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12 May 2026
Detroit Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fluorofentanyl into LexingtonRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Detroit, Michigan, man, Anderson L. George, Jr., 33, was sentenced on Monday to 180 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl.
According to his plea agreement, on November 8, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of George’s vehicle. During the stop, George’s vehicle was searched and law enforcement officers found a vacuum sealed bag containing a mixture of 99.8 grams of a flurofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue and fentanyl. George admitted to possessing the drugs and he intended to distribute them to others. George has a prior conviction for trafficking in a controlled substance from Rowan County, Ky., in 2018.
Under federal law, George 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 8 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by DEA and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Defendant Extradited from Dominican Republic to Face Charges for Using Manhattan Apartment to Operate Industrial-Scale Pill Pressing OperationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Farhana Islam, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging RUDDY CENIT-THEN with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. CENIT-THEN was presented earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and ordered detained pending trial.
“New Yorkers want us to send a message: New York will not be a safe haven for any level of drug distribution, much less fentanyl and methamphetamine pill factories,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, Ruddy Cenit-Then conspired with others to operate a pill mill out of a 20th-floor Manhattan apartment, right next to thousands of innocent New Yorkers just going about their lives. That conduct will never be tolerated by this Office. I am deeply grateful for the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office as we work to keep methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly and debilitating narcotics off our streets.”
“Ruddy Cenit-Then now stands accused of using a Manhattan apartment as the base for a clandestine pill-pressing factory to produce narcotics-laced tablets on an industrial scale,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Pumping these toxic pills into our communities drives overdoses, fuels crime, and erodes the safety and stability of our families and local businesses. HSI New York, together with our Homeland Security Task Force partners, will continue to utilize every lawful tool at our disposal to dismantle these operations and protect our neighborhoods from this deadly trade.”
“The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in holding accountable those individuals responsible for pushing fentanyl and methamphetamine into our neighborhoods,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Ruddy Cenit-Then, who is charged with operating an industrial-scale pill press operation in Washington Heights and sought refuge in the Dominican Republic, thought he was safe from the reach of the DEA and our partners. Today he learned that our global footprint remains strong and wide, and that we are committed to holding traffickers accountable both here at home and abroad.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
On July 24, 2025, pursuant to a judicially authorized warrant, law enforcement officers searched an apartment in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan that appeared to be used by CENIT-THEN. Inside the apartment, law enforcement officers found evidence that CENIT-THEN was using the apartment to run a clandestine, industrial-scale pill pressing operation. Hidden behind panels inside a closet, law enforcement found, among other things, an industrial-scale pill press and approximately 37 pounds of a white crystal substance contained in a series of Ziplock bags for which field tests positively indicated the presence of methamphetamine. The pill press, drugs, and other items found behind the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 1, and the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 2.
Image 1
Image 2
RUDDY CENIT-THEN, 46, of the Dominican Republic, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI New York and the Homeland Security Task Force, DEA Group D-25, the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Clayton also thanked the DEA Chemist Team for its processing of the scene and the U.S Marshals Service for the arrest of CENIT-THEN. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Dominican authorities in securing CENIT-THEN’s arrest and extradition.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger, Katherine Cheng, and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Crawfordville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a Minor & Attempted Transmission of Obscene MaterialRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Anthony Wayne Lanier Jr., 34, from of Crawfordville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count attempted transmission of obscene material. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners are working hard every day to keep our kids safe from sexual predators like this defendant online, and my office will aggressively prosecute those criminal deviants to ensure they are sent to federal prison for attempting to victimize and sexually exploit children.”
Court documents reflect that on November 20, 2025, the defendant communicated online with an individual he believed to be a child, but was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. The defendant repeatedly asked the child to send inappropriate photos, asked to commit sexual acts on the child and her friend, and sent a picture of his genitalia. The defendant then drove to an agreed upon location where he believed he would be meeting the child, but he was instead arrested by law enforcement upon arriving.
Lanier faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison for attempted enticement of a minor, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for transmitting obscene material. He also faces up to a lifetime of supervision upon release.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Couple Indicted for Real Estate Investment Scam Operating as a Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A New Jersey couple has been indicted for allegedly running an investment scam that took investors’ money with a promise to receive high returns on the development of real estate properties mostly in the Cleveland area. The scam operated as a Ponzi scheme, with victims being misled and lied to, and some early investors paid with funds from later investors.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Gregory, 50, and Danielle Parker, 50, of New Jersey, with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud.
According to allegations in the 65-page indictment, the married couple carried out the real estate investment scheme between January 2017 to December 2023. Victims were led to believe they were purchasing properties, mostly located in Cleveland and East Cleveland, to be developed into multi-family dwellings that would generate above-market returns from rental income. However, the Parkers instead took the investors’ money and used it to repay earlier investors and fund their own lavish lifestyle.
Investigators learned that the Parkers hosted seminars throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, including one held at the Cleveland Hyatt Regency in May 2022. Potential victim investors were then identified from among the seminar attendees. People were enticed to attend the seminars after seeing the Parkers’ luxurious lifestyle depicted on a social media platform. Some videos featured Gregory Parker flying in a private jet, driving a Mercedes-Maybach, or vacationing in the Bahamas. They also shared video announcements for upcoming seminars with titles such as “Rolling with the Parkers,” “Greg Parker Presents: Big Bizzneesss Minus the Business Suit!!!” and “Year of the Millionaire Tour.” In one video, the Parkers were observed driving a Lamborghini to promote an upcoming seminar entitled “The Road to Financial Freedom.”
Victim investors were typically charged $2,000 to $5,000 to enroll in the Parkers’ real estate investment and mentorship program. Then, the couple would purportedly obtain a single-family or multi-unit rental property on the victim’s behalf in exchange for an agreed-upon down payment.
Victims received very little information about the properties they believed they had purchased. When they contacted the Parkers to ask questions or complain, the Parkers’ responses were often delayed and consisted of run-around excuses.
Investigators found that some victims never received a property, or they received a property without a clear title. Others received a condemned, dilapidated, or otherwise uninhabitable property and were forced to sell, or attempt to sell, the property they did receive at a loss.
While the indictment focuses on 13 victims, investigators believe there are more.
If you believe you were a victim in this matter, please contact the Cleveland FBI at ParkerInvestorTips@fbi.gov with “Parker Investor” in the subject line.
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 indictment was led by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller for the Northern District of Ohio is leading the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Prison for $2.5 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DOMINICK N. DONOFRIO, 73, last residing in Middlefield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a client of more than $2.5 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Donofrio was the president and owner of Windstar Financial Services, Inc. (“Windstar”) based in Madison, Connecticut. In January 2013, Wisconsin-based Randall Robert Binversie Holdings (“Binversie”), which was interested in purchasing a renewable fuel business, hired Donofrio to provide business and financial consulting services. In early 2014, Donofrio informed Binversie of the opportunity to purchase Tioga Fuel, a home heating oil company in Philadelphia, and its properties (collectively, the “Tioga properties”), and convinced Binversie that the purchase price was $2,050,567. In fact, Donofrio had fraudulently marked up the purchase price by approximately $1,300,000. Donofrio subsequently completed the transaction.
In pleading guilty, Donofrio admitted that he defrauded Binversie of more than $2.5 million. The loss amount includes the difference between the actual purchase price and the inflated purchase price of the Tioga properties; more than $987,000 in fraudulent consulting, negotiation, and legal fees Binversie paid in 2013 and 2014; approximately $87,000 that Donofrio stole from Tioga Fuel’s account during the acquisition; and approximately $136,000 that Donofrio obtained from Binversie as interest payments on a fictitious $1.25 million “loan,” an amount that Donofrio represented to Binversie that Windstar had fronted during the acquisition.
On July 30, 2019, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned an indictment charging Donofrio with the offense. Donofrio was a fugitive until his arrest on July 24, 2024, in Mystic, Connecticut. After he failed to appear for a pretrial conference in Philadelphia on July 22, 2025, he was again arrested on December 3, 2025, and has been detained since that date. The case was transferred to the District of Connecticut for further prosecution. On February 4, 2026, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Francis of the District of Connecticut and Anita Eve of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Chester County Man Sentenced for Stealing Valuable Coins from Bank Safe Deposit BoxRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard DiStefano, 66, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to one day in prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, and $1.6 million in restitution by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for stealing valuable coins from a safe deposit box.
DiStefano, who was an attorney, was charged by information with bank larceny and pleaded guilty in September of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in July of 2017 and going through February 25, 2021, DiStefano stole precious coins that were being stored in a safety deposit box at a Wells Fargo branch on the 100 block of South Broad Street.
In June of 2024, the FBI was notified that this theft had occurred. Subsequently, the FBI was able to obtain records showing that the defendant was the last person to have access to the safety deposit box.
In September of 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at DiStefano’s address. During the execution of the search warrant, the defendant admitted to stealing the coins. The investigation showed that, over the course of years, he had removed the coins from the safety deposit box and sold the coins at various auction houses. The coins’ appraised value was just over $1.6 million.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Grenell and Ruth Mandelbaum.
Cheshire Man Who Defrauded Pandemic Relief Program is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TONY STERLIN CANTAVE, 46, of Cheshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to three months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the distribution of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”), through the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), which provided working capital to eligible small businesses to meet operating expenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2020, Cantave applied for EIDL funding through the SBA. The application contained several materially false statements, including that the business for which Cantave sought the loan, Arbitrage 1 Media, was an ongoing, legitimate business involved in the limousine and transportation business, and that he was not more than 60 days delinquent in his child support obligations. After the SBA reviewed and approved the fraudulent EIDL application, Cantave received $96,200. He then used the proceeds from the loan to pay for personal and non-business expenses, including $16,607.26 to pay off an automobile loan.
Judge Bolden ordered Cantave to pay $109,605.21 in restitution.
On June 24, 2025, Cantave pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction.
Cantave, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on July 15.
This is Cantave’s third federal conviction. In December 1999, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 18 months of imprisonment for a firearm offense, and in February 2015, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 13 months of imprisonment for his participation in a U.S. Postal Service money order fraud scheme.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
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.
Chaffee County Sheriff’s Deputy Honored by United States Attorney for the District of Colorado with the Inaugural Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado is proud to announce the Deputy Donnie Smith of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded the inaugural Hometown Hero Award sponsored by the Department of Justice in honor of America’s 250th birthday.
In a ceremony today, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly and Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich awarded Deputy Smith the Hometown Hero Award. Deputy Smith, who has worked in law enforcement since 2021, is known for his heroic actions while on duty. In November 2022, Deputy Smith rescued a woman who fell approximately 500 feet down a large ice field on Mount Yale. Deputy Smith was helicoptered to the apex above the severely injured woman, tended to her injuries, and stayed with her until daylight when she could be airlifted to the hospital. Deputy Smith’s actions not only saved this woman’s life but also helped save her feet which were severely frostbitten.
In October 2024, late at night and after a full day of patrol, Deputy Smith was helicoptered to the top of La Plata Peak to rescue a man who had fallen while hiking and sustained severe injuries and was unable to hike down. Because of the late hour, the helicopter was unable to rescue the injured hiker and again Deputy Smith stayed the night with the man in freezing temperatures above 13,000 feet until he could be airlifted at daybreak. These actions saved the hiker’s life.
Deputy Smith’s bravery has also extended into the face of other dangers, including an incident in 2025 when he continued to deploy tear gas into a building while a suspect fired multiple shots at him. Deputy Smith created a medical program to teach agency staff tactical medicine including how to treat bullet wounds in the field. He also serves as a Tactical Medical Party on the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office tactical team and has worked as a paramedic and as a ski patroller. On his days off, Deputy Smith is a volunteer for the Chaffee County Search and Rescue team.
“Today we get to honor one of our absolute best,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “The District of Colorado is proud to honor Deputy Smith for his exceptional work and service to his fellow Coloradans. He is an extraordinary example of what a law enforcement officer can be, and I am grateful for his continued service.”
"When I think of the word hero, I immediately picture Deputy Smith,” said Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich. “Whenever a job is too difficult for the rest of us, Deputy Smith steps in to accomplish the mission. Donnie is a hero for the heroes.”
The Hometown Hero Award was created in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States of America. The Department of Justice is proud to honor law enforcement across the country with recognition of the extraordinary service to their fellow citizens.
CFO of Boston-Area Spinal Device Company Pleads Guilty to Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Chief Financial Officer of SpineFrontier, Inc., a spinal implant company, formerly based in Malden, Mass., pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with a kickback scheme to bribe surgeons to use company products in exchange for sham consulting fees.
Aditya Humad, 41, of Cambridge, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Aug. 6, 2026. Humad was charged in September 2021 along with the company SpineFrontier, as well as Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, SpineFrontier’s Founder, President and CEO.
Humad paid and conspired to pay over $540,000 in bribes to surgeons in the form of sham consulting fees for work they did not perform. Humad and Chin bribed surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products, and in turn, SpineFrontier received millions of dollars in revenue from surgeries the surgeons performed.
Humad entered into contracts with surgeons, agreeing to pay the surgeons between $250 and $1,000 per hour for purported consulting for SpineFrontier. In reality, however, Humad and Chin paid the surgeons for using SpineFrontier’s products. Although the surgeon-consulting program was purportedly directed at gathering technical feedback about SpineFrontier’s products, Humad used the bribes they paid pursuant to that program, to induce surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products in surgeries that were paid for by federal health care programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Health Administration. Additionally, the surgeons frequently spent only a small fraction of their reported time, if any, performing actual consulting.
Humad previously agreed to pay a fine pursuant to a civil settlement agreement, including a fixed amount totaling more than $150,000 (including interest) and agreed to potential additional contingency payments based upon Humad’s annual income.
In May 2025, Chin pleaded guilty to making false statements to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He was subsequently sentenced in August 2025 by Judge Talwani to one year of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home confinement. Chin was also ordered to pay a fine of $9,500 in addition to $40,000 he personally agreed to pay as part of a related civil settlement and $855,000 his wholly-owned company agreed to pay as part of the same settlement.
This plea also follows two guilty pleas in related criminal prosecutions. In August 2020, surgeon Jason Montone, D.O, 50, of Lawson, Miss., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and obstruction. Medical device distributor John Balzer, 48, of Lenexa, Kan., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of witness tampering. Montone and Balzer are scheduled to be sentenced in September 2026.
The charge of conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater, forfeiture and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri, Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham R. George, Christopher R. Looney and Mackenzie A. Queenin are prosecuting the case.
Byron Center Resident Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
James Scholten ordered to pay $868,707 in taxes due to the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that James Phillip Scholten, age 51, of Byron Center was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering. Additionally, Scholten was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $868,707 and serve three years of supervised release following prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey stated, “Cheating on your taxes is not only illegal, it’s also not worth the risk. Scholten knew he owed a lot of money to the government, had the money to pay, but decided to keep it for himself. Now he is going to prison and will have to pay his taxes anyway. I ask everyone to voluntarily pay the taxes they owe so that cases like this become unnecessary.”
Court records reflect that Scholten pled guilty to tax evasion and admitted that he failed to report $3.4 million of income he generated through the sale of scrap material over a 13-year period. Scholten stole the highly valuable scrap material from his employer and used the proceeds to unlawfully enrich himself and finance a lifestyle he could not otherwise afford. Scholten intentionally failed to provide his CPA with records documenting his recycling income to evade assessment of tax on that income. For example, in 2021, Scholten reported that he only owed $2,465 in federal income tax. In fact, Scholten obtained an additional $610,818 in taxable income from recycling activity, which resulted in an additional tax due and owing of $172,618.
“Today, justice is served, and James Scholten has been held accountable for his criminal actions. Stealing materials from your employer and using them for your own profit can only be hidden for so long,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS special agents work tirelessly every day to identify and bring to prosecution both those who commit fraud, and those who evade their tax obligation on that fraudulent money – it’s a matter of maintaining public confidence in our system of taxation as well as the justice system.”
This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the law enforcement arm of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor prosecuted it.
Bosque Farms Man Convicted of Unlawfully Possessing a ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Bosque Farms man was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm after multiple prior convictions for felonies and misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2024, Warren Chewiwi, 52, possessed a 12-gauge shotgun and shotgun shells on the Isleta Pueblo.
Chewiwi is not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition. He has felony convictions both in the State of New Mexico and with the federal government, both of which restrict his ability to lawfully possess a gun. Moreover, Chewiwi has four misdemeanor convictions for crimes of domestic violence on the Isleta Pueblo, which similarly restricts his ability to lawfully possess a firearm. Because of these prior convictions, Chewiwi pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He will be subject to three years supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Isleta Pueblo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Beverage Dispensing Equipment Manufacturer Pays $2.6 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Micro Matic USA, Inc. (Micro Matic), a Delaware corporation with a principal place of business in Brooksville, Florida, has agreed to pay a settlement of $2,593,219.18 to resolve allegations that Micro Matic violated the False Claims Act by improperly obtaining a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP was expanded and modified by the Economic Aid Act in December 2020 and the American Recovery Plan Act in March 2021. The PPP authorized small businesses to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan funds on eligible expenses. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications. The PPP was administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Under the second round of PPP, only a business with 300 or fewer employees was eligible for a PPP loan. To determine size, businesses were required to apply the affiliation rules under 13 C.F.R. § 121.301(f), which require aggregating the employees and revenue of related companies, including companies outside the United States.
GNGH2, Inc. filed a qui tam complaint in the Middle District of Florida alleging that Micro Matic improperly obtained a $2 million PPP loan. According to the allegations in the complaint, Micro Matic was ineligible for its PPP loan because it was not a small business due to its size after inclusion of its foreign affiliates. The United States investigated GNGH2’s allegations with the cooperation of Micro Matic. This settlement concludes the litigation and GNGH2 will receive $259,321.91 as a share in the recovery. The civil case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Micro Matic USA, Inc., Case No. 8:24-cv-00442-MSS-UAM (M.D. Fla.).
“PPP loans were intended to provide economic assistance to legitimate businesses during a national catastrophic event,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to prosecute those who abuse this federal program and pursue the recovery of improperly obtained funds from anyone found ineligible to receive taxpayer dollars.”
“Investigations like this one reflect the collaboration of the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as the work of private individuals who uncover fraudulent conduct, to recover COVID pandemic relief funds obtained through fraud,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
This civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Emden, with the support of Arlene Embrey and Alexis Pinkston from SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Berks County Resident Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 90 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on her convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Kayla Rickenbach, 24.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2024 to in and around August 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Rickenbach conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Additionally, in or around August 2024, Rickenbach possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl.Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rickenbach.
Armed supermarket robber ordered to prison for 14 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for his convictions of using a firearm during the robberies of two area grocery stores, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Raul Castro pleaded guilty Jan. 15 to two counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Senior U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered him to serve 84 months on each count to run consecutively. The total 168-month sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also ordered that Castro make restitution to the two victim businesses.
On Oct. 6, 2023, Castro robbed El Ahorro grocery store on Capitol Street and La Michoacana supermarket on Gulf Freeway eight days later. In both instances, he placed items on the conveyor belt, waited for the cashier to open the drawer and demanded money at gunpoint.
During the El Ahorro robbery, he placed his gun to side of the cashier who then provided cash in fear for her safety and of being shot.
Authorities located Castro after he was found driving a stolen car. Upon searching the vehicle, law enforcement discovered clothing that matched those of the man who had committed the grocery store robberies. Castro also identified himself in surveillance footage of the Oct. 14 incident during an interview with federal investigators.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz prosecuted the case.
Arcadia Professional Tax Preparer Indicted for Filing False Tax FormsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Janie Martinez Castillo has been charged by federal indictment with 20 counts of willfully failing to account for and pay employment taxes, filing a false personal tax return, and corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws. If convicted, Martinez Castillo faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on each count for willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes, and up to 3 years on each remaining count. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Martinez Castillo was responsible for collecting, truthfully accounting for, and paying over to the IRS employment taxes owed by her payroll and tax business, Castillo Payroll and Tax Service Inc. (CPTS). Despite the fact that CPTS owed employment taxes for numerous calendar quarters from 2019 to 2023, Martinez Castillo failed to account for and pay over those taxes. Martinez Castillo also filed personal tax returns falsifying the amount withheld from her income and fraudulently altered CPTS’s books and records after receiving an IRS summons but before providing the records.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Another Member of Notorious Philadelphia ‘10th and O Crew’ Sentenced to 60 Months for Opioid Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today in the District of New Jersey to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, a highly addictive controlled substance.
According to court documents, between July 2019 and July 2024, Michael Emma, 66, of Philadelphia, engaged in the unlawful sale of prescription oxycodone pills as a member of South Philadelphia’s notorious “10th and O Crew.” Emma obtained the pills from doctors’ offices in the area, and he and his co-conspirators worked in shifts to distribute the pills from a 24-hour restaurant.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement purchased pills from one of Emma’s co-conspirators. A surveillance team then observed the co-conspirator counting the proceeds of the transaction with Emma. The photograph below captured Emma (on the left) after the transaction:
In June 2025, Emma pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. Emma’s co-conspirators and leaders of the 10th and O Crew, Michael Procopio and Frank Procopio, were each convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and sentenced to six years in prison and four years and nine months in prison, respectively.
The FBI, DEA, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty for Posing as a Teenage Boy Online to Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material from a Minor Victim, and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
Albany Man Pleads Guilty for Posing as a Teenage Boy Online to Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material from a Minor Victim, and Obstructing Justice
CONCORD – An Albany man pleaded guilty today to a two-count Information charging him with Possession of and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography and Obstruction of Justice, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. According to the plea documents, the defendant, Brian Hargraves, 55, posed as a teenage boy online to obtain child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a minor victim. After his devices were seized and his home searched, he then contacted the victim and asked her not to testify against him.
Hargraves was arrested in May 2025. He has been detained since that time.
On April 29, 2025, law enforcement conducted a search of Hargraves’ mobile phones following a citizen complaint. A review of one of the phones revealed sexually explicit images and videos of a 16-year-old minor victim. Hargraves allegedly told the minor victim that he was a teenage boy and asked her to create explicit videos and images of herself to send to him. The evidence revealed that Hargraves was also in communication with other minors and was posing as a teenager in those communications as well.
“Brian Hargraves used the internet to take advantage of vulnerable minors,” U.S. Attorney Creegan said. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners, his predatory and deceptive conduct was stopped and he will serve a significant prison sentence.”
“Brian Hargraves posed as a teenage boy to manipulate an underage girl into sharing explicit images of herself and then tried to get her to obstruct our investigation,” said Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “No child should have to endure this kind of abuse. The FBI is gratified to bring him to justice and is working aggressively every day to put predators like this behind bars. We’re determined to prevent them from creating any more victims and doing any more harm.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and the Conway Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Alabama man sentenced after found with 3,000 fentanyl pills in traffic stopRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – An Alabama man was sentenced to 72 months in prison after law enforcement discovered fentanyl and firearms in his vehicle.
According to court documents, Russell Scott IV, 38, of Gulf Shores, Alabama, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In September 2023, a Wichita police detective saw Scott speeding on Interstate 35 and made a traffic stop. During a probable cause search, law enforcement found approximately 3,000 fentanyl-laced pills and nine firearms in Scott’s vehicle.
“Although deaths caused by fentanyl overdoses are down from record highs, this poison continues to put lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The defendant admitted his intention before his arrest was to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills. I would like to thank the Wichita Police Department for helping to keep so much of this potentially deadly substance off our streets.”
The Wichita Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi prosecuted the case.
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11 May 2026
Zuni Man Sentenced for 2021 AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to five years in prison for a 2021 assault that left the victim with severe injuries.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on December 16, 2021, Darold ZunieFeathers, 29, and John Doe had been hanging out with friends when they decided to buy more cigarettes before the gas station closed. Instead of driving to the gas station, ZunieFeathers turned down a side dirt road and assaulted John Doe in the car.
During the assault, ZunieFeathers struck John Doe repeatedly and bit him multiple times on the torso, arm, and hand. The bites caused severe damage to John Doe's hand, resulting in the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.
At the time of the assault, ZunieFeathers was on supervised release following a 2017 conviction for involuntary manslaughter.
ZunieFeathers pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Upon his release from prison, ZunieFeathers will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Zuni Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.
Woman Accused of Embezzling $1.2 Million from St. Louis County CompanyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from Lake St. Louis turned herself in Monday to face an indictment accusing her of embezzling $1.2 million from her employer.
Kari Bertels, 44, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on April 29 with five counts of wire fraud. She turned herself in Monday, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment accuses Bertels of using her company credit card to make purchases for herself and relatives from Oct. 9, 2018, to Jan. 12, 2026, including $19,815 in beauty products from Red Aspen, $16,512 in fitness coaching, $42,407 in DoorDash deliveries, $59,994 in Amazon purchases, $15,000 in airfare for herself and relatives for domestic and international trips, $27,044 from Instacart, $14,331 in jewelry from Diamonds Direct, and $14,110 at a Sandals resort.
Bertels was an accountant and a senior financial analyst at the St. Louis County company. Her responsibilities included approving expenses reports and paying the company credit card bills and other business expenses with the company checking account, the indictment says. She concealed her embezzlement by refusing to submit monthly expense reports for the unauthorized credit card purchases, re-directing the credit card statements from work to her home and dividing the payments for her unauthorized credit card purchases into smaller amounts in the accounting system, the indictment says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin Schute is prosecuting the case.
Webster Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Crystal MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Webster man was sentenced on May 8, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for distributing crystal methamphetamine.
Giang Tran, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2026, Tran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine) and distribution of methamphetamine. Tran was indicted on June 10, 2025.
In December 2024 a cooperating witness told law enforcement that Tran was the supplier of pounds of crystal methamphetamine. Tran agreed to deliver crystal methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement posing as the cooperating witness on three occasions. On Jan. 2, 2025, Tran personally delivered the drugs to a commercial plaza in Everett. On Jan. 8, 2025, and again on Jan. 21, 2025, Tran sent an associate to deliver the drugs in Worcester. In total, Tran delivered or arranged the delivery of approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Riverside (Calif.) DEA Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Hosts First-of-Its-Kind All Fed-Head Summit in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today assembled the highest law enforcement leadership from the entire federal apparatus in the Chicagoland region for a historic, first-of-its-kind summit to discuss collaborative efforts to oversee important federal enforcement priorities and do the people’s business. The most senior leaders from more than 40 federal agencies operating in the Chicagoland region participated in the summit, as did nine U.S. Attorneys from the Seventh Circuit (Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin) and other federal districts, in addition to the Head of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force.
The day-long 2026 Chicago-Area Federal Agency Leadership Summit, informally dubbed “Davos in Chicago,” began with the Presentation of Colors and then moved on to a series of presentations and panel discussions focused on six key program areas: (i) violent crime, (ii) national security, (iii) narcoterrorism, (iv) government fraud, (v) trade fraud, and (vi) quantum computing. U.S. Attorney Boutros convened the summit to reinforce areas of collaboration and synergies among the agencies as part of a whole-of-government approach intended to strengthen the safety and security of the Northern District of Illinois, the region, as well as the public fisc. The pioneering summit represented the first time anywhere in the country that a United States Attorney has convened and hosted a gathering of an entire region’s federal leadership.
“As the chief federal law enforcement officer of the third largest federal district in the country—and of a U.S. Attorney’s Office that is one of the most storied in our nation’s history—I have the distinct privilege and honor to lead from the front and make the Northern District of Illinois the envy of the nation when it comes to effectuating positive changes for the betterment of the people,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “I convened this important summit because we have reached a critical juncture in Chicago where ‘good enough’ is simply not enough. My goal in bringing together the highest-ranking officials from more than 40 federal agencies and all the U.S. Attorneys of the Seventh Circuit and others is to innovate and achieve real, positive, and transformational results both rapidly and fairly. Although the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office is in constant contact with many of these partners throughout the year, a summit of this magnitude will serve as a model for other districts, while for our purposes, allows for agency and district partners to come together in one room to exchange ideas and have candid discussions about what’s working, what’s not working, where changes may be needed, and how we can best support each other for the betterment of our communities and the nation. My message to the leaders assembled today was clear: We must be intentional with our actions. We must let our actions speak for themselves. We must rise to the occasion at this moment in time. And we must stay focused, ignore distractions, work closely together, and move with purpose, intensity, accuracy, and impact in support of our public safety and law enforcement missions. The people are counting on us, and we must deliver for them.”
Today’s summit featured various panels and presentations, including three panels—comprised of Section Chiefs, office leaders, and agency heads—entitled, (i) “Government Fraud and Corruption,” (ii) “Anti-Violence Initiatives in Chicago,” and (iii) “Homeland Security Task Force, Narcotics Trafficking, and Narco-Terrorism.” Two additional panels, one led by the U.S. Attorneys for the Eastern District of Michigan and Southern District of Indiana, tackled the difficult topic of national security threats posed to our research institutions, while another panel led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation discussed quantum computing given Chicago’s emergence as a global quantum capital.
In addition, Cody Herche, Head of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, presented on the Trade Fraud Task Force and its significance in the Chicagoland region, where the Northern District of Illinois has expansive venue. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office is lead prosecutorial partner on the Trade Fraud Task Force, which brings robust enforcement against importers, brokers, purchasers, industrial and commercial end-users, and other supply chain actors and parties who seek to defraud the United States or introduce non-compliant goods into the commerce of the United States.
Finally, today’s summit concluded with a special panel of United States Attorneys from throughout the Seventh Circuit, which includes Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. U.S. Attorney Boutros moderated this panel, which discussed district and region priorities, emerging legal issues in the Midwest, and collaborative ways for the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to address them. Also in attendance at the summit were the United States Attorneys for the Western District of Missouri and Eastern District of Arkansas.
The informal name of today’s summit—“Davos in Chicago”—draws from the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, which brings together world leaders and top businesspersons for a renowned conference each January in Davos, Switzerland.
The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office wishes to extend a special thank you to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for physically hosting today’s summit in its downtown Chicago headquarters and for the incredibly warm hospitality it extended to all those who gathered.
U.S. Department of Justice Announces Compensation Process for Victims of AirBit Club Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Last week the Department of Justice announced the launch of the remission compensation process to provide recovery to victims of AirBit Club, a purported virtual currency mining and trading company that was a pyramid scheme.
Beginning in late 2015, promoters marketed AirBit Club as a multilevel marketing club. Promoters promised victims that AirBit Club memberships earned passive, guaranteed daily returns on virtual currency mining and trading, and hosted lavish expos and small community presentations aimed at convincing victims to purchase AirBit Club memberships and further promote the scheme. While victims saw “profits” accumulate on their online portal, those representations were false; no virtual currency mining or trading took place.
In August 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced charges against five defendants, including the AirBit co-founders Pablo Renato Rodriguez and Gutemberg Dos Santos, who were sentenced in September 2023. Other defendants included promoters Cecilia Millan and Karina Chairez and attorney Scott Hughes, who were sentenced in October 2023 and ordered to forfeit all of their fraudulent proceeds realized from the scheme, which included substantial amounts of virtual currency.
To date, the United States has forfeited over $400 million in assets which are now available to compensate eligible victims for their compensable losses. Any victims who have previously provided their information to the FBI or U.S. Attorney’s Office will be contacted by the remission administrator, RCB Fund Services, LLC, (RCB) to file a petition. For more information about the remission process and to access the petition form, please visit the official website at https://www.airbitvictimfund.com/ or contact RCB at (800) 765-7551.
“The Department will vigorously pursue those that abuse new technologies to steal millions from hard-working individuals,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants took advantage of virtual currency’s popularity to promote the scheme and recruit additional victims. The criminal convictions and substantial asset recoveries obtained by prosecutors and law enforcement partners have enabled the Department to successfully launch this significant victim compensation effort.”
“Investor euphoria over new technology is all too often fertile ground for fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “It is our job to root out those fraudsters. Here, the defendants led a multimillion-dollar pyramid scheme based on lies about virtual currency trading and mining. They now face justice, and this outcome should deter anyone who may be tempted to target others with false promises of high returns in virtual currency investments.”
“HSI New York's El Dorado Financial Crimes Task Force, the largest anti-money laundering task force in the United States, is proud to have played a vital role in delivering justice to the victims of the fraudulent AirBit Club," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Virtual currency fraud is one of the costliest scams affecting victims today. HSI New York, along with our law enforcement partners through our newly formed Homeland Security Task Force, will continue to pursue fraudsters who promote these schemes, and will utilize every tool at our disposal to recover their ill-gotten gains for investor victims.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecilia E. Vogel for the Southern District of New York represented the government in both the criminal prosecution and forfeiture proceedings with valuable assistance from forfeiture contract paralegal Christina Lopresti. HSI’s El Dorado Task Force, HSI Panama, the HSI Panama City Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit, and HSI New Orleans investigated the case. Attorneys and investigators at the SEC brought substantial expertise and diligence to develop the investigation.
The Department of Justice, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to compensate victims of crime. Since 2000, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF), which oversees the Asset Forfeiture Program’s victim compensation program, has returned more than $12.5 billion in forfeited assets to victims of crime. MNF Senior Attorney Advisor Carly Diroll-Black with MNF’s Program Management and Training Unit is leading the remission process.
Neither the Remission Administrator nor the Department of Justice will ask for any payment to participate in this remission process. Please be cautious of any individual or organization claiming to represent the Remission Administrator or the federal government in this matter. If you are a victim, any communications will come directly from the Remission Administrator or from government representatives with whom you have already had contact.
PSA: FBI Warns of the Impersonation of Law Enforcement and Government Officials https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250418
PSA: Fictitious Law Firms Targeting Cryptocurrency Scam Victims Combine Multiple Exploitation Tactics While Offering to Recover Funds https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250813
How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam
U.S. Attorney’s Office Observes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – In observance of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois recognize the courage and dedication of local, state and federal law enforcement partners and honor the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. National Police Week is observed Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16.
“This National Police Week we celebrate the bravery and integrity of all law enforcement officers who selflessly dedicate their lives in service to our communities. We also honor the courage of those who lost their lives in the line of duty and extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Steve D. Weinhoeft. “We are grateful for our local, state and federal law enforcement partners who continue to respond to the call of duty and show up for our communities when they are needed the most. These courageous men and women work tirelessly to improve public safety throughout the Southern District of Illinois, and we are proud to support them.”
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation comes together to honor the courage, sacrifice and dedication of law enforcement officers. Originally established in 1962, President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices in protecting our communities with dedication and courage. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which falls on May 15 every year, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, hundreds of names of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These names are then read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil will be held on Wednesday, May 13 in Washington, DC.
U.S. Attorney Gerace recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – As we observe National Police Week this week, United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II thanks all federal, state and local law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifice.
National Police Week is a week dedicated in May each year as a time when we honor America’s law enforcement community and pay tribute to those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives or were injured in the line of duty.
In the Southern District of Ohio, we remember the law enforcement officers who paid the ultimate price this past year for our safety and security, including Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff Larry Henderson, Morrow County Deputy Sherriff Daniel “Weston” Sherrer, Lorain Police Department Officer Phillip Wagner, and Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Cayton.
In the attached letter to all District law enforcement, U.S. Attorney Gerace highlighted the role of law enforcement in America as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.
He wrote: “Without a doubt, since our Founders wrote the Declaration 250 years ago, our country has prospered beyond even what they could have imagined. The foundation of that prosperity, unquestionably, is the security that we enjoy in this country. And that security is provided by you—our dedicated law enforcement partners. It is your service that has allowed this country to grow and prosper. That is why it is critical that we support you at all levels of government and give you the tools necessary to firmly police our communities. Without that, we cannot be the country that our forefathers envisioned.”
U.S. Attorney Gerace added: “We know, unfortunately, that security is not free, and that sometimes the cost of security is exacted in the form of a fallen officer. As devastating as it is to lose an officer in the line of duty, we take solace in the fact that they died while living a life of honor and self-sacrifice—dedicated to their fellow citizens. That sacrifice reminds us that security and prosperity are not guaranteed, and they depend upon extraordinary public servants who willingly place the safety of others ahead of their own.”
For more information about National Police Week and related events, including the 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil, visit https://nleomf.org/events/.
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Two Venezuelan Nationals Charged with Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jeremmy Andres Boscan-Delfin, and Wilmer Jose Bolano-Sanchez, both of Venezuela, have been charged with one count of each of illegally trafficking firearms. Boscan-Delfin is also charged with distributing “tusi,” a drug containing ketamine and MDMA.
According to the complaint and indictment, the defendants are alleged to have sold numerous firearms, including firearms with obliterated serial numbers and several high-capacity firearms and magazines and ammunition, to an undercover agent. Twelve firearms and “tusi,” containing ketamine and MDMA, were seized in this ongoing investigation.
Bolano-Sanchez pleaded not guilty in federal court in Denver today. Boscan-Delfin is scheduled to appear in the Middle District of Tennessee this week.
A third individual, identified as co-conspirator one in the complaint, is alleged to have been operating out of the Nashville, Tennessee area.
The charges contained in the complaint and indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado is handling the prosecution.
These arrests are 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 Denver comprises agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Secret Service with the prosecutions being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Case Number: 1:26-mj-00079, 26-cr-00102-SKC
Two Defendants Sentenced to 15 Years and Seven Years in Prison for Their Roles in a Multimillion-Dollar Bank Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two defendants were sentenced to 180 months and 84 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a sophisticated, multimillion-dollar bank fraud and identity theft scheme.
According to court documents, Demetrius J. Manassa, 38, of New York, New York, and Jarrod A. Ross, 30, of Mobile, pleaded guilty to participating in a complex, nationwide bank fraud and identity theft scheme. The scheme, which lasted for nearly a decade from September 2015 to April 2025, involved widespread theft of mail, counterfeiting of checks and money orders, and impersonation of dozens of identity theft victims. To accomplish the scheme, Manassa, Ross, and other coconspirators—including Shaquan L. Manassa (“S. Manassa”), Patrick E. Williams (“Williams”), and Khashawn D. Sidberry (“Sidberry”)—obtained and possessed stolen checks and money orders, opened bank accounts using identity theft victims’ personal identifiable information (“PII”), produced dozens of forged identification documents, counterfeited hundreds of checks and money orders, and conducted millions of dollars’ worth of fraudulent transactions at banks throughout the United States, including in the Southern District of Alabama.
In 2022, thousands of blank Postal Money Orders (“PMOs”) were stolen from three separate postal facilities in New York and North Carolina. Thereafter, Manassa and other coconspirators counterfeited dozens of the stolen PMOs and began fraudulently negotiating them in various accounts at banks across the southeastern United States. Postal Inspectors identified Williams on surveillance videos depositing many of the fraudulent PMOs at banks in the Mobile area. To successfully carry out the fraudulent transactions, Manassa, Ross, and other coconspirators fraudulently opened bank accounts using stolen PII of identity theft victims and generated fake identification documents bearing the victims’ stolen PII.
For example, on August 5, 2022, Ross visited a bank in Mobile and fraudulently opened a checking account using a fake Mississippi driver’s license bearing Ross’s picture but the stolen PII of an identity theft victim from New York. The victim confirmed that he had never been to Alabama and did not authorize Ross to possess and use his stolen PII to open an account and conduct transactions in the victim’s name. After Ross opened the account, Williams was captured on video depositing several counterfeited PMOs into the account. The conspirators did the same thing in dozens of other accounts that they fraudulently opened in the names of identity theft victims from across the country.
The fraudsters also incorporated multiple fake businesses and opened bank accounts in the names of those purported businesses so that they could attempt to negotiate higher-value checks, some of which were worth more than $1 million each. The victim owners of those stolen checks included, among others, religious organizations, small businesses, charities, and public school systems.
In April 2025, federal and local law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Manassa’s home in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Inside the house, agents found dozens of stolen and counterfeited checks and money orders, fake identification documents, assorted stolen mail, counterfeiting stations with printers and dozens of sheets of blank check stock, a loaded Glock pistol, and loose ammunition. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s forensic laboratory in Dulles, Virginia, identified several fingerprints of the defendants on various items of fraudulent paperwork seized from Manassa’s house. Agents also searched Manassa’s cell phones, which contained hundreds of messages that he exchanged with Ross and other coconspirators in furtherance of the fraud scheme.
Agents obtained search warrants for social media and email accounts belonging to Manassa, Ross, and others involved in the scheme. In those accounts, agents located photos and videos of Manassa and Ross committing fraudulent transactions and possessing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cash proceeds of their frauds. Manassa’s Gmail search history included searches for “fake moneygram money orders,” “how to erase pen off paper money order,” and “largest bank frauds in history.” Similarly, Ross’s iCloud account contained “fraud Bibles” and how-to guides for committing various fraud schemes.
In addition to the check and money order fraud scheme described above, Ross and Sidberry submitted more than $400,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance applications to state departments of labor claiming bogus federal pandemic relief benefits. In their fraudulent applications, Ross and Sidberry made numerous misrepresentations about their entitlement unemployment benefits intended for workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
“For nearly a decade, Demetrius Manassa, Jarrod Ross, and their band of fraudsters exploited and stole from hundreds of individuals, businesses, charities, schools, and other victims across the country, causing untold damage. The extraordinary investigative work of our federal and local partners put an end to it,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “The sentences in this case send a clear message: crime does not pay in the Southern District of Alabama.”
“Postal Inspectors, along with other law enforcement agents, unraveled a sophisticated counterfeit check and USPS Money Order scheme that resulted in the identity theft of hundreds of victims and millions of dollars in losses,” said Shameka Jackson, Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work tirelessly to go after those who try to exploit the U.S. mail system for fraudulent financial gain and bring them to justice. We would like to thank the DOL-OIG for their assistance in this investigation.”
“Demetrius Manassa and Jarrod Ross stole money meant to help Americans find work. These sentences send a strong message to fraudsters; if you steal from the federal government and taxpayers, my office will relentlessly pursue you,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “We will work together with other law enforcement partners and have zero tolerance for fraud. We will find you and hold you accountable.”
U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Manassa and Ross to serve 180 months and 84 months in prison, respectively. At sentencing, the court noted Manassa’s extensive criminal history, including a prior federal conviction for a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in the District of Vermont and several state convictions for theft, fraud, and drug offenses. In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered Manassa and Ross to pay $687,259.04 in victim restitution. Upon their release from prison, Manassa and Ross each will serve five-year terms of supervised release, during which time they will be subject to credit restrictions.
S. Manassa, Williams, and Sidberry pleaded guilty to participating in the fraud scheme. The court will sentence them later in 2026.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. The U.S. Secret Service, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Glen Rock Police Department (New Jersey), and the South Fulton Police Department (Georgia) substantially assisted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Three Tennessee Men Indicted on Robbery, Kidnapping, and Conspiracy Charges Related to $6 Million Cryptocurrency Robbery Spree Throughout Bay Area and Los AngelesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Elijah Armstrong, Nino Chindavanh, and Jayden Rucker on Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping, Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, and Attempted Kidnapping relating to a violent robbery spree targeting cryptocurrency owners. Armstrong and Rucker were arrested in Los Angeles on December 31, 2025, and Chindavanh was arrested on December 22, 2025 in Sunnyvale. Chindavanh made his initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco on April 14, 2026, and Armstrong and Rucker made their initial appearances in federal court in San Francisco earlier today.
According to the indictment filed March 31, 2026, Armstrong, 21, of Tennessee; Chindavanh, 21, of Tennessee; and Rucker, 25, of Tennessee, are alleged to have conspired to kidnap and rob individuals in San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Angeles in efforts to steal cryptocurrency from the victims. The defendants traveled from Tennessee to commit the alleged crimes and posed as delivery persons to gain access or attempt to gain access to the victims’ residences. They then used firearms, duct tape, and zip ties to assault their victims, including by binding and restraining a victim in order to force him to divulge his account information. In one of the incidents perpetrated by the conspiracy, the victim was forced at gunpoint to sign into his cryptocurrency accounts so that a co-conspirator could transfer approximately $6.5 million from his cryptocurrency accounts to a wallet controlled by the co-conspirators.
“These individuals, as alleged, terrorized their victims in the hopes of stealing vast sums of cryptocurrency. The scheme was not only sophisticated, it was brazen, violent, and dangerous,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “I want to commend our law enforcement partners for the quick work done in identifying and apprehending these individuals and assure the public that we will not let our guard down and continue to do all we can to ensure this does not happen again.”
“The indictment of these individuals underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from violent and organized criminal activity. As alleged, this was a calculated scheme involving robbery, kidnapping, and the theft of millions in cryptocurrency - crimes that put innocent people at risk and threaten the sense of safety we all rely on,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. “The FBI will not tolerate criminals who travel into our communities with the intent to terrorize our citizens. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners across the Bay Area and beyond to identify, investigate, and bring to justice anyone who believes they can exploit or endanger the public for personal gain.”
Armstrong, Chindavanh, and Rucker are currently in federal custody. Armstrong and Rucker are next scheduled to appear on May 12, 2026, for appointment of counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson. Chindavanh is next scheduled to appear on June 26, 2026, for a status hearing before U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and Attempted Kidnapping in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1201, as well as a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey C. Davidson and Jared S. Buszin of the Organized Crime Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, San Francisco Police Department, San Jose Police Department, Sunnyvale Police Department, and Los Angeles Police Department.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to More than Five Years for Transporting and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Matthew Leach (41, Tennessee) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron to 65 months in federal prison for the transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The court also ordered Leach to forfeit a cellphone, which was used to commit the offense. Leach pleaded guilty on January 20, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Leach encountered law enforcement when his cellphone was searched upon his departure from a cruise ship. During that search, law enforcement found images and videos of CSAM. Leach admitted that he had received or downloaded CSAM on various internet platforms and to having the material on his cellphone prior to going on the cruise. A subsequent forensic review of Leach’s cellphone uncovered hundreds of images and videos of CSAM.
This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Noah Dorman and Courtney Richardson-Jones. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Seven-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to more than 17 Years in Prison on Methamphetamine Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Calhoun County man has been sentenced on drug-trafficking charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced David Allen Bentley, Jr., 50, of Anniston, Alabama, to 210 months in prison. Bentley pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, on January 1, 2025, officers with the Anniston Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Bentley for failure to signal. Bentley did not stop. The officers pursued Bentley, which ended with Bentley stopping and getting out of the car at the officer’s command. Bentley was arrested for attempting to elude. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered approximately 145 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case along with the Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett prosecuted the case.
Sarasota Woman Found Guilty of Making Threats on TikTok Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Desiree Doreen Segari (41, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Katheryn Kimball Mizell to 14 months in federal prison for interstate communication of a threat to injure. A federal jury found Segari guilty on January 13, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Segari was indicted on September 18, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, on August 17, 2025, Segari posted a video on TikTok calling for MAGA supporters to be shot on sight. Segari stated, “so if we all get our guns and use our second amendment right…and you see somebody with a MAGA hat, ‘pew pew’ that’s what we do, that’s the way, it’s the only way.” While saying “pew pew,” Segari used hand gestures mimicking the firing of a gun. She further stated, “Put them back in their basements, make them scared again to be racist, homophobic, and terrible just awful [expletive],” and “MAGA people deserve to be terrified and scared to walk in the streets because they should know that real Americans are gonna [mouths expletive] kill them.” When Segari posted the video, she included a caption: “#seemagapewpewmaga starting a new trend, hope it catches on. Please spread the word. Share this video. Repost it. Use the hashtag all over the internet. Let's go guys. It's time to fight back in a potentially effective manner.”
The next day, Segari posted another video on TikTok, in which she stated, “See MAGA pew pew MAGA, see MAGA pew pew MAGA, see MAGA pew pew MAGA so these [expletive] know we ain’t here to play” while again using hand gestures to mimic the firing of a gun.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Daniel Shane Tyrolf, 35, to 17.5 years in federal prison, 25 years supervised release, and a $5,000 assessment for Distribution of Child Pornography. Inmate Tyrolf pleaded guilty to the offense on November 3, 2025.
“We remain focused on protecting children and fighting the evil scourge of child predators. Spiders like this hide in the dark corners of the internet web, but we will stomp them out with no mercy.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
Kik social media reported to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children that one of their users had distributed child sexual abuse material on its platform on multiple occasions. The IP addresses came back to Inmate Tyrolf’s residence and his workplace, Tyrolf Automotives, LLC. The Wake County Sheriff’s Office and Knightdale Police Department received cybertips from NCMEC. Both agencies joined the FBI to investigate Inmate Tyrolf. Law enforcement executed search warrants on his Kik accounts and discovered he had uploaded almost 100 files of child sexual abuse material in private and group chats. Law enforcement discovered hundreds of files of child sexual abuse material in multiple accounts belonging to Inmate Tyrolf.
On April 29, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at Inmate Tyrolf’s residence and workplace, seizing multiple digital devices. His devices contained child sexual abuse files: over 600 images of prepubescent children on one tablet, alone.
Chief Capps of the Knightdale Police Department said, “The successful resolution of this case highlights the dedicated efforts of our investigators and task force partners. Protecting our children from online threats is paramount, and we remain committed to holding those who willingly exploit them fully accountable.”
“This arrest highlights the importance of the collaboration and diligence our agency has with our federal, state, and local partners to protect the most vulnerable members of our community,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said. “No matter how long an investigation takes, we are committed to seeing it through till the person responsible is identified and prosecuted.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The FBI, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Knightdale Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-220-D.
Quincy Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Robert Edward Nixon, 60, of Quincy, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Nixon appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 23, 2026, at 8:30 am before United States Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted, Nixon faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt 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.
Pocatello Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking DrugsRead the Press Release
POCATELLO- U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that Kacey Franklin James, of Pocatello, Idaho, was sentenced to 192 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, LSD, and Psilocybin mushrooms in eastern Idaho.
According to court records, the Idaho State Police executed a search warrant on James’ Pocatello residence in October of 2023. They found approximately 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 7.53 grams of LSD, and 1.23 pounds of MDMA, Psilocybin mushrooms, and various other drugs in the home. Officers also recovered 14 firearms, including one reportedly stolen and two short-barreled shotguns that were not properly registered to James.
A jury found James guilty of three counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, LSD, and Psilocybin, two counts of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, and one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense on January 29, 2026.
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced James to 192 months in federal prison, ordered him to pay a $500 fine, and imposed a five-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of the Idaho State Police along with the assistance of the BADGES Task Force, which led to the charges.
Assistant United States Attorney Blythe McLane and Special Assistant United States Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted the case for the Government.
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Philadelphia Woman Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for South Philly Gunpoint CarjackingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Khala Hardy, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 85 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro for a March 2024 armed carjacking.
The defendant and co-conspirator Nyeem Williamson, 23, also of Philadelphia, were charged by indictment in October 2024 with conspiracy to commit a carjacking, carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Hardy pleaded guilty last July. Williamson pleaded guilty this March and is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on the night of March 15, 2024, Hardy and Williamson targeted a female driver (“Victim 1”) who was dropping off a friend in South Philadelphia. Hardy approached on the driver’s side of the vehicle, opened the driver door, pointed a gun at Victim 1, and directed her to “get out and give me your keys.”
Victim 1 exited her Toyota and Hardy took her place behind the wheel. Once Williamson was inside the vehicle, the defendant drove off. Shortly after the carjacking, Hardy instructed Williamson on how to disable the Toyota’s GPS system and cameras to avoid detection by law enforcement, as documented in their group chat messages.
Three days after the carjacking, Williamson was arrested by the Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) and charged locally. Following Williamson’s arrest, the defendant instructed others who had communicated with him to delete their text messages. Hardy subsequently provided a voluntary statement to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), in which she admitted to her involvement in the gunpoint carjacking.
This case was investigated by the PPD and ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.
Peoria Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – On May 7, 2026, a Peoria, Illinois, man, Wallace Jordan, 56, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for distribution of methamphetamine and 24 months’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a felon by United States District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley. The judge ordered that the sentences be served concurrently and imposed a five-year term of supervised release.
In December 2024, Jordan, who was already a convicted felon, possessed and sold a loaded firearm. He also sold approximately 110.4 grams of methamphetamine. As a convicted felon, Jordan was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Jordan was indicted in September 2025 and pleaded guilty in February 2026. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in October 2025.
The statutory penalties for distribution of methamphetamine include the mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, which the court imposed, to life imprisonment; up to five years of supervised release; and up to a $10,000,000 fine. The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are not more than 15 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Jordan 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.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation Involving Multiple Victims in Different StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Trevor Metterhauser, 41, of Pennsylvania was sentenced on May 8, 2026, to 80 years in prison for attempted aggravated sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children, and multiple counts of possession of child pornography. The aggravated sexual abuse and sexual exploitation charges involved two toddlers, one located in upstate New York and the other in Texas.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Metterhauser admitted that he was convicted of possessing child pornography in Pennsylvania in 2011. In November 2022, Metterhauser conspired with Brandon Whitford to sexually exploit an approximately 4-year-old girl in the Northern District of New York. Metterhauser traveled from his home in Pennsylvania to Whitford’s home in New York, where Metterhauser made recordings that depicted the child naked. Whitford sexually assaulted the child shortly after Metterhauser left, recorded that content, and sent it to Metterhauser.
In December 2022, the defendant agreed with Carlos Julian Ruiz to sexually assault an approximately 2-year-old child and to record that abuse. Metterhauser traveled from Pennsylvania to Texas to commit the assault and record his sexual abuse of the 2-year-old child.
When Metterhauser was arrested in the Northern District of New York in early 2023, he had with him multiple electronic devices that contained the recordings of his sexual assault of the Texas victim; child pornography he received from Whitford depicting the New York victim; and child pornography he obtained from the internet.
In addition to the 80-year imprisonment term, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino imposed a lifetime term of supervised release, ordered $78,000 of restitution to victims, and required Metterhauser to pay a $1,000 special assessment.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated: “This defendant deserves to spend every minute of the rest of his life behind bars, and today’s sentence ensures that is just what will happen. Although nothing will take back the monstrosities he inflicted on very young, vulnerable children, I am proud that the FBI and my Office have done everything in our power to stop him and prevent him from victimizing more children. To the families of the victims and parents everywhere, please know that we will stop at nothing to take criminals like this defendant off the street—for good.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “This powerful sentence is indicative of the sick and twisted behavior of this prolific predator. Trevor Metterhauser’s horrific abuse spanned multiple states and caused immeasurable harm to the children he hurt. With this sentence, he will now die in federal prison. We would like to thank our colleagues at FBI San Antonio for their assistance with ensuring the victims in this case received justice. FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force will continue to dedicate every resource necessary to investigate and hold accountable these depraved individuals who are preying on our children.”
Whitford and Ruiz have each pled guilty to offenses related to their roles in the abuse of the victims.
FBI-Albany and FBI-San Antonio investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Benjamin A. Gillis are prosecuting it with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Pawn Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Purchasing, Trafficking Millions of Dollars of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Larry Leonard, 62, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Younge to charges of conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods in interstate commerce, interstate transportation of stolen property, and three counts of money laundering.
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, arising from the theft and resale of millions of dollars of stolen goods that he received, trafficked, and sold through pawn shops he operated and controlled: Society Hill Loan and K&A Money Loan Pawnbrokers, both in Philadelphia, and Lou’s Jewelry and Pawnshop in Wilmington, Delaware.
As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in 2019 and lasting through 2023, Larry Leonard purchased from drug addicts and professional thieves millions of dollars’ worth of expensive items, including high-end electronics, power tools, electric toothbrushes, and vacuums – all stolen from big-box retail stores such as Walmart, Home Depot, Rite Aid, and Target. Leonard, and co-conspirators working at his direction, paid the thieves a fraction of the retail value of the stolen goods – in cash – and then sold those items on eBay for profit.
From November 2019 through December 2023, Leonard and his co-conspirators sold more than $19 million in stolen merchandise via the eBay storefront “societyhillloan,” shipping the stolen merchandise from Society Hill Loan in Philadelphia to customers across the country. In addition to the more than $19 million in eBay sales, millions of dollars of stolen items, primarily high-end electronics, were sold directly to third-party individual wholesalers.
Leonard used the fraud proceeds to afford himself and his wife a lavish lifestyle, which included overseas trips, concerts, sporting events, and luxury items.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25 and faces a maximum possible term of 45 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Delaware State Police, and the Philadelphia Police Department. Law enforcement also received assistance from Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy, Target, Dollar Tree, Lowe’s, ACME, Bose, Rite Aid, CVS, and Harbor Freight Tools. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Newcomer, S. Chandler Harris, and Eric Gill.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man, Chester Lee Holloway 35, was sentenced on Friday to 127 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for felon in possession of a firearm.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Holloway in Covington. Law enforcement detected the odor of marijuana and Holloway admitted that the vehicle contained marijuana and that it may also contain a firearm in the trunk of a car. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found 119.1 grams of marijuana, a loaded firearm and an extended magazine. Holloway admitted that he knew he was a felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. At sentencing, Judge Bunning found that Holloway possessed the firearm in connection with another felony offense, namely, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute it.
Holloway was previously convicted of aggravated trafficking in drugs, among other crimes.Under federal law, Holloway 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; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Justin Wietholter, Covington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Covington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Nine Individuals Associated with Orlando Street Gang Guilty of Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that nine members or associates of the RMS/EBK gang (Respect Money Structure/Everybody Killer) have pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. A summary of the charges by defendant is as follows:
Defendant
Charges
Penalties
Sentencing Date
Christian Rou-Rey
(23, Kissimmee)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Distribution of controlled substances
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
15 years to life in prisonJuly 29, 2026
Jeremiah Maldonado
(21, Orlando)
Distribution of fentanyl resulting in death20 years to life in prisonTBDBenajmin Rivard
(31, Clermont)
Distribution of fentanyl resulting in death
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
25 years to life in prisonAugust 19, 2026
Elena Falzone
(23, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Distribution of fentanyl
5-40 years in prisonAugust 19, 2026
Paul Jacas
(32, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
10-40 years in prisonJuly 1, 2026
Carlos Carrasquillo-Rodriguez
(21, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracyUp to 20 years in prisonMay 27, 2026
Zaviar Wanya Kidd
(28, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
5-40 years in prisonJuly 1, 2026
Olivia Goen
(23, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy5-40 years in prisonMay 27, 2026
Rebecca Murray
(21, Deltona)
Drug trafficking conspiracy10 years to life in prisonJuly 1, 2026
According to court documents, the criminal activities of the RMS/EBK gang have been under investigation since December 2022, when an overdose death exposed the organization and its criminal enterprise. RMS/EBK members and their associates conspired to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, among other criminal acts. The gang often disguised the true nature of these substances. In particular, RMS/EBK sold blue, circular fentanyl pills with an “M” and the number “30”. The investigation was named “Operation Dirty 30s”.
Christian A. Roux-Rey was the leader of the drug trafficking organization and supplied controlled substances to and directed other members of the conspiracy.
Rebecca Murray assisted Roux-Rey with storing controlled substances, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, in their shared residence. She would also weigh, package, and transport controlled substances.
Jeremiah Maldonado was a senior-ranking member of RMS/EBK, also known as a “black flag” and directed lower ranking members. He distributed fentanyl to an individual who died within hours of consuming it.
Benajmin Rivard was also a black flag and directed lower-ranking members. Rivard distributed fentanyl to an individual who began overdosing within hours and subsequently died. Rivard was armed during drug transactions.
Paul Jacas was a member of RMS/EBK and sold fentanyl on behalf of the organization. Jacas also sold firearms.
Elena Falzone was a member of RMS/EBK and sold controlled substances on behalf of the organization. Falzone distributed fentanyl and bromazolam (counterfeit Xanax) to an individual who died within hours of consuming the substances.
Carlos Carrasquillo-Rodriguez was an associate of RMS/EBK and sold controlled substances or supplied controlled substances for the gang. Carrasquillo provided fentanyl and firearms to Jacas which were subsequently sold.
Zaviar Kidd is an associate of RMS/EBK and sold methamphetamine and fentanyl on behalf of the organization.
Olivia Marie Goen was a member of RMS/EBK and distributed fentanyl on behalf of the organization.
This case was investigated by the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sherriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.
Nicholasville Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Nicholasville, Ky., man, Brandon Graves, 33, was sentenced to 66 months imprisonment on Friday by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine.
According to his plea agreement, on May 14, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Graves’ residence. During the search, officers located 81.563 grams of fentanyl, 287.98 grams of cocaine, 40.872 grams of crack cocaine, 1.819 grams of methamphetamine, 17.588 grams of psilocybin, and $18,833 in cash. Law enforcement also recovered a vacuum sealer, plastic bags, digital scales, pistol magazines, and rounds of ammunition.
Under federal law, Graves 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 4 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Nicholasville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Walker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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New York Man Who Sexually Exploited Minor Girls Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on May 8, 2026, JAMES PAGLIARO, 27, of Middletown, New York, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 600 months of imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release for sexually exploiting minor girls with whom he initiated contact through social media apps.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between April 2024 and March 2025, Pagliaro sent sexually explicit messages, many of which included sexually explicit photographs of himself, to thousands of minor girls on social media applications, including Snapchat and TikTok, in an apparent attempt to ensnare and cultivate child “sex slaves.” He successfully coerced at least four girls, including a 15-year-old girl in Connecticut, a 15-year-old girl in the United Kingdom, a 15-year-old girl in New Jersey, and a 16-year-old-girl in Florida, into producing hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos for his sexual gratification. He also traveled to Connecticut at least three times to engage in sexual conduct with the 15-year-old Connecticut victim, whom he forced to engage in sex acts and threatened with violence.
A forensic evaluation of Pagliaro’s phone revealed that he exchanged tens of thousands of text messages with his victims, including many messages highlighting their age, and spoke with them on phone and video calls on hundreds of occasions. Pagliaro initially professed his love to his victims, promising them that he would marry them once they turned eighteen, but later threatened them, sending photographs of guns, ammunition and knives and telling the Connecticut victim, for example, that he could murder someone’s entire family without having any trouble sleeping at night and that she should “keep that in mind.” Pagliaro also forced his victims to create humiliating, degrading, and dangerous videos as punishments for their perceived failures, which included sending explicit videos on the wrong social media platform, and he encouraged at least one victim to commit suicide. He also had the Connecticut victim sign a three-page slavery contract purporting to memorialize her “eternal slavery” to Pagliaro and encouraged her to recruit other minors to engage in sexual conduct with him.
The forensic evaluation of Pagliaro’s phone revealed that he also possessed thousands of other videos and images of children in sexually explicit conduct, including videos depicting the sexual exploitation of infants and toddlers.
“This defendant exploited social media apps to cast a wide net to ensnare young girls into committing sexually degrading acts for his own gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “When successful, he used grooming techniques and psychological manipulation to coerce, abuse, and terrorize his victims. This prosecution and the Court’s imposition of a long prison term should serve as a stark warning for anyone who may use technology to prey upon children. I thank HSI and our local law enforcement partners who investigated this matter, brought justice to his victims, and protected countless others from additional harm.”
“Pagliaro is a depraved child predator who has earned every day of his 50-year sentence,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “He contacted hundreds of children online and successfully ensnared several girls, making them first believe they were in a real, loving relationship before slowly exerting more control, more abuse, and more violence. The victims in this case exhibited extraordinary bravery coming forward despite Pagliaro’s threats against them and their families and we hope that this sentence brings some comfort and peace as they move toward healing. HSI remains relentless in its pursuit of justice for survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation.”
Pagliaro was arrested on March 19, 2025. On February 13, 2026, he pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, and traveling to engage in sexual activity with a minor. He has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation was conducted by HSI New England, HSI Hudson Valley, the Orange County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office, and the Danbury, Ridgefield, and Watertown Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Haven Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Third Federal Conviction, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RONNELL ROGERS, 33, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 72 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 5, 2022, Rogers was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 37 months of imprisonment for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses, and a consecutive 14 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction for unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. The sentence was subsequently reduced by seven months and Rogers was released from federal prison in March 2024 and began serving a three-year term of supervised release.
On May 2, 2024, New Haven Police arrested Rogers during a traffic stop that followed a controlled purchase of fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Rogers possessed fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin packaged for distribution, including meth pills shaped like cartoon characters that could be mistaken for candy.
Judge Dooley sentenced Rogers to 63 months of imprisonment for the narcotics offense, and an additional nine months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Rogers has been detained in federal custody since May 30, 2024, when his supervised release was revoked. On October 10, 2025, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.
This matter was investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George.
Moscow Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Devin Terrance Pickler, 40, of Moscow, Idaho, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, in the summer of 2024, law enforcement received a CyberTip flagging a social media account for possessing suspected child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). Law enforcement investigated the flagged account and determined that it belonged to Pickler, who was living in Moscow, Idaho. In examining Pickler’s account, law enforcement found that he had uploaded hundreds of CSAM files to online groups and had posted messages online about his desire to commit sexual offenses against children. In one message, Pickler wrote about going to a “street market” to look for young children but being unable to grope any due to “too many helicopter parents.” A later search of one of Pickler’s personal online storage accounts showed that he had saved several photographs that appeared to have been covertly taken of children in public at a local street market.
In early 2025, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Pickler’s Moscow residence. They seized numerous electronic devices containing CSAM. They also seized multiple ceramic figurines of children in erotic poses, as well as a child-sized sex doll.
United States District Judge David C. Nye ordered that Pickler be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life following completion of his prison sentence. Pickler will be required to register as a sex offender because of this conviction.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Moscow Police Department, the Latah regional SWAT team, the Lewiston Police Department, the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistants U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson and Traci Whelan prosecuted this 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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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Morgan County Man Sentenced to 160 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Hartselle man has been sentenced for committing child sexual exploitation crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Caleb Sean Wheeler, 28, to 1920 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In January, Wheeler pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count each of transportation and possession of child pornography. According to court documents, in June 2025, Wheeler produced three videos and one image of child pornography and transported child pornography.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the innocent children of this district from crimes like those committed by Caleb Wheeler,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “With the help of our law enforcement partners, Wheeler will spend the rest of his life in federal prison unable to hurt another child.”
“The exploitation of children is a heinous crime that demands immediate and vigorous action from law enforcement,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Birmingham. “At the FBI, we are committed to doing everything in our power, with a sense of urgency and in collaboration with our partners, to protect innocent children and bring predators to justice.”
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case with the assistance of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency/ State Bureau of Investigations, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Huntsville Police Department, and Decatur Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
More than 25 Defendants Charged in Nationwide Tren de Aragua Crackdown Resulting in the Seizure of over 80 Firearms and Narcotics in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced charges against more than 25 individuals as part of a nationwide crackdown targeting the foreign terrorist organization (FTO), Tren de Aragua (TdA). Many of the defendants charged in this Homeland Security Task Force operation are illegal aliens from Venezuela, Colombia, and Honduras. TdA has been linked to various violent crimes inside and outside the United States, including murder, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering, and controlled substance trafficking. Charges have been filed across six U.S. Attorney offices, including the Districts of Colorado, Southern Florida, Northern Indiana, Middle Tennessee, Western Tennessee, and Eastern Washington for offenses that include firearms trafficking, drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, among others.
This operation resulted in the seizure of more than 80 firearms and approximately 18 kilograms of drugs including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine, MDMA, and Tusi, a mixed substance that contains ketamine and/or MDMA. More than $100,000 in U.S. dollars was also seized. A number of investigations are still ongoing.
Firearms seized in the District of Colorado.
Since Jan. 20, 2025, the Department has federally charged over 260 members and associates of TdA.
“In a few days, the Justice Department and its partners on Joint Task Force Vulcan carried out a nationwide takedown of vicious Tren de Aragua terrorist networks — depraved, violent offenders who have illegally invaded our country and preyed upon American communities,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This effort underscores the Trump Administration’s dedication to restoring public safety, dismantling violent firearms and drug trafficking networks, and enforcing law and order.”
“Today’s enforcement actions reflect ATF’s unwavering commitment to dismantling violent transnational criminal organizations that traffic in firearms and fuel violence in our communities,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Robert Cekada. “Working with our local, state, and federal partners, we are identifying and disrupting the networks that arm and enable groups like Tren de Aragua. The seizure of firearms and dangerous narcotics underscores the critical nexus between illegal firearms trafficking and drug-related violence. ATF will continue to use every available tool to hold offenders accountable and protect the American public.”
“DEA has been instrumental in dismantling factions of the violent foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua, with enforcement actions spanning from Colorado to Tennessee, Florida, and beyond,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “TdA fuels instability and chaos, threatening communities across the United States. By leveraging DEA’s expertise alongside our federal partners through the Homeland Security Taskforce, we are harnessing the full force of the U.S. government to protect and safeguard our nation.”
“This is a massive and impactful takedown of over 25 TdA terrorists who wreaked havoc on our streets,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our fiercely dedicated federal, state, and local partners continue to put criminals trafficking drugs and guns endangering American lives, in prison in huge numbers. HSTF’s goal is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations in the United States by using all available law enforcement tools to do so. The incredible work and grit by the all the agencies of the Homeland Security Task Force and Joint Task Force Vulcan paid off with great results in this roundup with more to come.”
“The success of this operation is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our HSI special agents and the unwavering commitment of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “The Homeland Security Task Force’s mission is to safeguard the United States from transnational threats by leveraging intelligence-driven investigations and robust interagency collaboration. This TdA takedown demonstrates the power of unified action in disrupting dangerous criminal networks and protecting our communities.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) follows the money that fuels organizations like Tren de Aragua,” said IRS-CI Chief Jarod Koopman. “The charges against these more than 25 individuals show how financial investigations can expose and dismantle these networks. When we disrupt their finances, we disrupt their ability to traffic drugs, move firearms, and spread violence. Working with our partners through the Homeland Security Task Force, we are protecting communities across the country.”
Firearms seized in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The operation resulted in numerous federal prosecutions including:
DISTRICT OF COLORADO:
- Two Venezuelan nationals who entered the United States under the previous Administration’s policies are charged with conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms, and one is charged with distributing “tusi,” a drug containing ketamine and MDMA. According to the criminal complaint and indictment, the defendants are alleged to have sold numerous firearms, including with obliterated serial numbers and several high-capacity firearms and magazines and ammunition, to an ATF undercover agent. The case was investigated by ATF, DEA, and HSI, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Twelve firearms and “tusi,” containing ketamine and MDMA, were seized in this ongoing investigation.
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE:
- Five defendants including two alleged associates of TdA or of a TdA splinter faction known as “Anti-Tren” have been charged in connection with drug and firearms trafficking. These defendants were arrested in Nashville, Tennessee; Louisiana; and Washington state and are facing several charges including drug trafficking conspiracy, using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, firearms trafficking conspiracy, and other drug and gun trafficking offenses. Three of the five defendants are illegal aliens residing in Nashville, a fourth defendant is a Honduran national and lawful permanent resident residing in Nashville, and the fifth defendant is an illegal alien residing in Kennewick, Washington. The indictment and criminal complaint allege that since approximately 2025, the defendants have participated in trafficking in firearms and narcotics throughout the Middle District of Tennessee and elsewhere. HSI, ATF, FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, and other law enforcement agencies conducted multiple undercover operations that have resulted in the seizure of 25 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, extended magazines, a drum magazine, more than $8,000 cash and seizures of methamphetamine, MDMA and ketamine, and cocaine in the Middle District of Tennessee, with more firearms and narcotics being seized elsewhere as a result of this investigation. Of the 25 firearms seized in the Middle District of Tennessee, eight firearms were previously reported as stolen, and two have been tied to other crimes of violence based upon National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) results. Specifically, a Glock .40 caliber pistol has been preliminarily associated with a shooting in Nashville, that occurred on Nov. 30, 2023. And a Canik 9x19mm pistol has been preliminarily associated with a shooting involving multiple victims in Nashville, on Sept. 17, 2024.
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA:
- A criminal complaint has been filed charging three illegal aliens with alleged ties to TdA, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The three defendants are alleged to be associates of a defendant charged in the Middle District of Tennessee with ties to TdA, who facilitated the sales of large amounts of narcotics and firearms on separate occasions between the three charged defendants and an ATF undercover agent in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. In conjunction with these arrests, ATF agents seized 500 MDMA pills, two firearms, cocaine, ketamine, and methamphetamine.
TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities include a variety of violent and criminal offenses, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization’s criminal activities.
TdA has a splinter faction known as “Anti-Tren” — comprised of current and former members of TdA who are operating without or against the authority of TdA leadership in South America. Members of TdA and Anti-Tren have been identified and arrested across the United States, including in Colorado, Tennessee, New York, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Washington, Georgia, Nebraska, Texas, and elsewhere. Members of TdA and Anti-Tren have also been known to engage in gun trafficking, drug trafficking, burglaries of ATM machines (also known as “ATM jackpotting”), and to coordinate their criminal activities with each other across state lines and with leaders located in South America, including Venezuela and Colombia.
These cases are part of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded at the direction of the Attorney General to target Tren de Aragua. JTFV is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Western District of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; District of Nevada; and the District of Arizona; as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. Additionally, the Bureau of Prisons, FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Homeland Security Task Forces are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.
Defendant Maikel Jesus Albornoz-Jimenez, a citizen of Venezuela illegally residing in Nashville, charged in the Middle District of Tennessee wearing what appears to be a Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales de la Policía Nacional Bolivariana (FAES) uniform.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) 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. HSTFs Denver, Indianapolis, Nashville, and Seattle comprise agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Secret Service, among other federal, state, and local partners, with the prosecutions being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Colorado, Southern Florida, Northern Indiana, Middle Tennessee, Western Tennessee, and Eastern Washington.
An indictment and criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mobile Woman Receives Statutory Maximum 20-Year Prison Sentence for Firearms-Trafficking Conspiracy and Tampering with Evidence in Homeland Security Task Force Takedown of Major Drug-Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman was sentenced to 240 months in prison for engaging in a firearms‑trafficking conspiracy and tampering with evidence in connection with a multimillion-dollar drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”) that distributed bulk cocaine and fentanyl and used children as couriers.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a three-week trial, Exavieria Deagnes Maxie (“Exavieria”), 37, aided a lucrative, Mobile-based DTO led by her brother-in-law, Glennie Antonio McGee (“McGee”), and her sister, Echandza Dianca Maxie (“Echandza”). The DTO distributed hundreds of pounds of cocaine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills between 2017 and 2024. Exavieria assisted the DTO by, among other things, trafficking a loaded firearm and tampering with DTO evidence.
In early 2024, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) initiated a court-authorized wiretap investigation of the McGee DTO’s criminal activities. As part of that investigation, agents intercepted thousands of incriminating phone calls and videos from a covert close-circuit television (“CCTV”) camera installed in McGee’s Cadillac Escalade. Agents also seized multiple kilograms of cocaine, more than 1,000 fentanyl pills, and several firearms connected to the DTO.
In June 2024, agents arrested McGee following a brief high-speed chase in Mobile. Agents boxed in McGee’s vehicle and encountered him with three kilograms of cocaine sitting in his lap. McGee then confessed in a videotaped interview that he had been dealing bulk cocaine since 2017 and earned $20,000 per month in profits.
Following McGee’s arrest, agents intercepted Exavieria and Echandza plotting to conceal evidence while operating the bugged Escalade. Specifically, Echandza gave Exavieria, a convicted felon, a shoebox full of custom jewelry and a loaded .380 caliber pistol. Exavieria took the jewelry and gun and stashed them in her apartment in west Mobile. Thereafter, on CCTV recordings, Echandza and Exavieria directed a 15-year-old child to find the gun and toss it from a balcony before agents could enter the apartment. When Echandza’s teenage son tried to instruct the 15-year-old, her nephew, how to remove the clip from the loaded weapon, Echandza stated, “No, tell him don’t do all that. Just drop it off. . . . [H]e ain’t got time to do that. We ain’t got time to coach him.” Exavieria was intercepted admitting that she told her 15-year-old son to toss the gun from the balcony. The child stated that Exavieria texted him, “Get that gun in the shoe box take it out and drop it off the balcony. Now!” Agents found the loaded pistol near a softball field behind the apartment. Exavieria then admitted to agents that she had brought the gun to her apartment from McGee’s and Echandza’s house.
In 2017, Exavieria was convicted of a federal methamphetamine-trafficking offense in the Southern District of Alabama and received a time-served sentence. As a result, she is prohibited from possessing firearms. In December 2025, while Exavieria was on release pending trial in her case, the court revoked her bond after determining that she had repeatedly violated her conditions of release and lied to the court about it.
U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Exavieria to serve 20 years in prison—the statutory maximum for her crimes. The court ordered Exavieria to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Exavieria to pay a total of $200 in special assessments.
The court will sentence McGee and Echandza in August 2026. Each faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile Police Department, the Prichard Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. The United States Marshals Service and several local agencies in Houston, Texas substantially assisted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and George May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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 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 Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Minnesota Rustler Convicted for Moving Stolen Cattle into Northern IowaRead the Press Release
A Minnesota man who stole cattle from a farmer and sold them in Northeast Iowa pled guilty on May 8, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Lawrence “Larry” Patrick Burns, age 48, from Eitzen, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of transportation of stolen livestock.
In a plea agreement, Burns admitted that, from at least October 2017 to March 2024, he worked as a farmhand in Minnesota. From time to time, a farmer directed Burns to transport certain cattle and grain at various locations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri, as part of Burns’ employment. Without the farmer’s knowledge, Burns loaded extra cattle and grain and sold the extra cattle and grain in Burns’ own name. Burns lied and claimed he owned a portion of the cattle and grain that he was transporting across state lines. In the plea agreement, Burns admitted he stole at least $150,000 of the farmer’s cattle and grain during this timeframe.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Burns remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Burns faces a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-2002.
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Memphis Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Charles Williams, 39, was sentenced for his role in engaging in a long-term conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Memphis. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
Through the utilization of recorded phone calls, traffic stops, physical surveillance, and the execution of search warrants, law enforcement officers were able to determine that Charles Williams was distributing felony amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl for more than one year before his federal indictment in March 2025.
Following his guilty plea to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Chief District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced the defendant to 228 months’ imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Drug dealers with guns create a culture of criminality and deserve significant punishment. Those who sow misery, addiction, and violence into our communities by distributing poison to our citizens will reap the certain consequences of a long federal prison sentence.”
“This investigation disrupted a long-term conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Memphis, Tennessee,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI and our partners brought the full force of resources to bear – removing a dangerous individual and poisonous substances from the streets. Together with our Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) counterparts, the FBI will continue to pursue those who exploit our communities for profit.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Additionally, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI); Desoto County Sheriff’s Office; Bartlett Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) all assisted in the investigations of Charles Williams and his co-conspirators.
Assistant United States Attorneys Bryce Phillips and Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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 Memphis comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies, to include the investigative agencies listed above, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
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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.
Mason City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Willie York, 47, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. York pled guilty on May 11, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. York was previously convicted in Cerro Gordo County of the following crimes which prohibit a person from possessing a firearm or ammunition: Terrorism – Intent to Injure or Provoke Fear or Anger and Robbery-2nd, both in 2000; and Delivery of Methamphetamine in 2015.
At the plea hearing, York admitted that from August 2024 through October 2024, he and others conspired to distribute at least 500 grams or more of mixed methamphetamine which contained 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. On October 1, 2024, York was a passenger in a vehicle with two others when traffic stopped south of Sioux City, Iowa. Law enforcement found over one pound of pure methamphetamine, along with two firearms including a fully loaded Beretta 9mm pistol with York. York admitted that he and another transported the methamphetamine from Des Moines, Iowa to Pierre, South Dakota for distribution during two round trips over the course of several days and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. York remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. York faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4080. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.