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6 May 2026
Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Having Gun in Car While Meeting with Probation OfficerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon on federal supervised release was sentenced to prison again yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. William Sedrick Rollerson, 58, of Charlotte, was sentenced to a total of 108 months in prison; 60 months in prison for violating supervised release conditions, followed by an additional and consecutive term of 48 months in prison for the new illegal possession of a firearm offense, which will all be followed by two years of supervised release.
“Supervised release exists to rehabilitate those who have served time in prison, help them reintegrate into society, and to keep a close eye on them to ensure they do not return to their life of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “It appears Mr. Rollerson very quickly returned to his life of crime, and he will therefore serve a sentence for his crime and an additional sentence for violating the conditions of his supervised release.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, Rollerson was on federal supervised release following completion of a lengthy prison term for a prior conviction in the Western District of North Carolina. Among the conditions of his supervised release, Rollerson had regular appointments at the federal probation office and was subject to drug testing. On April 24, 2025, Rollerson drove to the federal courthouse in Charlotte to meet with a federal probation officer. During the meeting, Rollerson was told he had tested positive for cocaine use. Rollerson denied using cocaine and offered various explanations about the positive drug test. Court records show that probation officers searched Rollerson’s vehicle, where they found a Taurus .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. A set of digital scales, baggies, an unknown gray powdery substance, and an additional .40 caliber magazine were also found in Rollerson’s vehicle.
On September 18, 2025, Rollerson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The U.S. Probation Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Federal Homicide Charges Brought Against Man Who Allegedly Murdered Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Nahjel Malik Williams has been charged with first-degree murder of Dequavious Graves, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, as well as the use of a firearm during that crime of violence.
“The murder of Dequavious Graves, a letter carrier dedicated to his public duty, friends, and family, was a senseless crime and a horrible tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Letter carriers play an important role in our community, and anyone who harms them as they perform their work will be brought to justice in federal court.”
“A core mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the protection of our employees, and if anyone causes them harm, they will be pursued and brought to justice for their crimes. The arrest of this defendant is a testament to the dedication of work conducted by Postal Inspectors along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “With these charges we hope to bring forth a sense of justice for Mr. Graves and his family as they continue to move forward in the wake of this senseless tragedy.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Dequavious Graves was a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier beloved by his colleagues and members of the community, as well as his family and friends. On February 12, 2026, as Graves delivered mail on his route in Decatur, Georgia, Nahjel Mailk Williams allegedly shot Graves and killed him in a premeditated act. At the time, Williams was wanted on a warrant for a prior, unrelated murder he allegedly committed in Atlanta in August 2024.
On May 5, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Nahjel Malik Williams, 24, of Decatur, Georgia, with first-degree murder of a federal employee and discharging a firearm in relation to that offense. Both charges subject Williams to the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General of the United States will determine whether the government will seek the death penalty. Williams is currently in local custody but will be arraigned in federal court at a later date.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with valuable assistance provided by the Atlanta Police Department, DeKalb County Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Teresa M. Stolze and Matthew R. LaGrone are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Dominican Republic Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy in Connection with International Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of the Dominican Republic illegally residing in Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Engels Guillermo Almengot Valerio, 26, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer on May 4, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Valerio was a participant in a conspiracy that targeted elderly individuals, often referred to as a grandparent fraud scheme, from which he then laundered the fraud proceeds. In this scheme, conspirators living in the Dominican Republic called elderly individuals and impersonated the victims’ grandchildren or other relatives, falsely claiming that they were involved in a crisis such as an accident and/or arrest and needed immediate financial assistance, then handing the phone over to someone posing as a lawyer or bail bondsman seeking payment.
The scammers then arranged for unwitting rideshare drivers to pick up cash from the elderly victims, who were located throughout the United States, including in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The drivers drove the stolen money to a location where they met with a member of the conspiracy and handed over the cash.
Using a variety of investigative techniques, law enforcement identified Valerio as a participant in the scheme, determining that the defendant ordered the rides that picked up the cash, collected the fraud proceeds from the rideshare drivers, and further laundered the fraud proceeds once received through various bank accounts. He operated not just in the Western District of Pennsylvania, but also in New York, California, and Nevada. A search of his New Jersey residence uncovered further evidence of his participation in the conspiracy, including $12,000 in cash.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 8, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with numerous other federal and state law enforcement agencies, including the New York City Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Valerio.
Detroiter Pleads Guilty in $16M Federal Student Aid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Brandon Robinson, 42, of Detroit, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a decade-long, multi-million-dollar Federal Student Aid fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge John Woolley, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG), and Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
According to the court records, Robinson was responsible for leading a years-long scheme to obtain fraudulent Federal Student Aid benefits involving so-called “straw students” who were enrolled for the primary purpose of receiving FSA. Specifically, between January 2015 and February 2024, Robinson submitted fraudulent FSA claims for more than 1,200 individuals, involving over 100 schools in 24 states. As a result of the scheme, Robinson fraudulently caused more than $16M in FSA benefits to be awarded, with more than $10M disbursed. Robinson also accepted responsibility for filing over 100 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims between April 2020 and March 2023, causing the disbursement of over $1M in UI benefits.
Robinson pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson. Sentencing is scheduled for September 1, 2026, where Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, followed by a mandatory, consecutive penalty of 24 months for the aggravated identity theft count.
In a related case, co-conspirator Antonio Robinson and Joshuan Porter also pleaded guilty, for their roles in the same scheme. That case is also assigned to Judge Laurie J. Michelson and they will be sentenced on July 7, 2026 (Antonio Robinson), and August 4, 2026 (Joshuan Porter). Both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “More than 1,000 fake students. A decade of fraud. This man built an industrial-scale operation to loot federal student aid programs and to steal from the American taxpayer.”
"Scams like this steal money from hardworking taxpayers and legitimate students and that is unacceptable,” said John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Central Regional Office. “The OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to fighting student aid fraud and we will continue to aggressively pursue those that participate in these types of crimes."
“Brandon Robinson’s guilty plea sends a clear message: if you steal from programs meant to help hardworking Americans, our team and Vice President Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud — will find you, investigate you, and hold you accountable,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. “Protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance system remains one of my top priorities. Fraud is a tax on every honest American, and we will continue aggressively pursuing the bad actors who exploit taxpayer-funded programs for personal gain.”
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The case was jointly investigated by agents from the Department of Education Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Particka and John K. Neal.
Deputy District Director to United States Congressman Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Covid-Relief BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – The Deputy District Director to an Illinois United States congressman has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $31,000 in unemployment insurance benefits during the Covid pandemic. Under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and consistent with the Administration’s priorities to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal fraud in the federal government entitlement and benefit programs, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is taking a fresh look at Covid-19 fraud.
GERARD C. MOORER engaged in fraud related to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) program, one of the sources of relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment alleges that in May 2020, Moorer filed a fraudulent application for PUA benefits in which he claimed to have met Covid-related reasons for being unemployed, partially unemployed, unable to work, or unavailable to work. Moore’s application was approved, and over approximately the next 16 months, he continued to submit fraudulent certifications of his purported unemployment to continue receiving the benefits, the indictment states. In reality, Moorer knew that he was in fact employed by the federal government as an aide to the Illinois Congressman at the time of his application and certifications, the indictment states.
As a result of the fraud, Moorer obtained $31,887 in PUA benefits to which he was not entitled, the indictment states.
Moorer, 42, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court is scheduled for May 14, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz.
U.S. Attorney Boutros announced the indictment along with Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, and Erin Silk, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Smith and William Hogan.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
moorer_indictment.pdfDelco Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Stealing More Than $214,000 from the Bank Where He WorkedRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jonathan Lim, 42, of Wallingford, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $214,155 in restitution by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for bank fraud and embezzlement.
The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in November of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, while Lim was a manager of a bank branch in Downingtown, Pa., he took over responsibility for the regular administration of the branch’s automated teller machine (“ATM”), which required accessing the ATM’s interior. From about August 2019 through November 2019, on multiple occasions, the defendant stole cash from the ATM and repeatedly falsified records to hide his crimes.
The defendant resigned from the bank on November 24, 2019, and the ATM and branch were audited two days later. Auditors discovered that the ATM had a shortfall of more than $178,000 and the defendant’s cash box was short by $36,000. In all, Lim embezzled approximately $214,000 from the bank branch and spent the majority of the money gambling.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia's Newtown Square Resident Agency, with assistance from the Federal Reserve, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alisa Shver and S. Chandler Harris.
DUI Arrest, Reentry Charge Sends Illegal Honduras National to PrisonRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – An illegal Honduras National was sentenced for reentering the country illegally, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Edwin Leonel Rivera-Gallardo, 40, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for reentering the United States illegally. Rivera-Gallardo, also known as “William Leonel Gallardo” and “Jose Ortiz Rodriguez Ortiz,” was arrested by the Charles Town Police Department in Jefferson County, West Virginia, for third offense driving under the influence, fleeing, and other related charges. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents determined that Rivera-Gallardo once had lawful permanent residence in the U.S. but that was revoked following a criminal conviction. He had been removed from the U.S. five times prior to the DUI arrest in Charles Town.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Charles Town Police Department.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
DISH Wireless LLC to Pay More than $17M to Resolve False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations Related to FCC’s Broadband Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
DISH Wireless LLC (DISH), located in Englewood, Colorado, has agreed to pay $17,280,240 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA), common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Broadband Benefits Program (EBBP) and its successor program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and receive federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure integrity in the FCC’s programs.”
“DISH and its employees fraudulently signed up ineligible applicants to receive federal monies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By doing so DISH received payments which they were not entitled. This is a shameful act on the part of a large corporation that is rightfully required to pay $17 million.”
“DISH continued seeking FCC program funds for months after its executives learned about its agents’ enrollment fraud and after an FCC OIG advisory warning. FCC OIG is committed to holding accountable bad actors who misuse taxpayers funds,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our FCC colleagues, and our law enforcement partners, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure participating providers serve intended recipients.”
The EBBP, created by Congress during the COVID-19 Pandemic pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $3.2 billion in 2021 to assist low-income consumers with discounted broadband services and devices. The follow-on ACP provided an additional $14 billion for the same services between 2022 and 2024. For both programs, consumers could be eligible for discounted broadband services if they met certain income thresholds or participated in one of a number of specified federal, state, or Tribal assistance programs, including but not limited to Medicaid, SNAP (i.e., Food Stamp Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the National School Lunch Program.
DISH, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, provides wireless telecommunication services to consumers in the United States through Boost Mobile, a division of DISH. Between May 2021 and February 2022, DISH enrolled more than 130,000 subscribers into EBBP and ACP based on their participation in the free school breakfast and lunch program in which all students who attend a high-poverty school become eligible for these services, known as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. For each of these subscribers, DISH received up to $50 per month during EBBP and $30 per month under ACP.
The settlement resolves allegations that DISH received monthly federal payments from EBBP and ACP that it was not entitled to receive because certain CEP subscribers enrolled by DISH agents were ineligible.
The United States alleges DISH engaged in the following FCA covered conduct: (1) DISH submitted claims to the EBBP and ACP from May 12, 2021 through Feb. 28, 2022 for discounted broadband services and devices for subscribers who did not qualify for the programs; (2) DISH failed to implement effective policies and procedures to ensure the eligibility of those subscribers; (3) DISH failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise third-party sales agents by failing to ensure each third-party agent was properly registered in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Representative Accountability Database; (4) DISH internal sales employees in Texas, Florida, New York, and West Virginia trained and directed third-party sales agents to submit inaccurate customer applications with incorrect school information; and (5) these third-party sales agents submitted false or incomplete information to the FCC’s National Verifier which was used to determine participant eligibility for the EBBP and ACP. As a result, DISH enrolled more than 16,000 households on the basis of purported school attendance at a CEP school more than 25 miles from the household address without any verified school attendance, enrolled 130 households on the basis of a purported dependent over the age of 21 attending a CEP school, and for some CEP schools, DISH enrolled more households into EBBP than the actual student enrollment at the CEP school. Moreover, after learning of problems with the company’s CEP enrollments, DISH corporate executives failed to take corrective action from September 2021 through April 2022.
The United States further alleges that DISH engaged in the following common law covered conduct: (1) submitting claims for more than 66,000 subscribers who did not identify a school-aged student as part of their applications; and (2) enrolling more than 2,400 subscribers using duplicate beneficiaries as the basis for their eligibility.
The Civil Settlement also resolves an administrative order by the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC against DISH for similar allegations. See In the Matter of Request for Review of the Decision of the Universal Service Administrator by DISH Wireless LLC, et al., WC Docket Nos. 21-450, 20-445, Order, DA 25-72 (released Jan. 17, 2025).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of the Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hair for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
DISH Wireless LLC to Pay More than $17M to Resolve False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations Related to FCC’s Broadband Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — DISH Wireless LLC (DISH), located in Englewood, Colorado, has agreed to pay $17,280,240 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA), common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Broadband Benefits Program (EBBP) and its successor program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
“DISH and its employees fraudulently signed up ineligible applicants to receive federal monies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By doing so DISH received payments which they were not entitled. This is a shameful act on the part of a large corporation that is rightfully required to pay $17 million.”
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and receive federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure integrity in the FCC’s programs.”
“DISH continued seeking FCC program funds for months after its executives learned about its agents’ enrollment fraud and after an FCC OIG advisory warning. FCC OIG is committed to holding accountable bad actors who misuse taxpayers funds,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our FCC colleagues, and our law enforcement partners, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure participating providers serve intended recipients.”
The EBBP, created by Congress during the COVID-19 Pandemic pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $3.2 billion in 2021 to assist low-income consumers with discounted broadband services and devices. The follow-on ACP provided an additional $14 billion for the same services between 2022 and 2024. For both programs, consumers could be eligible for discounted broadband services if they met certain income thresholds or participated in one of a number of specified federal, state, or Tribal assistance programs, including but not limited to Medicaid, SNAP (i.e., Food Stamp Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the National School Lunch Program.
DISH, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, provides wireless telecommunication services to consumers in the United States through Boost Mobile, a division of DISH. Between May 2021 and February 2022, DISH enrolled more than 130,000 subscribers into EBBP and ACP based on their participation in the free school breakfast and lunch program in which all students who attend a high-poverty school become eligible for these services, known as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. For each of these subscribers, DISH received up to $50 per month during EBBP and $30 per month under ACP.
The settlement resolves allegations that DISH received monthly federal payments from EBBP and ACP that it was not entitled to receive because certain CEP subscribers enrolled by DISH agents were ineligible.
The United States alleges DISH engaged in the following FCA covered conduct: (1) DISH submitted claims to the EBBP and ACP from May 12, 2021 through Feb. 28, 2022 for discounted broadband services and devices for subscribers who did not qualify for the programs; (2) DISH failed to implement effective policies and procedures to ensure the eligibility of those subscribers; (3) DISH failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise third-party sales agents by failing to ensure each third-party agent was properly registered in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Representative Accountability Database; (4) DISH internal sales employees in Texas, Florida, New York, and West Virginia trained and directed third-party sales agents to submit inaccurate customer applications with incorrect school information; and (5) these third-party sales agents submitted false or incomplete information to the FCC’s National Verifier which was used to determine participant eligibility for the EBBP and ACP. As a result, DISH enrolled more than 16,000 households on the basis of purported school attendance at a CEP school more than 25 miles from the household address without any verified school attendance, enrolled 130 households on the basis of a purported dependent over the age of 21 attending a CEP school, and for some CEP schools, DISH enrolled more households into EBBP than the actual student enrollment at the CEP school. Moreover, after learning of problems with the company’s CEP enrollments, DISH corporate executives failed to take corrective action from September 2021 through April 2022.
The United States further alleges that DISH engaged in the following common law covered conduct: (1) submitting claims for more than 66,000 subscribers who did not identify a school-aged student as part of their applications; and (2) enrolling more than 2,400 subscribers using duplicate beneficiaries as the basis for their eligibility.
The Civil Settlement also resolves an administrative order by the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC against DISH for similar allegations. See In the Matter of Request for Review of the Decision of the Universal Service Administrator by DISH Wireless LLC, et al., WC Docket Nos. 21-450, 20-445, Order, DA 25-72 (released Jan. 17, 2025).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of the Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hair for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Adopting the Identity of a U.S. Citizen to Obtain a U.S. Passport and to Vote in an ElectionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales (55, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to making false statements in an application for a U.S. passport, aggravated identity theft, falsely claiming that a Social Security number had been assigned to him, and falsely claiming to be a U.S citizen to vote in an election. He faces a minimum term of 2 years, up to 22 years, in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, Jaramillo Grajales is a Colombian citizen who used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a passport. He used those same identifiers and claimed to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a Florida driver license and to register to vote. He then voted in several elections.
Jaramillo Grajales first obtained a driver license in the U.S. citizen’s name in March 2003 and subsequently renewed it several times, with the last renewal occurring in February 2024.
In April 2003, Jaramillo Grajales submitted an application for a U.S. passport. He identified himself as the U.S. citizen and provided a Puerto Rican birth certificate in the U.S. citizen’s name along with the driver license he had obtained. Based on these fraudulent—but authentic—documents, he was issued a passport in May 2003. He submitted passport renewal applications in February 2013 and March 2023 and a renewed passport was issued each time.
In December 2010, Jaramillo Grajales submitted a Florida Voter Registration Application, identifying himself as the U.S. citizen and affirming that he was a U.S. citizen who had been born in Puerto Rico. The registration was approved and he subsequently voted in several elections, including the election held in Duval County on November 3, 2020.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Jiaan Cao (33, China) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cao faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 31, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, beginning in at least October 2024 and continuing through December 12, 2024, Cao conspired with others to commit wire fraud by gaining access to a victim’s computer, fraudulently posing as a representative of a victim’s financial institution, and informing the victim their account had been subjected to fraudulent criminal activity. A member of the conspiracy then directed the victim to withdraw money from their account and purchase gold. Afterward, the victim was instructed to provide this gold to a “federal agent” for safekeeping. In actuality, the “federal agent” was another member of the conspiracy. Conspiracy members often exchanged electronic communications with each other, including the location details of the victims, for this purpose. On December 12, 2024, Cao was arrested at a victim’s residence in Marion County when he arrived to pick up gold that had been purchased in this manner.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Cayuga County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeremy Soutar, age 46, pled guilty on April 28, 2026, to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
During his guilty plea, Soutar admitted that, while on post-release supervision for a prior conviction for Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree in New York, and while required to register as a sex offender, he attempted to entice what he thought was a 14-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity.
At sentencing set for August 26, 2026, Soutar will receive a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, be placed on supervised release after serving his term of imprisonment for at least five years and up to life, could be fined up to $250,000, and will be required to forfeit to the government the property he used to commit the offense. In addition, Soutar will have to register as a sex offender.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone said: “My Office will always prioritize the investigation and prosecution of recidivist sex offenders like Soutar, who commit or try to commit sex crimes against children despite having already been punished for doing just that. Since a sentence of twelve years in state prison did not rehabilitate him, he gets to spend another decade in prison—this time, a federal penitentiary. I thank the FBI, the New York State Police, and the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office for their diligent investigation.”
Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli said: “With this plea, Mr. Soutar’s history of predatory behavior comes to an end, and he will spend at least a decade in federal prison unable to harm our children. The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force will continue to leverage the strength of our incredible law enforcement partnerships to aggressively investigate any individual looking to harm our most vulnerable citizens.”
The FBI, the New York State Police, and the Cayuga County Sherffi’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Career Offender Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – LeSeam Johnson, aka LeSean Wallace, 40 of Memphis, has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl and a firearm, the possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to evidence presented in court, in April and May of 2025, Johnson made multiple sales of 1/2 oz. to 2 oz. quantities of fentanyl to an undercover agent. During one of the sales, Johnson also sold an AR-style pistol and on a separate occasion sold fake narcotics to the undercover agent. Johnson is a felon and is prohibited from even possessing a firearm.
Johnson was federally indicted in August 2025 and pled guilty to the charges on February 3, 2026.
On May 5, 2026, the Honorable Judge Mark S. Norris found that Johnson is a “career offender” under the United States Sentencing Guidelines based on his prior convictions involving the distribution of narcotics and a prior violent offense. Judge Norris sentenced Johnson to 262 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "This defendant’s prior conviction history demonstrates his disrespect for the law and his imminent danger to the public. Johnson presented a triple threat of serious bodily injury and death: a prior violent convicted felon in possession of and dealing a firearm while distributing highly addictive and deadly substances on the streets. Fentanyl itself is a killer, and illegally putting firearms into the hands of strangers on the street adds another level of danger to the community. Career offender+guns+drugs = a federal sentence that will remove him from our community and save lives."
"This defendant posed a triple threat to our community – a violent convicted felon in possession of a firearm who also distributed the deadly narcotic Fentanyl and sold additional weapons on our Memphis streets. This sentencing underscores the collective efforts of ATF with our local, state, and federal partners and the unwavering commitment to maintaining public safety," said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Office.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Memphis Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
California Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Marijuana Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
HAMMOND– David Winchell, 48 years old, of Rohnert Park, California, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Winchell was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $680,000 money judgment.
“The Defendant was at the head of a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana and marijuana related products throughout the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. The conspiracy involved at least 892 kilograms (1,966.52 pounds) of marijuana and 55,000 separate marijuana related products and has earned him seven years and three years of supervised release,” US Attorney Adam Mildred said. “Law enforcement pieced together the scope of the conspiracy through painstaking analysis of ledgers created by Winchell and recovered through trash pulls and search warrants of his residence and other locations which detailed the marijuana sales over a two-year period. Investigators also uncovered that Winchell would launder the proceeds of the drug sales in part by purchasing money orders used to pay off personal credit cards. As part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath have shown that our combined efforts can make a ton of a difference, both literally and figuratively, for the Northern District of Indiana by shutting down this crew,” Mildred said.
“The Drug Enforcement Administration will continue to work closely with its law enforcement and prosecution partners to hold drug traffickers accountable. There is no room in northern Indiana for those who want to commit drug crimes. Mr. Winchell’s money laundering activities were particularly unethical and illegal. He is worthy of today’s sentencing in federal court. His criminal actions have consequences,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
“David Winchell ran a large-scale marijuana business and tried to clean the money when it came in,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents followed those profits and exposed the operation for what it was. This sentence makes clear that if you try to profit from illegal sales and hide the money, you will be held accountable.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who engage in drug trafficking and attempt to hide their profits through money laundering will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “We will continue working with our partners to combat these crimes and safeguard our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
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.
Burlington Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Loaded Firearm on Church StreetRead the Press Release
RUTLAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 6, 2026, Noor Mohamed, age 26, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 72 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Mohamed previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the time of his offense, Mohamed was on federal supervised release stemming from a 2021 narcotics conviction. Judge Lanthier also sentenced Mohamed to 12 months, to run concurrently, for violating the terms of supervised release by committing this offense.
According to court records, Mohamed illegally possessed a loaded handgun on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont in the early morning hours of June 21, 2025. While crowds of people walked around shortly after the area bars had closed, Mohamed was in a fight with another male, pulled out a firearm and chambered a round. Mohamed’s actions caused panic by multiple pedestrians, who ran north on Church Street yelling about a man with a gun. Multiple Burlington Police Department officers quickly identified Mohamed as the suspect in possession of a firearm, and tried to detain him. Mohamed ignored the commands of officers, physically resisted, and repeatedly reached toward the gun in his waistband, resulting in a harrowing and highly dangerous three-minute struggle. During the struggle, an agitated, hostile crowd gathered in close proximity to the officers and shouted at the officers as they attempted to gain control of the firearm and maintain public safety. Officers were eventually able to successfully detain Mohamed and removed the loaded firearm from his pants.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “Thanks to the careful, responsible, and courageous decision-making of the Burlington Police Officers who responded to the report of Mr. Mohamed’s possession of a firearm in the early morning hours of June 21, 2025, no one was injured or killed that night. Mr. Mohamed’s exceedingly dangerous conduct created a harrowing, volatile, and fraught situation that could have ended tragically but for the skill and bravery of the responding officers. This event is a frightening reminder of the profound demands placed all too often on law enforcement officers, and the uncertainty and risks they face each day when they show up in service and commitment to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont will continue to work closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners across the state to help protect our communities by prosecuting violent offenders who illegally possess firearms.” First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt also commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Chief of the Burlington Police Department, Shawn Burke, stated: “Noor Mohamed is another example of a violent, armed individual who has subjected our city to unacceptable levels of harm. The actions of our officers were selfless, precise, and disciplined. The Burlington Police Department appreciates our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office and the ATF. The resolution of this case reflects the level of accountability Mohamed deserves.”
Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Boston Field Division stated: “Noor Mohamed was armed with a loaded gun, menacing a crowd of people, while on probation from a previous conviction, and struggled with officers. The Burlington Police Department’s response to Mohamed was outstanding, and today’s sentence reflects the severity of the risk Mohamed created to both the public and the police. ATF is proud to stand with our partners at the Burlington Police Department.”
The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Nicole P. Cate. Mohamed was represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Multi-State Firearm Trafficking Operation in Connection with HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to federal prison in connection with a multi-state firearm trafficking operation.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Rodney Allen Farrar, 36, today, to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); and Chief Estella Patterson, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
According to the guilty plea, in December of 2023, ATF special agents began investigating Farrar’s co-conspirator, Brian Keith Adams, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, after law enforcement suspected he was trafficking firearms to the Baltimore area from North and South Carolina. During the investigation, agents learned through physical surveillance and transactions with undercover agents that Farrar conspired with and aided Adams in trafficking firearms. Farrar does not hold a federal firearms license and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Between February and June 2024, the co-conspirators sold more than 100 firearms to an undercover agent. Additionally, the undercover agent advised Farrar and Adams that he was illegally trafficking firearms to ship to New Jersey to sell to individuals who could not lawfully purchase firearms. Farrar admitted that he knew the firearms were getting trafficked and illegally sold to individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm and that at least three of the firearms were stolen.
Judge Rubin previously sentenced Adams to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in the firearms trafficking conspiracy and for distributing methamphetamine.
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.
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 Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, USPIS, HSI, MSP, DPSCS, BPD, PGPD, and CMPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan who prosecuted this case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man pleaded guilty to assault after assaulting a woman at her residence.
According to court documents, on September 16, 2024, Kendrick Harvey, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, went to the home of Jane Doe while intoxicated. There, Harvey assaulted Jane Doe and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe.
Harvey pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
Alleged California Drug Trafficker Indicted in the District of Utah During Homeland Security Task Force OperationRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Southern California man with drug crimes after he allegedly trafficked heroin into Utah.
Christian Salinas-Santiago, 30, of Los Angeles, California, was initially charged by complaint on April 23, 2026.
According to allegations in court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) opened an investigation in January 2026 with the Salt Lake Police Department into a Mexico based narcotics source of supply. In January 2026, an HSI undercover agent began communicating with a Mexico based drug trafficker to discuss drug shipments coming to Utah. On April 21, 2026, the drug trafficker in Mexico contacted the undercover agent and asked him to pick up a kilogram of heroin in Midvale, Utah, and advised the undercover agent he would be in a black Nissan Altima. The Nissan Altima, driven by Salinas-Santiago, arrived at the location, and Salinas-Santiago gave the heroin to the undercover agent. Shortly after, the Altima was stopped for a traffic violation, and Salinas-Santiago was arrested. The heroin Salinas-Santiago distributed to the undercover agent was later tested and indicated positive for heroin and weighed approximately 1.03 kilograms.
Salinas-Santiago is charged with distribution of heroin. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.400 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Salt Lake City Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake.
Assistant United States Attorney Vernon Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Salt Lake comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Columbus Home Depot RobberyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – An Alabama man has been sentenced to prison for the robbery of a Columbus Home Depot in 2020 and was linked to an alleged ten other similar robberies or thefts at home improvement stores in Georgia before being captured by police following a theft at a metro-Atlanta Lowe’s.
Demetrice Q. Suttles, also known as Demetris Suttles, 43, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on May 6, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of interference of commerce by robbery on Jan. 27. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Criminals who engage in violent acts in the Middle District of Georgia will be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are committed to working closely with law enforcement partners at every level to safeguard our communities and ensure these defendants face consequences for their actions.”
“Suttles carried out a pattern of robberies and thefts across multiple Georgia communities, using the presence of a firearm to create fear and avoid apprehension,” said ATF Special Agent Charles Mulherin. “ATF remains committed to targeting repeat violent offenders who threaten public safety.”
“This wasn’t just theft, it was a pattern of criminal behavior that endangered employees across multiple communities, including ours. Our officers worked closely with our partners to stop it and hold him accountable. That’s exactly how this should end,” said Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a series of robberies or thefts took place at Home Depot and Lowe’s stores in Georgia between March 11, 2020, and July 20, 2020. Although the crimes took place at different times of day, the description of the solo subject was always the same, including his clothing and the fact that he had a firearm on his right hip. Some of the incidents were captured by surveillance cameras. Investigators ultimately determined that at least ten of these incidents were committed by the same person, later identified as Suttles.
On April 13, 2020, at approximately 2:55 p.m., a Columbus Home Depot Asset Protection employee was monitoring the sales floor when they noticed Suttles. Suttles was dressed in an all-black outfit with the word “SECURITY” emblazoned across the chest and his ball cap, wearing a face mask, and carrying a black holster with a black handgun on his right hip. Suttles loaded a shopping cart with various power tools, walked past the checkout area and headed toward the exit. Suttles noticed the Asset Protection employee and shouted profanities at him. When he saw another Home Depot employee approaching, Suttles reached for the handgun on his hip, pulled it up several inches, and threatened, “Do not do it motherf***er, I will shoot you.” The employee did not intervene, and Suttles fled toward his vehicle with $2,841 worth of stolen power tools. Three days later, on April 16, 2020, Suttles was shoplifting at the Norcross, Georgia, Lowe’s store, where an employee recognized him from previous robberies and called 911. Suttles was apprehended outside the store by the Norcross Police Department.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the Norcross Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett prosecuted the case for the Government.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Child Sexual Assault Material
Elvy Charles Stickney, 33, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release to follow for two counts of distribution of child pornography. Stickney was ordered to pay $42,000 in restitution to the victims. According to court documents, on Aug. 19, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Kik that a user from Wyoming was in possession of suspected child pornography. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC) identified the user as Stickney. Agents gained access to his devices through a search warrant and located multiple images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. ICAC investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison prosecuted the case. Stickney was indicted on July 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 9. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on April 16 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00104
Drug Trafficking
Timothy Lee Cook, 65, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and the aiding and abetting of the distribution of methamphetamine, use of a communication facility to facilitate felony drug offense and distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, in early March 2024, DCI learned that the defendant was shipping drugs through the U.S. Postal Service. Agents conducted several controlled buys, totaling 436 grams of methamphetamine and 217 grams of fentanyl. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service investigated the crime. Cook was indicted on Jan. 15, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan 15, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on April 10 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00015
Brent Huskinson, 66, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, DCI was investigating several methamphetamine distributors in Campbell County. Through the investigation, they uncovered that Huskinson was the source of supply for several people and that he obtained the drugs from Colorado. On September 23, 2025, as Huskinson was driving back from Colorado, the Cambell County Sheriff’s Office stopped his vehicle. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle and a subsequent search led to the seizure of approximately 4.4 lbs. or two kilos, of methamphetamine, $1,386 cash, and other drug paraphernalia. DCI and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Huskinson was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 27. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Apil 17 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00166
Nicholas Rierson, 35, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, during an investigation conducted by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force Officers (TFO), Rierson’s residence was identified as a place where controlled substances were being distributed. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle and located 10 grams of fentanyl. During an interview, Rierson admitted to distributing methamphetamine as well as fentanyl and told officers they would find more drugs in totes under his deck. TFOs located 462 grams of methamphetamine and 109 grams of fentanyl in the totes. Members of the Cheyenne Police Department Community Action Team investigated the crime. Rierson was arrested on a complaint on Dec. 3, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 26. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Apil 21 in Cheyenne. Case No. 26-CR-00014
Ismael Escamilla, 33, with no permanent address, was sentenced to 48 months’ of imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. According to court documents, in October 2025, law enforcement tracked a stolen vehicle suspected of transporting drugs from Denver and located it at an apartment complex in Lander. When officers approached, Escamilla fled but was apprehended, and a search revealed fentanyl tablets, methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, and packaging materials consistent with distribution. Additional evidence, including a scale, was found in the vehicle, though it was determined the car had been stolen by someone other than Escamilla. DCI, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Lander Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Gist prosecuted the case. Escamilla was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 24 in Cheyenne. Case No. 00161
About the United States Attorney’s Office
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.A Tax Preparer and Insurance Agent Sentenced to Prison for Financial FraudRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A tax preparer in Berkeley County, West Virginia, was sentenced for fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Amanda Gorham, 34, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud. Gorham was a tax preparer at a business in Martinsburg and was simultaneously working as an insurance agent at another company. Gorham used the identifying information of those who filed their taxes with her company to open insurance policies without their knowledge of permission. The purpose of this scheme was to obtain financial gain by collecting commissions and a bonus on the newly opened policies in the amount of $44,582.52.
Gorham was ordered to pay a money judgement in amount of $44,582.52.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The matter was investigated by the WV Office of the Insurance Commissioner Office of Inspector General Special Investigative Division and the United States Postal Service.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
$2 Million Swindle of Suburban Chicago Resident Results in Two-and-a-Half-Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California man who claimed to be an investment advisor has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for swindling a suburban Chicago resident out of $2 million.
Over the course of six months in 2023, RAYMOND ECHAVEZ VILLAMOR fraudulently solicited and obtained a $2 million investment from an individual residing in Glenview, Ill. Villamor made false representations about the purported investment and falsely promised that the victim would receive all his money back, plus a substantial return. Villamor instead used the money on personal expenses, including to purchase, among other things, vintage automobiles. Villamor had also raised funds from other investors and used some of the money from the Glenview victim to repay those investors in classic Ponzi-scheme conduct.
Villamor, 62, of Newport Beach, Calif., pleaded guilty in 2025 to a federal wire fraud charge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood imposed the 30-month prison sentence and ordered Villamor to pay full restitution to his victim.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten.
5 May 2026
Williamsville man arrested, charged by complaint in multi-million dollar fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Richard Teplitsky, 71, of Williamsville, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with mail and wire fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, Teplitsky served as the president of Woodhill Capital Corporation, located in Williamsville, NY. As president, he and other Woodhill personnel solicited funds from investors within the Western District of New York and elsewhere. Teplitsky claimed the funds would be used to finance loans to businesses that were seeking to borrow money to acquire commercial equipment. When investors provided funds to Woodhill, Teplitsky provided them with copies of equipment financing agreements and repayment schedules of the borrowers. According to Teplitsky, investors would receive payments, typically by check of electronic transfers, from Woodhill based on these repayment schedules.
For instance, the complaint states that Victim 1 has had approximately 15 investment loans with Woodhill since 2018. Between 2018 and February 2026, Victim 1 received monthly payments from Woodhill. However, in March 2026, Victim 1 did not receive a payment. He attempted to reach Teplitsky but was unsuccessful. Victim 1 then reached out to other investors and learned that they also had not received payment in March. Victim 1 then sent a certified letter to the borrowers of his loans directing them to pay him instead of Woodhill. Approximately 3-4 borrowers responded, claiming that they did not have a loan with Woodhill, that the amount of the loan was incorrect, or that it was not their signature on the equipment financing agreement.
The investigation has identified more than 100 victims with estimated losses in excess of 10,000,000.
Teplitsky made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on home confinement with electronic monitoring.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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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Violent Felon Sentenced for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Martinsburg, West Virginia man with a violent criminal past was sentenced for a firearms conviction, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Ryan Dontrez Lynn, 37, of Martinsburg, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm. Officers received a domestic dispute complaint at Lynn’s home. When Berkeley County Sheriff’s Deputies responded, Lynn sped away in his vehicle. Officers conducted a traffic stop and found a firearm in the car, along with drugs and $860. The firearm had an obliterated serial number. Lynn has a criminal history that includes robbery, assault, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Lynn was on supervised release for a firearms conviction at the time of this offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and to repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Veterans Affairs Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Multiple Covid-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton woman, who has been employed full-time as a Medical Technician with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs since August 2021, has been charged in federal court in Boston with wire fraud.
Denise Baez, 51, was charged on May 1, 2026 with two counts of wire fraud.
As alleged in the charging documents, Baez submitted two applications seeking Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. In those applications, Baez made false claims regarding gross income purportedly earned from a sole proprietorship. To support these false claims, Baez allegedly attached fraudulent tax documents as part of the applications. The PPP loan applications were approved and Baez received $41,666. Baez allegedly used that money on personal expenses. However, in September 2021, Baez allegedly submitted loan forgiveness applications that falsely claimed the entire $41,666 was spent on payroll. Based on the misrepresentation the loans were forgiven.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Utah Man Found Guilty of Selling “PoppySeed Wash” Online to Help Customers Get High on OpiatesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict against a Utah man for unlawful possession of drug-manufacturing paraphernalia. After a three-day trial, the jury found the defendant possessed, marketed, and sold “PoppySeed Wash” kits across the country designed to enable his customers to get high from a home-brewed, opiate-rich tea containing morphine, codeine, and thebaine gleaned, as directed, from the skin of unwashed poppy seeds.
Devin Michael Tew, 40, of West Jordan, Utah, was charged by indictment on March 6, 2024.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, sometime before 2018 through 2022, Tew operated an illegal online business via his website poppyseedwash.com. More specifically, he sold “PoppySeed Wash” kits to customers who wanted to get high off the opium coatings on specially sourced poppy seeds that could be made into an opioid-rich tea. Each of the “PoppySeed Wash” kits included a bottle with unwashed poppy seeds inside, an instruction label for manufacturing the product at home, a measuring guide on the side, and a strainer in the cap to filter out the seeds when consumers squeezed out the opium-infused “tea” manufactured at home by following Tew’s directions. When prepared as directed, this “tea” contained morphine, codeine, and thebaine – all of which are opiates, and all of which are controlled substances.
Evidence at trial showed that Tew marketed his “PoppySeed Wash” kits on his poppyseed.com website and idealized the abuse of opium in various related social media posts. As a result of his illegal business, Tew made hundreds of thousands of dollars online by selling his “PoppySeed Wash” kits to consumers. In fact, Tew admitted to federal agents that, at one point, he was withdrawing—or having his sole part-time employee withdraw—between between $9,500 and $10,000 per day that he made from his “PoppySeed Wash” business. In 2020 and 2026, two separate tests conducted by FDA chemists established-- that Tew’s “PoppySeed Wash” bottled product contained morphine, codeine, and thebaine.
Tew’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Chandler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Health Care Fraud Consortium Workshop with Federal PartnersRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit on Monday held a Health Care Fraud Consortium Workshop with law enforcement partners to discuss health care fraud trends, emerging schemes, and the tools available to investigate and prosecute these offenses.
The workshop brought together representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Fraud Section, along with Assistant United States Attorneys and staff from the District of Nevada.
This workshop follows the Justice Department’s announcement establishing the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, a multi-district initiative that includes the District of Nevada, District of Arizona, and Northern District of California. The Strike Force brings together federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners to take a coordinated, data-driven approach to identifying and disrupting health care fraud schemes.
Participants shared insights on current fraud trends, coordinated investigative strategies, and opportunities to enhance collaboration across agencies. The discussion emphasized a unified commitment to protecting patients, safeguarding both public and private health care programs, and ensuring that health care dollars are directed toward legitimate care—not fraud.
“The strength of our enforcement efforts lies in our partnerships,” said representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “By working together, we can more effectively detect, investigate, and prosecute those who exploit the health care system.”
The workshop also highlighted key Justice Department initiatives aimed at strengthening the prevention and detection of corporate misconduct, including health care fraud. The Justice Department’s Criminal Division recently launched a Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program, which provides potential financial incentives to individuals who report original, truthful information that leads to successful forfeiture in cases involving corporate crime, including health care fraud schemes involving private insurance plans.
In addition, under the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, companies that voluntarily self-report misconduct within 120 days of receiving an internal whistleblower report may be eligible for a presumption of declination, provided they meet applicable criteria and report before the Department initiates contact.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners will continue to use every available legal tool to identify, investigate, and prosecute health care fraud offenses. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected wrongdoing in the health care industry.
For more information about reporting potential corporate misconduct, individuals may contact the Justice Department at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit Hold a Health Care Fraud Consortium Workshop With Federal Partners
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Two Northern Virginia men sentenced to prison for years-long drug trafficking conspiracy following Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Dontavious Rashid Whitaker, 28, of Alexandria, and D’Moni Anthony Moten, 27, of Woodbridge, were sentenced today to 20 years and over 16 years in prison respectively for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit pressed pills containing carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin.
According to court documents, from at least December 2021 to November 2025, Whitaker and Moten participated in a conspiracy to distribute counterfeit pressed pills containing opioids including heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil - a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than fentanyl.
On Feb. 19, 2025, in Alexandria, the United States Marshals Service (USMS) attempted to stop a Range Rover operated by Whitaker and a Jaguar operated by Moten. Whitaker and Moten attempted to flee and ultimately fled on foot from their vehicles. The Range Rover contained a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and 13 rounds in an attached magazine, over 1,800 pills containing 203 grams of fentanyl, various prescription pills, multiple pounds of suspected marijuana, cocaine, a digital scale, and two cellphones. The Jaguar contained a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and 10 rounds in an attached magazine, a large quantity of suspected marijuana, 32 grams of cocaine, and pills containing 109 grams of fentanyl. During a search of a residence associated with Whitaker, Moten, and other conspirators, investigators seized a handgun with a round in the chamber and 17 rounds in the attached magazine, another handgun with a round in the chamber and 33 rounds in the attached magazine, bulk marijuana, various prescription pills, over 1,000 fentanyl pills containing 120 grams of fentanyl, $182,568, and a money counter.
Subsequently, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases from Whitaker and Moten, two of which involved the sale of pills totaling 1,058 grams of a mixture containing heroin. On Nov. 12, 2025, law enforcement searched multiple locations and vehicles associated with Whitaker, Moten, and other coconspirators. Whitaker was located in one residence with a loaded handgun, approximately $50,000 in cash, and over $70,000 in high-end jewelry in his bedroom. Another loaded handgun was located in another bedroom in the same residence. A search of a vehicle associated with Whitaker and Moten resulted in the seizure of nearly 10,000 counterfeit pressed pills containing 721 grams of carfentanil, 116 grams of fentanyl, and 108 grams of heroin. The search of a second residence identified as a narcotics stash location associated with the conspiracy resulted in the seizure of scattered fentanyl pills and a Draco AK-47 style pistol with a round in the chamber and the magazine next to the firearm. A second vehicle associated with Whitaker was searched and found to contain 1,000 counterfeit pressed pills containing approximately 108 grams of fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of VirginiaOn Feb. 6, Whitaker pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute and attempted possession with intent to distribute carfentanil; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Whitaker was sentenced today to 20 years in prison.
On Feb. 6, Moten pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute and attempted possession with intent to distribute carfentanil; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Moten was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison.
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 Manassas is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Diplomatic Security Service; USMS; the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; Customs and Border Protection; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA. Prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The DEA and ATF investigated this case with assistance from USMS, the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office, Virginia State Police, Alexandria Police Department, Arlington Police Department, Prince George County Police Department, and Prince William County Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:26-cr-19 (Moten) and 1:26-cr-20 (Whitaker).
Two Charged with Narcotics Trafficking at or Near Affordable Housing EstablishmentsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Two local methamphetamine distributors have been charged with trafficking narcotics at or near affordable housing complexes in Portland, Oregon.
William Andrew Fleming-Davis, 39, has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and felon in possession of a firearm.
Edward Mortenson, 55, has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on April 25, 2026, Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Officers received a tip from a community member that an unknown male was dealing drugs in Southeast Portland near the Lents neighborhood. Officers stopped Fleming-Davis, who matched the description of the drug dealer, and found methamphetamine, almost $600, multiple knives, brass knuckles, a firearm, and drug paraphernalia:
In April 2026, Portland Police officers with the Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team/Bike Squad received a tip of narcotics trafficking at Musolf Manor, an affordable housing complex. Mortenson was seen on video dropping methamphetamine. On April 29, 2026, officers took Mortenson into custody after he was caught trafficking narcotics and seized six baggies containing methamphetamine and over $300. Officers executed a search warrant on Mortenson’s apartment and seized over 370 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and bulk money from selling narcotics:
Following the arrest of the defendants, officers contacted the FBI to pursue the cases federally.
Mortenson made his first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. magistrate judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
Fleming-Davis is currently being held on prior state charges.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The FBI and Portland Police Bureau are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Trumbull County Man Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Convenience Store ShootingRead the Press Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A 32-year-old Trumbull County man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a convenience store shooting in Warren, Ohio. The Aug. 3, 2025, shooting left one person dead.
Jumal Ellis Rowe, of Warren, was sentenced to 92 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; he was previously convicted of trafficking cocaine in 2013 and possession of cocaine in 2020. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
On Aug. 3, 2025, the Warren Police Department and the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of gunshots and of an individual who was shot at a Convenient Food Mart in Warren. According to court documents, investigators determined that around 5 a.m., several individuals were seen loitering and playing a dice game on the walkway just outside the main door. A fight then broke out and escalated into a mass shooting incident in the parking lot involving multiple individuals. One individual was later pronounced dead and another injured as a result.
Two other defendants involved in the incident, Sean King, 37, and Rayjon Ray McElroy, 25, were charged separately. King is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition. McElroy was sentenced to 25 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person.
This investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Youngstown Field Office, the Warren Police Department, and the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin E. Bringman for the Northern District of Ohio.
Treasurer of Labor Union Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Leominster man was sentenced on May 1, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for embezzling from a labor union.
Joe Scott, Jr., 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 42 months of probation, with six months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $49,559. In January 2026, Scott pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor union.Scott was the Treasurer of the International Union of Electrical Workers, Communication Workers of America, Local 81154 (“IUE-CWA Local 81154”), a labor union chapter based in Gardner, Mass., that represents union members from various employers in Massachusetts. Scott used his position as Treasurer to embezzle approximately $49,559 from IUE-CWA Local 81154, by making debit card expenditures, withdrawing funds and issuing checks, from union bank accounts, all for Scott’s personal benefit. Scott used the money to pay for, among other things, storage costs, home internet and cell phone services, electrical and gas services, home improvement tools, dumpster rental and personal expense while on vacation.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jonathan Russo, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Three Staten Island Men Plead Guilty for Attempting to Bribe a Juror in a Criminal Trial in the Eastern District of New YorkRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Afrim Kupa pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo to obstruction of justice for attempting to bribe a juror (Juror-1) to vote not guilty in a criminal trial in the Eastern District of New York. Kupa is the last of three defendants to plead guilty to this crime, following the guilty pleas of Mustafa Fteja and Valmir Krasniqi on February 19, 2026 and March 4, 2026, respectively. In mid-November 2025, the defendants offered to pay a juror serving on the criminal trial of United States v. Goran Gogic (22-CR-493 JMA) up to $100,000 in exchange for the juror’s not guilty vote at the close of trial. When sentenced, Kupa, Krasniqi and Fteja each face up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty pleas.
“Any attempt to interfere with the integrity of our justice system will be met with swift and serious consequences,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “These defendants admitted they obstructed a federal criminal trial in Brooklyn by attempting to bribe a juror, which strikes at the very heart of the rule of law. Our Office is committed to protecting the judicial process and ensuring that those who try to corrupt it are held fully accountable.”
Mr. Nocella extended his appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations, New York, for their work on the Gogic case.
“The defendants’ attempt to influence the outcome of a criminal trial threatened the integrity of our country’s justice system. May today’s plea highlight the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable any individual who tries to interfere with our judicial proceedings,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
The Gogic Trial
As alleged in the indictment and set forth in other court documents, the trial of Goran Gogic was set to commence before the United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack on November 17, 2025.
Gogic is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and three counts of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act. As alleged, between May 2018 and July 2019, Gogic conspired with others to distribute massive quantities of cocaine via commercial cargo ships. Gogic coordinated with the sources of the cocaine in Colombia, the crewmembers who transported tons of cocaine on commercial cargo ships on the high seas, and the network of port workers who transported and offloaded the cocaine in Europe via the United States. United States law enforcement seized three of these shipments, totaling nearly 20,000 kilograms of cocaine. If convicted, Gogic faces up to life in prison.The Juror Tampering Scheme
On November 3, 2025 and November 5, 2025, a jury was selected in Gogic’s criminal trial. Juror-1 was selected to serve as a juror at trial. Between November 13, 2025 and November 17, 2025, Kupa, Krasniqi, and Fteja attempted to bribe Juror-1 with a cash payment in exchange for Juror-1 agreeing to vote not guilty at Gogic’s trial.
On November 13, 2025, Krasniqi arranged a meeting between Kupa and Fteja in Staten Island, New York. At the meeting, Kupa explained to Fteja that he and other coconspirators wanted Fteja to offer Juror-1 money to vote not guilty at trial. In a meeting on November 15, 2025, Fteja informed Juror-1 that he/she would be paid up to $100,000 to vote not guilty at trial.
On November 16, 2025, Kupa, Krasniqi and Fteja met at Krasniqi’s home in Staten Island. There, the three discussed the plan to pay Juror-1 to vote not guilty at Gogic’s trial. During the meeting, Kupa indicated that Juror-1 would receive $100,000 in cash as payment.
On November 17, 2025, Kupa and Krasniqi were arrested at their homes in Staten Island. At that time, Kupa was in possession of a document containing Juror-1’s name, home address, and place of employment. Krasniqi was in possession of a digital photograph of Juror-1 that he had sent via text message to Fteja in furtherance of the criminal scheme.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily J. Dean, Tanya Hajjar, and Stephen Petraeus are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
VALMIR KRASNIQI
Age: 35
Staten Island, New YorkAFRIM KUPA
Age: 53
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-385 (JMA)
MUSTAFA FTEJA
Age: 54
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-23 (JMA)
Texas man sentenced for trafficking eaglesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Texas man who trafficked bald and golden eagles was sentenced today to five years of probation and restitution in the amount of $77,500.00, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
John Patrick Butler, 71, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of conspiracy, two counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles, and one count of purchasing eagles and eagle parts that had been killed illegally, in violation of the Lacey Act.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement uncovered messages from co-defendant Travis John Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles by stating, “[O]ut [here] committing felonies,” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers for future sales.
Co-defendant Simon Paul, Branson, and others, hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere. In total, approximately 3,600 birds were killed, including eagles. They then illegally sold the eagles on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.
The killing of eagles is fueled by individuals willing to purchase the eagles on the black market. Butler was one of those purchasers and he requested the killing of specific types of eagles. For example, Butler inquired of Branson, “Did u ever see any crispy ones yet?” Butler would then purchase eagles from co-defendants by transferring money through PayPal and other forms of online payment. In return, the co-defendants sent the eagles, including their parts, through the mail from Montana to Humble, Texas, where Butler resides. Postal records and text messages confirm Butler received the eagles, hawks, and their parts.
From November 2020 until March 2021, Butler purchased eagles shot in Montana and elsewhere, including:
- On December 14, 2020, Butler paid Branson $450 through PayPal for two tail feather sets—a golden eagle tail set and a bald eagle tail set.
- On December 17, 2020, Branson sent a text message to Butler with a photo of a golden eagle tail set. On the same date, Butler paid Branson $300 through a PayPal purchase for the golden eagle tail set.
- On December 28, 2020, Butler sent Branson $750 for the purchase of two golden eagle tails. Branson mailed the package filled with the two golden eagle tails through the United States Postal Service and Butler confirmed he received the package on January 4, 2021.
- On January 7, 2021, Butler purchased two golden eagle tail sets from Branson. On the same date, Butler sent Branson $900.
- On March 1, 2021, Butler purchased two golden eagle sets from Branson after Branson sent pictures of the tail sets to Butler.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol, which reflects America’s ideals of freedom. In 1962, Congress extended the Act to also protect golden eagles.
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Tea Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Bags of Fentanyl and Hundreds of Pounds of Methamphetamine in Sioux Falls AreaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Tea, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 4, 2026.
Matthew Shade, 48, was sentenced to 21 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Shade was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 10, 2026.
“This was another skillfully managed takedown of a serial drug dealer and his operation by the dedicated officers on the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, with a strong assist from the Criminal Investigations Unit of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “In all likelihood, the fentanyl and methamphetamine seized from this criminal’s operation would have killed some people who are alive right now in Sioux Falls. This investigation, prosecution, and substantial federal prison sentence has given them another chance at life. I will never stop being grateful for that.”
Shade was the local leader of a drug trafficking organization that obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl from Arizona and distributed those drugs throughout South Dakota. The group trafficked the drugs both through the U.S. Mail and via cross-country car trips. Investigators became aware of the group and seized a methamphetamine-laden package that contained over four pounds of methamphetamine in December 2024. Investigators later seized two parcels sent from Sioux Falls to Arizona that contained a combined total of approximately $26,000. Eventually, investigators became aware that Shade’s Arizona-based source of supply was traveling by car to South Dakota and arranged to have the South Dakota Highway Patrol conduct a traffic stop. A trooper thereafter stopped and searched the vehicle, wherein he found approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine and over 2,000 fentanyl pills. Investigators then discovered that Shade had traveled to Arizona and they thereafter intercepted a package bound for Sioux Falls that was found to contain 144 grams of fentanyl powder. Investigators obtained a warrant for Shade’s residence in Tea and found 80 grams of methamphetamine, 22 fentanyl pills, scales, and various other narcotics.
The investigation ultimately revealed that Shade was responsible for organizing shipments of methamphetamine and cash between Sioux Falls and Arizona. He also had multiple sub-distributors to whom he provided methamphetamine for redistribution. In total, investigators believe that Shade and his group were responsible for trafficking approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine to the Sioux Falls area from Arizona.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Shade was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Tangipahoa Woman Guilty of Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – CHELSEY POWELL (“POWELL”), age 34, of Tangipahoa Parish, LA, pleaded guilty on April 29, 2026 before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
According to court records, POWELL made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a pandemic-related relief Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funded by the federal government, in the amount of approximately $19,950.00. She also applied for two other PPP loans that were based upon false information. In total, POWELL agreed to repay the SBA $36,123.52 as restitution for the losses to the government.
POWELL is to be sentenced on August 12, 2026. At that time, she faces up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the false statements to the SBA. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after conviction.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (a member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee) and the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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St. Louis Man Admits Bringing 12-Year-Old from Michigan to St. Louis for SexRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Monday admitted driving a 12-year-old from Michigan to Missouri, where he engaged in illegal sex acts with her.
Harold Paul White, 56, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He admitted meeting the girl on social media and driving to Michigan to pick her up. White engaged in illegal sex acts with the minor at his apartment and recorded those acts with a phone. When the victim realized that she had been reported missing, White bought her a bus ticket home.
White is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31. Both sides have agreed to recommend 15 years in prison.
The FBI and local police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. For more information, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Somerset Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset man admitted to distributing fentanyl and heroin that led to the death of a victim, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Thomas Kane Miller, 41, of Somerset, New Jersey pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to a superseding information charging him with three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In October 2022, in Somerset County, Miller distributed a substance containing fentanyl and heroin to a person who died as a result of using the substance. He also distributed fentanyl and heroin in Somerset County and Middlesex County on two other occasions in December 2022 and January 2023.
“Trafficking fentanyl and heroin can have deadly consequences and remains among the most serious crimes we prosecute. This defendant chose to traffic in deadly drugs, and that choice cost a life—today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to hold accountable those who bring this poison into our communities and to pursue justice for the victims and families left behind.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
Each of the three counts of drug distribution carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. The sentences on each count may run consecutively. Each count also carries a potential fine of $1 million, and the defendant must be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed. Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the DEA Strike Force, New York Task Force Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts, and members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John P. McDonald, and members of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine M. Romano, Co-Chief of the General Crimes Unit, and Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Aidan P. O’Connor, Esq.
miller.information.pdfSeven-Time Felon to Federal Prison for Stealing GunsRead the Press Release
A man who stole fifteen firearms from a house in Waterloo was sentenced on May 1, 2026, to eight years in federal prison.
Justin Michael Barnes, age 29, from Rock Island, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 20, 2025, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a felon and possession of stolen firearms.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings in the case showed that Barnes was previously convicted of six felonies in Iowa state courts, including thefts, forgeries, and a gun offense. In June 2024, Barnes was on parole and there was a warrant for his arrest. That month, he and his then-girlfriend, Jena Wells, stole fifteen firearms from an unoccupied house in Waterloo. Wells acted as a lookout while Barnes stole the guns. They took the stolen guns to Wells’s home. Barnes then tried to sell the guns. During a traffic stop on June 10, 2024, Waterloo police officers located several of the stolen guns in Barnes’s backpack. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement officers, Barnes repeatedly lied about how and where he had acquired the guns.
Barnes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Barnes was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Wells was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment on March 9, 2026.
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.
Barnes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2022.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gabriel Cabrera, 23, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to eight years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on March 28, 2025, during a parole search of Cabrera’s home, agents discovered a firearm and some fentanyl that Cabrera had hidden in another resident’s bedroom. Agents also discovered drug paraphernalia and a drug sales ledger in Cabrera’s room. On Cabrera’s cellphone, officers discovered a video of Cabrera holding the same firearm and many messages between Cabrera and other individuals discussing Cabrera’s fentanyl sales. Cabrera is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for offenses including sale of a controlled substance, infliction of corporal injury on a spouse, and willfully discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
Cabrera pleaded guilty on Sept. 9, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Sacramento Couty Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Harman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Dawaun Shunard Jackson, 40, of Tallahassee, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work of our local and federal law enforcement partners to catch this sexual predator before he could victimize and sexually exploit a child. Keeping our kids safe, both online and in our communities, remains a top priority for my office. We will continue to aggressively prosecute the sick individuals who seek to prey upon innocent children to ensure they remain locked away in prison where they belong.”
Court documents reflect that between November 20-22, 2025, the Tallahassee Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other state and federal law enforcement agencies, conducted an undercover operation focused on identifying individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, an undercover officer posed as a 15-year-old girl and posted an ad on a website known for the solicitation of escorts. Court records show that the defendant responded to the ad and believed that he was communicating with a minor. Court records also show that the defendant offered the girl money in exchange for sex and arranged to meet her in Tallahassee. An investigation revealed that the defendant was a registered sex offender. After the defendant was arrested, his cell phone was seized as evidence, and a subsequent search of the device confirmed that he communicated with the undercover officer who posed as a 15-year-old girl.
Jackson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, followed by up to a lifetime of supervision upon release, for the attempted enticement of a minor count. For the penalties for sex offenders count, Jackson also faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2026, at 11:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Pryor Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Jason Sanders, age 45, of Pryor, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
On September 30, 2025, Sanders pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 5, 2025, Sanders knowingly possessed two semi-automatic pistols and 96 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Sanders will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Portsmouth man sentenced to over three years in prison for straw-purchasing firearmsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced yesterday to three years and five months in prison for making false statements during the purchase of firearms.
According to court documents, between June 8, 2023, and Feb. 26, 2025, Isaiah Sincere Wilson, 24, straw-purchased several firearms for, among others, his drug dealer. Three of the firearms were used in acts of violence that spanned multiple states. Several of the firearms remain unaccounted for. Wilson made these purchases from licensed dealers while knowingly making false statements to conceal that the firearms would be purchased for another person.
Wilson and his drug dealer discussed Wilson signing up for a course to obtain a concealed-handgun permit, which would allow Wilson to carry a concealed firearm and purchase more than one handgun per month. They also discussed reducing the price of Wilson's marijuana purchases in exchange for straw-purchasing a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge, former Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Marek, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-87.
Pensacola Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to New Federal Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Donnschee Ricky Montrell Foster, 34, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of committing a felony involving minors while being required to register as a sex offender. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the determined investigative work of the FDLE and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, this child sexual predator now faces decades in federal prison for his continued commission of sex offenses involving child sexual abuse material. Keeping our kids safe online and in our communities is of paramount importance, and my office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting sexual predators like this defendant to keep them out of our communities and locked away in prison where they belong.”
Court documents reveal that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted routine checks on Foster as a registered sex offender in late-2025. Foster has a prior state conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material. When the Florida Department of Law Enforcement determined that Foster was not residing at the location where his sex offender registration required, law enforcement conducted follow up investigation in an attempt to locate him and obtained an arrest warrant for sex offender registration violations. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, located Foster working on Pensacola Beach in November 2025. Foster was taken into custody, and a search warrant was obtained for his cellular telephone. Located within his phone were images of real child pornography as well as computer generated child sexual abuse material. Foster remains detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Foster faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to 30 years’ imprisonment.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2026, at 1:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Onondaga County Man Charged with Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alden Fuller, age 50, of Syracuse, New York, appeared in federal court on April 24, 2026, on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. On April 27, 2026, Fuller was ordered detained pending trial. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, on April 23, 2026, Fuller, who is a previously convicted sex offender, was found in possession of a cellular telephone with a large volume of child pornography. Fuller had purchased the child pornography from another user of an online social media messaging application. The material Fuller purchased included videos of children as young as six years old being sexually abused.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “As alleged, this defendant was so eager to obtain videos of children being sexually abused that he was willing to pay for it. This is not only reprehensible, but it also helped fuel the online market for material depicting the sexual abuse of children. This is all despite a prior conviction and 6-year state prison sentence. Now, this defendant faces decades in federal prison if convicted, which is exactly where every brazen repeat sexual offender belongs.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Keegan stated: “As a previously convicted sex offender, Alden Fuller’s alleged crimes highlight the ongoing threat posed by individuals who prey on children. This arrest underscores the critical importance of HSI’s partnerships with federal, state, and local counterparts to safeguard neighborhoods and hold criminals accountable. HSI Syracuse, together with the law enforcement community, will never stop fighting for children and other at-risk victims, and will relentlessly pursue anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
The charge of receiving child pornography filed against Fuller carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 40 years. The charge of possessing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release between five years and life. Fuller will also be required to continue registering as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HSI is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle is prosecuting the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Federal Prison After Firearm Incidents, Including a Shooting and StandoffRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – KENYETTA ROMELL BAUCOM, 45, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 166 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, between December 2024 and January 2025, Baucom had two interactions with the Oklahoma City Police Department. On December 21, 2024, OCPD officers responded to a two-vehicle accident. Officers found Baucom still inside his vehicle and determined he had rear-ended the vehicle in front of him and needed further medical evaluation. As Baucom was removed from the vehicle for treatment, a handgun fell from his pocket.
Less than one month later, on January 13, 2025, officers responded to a reported shooting. The victim told police that Baucom had shot at them during a disagreement over an offer to buy a car. Officers attempted to execute a search warrant at Baucom’s home, but Baucom barricaded the door. After a standoff, Baucom was eventually arrested. Inside the house, officers recovered two more firearms.
At a sentencing hearing on May 4, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Baucom to serve 166 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk noted the need to promote respect for the law and to protect the public from further crimes by this defendant.
Public records reflect that Baucom has previous felony convictions including two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm while on probation, attempting to elude while endangering others, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in Cleveland County District Court case number CF-2007-1539.
This case is the result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is part of “Shots Fired,” part of the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison after Using Stolen Identity to Fraudulently Obtain VehicleRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – BRANDON LEE RICHARDS, 36, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for making a false statement to a bank and falsely representing a Social Security number, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on September 19, 2024, Richards purchased a vehicle from an Oklahoma City dealership. To complete the purchase, Richards—who had a history of financial fraud convictions—claimed to be another person on a credit application and used the victim’s Social Security number. On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Richards with making a false statement to a bank and falsely representing a Social Security number. Richards pleaded guilty on October 30, 2025, admitting he claimed to be another person when purchasing the vehicle and used that person’s Social Security number on a credit application.
At a sentencing hearing on April 28, 2026, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Richards to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted Richards’ previous financial fraud convictions and the seriousness of the offense.
Public records further reflect that Richards has a previous felony conviction in the Western District of Oklahoma for uttering and possessing counterfeited securities in case number CF-16-188, uttering forged instruments in Cleveland County District Court case number CF-2008-1278, attempting to obtain property under false pretenses in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2010-6286, and second-degree forgery in Oklahoma County District Court case numbers CF-2013-2233 and CF-2013-2122.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Krista Hodges-Eckhoff prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oakland Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Oakland man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing stolen firearms.
According to court records, during the early morning hours of August 10, 2025, Cody Smith, 24, broke into a pawn shop in Waterville and stole 23 handguns. The break-in was captured on a video surveillance system inside the building, as well as exterior surveillance cameras at other businesses in the area. Within hours of the burglary, Smith was posting videos of himself on social media displaying some of the stolen firearms and admitting to the break-in.
Smith faces up to 10 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Waterville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Norwich Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAMEL PIRES, 28, of Norwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 26, 2024, a Groton City Police officer attempted to stop Pires who was driving his vehicle erratically. Pires increased his speed before turning into the driveway of a residence. The officer approached Pires and determined he was intoxicated. A search of Pires revealed that he possessed marijuana packaged for distribution, and a search of his vehicle revealed a loaded 9mm Canik TP9 Elite SC handgun. Pires was arrested on state charges at that time.
Pires’ criminal history includes a conviction for a firearm possession offense stemming from an incident in 2020 when he shot at an individual during a fight, and a conviction for assaulting a police officer. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On January 12, 2026, Pires pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He has been detained since his state arrest.
This matter was investigated by the Groton City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
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.
Nashua Man Charged with Threatening the PresidentRead the Press Release
Nashua Man Charged With Threatening the President
CONCORD – A Nashua resident and federal employee was charged by criminal complaint in federal court on Friday, May 1, 2026, for interstate communication of a threat against the President, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. He was arrested yesterday and appears before the court today.
Dean DelleChiaie, age 35, an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration, allegedly conducted various internet searches on his government work computer in late January, like how to get a gun into a federal facility, previous assassination attempts against the President, the percentage of the population that wants the President dead, and the phrase “I am going to kill Donald John Trump.” According to the complaint, the United States Secret Service interviewed DelleChiaie in early February where he admitted to conducting those searches on his work computer and to owning three firearms, including a handgun he kept inside a safe at his home.
On April 21, 2026, DelleChiaie allegedly used his personal email to transmit a threat across state lines to the White House’s public facing email address. In the email, which had as the subject “Contact the President,” DelleChiaie stated, “I, Dean DelleChiaie, am going neutralize/kill you - Donald John Trump - because you decided to kill kids - and say that it was War - when in reality - it is terrorism. God knows your actions and where you belong.”
If convicted, DelleChiaie faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The United States Secret Service is leading the investigation. The Nashua Police Department has provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon is prosecuting the case.
Miami Beach Man Charged with Making Online Death Threats Against President Trump and Senior US OfficialsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami Beach man appeared in federal court Monday after allegedly posting repeated threats on social media to assassinate the President of the United States and other officials.
According to court records, from at least January through April 2026, Nathaniel Sanders II, 32, of Miami Beach, used X and Instagram to make numerous posts threatening the lives of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, and former Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law. The complaint alleges that this defendant repeatedly threatened to assassinate the President of the United States and other senior officials. Those allegations will now be tested in court. Our Office will continue working with the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners to investigate threats, protect public officials, and ensure that those who violate federal law are held accountable. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office. “It does not matter where the threat is made or what platform is used, our agents will identify you, investigate you, and work alongside our federal and local partners to bring charges when appropriate. We remain relentless in our mission to protect the President and to act swiftly against anyone who puts others at risk.”
Sanders is charged with threatening the President of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Townsend made the announcement.
The USSS Miami Field Office is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, and Miami Beach Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Meckler Silverberg is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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 number 26-mj-02772.
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