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15 September 2026
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan Joins the DOJ’s Fraud Division, SBA and the SBA OIG in COVID-Era Loan Takedown Exceeding $245 Million in FraudRead the Press Release
Joint national takedown: 40 U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with 20 federal and state investigative agencies, participate in two-month enforcement surge
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Cynoda Jonelle Sparkling, 35, of Lansing, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with defrauding three different federally funded COVID relief programs. Sparkling is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2026, and faces a minimum of two years and up to 20 years in prison.
From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.
The case was part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration, and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Western District of Michigan was a key participant in this surge effort.
Sparkling defrauded various COVID-era relief programs by stealing or attempting to steal $124,995 from the Paycheck Protection Program, $17,000 from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and $262,248 from several different states’ unemployment insurance programs. She applied for the loans in her own name and in the names of third parties using stolen identities.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Every federal district in America is prosecuting people like Sparkling, who saw an opportunity to defraud the taxpayers when the government rolled out COVID-era relief programs. Sparkling will now face the consequences of her fraudulent conduct, and so will others that engaged in similar fraud. I want our message to be clear: if you are thinking of trying to defraud a federal program, you had better think again because you will not like what happens to you.”
“Pandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns—not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications— but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
This summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners—to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.”
“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we’re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we’re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.”
Operation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA’s pandemic relief programs,” said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. “By concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Investigator General are investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler is prosecuting it.
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 Northern District of West Virginia joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA, and SBA OIG in Surge Takedown Exceeding $245 Million in COVID-era Loan Fraud; Two Morgantown Business Owners Part of National Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
Joint national takedown: 40 U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with 20 federal and state investigative agencies, participate in two-month enforcement surge
MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGIINA – The Northern District of West Virginia, today, announced the sentencing and plea agreement as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration, and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Northern District of West Virginia was a key participant in this surge effort.
From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.
“These defendants deliberately stole from programs funded by American taxpayers and intended to support legitimate small businesses,” said United States Attorney Matthew Harvey. “Our office will aggressively pursue those who misuse federal funds and will hold accountable anyone who attempts to defraud the United States.”
“Pandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns—not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications— but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners—to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.”
“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we’re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we’re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.”
“Operation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA’s pandemic relief programs,” said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. “By concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.”
James Baldwin, II, owner of Select Decks, a business in Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced to 30 days in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,007,223 in restitution. Baldwin, 46, applied for and received several Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, both for his deck building business, Select Decks, and for three other businesses that were not in operation before the pandemic. Baldwin falsified documents for the loan application to obtain $738,230 in PPP loans from multiple banks and then obtained forgiveness for the loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Baldwin also failed to pay $258,993 in payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. Beginning in tax year 2016, Baldwin issued pay stubs and W‑2 forms to his employees reflecting that employment taxes had been withheld. However, investigators determined that Baldwin failed to file required IRS Forms 941 or W‑3 for Select Decks and did not remit any of the withheld taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
In a separate case, Kurt Ly, owner and operator of Vin Phat, Inc., in Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to a scheme to defraud federal pandemic relief programs designed to support small businesses during the COVID‑19 crisis. According to investigators, Ly, 69, of Morgantown, obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, used the funds for impermissible expenses, and then obtained forgiveness from the SBA by falsely certifying to the SBA that the money was used for permissible business expenses.
In addition to the PPP loans, Ly received an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan of $146,600 in August 2020 after certifying that the funds would be used solely as working capital for Vin Phat. Instead, investigators found that Ly used the money for large personal expenditures, including a $15,000 payment for a vehicle, multiple cryptocurrency investments, and transfers to his personal bank account.
The PPP program was created under the CARES Act to help small businesses maintain payroll and cover essential expenses during the public health emergency. Applicants were required to provide accurate payroll documentation, verify their identities, and certify that loan proceeds would be used only for permissible business purposes. In addition, borrowers seeking loan forgiveness were required to certify—under penalty of perjury—that PPP funds were spent on allowable expenses such as payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.
The Baldwin case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer T. Conklin. The Ly case was investigated by the Federal Reserve Bureau - Office of Inspective General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer T. Conklin and Eleanor F. Hurney.
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.
St. Albans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Lee Camp, 46, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 4, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Camp’s residence and seized 428 grams of methamphetamine and 16 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Camp admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them. Camp further admitted that he also distributed a total of 21 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant over five separate transactions between February 27, 2025, and March 25, 2025, in St. Albans.
Camp is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-170.
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Southern District of Ohio joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA & SBA OIG in surge takedown exceeding $245 million in COVID-era loan fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio today announced a conviction as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration, and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.
“The case we are announcing today as part of this nationwide surge is now the second pandemic loan relief fraud case that we have announced this summer,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Our district, in conjunction with the National Fraud Enforcement Division and our federal and state investigative partners, remains resolute in its determination to fight all forms of taxpayer-funded fraud.”
“Pandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns—not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications— but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners—to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.”
“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we’re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we’re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.”
“Operation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA’s pandemic relief programs,” said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. “By concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.”
In the Southern District of Ohio, U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II announced that a defendant pleaded guilty to PPP-related fraud involving approximately $440,000 in losses. Pierre-Maurice D. Harris, 36, of Columbus, was stopped by the TSA on his way to Miami, Florida, and found to be in possession of $25,000 and seven debit cards in other peoples’ names. Agents identified Ohio PUA fraud, California PUA fraud, PPP fraud, and EIDL fraud connected to the stolen identities.
Harris pleaded guilty in July to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud (up to 20 years in prison), aggravated identity theft (mandatory addition of two years in prison) and money laundering (up to 20 years in prison).
This case was investigated by IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
In June, the Southern District of Ohio announced charges against four defendants in a conspiracy scheme to defraud the government out of more than $1.4 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
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.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Investigation Leads to Identification of Minor Sexually Abused by Kennewick ManRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on September 14, 2026, United States District Court Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Cecil Lloyd Ramey, age 48, of Kennewick, to 15 years of imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for the Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography.
According to information disclosed in court documents and during court proceedings, in March of 2022, Ramey came to the attention of the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SER-ICAC) due to two CyberTips from Google. The CyberTips detailed hundreds of image and video files of suspected child pornography located in a Google account determined to belong to Ramey. At the time, Ramey resided at a residence in Kennewick with his wife and her child.
SER-ICAC detectives obtained a search warrant for the content of Ramey’s Google account. During a review of the content of Ramey’s Google account, detectives located hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. Some of the images and videos depicted images and videos depicting children identified in previous investigations and known to law enforcement. However, other image and video files depicted the sexual abuse of a prepubescent child by Ramey and were new to investigators. SER-ICAC detectives worked to find and identify this prepubescent child, ultimately discovering that Ramey had sexually abused the child when he resided in another state. Detectives also learned that Ramey used his position of trust with this prepubescent child to facilitate the sexual abuse and memorialize the abuse in both image and video form. Ramey then possessed this material for more than a decade, ultimately uploading the videos and images to his Google account in 2022.
A search warrant was executed at Ramey’s residence, and his electronic devices were seized. Ultimately, the investigation revealed that Ramey had stored image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of the identified prepubescent child and other minor children, on electronic storage devices in his home, and within his Google account. Ramey was indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Washington for the conduct that occurred in Washington state- the receipt and possession of child pornography- and pled guilty to those offenses in February of 2026.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Dimke spoke of the bravery of the prepubescent child, who had disclosed Ramey’s sexual abuse to another adult immediately after it occurred, to no avail. Although Ramey wrote a letter to the prepubescent child at the time of his arrest stating, “I have spent all these years try [sic] to forget the past. And live a better future. I pray, the things I did to you, you were not aware of and it has had no effect on your life,” Judge Dimke advised Ramey that the minor children he victimized, personally and through trafficking their sexual abuse images and videos, would relive their experiences for the rest of their lives.
“Today’s conviction underscores the critical work of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in our district,” said Serrano. “What began as an investigation into the possession of known child pornography, morphed into a mission to identify a previously unknown child, whose sexual abuse was memorialized by her abuser, Ramey. Thanks to the dedication of our investigators and prosecutors, we were able to uncover the truth and bring this horrendous offender to justice. Our office remains committed to protecting children, pursuing those who harm them, and ensuring that victims receive the support they deserve.”
“Crimes against children are among the most heinous someone can commit,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Ramey’s abuse of his position of ‘trust’ within the family makes his actions that much worse. This sentence gets a predator off the street and will hopefully allow this child to get the help needed from these traumatic acts. We will not stop finding and investigating predators like Ramey; we owe this to our children and communities.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland.
Southbridge Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Role in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON –A Southbridge man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for conspiring to distribute cocaine in Central Massachusetts.
Luis Sastre Pagan, 37, of Puerto Rico and formally of Southbridge, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to eight years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In June 2026, Sastre Pagan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Pagan was charged in November 2024, along with co-conspirators Eric Rivera and Miguel Lopez.
From in or about April 2023 through April 2024, Sastre Pagan participated in a conspiracy that shipped kilograms of cocaine into Central Massachusetts from Puerto Rico. Evidence showed that the defendant was in communication with co-conspirators before and after the deliveries and that Sastre Pagan was directing the activity of his co-defendants and other co-conspirators as to the activity of the drug trafficking organization in and around Southbridge and Worcester. Over the course of the investigation, four packages were seized, each of which were found to contain cocaine. In total, between 15-50 kilograms of cocaine is attributable to Sastre Pagan as part of his participation in the conspiracy.
In August 2025, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. In November 2025 he was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2026, Lopez was sentenced to six years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA Puerto Rico and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Gregory Hilliard, 66 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Hilliard was sentenced to 33 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
“Gregory Hilliard is a convicted sex offender who chose to possess a handgun in violation of federal law and bring that handgun to a medical facility in violation of the facility’s clear rules. He entered the medical center in South Bend with a handgun and left it behind in a waiting room chair. Thankfully, an employee recovered the handgun after he left without anyone being hurt. The reckless way he left his loaded firearm in a vulnerable public space spoke loudly of his disdain for society and the rule of law. The Defendant has prior felony convictions for criminal deviate conduct and aggravated battery, and he was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. Thanks to the partnership of the ATF, South Bend Police Department, Indiana State Police Laboratory Division, St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s office led by Ken Cotter, and AUSA Andrew Krumweid, this violent Defendant received a dose of incarceration and 2 years of supervised, rehabilitative release that will remove him as threat to the citizens of the Northern District of Indiana.” United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred said.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the South Bend Police Department, Indiana State Police Laboratory, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew A. Krumwied and former Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Santa Rosa County Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Others to Share Obscene Child Sexual Abuse Material OnlineRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Christopher M. Mayer, 32, of Navarre, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute, receive, and possess visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and one count of receipt of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our excellent state and federal law enforcement partners remain ever-vigilant in the fight against sexual predators peddling child sexual abuse material online, and I deeply appreciate their excellent investigative work that supported the successful prosecution of this defendant by my office. Keeping our kids safe from these sick individuals demands aggressive prosecutions and severe punishments, and that is exactly what my office will continue to pursue in these cases.”
Court records reveal the defendant communicated with others via online social media platforms regarding the sexual exploitation of minors. This led to law enforcement executing a search warrant for his electronics at his residence earlier this year. Law enforcement seized over two dozen terabytes data from the defendant’s electronic devices, which revealed the defendant in possession of multiple cellular telephones as well as a computer tower full of child pornography and computer-generated streaming videos of child sexual abuse. The defendant was found to be online discussing these illicit images and sharing them with others.
Mayer will be sentenced in federal court before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Pensacola, Florida, on December 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
Mayer faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, on each of the counts. Mayer would also be required to register as a sexual offender and forfeit all the electronic devices utilized to commit the crimes.
The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Thomas S.P. Geeker.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Repeat Felon Arrested and Charged in $4.75M Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned an indictment charging Emory Matthews, 62, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, with conspiring to bill Medicare for psychotherapy services that were never provided to patients of an adult day care center owned by his wife. He was arrested yesterday.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Emory Matthews was a managing employee and administrator of New Beginnings Adult Center Inc. (New Beginnings), an adult day care center in Detroit depicted below:
New Beginnings, the Adult Day Care Center where Emory Matthews was allegedly an Administrator and Managing Employee, and Where Matthews and his Wife Purportedly Provided $4.75 Million of Psychotherapy Services Fraudulently Billed to Medicare.Matthews was previously convicted of soliciting and receiving illegal health care kickbacks and bribes stemming from his earlier operation of the adult day care center. As a result of that conviction, he was excluded from billing Medicare.
As alleged in the indictment, Matthews and his wife, Yolanda Matthews:
- Submitted false and fraudulent claims for individual and group psychotherapy services that were not provided;
- Billed Medicare for services purportedly provided to beneficiaries at New Beginnings when in fact those beneficiaries were hospitalized at the time and could not have received the services;
- Billed Medicare for services purportedly provided to beneficiaries at New Beginnings when those beneficiaries were deceased;
- Used the names of former employees on false claims submitted to Medicare; and
- Fraudulently concealed Matthews’ exclusion from Medicare by failing to disclose his role as a managing employee of New Beginnings as required by the rules.
From January 2020 through June 2025, Matthews allegedly participated in submitting over $4.75 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.
Yolanda Matthews pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud on July 27.
Emory Matthews is charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and three counts of health care fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Detroit Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Jeffrey A. Crapko of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pulaski County Man Sentenced for Defrauding Elderly RelativeRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.- A Science Hill, Ky., man, Samuel Turner, 42, was convicted on Monday by a federal grand jury sitting in London for four counts of wire fraud. The jury returned the conviction after three hours of deliberation.
According to evidence at trial, Turner gained access to an elderly family member’s bank accounts and credit cards and used the funds as his own. With the victim’s money, he bought, among other things, guns, concert tickets, items from Amazon, and items from a gun accessory store. He also cashed out a certificate of deposit worth over $35,000 belonging to the victim.
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams.
Turner will appear for sentencing on January 6, 2027. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Mission, focusing on identifying and prosecuting those who facilitate elder financial exploitation. The initiative is carried out locally through the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. Anyone who knows of someone who may be a victim of elder financial exploitation, is encouraged to contact law enforcement or get more information by visiting https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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Pulaski County Man Convicted for Defrauding Elderly RelativeRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.- A Science Hill, Ky., man, Samuel Turner, 42, was convicted on Monday by a federal grand jury sitting in London for four counts of wire fraud. The jury returned the conviction after three hours of deliberation.
According to evidence at trial, Turner gained access to an elderly family member’s bank accounts and credit cards and used the funds as his own. With the victim’s money, he bought, among other things, guns, concert tickets, items from Amazon, and items from a gun accessory store. He also cashed out a certificate of deposit worth over $35,000 belonging to the victim.
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams.
Turner will appear for sentencing on January 6, 2027. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Mission, focusing on identifying and prosecuting those who facilitate elder financial exploitation. The initiative is carried out locally through the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. Anyone who knows of someone who may be a victim of elder financial exploitation, is encouraged to contact law enforcement or get more information by visiting https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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Prior felon charged with new cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that David Garrett, 56, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with attempting to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, Garrett was sentenced to time served and six years supervised release after being convicted on a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. In August 2026, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and DEA began conducting a joint investigation targeting the shipment of narcotics to the Buffalo area. On September 6, 2026, the USPIS was alerted to a Postal Service parcel being shipped from Puerto Rico to Garrett in Buffalo. On September 9, 2026, investigators executed the search warrant on the parcel and found approximately two kilograms of suspected cocaine inside the parcel concealed inside a white box decorated with pink flowers. On September 11, 2026, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel, which was replaced with sham, to Garrett’s Sycamore Street residence. After the delivery, Garrett left the residence with the parcel and was arrested a short time later following a traffic stop.
Garrett made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Justin Page, and the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Pocatello Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
Michael Joseph Pena, 28, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, Pena sold methamphetamine and fentanyl on multiple occasions throughout the summer and fall of 2025. When questioned by investigators, Pena admitted to distributing illegal drugs in Pocatello.
Two co-defendants, William Hoover and Brandon Hoover, were indicted in the same case with Pena. William Hoover pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on November 23, 2026. Brandon Hoover is scheduled for an initial appearance on the indictment on October 5, 2026.
U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Pena to serve 5 years of supervised release following his 10-year prison sentence. Pena pleaded guilty to the charge on June 23, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of Drug Enforcement Administration and Idaho State Police, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe H. McLane prosecuted the case.
This investigation was supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Idaho State Police, along with the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Pocatello Police Department, and Chubbuck Police Department make up the HIDTA BADGES Task Force that investigated the case.
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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Trafficking of Cocaine, Fentanyl, and Other NarcoticsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 48 months of supervised release, on his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and a quantity of crack cocaine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Anthony Johnson, 37.
According to information presented to the Court, in the spring of 2022, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General opened a drug investigation into Anthony Johnson. The investigation established that Johnson resided in Pittsburgh and stored distribution quantities of controlled substances within a stash house located in Verona, Pennsylvania. On May 10, 2022, authorities executed a search warrant upon Johnson’s stash house, where they seized $57,239, drug packaging material, and controlled substances. A forensic scientist weighed and analyzed the controlled substances, and determined that the substances included 21 grams of a fluorofentanyl and fentanyl mixture, 100 grams of fentanyl, 544 grams of cocaine, and 14 grams of cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack.Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson.
Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Narcotics and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 90 months of imprisonment on his convictions for possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Darion Ethridge, 26, on September 14, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, on June 24, 2021, state and local law enforcement conducted a drug suppression detail in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, after authorities received information that a male operating a black Jeep Cherokee with tinted windows would be bringing 10 bricks of heroin to a hotel. Upon the arrival and parking of the vehicle, a detective positioned his car with lights and siren activated behind the Jeep and exited his vehicle, identifying himself as police and directing the driver to exit. The driver reacted by starting his vehicle, reversing the Jeep into the detective’s vehicle, and driving through the parking lot until law enforcement boxed in the Jeep. At that point, the driver exited the vehicle and fled on foot, with officers pursuing and arresting the driver.
A search incident to arrest resulted in the seizure of approximately $3,952. From the vehicle, authorities seized 991 bags of a fentanyl and heroin mixture, a loaded .40 caliber handgun which was determined to have been reported stolen, and a medical marijuana card and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections card both bearing Ethridge’s name. Ethridge had previously been convicted of four felonies in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Monroeville Police Department and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ethridge.
Peoria Man Charged with Defrauding AHCCCSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – In a joint press conference in San Diego today, United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine announced charges against a Peoria man who is accused of fraudulently billing Arizona’s Medicaid agency more than $33 million in one year and using the funds to purchase property and a luxury vehicle.
On September 8, 2026, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an 11-count indictment against Maurice Marcell Williams, 48, of Peoria, Arizona for health care fraud and money laundering.
The indictment alleges that Williams owned and operated Thinking and Learning Together 2, LLC (TLT), which held itself out as a behavioral treatment provider in Phoenix. According to the indictment, Williams defrauded Arizona’s Medicaid program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) by failing to disclose in his initial AHCCCS application his ownership of TLT and his prior criminal conviction, as well as by billing AHCCCS for services that were never rendered. Williams specifically targeted AHCCCS members who were covered under the American Indian Health Care Program (AIHP) fee-for-service plan available to Native Americans. Between May 2022 and May 2023, Williams billed AHCCCS over $33 million and AHCCCS paid Williams approximately $19.7 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations that seek forfeiture of two residential properties, a Rolls Royce Cullinan, and brokerage accounts owned by Williams.
A conviction for health care fraud and money laundering carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of conviction.
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.
Homeland Securities Investigation and IRS-Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation, with substantial assistance from the AHCCCS Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-1055-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-158_Williams# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Organizer in $36 million transnational scheme to defraud more than 400 elderly and vulnerable Americans pleads guilty to money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Juliet Mora, 42, residing in Nicaragua formerly of Hayward, California, pleaded guilty Sept. 14 to conspiracy to commit money laundering involving a $36 million fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.
According to court documents, Mora was part of a sophisticated transnational fraud organization operating out of the United States and several countries in Latin America responsible for stealing more than $36 million from more than 400 American victims, mostly the elderly. The fraudsters pretended to be attorneys who reached out to elderly timeshare owners and fraud victims with the promise that the victims were entitled to restitution and payments. Believing they were talking to real attorneys, the victims signed fake representation agreements and bogus non-disclosure agreements, then paid fees to the fraudsters. The victims were directed to send checks and wire transfers to shell companies controlled by U.S.-based co-conspirators.
The organization used a complicated web of U.S.-based members who created shell companies and bank accounts to launder victim money. The members evaded financial institutions’ anti-money laundering procedures by misrepresenting to financial institutions the true purpose and nature of their activities. Members intentionally and fraudulently misrepresented the true nature of the transactions to conceal their actions.
Mora became involved in the fraud scheme in August 2021. Throughout the scheme, she maintained shell companies and received more than $1,569,826 in victim funds. Investigators traced $2,749,649 in stolen victim funds directly to accounts controlled by Mora. Mora lied to banks to conceal the true nature and origin of the funds. She would open and reopen bank accounts closed for suspicious activity, and on several occasions she would directly deposit victim funds into her shell company’s bank account.
Mora eventually moved to Nicaragua where she became an organizer within the fraud scheme. There, she communicated with the US-based co-conspirators, directed them to receive and send victim funds, open shell companies, and prepare legal documents to help perpetrate the fraud. She also used fake emails of fake paralegals to communicate directly with victims. Mora was arrested on a second superseding indictment after arriving in Boston Logan International Airport from Panama City, Panama in December 2025.
In October 2025, investigators arrested 15 US-based defendants across four states and seized more than $2.1 million in victims funds. Several defendants, however, fled to Mexico and other Central American countries. Recently several of these defendants have been arrested and returned to the United States. In July 2025, local Nicaraguan authorities, in coordination with Department of State Diplomatic Services arrested one of the main subjects of this investigation, Marlon Solis Bonilla. He was transferred to United States custody and escorted by FBI Agents from Managua, Nicaragua to Houston, Texas.
Additionally, in August 2026, Mexican authorities arrested defendants Julian Jauregui, Sergio Jauregui, and Eduardo Navarro in Guadalajara, Mexico. This apprehension operation was facilitated by FBI Legat Mexico City in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service and Secretaría de Seguridad del Estado de Jalisco. All three detained individuals were transported to Mexico Immigration (INM) where they were processed for deportation and subsequently removed to the United States. Three defendants are still at large.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Bakersfield Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Truckee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case.
Mora is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 14, 2026. Mora faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, or twice the amount laundered whichever is greater. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Operator of Fraudulent Prize Insurance Business Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KEVIN KOLENDA, 69, of Norwalk, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to an offense related to his operation of a fraudulent prize insurance business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kolenda has owned and operated Hole-in-Won LLC, Compliance HIW LLC, Hole-in-Won Worldwide, and Hole-in-Won.com (“Hole-in-Won”), which together have provided prize insurance to customers who offered promotions or prizes at events, including golf tournaments and fishing contests. Through its website, www.hole-in-won.com, and other promotional materials, Hole-in-Won claimed to be “the most successful prize insurance company in the world” and to have “paid out 1000’s of awards” to winners throughout the world.
The investigation revealed that, in reality, Kolenda had for years defrauded dozens of organizations and individuals out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. As part of the scheme, victims, often charitable or civic organizations, obtained insurance from Kolenda and Hole-in-Won for one or more prizes at an event. For example, the host of a golf tournament might include a lucrative prize, such as a new car, for any player who hits a hole in one on a specific hole. The victim would complete an insurance contract and pay the insurance premium to Kolenda and Hole-in-Won, and Kolenda and Hole-in-Won would promise to pay out the insurance claim for the cost of the insured prize if there was a winner at the event. If no one won the insured prize at the event, Kolenda and Hole-in-Won would keep the premium.
If someone won the insured prize, however, Kolenda used various fraudulent techniques to avoid payment of the claim. For example, Kolenda, often using various aliases to hide his involvement in the scheme, referred victims to the Hole-in-Won “claims department” at an office in Washington, D.C., which did not exist; made frequent excuses to victims as to why Hole in-Won was delayed in paying out the claim; and threatened victims with bogus legal action and reputational harm if they continued to seek payment of the claim. Ultimately, Kolenda would simply stop responding to correspondence from victims and refused to pay out the cost of the insured prizes. The victim hosts or organizations, or their partners, often paid for the cost of the insured prizes themselves in order to avoid reputational harm and potential legal action.
During the many years Kolenda engaged in his illegal conduct, neither Kolenda nor his entities were licensed to sell insurance products, and, in many states, insurance departments issued cease and desist orders in an effort to stop his illegal sales, warnings that Kolenda ignored. In fact, Kolenda and his businesses have been instructed to cease and desist from selling prize insurance coverage via cease and desist orders, judgments, and other legal documents in Connecticut, Iowa, North Carolina, Washington, Massachusetts, Oregon, Nevada, Virginia, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, California, and Arkansas. In 2011, he was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court of larceny in the first degree and attempt to commit larceny in the third degree and ordered to pay restitution and serve a three-year term of probation. In 2013, he was convicted in Missoula County Justice Court in Montana of one count of acting as an insurance producer without a license and was fined $10,000. In 2014, he was convicted in King County Superior Court in Washington of two counts of engaging in an unauthorized insurance transaction and one count of theft in the first degree and was sentenced to 90 days in prison, and he was again convicted in King County Superior Court in 2016 of attempted theft in the first degree and attempted engaging in an unauthorized insurance transaction, and was sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment.
Kolenda pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on December 15.
Kolenda was arrested on April 5, 2024. While released on bond pending trial, Kolenda violated the conditions of his release by, among other things, continuing to sell prize insurance without an appropriate license to do so, and his bond was revoked. He has been detained since March 6, 2026.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel P. Gordon and Christopher W. Schmeisser.
OnlyFans Content Creator Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that SEATHRA ZMEENA ORR, 39, of Stamford, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Orr worked as a content creator, creating and placing photographic and video content on the internet, including through the paid subscription website OnlyFans. For the 2019 through 2022 tax years, Orr earned more than $3 million in income from posting content on OnlyFans, and OnlyFans issued Orr Forms 1099 that reported non-employee compensation in the amounts of $164,669.96, $801,395, $1,339,900, and $822,400, respectively. However, Orr willfully failed to pay any taxes for those years, failed to file tax returns, and willfully evaded payment of her taxes by using multiple business names, applying for and receiving 12 Employee Identification Numbers (EINs) for these “businesses,” opening 11 “business” bank accounts and eight “personal” bank accounts, and moving money between those accounts without a legitimate business purpose. She also purchased and used cashier’s checks, and used her business bank accounts, to make at least $1.3 million in personal expenditures, including paying rent for her apartment, purchasing luxury vehicles, and buying more than $110,000 in jewelry.
“Many content creators are earning significant income through a variety of online platforms, but it is without question that we all have still have a legal obligation to pay required taxes,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “This prosecution should serve as a warning that no matter how or where you earn your money, you are not absolved from paying taxes on it. Any attempt to intentionally hide earnings and evade the payment of taxes will lead to serious criminal consequences.”
“Today’s guilty plea should send a strong message to all content creators, pay your fair share of taxes or we will find you and ensure that you are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Demeo.” Advances in technology have allowed anyone the opportunity to become an overnight sensation and potential millionaire, but all content creators must remember that all income is taxable income. Paying taxes is the responsibility of every American, no matter what they choose to do for work. When you don’t pay your taxes, you hurt every single American citizen by reducing available funds for schools, road repairs, and social welfare programs.”
Tax evasion carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
The government has calculated that Orr owes more than $1.1 million in restitution to the IRS, and Orr has agreed to pay at least $476,970 in restitution. A final restitution order will be determined by the court.
Orr is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Oklahoma City Man Receives Statutory Maximum Sentence for Illegally Possessing Ammunition Connected to Shooting of Unarmed ManRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – TY LAMONT NELSON, JR., 30, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for unlawful possession of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on July 2, 2024, officers with the Midwest City Police Department responded to a shooting at a residence. A woman at the home told police that Nelson had come to the residence and forced his way inside her bedroom. He then retrieved a rifle from a bag underneath the bed, assembled and loaded it, and shot an unarmed man four times at close range. Nelson then left the residence with the firearm. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he underwent emergency life-saving surgery.
Officers recovered spent shell casings from inside the residence that were consistent with the type of ammunition commonly used by the rifle Nelson was reported to have possessed. At the time of the shooting, Nelson was subject to a protective order in Oklahoma County District Court case number PO-2023-1563 and was thus prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
On August 20, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Nelson with being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition. Nelson pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025, and admitted that he knowingly possessed ammunition that had crossed state lines while subject to a protective order.
At a sentencing hearing on September 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Nelson to serve the maximum sentence, 180 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman found that Nelson’s actions on the morning of July 2, 2024, were premeditated and committed with malice aforethought. In sentencing Nelson, Judge Dishman noted that this was Nelson’s third domestic-related shooting incident, and that out of all the firearm and ammunition possession cases she has seen, she viewed this case differently in light of the violence, cruelty, and impact on the victims.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Midwest City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew E. Davis and Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative to reduce violent crime through coordinated federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partnerships. PSN is a key component of Operation Take Back America (OTBA), the Department’s nationwide effort to combat violent crime and other threats to public safety.
This case is also part of “Operation 922” and “Shots Fired.” “Operation 922” is the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of OTBA that prioritizes the prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. “Shots Fired” targets federal cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, including drive-by shootings and incidents in which shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other criminal conduct.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Northampton County Man Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison for Possession of Unregistered FirearmsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Hayden Laubach, 36, of Bath, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for unlawfully possessing multiple guns.
The defendant was charged by information in April of this year and pleaded guilty in May to one count of possession of nonregistered firearms.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on September 19, 2025, Bushkill Township police officers conducted a vehicle stop of Laubach for an expired registration and suspended license. A search of the defendant’s Toyota 4Runner ensued and resulted in the seizure of ammunition, to include 9mm, .223 caliber, and shotgun shells, loaded AR-15 magazines, two privately made firearms, a short-barreled shotgun, an AR-style short-barreled rifle, and a silencer. The defendant has no current or approved applications on file permitting him to possess the unregistered firearms and silencer.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bushkill Township Police Department, with assistance from the Bethlehem Police Department Bomb Squad, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Dimmig.
Nigerian Man Previously Ordered Removed from U.S. Convicted of Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has found Djamalou Ousseini, 56, of Niger, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Ousseini was indicted on December 17, 2025.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, records maintained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) show that Ousseini, a citizen of Niger, illegally entered the United States in 2000 using a false passport under the name “Abdou Dijbo.” An immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States on April 29, 2008. Ousseini was eventually released from immigration custody in 2008 and was under an Order of Supervision, wherein he was required to check in with immigration officials regularly. Ousseini was never granted lawful status in the United States and never obtained legitimate travel documents, though he was repeatedly instructed to do so. Ousseini stopped communicating with immigration officials in 2022.
On November 5, 2025, at approximately 8:00 a.m., FBI Special Agents and ICE officers arrived at Ousseini’s Indianapolis residence to arrest him on his removal order. When Ousseini answered the door, investigators immediately observed a Smith & Wesson SW40VE .40‑caliber handgun in a holster on his hip. The firearm was loaded with multiple live rounds.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case. U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon presided over the trial and will sentence Ousseini at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked the prosecution team—Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, Paralegal Specialist Sarah Helbig, and Systems Manager Kathy Wells—for their work on the case.
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Multiple defendants indicted for immigration violationsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants have been indicted by the September term of the federal Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia for Re-entry after Removal or Deportation, a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.
Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced the indictments. Those facing federal charges include:
- Marla Irene Barrientos-Bustillo, 33, a citizen of Honduras, illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Glynn County.
- Francisco Campos Chino, 40, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Glynn County.
- Gerialan Humberto Cruz-Dionicio, 32, a citizen of Honduras illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Richmond County.
- Alejandro Lara Del Los Santos, 41, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., apprehended in McDuffie County.
- Sergio Mendez-Tuxtla, 50, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Chatham County.
- Edwin Antonio Pacheco-Rivera, 35, a citizen of Honduras illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Glynn County.
- Gaspar Ramirez-Diego, 21, a citizen of Guatemala illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Chatham County.
- Omar Rubio-Figueroa, 45, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Camden County.
Reentry after Removal or Deportation charges carry statutory penalties of up to two years in prison, followed by referral to immigration authorities for deportation. If a defendant’s removal is subsequent to a felony or aggravated felony, statutory penalties can be significantly more severe.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and local law enforcement agencies and are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia C. Brame, Joshua Kyle Davis, Thomas M. Kent, Steven T. Poland, Kelsey L. Scanlon, and Darron J. Hubbard.
Mozambican receives lengthy federal prison sentence for money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Mozambican has been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for a money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Norolamin Gulam, 53, a national of Mozambique living in Portugal, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on September 15, 2026. Gulam was also ordered to pay a money judgement of $7.5 million.
According to information presented in court, since 2021, Gulam was identified as the leader of a transnational money laundering organization with connections and ties throughout Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, the United States, and Central and South America. Gulam used multiple businesses and real estate ventures to launder multi-million dollar amounts of drug proceeds. It is believed Gulam was responsible for laundering a minimum of $500 million in U.S. currency.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas; and the DEA Bilateral Investigations Unit - Special Operations Division, Virginia, with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Mobile County Woman Sentenced to 84 Months’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Amanda Michelle Guy was sentenced on September 14, 2026, by Chief United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock, to 84 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl.
Court documents established that, on October 5, 2022, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency used a confidential informant to purchase 15.06 grams of fentanyl from Guy. Eight days later, MCSO deputies seized 18.08 grams of pure methamphetamine from a vehicle Guy was driving. On January 26, 2023, MCSO deputies executed arrest warrants for Guy at a home in Mobile County. During the arrest deputies seized small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from a shed on the property, along with two digital scales used to weigh drugs.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George F. May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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 Mobile comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and other federal and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Using Stolen Identification to Buy CarsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Tuesday sentenced a man to 51 months in prison for using stolen personal information he obtained on the dark web to buy five vehicles worth $333,000 at dealers around the country.
Judge Clark also ordered Michael Calvin, 45, to pay $193,000 in restitution. Some of the vehicles have not been recovered and the dealers incurred costs in recovering others.
Calvin purchased victims’ stolen personal information and a template of a Missouri driver’s license on the dark web and then created fake licenses and identification cards to use in his scheme. From Nov. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2024, Calvin used fake identification and the stolen personal information to purchase cars online, as shown below:
DateVehicle LocationPrice Nov. 1, 2023 Chevrolet CamaroIowa$45,122 Feb. 24, 2024Jeep CherokeeWisconsin$43,967April 29, 2024Dodge Charger HellcatTennessee$90,785July 8, 2024Chevrolet CorvetteOklahoma$61,175Aug. 2, 2024Dodge DurangoWisconsin$92,921Calvin was shot in St. Louis on Aug. 13, 2024, while trying to sell the Durango, according to court documents. He was living at a Rolla motel at the time of his arrest. He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service; the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; the Ohio State Highway Patrol; and police departments in Eureka, Independence, Raymore, Richmond Heights, Rolla and St. Ann in Missouri; as well as Davenport, Iowa; El Reno, Okla.; Fond du Lac, Wisc.; and Lombard, Ill. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy prosecuted the case.
Members of Russian Intelligence Services Network Charged with Conspiring to Finance Terrorism and Commit Murder for Hire in the United StatesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today the unsealing of charges against five individuals working for the intelligence services of the Russian Federation to conduct attacks and murders around the world, including in the United States. As detailed in the unsealed indictment, the network is alleged to have, among other things, paid and attempted to pay individuals within the United States and elsewhere to conduct pre-operational surveillance and carry out targeted killings, and commissioned associates to commit and attempt to commit acts of terrorism against civilian and military infrastructure in European countries that are aligned, or perceived to be aligned, with Ukraine. The defendants remain at large.
“It is our job to stop America’s adversaries from unleashing violence and terror on American soil,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “And that’s precisely what we are doing thanks to the work of the FBI and our Justice Department prosecutors.”
“The charges announced reveal an alleged plot by the Russian intelligence services to murder a dissident on U.S. soil for daring to speak out against the Russian government,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As alleged in the indictment, this plot exposes the lengths to which our adversaries will go to silence its critics and illustrates the grave threat transnational repression poses to the lives and freedoms of all who challenge authoritarian regimes. The FBI is committed to defending the free speech of everyone within our homeland and will not tolerate any attempts by foreign governments to violate our laws and threaten our freedoms.”
“These defendants allegedly operated as part of a global assassination network that reached into the United States, attempting to recruit U.S. citizens and foreigners to carry out killings at the behest of the Kremlin,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Actions like these represent a gross violation of our sovereignty and a threat to our national security. We will stamp out any foreign intelligence services’ attempt to operate freely in our great Nation, and we will not rest until they and their enablers suffer the most severe consequences that federal law can levy.”
“We will not tolerate efforts to finance terrorist activities and engage in acts of violence — particularly when these activities are commissioned by state actors and touch American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York. “As alleged, the defendants, working for the intelligence services of Russia, conspired to cause destruction and mayhem around the world, including right here in the United States. The Russian-led network charged in today’s indictment is brazen, aggressive, and far-reaching, and the charges levied against the defendants should send a clear message: no matter where you are, and no matter who you work for, we will investigate and prosecute you for your crimes. I thank our partners at the FBI who work tirelessly to protect our communities and am grateful that our law enforcement partners neutralized this deadly and outrageous threat.”
“As alleged in this indictment, members of the Russian Intelligence Services and their affiliates conspired to intimidate, threaten, or murder people on U.S. soil and around the world,” said Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office James C. Barnacle Jr. “The FBI disrupted this operation through relentless work and rock-solid partnership. The FBI is committed to confronting transnational repression wherever it occurs and protecting those targeted for exercising their fundamental rights. We thank the multiple FBI Field Offices and the U.S. Attorney’s Office whose coordination and commitment made this disruption possible.”
“The charges announced today represent the culmination of extraordinary work by multiple FBI field offices, components, and partner agencies that collectively disrupted Russia’s attempts to conduct violent acts in our nation’s capital and throughout the United States,” said Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Darren B. Cox. “When this threat was identified, the Washington Field Office and our partners moved quickly to disrupt the plot and hold the Russian government accountable for its actions. Our message is clear: any foreign intelligence service that attempts to direct violence inside the United States will face an unrelenting and coordinated response from the FBI and our partners to protect the homeland.”
As reflected in the indictment unsealed today:
Since at least 2024, a network of individuals working for the intelligence services of the Russian Federation (the “RIS Network”) has conspired to conduct and conducted attacks and murders around the world, including within the United States. The RIS Network is one arm of the Russian Federation’s apparatus to carry out external attacks, including murder, and has focused on Russian dissidents and defectors and, most recently, on nations perceived as allies of Ukraine. Most recently, members of the RIS Network have attempted to recruit multiple individuals within the United States to carry out pre-operational surveillance and murder within this country.
Three of the defendants are high-ranking members of the RIS Network. Those three defendants are: Yuri Khrameev, also known as “Colonel Yuri,” 63, of Russia, a former colonel in the Russian intelligence services who has participated in the recruitment of multiple individuals to commit murder against perceived Russian dissidents; Kirill Khrameev, 27, of Russia, an officer in the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) and Yuri Khrameev’s son; and Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, 35, a Cuban national who is an influential member of the Cuban diaspora living in Russia who has coordinated attacks for the RIS Network. Two additional members of the RIS Network who are charged in the indictment are Yaidel Delgado Suarez, also known as “Viking,” 35, of Cuba, who is a prolific recruiter for the RIS Network and who has recruited or attempted to recruit multiple individuals in the United States; and Angel Eduardo Castro, 22, of Venezuela, who participated with Suarez in the recruitment of U.S.-based individuals to surveil and attempt to murder a prominent U.S.-based Russian dissident (Victim-1).
The RIS Network has allegedly carried out or conspired to carry out multiple schemes around the world. Most recently, this summer, the RIS Network recruited an individual based in the United States (U.S. Resident-1) to surveil and murder a prominent Russian dissident they believed to be residing in the United States. Among other things, Suarez sent U.S. Resident-1 two locations associated with Victim-1 to surveil; provided U.S. Resident-1 with explicit instructions on how to conduct surveillance; and promised U.S. Resident-1 between $1,000 and $1,500 dollars to carry out the pre-operational surveillance. In turn, U.S. Resident-1 conducted the requested surveillance and passed back to Suarez multiple photographs and videos of locations associated with Victim-1. Suarez and Castro further offered U.S. Resident-1 $40,000 to “eliminate” or “disappear” Victim-1 and, when U.S. Resident-1told them that he did not want to carry out the murder by his own hand, asked U.S. Resident-1 if he knew “someone [who] can do the work.” Suarez also told U.S. Resident-1 that he had “people in Mexico” who could otherwise carry out the murder, but they were delayed in doing so. In addition, Suarez attempted to recruit multiple other individuals within the United States to conduct pre-operational surveillance and murder Victim-1 and other potential targets within the United States and offered them substantial sums of money to carry out the targeting of the U.S. based victims.
The alleged attempted murder of Victim-1 is the latest in the RIS Network’s efforts. Last year, as alleged in the indictment, the RIS Network solicited a U.S. Citizen (U.S. Citizen-1) to surveil and murder an individual located in Lithuania (Victim-2) who the RIS Network described as a “bad guy” who was “telling lies about Russia.” Kirill Khrameev first recruited U.S. Citizen-1 to travel to Victim-2’s purported address and take pictures. After U.S. Citizen-1 accepted and completed the assignment in exchange for a promise of $200, Kirill Khrameev introduced U.S. Citizen-1 to someone he described as his “boss” and a “colonel,” later identified as Yuri Khrameev. Yuri Khrameev then offered U.S. Citizen-1 approximately $25,000 to “kill him” — that is, Victim-2. Yuri Khrameev further told U.S. Citizen-1 that they wanted Victim-2 dead because he was “spreading dirt about my country” and “distorting history.” Yuri Khrameev then sent U.S. Citizen-1 a photograph of Victim-2 and described that he could be murdered by “throwing a bottle of gasoline” or “sticking a knife” in him. After U.S. Citizen-1 declined to carry out the murder, Yuri Khrameev offered to give him a “simpler job” which could include “set[ting] fire to a warehouse of property or food” or “throw[ing] a bottle of gasoline at an electrical substation.” Yuri Khrameev made clear to U.S. Citizen-1 that the purpose was to target “all the countries that are helping Ukraine” and that he was offering “serious money for serious work.” Finally, Yuri Khrameev confirmed that he was a “colonel of Russian intelligence agencies.”
The RIS Network has also allegedly recruited others to carry out acts of terrorism overseas. Oemis Romagoza Durruthy coordinated travel and logistics for the network. In or about June 2024, Durruthy coordinated an attack in Prague, Czechia, including by sending another participant potential attack sites and facilitating that participant’s travel. In or about September 2024, Durruthy coordinated another attack in Lithuania in which he booked travel reservations for another individual involved in the attack and had frequent and ongoing communications with an individual involved in the attack. Durruthy also communicated with Yuri Khrameev in or about November 2025, during which Durruthy obtained media of one of Victim-1’s dwellings, which was ultimately surveilled by U.S. Resident-1 this year.
Yuri Khrameev, Kirill Khrameev, Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, Yaidel Delgado Suarez, and Angel Eduardo Castro are all charged with participating in a conspiracy to finance terrorism (Count One), which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Yuri Khrameev, Suarez, and Castro are also charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit murder for hire (Count Two), which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The Counterintelligence Division of the FBI New York Field Office investigated the case, with the significant assistance of the Washington Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Coyle, Kaylan E. Lasky, Adam Margulies, and Jason A. Richman for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Andrew Briggs of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Trial Attorney Yifei Zheng of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Members of Russian Intelligence Services Network Charged with Conspiring to Finance Terrorism and Commit Murder for Hire in the United StatesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Attorney General for the United States, Todd Blanche, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Kash Patel, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the FBI, Darren B. Cox, announced today the unsealing of charges against five individuals working for the intelligence services of the Russian Federation to conduct attacks and murders around the world, including in the United States. As detailed in the unsealed indictment, the network is alleged to have, among other things, paid and attempted to pay individuals within the United States and elsewhere to conduct pre-operational surveillance and carry out targeted killings, and commissioned associates to commit and attempted to commit acts of terrorism against civilian and military infrastructure in European countries that are aligned, or perceived to be aligned, with Ukraine. The defendants remain at large.
“We will not tolerate efforts to finance terrorist activities and engage in acts of violence—particularly when these activities are commissioned by state actors and touch American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “As alleged, the defendants, working for the intelligence services of Russia, conspired to cause destruction and mayhem around the world, including right here in the United States. The Russian-led network charged in today’s indictment is brazen, aggressive, and far-reaching, and the charges levied against the defendants should send a clear message: no matter where you are, and no matter who you work for, we will investigate and prosecute you for your crimes. I thank our partners at the FBI who work tirelessly to protect our communities and am grateful that our law enforcement partners neutralized this deadly and outrageous threat.”
“It is our job to stop America’s adversaries from unleashing violence and terror on American soil,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “And that’s precisely what we are doing thanks to the work of the FBI and our Justice Department prosecutors.”
“These defendants allegedly operated as part of a global assassination network that reached into the United States, attempting to recruit U.S. citizens and foreigners to carry out killings at the behest of the Kremlin,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Actions like these represent a gross violation of our sovereignty and a threat to our national security. We will stamp out any foreign intelligence services’ attempt to operate freely in our great Nation, and we will not rest until they and their enablers suffer the most severe consequences that federal law can levy.”
“The charges announced reveal an alleged plot by the Russian intelligence services to murder a dissident on U.S. soil for daring to speak out against the Russian government,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. "As alleged in the indictment, this plot exposes the lengths to which our adversaries will go to silence its critics and illustrates the grave threat transnational repression poses to the lives and freedoms of all who challenge authoritarian regimes. The FBI is committed to defending the free speech of everyone within our homeland and will not tolerate any attempts by foreign governments to violate our laws and threaten our freedoms.”
“As alleged in this indictment, members of the Russian Intelligence Services and their affiliates conspired to intimidate, threaten, or murder people on U.S. soil and around the world,” said Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI disrupted this operation through relentless work and rock-solid partnership. The FBI is committed to confronting transnational repression wherever it occurs and protecting those targeted for exercising their fundamental rights. We thank the multiple FBI Field Offices and the United States Attorney's Office whose coordination and commitment made this disruption possible.”
“The charges announced today represent the culmination of extraordinary work by multiple FBI field offices, components, and partner agencies that collectively disrupted Russia’s attempts to conduct violent acts in our nation’s capital and throughout the United States,” said Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Darren B. Cox. “When this threat was identified, the Washington Field Office and our partners moved quickly to disrupt the plot and hold the Russian government accountable for its actions. Our message is clear: any foreign intelligence service that attempts to direct violence inside the United States will face an unrelenting and coordinated response from the FBI and our partners to protect the homeland.”
As reflected in the Indictment unsealed today:(1)
Since at least in or about 2024, a network of individuals working for the intelligence services of the Russian Federation (the “RIS Network”) has conspired to conduct and conducted attacks and murder around the world, including within the United States. The RIS Network is one arm of the Russian Federation’s apparatus to carry out external attacks, including murder, around the world, which has focused on Russian dissidents and defectors and, most recently, on nations perceived as allies of Ukraine. Most recently, members of the RIS Network have attempted to recruit multiple individuals within the United States to carry out pre-operational surveillance and murder within this country.
Three of the defendants are high-ranking members of the RIS Network. Those three defendants are: YURI KHRAMEEV, a/k/a “Colonel Yuri,” a former colonel in the Russian intelligence services who has participated in the recruitment of multiple individuals to commit murder against perceived Russian dissidents; KIRILL KHRAMEEV, an officer in the Federal Security Service of Russia (“FSB”) and YURI KHRAMEEV’s son; and OEMIS ROMAGOZA DURRUTHY, a Cuban national who is an influential member of the Cuban diaspora living in Russia who has coordinated attacks for the RIS Network. Two additional members of the RIS Network who are charged in the Indictment are YAIDEL DELGADO SUAREZ, a/k/a “Viking,” who is a prolific recruiter for the RIS Network and who has recruited or attempted to recruit multiple individuals in the United States; and ANGEL EDUARDO CASTRO, who participated with SUAREZ in the recruitment of U.S.-based individuals to surveil and attempt to murder a prominent U.S.-based Russian dissident (“Victim-1”).
The RIS Network has allegedly carried out or conspired to carry out multiple schemes around the world. Most recently, this summer, the RIS Network recruited an individual based in the United States (“U.S. Resident-1”) to surveil and murder a prominent Russian dissident they believed to be residing in the United States. Among other things, SUAREZ sent U.S. Resident-1 two locations associated with Victim-1 to surveil; provided U.S. Resident-1 with explicit instructions on how to conduct surveillance; and promised U.S. Resident-1 between $1,000 and $1,500 to carry out the pre-operational surveillance. In turn, U.S. Resident-1 conducted the requested surveillance and passed back to SUAREZ multiple photographs and videos of locations associated with Victim-1. SUAREZ and CASTRO further offered U.S. Resident-1 $40,000 to “eliminate” or “disappear” Victim-1 and, when U.S. Resident-1 told them that he did not want to carry out the murder by his own hand, asked U.S. Resident-1 if he knew “someone [who] can do the work.” SUAREZ also told U.S. Resident-1 that he had “people in Mexico” who could otherwise carry out the murder, but they were delayed in doing so. In addition, SUAREZ attempted to recruit multiple other individuals within the United States to conduct pre-operational surveillance and murder Victim-1 and other potential targets within the United States, and offered them substantial sums of money to carry out the targeting of the U.S.-based victims.
The alleged attempted murder of Victim-1 is the latest in the RIS Network’s efforts. Last year, as alleged in the Indictment, the RIS Network solicited a U.S. Citizen (“U.S. Citizen-1”) to surveil and murder an individual located in Lithuania (“Victim-2”) who the RIS Network described as a “bad guy” who was “telling lies about Russia.” KIRILL KHRAMEEV first recruited U.S. Citizen-1 to travel to Victim-2’s purported address and take pictures. After U.S. Citizen-1 accepted and completed the assignment in exchange for a promise of $200, KIRILL KHRAMEEV introduced U.S. Citizen-1 to someone he described as his “boss” and a “colonel,” later identified as YURI KHRAMEEV. YURI KHRAMEEV then offered U.S. Citizen-1 approximately $25,000 to kill Victim-2. YURI KHRAMEEV further told U.S. Citizen-1 that they wanted Victim-2 dead because he was “spreading dirt about my country” and “distorting history.” YURI KHRAMEEV then sent U.S. Citizen-1 a photograph of Victim-2 and described that he could be murdered by “throwing a bottle of gasoline” or “sticking a knife” in him. After U.S. Citizen-1 declined to carry out the murder, YURI KHRAMEEV offered instead to give him a “simpler job” which could include “set[ting] fire to a warehouse of property or food” or “throw[ing] a bottle of gasoline at an electrical substation.” YURI KHRAMEEV made clear to U.S. Citizen-1 that the purpose was to target “all the countries that are helping Ukraine” and that he was offering “serious money for serious work.” Finally, YURI KHRAMEEV confirmed that he was a “colonel of Russian intelligence agencies.”
Overseas, the RIS Network has also allegedly recruited others to carry out acts of terrorism. One key member of the RIS Network who is involved in this overseas effort is OEMIS ROMAGOZA DURRUTHY, who coordinated travel and logistics for the RIS Network. In or about June 2024, DURRUTHY coordinated an attack in Prague, Czechia, including by sending to another participant potential attack sites and facilitating that participant’s travel. In or about September 2024, DURRUTHY coordinated another attack in Lithuania, in which he, again, booked travel reservations for another individual involved in the attack, and had frequent and ongoing communications with an individual involved in the attack. DURRUTHY also communicated with YURI KHRAMEEV in or about November 2025, during which time period DURRUTHY obtained media of one of Victim-1’s dwellings, which was ultimately surveilled by U.S. Resident-1 this year.
* * *
YURI KHRAMEEV, a/k/a “Colonel Yuri,” 63, of Russia, KIRILL KHRAMEEV, 27, of Russia, OEMIS ROMAGOZA DURRUTHY, 35, of Cuba, YAIDEL DELGADO SUAREZ, a/k/a “Viking,” 35, of Cuba, and ANGEL EDUARDO CASTRO, 22, of Venezuela, are all charged with participating in a conspiracy to finance terrorism (Count One), which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. YURI KHRAMEEV, SUAREZ, and CASTRO are also charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit murder for hire (Count Two), which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding efforts of the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s New York Field Office. Mr. McDonald also thanked the FBI’s Washington Field Office for their significant assistance, as well as Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle, Kaylan E. Lasky, Adam Margulies, and Jason A. Richman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Andrew Briggs of the Counterterrorism Section and Trial Attorney Yifei Zheng of the Counterespionage Section.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
^
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Marion Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering S.C. EMS WorkerRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Jaremy Alexander Smith, 35, of Marion, has pleaded guilty to the 2024 kidnapping, carjacking, and murder of a Florence County EMS worker.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on March 13, 2024, Smith entered the home of Phonesia Machado-Fore in Marion where he kidnapped her and took her to a remote location near Nichols. Once there, Smith executed Machado-Fore behind an abandoned house while she was bound and blindfolded. Smith then drove Machado-Fore’s car back to her residence where he stole several firearms that he later sold. Smith then drove the stolen car to New Mexico, where he killed New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Officer Justin Hare on March 15, 2024. In April 2025, Smith was sentenced to life in prison in the District of New Mexico for killing the NMSP Officer.
“The senseless murders of Ms. Machado-Fore and NMSP Officer Hare were shocking and heartbreaking,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Now, thanks to a multi-state law enforcement investigation, Smith faces accountability for these two heinous acts. We offer our continued condolences to both families as they heal and remember their loved ones.”
“The defendant’s violent and horrific attacks on two first responders sent shockwaves throughout South Carolina and New Mexico,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Anish Shukla. “While his acceptance of responsibility cannot bring back Ms. Machado‑Fore or Officer Hare, we truly hope their families and friends can start healing knowing that the defendant is being held fully accountable for his despicable actions.”
Smith faces a mandatory penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and a term of supervision to follow imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson III accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Smith after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Christopher Lietzow are prosecuting the case with support from DOJ’s Capital Case Section Trial Attorneys Barry Disney, Julie Adams and Aria Merle.
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Mandan, ND, Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Stealing $304,000 from Local Non-Profit OrganizationRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that Andrea Jo Bonness, age 56, from Mandan, North Dakota, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland to a felony charge of Wire Fraud for stealing from a Mandan non-profit organization while providing accounting services.
According to court documents, between April 1, 2025, and February 24, 2026, while employed as an accountant who provided payroll and charitable gaming audit services for non-profit clients, Bonness fraudulently accessed client bank accounts and transferred approximately $304,070.40 to her personal bank account to pay for online gambling.
Sentencing in this case is scheduled for January 14, 2027, at 2:30 p.m. in Bismarck before United States District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek.
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.
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Maduro Regime Ally Alex Saab Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Scheme Involving Bribery and Public Contracts for Food and MedicineRead the Press Release
Alex Nain Saab Moran, 54, of Caracas, Venezuela, and formerly of Baranquilla, Colombia, a former Minister of Industry in the regime of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to launder proceeds of a massive bribery and fraud scheme in Venezuela and the United States.The plea was heard by U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams in Miami.
According to court documents, Saab carried out a nearly decade-long conspiracy to corruptly profit from a Venezuelan public welfare program for food and medicine known as Comité Local de Abastecimiento y Producción (CLAP). As part of the plea, Saab admitted to organizing a system of bribes and other illegal payments to public officials so entities secretly controlled by the conspirators could be awarded lucrative contracts from the Venezuelan government to import food and medicine under the auspices of the CLAP. The conspirators neglected to deliver in full on the contracts, and instead used fake companies, false invoices, false shipping records, and other fraudulent documents to skim hundreds of millions of dollars for themselves and their associates, as well to conceal their association with the illegal activity and avoid detection. Saab further admitted that he used shell companies outside of Venezuela to launder proceeds of the conspiracy around the world, including to the United States.
“Criminals like Alex Saab who stole from the people of Venezuela and worked to exploit and misuse American financial institutions to fund illicit activities will be held accountable by this FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The message is clear – under the leadership of the Trump administration, this FBI will work with our partners to deploy all necessary resources to protect the integrity of U.S. financial institutions and track down those who profit from these criminal operations.”
“Alex Saab exploited the U.S. financial system to profit off the backs of the Venezuelan people,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He created a complex web of front companies, shell accounts, and false records to perpetuate his scheme, win lucrative public contracts, and line his own pockets as well as his conspirators. The Criminal Division has held Saab accountable and will do the same for others seeking to abuse the U.S. economy for their own gain.”
“Today’s plea agreement signifies a substantial disruption to the illicit financial networks supporting narcoterrorism and political corruption,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Terry Cole. “DEA has long investigated the financial crimes and networks tied to Alex Saab and his relationship to the former Maduro regime. Thanks to this Administration’s support of law enforcement and DEA’s relentless pressure, Alex Saab will again be brought to justice in the United States.”
“In December 2023, President Biden granted Alex Saab clemency while he was awaiting trial in this district, and Saab was released from federal custody and returned to Venezuela. But that was not the end of the story,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Our office built a new criminal case, secured a new indictment in January 2026, and, working with our federal and international partners, brought Saab back before a federal court in Miami on May 18. Today, he is accepting responsibility for his crimes. Saab exploited programs intended to provide critical food and medicine to the Venezuelan people, bribed government officials, and used shell companies and the U.S. financial system to move and conceal criminal proceeds. This case sends a clear message: political connections, wealth, and proximity to a corrupt regime will not put anyone beyond the reach of American justice.”
Saab pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. A sentencing date has not been set. Saab faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA Miami Field Division is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Miami Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter.
Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
This 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 Miami comprises of agents and officers from the DEA’s Miami Office, FBI’s Miami Office, and HSI Miami Office.
Maduro Regime Ally Alex Saab Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Scheme Involving Bribery and Public Contracts for Food and MedicineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Alex Nain Saab Moran, 54, of Caracas, Venezuela, and formerly of Baranquilla, Colombia, a former Minister of Industry in the regime of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to launder proceeds of a massive bribery and fraud scheme in Venezuela and the U.S. The plea was heard by U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams.
According to court documents, Saab carried out a nearly decade-long conspiracy to corruptly profit from a Venezuelan public welfare program for food and medicine known as Comité Local de Abastecimiento y Producción (CLAP). As part of the plea, Saab admitted to organizing a system of bribes and other illegal payments to public officials so entities secretly controlled by the conspirators could be awarded lucrative contracts from the Venezuelan government to import food and medicine under the auspices of the CLAP. The conspirators neglected to deliver in full on the contracts, and instead used fake companies, false invoices, false shipping records, and other fraudulent documents to skim hundreds of millions of dollars for themselves and their associates, as well to conceal their association with the illegal activity and avoid detection. Saab further admitted that he used shell companies outside of Venezuela to launder proceeds of the conspiracy around the world, including to the U.S.
“Criminals like Alex Saab who stole from the people of Venezuela and worked to exploit and misuse American financial institutions to fund illicit activities will be held accountable by this FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The message is clear – under the leadership of the Trump administration, this FBI will work with our partners to deploy all necessary resources to protect the integrity of U.S. financial institutions and track down those who profit from these criminal operations.”
“Alex Saab exploited the U.S. financial system to profit off the backs of the Venezuelan people,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He created a complex web of front companies, shell accounts, and false records to perpetuate his scheme, win lucrative public contracts, and line his own pockets as well as his conspirators. The Criminal Division has held Saab accountable and will do the same for others seeking to abuse the U.S. economy for their own gain.”
“Today’s plea agreement signifies a substantial disruption to the illicit financial networks supporting narcoterrorism and political corruption,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Terry Cole. “DEA has long investigated the financial crimes and networks tied to Alex Saab and his relationship to the former Maduro regime. Thanks to this Administration’s support of law enforcement and DEA’s relentless pressure, Alex Saab will again be brought to justice in the United States.”
“In December 2023, President Biden granted Alex Saab clemency while he was awaiting trial in this District, and Saab was released from federal custody and returned to Venezuela. But that was not the end of the story,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Our Office built a new criminal case, secured a new indictment in January 2026, and, working with our federal and international partners, brought Saab back before a federal court in Miami on May 18. Today, he is accepting responsibility for his crimes. Saab exploited programs intended to provide critical food and medicine to the Venezuelan people, bribed government officials, and used shell companies and the U.S. financial system to move and conceal criminal proceeds. This case sends a clear message: political connections, wealth, and proximity to a corrupt regime will not put anyone beyond the reach of American justice.”
Saab pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. A sentencing date has not been set. Saab faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA Miami Field Division is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Miami Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida and Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
This 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 Miami comprises of agents and officers from the DEA’s Miami Office, FBI’s Miami Office, and HSI Miami Office.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 26-cr-20020.
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Middle District of Louisiana Joins DOJ Fraud Division, Sba, and Sba OIG in Surge Takedown Exceeding $245 Million in COVID-Era Loan FraudRead the Press Release
The Middle District of Louisiana announced multiple charges and guilty pleas as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) targeting fraud on the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.
U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall stated, “Millions of taxpayer dollars have been wrongfully obtained through fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Our office is committed to finding those who have scammed the system, and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent possible.”
In the Middle District of Louisiana, seventeen (17) defendants have been prosecuted as part of this takedown for PPP-related fraud involving approximately $5 million in alleged intended or actual losses.
Charges Announced
Jovan Renee Darbonne: Jovan Renee Darbonne, age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged on August 31, 2026, in a Bill of Information with one count of making false statements to a financial institution and has indicated her intent to waive indictment and plead guilty. According to the charging document, Darbonne allegedly submitted fictitious 2020 IRS Form 941s on behalf of LA Educational Fund, LLC to a bank in support of a Paycheck Protection Program loan application, despite knowing the forms were fraudulent and had never been filed with the IRS. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Vick is prosecuting the case.
Brelle Ford and Rydell Banks, Jr.: Brelle Ford, age 34, of Geismar, Louisiana, and Rydell Banks, Jr., age 28, of Geismar, Louisiana, were indicted on August 26, 2026, on charges arising from an alleged multi-year scheme to fraudulently obtain federal emergency relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and FEMA disaster assistance. According to the indictment, Ford and Banks allegedly conspired to submit false applications and supporting documents for pandemic and Hurricane Ida relief, including fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications in the names of multiple businesses, fictitious leases and receipts, and FEMA claims falsely asserting property damage. The indictment further alleges that the defendants used interstate wires to obtain FEMA deposits and made false statements to federally insured financial institutions in connection with second‑draw PPP loan applications. Ford is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and making a false statement to a bank, while Banks is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, and making a false statement to a bank. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth E. White is prosecuting the case.
Michelle Jackson and Ryachenelle L. Morris: Michelle W. Jackson, age 52, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, and Ryachanelle L. Morris, age 29, of Vacherie, Louisiana, were indicted on August 12, 2026, for their alleged roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID‑19 pandemic relief and unemployment insurance benefits. According to the indictment, Jackson and Morris purportedly conspired with others to submit false PPP, EIDL, and unemployment applications using fabricated tax records, falsified payroll information, and misrepresentations about employment history and business operations, enabling them to gain or attempt to gain control of more than $289,000 in federal relief funds. Jackson is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud, and Morris is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The indictment further alleges that Jackson used interstate wires to deposit PPP funds into bank accounts she controlled and that both defendants used the fraudulently obtained funds for personal expenses, including food, shopping, travel, and vehicle rentals. Assistant United States Attorney John B. Casey is prosecuting the case.
Cedrick Kelly: Cedrick Kelly, age 45, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was indicted on August 12, 2026, on one count of wire fraud for allegedly obtaining a $20,833 Paycheck Protection Program loan through a fraudulent application submitted in April 2021. According to the indictment, Kelly purportedly falsely overstated his business income and provided a fictitious 2019 Schedule C tax form to support his claim, despite knowing the information was untrue. Based on these misrepresentations, an SBA‑approved lender wired the PPP loan proceeds to Kelly’s bank account in the Middle District of Louisiana, funds that he was not entitled to receive. Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, who also serves as District Fraud Counsel, is prosecuting the case.
Elton R. Kelly: Elton R. Kelly, age 46, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was indicted on August 12, 2026, on one count of wire fraud for allegedly submitting a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan application in May 2021. According to the indictment, Kelly purportedly overstated his business income, misrepresented his criminal history, and submitted a fictitious 2019 Schedule C tax form falsely claiming more than $99,000 in gross receipts. Based on these misrepresentations, an SBA‑approved lender wired $20,732 in PPP funds to Kelly’s bank account in the Middle District of Louisiana, money he was not entitled to receive. Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, who also serves as District Fraud Counsel, is prosecuting the case.
Chris Plant, Jr.: On June 17, 2026, Chris Plant, Jr., age 39, of White Castle, Louisiana, a local preacher, was indicted for wire fraud and for making a false statement to a bank. As set forth in the indictment, Plant allegedly devised a scheme to defraud a financial institution by filing false and fraudulent applications for PPP funds. In furtherance of the scheme, Plant allegedly submitted fraudulent and misleading documents, including fictitious 2019 and 2020 Schedule C tax forms, which falsely represented Plant’s gross receipts, expenses, and net profits for applicant businesses. Based on Plant’s purportedly false representations and fraudulent supporting materials, the financial institution approved and funded four PPP loans for a total amount of $77,081. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth E. White is prosecuting the case.
Marvin Richardson: Marvin Richardson, age 29, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was indicted on August 20, 2026, on two counts of wire fraud for allegedly obtaining more than $28,000 in fraudulent pandemic‑relief funds through the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to the indictment, Richardson submitted multiple false applications between July 2020 and May 2021, falsely overstating business revenues, employee counts, and income, and providing fabricated tax documents to support his claims. Based on these misrepresentations, Richardson received an $8,000 EIDL advance and a $20,832 PPP loan, which were transmitted to his bank account in the Middle District of Louisiana. Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, who also serves as the District Fraud Counsel, is prosecuting the case.
Guilty Pleas and Sentences Announced
Keerria Anderson: On August 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Keerria Anderson, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to two years of supervised release after Anderson pled guilty to wire fraud. Anderson worked for the U.S. Postal Service between March 2016 and at least October 2022. Between July 2020 and at least October 2021, Anderson devised a scheme to defraud the United States, through the SBA and two financial institutions, by submitting applications for an EIDL and two PPP loans that contained false representations and documentation regarding her purported businesses and gross revenues and income. As part of her sentence, Judge Jackson also ordered Anderson to pay $50,962.00 as restitution to the SBA. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Thornhill prosecuted the case.
Lashae M. Bell and Johntrell Jamar White: On July 9 and July 28, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Lashae M. Bell, age 33, of Gonzales, Louisiana, and Johntrell Jamar White, age 32, of Simmesport, Louisiana, to 30 months and 27 months in federal prison, respectively, after each pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in a scheme to defraud multiple COVID‑19 pandemic relief programs. Bell and White submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance applications in their own names and in the names of others to numerous state workforce agencies and to Puerto Rico, and Bell also obtained Paycheck Protection Program funds through false statements. Judge Jackson ordered Bell to pay $851,241 in restitution and imposed a forfeiture money judgment of $164,891. The court also ordered White to pay $830,409 in restitution with a forfeiture money judgment of $135,300. According to their plea agreements, the defendants’ fraudulent claims caused state workforce agencies and the SBA to disburse hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal pandemic relief funds to which they were not entitled. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth E. White prosecuted the case.
Daysha Blount: Daysha Renee Blount, age 34, of Gonzales, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 13, 2026, to one count of wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining more than $83,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loan proceeds. According to court documents, Blount submitted four PPP loan applications in 2021—three in her own name and one on behalf of a company—using fabricated tax forms and altered bank records to falsely claim significant business income. She later submitted forgiveness applications containing additional false statements, resulting in all four loans being forgiven. Blount is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Vick is prosecuting the case.
Makyro Ferguson, Maletica Ferguson, and Vanshion Byrd: Maletica V. Ferguson, age 49; Vanshion J. Byrd, age 51; and Makyro V. Ferguson, age 26, all of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud following their February 11, 2026 indictment for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and unemployment insurance programs. According to court documents, the defendants and their co‑conspirators submitted numerous false applications supported by fabricated tax forms, altered bank records, and other fraudulent information, causing the disbursement of significant federal relief funds to which they were not entitled. Maletica Ferguson and Vanshion Byrd entered their guilty pleas on July 7, 2026, and Makyro Ferguson pled guilty on July 21, 2026. All three defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson on December 3, 2026. Assistant United States Attorney John B. Casey is prosecuting the case.
Lonell Taylor: Lonell Taylor, 32, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced on June 30, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to five months in federal prison and ordered to pay $126,985.16 in restitution after pleading guilty to wire fraud and fraud to obtain federal employees’ compensation. According to her plea agreement, Taylor was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service who falsely claimed for years that she had no outside income while receiving workers’ compensation benefits, despite actively operating two businesses and earning income. Taylor also devised a scheme to obtain pandemic-related Paycheck Protection Program funds by submitting multiple fraudulent loan applications supported by fabricated tax documents, ultimately receiving more than $40,000 in SBA-backed PPP loans that she used for personal expenses. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Thornhill prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Wall praised the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, for their investigations in these matters.
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.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Licking, Mo. Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation, Meth Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Licking, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for the sexual exploitation of a minor as well as illegally possessing methamphetamine and firearms.
John P. Weaver, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton to using a minor victim to produce child pornography and receiving and distributing child pornography from Jan. 22 to Feb. 5, 2024. Weaver admitted to possessing more than 20 photos and videos depicting child pornography of the minor victim.
Weaver also pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms on Feb. 29, 2024. Weaver admitted to possessing over 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and two Hi-Point pistols.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Weaver has two prior convictions for possessing a controlled substance as well as prior felony convictions for stealing a motor vehicle, burglary, stealing, and resisting arrest by creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death to any person.
Under federal statutes, Weaver is subject to a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years maximum in federal prison without parole for his conviction for sexual exploitation of children. He is also facing a minimum of 10 years on his conviction for possession with intent to distribute and a minimum of five years for his conviction for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, which must run consecutively to any other sentence.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pulaski County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, the Springfield, Missouri Police Department, and the Texas County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Lexington Man Sentenced to More than 18 years in Federal Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Demetrius Tyare Glenn, 36, of Lexington, has been sentenced to more than 18 years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Evidence gathered during the investigation showed that, beginning in 2023, members of a drug-trafficking organization distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana throughout the Columbia and Lexington County areas. Investigators identified Glenn as a key source of supply and determined he used four locations to store and distribute narcotics. The investigation further revealed that Glenn manufactured counterfeit pills using a pill press machine.
On Oct. 24, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at three of Glenn’s stash houses. Officers recovered approximately 1,423.69 grams of methamphetamine, 57.4 grams of fentanyl, 189.7 grams of cocaine, 150 grams of MDMA, 56 grams of marijuana, more than $14,000 in cash, money counters, two loaded firearms, ammunition, digital scales, packaging materials, and other drug paraphernalia. Glenn was also held responsible for an additional 9,000 grams of cocaine, 1,130 grams of methamphetamine, and 170 grams of fentanyl attributed to him over the course of the investigation.
Glenn has prior convictions for assault and battery 1st degree and possession of marijuana. Because of his prior convictions, he was prohibited by law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Glenn to 220 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.###
Las Vegas Felon Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A felon who has prior convictions was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 65 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The government requested a sentence of 65 months imprisonment.
“Keeping illegal firearms out of our neighborhoods and holding repeat offenders accountable is a top priority for our office,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. "When individuals with prior felony convictions choose to violate federal law by possessing firearms and ammunition, they pose a direct threat to public safety. We will continue to work tirelessly alongside our local and federal law enforcement partners to enforce these critical gun safety laws, remove dangerous weapons from our streets, and protect the families of Nevada."
According to court documents, on April 21, 2022, Christian Demarco Thomas was driving a stolen vehicle. During a vehicle stop, law enforcement observed a firearm with a loaded magazine and another magazine on Thomas. He possessed a loaded .45 caliber firearm containing an extended magazine, a fully loaded Glock 13 magazine, and hollow-point cartridges and other ammunition. Thomas has been previously convicted of battery with use of a deadly weapon and attempted battery with substantial bodily harm, both in Clark County, Nevada. He is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm, magazines, and ammunition.
Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of felon in possession of ammunition.
The ATF investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin prosecuted the case.
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Killington, Vermont Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
RUTLAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 15, 2026, Russell Biathrow, 68, of Killington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 90 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier also imposed a fine of $10,000. Biathrow previously pleaded guilty to production of a morphed image of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court records, in or about March 2025, Biathrow produced an image of an identifiable minor by cropping a hardcopy image that depicted a prepubescent girl engaging in a sex act. The image was printed on laminated paper and the reverse side of the paper contained cut-out images depicting three different children in various poses and stages of nudity. Biathrow produced the image with the intent of distributing it.
Biathrow has a long history of involvement with CSAM. In 2008, Biathrow was convicted of CSAM-related offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina, receiving a 100-month sentence and a lifetime term of supervised release. After his release from custody, Biathrow had numerous violations of his supervised release, including a 2019 violation for possessing CSAM that resulted in a 78-month term of imprisonment. Biathrow was on federal supervised release in March of 2025 when he produced the morphed image of CSAM.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and thanked the United States Marshals Service for their assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra. Biathrow was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Kansas inmate sentenced to federal prison for attempted drug smugglingRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN.– A Kansas inmate was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for his part in conspiring to smuggle methamphetamine into a state prison.
According to court documents, Tommie Baggett, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In February 2024, while an inmate at Hutchinson Correctional Facility, Baggett took part in a conspiracy to throw a package of methamphetamine over the prison wall. He worked with another inmate to flag a location in the yard to show co-defendant, Jermel Fleming, 33, of Lawrence where to make the drop. While Fleming was outside the prison, Baggett gave him instructions over the phone. Baggett used a prison phone system which recorded the call. Fleming threw the package over the prison wall but at the wrong location, and corrections staff intercepted it. Laboratory results showed the package to contain 247.94 grams of pure methamphetamine.
“Being in prison wasn’t enough to stop Mr. Baggett from committing further crimes," said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The drugs Mr. Baggett wanted tossed into the prison yard didn’t land where he expected. However, his actions will land him in federal prison when he’s done with his state prison sentence.”
Fleming was sentenced to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Announces Settlement Ending Discrimination Against Jewish Students at Lincoln Memorial UniversityRead the Press Release
This week the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights entered a voluntary settlement agreement with Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) to end discrimination against its Jewish students. The settlement agreement resolves the joint investigation conducted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
“Students of all ethnic and religious backgrounds — including Jewish students — should receive the same treatment at our nation’s universities,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As its Jewish students prepare this week to observe Yom Kippur, we commend Lincoln Memorial University for its swift action addressing the Department’s concerns regarding discrimination and unequal treatment.”
“HHS’ Office for Civil Rights is committed to eliminating antisemitism and religious discrimination—a commitment we underscored earlier this month by issuing guidance on discrimination rooted in antisemitism to entities that receive HHS funding,” said Director Paula M. Stannard of the HHS Office for Civil Rights. “Our nation’s future healthcare professionals should be able to pursue their training without compromising their faith or their civil rights. Through our joint action with the Department of Justice, Lincoln Memorial University is ending practices that penalized Jewish students and will establish clear protections for religious accommodations moving forward.”
The joint investigation revealed that during the 2025-26 school year, LMU’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) denied requests by Jewish students to reschedule classes, exams, and other academic assignments so they could celebrate or observe their religious holidays, but granted requests by non-Jewish students who sought the same accommodations. In January 2026 — after Jewish students challenged LMU-DCOM’s double standard — DCOM adopted a policy that it would not accommodate any religious observance requests, but would permit excused absences for “professional student leadership obligations” and other non-religious reasons. In February 2026, DOJ and HHS opened their joint investigation.
Under the settlement agreement, LMU-DCOM will revise its absence policy to allow excused absences for religious reasons on the same basis as non-religious reasons. When an excused absence is approved, the student will not suffer any penalties because of the absence. LMU-DCOM will also educate students, administrators, professors, faculty, and staff regarding the revised absence policy. Finally, LMU will reverse all penalties previously imposed on Jewish students who were wrongly denied religious accommodations during the 2025-26 school year.
Because of LMU’s cooperation, LMU will remain eligible for federal funding. The Civil Rights Division will close the investigation once LMU has completed its commitments under the settlement agreement.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
Illinois Man Charged with Transporting Minor Across State Lines for Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – An indictment was returned by the grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on September 10, 2026, charging an Erie, Illinois, man with child exploitation offenses, including transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and online enticement of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to a previously filed federal criminal complaint, on August 3, 2026, Kenon Bradford, 26, of Erie, Illinois, drove from his residence approximately 7 hours to Paducah, where he picked up a minor victim. Bradford then transported the minor victim back to Illinois with the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual activity. On August 4, 2026, Bradford and the minor victim were located near Peoria, Illinois. Bradford was taken into custody and acknowledged engaging in sexual communications over Snapchat with the minor victim between July 29, 2026, and the date he picked the victim up.
Bradford is currently in state custody and will make his initial appearance at a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Bradford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Paducah Resident Agency and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone on Tuesday sentenced an illegal immigrant who ran a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors in Missouri and elsewhere out of millions of dollars to 11 years in prison.
Judge Bluestone also ordered Siddharth Jawahar, 38, to pay $31.35 million in restitution to victims.
Judge Bluestone cited the “enormous” losses and the lengthy duration of Jawahar’s fraud and echoed a victim who said Jawahar “weaponized” investors’ trust. He also said Jawahar’s failure to begin repaying victims was a major factor.
Jawahar ran a Texas-based investment company called Swiftarc Capital LLC. In 2015, he began investing client funds in a single investment, Philip Morris Pakistan (PMP). Eventually, 99% of client funds were consolidated into PMP. When the value of PMP declined, Jawahar did not tell investors and falsely claimed that his investors were making profits. Investors were also falsely led to believe that he’d invested their money in a specific company or companies but he never made the promised investments.
From about July 2016 through December 2023, Jawahar took in more than $35 million from Swiftarc investors but invested only about $10 million.
Jawahar used money from new investors to repay older investors and to fuel an extravagant lifestyle that included travel on private jets, stays at luxury hotels, a luxury apartment in Austin and New York City, memberships at multiple private clubs across the country, spending sprees at clothing stores and expensive outings at fancy restaurants.
After his indictment, Jawahar tried to obstruct justice by trying to coach a victim into giving a favorable statement to the FBI, lying about his immigration status and finances and trying to get his sister to remotely wipe his iPhone to hide evidence.
Jawahar also managed additional entities that he utilized during his scheme, including Swiftarc Fund LP, Swiftarc LLC, Swiftarc Holdings, SJ Investment Holdings LLC, Order of Magnitude Ventures LLC, Extra Sensory Perception Inc., Swiftarc Growth Fund LP, Swiftarc Opportunities Fund LP, SJ Investment Holdings LLC, SV Labs SPV 1 LP, Swiftarc Venture Labs Fund GP LLC, SJDB Ventures LLC, Swiftarc Ventures LLC, Swiftarc Venture Labs Fund LP, Swiftarc Telehealth Labs Fund LP, NI Stubbs LLC and Swiftarc Beauty Fund LP.
He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in January to three counts of wire fraud.
The FBI and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Illegal Alien from Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Seeking to Obtain Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien ChildRead the Press Release
Gladys Marina Caal Chen, 21, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty today to submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of an unaccompanied alien child (UAC).
According to court documents, Caal Chen falsely stated in a UAC sponsorship application under the penalty of perjury that she was the UAC’s sister. The HHS-funded care provider discontinued its consideration of Caal Chen’s application based in part on concerns that Caal Chen misrepresented her identity and relationship with the UAC in application materials. Caal Chen was arrested on May 22, after law enforcement encountered her during a court-authorized search of a residence belonging to another illegal alien from Guatemala who was charged with crimes relating to UACs. Caal Chen was previously sponsored as a UAC by one of that alien’s co-conspirators who fraudulently used an alias. Caal Chen is also alleged to have lied to ORR in or around January 2024 in an application to sponsor a UAC using an alias. At the time of her arrest, Caal Chen lied to law enforcement by providing another alias, but she later admitted her real name was Caal Chen.
“This defendant defrauded and undermined a government program designed to protect children,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The investigative efforts that led to this guilty plea demonstrate that the United States and Joint Task Force Alpha will prosecute those who seek to take advantage of children, ignore the laws designed to protect them, and take measures to thwart our government’s efforts to ensure their safety.”
“Those who intentionally manipulate federal systems and programs to gain illegal custody of children are despicable,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We will aggressively prosecute anyone who lies to federal authorities, and we will not tolerate actions that enable them to smuggle or traffic others — especially children.”
“This guilty plea underscores Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) commitment to protecting unaccompanied children from individuals who attempt to exploit the sponsorship process through fraud and deception,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of HSI Detroit. “False statements in these applications can and have placed vulnerable children at serious risk. HSI will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to identify fraudulent schemes, protect potential victims and ensure those who undermine the integrity of the process are held accountable.”
“Caal Chen abused the very program that is designed to help vulnerable children by lying and taking advantage of the system,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI. “The FBI will use every resource at our disposal to safeguard the government programs designed to help these children and to pursue justice against anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
“Fraudulently manipulating the sponsorship process for unaccompanied children not only violates federal law, it endangers vulnerable young children who rely on these protections,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS‑OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to safeguard programs designed to protect children and will hold accountable anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
Caal Chen pleaded guilty to making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing is set for Nov. 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The HSI, FBI, and HHS-OIG Cleveland field offices jointly led the investigation with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and ORR, have provided valuable assistance. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and prosecutors from Guatemala’s Office of Public Ministry provided significant assistance in this matter.
Deputy Chief Christian Levesque and Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney/Senior Litigation Counsel Carol Skutnik and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward D. Brydle for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
The investigation and indictment leading to the guilty plea announced today was supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s HRSP Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement/HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 483 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 436 U.S. convictions; and more than 371 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
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 other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.
Illegal Alien with Felony Drug Conviction Charged for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national, with a felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, made his initial court appearance today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
“The law is clear that individuals who are removed from the country cannot simply turn around and walk back across our borders,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “When a previously deported individual willfully violates federal law to return illegally, they will be caught and face federal prosecution. Our neighborhood safety gets stronger every day when law enforcement agencies work closely together. By upholding federal laws and focusing our resources on repeat offenders, we keep our streets secure and ensure our communities remain safe places for families to thrive.”
Aurus Jeshua Cervantes-Mitre is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 29, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Cervantes-Mitre is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported on or about February 9, 2025, and reentered the United States illegally.
On February 4, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Cervantes-Mitre was in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, after he was arrested on three counts of possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, flunitrazepam/GHB, with intent to sell. On September 4, 2026, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Cervantes-Mitre to ICE Las Vegas, Nevada, custody after he served a sentence of 12 to 36 months for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
If convicted, Cervantes-Mitre faces the maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated this case; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Illegal Alien Who Ran Drug Trafficking Operation Sentenced to over 11 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Roxbury, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking and conspiring to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.
Bryan Moises Frias Sanchez, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 136 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In January 2026, Frias Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and cocaine, aiding and abetting; and distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, aiding and abetting. He was indicted in April 2025, along with Jean Carlos Frias Polanco and Rafael Vargas Cabrera.
Frias Sanchez was the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy operating out of Roxbury, Mass. Between July 2024 and January 2025, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine from Frias Sanchez and his drug trafficking organization. For each of the controlled purchases, Frias Sanchez arranged the transaction, but for some of the deals he sent one of his associates to deliver the drugs, including co-defendants Frias Polanco and allegedly Vargas Cabrera. During a number of those transactions, Frias Sanchez offered to sell firearms in addition to the controlled substances. In total, Frias Sanchez is responsible for distributing approximately 2.6 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 70 grams of fentanyl and over 800 grams of cocaine.
Frias Polanco pleaded guilty and was sentenced on May 8, 2026 to 19 months in prison. Co-defendant Vargas Cabrera is scheduled to plead guilty on Sept. 28, 2026.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Homeland Security and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and Brad Rocheville of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ice Trafficker Receives Frosty 14 Year Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C.– A federal judge sentenced Lara Joy Ezell, 42, to over 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth and distribution of 50 grams or more of meth. Ezell pleaded guilty to the charges on June 10, 2026.
“After numerous state court convictions this repeat offender should have learned her lesson, but instead she returned to her criminal drug pushing ways,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Let me be clear, if you peddle poison for profit in EDNC we will catch you and we will send you to federal prison. Eastern North Carolina will be safer for it. Drugs kill. Prison awaits. Do right.”
In April 2025, ATF and the Dunn Police Department opened an investigation into Ezell’s drug‑trafficking activities. During the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted multiple controlled purchases of meth from Ezell. They also determined that between June 2024 and April 2025, Ezell possessed and distributed approximately 1.3 pounds of Ice, also known as crystal meth.
Ezell has several North Carolina state convictions, including driving while impaired, possession of drug paraphernalia, larceny and financial fraud, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, and larceny.
“This investigation demonstrates the importance of strong partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “By working together, we were able to disrupt the flow of methamphetamine and bring this defendant to justice. His federal prison sentence is a direct result of those collaborative efforts.”
“The Dunn Police Department is committed to working side-by-side with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure that these investigations do not stop at the city limits or with a single arrest,” said Dunn Police Chief Lynn Gay. “We will follow the evidence wherever it may lead and pursue those responsible at every level. If you choose to sell poison in Dunn, you should know that we are coming after you.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF and the Dunn Police Department collaborated on this investigation.
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. 5:25CR00253M-001.
Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Fan Yang, also known as "Jocelyn Yang," 35, and her husband, Jing Tian, 36, of Carmel, Indiana, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to charges arising from an insider trading conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Fan Yang abused her corporate position by tipping confidential, market‑moving information about a multi‑billion‑dollar acquisition, fueling an insider trading scheme that gave herself, her husband Jing Tian, and others an unfair advantage over the investing public,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Insider trading destroys confidence in our markets. We are committed to safeguarding market integrity and ensuring that individuals who exploit their access for personal gain are held fully accountable.”
Yang and Tian pleaded guilty before Judge James E. Boasberg to conspiracy to commit securities fraud. As part of their plea agreements, both defendants have agreed to forfeit all traceable profits derived from the scheme pursuant to federal forfeiture laws. The pair face a maximum of five years in prison when they are sentenced on January 15, 2027.
According to court documents, Yang was employed as a Corporate Development Manager and Strategy Finance Controller at a manufacturer headquartered in Indiana. Beginning in late 2021, Yang obtained material non-public information (MNPI) through her position regarding the company’s confidential negotiations to acquire a Michigan-based automobile component manufacturer for $3.7 billion.
In breach of her fiduciary duties, Yang used this confidential information for her own financial benefit and illegally tipped the information to her husband, Tian, who was also employed at the same manufacturing company. Yang and Tian, knowing the information was confidential, executed securities trades and tipped third parties.
The conspiracy resulted in illicit trading across multiple individuals—including individuals in Washington, D.C., Virginia, Washington state, and overseas—who collectively generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal profits prior to the public announcement of the acquisition on February 22, 2022. In one WeChat message exchanged during the scheme, Yang calculated that their unlawful profits would be enough to buy a Tesla without needing a loan.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sridhar Kaza of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office.
25cr0369
Howell County Man Indicted in Possession of 34 Firearms and MethRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Howell County, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegally possessing 34 firearms and more than 150 grams of methamphetamine.
Gregory Porter, 57, of Mountain View, Mo., was charged in a four-count indictment that was returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Sept. 8, 2026. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Porter’s arrest and initial appearance in federal court.
The indictment alleges that Porter possessed 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possessed a Taurus pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Nov. 18, 2025. The indictment also alleges that Porter is a prior felon who unlawfully possessed an additional 33 firearms, including numerous pistols, rifles, and shotguns on Nov. 18 and 19, 2025. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah R. Lucas. It was investigated by the Howell County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Homeland Security Task Force investigation identifies illegal alien from Mexico sentenced to six years in prison for dealing fentanyl and unlawfully possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 22-year-old Mexican national illegally present in the U.S. was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six years in prison for drug and gun crimes, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Jesus Cristerna Lucas delivered 5,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent in November 2024 as part of a Homeland Security Task Force Investigation. This drug sale came mere months after he had been arrested in California with a large load of methamphetamine and more than $100,000 in cash drug proceeds. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart highlighted the danger of fentanyl saying, “You were unleashing in this community the dire threat of death from those pills… This is someone who needs to be removed from society.”
According to records filed in the case, Cristerna Lucas came to the attention of law enforcement during a wiretap investigation of a drug trafficking organization. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Lucas agreed to sell the undercover agent 5,000 fentanyl pills. The drugs tested positive for fentanyl.
On July 2, 2025, Cristerna Lucas was arrested while driving in Seattle. DEA agents found that he had a Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic rifle and three loaded magazines and multiple rounds of .223 ammunition in his car. He was booked federally and charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. In June 2026 he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Cristerna Lucas will next be transferred to King County custody since he has been linked to a robbery plot that resulted in a fatal shooting in November 2024.
Judge Robart ordered four years of supervised release to follow the federal prison term. However, Lucas will likely be deported following his prison sentence.
“As a drug courier, Mr. Cristerna Lucas was responsible for trafficking thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into Western Washington and putting lives at risk,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Drug trafficking and firearms are a deadly combination. When the defendant was arrested, he possessed a semi-automatic rifle. Through Fentanyl Free America, DEA is disrupting the fentanyl supply chain, reducing its availability, and protecting American lives.”
The case was investigated by the DEA, HSI, and the Puyallup Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.
This investigation 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 Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Holliston Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holliston, Mass. man was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with sexually exploiting a minor.
Wilson Fabian Mizhirumbay Granda, 23, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children. Granda is currently in Rhode Island state custody on an unrelated criminal case and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
Between August and September 2023, Granda is alleged to have coerced a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
Granda has prior state convictions in Hampshire Country Superior Court for rape of a child and enticing a child under 16, for which he was sentenced in May 2024 to four years and one day in state prison to be followed by five years of probation. Currently, Granda also has pending charges in Norfolk County for rape of child with force, rape of child and enticing a child under 16 related to another minor.
The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Holliston, Scituate (R.I.), Amherst, Westminster, Medway, Worcester, Millis and UMass Lowell Police Departments; and the Middlesex County, Hampshire County, Northwestern County, Norfolk County and Worcester County District Attorney’s Offices. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Tobin and Jessica L. Soto of the Criminal Division.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
High-Ranking MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 60 Years’ Imprisonment for Racketeering, Seven Murders, Multiple Attempted Murders, Arson, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Jairo Saenz, also known as “Funny,” a high-ranking member of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 60 years’ in prison for racketeering, including predicate racketeering acts relating to his participation in seven murders, namely, the January 28, 2016 murder of Michael Johnson; the April 29, 2016 murder of Oscar Acosta; the September 13, 2016 murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens; the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo; the October 13, 2016 murder of Dewann Stacks; and the January 30, 2017 murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla. Saenz’s sentence also reflected his participation in three attempted murders, arson, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses and a conspiracy to kill Marcus Bohannon, who was murdered on September 5, 2016 by other members of the MS-13. Saenz pleaded guilty to these crimes on January 14, 2025.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.
“Jairo Saenz and his brother Alexi were at the forefront of a violent reign of terror and bloodshed that plagued communities across Long Island for years,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “They will both spend decades in prison, effectively life sentences, for their unspeakable crimes. Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold the MS-13 and its members accountable for their horrific crimes. I hope that today’s sentence brings some measure of closure to the surviving victims and the families of the fallen victims who, after these many years, continue to suffer unimaginable grief over the loss of their loved ones.”
“The MS-13 gang members’ reign of brutality — marked by murders, attempted murders, arson, and firearms offenses — can no longer inflict harm on our communities. The FBI's Safe Streets Task Force will continue pursuing MS-13’s leadership at every level until every community is free from their violence and intimidation,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
"Saenz was essentially a serial killer, having played a role in seven murders and three attempted murders," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. "His horrific crimes brought national attention to the bloodshed caused by MS-13. While no amount of prison time can bring these victims back, we hope this sentence brings some measure of justice and solace to their families. We will continue to dedicate the resources necessary to ensure gang violence never takes hold in our communities.”
According to court filings and statements made during the guilty plea and sentencing proceedings, Jairo Saenz was a high-ranking member of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 – one of the more powerful, violent and well-established cliques on the East Coast of the United States. At the time of his crimes, he was second in command to his brother, Alexi Saenz, who pleaded guilty to the same crimes on July 10, 2024, and who was sentenced on July 2, 2025 principally to 68 years’ imprisonment. Jairo Saenz committed the following crimes to maintain and increase his membership and status within the gang, and to further the mission of the MS-13:
January 28, 2016 Murder of Michael Johnson
On January 28, 2016, Alexi Saenz and other MS-13 members and associates were at the Jocorena Deli in Brentwood, where they saw 29-year-old Michael Johnson, and claimed to recognize him as a member of the rival Bloods street gang. At that point, Johnson was marked as their “food” – a reference to their intention to kill him.
After receiving the requisite approval from the New York leader of the Sailors clique to commit this murder, Alexi Saenz contacted Jairo Saenz and several other MS-13 members, informed them of the plan to kill Johnson and instructed them to bring weapons, including a machete and a baseball bat, to a wooded area in Brentwood. Alexi Saenz then lured Johnson to that secluded meeting location under the guise of smoking marijuana. The MS-13 members and associates, including Jairo Saenz, ambushed Johnson from behind – striking Johnson with the baseball bat, stabbing him with a knife and taking turns hacking him with the machete. They fled after hearing police sirens in the area.
Johnson was reported missing by family members. Less than one week after his murder, on February 2, 2016, members of the SCPD responded to a 911 call about a body found in the woods by a passerby and recovered Johnson’s body. An autopsy determined Johnson’s cause of death to be sharp and blunt force injuries.
April 29, 2016 Murder of Oscar Acosta
In early 2016, Alexi Saenz, Jairo Saenz and their fellow Sailors clique members decided to “green light,” or approve, the murder of 19-year-old Oscar Acosta because they suspected that he was associating with the rival 18th Street gang after previously aligning himself with the MS-13. The New York Sailors clique leader assigned roles as to which members would take the lead in planning and carrying out the murder.
On April 29, 2016, MS-13 members met Acosta in a wooded area near an elementary school in Brentwood where he had been lured under the guise of smoking marijuana. They brutally beat Acosta with tree limbs, knocking him unconscious. They bound Acosta’s hands and feet, wrapped an article of clothing around his mouth to prevent him from making noise and summoned other MS-13 members, including Alexi Saenz and Jairo Saenz, who arrived together. The MS-13 members loaded Acosta into the trunk of the Saenz brothers’ car, and drove to a more secluded area in Brentwood near the abandoned Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital. At the direction of Alexi Saenz, the MS-13 members removed Acosta, who was still alive, from the trunk and carried him deeper into the woods where they took turns hacking him to death with a machete. The murder was supervised by the Saenz brothers. The MS-13 members then buried Acosta’s body in a shallow grave.
Acosta’s body was discovered by law enforcement nearly five months later, on September 16, 2016, during a search for another MS-13 victim. His cause of death was homicidal violence, including sharp and blunt force injuries to his head and torso.
July 18, 2016 Attempted Murders of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2
On July 18, 2016, during a Sailors clique meeting at the Saenz brothers’ house in Central Islip, Alexi Saenz instructed the group to hunt for rival gang members who had been disrespectful to the MS-13, to attack and kill them.
Later that evening, Jairo Saenz and other members of the MS-13, who were driving around Brentwood armed with firearms and a machete, spotted a group of men on Apple Street. Believing these men to be members of a rival gang, three MS-13 members got out of the car driven by Jairo Saenz and attacked the group, firing rounds from two different guns, and then using a machete to hack at one of the men who had fallen to the ground.
Two individuals were injured as a result of this attack. John Doe #1 was struck with a bullet, but survived. John Doe #2 was attacked with a machete, and was permanently disfigured.
August 10, 2016 Attempted Murders of Suspected Rival Gang Members
In 2016, members of the MS-13 were engaged in a series of disputes with members of the Goon Squad, a rival gang in Brentwood.
On August 10, 2016, Alexi Saenz and another MS-13 member drove through the neighborhood around Lukens Avenue in Brentwood, and spotted several men who they believed were members of the Goon Squad. They then rallied other members of the Sailors clique, including Jairo Saenz, to come kill the rivals.
The MS-13 members divided into two vehicles and drove towards the house where the suspected Goon Squad members had been spotted. The Saenz brothers’ car kept watch for the police, while two other MS-13 members, each armed with a gun, approached the group of suspected rivals and fired numerous shots in their direction. No one was hit, although a stray bullet entered a neighbor’s house and struck the headboard of a bed in which the neighbor was sleeping.
September 5, 2016 Murder of Marcus Bohannon
On September 4, 2016, after a Sailors clique meeting at the Saenz brothers’ house in Central Islip, Jairo Saenz, Alexi Saenz and other MS-13 members went out hunting for rival gang members to kill.
The MS-13 members separated into several cars and drove around Central Islip and Brentwood, until Alexi Saenz’s group spotted 27-year old Marcus Bohannon walking along Lowell Avenue in Central Islip in the early morning hours of September 5. Suspecting that Bohannon was a member of the rival Bloods gang, two MS-13 members, carrying firearms, got out of the vehicle, approached him and started shooting. Bohannon was struck nine times, including in his head, neck, and chest, and died from his wounds.
September 12, 2016 Arson
During the summer of 2016, Sailors clique members of the MS-13 regularly had altercations with local gang members based in a neighborhood on Freeman Avenue in Brentwood.
On September 12, 2016, the MS-13 members retaliated by setting fire to a car parked in the driveway of one of the houses in that rival gang neighborhood. Alexi Saenz directed other gang members to purchase gasoline and carry out the arson, while he drove around watching for police. Jairo Saenz drove the other MS-13 gang members to that house, where they poured gasoline on a car parked in the driveway, and set it on fire. The car exploded and set another parked car on fire.
September 13, 2016 Murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens
On September 13, 2016, Sailors clique members brutally murdered 15-year-old Nisa Mickens and 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas, both students at Brentwood High School.
In the months leading up to the murders, Cuevas was involved in a series of disputes with members and associates of the MS-13. Approximately one week before the murders, these disputes escalated when Cuevas and several friends were involved in an altercation with MS-13 members at Brentwood High School. After that incident, the MS-13 members vowed to seek revenge against Cuevas.
On the evening of September 13, 2016, the Saenz brothers and other members of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 were driving in separate cars around Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill. One group of MS-13 members spotted Cuevas and Mickens walking down residential Stahley Street. Recognizing Cuevas, they called the Saenz brothers and were granted permission to kill the girls. Several MS-13 members then chased down and attacked both Cuevas and Mickens, wielding baseball bats and a machete, striking each of the girls numerous times in their heads and bodies, while the Saenz brothers’ car drove around watching for police. After the murders, the group retreated to the Saenz brothers’ home in Central Islip, where they changed clothes and hid the weapons.
Mickens, whose body was discovered later that evening on Stahley Street, not far from Cuevas’s home, sustained significant sharp force trauma to her face and blunt force trauma to her head. Cuevas, whose body was discovered the following day behind a house adjacent to where Mickens’s body was found, sustained significant blunt force trauma to her head and body and multiple lacerations.
October 10, 2016 Murder of Javier Castillo
In October 2016, the MS-13 targeted 15-year-old Javier Castillo because he was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang, one of MS-13’s principal rivals.
On October 10, 2016, Jairo Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to drive with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana. Once there, they met Alexi Saenz and other Sailors clique members. The group then lured Castillo to an isolated marsh area in Cow Meadow Park, where they attacked him, taking turns hacking him to death with a machete.
Afterwards, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in late October 2017. Castillo was determined to have suffered multiple sharp force injuries to his head, neck, torso and extremities.
October 13, 2016 Murder of Dewann Stacks
On the evening of October 13, 2016, the Saenz brothers and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 were driving around Central Islip and Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill.
That night, they spotted 34-year-old Dewann Stacks and, believing him to be a rival gang member, Alexi Saenz authorized his murder. While Alexi Saenz drove around watching for police presence, Jairo Saenz drove three MS-13 members, armed with two machetes and a baseball bat, to attack Stacks. The three armed MS-13 members got out of the car, and beat and hacked Stacks to death on American Boulevard, a residential street in Brentwood. Stacks sustained severe sharp and blunt force trauma to his face and head, leaving his body nearly unrecognizable.
January 30, 2017 Murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla
On the morning of January 30, 2017, Alexi Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 spotted 29-year-old Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla inside El Campesino Deli in Central Islip. Alvarado-Bonilla was wearing a football jersey bearing the number “18,” which led the MS-13 to conclude that he was a member of a rival gang, and they plotted to kill him.
After Alvarado-Bonilla was observed in the deli, Jairo Saenz drove MS-13 members to get a mask and another vehicle, both of which would be used when committing the murder. Alexi Saenz provided the clique’s 9-millimeter handgun for use in the murder.
At approximately 10:30 a.m., a masked MS-13 member entered the deli, approached Alvarado-Bonilla from behind, and shot him multiple times, killing him. One of the bullets pierced through Alvarado-Bonilla’s head and struck the chest of a female employee of the deli, who was standing directly in front of him. The deli employee survived the gunshot wound.
Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy
From approximately April 2016 through March 2017, to finance the illegal operations of the Sailors clique, the Saenz brothers obtained wholesale quantities of cocaine and marijuana, which they distributed to other Sailors clique members and associates for street-level sales in Brentwood and its surrounding areas. After the sales, the profits were turned over to the Saenz brothers, for use in, among other things, purchasing firearms for use by clique members, wiring money to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador and buying additional narcotics for further distribution.
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Today’s sentencing is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent transnational criminal organization. The MS-13 is comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America, with a leadership base in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, but with thousands of members all over the world. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted of racketeering and other felonies in the Eastern District of New York, including charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 80 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at eradicating transnational criminal organizations, combating violent crime and restoring the rule of law.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kerryanne Ucci and Automated Litigation Specialist Michael Compitello.
The Defendant:
JAIRO SAENZ (also known as “Funny”)
Age: 30
El Divisadero, Morazán, El Salvador; and Central Islip, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-403 (S-8) (GRB)