, and the investment fraud victims. According to his plea agreement, Straw agreed to pay $187,024.45 in restitution.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General; and Paul Humphrey, Chief, Louisville Metro Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and the Louisville Metro Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith.
Straw is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
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Former Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced in Connection with Arson and Wire and Bank Fraud ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a former Maryland law-enforcement officer for his role in a wire-fraud conspiracy.
Judge Lydia Griggsby sentenced Philip James Dupree, 42, of Pikesville, to 70 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, arson, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank fraud in connection with schemes to defraud an insurance company and three different financial institutions. Judge Griggsby ordered Dupree to pay $65,049.14 to the affected insurance company and $3,521 to the affected credit union. The 70-month sentence was ordered to be served consecutively to an unrelated sentence imposed in the District of Columbia.
Dupree, a former Fairmount Heights Police Department officer, and his co-conspirator, Mark Ross Johnson, Jr., 38, of Camp Springs, a former Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) officer, conspired with others to carry out the schemes.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced Dupree’s sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, PGPD.
According to court documents, co-conspirators joined forces to commit two separate fraud schemes. Through the schemes, co-conspirators filed false police reports and falsified loss claims to obtain and attempt to obtain funds from an insurance company along with three different financial institutions.
In November 2018, as part of the insurance fraud scheme, Dupree and Johnson coordinated to burn Johnson’s Ford F450 truck that was experiencing mechanical and electrical problems. Dupree “discovered” the burning vehicle while on duty in Fairmount Heights and filed an impound report containing false statements regarding the recovery of the truck.
Johnson then used the report number in support of his claim filed with the insurance company for a total loss on the truck. He also submitted altered telephone records to his insurer to hide that he participated in a 16-minute conversation with Dupree just before Dupree “discovered” the truck. A fire investigator, hired by the insurer, testified that the Ford F450 fire was intentionally set, and originated in the passenger compartment of the truck. The insurer, relying in part on the police report and altered telephone records, paid out more than $68,000 to the lien holder on the truck.
Then, from May 2019 until June 2019, Dupree, Johnson, and others conspired to defraud three financial institutions. They coordinated the withdrawal of money from their financial accounts through ATMs so they could fraudulently claim their money was stolen. Then the co-conspirators sought reimbursement from their financial institutions.
In executing the scheme, Dupree and Johnson coordinated submitting police reports to PGPD. Through these reports, they falsely claimed their debit cards were stolen and then were used to withdraw funds from various ATMs without permission. One police report that Dupree submitted to support his claim of a stolen debit card was a complete fake. The report was never submitted to the Prince George’s County Record Management System. Additionally, the report included the name of a non-existent police officer as the preparer. It also carried over Johnson’s name as the “victim” from the separate report Johnson asked a co-conspirator to generate to submit to his credit union. The co-conspirators submitted fraudulent claims to the victim financial institutions seeking reimbursement for the purportedly unauthorized ATM withdrawals.
Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation and praised the Fairmount Heights Police Department for its assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Baldwin who prosecuted 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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Former Hanahan City Councilman Indicted on Sex Trafficking and Child Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a 23-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Kevin Phillip Hedgpeth, 48, of Hanahan, for sex trafficking of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor, production, distribution, receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material and attempted production of child sexual abuse material.*
The indictment alleges from at least December 2021 through his arrest on federal charges in April 2026, Hedgpeth targeted, recruited, and sexually exploited children using the internet. Hedgpeth used social media apps to contact children—including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Telegram and X—where he posed as a minor himself. Through those apps, he pressured and often paid minors to record sex acts with other minors, including with some of their own family members. He then saved the files in password-protected folders accessible on his phone. He named the folders after the actual names of victims. Hedgpeth distributed those files to others over the internet—including to minors—without victim consent. Hedgpeth used the files to pose as a minor and to entice victims into producing additional content.
Hedgpeth exploited at least 19 children during the scheme, 13 girls and six boys, ranging in age from 12 to 17 years old. Most victims were in South Carolina, and some lived in his local community. During the scheme, Hedgpeth was a public official, serving as a City Councilman and as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Hanahan.
Hedgpeth faces up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, supervision by the United States Probation Office for a term of lifetime following any term of imprisonment, restitution payable to victims, and additional financial assessments. He will remain detained pending trial.“The grand jury has charged Kevin Hedgpeth with a depraved, predatory criminal scheme through which he targeted the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We look forward to holding Hedgpeth accountable to the fullest extent, and we will continue to dedicate every resource to defend children in our state.”
“The charges in this indictment are deeply disturbing and represent a profound betrayal of trust, especially by someone who held positions of public responsibility. No one—regardless of their title or status—is above the law,” said Mark M. Zito, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North and South Carolina. “Our commitment is unwavering: we will pursue justice for every victim and ensure that those who exploit their authority to harm children are held fully accountable. The gravity of these crimes demands a strong response, and we will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Investigators continue to seek the public’s help to identify possible victims. If you have relevant information to report, please contact HSI at Charleston_exploitationtips@hsi.dhs.gov, by telephone at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423), or through the online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Elliott B. Daniels are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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* The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.
Former Director of Food Services for Plymouth Public Schools Pleads Guilty to Stealing Food and Equipment for Side BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Director of Plymouth Public Schools’ Food Services program pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a long-running fraud scheme that began in 2014 in which he allegedly stole food and commercial kitchen equipment for use and sale at his private business, the “Snack Shack” on Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, Mass.
Patrick Van Cott, 64, of Sandwich, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and two counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Aug. 19, 2026. Van Cott was charged in April 2026.
Van Cott was the Director of Food Services for the Plymouth Public Schools from 2003 until June 2025. Beginning in 2014, he also operated a seasonal business, the “Snack Shack,” on Sandy Neck Beach.
Van Cott admitted that, between 2014 and June 2025, he defrauded the Plymouth Public Schools by taking food and equipment purchased with funds, including U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds, and using it to run the Snack Shack. The equipment Van Cott ordered with school funds included two $2,200 refrigerators; a $3,950 two-door freezer; two 12-inch hot plates; a 24-inch griddle; a chargrill; a fryolator; shelving; a sandwich prep table; a convection oven; and hanging chalk boards. In addition, every summer starting in approximately 2014, Van Cott collected condiments, diced chicken, hot dogs, cooking oil, snacks, paper goods, coffee, food products and other miscellaneous items paid for by the Plymouth Public Schools or supplied by the USDA, then used and sold those items at the Snack Shack. Additionally, once or twice per week every summer starting in 2014, Van Cott directed Plymouth Public Schools cafeteria workers to slice at least nine pounds of deli turkey and 4.5 pounds of deli ham which he then sold at the Snack Shack. Van Cott also ordered over $3,000 in premium burger patties with school funds, which he intended to and did sell in menu items at the Snack Shack.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted program administered on the federal level by the USDA that provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to public school children. In Massachusetts, meals for all students are free, and schools are reimbursed for meals through a combination of USDA funds and state funds.
The charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Plymouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for His Role in Ponzi Scheme, Losses Exceed $20 MillionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Dakota A. Smith, 35, has been sentenced to federal prison for his part in a Ponzi scheme. Smith previously pled guilty on November 18, 2025 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for defrauding investors through a company called Peoples Equity Group (PEG), an investment company based in Miami, Florida that operated from 2021 to 2024. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Smith and his co-conspirator defrauded investors by misrepresenting to them that PEG owned small, profitable companies in e-commerce and aviation. Smith solicited investments based on promises that the investors would obtain ownership interests in the companies owned by PEG and its affiliated entities. In fact, Smith and his co-conspirator knew that neither PEG nor its affiliated entities had any ownership interest or control over the companies it marketed.
As a part of the fraudulent scheme, Smith presented fraudulent financial documents which purportedly showed the financial success of the acquired companies while on monthly video calls with investors located across the United States, including investors in West Tennessee and abroad.
On May 8, 2026, Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Smith to 188 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Restitution was left open for a period of 90 days to continue allowing victims to make claims. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Ponzi schemes and crimes of dishonesty will be rooted out and punished. This sentence holds this thief accountable for his deceptive criminal scheme, protects investors, and will recover ill-gotten proceeds on behalf of victims.”
“Dakota Smith and his co-conspirator defrauded innocent victims through false promises of protected investments and guaranteed returns,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “These schemes not only steal hard-earned money, but also erode the financial security and trust of victims and their families. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners to protect the public’s investments and hold accountable those who facilitate these scams for their own gain.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Assistant United States Attorney Scott P. Smith prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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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.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison Appointed to Serve on Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has appointed First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison of the District of New Mexico to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). The AGAC was created in 1973 and advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys on essential matters facing the Department of Justice.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, bottom left, joined other members of the AGAC at a meeting in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2026. FAUSA Ellison and Acting AG Blanche photographed May 5, 2025, during tour of New Mexico’s National Defense Area"Serving on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee is a significant responsibility and an opportunity to ensure the challenges we face in New Mexico are heard at the highest levels of the Department,” said Mr. Ellison. “I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to refine national policy and strengthen our collective efforts to uphold the rule of law. Over the last year, New Mexico has been at the forefront of President Trump’s mandate to secure our southern border and make America safe again. I’m grateful to Attorney General Blanche for the opportunity to serve and I’m proud that New Mexico will have a seat at the table where our Nation’s most important legal and public safety issues will be discussed.”
As First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison is the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of New Mexico. Prior to his appointment as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico in the Las Cruces Branch Office, most recently as Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney of the Violent and General Crimes Section.
As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison prosecuted members of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (“SNM”) prison gang. He has also investigated and prosecuted other violent crimes, including VICAR murder, RICO conspiracy, carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, murder-for-hire, and various firearms, immigration, and national security offenses.
The AGAC is comprised of 18 United States Attorneys and First Assistant US Attorneys who lead their offices, and Mr. Ellison will serve alongside the Committee’s Chairman Jay Clayton (Southern District of New York) and Vice-Chairwoman Leah Foley (District of Massachusetts), as well as U.S. Attorney Dan Bishop (Middle District of North Carolina), U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros (Northern District of Illinois), U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford (District of Oregon), U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine (District of Arizona), Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby (Northern District of Alabama), U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant (Western District of Tennessee), First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli (Central District of California), U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon (Southern District of California), U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon (Eastern District of Michigan), Acting U.S. Attorney John Marck (Southern District of Texas), U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly (District of Colorado), U.S. Attorney David Metcalf (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro (District of Columbia), U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones (Southern District of Florida), and U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods (District of Nebraska).
Federal arrests shut down alien smuggling scheme at the western edge of the U.S. Border with CanadaRead the Press Release
Tacoma – Two residents of British Columbia, Canada appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma yesterday afternoon charged in connection with their scheme to smuggle Vietnamese citizens from Canada into the U.S., announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Van Phuong Vu, 28, of Vancouver, and Johnny Huynh, 36, of Burnaby, Canada, are charged with conspiracy to transport certain aliens for private financial gain. The men were arrested near the Bellingham Airport last week with eight Vietnamese nationals who had illegally crossed into the U.S. from Canada on Point Roberts and then flown from the Point Roberts airport to Bellingham.
“I commend the U.S. Border Patrol for their quick and diligent work in this case,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “An early morning alert of border crossing at the beach led to the apprehension of eight illegal aliens and charges against those who sought to profit from the smuggling event.”
According to the criminal complaint, on May 5, 2026, at about 8:30 in the morning, U.S. Border patrol was made aware of people crossing the border between Canada and the small enclave of Point Roberts. The group of people was crossing the border at the beach. Point Roberts is a peninsula of Washington state accessible by land only through British Columbia, Canada. From Point Roberts, the only direct way to the mainland U.S. is via plane or boat.
Around 10 AM, Border Patrol Agents at Bellingham Airport found the group of people that they suspected crossed the border at Point Roberts earlier that morning. Border Patrol Agents observed the group, accompanied by Huynh, exit the charter flight terminal and walk toward a nearby hotel, where they were intercepted. Border Patrol Agents learned that a second flight with additional travelers accompanied by Vu would be arriving soon and later intercepted that group near the airport. Border Patrol Agents ultimately determined a total of eight Vietnamese nationals had entered the U.S. without inspection. Some of the Vietnamese nationals told law enforcement they had agreed to pay between $13,000 and $15,000 to be smuggled into the U.S.
Vu, a Vietnamese citizen who is a lawful permanent resident of Canada, and Huynh, a Canadian citizen, are charged with the scheme to smuggle the aliens into the U.S. Some of the Vietnamese nationals communicated with the smuggling group via social media and were instructed to pay the smuggling fees when they arrived at their final destinations in the U.S., including New York or Tennessee.
Conspiracy to transport certain aliens for private financial gain is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by United States Border Patrol (USBP) Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Pecaro.
Federal Jury Convicts New Castle County Man of Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal jury convicted a New Castle County resident yesterday on charges of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Damion Thomas, 26, attempted to sell marijuana to an undercover police officer on July 2, 2024. Inside Thomas’s car, officers found pre-packaged cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana. Officers later searched a bedroom at a residence associated with Thomas and found more cocaine, marijuana, and drug packaging materials. Officers also located a safe inside that bedroom. The safe contained over 180 grams of cocaine, almost 150 individual packages of fentanyl, a bulk supply of marijuana, drug packaging materials, cash, and a loaded revolver. Thomas was prohibited from possessing a firearm due, in part, to a 2018 conviction for attempted first-degree robbery.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace stated, “Today’s conviction sends a clear message that those who flood our communities with dangerous drugs—and especially those who do so while armed—will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I am grateful to our dedicated state and federal law enforcement partners whose tireless work made this just prosecution possible.”
Thomas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison for possessing the revolver in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and could be sentenced to a maximum of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2026, at 10:00 am.
The New Castle County Police Department, the Delaware Bureau of Community Corrections, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Delaware Division of Forensic Science. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Thurstlic-O’Neill and Corey J. Hauser prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-117-RGA.
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Extradited Honduran National Sentenced for His Role in International Human and Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An extradited Honduran national was sentenced today to over four years in prison for his role in a scheme to smuggle nearly two dozen illegal aliens and kilos of cocaine into the United States.
“The defendant and his co-conspirators attempted to illegally bring aliens and approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine into the United States by boat,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His extradition from Honduras and this successful prosecution shows that the drug trade and human smuggling of illegal aliens often go hand in hand.”
“Along with his co-conspirators, Olvin Javier Velasquez- Maldonado conspired to flagrantly violate our federal immigration and controlled substances laws by attempting to illegally bring in more than 20 Honduran aliens and approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine to Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “These crimes jeopardize and endanger the safety and welfare of our communities, as well as threatening our national security. This sentencing sends a clear message that those who engage in human smuggling and drug trafficking will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable for their actions. I am grateful for our continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners as we combat the scourge of human smuggling and illegal drug trafficking.”
According to court documents, Olvin Javier Velasquez-Maldonado, 40, of Honduras, conspired with at least six others to bring cocaine from Honduras to the United States. In February 2022, Maldonado and others attempted to illegally bring more than 20 Honduran aliens and approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Utila, Honduras, to Cocodrie, Louisiana, aboard the M/V Pop, a sportfishing vessel co-owned by co-conspirator Carl Allison of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Many of the aliens paid up to $20,000 to Allison or his co-conspirators to be smuggled into the United States.
During the February 2022 voyage, the M/V Pop developed engine trouble. Allison and others chartered a boat to bring fuel to the disabled vessel so that it could complete its journey to the United States. Before the chartered boat reached the disabled vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the vessel off the coast of Louisiana and towed it to shore. After the vessel was towed to Jean Lafitte Harbor, a search of the vessel discovered approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment under a mattress in the captain’s sleeping quarters. Maldonado had packaged the cocaine and his fingerprints were found under the packaging.
Maldonado was extradited to the United States from Honduras on April 9, 2025, and he subsequently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The HSI Houma, Louisiana Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the HSI Pittsburgh Field Office, HSI Atlanta Field Office and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Honduras to secure the arrest and extradition of Maldonado. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training also provided assistance.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 350 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
Extradited Honduran National Sentenced for His Role in International Human and Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An extradited Honduran national was sentenced today to over four years in prison for his role in a scheme to smuggle nearly two dozen illegal aliens and kilos of cocaine into the United States.
“The defendant and his co-conspirators attempted to illegally bring aliens and approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine into the United States by boat,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His extradition from Honduras and this successful prosecution shows that the drug trade and human smuggling of illegal aliens often go hand in hand.”
“Along with his co-conspirators, Olvin Javier Velasquez- Maldonado conspired to flagrantly violate our federal immigration and controlled substances laws by attempting to illegally bring in more than 20 Honduran aliens and approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine to Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “These crimes jeopardize and endanger the safety and welfare of our communities, as well as threatening our national security. This sentencing sends a clear message that those who engage in human smuggling and drug trafficking will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable for their actions. I am grateful for our continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners as we combat the scourge of human smuggling and illegal drug trafficking.”
According to court documents, Olvin Javier Velasquez-Maldonado, 40, of Honduras, conspired with at least six others to bring cocaine from Honduras to the United States. In February 2022, Maldonado and others attempted to illegally bring more than 20 Honduran aliens and approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Utila, Honduras, to Cocodrie, Louisiana, aboard the M/V Pop, a sportfishing vessel co-owned by co-conspirator Carl Allison of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Many of the aliens paid up to $20,000 to Allison or his co-conspirators to be smuggled into the United States.
During the February 2022 voyage, the M/V Pop developed engine trouble. Allison and others chartered a boat to bring fuel to the disabled vessel so that it could complete its journey to the United States. Before the chartered boat reached the disabled vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the vessel off the coast of Louisiana and towed it to shore. After the vessel was towed to Jean Lafitte Harbor, a search of the vessel discovered approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment under a mattress in the captain’s sleeping quarters. Maldonado had packaged the cocaine and his fingerprints were found under the packaging.
Maldonado was extradited to the United States from Honduras on April 9, 2025, and he subsequently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The HSI Houma, Louisiana Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the HSI Pittsburgh Field Office, HSI Atlanta Field Office and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Honduras to secure the arrest and extradition of Maldonado. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training also provided assistance.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 350 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
Drug Dealer Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Kiet Ly was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer handed down the sentence.
Ly, 46, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 9, 2025. Ly pleaded guilty on December 10, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon, as well as to the related supervised release violations. According to the plea agreement, Ly admitted to having been convicted on or about September 21, 2016, of a felony offense, namely, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine in United States v. Ly, Case No. 3:16-CR-00297-CRB. While Ly was on supervised release for that case, law enforcement searched the car that Ly was driving on or about July 19, 2025. They found 117 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock pistol loaded with seven bullets.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Special Agent in Charge John Wester made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer also sentenced the defendant to a four-year period of supervised release and ordered that he be sentenced to one year for the supervised release violations to be served concurrently.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Chen is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Gabriel Flesher. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Fraudulent Check and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Detroit, Mich., man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a fraudulent check and identity theft scheme.
Derrick D. Walker, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Grey Kays to 90 months in prison without parole. The court also ordered Walker to pay $634,806.93 to the victims of the scheme. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
On Nov. 18, 2025, Walker pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to court documents, Walker participated in a conspiracy as a supervisor of a group that traveled around the United States cashing fraudulent checks. Members of the scheme, which included co-defendants Darrell Roseborough, Sheldon Samuels, and Tambria Davis, used the information of identity theft victims to open fraudulent accounts at financial institutions and cashed fraudulent checks that were made payable to the identity theft victims.
Roseborough made fraudulent checks and participated in the production and distribution of fraudulent driver’s licenses. Roseborough used FedEx to send fraudulent documents to where the scheme was operating, and Samuels and Walker passed the fraudulent documents onto Davis and other check passers who entered the banks to cash the fraudulent checks. Roseborough, the leader of the conspiracy, was sentenced to 204 months in prison without parole on Jan. 28, 2026. Sheldon Samuels pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to 78 months in prison on Jan. 21, 2026. On Jan. 27, 2026, Tambria Davis was sentenced to time served after being in custody in the Western District of Missouri since April 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the FBI.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
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.
Destin Man Indicted for False Statement to a Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Bryan Klein, 56, of Destin, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today.
Klein appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Michael J. Frank in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 22, 2026, before United States District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers in Pensacola, Florida.
If convicted, Klein faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case 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 available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Defendant Convicted in Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – Jumoke Ace Maceo Cryer, 38, was found guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and one count of possession of body armor by a prohibited person, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Cryer is the second defendant convicted as part of this conspiracy.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, the defendant conspired with other co-defendants to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. The defendant, who was previously convicted of distributing methamphetamine in 2016, was observed on video entering a St. Paul drug stash house and leaving with 140 pounds of illegal narcotics. A subsequent search of his home resulted in the seizure of body armor, which the defendant was prohibited from possessing due to his violent criminal history.
Cryer was found guilty after a 3-day jury trial before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and Garrett S. Fields.
Covington Woman Sentenced for Distributing Brutally Cruel Animal Crush VideosRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that ARIEL KORNIENKO (“KORNIENKO”), age 43, a resident of Covington, Louisiana, was sentenced to 9 months of imprisonment and 6 months of home detention, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to distributing animal crush videos, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 48(a)(3).
According to the court documents, KORNIENKO distributed illegal animal crush videos online from on or about October 25, 2023, and continuing through on or about June 7, 2024. Specifically, KORNIENKO distributed obscene and shockingly cruel videos depicting impaling monkeys in the genitals, penetrating them with inanimate objects, lighting them on fire and subjecting them to serious bodily injury and a brutal death.
United States Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Group in conjunction with HSI Wildlife and Environmental Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney and Ethan Eddy of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section.
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Convicted Felon Indicted on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Jeremy Jovon Randolph, 37, of Jennings, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Randolph appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 22, 2026, at 8:30 am before United States District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted, Randolph faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case 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.
Conehatta Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – On May 14, 2026, a Conehatta man was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for sexual abuse of a minor. Additionally, once he is released, he will be placed on supervised release for an additional twenty years.
According to court documents, Quindon Bailey John, 24, engaged in sexual activity with two minors under the age of sixteen. John was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024, and pleaded guilty to the charge in July of 2025.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.