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30 April 2026
Mexican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jorge Humberto Olais Solano, age 40, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted April 29, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed three times.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Olais Solano illegally reentered the United States and was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2026. Olais Solano was last removed from the United States through Del Rio, Texas, on April 26, 2017.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn M. Stoner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF York comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer after striking a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer multiple times during an arrest.
According to court documents, on May 29, 2025, Dominic James Isaac Sandoval Peralta, 24, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted and forcibly resisted a Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services officer who was responding to a call at a residence on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. When the uniformed officer attempted to take Peralta into custody, Peralta advanced on him and initiated a physical confrontation, striking the officer multiple times in the head and causing injuries. The officer deployed a taser to subdue Peralta and place him under arrest. Even after being handcuffed, Peralta continued to resist by refusing to comply with commands to enter the patrol vehicle.
Peralta pleaded guilty to assault upon a federal officer involving physical contact and faces up to eight 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 Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dickens is prosecuting the case.
Members of “Noir’s Luxury Refunds” Telegram Channel Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A member of “Noir’s Luxury Refunds” has been sentenced for participating in a fraud conspiracy, organized through the cloud-based messaging service Telegram, that targeted retailers across the country, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Brian Nicklaus Buchanan, 30, of Clayton, North Carolina, to 12 months and one day in prison. Buchanan previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
“Refund fraud is a billion-dollar problem plaguing American companies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby. “These sentences send a message to cybercriminals that you can’t hide behind your keyboard. Federal law enforcement will track you down, arrest you, and you will go to prison.”
“Global fraud is a billion-dollar enterprise fueling organized crime. Retail refund schemes alone cost billions, and there is no such thing as a victimless crime,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge. “Every fraudulent return, every exploited system, ultimately impacts jobs, prices, and public safety. This case exemplifies the FBI’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding American companies and their customers. Through strong global and private sector partnerships, we can disrupt and dismantle these networks at their core.”
The following members of “Noir’s Luxury Refunds” have previously been sentenced:
- Jason Seib, also known as “Waynor,” 44, from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, was sentenced to time served after being in custody for 26 months;
- David James Park, also known as “Plutus,” 24, from Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 13 months in prison;
- Nicholas John Caruso, also known as “Deaf,” 33, from Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 8 months in prison;
- Jennifer Mireya Palma, also known as “Bianca,” 25, from Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to 10 months in prison;
- Damion Wayne Scarlett, also known as “Dash,” 27, from Deer Park, New York, was sentenced to 16 months in prison;
- CK Chikong Tran, also known as “Radiant,” 31, from New York, New York, was sentenced to 21 months in prison; and
- Tyree Samuel Tinsley, also known as “Tysamtin,” 32, from Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.
According to court documents, these individuals were members of Noir’s Organization, a group that operated the Telegram channel “Noir’s Luxury Refunds,” as well as other fraud-based Telegram channels. Noir’s Luxury Refunds was dedicated to refund fraud, a type of fraud where a purchaser claims to return an item, receives a refund, but keeps the product. Customers would pay Noir’s Organization a percentage of the product price in exchange for the organization fraudulently refunding the item on the customer’s behalf. Noir’s Organization marketed itself as having the expertise to defraud retailers across the world in a wide range of industries. At one point, the Noir’s Luxury Refunds channel had over 5,900 followers. Noir’s Organization operated from July 2020 until July 2022.
Documents reflect that the group obtained refunds or attempted to obtain refunds for millions of dollars’ worth of products, including electronics, designer clothing and apparel, home furnishings, and appliances. Noir’s Organization used a variety of tactics to commit refund fraud, including social engineering to manipulate customer services representatives into issuing refunds, manipulating shipping labels to deceive a retailer into believing they had received a returned product when they had not, and recruiting customer service representatives as “insiders” to perform refunds on the conspiracy’s behalf. Noir’s Organization also developed malware that would target retailers’ websites to facilitate refund fraud by circumventing fraud prevention measures.
The FBI investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Brett A. Janich, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Canter, prosecuted the cases.
Assistance was provided by Target Corporation; Amazon.com, Inc.; Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Wayfair Inc.; Dell Technologies; Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.; American Airlines Group Inc.; Hewlett Packard Incorporated; Adidas AG; eBay Inc.; and Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group. The Sûreté Nationale of Morrocco also provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Operation Chargeback, an FBI investigation into organized refund fraud groups across the United States and internationally. Cases have also been brought in the Western District of Washington and the Northern District of Oklahoma as part of the initiative.
For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
Man Sentenced for Embezzling $434,000Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man who embezzled $434,000 from a medical business in the St. Louis area to a year and a day in prison and ordered him to repay the money.
Talon Lewis’ embezzlement lasted from Oct. 21, 2019, through at least Feb. 19, 2025. At the time, he was an accounts payable specialist at a medical business. One of his jobs was to upload a list of patients who were owed refunds so the company could generate and mail refund checks to patients. Lewis had refunds sent to himself or to the homes of friends and acquaintances, sometimes using fake names, by adding those people to the patient refund lists. Lewis recruited 14 people to aid his scheme. Those friends and acquaintances then kicked back 30% of the money they fraudulently received to Lewis. He spent his share of the money on personal expenses and at local casinos.
As part of the sentence, Judge Sippel barred Lewis from gambling or entering gambling establishments during his three-year term of supervised release.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims including those most vulnerable,” said Acting Inspector in Charge, Nicholas Bucciarelli, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Domicile Office.
Lewis, 33, formerly of St. Charles, Missouri, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Madison County Woman Sentenced to More than Two Years in Prison for Soliciting BribesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County woman has been sentenced for bribery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Megan Nicole Tillery, 39, of Meridianville, Alabama, to 28 months in prison. In October 2025, Tillery pleaded guilty to use of interstate commerce facility in aid of racketeering.
According to the plea agreement, Tillery was employed with the Community Action Partnership in the second quarter of 2022 as the Community Intake Specialist. Tillery used her position to solicit bribes from individuals in exchange for applying Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds to their accounts when they did not qualify for funding under the program. Tillery also solicited money from an individual who was qualified for LIHEAP funds. Tillery told the individual that he needed to pay her to reduce the utility bill. The individual was not required to pay a fee to Tillery or Community Action Partnership to receive funds because he qualified for LIHEAP benefits. Between July 2022 and December 2023, Tillery received more than $15,000 in bribes.
LIHEAP provides federally funded assistance in the form of a grant to eligible households to reduce their energy costs. Alabama has designated the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) as the entity responsible for receiving these federal funds and administering the LIHEAP program to the state. In Madison and Limestone Counties, ADECA has partnered with Community Action Partnership for that purpose.
“This defendant was afforded a position of trust, and she used it to enrich herself,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “We will continue to hold people accountable who exploit taxpayer-funded programs intended to benefit struggling Americans for their own personal gain.”
“Abusing one’s position for personal gain, especially during a time of crisis, shows a blatant disregard for the oath that every government official takes,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Division. “Federal assistance programs are created to support individuals, families, and businesses that have experienced significant loss. FBI Birmingham along with our partners are dedicated to protecting these programs from fraud to ensure that honest citizens can receive the assistance they need most during difficult times. Anyone who commits fraud against the government will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The FBI, Tennessee Valley Authority – Office of the Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
Leading Dark Web Marketplace Creator and Operator Extradited from Colombia to the United StatesRead the Press Release
A German national living in Colombia was extradited to the United States on charges that he owned and operated “The Versus Project,” an online dark web marketplace that enabled its over 380,000 registered users to buy and sell illegal goods.
The Versus Project, also known as Versus, was a leading dark web marketplace that enabled users to buy and sell illegal goods, including heroin and other illicit drugs, stolen and fraudulent identification documents and access devices, counterfeit currency, malware, and hacking tools. Versus operated from about November 2019 through about May 2022. During that time, Versus had over 380,000 registered users, offered over 32,000 product listings and facilitated over 300,000 completed orders, resulting in millions of dollars’ worth of transactions.
According to court documents, Patrick Schmitz, 37, of Taganga, Colombia, was a cofounder of Versus and handled the day-to-day management, such as responding to user tickets for assistance with issues on the platform, reviewing vendor applications, and resolving disputes between vendors and customers. Over time, Schmitz recruited and supervised staff who worked on Versus and reported to him. Schmitz also promoted Versus on the dark web, recruited vendors, and developed strategies to monetize Versus. Schmitz received a portion of the profits generated and his virtual currency wallets transacted in cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars.
“This extradition demonstrates the strength of the Justice Department’s international partnerships, and our ability to identify dark web criminals running platforms engaging in such widespread and varied illegal conduct,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Versus Project allowed thousands of criminals to endanger the American people with heroin, illegal drugs, and tools for fraud and hacking. Although Versus hid on the dark web, today’s announcement demonstrates that Versus was not beyond the reach of the Justice Department and its international partners. Illegal online criminal marketplaces, no matter where they are located, will be targeted and brought down.”
“The indictment makes clear that law enforcement will shine a bright light on criminal conduct on the dark web,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “We will investigate and prosecute those who seek to use the anonymity of the dark web to profit from the sale of illegal goods. No matter how many monikers a user hides behind or where in the world they are, we will use all legal means to find them and bring them to justice.”
“HSI Newark’s unwavering efforts led to the identification, arrest, and extradition of a key international cybercriminal, significantly disrupting a major illicit online marketplace,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office. “This action underscores the dedication of HSI and our partners to combating cyber-enabled crime and ensuring individuals who exploit the internet for illegal activities are held accountable.”
Versus was modeled after an e-commerce website. Users could choose a username and password to create a free account to access Versus. Users could then search for products by keyword or scroll through listings by category. The categories of products on Versus included “drugs,” “fraud,” “digital items,” “services,” and “software & malware.”
Versus required its users to transact in digital currencies, including Bitcoin and Monero, and did not allow for transactions in fiat currencies. Versus and its users were therefore able to bypass traditional financial systems, which collect information about their customers and maintain anti-money laundering and fraud programs. Versus generated revenue through multiple methods, including by keeping a percentage of each completed transaction as a commission and vendors were required to pay penalties if they were found to have violated Versus’ rules.
In June 2024, Schmitz was arrested in Colombia pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request. On April 29, Schmitz was extradited to the United States and earlier today had an initial appearance, was arraigned, and was ordered detained pending trial.
Schmitz is charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to import controlled substances, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of distribution of controlled substances by means of the internet, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of use of a communications facility, which carries a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to unlawfully transfer an identification document, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison; and one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison.
The investigation was led by HSI Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. Valuable support was provided by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeff Berkebile, and the IRS- Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan. The Justice Department’s Office of the Judicial Attache in Bogota, Colombia, and the Policía Nacional de Colombia provided valuable assistance concerning Schmitz’s provisional arrest and extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the United States Marshals Service also provided valuable assistance in securing Schmitz’s arrest and extradition.Trial Attorneys Jorge Gonzalez and Stefanie Schwartz of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting this case.
This investigation 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).
This is also the latest in the Justice Department’s ongoing JCODE efforts (Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement) to address the growing number of illicit vendors operating on the darknet providing large quantities of harmful substances to thousands of people across the United States. The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE team to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics, along with identifying and dismantling their supply chains.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Leading Dark Web Marketplace Creator and Operator Extradited from Colombia to the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German national living in Colombia was extradited to the United States on charges that he owned and operated “The Versus Project,” an online dark web marketplace that enabled its over 380,000 registered users to buy and sell illegal goods, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
A federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey previously returned an eight-count indictment, unsealed yesterday, charging Patrick Schmitz, 37, of Taganga, Colombia, in connection with his operation of the marketplace. In June 2024, Schmitz was arrested in Colombia pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request. On April 29, 2026, Schmitz was extradited to the United States and earlier today had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais where Schmitz was detained pending trial.
The Versus Project, also known as Versus, was a leading dark web marketplace that enabled users to buy and sell illegal goods, including heroin and other illicit drugs, stolen and fraudulent identification documents and access devices, counterfeit currency, malware, and hacking tools. Versus operated from about November 2019 through about May 2022. During that time, Versus had over 380,000 registered users, offered over 32,000 product listings and facilitated over 300,000 completed orders, resulting in millions of dollars’ worth of transactions.
According to court documents, Patrick Schmitz, 37, of Taganga, Colombia, was a cofounder of Versus and handled the day-to-day management, such as responding to user tickets for assistance with issues on the platform, reviewing vendor applications, and resolving disputes between vendors and customers. Over time, Schmitz recruited and supervised staff who worked on Versus and reported to him. Schmitz also promoted Versus on the dark web, recruited vendors, and developed strategies to monetize Versus. Schmitz received a portion of the profits generated and his virtual currency wallets transacted in cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars.
“The indictment leading to this extradition makes clear that law enforcement will shine a bright light on criminal conduct on the dark web. We will investigate and prosecute those who seek to use the anonymity of the dark web to profit from the sale of illegal goods. No matter how many monikers a user hides behind or where in the world they are, we will use all legal means to find them and bring them to justice.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“This extradition demonstrates the strength of the Justice Department’s international partnerships, and our ability to identify dark web criminals running platforms engaging in such widespread and varied illegal conduct,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Versus Project allowed thousands of criminals to endanger the American people with heroin, illegal drugs, and tools for fraud and hacking. Although Versus hid on the dark web, today’s announcement demonstrates that Versus was not beyond the reach of the Justice Department and its international partners. Illegal online criminal marketplaces, no matter where they are located, will be targeted and brought down.”
“HSI Newark’s unwavering efforts led to the identification, arrest, and extradition of a key international cybercriminal, significantly disrupting a major illicit online marketplace,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “This action underscores the dedication of HSI and our partners to combating cyber-enabled crime and ensuring individuals who exploit the internet for illegal activities are held accountable.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Versus was modeled after an e-commerce website. Users could choose a username and password to create a free account to access Versus. Users could then search for products by keyword or scroll through listings by category. The categories of products on Versus included “drugs,” “fraud,” “digital items,” “services,” and “software & malware.”
Versus required its users to transact in digital currencies, including Bitcoin and Monero, and did not allow for transactions in fiat currencies. Versus and its users were therefore able to bypass traditional financial systems, which collect information about their customers and maintain anti-money laundering and fraud programs. Versus generated revenue through multiple methods, including by keeping a percentage of each completed transaction as a commission and vendors were required to pay penalties if they were found to have violated Versus’ rules.
In June 2024, Schmitz was arrested in Colombia pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request. On April 29, Schmitz was extradited to the United States and earlier today had an initial appearance where he was detained pending trial.
Schmitz is charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to import controlled substances, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of distribution of controlled substances by means of the internet, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of use of a communications facility, which carries a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to unlawfully transfer an identification document, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison; and one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with leading the investigation. He also thanked the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Kansas City Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeff Berkebile. The Justice Department’s Judicial Attache in Bogota, Colombia, and the Policía Nacional de Colombia provided valuable assistance concerning Schmitz’s provisional arrest and extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the United States Marshals Service also provided valuable assistance in securing Schmitz’s arrest and extradition.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit in the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorneys Jorge Gonzalez and Stefanie Schwartz of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section in Washington, D.C.
This investigation 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).
This investigation is also the latest in the Justice Department’s ongoing JCODE efforts (Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement) to address the growing number of illicit vendors operating on the darknet providing large quantities of harmful substances to thousands of people across the United States. The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE team to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics, along with identifying and dismantling their supply chains.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Alexis Schacht, Esq., New York; Donald Yanella, Esq., Ridgewood, NJ.
schmitz.indictment.pdfLeader of Brooklyn-Based “Bully Gang” Sentenced to 60 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Moeleek Harrell, also known as “Moe Money,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 60 years in prison for his crimes as the leader of the Bully Gang, a violent street gang based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Harrell was one of 53 defendants charged and convicted in connection with the Eastern District of New York’s case against the Bully Gang. Harrell and three other high-ranking members of the gang were convicted by a jury in July 2024 following a 13-week trial. Harrell was convicted of racketeering, two murder conspiracies, two assaults, two instances of using a gun during a crime of violence, two drug trafficking conspiracies, and two money laundering conspiracies.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF), Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Nadia I. Shihata, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the sentence.
“Moeleek Harrell learned today that there is a heavy price to pay for leading a gang responsible for extensive criminal conduct, and his sentence should serve as a warning to those underlings who foolishly obeyed the defendant’s orders. They too will learn that following Harrell’s footsteps will lead a path straight to federal prison for a very long time,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “His sentence ensures that our neighborhoods will remain protected from Harrell’s criminal conduct and demonstrates our Office’s commitment to prosecuting the leaders of violent criminal organizations.”
“This case exposed a ruthless criminal organization responsible for murder conspiracies, brazen violence in public, and large-scale drug and weapons trafficking that stretched from New York to Maine,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo. “This 60 year sentence ensures that a dangerous individual who directed countless acts of violence will never again threaten our communities. The men & women of ATF/ NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal organizations and protect the public.
“The Bully Gang carried out a series of brutal crimes that spread violence through Brooklyn and beyond, and today’s sentencing ensures that its leader, Moeleek Harrell, will never again threaten our communities,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “This case reflects the NYPD’s focus on dismantling violent gangs and taking illegal guns off our streets. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF for their partnership in bringing Harrell to justice.”
“Moeleek Harrell and his gang sowed terror and fear through their violent crimes, and trafficked drugs into the City’s jails, undercutting the security and safety of these facilities,” stated DOI Commissioner Shihata. “There is no outcome that can repair the deep and destructive impact of this gang in New York City and Maine. But today’s decades-long sentence for the gang’s leader, and the dozens of convictions associated with this prosecution, demonstrate that New York City has zero tolerance for these crimes and will hold those who perpetrate them accountable. I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the ATF and the NYPD for their partnership on this significant investigation.”
Harrell, along with deceased gang member Charles Williams, was the founder and leader of the Bully Gang. Harrell directed and oversaw the gang’s many crimes, including the gang’s violent rivalries. In connection with these rivalries, Harrell was personally involved in two murder conspiracies, targeting Christopher King and members of a rival gang known as the Stukes Crew. Harrell and the Bully Gang targeted King because King had killed Williams. Over the course of several weeks, Harrell tracked dates on which King would be going to court (including for a case related to Williams’s killing) and confronted King at one of his court appearances. On one occasion, Harrell and his co-conspirators went to King’s house to try to find King. Harrell’s efforts to find King culminated in a shooting on October 1, 2017, in which King and an innocent bystander were both shot and wounded.
Harrell’s violent rivalry with the Stukes Crew lasted at least five years. During this time, Harrell and his co-conspirators made multiple attempts to murder members of the Stukes Crew. On October 1, 2017, the same day that Harrell committed the King shooting, Harrell also targeted members of the Stukes Crew in another shooting in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. No one was injured in this shooting. In March 2018, while at a gender reveal party for Harrell’s child, fellow Bully Gang member and co-defendant Derrick Ayers shot and killed Jonathan Jackson, an associate of the Stukes Crew. Harrell praised Ayers for committing this murder, and taunted his rivals for allowing their associate to be killed. Harrell then shot at members of the Stukes Crew on two consecutive days in June 2018. These shootings again took place in Crown Heights, and the second resulted in a car crash that injured multiple people. Throughout the time that Harrell was targeting members of the Stukes Crew, he took extraordinary steps to learn personal information about his targets, including their addresses, Social Security numbers, license plates, phone numbers, and family members. Harrell then used this information to locate and try to kill his targets.
Harrell was also deeply involved in the gang’s drug trafficking schemes. Harrell ran the day-to-day operations of the gang’s Rikers drug smuggling scheme. In connection with this scheme, from 2019 to 2021, Harrell and his co-conspirators arranged for papers and comic books soaked in synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2,” to be delivered to Rikers. Once inmates received the K2-soaked papers, they sold smaller quantities to other inmates at a substantial profit. Harrell made hundreds of thousands of dollars from this scheme. To get drugs into Rikers, Harrell and his co-conspirators sent drugs through the mail, had visitors to the jail bring in drugs, and bribed corrupt corrections officers to bring drugs in themselves.
Harrell also had a leadership role in the gang’s scheme to sell heroin and cocaine base in Maine. As part of this scheme, the Bully Gang and its associates transported large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl, from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where they sold the drugs out of multiple stash houses spread throughout the state. The gang made millions of dollars from these drug sales. Harrell directed others who sold and transported drugs in connection with conspiracy and personally profited from the drug sales. He also ensured the discipline of the conspiracy, including by orchestrating the violent punishment of co-defendant Tyquan Lane when Lane violated the rules of the drug conspiracy.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow, Lindsey R. Oken, Joy Lurinsky, and Victor Zapana and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew Rolle and Michael J. Castiglione are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Samantha Ward, and Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan.
The Defendant: MOELEEK HARRELL (also known as “Moe Money”)
Age: 36
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-239 (S-8) (BMC)
Kenton County Man Sentenced for Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Covington man, Trintin Peeno, 31, was sentenced on Thursday to 150 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Peeno’s residence on July 10, 2025, after receiving information about drug trafficking at the residence. During the search, officers recovered 28.9 grams of methamphetamine, 1.373 grams of fentanyl, 1.125 grams of cocaine, and a loaded handgun near the drugs. Peeno claimed ownership of the gun and the drugs and admitted to distributing controlled substances. Peeno also admitted that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity. At sentencing, Peeno admitted that he had threatened to murder a neighbor who approached police about this activity.
Under federal law, Peeno must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Justin Wietholter, Covington Police Department, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Covington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Justice Department Settles Disability Discrimination Case Against Property Management Company for $750,000Read the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a $750,000 agreement to settle allegations that Indian Oaks Apartments LTD, Russell Management Services LLC, H.J. Russell & Company, and The Russell Realty LP violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to grant a mother’s requests for a ground-floor unit because her son had been diagnosed with a genetic disorder that causes permanent mobility impairment. This settlement is the second largest ever obtained by the department in an individual housing discrimination case.
“The defendants should have moved this family with a terminally ill child to a ground-floor unit without delay,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Americans with disabilities have the right to equal access to housing in the United States, and this Justice Department will continue to ensure the protection of this right.”
“Refusing to move a terminally ill child and his family, when ground-floor units were available, was a clear violation of both law and decency,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Rental property owners and their employees must know and follow the Fair Housing Act, as denying reasonable accommodations is illegal, and our office will not hesitate to pursue those who break the law.”
The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 23, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, alleges that the owners and property managers of an apartment complex in Fort Valley, Georgia, failed to grant a mother’s requests for a reasonable accommodation, despite her repeated requests over a 14-month period and the existence of multiple available ground-floor units. The complaint alleges that the defendants’ actions made it impossible for the mother to carry her son in and out of the apartment without help from her older children, leading to profound physical, psychological, and emotional losses for her son and lost academic and social opportunities for her older children. The settlement requires the defendants to pay $750,000 to the family, comply with certain policy and training provisions, and report to the department on reasonable accommodation requests at any properties they own or operate.
The lawsuit arose as a result of a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After an investigation of the complaint, HUD issued a charge of discrimination and the tenant elected to have the case heard in federal court.
If you have experienced housing discrimination, submit a report online or call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743. You may also file a report with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by submitting a complaint online or calling 1-800-669-9777. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Settles Disability Discrimination Case Against Property Management Company for $750,000Read the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The Justice Department announced today a $750,000 agreement to settle allegations that Indian Oaks Apartments LTD, Russell Management Services LLC, H.J. Russell & Company, and The Russell Realty LP violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to grant a mother’s requests for a ground-floor unit because her son had been diagnosed with a genetic disorder that causes permanent mobility impairment. This settlement is the second largest ever obtained by the department in an individual housing discrimination case.
“The defendants should have moved this family with a terminally ill child to a ground-floor unit without delay,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Americans with disabilities have the right to equal access to housing in the United States, and this Justice Department will continue to ensure the protection of this right.”
“Refusing to move a terminally ill child and his family, when ground-floor units were available, was a clear violation of both law and decency,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Rental property owners and their employees must know and follow the Fair Housing Act, as denying reasonable accommodations is illegal, and our office will not hesitate to pursue those who break the law.”
The lawsuit, filed on October 23, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, alleges that the owners and property managers of an apartment complex in Fort Valley, Georgia, failed to grant a mother’s requests for a reasonable accommodation, despite her repeated requests over a 14-month period and the existence of multiple available ground-floor units. The complaint alleges that the defendants’ actions made it impossible for the mother to carry her son in and out of the apartment without help from her older children, leading to profound physical, psychological, and emotional losses for her son and lost academic and social opportunities for her older children. The settlement requires the defendants to pay $750,000 to the family, comply with certain policy and training provisions, and report to the department on reasonable accommodation requests at any properties they own or operate.
The lawsuit arose because of a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After an investigation of the complaint, HUD issued a charge of discrimination and the tenant elected to have the case heard in federal court.
If you have experienced housing discrimination, submit a report online or call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743. You may also file a report with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by submitting a complaint online or calling 1-800-669-9777. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
The investigation and resolution of this matter was led by members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Georgia, specifically Civil Rights Investigative Specialist Danyelle D. White, with support from Civil Chief W. Taylor McNeill, and led by former Civil Chief Bowen Shomaker and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Simon, and by attorneys from the Civil Rights Division.
Justice Department Launches Investigations Concerning Gender Ideology in Pre-K-12 Schools in 36 Illinois School DistrictsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched investigations into 36 Illinois public school districts to determine whether they have included sexual orientation and gender ideology (SOGI) content in any class for grades pre-K-12.
If they are teaching SOGI-related content, the investigations will examine whether the schools have notified parents of their right to opt their children out of such instruction. The investigation will also assess whether the Illinois School Districts limit access to single-sex intimate spaces (such as bathrooms and locker rooms) and girls’ sports teams based on biological sex.
“This Department of Justice is determined to put an end to local school authorities keeping parents in the dark about how sexuality and gender ideology are being pushed in classrooms,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Supreme Court precedent leaves no doubt: parents have the fundamental right and primary authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. This includes exempting their children from ideological instruction that contradicts their values or decisions about their children’s health and best interests.”
The investigations will examine whether these Illinois School Districts, which are recipients of hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funding, are adhering to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Supreme Court’s extensive precedents on parental rights as recently reiterated in Mirabelli v. Bonta and Mahmoud v. Taylor.
The Civil Rights Division has not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigations.
The Illinois School Districts under investigation include:
- Atwood Heights School District 125
- Bloomington Public Schools District 87
- Bluford Unit School District 318
- Buncombe Consolidated School District 43
- Center Cass School District 66
- Central School District 104
- Community High School District 155
- Country Club Hills School District 160
- Crete-Monee School District 201-U
- DeKalb Community Unit School District 428
- East Dubuque Unit School District 119
- Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401
- Freeport School District 145
- Galena Unit School District 120
- Gillespie Community Unit School District 7
- Iroquois County Community Unit School District 9
- Leyden Community High School District 212
- Lick Creek Community Consolidated School District 16
- Lyons School District 103
- Martinsville Community Unit School District C3
- Meridian Community Unit School District 223
- Noble Network of Charter Schools
- North Chicago Community Unit School District 187
- North Palos School District 117
- Norwood Elementary School District 63
- O’Fallon Community Consolidated School District No. 90
- Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123
- Odin Public School District 722
- Oregon Community Unit School District 220
- Pembroke Community Consolidated School District 259
- Reavis Township High School District 220
- Ridgeview Community Unit School District 19
- Stockton Community Unit School District 206
- Tamaroa School District 5
- Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215
- Will County School District 92
Jury Finds Sioux City Man Guilty to Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was convicted by a jury April 29, 2026, after a 2-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Shelton Lapointe, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting another to do so. The verdict was returned following roughly three hours of jury deliberations. Lapointe had been convicted twice previously in Woodbury County Iowa District Court for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, in 2018 and again in 2022.
The evidence at trial showed that on July 17, 2024, agents were conducting surveillance at WinnaVegas Casino during which a vehicle was observed traveling away from the casino over the speed limit. Law enforcement attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle, which took off at speeds ranging from 100 to 140 mph, in an attempt to elude law enforcement. During the flight, two packages of methamphetamine were thrown out the passenger window. The methamphetamine thrown from the car, approximately ½ pound, was located and seized by law enforcement. Lapointe, who was driving the vehicle, handed his co-conspirator the methamphetamine and instructed him to throw it out the window in an attempt to avoid apprehension with the methamphetamine in their possession. Five co-conspirators also testified to their involvement with Lapointe in multiple-pound methamphetamine trafficking for several months from about 2022 through July 2024.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Lapointe was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in
custody pending sentencing. Lapointe faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde, Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4078. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of Armed Carjacking and Armed Robbery of Army VeteranRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Miquel Beasley, 23, of Maryland, was convicted yesterday in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for an armed carjacking and armed robbery that took place in March 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Beasley was found guilty of one count of armed carjacking, one count of armed robbery, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was indicted in D.C. Superior Court on February 5, 2025. The Honorable Errol Arthur scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on March 22, 2024, the victim, a 62-year-old Army veteran, met up with Beasley in the 3900 block of First Street SE to purchase marijuana. Beasley entered the victim’s car from the passenger side and once in the vehicle he produced a black handgun, put the handgun to the victim’s head, and demanded that the victim exit his car. The victim got out of his car, and Beasley got into the driver’s seat and drove away.
He was arrested on January 30, 2025, and has been in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Alexander Cook and Samuel Ison.
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Jury Convicts Kansas City Man for Role in PCP Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was found guilty by a federal jury for his role in an extensive drug trafficking organization.
Russell L. Spencer Jr., 47, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of phencyclidine (PCP).
In October of 2021, investigators with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization distributing PCP in the Kansas City area. From May to September 2023, investigators conducted a Title III wiretap on telephones used by members of the drug trafficking organization. As part of that investigation, law enforcement intercepted phone calls between Spencer and his co-conspirators, arranging for the purchase and sale of PCP.
Throughout the conspiracy, Spencer traveled out of state to procure PCP for distribution in Kansas City. Despite owning several of his own vehicles, Spencer spent more than $27,000 dollars on rental vehicles and drove more than 80,000 miles in those rental vehicles over a 19-month period during which he reported zero income to the Internal Revenue Service. Spencer was the final remaining defendant of 16, the other 15 co-defendants previously having pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.
Under federal statutes, Spencer, Jr. is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole and up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for Oct. 1, 2026.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City deliberated for an hour and a half before returning a guilty verdict to Chief U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, April 27.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Gibson and Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division.
Homeland Security Task Force
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 Kansas City comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Illegal Alien Indicted for Identity Theft and Social Security Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national has been indicted on federal charges after allegedly using fraudulent immigration and identification documents and another person’s Social Security number to obtain bank accounts, vehicle financing, and consumer loans.
According to the indictment, on or about February 5, 2026, Maria de Jesus Avila-Hernandez, 55, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, knowingly used and possessed fraudulent immigration and identification documents, including a lawful permanent resident card and Social Security card in the name of another person which she knew were forged or unlawfully obtained. She also falsely represented that Social Security number to obtain things of value, including bank accounts, vehicle financing, and consumer loans, and used that identity without lawful authority in connection with social security fraud.
Hernandez is charged with fraud and misuse of a visa, social security fraud and aggravated identity theft. She will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Hernandez faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso investigated this case with assistance from the Roswell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amos Nam is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Homeland Security Taskforce Investigation Leads to Ohio Man Pleading Guilty to Role in Interstate Fentanyl Pill Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 25-year-old man has pleaded guilty to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl pills shipped from Arizona to Ohio.
Alijaha Scott, of Youngstown, Ohio, pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering
According to court documents, from about April 2022 to 2024, Scott and other co-conspirators engaged in a drug trafficking operation that included shipping parcels of fentanyl pills from Arizona to the Youngstown area, where the pills were redistributed to customers. On Aug. 2, 2023, Scott flew from Ohio to Arizona, shipped a drug parcel to the Youngtown area, and then flew back to Ohio. Law enforcement stopped Scott on Interstate 80 after he returned from the trip and found a vacuum-sealing machine (commonly used to package bulk drugs or cash for smuggling) in his suitcase. Law enforcement also reviewed cellphone evidence, which showed Scott was talking to another conspirator about fentanyl pills.
Scott is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4. A federal district court judge will determine sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 Cleveland comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorney James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Aaron Williams, age 54, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 15 years’ imprisonment to be followed by a 10-year-term of supervised release for possessing with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in May 2023, Williams sold over 80 grams of crack cocaine to an individual in Harrisburg. A search warrant was later executed at Williams’s Harrisburg residence, and law enforcement found over 400 grams of powder cocaine and over 300 grams of crack cocaine. Law enforcement also found over $7,000 in cash.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Harrisburg Police Bureau investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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Guatemalan National Convicted by Jury of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession of CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that a federal jury in Lincoln, Nebraska, returned a guilty verdict on April 29, 2026, against Jose Garcia Jimenez, 35, of Grand Island, Nebraska. Garcia Jimenez was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine.
Garcia Jimenez, a legal permanent resident originally from Guatemala, faces a potential prison term of up to 40 years and a minimum of five years for each count. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis, who presided over the trial, set sentencing for August 6, 2026.
The evidence at trial established that between at least June 2024 and November 25, 2024, Garcia Jimenez and another individual were working together to sell cocaine out of their residence in Grand Island. In late November 2024, law enforcement intercepted a package in transit to Garcia Jimenez’s home that contained two kilograms of cocaine. After that seizure, a search warrant was applied for and granted for the residence. During the search of the residence and throughout the course of the investigation, investigators seized multiple cell phones, three firearms, a large amount of ammunition, scales, drug paraphernalia, psilocyn mushrooms, cash, and an additional half kilogram of cocaine. Garcia Jimenez and the other individual’s cell phones were downloaded, and they revealed communication consistent with drug transactions.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol Commercial Interdiction Unit in Omaha Nebraska and the TRIDENT and CODE Task Forces which are made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
GoodFellas Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Drive-By ShootingRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Tahj Rankine, a member of the GoodFellas criminal street gang, was sentenced to ten years in prison for his participation in a February 2021 drive-by shooting that injured an innocent bystander.
“Tahj Rankine drove a vehicle while fellow gang members shot out of it, maiming an innocent bystander,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our Homeland Security Task Force will continue to target gangsters who disregard public safety and drive violence in our community.”
“Gang shootings in public places are all too common,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant and his gang terrorized customers at a gas station, unleashing more than 30 rounds, endangering innocent victims and even hitting a car containing children. Violent gang activity that imperils innocent lives has no place in our communities. It must be rooted out entirely.”
“Drive-by shootings endanger entire communities, not just intended targets,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Rankine’s actions—driving armed gang members into a public space and enabling gunfire—show a blatant disregard for human life that left an innocent bystander injured. The FBI, alongside our partners on the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue to prioritize dismantling violent gangs like GoodFellas and holding those who fuel this kind of reckless violence accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: The GoodFellas is an Atlanta-based gang that primarily recruits members in Atlanta neighborhoods as well as jails and prisons within Georgia. The gang generates money through, among other criminal activities, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, fraud, and firearms trafficking. The gang protects its operation, turf, and reputation through violence and threats of violence.
On February 2, 2021, Rankine drove himself and other armed GoodFellas gang members to a gas station in southwest Atlanta. A second vehicle filled with armed GoodFellas members accompanied Rankine’s vehicle. After Rankine drove through the gas station parking lot, occupants of the two vehicles discharged dozens of rounds towards the gas station’s storefront in an attempt to target members of another gang. An innocent bystander was hit by gunfire and suffered an injury to his foot.
On April 29, 2026, Tahj Rankine, a/k/a Biggz, 27, of Tucker, Georgia, was sentenced to ten years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Rankine was convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence on January 12, 2026, after he pled guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections; Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office; and the Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Renaud and Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Atlanta comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
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
GoodFellas Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years for a Drive-by ShootingRead the Press Release
Tahj Rankine, also known as Biggz, 27, of Tucker, Georgia, a member of the GoodFellas criminal street gang, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release for his participation in a drive-by shooting at a crowded gas station that injured an innocent bystander and others. Rankine pleaded guilty in January 2026 to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence — specifically, attempted murder committed in the aid of the GoodFellas’ racketeering enterprise.
“Gang shootings in public places are all too common,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant and his gang terrorized customers at a gas station, unleashing more than 30 rounds, endangering innocent victims, and even hitting a car containing children. Violent gang activity that imperils innocent lives has no place in our communities. It must be rooted out entirely.”
“Tahj Rankine drove a vehicle while fellow gang members shot out of it, maiming an innocent bystander,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “Our Homeland Security Task Force will continue to target gangsters who disregard public safety and drive violence in our community.”
“Drive-by shootings endanger entire communities, not just intended targets,” said Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Rankine’s actions — driving armed gang members into a public space and enabling gunfire — show a blatant disregard for human life that left an innocent bystander injured. The FBI, alongside our partners on the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue to prioritize dismantling violent gangs like GoodFellas and holding those who fuel this kind of reckless violence accountable.”
According to court documents, GoodFellas is an Atlanta-based gang that primarily recruits members in Atlanta neighborhoods and in jails and prisons within Georgia. The GoodFellas gang generates money for the gang through, among other criminal activities, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, fraud, and firearms trafficking. The gang uses violence and threats of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and obstruction of justice to protect its territory and reputation.
In February 2021, on the day of the shooting, Rankine drove fellow gang members to an open Quickmart gas station, where they believed members of a rival gang were present. A second car, also filled with armed GoodFellas members, accompanied Rankine’s vehicle.
Rankine drove through the Quickmart parking lot, turned around, and then drove through the parking lot again. As Rankine drove through the second time, gang members in Rankine’s vehicle and the other vehicle shot from the vehicles toward the gas station’s storefront. Several people were injured, including an innocent bystander whose children were traumatized when bullets hit the car they were sitting in. A Quickmart employee estimated that the shooters fired 30 to 40 times.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Renaud for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
Four Charged with Cocaine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Three residents of Western Pennsylvania and one resident of California have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating various federal narcotics and firearm laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The six-count Indictment named Darius Dudley, 33, of Duquesne, Pennsylvania; Robert Gonzales, 41, of Jurupa Valley, California; Vince Kelly, 36, of White Oak, Pennsylvania; and Keontae Spears, 42, of Homestead, Pennsylvania, as defendants.
According to the Indictment, from in and around April 2025 to in and around August 2025, the defendants conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. The Indictment also alleges that Kelly and Spears attempted to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine on two separate occasions during that timeframe, also attempting to obtain 400 grams or more of fentanyl on one of the occasions. Spears is additionally charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon in August 2025. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The Indictment further alleges that, in June 2025, Gonzales distributed 500 grams or more of cocaine, and that, in August 2025, Dudley possessed with the intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $20 million, or both for each defendant. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former “America’s Most Wanted” Fugitive Sentenced for His Role in Multi-State Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – One of the leaders in a larger drug trafficking operation in the Eastern Panhandle has been sentenced in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Samuel Rose, 53, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, will serve 190 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a cocaine distribution charge. Rose, one of 35 defendants in an investigation that spanned multiple states, resided in Berkeley County, West Virginia at the time of the investigation. Rose was distributing large quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl, getting his supply from the operation headquarters “Top 3 Sources,” an appliance store and warehouse in Hagerstown. As a part of the illegal operation, drugs were hidden and shipped within appliances. The drugs seized during the investigation amounted to nearly 19 pounds of cocaine, more than two pounds of heroin, and nearly one pound of cocaine base “crack,” with a street value of approximately $471,000.
Rose was on supervised release from a prior drug conviction in the Northern District of West Virginia during the commission of the crimes. Rose was a fugitive in this case from the indictment in 2021 and was featured on “America’s Most Wanted.” Rose was apprehended in 2024 and currently has other drug charges in Pennsylvania pending.
Lenin Luna Mota, the leader of the drug organization, was sentenced to 280 months in October 2025. To date, 33 of the 35 defendants have been convicted and were sentenced to a combined 109 years in prison.
Chelsea Nicole Pinkcett, 37, is still wanted in connection to this case by the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Find her wanted information here: https://www.usmarshals.gov/what-we-do/fugitive/local/chelsea-nicole-pinkcett.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The FBI; the U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative (agencies included are the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sherriff’s Department, Ranson Police Department, Charles Town Police Department, and Martinsburg City Police Department); West Virginia State Police; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Hagerstown Police Department; the National Resources Police Department; FBI-New York Safe Streets Task Force; the New York Police Department; the New Jersey State Police; the Washington County (Maryland) Drug Task Force; the Maryland State Police; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. 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.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Find the related case here: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/34-indicted-expansive-drug-trafficking-operation
Former Youngsville Resident Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Child Sex OffensesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE– On April 21, 2026, Nicholas J. Miller, a 45-year-old Youngsville resident, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, after his January 2026 conviction for distribution of child sexual abuse materials (“CSAM”).
Evidence presented in court showed that in July 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) received information that Miller had shared CSAM with Brad William Blanchard, another pedophile and former resident of Abbeville who was prosecuted separately in this District and sentenced in November 2025 to 150 months in prison. The FBI opened an investigation and confirmed that Miller had distributed CSAM to Blanchard. When arrested, Miller admitted that he had created social media accounts and enticed minors to provide him with sexual abuse material and that he had captured CSAM on hidden cameras, with Miller distributing the CSAM to Blanchard.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The FBI investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 6:25-CR-00258.
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
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Former U.S. Postal Carriers, Bank Manager, and Convicted Felon Indicted on Federal Charges for Nearly $5 Million Bank Fraud and Mail Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Two former U.S. Postal Service mail carriers, a former Alpharetta assistant bank manager, and a convicted felon face federal charges after participating in a scheme to steal valuable items from the mail, including a $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check.
“Francina Sutton worked with two corrupt U.S. Postal Service mail carriers to steal dozens of checks, credit cards, and gift cards from the mail and separately conspired with an assistant bank manager to launder a stolen $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office places a special emphasis on prosecuting employees who abuse their positions inside trusted institutions to steal from and defraud the public.”
“Today’s arrests send a strong message to anyone who thinks mail theft and check fraud will go unpunished,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “Protecting the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service is our mission, and our special agents, along with our federal and local law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate these federal crimes to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail and maintain the public’s trust.”
“It is the mission of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to protect the integrity of the IRS and promote the fair administration of our federal tax system,” said TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Joel Weaver. “TIGTA continues to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners to hold individuals responsible for their attempts to interfere with our nation’s tax system for personal gain.”
“Stealing mail, misusing personal information, and trying to wash a $4.9 million Treasury check are serious attacks on our financial system,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS-CI Atlanta Field Office. “IRS‑CI will continue to follow the money, expose these schemes, and shut down anyone who seeks to profit from fraud against the American public.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service relentlessly pursues criminals who exploit the U.S. Mail for unlawful purposes,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division. “The indictments of these co-conspirators who allegedly stole Treasury Checks and other financial instruments and defrauded the American taxpayer serve as a resounding message to anyone who wants to steal U.S. Mail. We will unwaveringly work with our partners in law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold criminals accountable for their actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Beginning in or about March 2020 and continuing through September 2025, Shanda Goode and Carnisha Hamilton, who were then employed as U.S. Postal Service City Carriers assigned to the Ralph McGill Post Office in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Marietta Main Post Office in Marietta, Georgia, respectively, allegedly stole mail containing checks, credit cards, gift cards, and other items of value in order to sell them to Francina Juantez Sutton and other individuals. On at least one occasion in December 2023, Hamilton stole three dozen pieces of mail containing checks and credit cards on a single delivery run. After obtaining the stolen mail, Sutton used the credit cards and cashed the checks for her own personal use.
Sutton also allegedly conspired with Tonya Bailey, who was an Assistant Financial Center Manager at a bank in Alpharetta, Georgia, to open bank accounts in the names of unsuspecting persons in order to deposit a $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check that had been stolen from the mail. In February 2023, Sutton entered Bailey’s bank branch wearing a dark-colored mask and opened a bank account, with Bailey’s assistance, in the name of an entity that resembled the name of the payee listed on the stolen check. Sutton and Bailey then deposited the stolen check into the new bank account. Two weeks later, Sutton returned to Bailey’s bank branch wearing a surgical mask; drew two cashier’s checks for $150,000 each from the account; and opened two new bank accounts, with Bailey’s assistance, using stolen personally identifiable information. Sutton and Bailey then deposited $300,000 into the new accounts. The U.S. Secret Service seized over $4.7 million from the fraudulently opened bank accounts, and the United States will seek to forfeit the seized funds in the criminal case.
Francina Juantez Sutton, 46, of Smyrna, Ga., Shanda Goode, 57, of Douglasville, Ga., Carnisha Hamilton, 42, of Marietta, Ga., and Tonya Bailey, 58, of Ellenwood, Ga., will be arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Sommerfeld after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 24, 2026. Goode, Hamilton, and Sutton face federal charges for conspiracy and theft of mail by a postal employee. Sutton and Bailey were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. Sutton also was charged with possession of stolen mail, access device fraud, and felon in possession of a firearm. Sutton has multiple prior felony convictions for theft, forgery, and identity fraud.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service also provided valuable assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Sekret T. Sneed is 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.
Former Fairbanks teacher indicted, arrested on child exploitation chargesRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A former Fairbanks teacher was arrested yesterday after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging him with sexually exploiting a child to produce and possess child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).
According to court documents, beginning on an unknown date and continuing until Aug. 25, 2023, Skyler Evans, 34, coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct with the intention of producing visuals of that conduct. The indictment also alleges that beginning on an unknown date and continuing until March 25, 2025, Evans possessed and attempted to possess CSAM.
Evans is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on May 4, 2026, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces between 15 and 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the Fairbanks Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek 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. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Federal Student Loan Forgiveness FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that NYDIRA ADAMS, a/k/a “Nadira Adams,” a/k/a “Nadira Adams-McMillan,” pled guilty today to carrying out a scheme in which she caused federal student loan borrowers to submit documents containing misrepresentations and false statements to the U.S. Department of Education to take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. ADAMS’s scheme sought to cause the Department of Education to forgive over $5 million in federal student loan debt based on lies, misrepresentations, and falsehoods. ADAMS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.
“Nydira Adams marketed herself as a guru, but what she was really selling was fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Adams’s greed cost an important federal program servicing the American public over $5 million. Programs funded by taxpayers and designed to reward genuine public service cannot be treated as personal profit centers. New Yorkers and all Americans want us to make sure their tax dollars are not stolen.”
According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:
From at least in or about March 2023 through at least in or about January 2025, Adams held herself out as the “Student Loan Default Guru” and operated a business under the same name. In reality, AdAMS used misrepresentations, false statements, and false documents to deceive the Department of Education into forgiving federal student loans issued to borrowers who paid Adams thousands of dollars for her purported services. On multiple occasions, Adams knowingly and intentionally caused applications for Department of Education relief programs to be submitted that contained falsehoods pertaining to the borrowers’ eligibility for the relief programs. Among other falsehoods, Adams claimed that one California-based borrower worked full-time at a New York-based religious institution and falsely represented that another borrower worked full-time for a public school district. Adams’s scheme resulted in an intended loss of over $5 million to the Department of Education.
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Adams, 38, of Pensacola, Florida, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 60 months in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General – Eastern Regional Office, the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Special Agents assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon C. Thompson is in charge of the prosecution.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Florida Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Sextortion CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Florida man has been sentenced for the sexual exploitation of numerous individuals in the northern and middle districts of Alabama, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Trevon Lamont Brown, 25, of Ocala, Florida, to 600 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In December 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to multiple charges including sex trafficking, production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and cyberstalking.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to be relentless in our prosecution of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us – our children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “Trevon Brown victimized children across the United States, not just in the Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama. These children have suffered tremendously and will continue to experience lifelong impacts as images of their abuse remain online forever. We are grateful to our federal and state law enforcement partners that remain resolute in their pursuit of justice for these children. With their help, we will make sure monsters like Brown spend significant time behind bars.”
“This defendant exploited and manipulated minors for his own gain, then used fear and intimidation to further victimize them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “By soliciting images from minors and threatening to expose them, Brown carried out a cruel and calculated scheme of exploitation. Protecting children from this kind of abuse remains a top priority for both the Middle and Northern Districts of Alabama, and this sentence reflects our shared commitment to seeking justice for victims and holding offenders fully accountable.”
“We will not tolerate predators who exploit children and young adults. Our agents, alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners, worked tirelessly across state lines to protect victims and bring offenders to justice,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “The public can be assured we are vigilant and unwavering in our mission to defend the most vulnerable.”
According to court documents, beginning in December 2020 and continuing for several years, Brown used various social media accounts to pose as a teenage female and engage with males between the ages of 15-23 years old. Brown sent sexually explicit photos and/or videos of a female and requested similar photos and/or videos of the males in return. After receiving the photos and/or videos from the males, Brown threatened to expose them by sending them to their friends and family unless they complied with his extensive demands. Federal search warrants for Brown’s online accounts were obtained and executed. And on August 2, 2023, agents executed a search warrant on Brown’s residence in Ocala, Florida, where they seized multiple electronic devices. A review of Brown’s online accounts and the forensic examination of Brown’s iPhones revealed child pornography and other sexually explicit images and videos of many victims.
During this investigation, agents were informed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) of additional victims located in the Middle District of Alabama (MDAL). Between March 2023 and August 2023, Brown, using the same methods of online sextortion as he did with the victims in the Northern District, threatened and intimidated three victims in the MDAL to expose their sexually explicit images if they did not comply with Brown’s demands. Brown was indicted on federal charges of cyberstalking in the MDAL, and the case was subsequently transferred to the Northern District of Alabama for plea and sentencing.
Sextortion is a form of online sexual exploitation where victims are threatened or blackmailed, and it is a growing problem in the United States. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) documented a dramatic increase in reports of sextortion to their CyberTipline. In fact, NCMEC reported that the number of online enticement reports (which includes reports of sextortion) increased by more than 300% between 2021 and 2023.
In response to this epidemic, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama and the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Alabama, partnered to produce and release a digital series to educate parents and caretakers about sextortion and how they can help prevent children and teens from being victims. This series offers short, three-to-five-minute videos about online safety topics and provides essential information about the true dangers of online activities. The videos can be accessed here: Sextortion Prevention.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Birmingham investigated the case along with the assistance of HSI Illinois Division, HSI New York Division, HSI North Carolina Division, HSI Florida Division, FBI Birmingham Division, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Clarksville Police Department in Tennessee, Pennsylvania State University Police and Public Safety, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Police Department, and Ocala Police Department in Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White of the Northern District of Alabama and Tara Ratz of the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the cases.
If you suspect or become aware of possible online sexual exploitation, please make a report with the appropriate authorities. To report an incident, you can call the Department of Homeland Security’s Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or contact the NCMEC CyberTipline online at report.cybertip.org.
Five Illegal Aliens with Prior Felony Convictions and Multiple Deportations Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Five illegal aliens unlawfully residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances this week to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Juan Manuel Castellanos-Velazquez; Jimmy Jeyson Escobar-Nerio; Victor Hugo Garcia-Dominguez; Marbin Alexander Ramirez-Rodas; and Antonio Trinidad Garcia-Gallo are all charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for Juan Manuel Castellanos-Velazquez and Jimmy Jeyson Escobar-Nerio are scheduled for May 11, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III. Preliminary hearings for Victor Hugo Garcia-Dominguez, Marbin Alexander Ramirez-Rodas, and Antonio Trinidad Garcia-Gallo are scheduled for May 13, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Castellanos-Velazquez, Garcia-Dominguez, and Garcia-Gallo are citizens and nationals of Mexico. Escobar-Nerio, and Ramirez-Rodas are citizens and nationals of El Salvador. All five were previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally.
On April 7, 2023, officers from the North Las Vegas Police Department arrested Castellanos-Velazquez for two counts of Trafficking Controlled Substance, Sale/Transfer Controlled Substance, and Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Controlled Substances Act. On April 13, 2026, after serving a 36-to-96-month sentence for drug trafficking, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Castellanos-Velazquez to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Castellanos-Velazquez was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on eight prior occasions: February 28, 2008; August 24, 2008; August 28, 2008; December 30, 2008; April 21, 2016; May 4, 2016; May 18, 2016; and May 27, 2016.
On April 4, 2026, officers from the North Las Vegas Police Department arrested Escobar-Nerio for Driving Under the Influence. On April 8, 2026, the North Las Vegas Community Correctional Center remanded Escobar-Nerio to ICE custody in Las Vegas Nevada. Escobar-Nerio was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions: October 10, 2019, and January 8, 2021. Escobar-Nerio has a prior felony conviction from December 16, 2020, out of the United States District Court, Southern District of California for deported alien found in the United States, the same charge he is currently facing.
On September 11, 2024, officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Garcia-Dominguez for Kidnapping and Robbery with Use of a Deadly Weapon. On April 16, 2026, after serving a 19-to-96-month sentence for Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Garcia-Dominguez to ICE custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Garcia-Dominguez was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions: August 10, 2020, and December 20, 2023. Garcia-Dominguez also has a prior felony conviction for Attempt Burglary, and a conviction for Battery Domestic Violence.
On March 16, 2026, officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Ramirez-Rodas for Domestic Battery by Strangulation, Battery Domestic Violence on Pregnant Victim, Coercion Domestic Violence with Threat or Use of Physical Force, Driving Under the Influence, and Child Abuse or Neglect. On April 17, 2026, the Clark County Detention Center remanded Garcia-Gallo to ICE custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Garcia-Gallo was previously removed on November 25, 2022. Garcia-Gallo has prior felony convictions for Trafficking Controlled Substance from 2015, and Prohibited Alien in Possession of Firearm from 2021.
On April 17, 2024, officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Garcia-Gallo for four counts Possession for Sale Controlled Substance, Trafficking Controlled Substance, and Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Controlled Substances Act. On April 22, 2026, after serving a 2-to-5-year sentence for Trafficking in Controlled Substance, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Garcia-Gallo to ICE custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Garcia-Gallo was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions: August 20, 2015, and June 9, 2020. Garcia-Gallo was previously convicted in 2018, for felony Trafficking Controlled Substance, and he was also convicted in 2020 for Deported Alien Found in the United States, the same charge he is currently facing.
If convicted, Ramirez-Rodas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
If convicted, Escobar-Nerio; Garcia-Dominguez; and Garcia-Gallo all face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
If convicted, Castellanos-Velazquez, faces a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Ruben Levya made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the cases; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the cases.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Federal Law Enforcement to Host Virtual Webinar on How to Keep Kids Safe OnlineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts is hosting a virtual webinar on May 7, 2026 on how to keep children safe online. Topics will include social media, gaming, sextortion, extremist threats and the rise of generative artificial intelligence. The event will feature presentations from subject matter experts, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations; and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. There will also be live Q&A with participants and resources for further education.
Registration is required for the event please find link below. The webinar will not be recorded:
Topic: Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online
Date and time: Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 6:30 PM (EST)
Registration: https://usao.webex.com/weblink/register/r3e7ec6dd39529e1d1509dc763f5668f8
Members of the media who are interested in attending should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office in advance at USAMA.Media@usdoj.gov. Media representatives are welcome to observe the event and report on the presentations and resources shared; however, out of respect for participants, media should not identify, approach, or interview attendees or quote questions posed by participants during the event.
If you are unable to attend the scheduled webinar but interested in attending other similar presentations in the future, please email USAMA.PSCOutreach@usdoj.gov to be put on our mailing list.
Interested in promoting the event in your community? A media kit and additional resources can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/project-safe-childhood/project-safe-childhood-resources
El Salvadoran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry; Faces DeportationRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Angel Vidal Reyes Guzman, age 33, a citizen of El Salvador, was sentenced to time served (approximately two months) by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for illegally reentering the country after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Reyes Guzman was indicted by a federal grand jury after having been previously convicted of a charge of moral turpitude in Virginia in 2013. Reyes Guzman had previously been removed from the United States pursuant to a court order in 2013 and illegally reentered the United States sometime thereafter. Reyes Guzman pleaded guilty to illegal reentry prior to his sentencing.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley K. McGraw 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.
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Eight Charged with Trafficking Narcotics Across the United States from MexicoRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—Eight individuals have been charged for their role in a transnational criminal organization (TCO) transporting narcotics into California from Mexico and distributing it across the United States including Oregon.
The following individuals have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl:
- Tania Argueta, 47, residing in Las Vegas, Nevada;
- Patsy Escobar, 25, residing in Los Angeles, California;
- Angel Lopez, 25, residing in Los Angeles;
- Rene Cazares, 39, residing in Salem, Oregon;
- Julia Dorfler, 32, residing in Springfield, Oregon;
- Matthew Medieros, 38, residing in Coos Bay, Oregon;
- Patrick Newport, 28, residing in Corvallis, Oregon; and
- Felicia Waite, 40, residing in Eugene, Oregon.
According to court documents, the TCO transported drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl into California from Mexico before distributing it across the United States, including Oregon, through shipping carriers, sometimes hidden in children’s toys or cereal boxes, and vehicles.
Argueta was a drug and money courier for the TCO traveling all over the United States to pick up drug proceeds. Cazares operated a stash house in Salem receiving large amounts of controlled substances from couriers that he distributed at the direction of a co-conspirator to local Oregon customers. Escobar and Lopez operated a stash house in Corona, California, where they distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl across the United States. Dorfler, Newport, Waite, and Medieros were all local distributors for the TCO.
During the course of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately 56 pounds of fentanyl, 116 pounds of methamphetamine, more than $300,000, and 20 firearms from members of the TCO.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oregon State Police, Springfield Police Department, Eugene Police Department, South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team, Linn Conty Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Corvallis Police Department, Corona Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case, with assistance from the New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh 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.
This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Drug dealer sentenced for distributing deadly doses of fentanyl- and xylazine-laced cocaine to three Grosse Pointe Woods residentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT –Aerian Porter-Craig, 34, formerly of Harper Woods, Michigan, was sentenced to 210 months in prison after having pleaded guilty to distributing deadly doses of fentanyl-laced cocaine to three Grosse Pointe Woods residents, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Detroit Field Office and John Kosanke, Director of Public Safety, Grosse Pointe Woods.
Porter-Craig was arrested on September 11, 2024. According to the complaint and Porter-Craig in her guilty plea, she regularly sold drugs to her three victims prior to the fatal incident. On the evening of June 9, 2023, Porter-Craig delivered drugs to Adult Victim 1 (AV-1) and AV-2 at one house, and then delivered to AV-3 at another house in Grosse Pointe Woods. Communications from all three victims’ phones stopped shortly after Porter-Craig left each house. At AV-1’s house, police found a tray next to AV-2’s body with white powder that tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl. At AV-3’s house, police found a tray next to AV-3’s body with white powder that contained fentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine. According to their text messages, the victims thought they were buying cocaine.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner determined that AV-1 and AV-2 died from fentanyl toxicity, and AV-3 had died from fentanyl and xylazine toxicity. Xylazine is a deadly animal tranquilizer sometimes mixed with fentanyl by drug traffickers.
“This drug dealer peddled deadly doses, floating like the grim reaper from one house to the next. She claimed three lives in one day—just so she could make a few bucks,” said Gorgon.
“Anyone who profits from pushing deadly drugs like fentanyl into our Michigan communities should expect to spend years in federal prison. This sentence makes that message unmistakably clear,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “While no sentence can bring back the lives lost due to this defendant’s criminal actions, this outcome delivers justice. I am grateful to the dedicated members of FBI Detroit and our partners at the Grosse Pointe Woods Police Department for their relentless investigative work. We will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who traffic deadly narcotics, while protecting our communities from those who endanger lives.”Director Kosanke stated, “Today’s sentence of Aerian Porter-Craig, shows the justice system holds people accountable for their actions. A person who chose to profit from others addiction will now answer to the system that protects the innocent.”
This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Grosse Pointe Woods Detective Bureau. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Franzinger.
Defendant Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Attempting to Obstruct a Federal Drug Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Julian Gonzalez was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 57 months’ imprisonment for attempted obstruction of justice. Gonzalez was convicted of this crime following a one-week jury trial in October 2024.
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 sentence.
“Gonzalez was convicted at trial of intentionally trying to destroy evidence during an ongoing criminal investigation into his narcotics trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The jury’s verdict and today’s sentence make clear that those who think they are above the law, seek to undermine our judicial system, and obstruct law enforcement will be prosecuted and held accountable.”
“Julian Gonzalez attempted to interfere with a federal investigation and destroy evidence linking him to drug trafficking in New York City,” stated FBI Assistant in Charge Barnacle. “Today’s sentencing represents the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable individuals who try to conceal their crimes from law enforcement.”
During an investigation into Gonzalez’s drug trafficking and distribution of cocaine throughout New York City, the FBI obtained a judicially authorized warrant to seize and search his cell phone for evidence of criminal activity. On March 17, 2023, Gonzalez arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, aboard an international flight. Shortly after he landed, FBI agents met Gonzalez, identified themselves, and provided Gonzalez with the search warrant for his phone. Initially, Gonzalez reluctantly unlocked his phone and gave it to the agents. The agents then began looking through the phone and photographing Gonzalez’s Signal messages that appeared to relate to drug trafficking, including the sale of one kilogram of cocaine for approximately $20,000.
Shortly after handing his phone to the FBI agents, and while the agents were conducting their preliminary search, Gonzalez asked to use his phone to call his wife. When the agents handed the phone back to Gonzalez, Gonzalez slammed the phone on the ground, causing significant damage.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik and Rebecca M. Schuman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of former Paralegal Specialist Nadya Osman.
The Defendant:
JULIAN GONZALEZ
Age: 51
Yonkers, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-179 (WFK)
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary Saleem Price, 46, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to failing to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2026.
According to court documents, in 2017, Price was convicted of first-degree child sexual abuse and required to register as a sex offender. Following his incarceration in that case, Price was required to remain in a transitional living placement in Baltimore, Maryland. In November 2024, Price absconded from that placement. Price ultimately settled in Washington, D.C.
In March 2026, law enforcement found Price living at an address in the District. Since absconding from the transitional living placement, Price was not registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia, even though he was required to do so due to his prior conviction.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Kelley.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking Nine Firearms, Including to Buyer Who Said He Was ‘At War’Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Brandon Smith, 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer over the course of six months, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Brandon Smith was already on supervised probation for a violent felony when he chose to traffic firearms, and he continued even after being told the buyer intended to use them for violence,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Over the course of six months, he arranged the sale of at least nine guns—including one with an obliterated serial number—to a prohibited individual. This was not a momentary lapse in judgment, but a sustained and deliberate effort to arm someone who could not legally possess firearms. My office remains committed to holding accountable those who endanger our communities by trafficking illegal guns.”
On Jan. 9, 2026, Smith pleaded guilty before Judge Howell to conspiracy to commit trafficking in firearms. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 108-month prison term.
According to court papers, beginning in November 2023, ATF opened an investigation after a confidential source reported that Smith, then on supervised probation for a violent felony, was actively advertising firearms for sale by texting photographs of guns to prospective buyers, including individuals with prior felony convictions.
During the next six months, Smith sold or arranged the sale of nine firearms to a buyer on six separate occasions. During the transactions, Smith sold his own personal carry firearm on multiple occasions when a supplier failed to deliver, then purchased a replacement for himself afterward.
In early January 2024, as Smith and the buyer discussed an upcoming transaction, the buyer told Smith he needed the firearms because he was “at war” after his cousin had been killed. Smith proceeded with the sale. The buyer had also told Smith he was serving a criminal justice sentence at the time of the transactions. Smith acknowledged that he, too, was “on papers.”
Smith arranged a total of six transactions from Nov. 30, 2023, through May 30, 2024, resulting in the sale of nine firearms. At least one of the firearms had its serial number obliterated.
On Oct. 26, 2024, MPD officers conducted a traffic stop on the 1600 block of 16th Street SE and found Smith in the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle. Officers observed open containers of alcohol and discovered a satchel at his feet. Inside the satchel, in plain view, was a loaded Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and 16 additional rounds in the magazine. The bag also contained a bank card and government-issued identification in Smith’s name.
Smith has prior convictions for Simple Assault (2011), Attempted Robbery (2013), and Robbery and Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence (2016), for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was serving a term of supervised probation from the 2016 conviction at the time of the firearms trafficking conspiracy.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan.
Hidden camera photo taken as Smith sold a firearm on Nov. 30, 2023.
The Glock .40 caliber pistol that Smith sold for $900 on Nov. 30, 2023.
The Walther P99 9mm pistol that Smith sold for $900 on Dec. 12, 2023.
The Glock Model 19x 9 mm that police recovered from Smith’s bag on Oct. 26, 2024.
24cr574
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possession of Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jesse Allen Hudson, 43, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession of unregistered firearm. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Hudson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for June 15, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Hudson faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon count, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession of unregistered firearm count.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Convicted Felon Charged for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned a superseding indictment charging an alleged child sex offender for receiving sexually explicit images of a child.
According to the allegations in court documents, Brennan Christopher Bennett, 41, of Salt Lake City, was initially indicted in November 2025 after agents located and seized multiple firearms and associated ammunition during the execution of a search warrant in October 2025. Bennett, a convicted felon, is restricted from possessing firearms and ammunition. During the investigation, it was further discovered that on a date unknown, continuing through October 28, 2025, Bennett received sexually explicit images of a child.
Bennett is charged with felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and receipt of child pornography. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 5,2026 at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court 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 the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Civil Division Announces FOCUS Initiative for Data Miners Filing Qui Tam ComplaintsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department is announcing an anti-fraud initiative that will materially strengthen its working relationship with whistleblowers. The Civil Division has experienced a rapid increase in the number of qui tam complaints filed in recent years. Much of this surge has been driven by companies or individuals who analyze publicly available government data for potential signals of fraud (data miners), rather than the insiders who have traditionally served as relators under the federal False Claims Act (FCA).
The Civil Division welcomes the contributions of data miners but will prioritize working with data miners that demonstrate an insightful application of sophisticated technological capabilities to regulatory frameworks to help identify potential fraud that would otherwise go undetected. To support the Civil Division’s capacity to identify and partner with the best data miners, the Civil Division is launching the Fraud Oversight through Careful Use of Statistics (FOCUS) initiative.
“Sophisticated data analytics have become an increasingly important means of identifying fraud trends and uncovering patterns of misconduct across federal programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The FOCUS initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring that the Civil Division is engaging with the strongest and most effective partners in the war against fraud.”
“We are interested in hearing from data miners who believe they have developed particularly effective tools for detecting fraud against the government,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna E. Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Participants should be prepared to explain what differentiates their approach, how they validate their findings, and why their methodology provides a reliable basis for identifying high-quality, actionable False Claims Act matters.”
Through the FOCUS initiative, data miners will have an opportunity to meet with the Civil Fraud Section to discuss their capabilities and outline why and how their data signals reliably correlate to fraud. Such meetings are not a pre-filing requirement, but the Department will prioritize working with data miners that have demonstrated an investment in pre-filing diligence and commitment to analytical rigor, familiarity with program rules, and legally sufficient allegations.
Data miner relators interested in meeting with the Department may submit the FOCUS Initiative White Paper Questionnaire, available here, by email to FOCUS.dataminers@usdoj.gov.
Cheshire Nurse Who Illegally Distributed Controlled Substances is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHELE RENE MUZYKA, 61, of Cheshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to one day of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for illegally distributing controlled substances. Judge Bolden also ordered Muzyka to pay a $25,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement began investigating Muzyka, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), after pharmacists in New Britain and Middletown made complaints that Muzyka was prescribing high doses of benzodiazepines and amphetamines to clusters of patients who appeared to know each other or were related, and at times were picking up each other’s prescriptions. At least one pharmacist stopped filling prescriptions written by Muzyka because the pharmacist was concerned that the prescriptions were unlawfully written or were fraudulent.
An undercover investigation subsequently determined that, between January 2024 and June 2025, Muzyka unlawfully distributed amphetamines, such as Adderall, and benzodiazepines, such as Xanax and alprazolam, to individuals who did not have a legitimate medical need. During office visits, Muzyka did not conduct medical examinations of certain patients and did not confirm conditions that would medically require treatment using these controlled substances. Muzyka charged patients $200 in cash for the office visits in which she prescribed the controlled substances, including to an undercover agent who posed as a Medicaid beneficiary. Although she was enrolled as a Medicare and Medicaid provider, Muzyka declined to accept the undercover agent’s Medicaid plan and instead charged her $200 cash fee. Medicaid paid $287.58 for the unlawful prescriptions written for the undercover agent.
The investigation also determined that between February 2020 and June 2023, five individuals to whom Muzyka prescribed amphetamines and benzodiazepines died of overdoses due to the combined effects of fentanyl, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, and other drugs.
Muzyka was arrested on June 23, 2025. On January 21, 2026, she pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, distribution of, and dispensing of controlled substances.
Muzyka has surrendered her controlled substance licenses and her APRN license.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Lee Woodrum, 31, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Woodrum admitted to possessing a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol on March 19, 2024, in Charleston. Woodrum further admitted to knowing that the firearm was reported stolen prior to its recovery by law enforcement.
Woodrum also admitted to selling the stolen pistol and a second firearm he knew was stolen, a Springfield Armory Saint Victor AR-15 rifle, on October 18, 2024.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodrum knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for wanton endangerment with a firearm on March 16, 2015, and January 24, 2019, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Woodrum’s criminal history also includes prior convictions for assault and battery.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-171.
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Charges Announced Against Member of Online Cybercriminal Group “Purgatory” for Placing Swatting Calls to Universities; Victims Asked to Contact FBIRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that charges have been filed against a juvenile[1] following a rash of swatting calls aimed at universities and other institutions in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere in August 2025.
A “swatting call” is a hoax call made to emergency services typically reporting an immediate threat to human life. The goal of the caller is to draw a response from law enforcement—and specifically a special weapons and tactics (“SWAT”) team—to the victim’s location. In the most egregious cases, the party responsible reports a crime of violence or an impending crime of violence to have heavily armed law enforcement dispatched to apprehend the victim of the call. Perpetrators frequently place swatting calls to harass rivals or to raise their profile within their online communities by demonstrating a willingness to cause havoc and terrorize unsuspecting victims.
The defendant in this case was a self-identified member of the cybercriminal group “Purgatory.” The defendant selected the victim institutions at random and was not affiliated with any of those institutions.
Recently, swatting calls have become an increasingly common crime. Swatting calls waste valuable resources for local police departments and first responders who are responsible for responding to the calls believing there is an actual and immediate threat. The perpetrators are often part of online cybercriminal communities and believe that they will not be caught or punished. They are wrong. Federal law enforcement will investigate and prosecute these crimes regardless of who commits them or where they reside.
The FBI and the prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are legally mandated to identify and inform victims of the federal crimes they investigate. Victim institutions who were subjected to the conduct that underlies the charges in this case will be provided with a method for contacting the FBI.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Radnor Township Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, and Upper Merion Police Department, and assisted by dozens of state, local, and university police departments, ambulance companies, fire companies, and other first responders in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and across the country.
The charges and allegations are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
[1] This press release pertains to the federal prosecution of a juvenile.
Please note that, under the Juvenile Delinquency Act, the entire proceeding is subject to the limitations set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 5038, which forbid disclosure of the identity of the juvenile, as well as information and records related to the juvenile proceedings, to anyone except the court, the prosecuting authorities, the juvenile’s counsel, and others specifically authorized to receive such records.
More information on confidentiality requirements in federal juvenile prosecutions can be found here.
Career Offender Who Distributed Methamphetamine and Cocaine Sentenced to over 15 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed over 50 grams of ice methamphetamine was sentenced April 28, 2026, to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Burrell Marquis Jackson, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 6, 2025, guilty plea to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between July 2024 and August 2024, law enforcement officers conducted multiple controlled buys of methamphetamine and, on one occasion, cocaine from Jackson. On August 20, 2024, officers searched Jackson’s home and located over 45 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, and a digital scale. That same day, officers stopped Jackson, searched him, and located over $10,000 in cash. Jackson was considered a career offender because he had least two prior felony convictions that are crimes of violence or controlled substance offenses.
Jackson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jackson was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jackson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-43.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Bristol, Virginia Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man who conspired with others to distribute more than 600 fentanyl pills was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.
Briar Stephens, 25, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime.
“This office will continue to partner with law enforcement to target anyone who illegally distributes fentanyl in the Western District of Virginia,” First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today.
“Keeping our communities safe is our top priority. We are committed to pursuing justice against drug traffickers who illegally distribute dangerous substances like fentanyl. Through collaboration and unwavering determination, we strive to uphold justice and protect the citizens we serve. The DEA Bristol Post of Duty will continue to partner with law enforcement to target anyone who illegally distribute fentanyl in Western Virginia,” said Christopher Goumenis, DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge.
According to court documents, between September 2024 and October 2024, Stephens, Bobby Arnett, and others, conspired to distribute fentanyl. Specially, over the course of the conspiracy, Stephens purchased fentanyl pills that he and Arnett further distributed in Washington County, Virginia within the Western District of Virginia, and elsewhere.
On October 16, 2024, Stephens possessed approximately 600 fentanyl pills with the intent to further distribute them. Stephens also possessed a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol in his waistband in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
The Elizabethton Tennessee Police Department, Washington County Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Holston River Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone is prosecuting the case.
Boone County Man Sentenced for Accessing Child Pornography Through the Dark WebRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Walton, Ky., man, Kameron Thomas, 35, was sentenced on Friday to 37 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for accessing child pornography with the intent to view it.
According to court documents, in January 2025, Thomas’s roommate, Ronald Knox, distributed a depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct to an undercover law enforcement officer by means of a BitTorrent peer-to-peer network. In May 2025, law enforcement searched their residence, during which Thomas admitted that he accessed child pornography through a Tor browser on his smartphone and that he had been doing so regularly for years. Law enforcement seized Thomas’s device, which revealed evidence corroborating his admissions.
Knox was previously sentenced to 168 months for the distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Under federal law, Thomas must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years.
Jason D. Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Craig Patrick Sorrell, Campbell County Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Campbell County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Billings felon sentenced for illegal possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man with a felony conviction for strangulation of a family member who sold multiple guns to undercover agents was sentenced yesterday to 57 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Frank Spencer Marr, 50, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 27, 2024, law enforcement conducted an undercover methamphetamine purchase from Marr in Billings. After the drug transaction, he offered to sell investigators a Taurus 9 mm pistol for $300. They agreed to buy the gun, but Marr left and did not return.
Investigators contacted Marr later, who agreed to sell a different pistol to them. A controlled purchase of the pistol took place on January 29, 2025, in Billings. In exchange for $400, Marr sold a Glock model 20, 10 mm pistol.
On February 18, 2025, Marr contacted investigators and said he had an “Italian 9 mm” he would be willing to sell them. The following day, he contacted investigators again to advise he had sold the “Italian 9 mm,” but would be willing to sell them an AR-15; 1,500 rounds of .223 ammunition; and 4 magazines. That same day, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of a Surplus Ammo & Arms model Low 15 semiautomatic rifle and 780 rounds of ammunition.
Marr reached out the following week and claimed he had more firearms to sell. Investigators arranged for the controlled purchase of an Armscor model 1911-A1 FS 9 mm pistol on February 27. An undercover agent picked up Marr at his residence and drove him to an agreed-upon location for the purchase. When they arrived, the agent bought the 1911 from Marr and left the vehicle. Other law enforcement officers on scene converged on the vehicle and arrested him.
During a subsequent interview, Marr admitted to possessing the 1911 pistol he sold to law enforcement for “6 or 7 years.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The ATF, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court to drug trafficking crimes in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Jeremy Bethea, 46, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Through an investigation, law enforcement caught Bethea and his co-conspirators with more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 28 grams of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine”, and a quantity of cocaine intended for distribution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the plea agreement, from August 2022, through October 2023, Bethea conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Bethea and his co-conspirators regularly obtained quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine to sell to customers in the Baltimore area.
Beginning in November 2022, and continuing through May 2023, undercover investigators conducted 15 controlled purchases of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine from Bethea. In January 2023, Bethea sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an undercover investigator.
Additionally, from June 2023 through August 2023, investigators received authorization to utilize a federal wiretap to intercept communications from three cellphones. The cellphone users included Bethea and other members of the conspiracy.During the wiretap investigation, law enforcement intercepted numerous conversations between Bethea and his co-conspirators discussing and coordinating fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine sales.
Then on April 17, 2023, as a result of the intercepted calls, BPD officers stopped a vehicle enroute to a planned drug transaction. During the traffic stop, law enforcement encountered Bethea and recovered several hundred gelcaps from the source of supply. A DEA laboratory performed an analysis of the substance found inside the recovered gel caps and confirmed it as fentanyl with a total weight of more than 400 grams.
During the investigation, investigators also discovered that Bethea used a Sharp-Leadenhall residence to store fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine for distribution. On August 22, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the residence. Investigators uncovered 105 grams of crack cocaine packaged for retail sale and more than 300 grams of marijuana at the location.
Bethea faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute. He also faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who is prosecuting this federal 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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Athens Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A sex offender has been sentenced for distributing and possessing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Hunter William Bell, also known as “amWoos,” 29, of Athens, Alabama, to 216 months in prison followed by a 20-year term of supervised release. In December 2025, Bell pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of child pornography.
“This sentence ensures yet another child predator has been removed from our community and can no longer pose a threat to our children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “We are grateful for the dedicated work of our federal and state law enforcement partners in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“This sentencing underscores the FBI’s dedication to seeking justice for our children,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Birmingham. “Along with our partners, we have ensured that one less predator is able to victimize the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community. We will continue to devote every available resource to identifying and stopping those who exploit our children.”
According to the plea agreement, on August 16, 2024, FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office (FBI OC) executed a federal search warrant at an individual’s residence. During the search, the individual’s electronic devices were seized. A review of the electronic devices revealed child pornography being exchanged via the Kik messenger application between the individual and Bell. In October 2024, the FBI OC sent an investigative lead to the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office. A search warrant was obtained for Bell’s Kik account revealing his account was used to distribute pornography. On January 14, 2025, FBI agents arrested Bell at his home. Agents seized an Apple iPhone containing more than 600 images of child pornography.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Sara M. Judah prosecuted the case.
An Aloha Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Aloha, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today for pointing a laser at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter landing at the Hillsboro, Oregon, airport and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Brian K. Kapileo Nepaial, 38, pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on October 3, 2025, a CBP helicopter was struck by a green laser, causing it to abort its planned landing. The flight crew observed an individual walking near a residence and disappearing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified the residence and, on October 10, 2025, executed a federal search warrant at the residence. FBI special agents seized a laser from the bedroom of Kapileo Nepaial and found over 100 grams of methamphetamine and evidence of drug trafficking.
On December 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Kapileo Nepaial with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Kapileo Nepaial faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for Count One. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release for Count Two. Kapileo Nepaial will be sentenced on July 28, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Albany County Man and Alleged Member of Nihilistic Violent Extremist Organization 764 Charged with Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ryan Catello, a.k.a. “Stabzone,” a.k.a. “Mors,” age 24, of Ravena, New York, appeared in federal court yesterday after being charged with receiving child pornography. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, between March 18 and March 27, 2026, Catello sexually exploited at least two minors by coercing them into self-producing images of child pornography, and he received those images files via the Internet.
The complaint also alleges that Catello is a member of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVE) operating within the United States and abroad. Those involved with “764” and related NVE networks methodically target vulnerable, underage populations by using social media to encourage the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Members of 764 seek to desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms regarding violence. They normalize the possession, production, and sharing of explicit CSAM and gore material to corrupt and groom their victims toward future violence, gain notoriety among other members of the network, and spread fear for the purpose of accelerating chaos under the 764 ideology with an aim toward the disruption of society.
“Ryan Catello, an alleged member of the nihilistic violent extremist group ‘764,’ has been charged for allegedly receiving sexually explicit content of minors via the Internet. Preying on our nation’s children, who are among the most vulnerable members of society, is beyond comprehension,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “I thank the FBI and the New York State Police for their hard work and the sacrifices they make every day to keep our communities safe. I also recognize the importance of social media platforms that take steps to alert law enforcement to crimes like the ones alleged here. I encourage all companies in a position to do something about child sexual exploitation to be as aggressive as possible in identifying predators and making sure they are held accountable.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “As alleged in the complaint, Mr. Catello is a suspected member of the disturbing Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group ‘764’ who preyed on minors and coerced them to send him explicit photos. The FBI, together with our partners at the Northern District of New York, is laser focused on investigating the predators connected to this sick network and ensuring they are brought to justice for their disturbing behavior.”
The charge filed against Catello carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Catello had an initial appearance yesterday in Albany, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista, and was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 1, 2026.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Wentworth-Ping and Allen J. Vickey are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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