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27 April 2026
Mission Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on April 21, 2026.
Duane Rouillard, III, age 37, was sentenced to time served through April 22, 2026, equal to approximately three years and one month in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rouillard was indicted by a federal grand jury in Feburary 2023. He pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026.
In December 2022, Rouillard was in custody at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Correctional Facility, in Todd County, South Dakota. On the evening of December 29, 2022, Rouillard assaulted a corrections officer by punching him multiples times in the head and face with a closed fist.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Rouillard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Miami Mother and Son Face Federal Fraud and Identity Theft Charges Involving Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
MIAMI – During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, a mother and son made their initial appearances in federal court on Friday to face an indictment charging them with fraud and identity theft offenses involving an elderly victim that spanned years.
According to court records, Natacha Maria Lezcano, also known as Maria Margarita Lezcano, 63, of Miami, became a live-in caregiver for the victim in 2020. She later obtained permission from the victim for her husband and son, Daniel Romero, 33, also of Miami, to move into the residence.
“This indictment alleges a cruel betrayal of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “According to the charges, the victim, an elderly woman, opened her home to these defendants and, in return, they exploited her age, her trust, and her identity for financial gain. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, this case serves as a reminder that financial exploitation of the elderly can be every bit as devastating as violent crime. Our Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who target vulnerable victims. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
Beginning in 2020 and continuing through 2023, Romero is alleged to have used the victim’s personal identifying information to open fraudulent credit cards, make unauthorized purchases, and transfer funds for his personal benefit. The conduct involved submitting false credit applications, impersonating the victim in communications with financial institutions, and initiating unauthorized electronic transfers from the victim’s bank accounts.
Lezcano is alleged to have known about the fraud and failed to report it to authorities.
Romero is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Lezcano is charged with misprison of a felony. If convicted, Romero faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and bank fraud counts, up to 10 years for access device fraud, and a mandatory consecutive term of at least two years for aggravated identity theft. Lezcano faces up to three years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
USSS Miami is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Love is prosecuting the case.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20139.
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Marion County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempting to Meet Two Minors to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Terry Levi Brown (36, Summerfield) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Brown pleaded guilty on November 20, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in July 2025, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) conducted an undercover operation aimed at apprehending individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. On July 27, 2025, two MCSO detectives posed online as a 14-year-old girl and 15-year-old girl. Brown messaged both undercover accounts. After learning he was speaking with minors, Brown engaged in sexually explicit conversations with both undercover accounts. Brown was arrested after he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the minors to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Marianna Man Sentenced for Escaping Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Trashad Laron Roberts, 35, of Marianna, Florida, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison following a jury’s guilty verdict for escape. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin quote: “The terms of supervision at a residential reentry center are not suggestions, they are mandatory conditions of an inmate’s prison sentence that are designed to keep our communities safe. This defendant willfully disregarded the restrictions placed upon him that were part of his prior sentence, and now he will spend even longer in prison. The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and my office will aggressively prosecute offenders like this defendant who threaten that safety.”
Court records reflect that in September 2020, the defendant was convicted of possession and distribution of methamphetamine in the Northern District of Florida. The defendant was required to serve four years on supervised release following his multi-year federal prison sentence. The defendant was scheduled to serve the final year of his prison term at a residential reentry center in Tallahassee. Evidence at trial demonstrated that on September 2, 2025, the defendant left the residential reentry center without authorization. Law enforcement immediately acted to locate the defendant. Four hours later, the United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department found the defendant hiding inside a residence.
“As soon as the U.S. Marshals Service learned that Trashad Roberts was on the run, we sent our fugitive task force to work,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Greg Leljedal. “Through swift, decisive action with our partners at the Tallahassee Police Department, we were able to quickly locate Roberts and had him back in prison before bed.”
Roberts will be required to serve the remainder of his first sentence consecutive to the sentence handed down in the escape case. He will then serve four years on supervised release.
The Bureau of Prisons utilizes Residential Reentry Centers, also known as halfway houses, in its network of confinement facilities. The Centers are designed to help federal prisoners transition back into society by providing a safe, structured environment with supervision and support services, such as employment.
The United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph A. Ravelo and Meredith L. Steer prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Man who shut down I-90 with hand-held explosive device sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 42-year-old King County resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 months in prison for his unlawful possession of a destructive device which shut down Interstate 90, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Sokphana Soeung was arrested October 12, 2024, following a slow speed chase and confrontation with law enforcement during which Soeung brandished a tennis ball explosive and a lighter. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John H. Chun said Soeung, “displayed an alarming disrespect for the law and posed a risk to the community. Someone could have been badly hurt, including yourself.”
According to records filed in the case, Bellevue Police responded to Enatai Beach Park around noon on October 12, 2024, because of reports of two men sleeping in a car with the motor running. When contacted by police, Soeung drove away, running over spike strips that punctured all four tires on the car. Law enforcement followed and Washington State Patrol (WSP) joined the slow speed chase when the car pulled onto Interstate 90 in the westbound direction.
While on Mercer Island, a WSP trooper executed a maneuver to stop the car. At that point, Soeung jumped from the car holding a black ball device in one hand and a lighter in the other. Ultimately, police tackled Soeung, and he dropped the ball shaped item and the lighter. An investigation revealed that the ball shaped item was a tennis ball filled with explosive powder with a fuse. In the car law enforcement found a second explosive device made with sparklers taped together.
The investigation shut down I-90 for a lengthy period while the bomb squad determined there was no danger to the public or the I-90 bridge.
In asking for a two-year prison sentence prosecutors noted that Soeung has a lengthy criminal history driven by drug addiction. “The defendant’s decision to possess an explosive device and utilize it in the manner that he did on October 12, 2024, is alarming. Fleeing from law enforcement on a major interstate brimming with unsuspecting drivers in stolen car while high on fentanyl is concerning enough. Electing to flee on foot with a tennis ball “bomb” and lighter in hand placed everyone present at risk of injury or worse, including the defendant.”
The case was investigated by the Bellevue Police Department, Washington State Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Y. Gregson.
Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl and Cocaine into Waterbury Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JORDAN JAMISON, also known as “J” and “JO,” 30, of Waterbury, Connecticut, and Paramus, New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine. Judge Oliver also ordered Jamison to pay a $350,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a DEA New Haven District Office Task Force investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics, physical and electronic surveillance, and other investigative techniques, determined that Jamison and an associate were trafficking fentanyl and cocaine into the Waterbury area, utilizing an apartment on High Street in Naugatuck and a house on Hunthill Road in Waterbury to store and package narcotics, and distributing the drugs to a network of street-level sellers.
On February 5, 2025, Jamison and his associate travelled together on a flight to California and, later that day, attempted to mail a package from Monterey Park to Connecticut. Investigators seized the package, which contained approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and three kilograms of cocaine.
On February 11, 2025, a court-authorized search of the Naugatuck stash location revealed approximately 5.4 kilograms of fentanyl and 1.4 kilograms of cocaine packaged for street distribution, and more than 300 grams of xylazine, an animal tranquilizer used by narcotics traffickers as a fentanyl additive.
Jamison has been detained since his arrest on February 13, 2025. On January 29, 2026, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
In April 2020, Jamison was sentenced in New Haven federal court to two days of imprisonment, a $3,600 fine, and forfeiture of $6,056, for a heroin trafficking offense stemming from his role in a Waterbury-based narcotics trafficking ring.
This investigation has been conducted by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, DEA Los Angeles Airport Group, DEA New Jersey Division Office, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Paramus Police Department, and Hackensack Police Department. The NHDO Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Natasha M. Freismuth.
Madison County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jacob Netzel, age 33, of Oneida, New York, pled guilty on April 23, 2026, in federal court to distribution and possession of child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Steven G. James, Superintendent of the New York State Police, made the announcement.
As part of his plea, Netzel admitted that between approximately April 2022 through November 2024, he used several social networking, messaging, and file-sharing applications to distribute and receive child pornography. In May 2023, Netzel engaged in a conversation over social media with an individual whom he believed to be a 12-year-old girl but was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. In their conversation, Netzel sent the undercover officer multiple videos depicting child pornography. Netzel also used social media apps to trade child pornography online. For example, Netzel participated in group chats in November 2024 during which he both received child pornography from other users and distributed child pornography to other users. Netzel also admitted that he knowingly possessed child pornography on his cell phone when it was seized by state police.
FAUSA Sarcone stated: “This defendant’s actions were truly vile. He traded videos and images with other sick individuals showing the sexual abuse of our society’s most vulnerable members: children. My Office is grateful for the constant and aggressive pursuit of these most dangerous people by HSI, the NYSP, and all our law enforcement partners who are committed to stopping these violent crimes.”
HSI SAC Keegan stated: “Jacob Netzel used social media and file sharing platforms to trade and collect child sexual abuse material and send graphic videos he believed were going to a 12-year-old girl. Fortunately, law enforcement intercepted his predatory conduct before greater harm could occur. HSI Syracuse, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, and the New York State Police remain committed to protecting our community and removing those that pose a serious threat to children.”
Superintendent James stated: “Crimes involving the exploitation of children are among the most disturbing we investigate, and they will not be tolerated. This case highlights the critical importance of collaboration between federal, state, and local partners in identifying those who prey on children online and holding them accountable. The New York State Police remains committed to aggressively pursuing individuals who engage in this type of criminal behavior and to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
The distribution charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.
Netzel’s sentencing is currently scheduled for August 18, 2026, before United States District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi in Utica, New York. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
HSI and NYSP investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Los Lunas Man Charged in Federal Case Involving Large Scale Machinegun Conversion Device TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Los Lunas man has been charged in federal court after an undercover investigation allegedly revealed a sustained operation to manufacture, convert, and sell machineguns and a significant quantity of machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches.”
According to court documents, in August and September 2025, an undercover ATF agent identified Robert Gurule, 23, advertising firearms and suspected machineguns for sale on Facebook, including videos of him handling and firing a fully automatic weapon.
Screenshots from videos posed to social mediaThe investigation led to multiple controlled purchases during which Gurule allegedly sold firearms equipped with machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches,” and claimed he regularly converted semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons.
On October 2, 2025, Gurule allegedly sold the undercover agent a rifle with a conversion device and a high-capacity drum magazine for $1,600, demonstrating how the weapon functioned as a machinegun and offering to supply additional firearms. He later agreed to sell multiple machineguns, completing a second transaction on December 5, 2025, in which he allegedly sold three machineguns and an additional firearm for a total of $4,600. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the firearms and conversion devices met the federal definition of machineguns.
Photographs Gurule sent of the firearmsIn April 2026, Gurule allegedly arranged to sell approximately 80 machinegun conversion devices and additional firearms to the undercover agent. On April 24, 2026, Gurule and codefendant Izatah Hausner, 21, met with the agent and displayed the devices and negotiated a sale valued at $11,500. Both men were arrested at the scene after the agent took possession of the conversion devices. During the transaction, Hausner also allegedly offered to sell a firearm and stated he was involved in fentanyl distribution.
“The illegal sale of these conversion devices is a deliberate escalation of violence that puts our community and our officers at extreme risk,’ said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “Since day one, I have worked with a sense of urgency to address our crime problem by getting back to the basics of federal prosecution. My priority remains keeping New Mexicans safe by relentlessly prosecuting those who flood our streets with these illegal weapons.”
"The trafficking of machinegun conversion devices has evolved from a domestic policing issue into a transnational threat,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge A. J. Gibes. These clandestine operations allow criminals to bypass background checks, placing low-cost, high-impact tools in the hands of cartels and violent offenders. Through historic cooperation, the ATF and our partners are targeting these social media-driven networks to close the lethality gap that threatens law enforcement and civilian safety on both sides of the border."
“This investigation is a clear example of what can be achieved through coordinated law enforcement efforts," said New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez. "By working alongside our federal and local partners, we are sending a strong message: the illegal trafficking of machineguns and conversion devices will not be tolerated in New Mexico. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners to keep our communities safe.”
Gurule is charged with unlawful possession and transfer of a machinegun and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which has been scheduled for April 29, 2026. If convicted of the current charge, Gurule faces up to 10 years in prison.
Hausner is charged with aiding and abetting and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which has been scheduled for April 29, 2026. If convicted of the current charge, Hausner faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Albert Gibes, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
This case was investigated by the New Mexico ATF Firearms Trafficking Task Force in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Justice. Additional assistance was provided by the Albuquerque Police Department, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bernalillo Police Department. The New Mexico ATF Firearms Trafficking Task Force works to identify, deter, disrupt, and dismantle Firearms Trafficking Organizations (FTOs) supplying firearms to individuals and groups engaged in our community’s most egregious acts of violence, as well as any associated, violent offenders.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
Machine gun conversion devices and auto sears are illegal devices that transform semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of continuous firing with a single trigger pull. The possession, manufacture, and sale of these devices without proper licensing is a federal offense carrying severe penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
The proliferation of these devices poses an immediate and critical threat to public safety. Between 2018 and 2023, the ATF recovered thousands of machine gun conversion devices, indicating an alarming trend in their availability and use. Violent street gangs are increasingly employing these devices, devastating communities and neighborhoods with unprecedented firepower.
This dramatic increase in illegal automatic weapons puts both civilians and law enforcement at extreme risk. Officers responding to incidents may find themselves severely outgunned, facing weapons capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute. The potential for mass casualties in such encounters is staggering.
Law enforcement agencies are racing against time to intercept these devices before they can be used in violent crimes. Public cooperation is crucial in combating this threat. If you have information about illegal firearms or conversion devices, please contact the ATF immediately:
Call: 1-888-ATF-Tips (1-888-283-8477)
Email: ATFTips@atf.gov
Visit: www.atf.gov/atf-tips
Your tip could save lives and prevent these dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands. The time to act is now, before our community falls victim to the devastating impact of these illegal automatic weapons.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Little Rock Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Tommy Avance, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 240 months in federal prison after his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On July 2, 2024, Avance, 41, of Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a four-count Indictment for possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, being a felon in possession of firearms, and being in possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. On October 28, 2025, Avance pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Avance to five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 26, 2024, the Conway Police Department, while conducting surveillance on a known drug distributor’s residence, investigators observed a vehicle arrive at the residence only to leave minutes later, which was suggestive of drug activity. Officers followed the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. During contact with Avance, officers detected the odor of marijuana and observed Avance behaving nervously. Avance then fled from the officers, leading them on a high-speed pursuit. Officers used spike strips to stop Avance and once in custody, officers located two bags of cocaine and one bag of methamphetamine on his person.
During a post-Miranda interview with officers, Avance admitted to purchasing significant quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. During the investigation, officers became aware that Avance was on active parole with a search waiver on file. Officers then conducted a search of Avance’s residence in Conway. During the search, officers located 1,451 grams of methamphetamine. Also located during the search of Avance’s residence were two firearms, a Ruger, model LC9, 9mm caliber firearm and a Taurus, model G3, 9mm caliber firearm, which was previously reported stolen in 2023 to the Benton Police Department.
Avance’s criminal history includes possession of cocaine, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of a firearm by certain persons, and a July 19, 2012, federal felony conviction out of the Western District of Arkansas for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Conway Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reese Lancaster.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Justice Department Secures $510,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky LandlordRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Joseph E. Johnson, the owner and manager of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky, agreed to pay $510,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate violations of our federal fair housing laws, including landlords’ unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement demonstrates our commitment to continuing to enforce these laws so tenants remain safe and secure in their homes.”
“No one should have to choose between homelessness and sexual harassment in the place where they should feel safest,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who preys on and harasses vulnerable tenants in Eastern Kentucky, and this settlement sends a clear message that sex discrimination in housing will not be tolerated.”
The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in December 2024, alleges that Johnson sexually harassed female tenants for decades, including in their homes and at the rental office. The suit alleges that Johnson offered to forgive rent in exchange for sexual contact, demanded sexual contact from his tenants, subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual touching, made unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, let himself into female tenants’ homes without notice or permission, and threatened to evict tenants who refused his demands. The complaint also alleges Johnson failed to stop his employees when they engaged in similar conduct.
Pursuant to the consent order, which was approved today by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, the defendant must pay $500,000 to tenants who were harmed by his harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order permanently bars Johnson from managing residential rental properties and from contacting tenants harmed by his harassment. It also mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination in his rental properties.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $19 million for victims of such harassment.
Justice Department Secures $510,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky LandlordRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Joseph E. Johnson, the owner and manager of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky, agreed to pay $510,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate violations of our federal fair housing laws, including landlords’ unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement demonstrates our commitment to continuing to enforce these laws so tenants remain safe and secure in their homes.”
“No one should have to choose between homelessness and sexual harassment in the place where they should feel safest,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who preys on and harasses vulnerable tenants in Eastern Kentucky, and this settlement sends a clear message that sex discrimination in housing will not be tolerated.”
The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in December 2024, alleges that Johnson sexually harassed female tenants for decades, including in their homes and at the rental office. The suit alleges that Johnson offered to forgive rent in exchange for sexual contact, demanded sexual contact from his tenants, subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual touching, made unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, let himself into female tenants’ homes without notice or permission, and threatened to evict tenants who refused his demands. The complaint also alleges Johnson failed to stop his employees when they engaged in similar conduct.
Pursuant to the consent order, which was approved today by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, the defendant must pay $500,000 to tenants who were harmed by his harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order permanently bars Johnson from managing residential rental properties and from contacting tenants harmed by his harassment. It also mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination in his rental properties.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $19 million for victims of such harassment.
Jay Bryant Pleads Guilty as Accomplice to the Murder of Run-Dmc’s Jason Mizell, Also Known as “Jam Master Jay”Read the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jay Bryant, also known as “Bradshaw Dewitt,” “Jason Robinson,” “Morgan Bryant,” “Deshawn Sadler,” “Jay Sadler” and “Big Jay” pleaded guilty to the October 30, 2002, firearm-related murder of Jason Mizell, also known as “Jam Master Jay,” a member of the famed hip hop group Run-DMC. The plea proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg. When sentenced, Bryant faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and up to 20 years in prison. This sentence also applies to separate narcotics trafficking and firearms charges to which Bryant already pleaded guilty and that were accepted by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan on December 2, 2023.
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 Division (ATF New York), and Jessica S. Tish, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the guilty plea.
“More than two decades after the cold-blooded, execution-style killing of Mr. Mizell, an exhaustive investigation revealed Bryant’s role and today he finally admitted his guilt,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The prosecutors in our Office and our law enforcement partners never give up, no matter how long it takes, in the pursuit of justice for the victim and the victim’s family.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the NYPD Intelligence Division, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Queens County District Attorney’s Office, Columbia Borough Police Department in Pennsylvania, and the Dominican Republic National Police for their work on the case.
“Justice in the murder of Jam Master Jay has been pursued with determination and resolve for more than two decades. The defendant’s role in facilitating access for the killers was integral to this crime,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo. “Today’s guilty plea reflects the dedication of law enforcement and prosecutors who never stopped working to bring accountability for the victim and his family. We are grateful for the partnership of ATF NY’s Joint Firearms Task Force–Long Island, ATF Philadelphia Allentown Office, NYPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea reflects the relentless work of NYPD detectives to hold criminals accountable, no matter how much time has passed,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Jason Mizell was brutally murdered over 20 years ago, but thanks to our investigators, along with our partners at the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, this case was never forgotten, and those who are responsible are now being held accountable.”
As alleged in court filings, between the 1990s and 2002, separate from his music career, Mizell was involved in arranging for the sale of kilogram-quantities of cocaine in the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere. In August 2002, Mizell acquired approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine on consignment from a supplier. The cocaine was intended to be distributed in Maryland by co-defendants Karl Jordan, Jr., Ronald Washington, and other co-conspirators. A dispute between Washington and one of the co-conspirators in Baltimore resulted in Mizell cutting Washington and Jordan out of the Maryland drug deal worth almost $200,000. Following this betrayal, Washington and Jordan continued in the larger narcotics conspiracy until they ultimately cut out Jason Mizell by murdering him on October 30, 2002.
On October 30, 2002, Mizell was present at his recording studio, “24/7,” located on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens. At approximately 7:30 p.m., Bryant entered the building containing the recording studio and opened a locked fire escape exit door to allow Jordan and Washington to enter the building without being seen by Mizell. Jordan and Washington entered the recording studio, armed with firearms. Washington pointed his firearm at an individual and demanded she lay on the floor, and Jordan approached Mizell and fired two shots at close range, striking Mizell once in the head and killing him. The second shot struck another individual in the leg.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek, Miranda Gonzalez, and Andrew D. Wang are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder.
The Defendant:
JAY BRYANT (also known as “Bradshaw Dewitt,” “Jason Robinson,” “Morgan Bryant,” “Deshawn Sadler,” “Jay Sadler” and “Big Jay”)
Age: 52
Far Rockaway, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-305 (S-2) (LDH)
Individual Sentenced to 18 months in Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud de United States and Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States District Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll sentenced Nomar J. Mimbs-Machiavelo to 18 months in prison with $219,159.00 in restitution ($18,114.00 to the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources (related to PUA benefits) and $201,045.00 to the Puerto Rico Treasury Department (related to Business Interruption Grant benefits/bribery scheme), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, Nomar J. Mimbs-Machiavelo engaged in a scheme to defraud the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources by which he applied on two occasions for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits using false social security numbers. From June through July 2020, defendant Mimbs-Machiavelo willfully and knowingly stole Unemployment Insurance benefit payments to which he was not entitled, having a value of approximately $18,114.
In addition to the above, from January 2021 through May 2021, Mimbs-Machiavelo conspired with public officials at the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (PRDT) to defraud the United States. As part of the conspiracy, the defendant bribed employees from the PRDT with money and free meals in exchange for privileged access to the Internal Revenue Unified System (“SURI” for its Spanish acronym) taxpayer information. With that SURI information, the defendant then submitted fraudulent applications to the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program which provided assistance from the U.S. Treasury Coronavirus Relief Fund to eligible small businesses. In total, PRDT disbursed an approximate total of $492,045 into bank accounts because of the defendant’s fraudulent BIG program applications. Of the approximate total of $492,045, $148,000 are directly traceable to privileged information compromised by PRDT employees who modified the SURI authentication credentials of taxpayers for Mimbs-Machiavelo.
Mimbs-Machiavelo was arrested on May 23, 2023. On April 3, 2025, the defendant plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and theft of government property, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 641.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Vanessa D. Bonano-Rodríguez from the Social Security Administration prosecuted the case under the supervision of the Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Section.
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Indian National Sentenced to 41 Months’ Imprisonment for Defrauding Telephone Providers and Insurance Companies of Millions of Dollars’ Worth of MerchandiseRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Indian national was sentenced on April 21, 2026 to 41 months of imprisonment for his role as the leader of a conspiracy to defraud various telephone providers and insurance companies out of millions of dollars by using stolen or fake identities to submit fraudulent claims for replacement cellular devices and then reselling those devices outside the United States, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Dhananjay Singh, 35, an Indian national, previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transfer of stolen property.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From June 2013 through June 2019, Singh was involved in a widespread scheme to defraud cellular telephone providers and insurance companies using the U.S. mail system, as well as other third-party mail carriers. Singh and his co-conspirators used stolen and fake identities to submit false claims for lost, stolen or damaged cellular telephones, as well as other devices, in order to obtain replacement devices. Singh and his co-conspirators maintained a network of mailboxes and storage units across the United States, including in New Jersey, where the replacement devices would be shipped and then held before being sold to third parties outside the United States. The scheme resulted in millions of dollars of losses to the cellular telephone providers and insurance companies.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Singh to 3 years of supervised release and ordered restitution of over $10 million dollars.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Roddy in Newark and Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. in New York, postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy; officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Frank Russo; and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Wood with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit.
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Defense counsel: Jeffrey Lichtman, Esq. and Jeffrey Einhorn, Esq.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Destroying Government Property After Ramming Law Enforcement VehiclesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, an illegal alien from Portugal pled guilty and received a federal sentence for destroying government property.
Magistrate Judge Charles Austin sentenced Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, 30, to time served — totaling 103 days — for using his van to ram government vehicles while attempting to escape immigration officers. Judge Austin also ordered Sousa-Martins to pay $1,000 in restitution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, on December 24, 2025, ICE officers conducted a traffic stop on Sousa-Martins’s vehicle. The officers boxed in Sousa-Martins’s vehicle by positioning their government vehicles behind, in front, and to the side of his vehicle. After officers exited their vehicles, and identified themselves, they directed Sousa-Martins to exit his vehicle, but he refused.
Officers then broke the Sousa-Martins’s driver’s side window and attempted to remove him. In response, Sousa-Martins placed his vehicle in drive, drove a short distance forward, and then drove back and forth between the government vehicles before backing into the government vehicle directly behind him. After the initial collision, Sousa-Martins continued reversing his vehicle, pushing the government vehicle parked directly behind him back into another government vehicle. The collisions caused damage to both government vehicles.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and ICE-ERO for their work in this investigation.
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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Houston man receives 27 years after coordinating event involving sexual abuse of toddlerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 27-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and receipt of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Victor Zuniga pleaded guilty Jan. 15.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now sentenced Zuniga to 324 and 240 months for the coercion/enticement and receipt convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 324-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Zuniga spent more than a year attempting to arrange an in-person meeting to facilitate the sexual abuse of a toddler.
Zuniga will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to the internet.
A total of four videos from the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation prompted the investigation in December 2023.
Between Jan. 28, 2022, and Nov. 2, 2023, Zuniga exchanged multiple messages discussing having sex with minors. He ultimately received numerous videos and images of child sexual abuse material.
Forensic examination of Zuniga’s cell phone revealed a 42-minute screen recording of a live video feed of minor children ranging from two to 10 years of age being sexually abused.
Zuniga has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI - Houston conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Valenti and Kimberly Leo are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CARLOS ALBERTO ESCOBAR-LOZA (“ESCOBAR-LOZA”), age 47, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on April 22, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry, after previously pleading guilty to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. ESCOBAR-LOZA was sentenced to time served, one-year of supervised release, and payment of a mandatory $100.00 assessment fee. He has been detained in federal prison since January 14, 2026.
According to court records, the defendant was found in the United States on December 26, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on July 2, 2012. ESCOBAR-LOZA was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana after being arrested by local law enforcement. Immigration officials subsequently confirmed his identity and determined that he had again unlawfully reentered the United States after having previously been removed.
On multiple occasions beginning in or about 2002, ESCOBAR-LOZA was encountered by U.S. immigration authorities after entering the United States without being admitted or paroled. He was placed in removal proceedings and, on or about October 27, 2003, an Immigration Judge ordered him removed from the United States after he failed to appear for his scheduled hearing.
On multiple occasions between approximately 2005 and 2012, ESCOBAR-LOZA was again encountered by immigration authorities following arrests by local law enforcement. Immigration records reflect that his prior removal order was reinstated, and he was removed from the United States to Honduras on at least three occasions.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Results in 51-Defendant Indictment in Nationwide Black-Market Marijuana Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
View the unsealed indictment here.
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal indictment has been unsealed, charging 51 defendants across 67 counts for their roles in a conspiracy to manufacture black-market marijuana in Oklahoma and then distribute it throughout the United States, including Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, and North Carolina, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
In a coordinated takedown late last week, more than 100 law enforcement personnel executed arrest warrants involving 51 defendants from Oklahoma, Texas, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Kansas, Mississippi, and California. Of the indicted targets, 28 have been arrested and 23 remain fugitives. A full list of defendants can be viewed below, including at least 29 from China, some of whom have permanent legal resident status.
View full defendant list here.
In addition to the arrests, law enforcement executed 22 search warrants in Oklahoma, Cleveland, Kingfisher, Stephens, Payne, and Okfuskee County, as well as in Michigan and Kansas. As a result of the searches, approximately 61,000 marijuana plants and 550 kilograms of processed marijuana were seized by law enforcement. During the execution of the warrants, approximately 13 non-citizens in addition to the 51 defendants charged were identified and turned over to immigration officials.
“This case underscores the threat posed by nationwide criminal organizations that exploit Oklahoma’s marijuana laws to produce and distribute large quantities of black-market marijuana across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, my office remains committed to taking down these organizations and those who run them.”
“This investigation targeted a criminal organization that was producing and trafficking large quantities of marijuana across state lines, under the guise of a state-licensed operation,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. “The DEA, working with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these networks to protect our communities and hold accountable those who prioritize profit over law.”
“We can’t overstate the impact and importance of these types of operations. Since 2021, when our agency created Marijuana Enforcement Teams (MET), we’ve proudly worked alongside our federal and state partners to target criminal organizations operating in Oklahoma,” said Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control Director Donnie Anderson. “These partnerships have resulted in a dramatic drop in illegal marijuana farms within our state.”
Summary of Charges
According to the indictment, from March 2025 through April 2026, a network of marijuana grow owners, brokers, transporters, and distributors worked together to facilitate the conspiracy. The indictment alleges that grow owners manufactured massive quantities of marijuana for distribution on the black-market, both within the state of Oklahoma and across the United States. Black-market marijuana farms, including grows in Stillwater, Hennessey, and Paden, diverted marijuana into the illicit market.
It is alleged that the grow owners often worked with brokers, who coordinated efforts among the grow owners, transporters, and customers to further distribute the black-market marijuana. The marijuana would be transported from black-market grow facilities to stash houses that brokers controlled, and to customers for further distribution—all at the direction of the brokers and grow owners.
As alleged in the indictment, brokers and occasionally grow owners coordinated with distributors to arrange for the transportation of black-market marijuana back to their home state for further distribution to customers. Several defendants shared in the proceeds of the illegal distribution and took steps to conceal those proceeds by transporting large amounts of cash and using businesses to disguise the nature of the funds.
The conspiracy was carried out, in large part, with cellular phones. And, as alleged in the indictment, law enforcement intercepted calls of two of the main conspirators—LI SHUN CHEN, 53, and YING WANG, 45, both of Oklahoma City.
All 51 defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on April 21, 2026. In addition to the criminal charges alleged, the indictment also seeks the forfeiture of multiple properties and other assets which were either used to facilitate or represent the proceeds of the unlawful activity, including real property throughout Oklahoma located in the following areas:
- Oklahoma City
- Okemah
- Chickasha
- Stratford
- Pauls Valley
- Elmore City
- Henryetta
- Tonkawa
- Tryon
- Paden
- Seminole
- Lexington
- Boley
- Duncan
- Edmond
- Stuart
- Wynnewood
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acknowledgements
This operation 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. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the United States Marshals Service. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma leads the prosecution.
This specific investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control with assistance from the following agencies:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- United States Marshals Service
- FBI Oklahoma City Field Office
- Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations
- Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office
- Oklahoma City Police Department
- Oklahoma Highway Patrol
- Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office
- Oklahoma National Guard
- Arkansas State Police
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Duncan Police Department
- McClain County Sheriff’s Office
- Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office
- Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office
- Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office
- Payne County Sheriff’s Office
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Bagwell, Drew E. Davis, and Bow Bottomly are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Harrison Man Sentenced to 55 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – A Harrison man was sentenced on April 24, 2026, to 660 months in federal prison, without the possibility of parole, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of three (3) separate minors via production of child pornography. The Honorable Chief Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, Justin Neil Perkuhn, age 39, photographed himself bathing with two minors, ages four and six, while engaged in sexual contact with one of the minors. In a separate incident, Perkuhn created a surreptitious video through a window of an 8-year-old female while she bathed. Perkuhn’s crimes came to light after Arkansas State Police received a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Perkuhn had uploaded items of child pornography to a cloud storage account. In the ensuing investigation, officers served a search warrant at Perkuhn’s residence and discovered multiple devices containing child pornography. Officers later discovered that Perkuhn had created a voyeuristic video of an adult female through her bathroom window as she exited the shower.
Perkuhn was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in April of 2025 and entered a plea of guilty in July of 2025.
U.S. Attorney Kimberly D. Harris of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Arkansas State Police, Harrison Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Gloucester County Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County man was sentenced for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Ian Dudley, 39, of Williamstown, New Jersey, was previously convicted by a jury of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and with six counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and/or fentanyl; before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court. On April 16, 2026, Judge O’Hearn sentenced Dudley to serve 360 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the evidence presented at trial:
From June 2023 through October 2023, Dudley conspired with Joseph Watson and others to distribute crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl in Camden County and Gloucester County. During the conspiracy, Dudley sold approximately 17.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and approximately one ounce of fentanyl to an undercover federal agent.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Beau Kolodka, with the investigation.
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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph McFarlane and Josephine Park in Camden.
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Georgia men plead guilty to nearly $20 million fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted professional athletesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Luther Davis and CJ Evins pleaded guilty today to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges after they tricked lenders into providing nearly $20 million in loans by pretending to represent professional athletes. As part of their scheme, the pair posed as managers of the athletes and wore disguises to impersonate the athletes.
“Using fake documents, bogus corporations, wigs, and makeup, Davis and Evins convinced lenders they were NFL players, obtained millions of dollars in fraudulent loans, and used the proceeds of their crimes to purchase real estate and luxury items,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This scheme highlights that anyone can be a target of identity theft, and my office will vigorously investigate and prosecute swindlers who steal identities to defraud others.”
“Davis and Evins built an elaborate scheme on deception—impersonating professional athletes, fabricating credentials, and even disguising themselves to close the deal,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting victims from complex financial fraud and identity theft. Those who exploit others’ reputations for personal gain will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between at least May 26, 2023, and October 25, 2024, Davis and Evins secured millions of dollars in loans, purportedly on behalf of professional athletes who they falsely claimed to represent. To create the appearance that they represented the athletes, Davis and Evins registered companies with names closely related to the impersonated athletes’ names or initials, opened bank accounts for these fictitious companies, provided fabricated personal financial statements, created fraudulent email accounts, and obtained fake driver’s licenses and identification cards in the athletes’ names.
The defendants obtained multiple loans on behalf of unsuspecting professional athletes, using loan proceeds to pay off previous loan balances and to fund their own lifestyles, including purchasing and/or refinancing real estate, jewelry, and watches. As the defendants sought higher value loans, lenders required that the borrowers—who the lenders believed to be professional football players—appear on camera at loan closings. During these loan closings, the defendants posed as the borrowers by impersonating several professional athletes, including wearing wigs and makeup and signing loan paperwork in the athletes’ names. The victim lenders then deposited loan proceeds into bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
The scheme was uncovered when a union that represents professional athletes learned that the player contracts that the defendants used as collateral for the loans were fraudulent. During the scheme, the defendants obtained a dozen fraudulent loans (with one loan refinanced) worth a total of $19,845,000.
Today, Luther Davis, 37, of Roswell, Georgia, and CJ Evins, 29, of Johns Creek, Georgia, pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Both defendants were charged by criminal information on March 19, 2026, and March 20, 2026. Sentencing for CJ Evins is scheduled for August 4, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg. Sentencing for Luther Davis is scheduled for October 8, 2026, also before Judge Grimberg.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brock Brockington 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.
Georgia man sentenced for his role in fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Quentavious Price, 38, of Hampton, GA, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Between January and September 2022, Price, along with co-conspirators Lorenzo Jones, Ameer Clark, and Montez White, and others, conspired to defraud financial institutions. Members of the conspiracy would travel from Atlanta, Georgia, to the Western District of New York, and steal genuine checks from businesses. Using those checks, they would create fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of the businesses. Members of the conspiracy then recruited individuals to cash the fraudulent checks, buy clothes for the individuals to make them appear to be construction workers or laborers, and then drive them to area financial institutions and direct them to cash the fraudulent checks. If the checks were successfully cashed, the individuals received a small payment. Specifically:
- in January 2022, Price, Jones, and two others flew from Atlanta to Buffalo and drove an individual to various KeyBank branches to cash or attempt to cash fraudulent checks drawn on the KeyBank accounts of a business based in Elma, NY, and a second business based in Tonawanda, NY.
- in March 2022, Price and two others came to Buffalo from Atlanta and drove three individuals to M&T Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches to cash, or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of businesses based in Tonawanda, Clarence, NY, and Sanborn, NY.
- in September 2022, Price, Jones, Clark, and White flew from Atlanta to Rochester, NY, and drove six individuals to M&T Bank branches, KeyBank branches, Northwest Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches, to cash or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of two businesses based in Rochester, and one based in Alden, NY.
In addition, Price used the identity of the owner of one of the victim businesses during a felony violation. The total loss amount, including actual loss and intended loss, Is $64,979.67.
Lorenzo Jones, Ameer Clark, and Montez White were previously convicted and sentenced.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie P. Feroleto.
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Fugitive wanted for murder pleads guilty to attempted murder of federal officers at Springfield hotelRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Franklin County man who shot at law enforcement officials from inside a Springfield hotel room pleaded guilty today to attempted murder of federal officers. At the time of this latest crime, the defendant was a fugitive and had an active arrest warrant for aggravated murder out of Franklin County.
Andre Jordan II, 35, of Reynoldsburg, surrendered after an hours-long standoff with law enforcement at the hotel on Aug. 14, 2025. His plea agreement includes a sentencing recommendation of 25 years in prison.
According to court documents, in early August 2025, the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST), a federal task force, adopted the fugitive investigation of Jordan, which led officials to the Quality Inn in Springfield.
SOFAST tracked Jordan to a room at the hotel and set up to apprehend him. Law enforcement announced their presence to Jordan, who then looked out the window of the room. Following additional announcements, Jordan fired a shot through the window toward the pool area in the vicinity of officers and federal agents who then retreated to take cover. Jordan then fired a round through the middle of the hotel door into the hallway where federal agents had been standing just moments prior.
At the time Jordan discharged his firearm, there were three young children and two other adults in the hotel room with him. Hotel surveillance video shows the other adults and children fleeing the room before Jordan fired at least eight additional rounds through the connecting doors to the adjacent hotel room at an angle and direction where law enforcement officers had previously been positioned in the hallway.
The Springfield Police Division SWAT Team responded to the scene and hostage negotiators established communication with Jordan. After several hours of hostage negotiation, Jordan surrendered without further incident and was taken into custody.
Jordan was charged federally in August 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; United States Marshal Michael D. Black; Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline H. Gentry. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth McCormick and Rob Painter are representing the United States in this case.
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Fort Polk Soldier Charged for Threatening to “Walk into a Synagogue with My AK” and “Kill Every Single Jew” InsideRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE– On April 23, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana charged Jakob Marcoulier, a 22-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Polk, by criminal complaint with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce after he told people on the platform Discord that he would kill Jewish people in a synagogue. Marcoulier faces up to 5 years in federal prison for the charge.
“Threats against synagogues and Jewish Americans are threats to the religious freedom promised to every single one of us, and this Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those freedoms,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s vigilance and swift action in identifying and taking action against those who perpetrate these threats, and our Office looks forward to seeing justice done in this case.”
“The FBI is focused on preventing violent hate crime attacks and disrupting violent criminal plots, before they occur," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "Once the concerned citizen reached out to 1-800-CALL-FBI to report this situation, FBI Special Agents in Birmingham and New Orleans, and our partners in the U.S. Army, acted swiftly in this case. This is a perfect example of how the public is law enforcement's greatest partner."
According to court documents, FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received an online tip in February 2026 about a Discord user named “el.bostino” who had made threats toward synagogues. FBI secured recorded audio from Discord in which the individual, later determined to be Marcoulier, made these threats, stating among other things that “after this deployment if the Jews still have reign over our government, I am going to walk into a synagogue with my AK, with a 75-round drum mag, and all of my extra mags, with my level four plates, and my haka helmet that’s three plus, and I am going to kill every single Jew I know inside of that synagogue. And that’s my goal in life.” Marcoulier went on to emphasize the seriousness of his threats, saying among other things that “you guys will never do anything about but I will. I just have to finish this, I have to go back overseas and do what I have to do. And then you'll see me in the news. I promise you,” and that “you guys don’t want to do anything for the f[***]ing cause when it actually needs to happen … I’ll still kill these mother[***]ers in order to make sure the white youth is f[***]ing secured.” Marcoulier was arrested on April 23.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The FBI investigated this case alongside the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Nickel with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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. The case number for this matter is 26-mj-00108-01.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs USALAW-News@usdoj.gov
United States Attorney’s Office www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Western District of Louisiana Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Former Postal Employee Charged with Theft of MailRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Evan Aldric Harris, 29, of Evergreen, Alabama, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with theft of mail by a postal employee. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today.
Harris appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 22, 2026, before United States District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If convicted, Harris faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former Iowa Nonprofit Program Director Pleads Guilty to Theft from a Federal Funds RecipientRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Colfax woman pleaded guilty on April 23, 2026, to theft from an Iowa nonprofit receiving federal funds.
According to public court documents, Jodi Dyan Spargur-Tate, 55, was employed by Children and Families of Iowa (CFI) between 2015 and 2022. During her time as Program Director, Spargur-Tate submitted false and fraudulent reimbursement requests, including falsified invoices and receipts. Spargur-Tate used these payments for her own benefit and her family member’s benefit and not for the benefit of CFI or the program participants.
Spargur-Tate is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2026, and faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Spargur-Tate stole money meant to help Americans find work. Her guilty plea proves we will relentlessly pursue fraudsters,” said U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito. “Game the system, and we will find you and hold you accountable.”
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Lubben prosecuted the case.
Former Correctional Officer and Federal Inmates Charged in a Multi-Count Indictment for Conspiring to Bring a Controlled Substance and Dangerous Weapon onto Federal Tier of Local JailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Former Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex deputy LACHAVION CAMPBELL (“CAMPBELL”), federal inmates DARREKA BOYKINS (“BOYKINS”), TARAY BUTLER (“BUTLER”), and GREGORY ROBINSON (“ROBINSON”), and the former dating partner of an inmate, CRYSTAL MORRISON, (“MORRISON”), were charged in a seven-count sealed indictment by a federal grand jury on March 20, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The indictment was unsealed today.
According to the indictment, CAMPBELL, BOYKINS, MORRISON, BUTLER, and ROBINSON were charged for their respective roles in a 2024 conspiracy to provide, and possess contraband, including the drug Suboxone and a knife, to federal inmates detained on the federal tier of Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex, as well as providing, and possessing contraband in prison, all of which are violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act. They were also charged with making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The indictment alleged that BOYKINS and CAMPBELL devised a plan in which CAMPBELL would meet with MORRISON to receive contraband purchased by LPCC inmates via Cash App. MORRISON met CAMPBELL at agreed upon locations within the Eastern District of Louisiana to give CAMPBELL the contraband. Thereafter, in exchange for payments, CAMPBELL utilized various methods of concealment to bring contraband into LPCC, including placing the contraband in blankets, towels, and mop buckets to avoid detection. The indictment further alleges the coconspirators used the scheme to smuggle various contraband items, including Suboxone, a knife, electrical tape, legal documents soaked in synthetic marijuana, cell phones, nicotine vape pens, THC vape pens, SIM cards, and an Allen wrench, into LPCC.
Count 1 charges CAMPBELL, BOYKINS, MORRISON, BUTLER, and ROBINSON with conspiracy to provide and possess contraband in prison, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Each defendant faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release for this count.
Count 2 charges CAMPBELL, BOYKINS, MORRISON, BUTLER, and ROBINSON with providing and possessing contraband in a prison, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §§1791(a)(1), 1791(a)(2), (b)(1)(3), and 2. Each defendant faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release for this count.
Count 3 charges BUTLER with possession of contraband in a prison, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §§1791(a)(2) and (b)(1)(3). BUTLER faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release for this count.
Count 4 charges BOYKINS, BUTLER, and ROBINSON with possession of contraband in a prison, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §§1791(a)(2) and (b)(1)(3). Each of these defendants face up to 5 years imprisonment, up to $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release for this count.
Count 5 charges BOYKINS with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E) BOYKINS faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release for this count.
Count 6 charges BOYKINS, BUTLER, and ROBINSON with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E). Each of these defendants faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release for this count.
Count 7 charges CAMPBELL with making a false statement to an agency of the United States, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2). CAMPBELL faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 2 years supervised release, and a mandatory assessment fee of $100.00 for this count.
“Smuggling items into a jail compromises the safety and security of the institution, the inmates, and the employees. Correctional facilities depend on the integrity of those entrusted to safeguard them. Our office is committed to holding responsible those who betray that trust as well as those who seek to traffic dangerous contraband into a correctional facility.” said U.S. Attorney Courcelle.
As to each charged count against them, CAMPBELL, BOYKINS, MORRISON, BUTLER, and ROBINSON also face payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00
U. S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.
Foreign National Charged with Illegally Obtaining U.S. Citizenship and U.S. PassportRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury returned an Indictment on April 20, 2026, charging a New Jersey man with illegally obtaining United States citizenship and for fraudulently obtaining a United States passport, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Miguel Dario Bautista Jimenez, 41, of New Jersey was charged in a two-count Indictment with unlawful procurement of naturalization, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1425(b) and 2, and passport fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1542 and 2.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Miguel Dario Bautista Jimenez, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was removed from the United States in or around 2013, following a conviction in New York for criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree. At some point after his 2013 removal, Bautista re-entered the United States using a false identity after his fingerprints had been partially mutilated. Bautista then used this false identity to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship documents through naturalization, including a U.S. passport.
The charges of unlawful procurement of naturalization and passport fraud each carry a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment. Each offense carries a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly, and the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Wood, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Chenoweth of the Cybercrime Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Priscilla Gabela of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
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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jimenez.indictment.pdfFive Charged with Trafficking Cocaine Through the Mail from Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that the following five individuals have been charged by indictment with offenses related to the trafficking of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico to Connecticut:
EDGARDO CASTRO PEREZ, 36, of Tolland, Connecticut, and San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
ROSELYN OSORIO-SOTO, 38, of Tolland, Connecticut, and San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
EDGAR CASTRO PEREZ, 27, of Hartford
JUAN JOSE TORRES-ORTIZ, 42, of Hartford
ENRIQUE ARROYO-ROBLES, 28, of HartfordAs alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in June 2025, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and U.S. Postal Inspection Service began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was coordinating the shipment of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Connecticut through the U.S. Mail. Typically, Osorio-Soto and Edgardo Castro Perez mailed the cocaine parcels from post offices in Puerto Rico to various addresses in central Connecticut. Torres-Ortiz collected the packages and transported them to secondary locations where Edgar Castro Perez and Arroyo-Robles stored them until the cocaine was distributed further. Members of the organization used residences on Merlot Way in Tolland and Woodland Drive in Hartford to store narcotics, drug paraphernalia, cash, and firearms. During the investigation, investigators identified at least 12 suspicious parcels shipped to Connecticut and seized and searched four parcels, each of which contained multiple kilograms of cocaine.
It is further alleged that on September 17, 2025, Torres-Ortiz picked up a parcel after it had been delivered to an address in Middletown and drove to Hartford where he transferred the parcel to Edgar Castro Perez, who then drove to the residence in Tolland. Investigators stopped Castro Perez in the driveway of the residence and seized the parcel, and found that it contained approximately three kilograms of cocaine. On that date, a court-authorized search of the Tolland residence revealed four automatic firearms, three semi-automatic handguns, gun magazines, ammunition, and $133,292 in cash. A search of the Hartford residence revealed a loaded .45 caliber handgun.
The five defendants were originally charged by federal criminal complaint. Arroyo-Robles was arrested on March 31, 2026; Edgardo Castro Perez, Osorio-Soto, and Edgar Castro Perez were arrested on April 1, 2026; and Torres-Ortiz was arrested on April 2, 2026. Arroyo-Robles possessed a distribution quantity of cocaine and $2,321 in cash at the time of his arrest.
On April 8, 2026, a grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging each of the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted of this charge, based on the quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, Edgardo Castro Perez, Osorio-Soto, and Torres-Ortiz face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Edgar Castro Perez faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; and Arroyo-Robles faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The indictment also charges Edgar Castro Perez and Torres-Ortiz with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and Arroyo-Robles with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of cash and firearms seized during the investigation.
Osorio-Soto, Edgar Castro Perez, Torres-Ortiz and Arroyo-Robles were arraigned on April 22, 2026, entered pleas of not guilty, and are released on $50,000 bonds. Edgardo Castro Perez, who has been detained since his arrest, is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Hartford federal court.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
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.
Felon sentenced to more than a decade in prison following Buckhead shootout and robbery of mail carrierRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Maximo Fitzhugh has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in federal prison for a pair of violent crimes, one of which resulted in a gun battle in the Buckhead district of Atlanta.
“After threatening to shoot up a women’s clinic, Fitzhugh held a postal worker at gunpoint and endangered the lives of other citizens when he brazenly robbed a mail carrier and instigated a lunch-hour shootout in one of Atlanta’s most active business districts,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to cooperation between our office, federal agents, and our state and local partners, a dangerous, violent criminal is off the street and behind bars, where he belongs.”
“Threatening mass violence and then carrying out an armed robbery that escalated into a public shootout is the kind of dangerous conduct that puts entire communities at risk,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes and the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners to hold violent offenders accountable.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to keeping the U.S. mail, its employees, and customers safe,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division. “This sentencing is the culmination of exceptional teamwork between our local and federal law enforcement partners along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The swift response by responding officers and their ongoing support were instrumental in making this a successful investigation. Ensuring the safety of our employees is a top priority, Postal Inspectors will continue to thoroughly investigate any robberies of our employees.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: on April 9, 2024, Fitzhugh called an Atlanta women’s clinic and told the employees to evacuate because he was planning to “shoot the whole place up.” The clinic locked its doors until FBI agents and Atlanta Police Department officers responded and secured the area.
Approximately four months later, just after noon on August 1, 2024, Fitzhugh robbed a mail carrier who was delivering mail near the high-end Buckhead Village shopping center. During the robbery, which was captured on surveillance video, Fitzhugh pointed a handgun at the carrier and threatened to kill her.
A passerby who witnessed the robbery unfolding drew his own handgun, yelled at Fitzhugh to stop, and fired at him. As a result, Fitzhugh hid behind a parked car, fired his handgun in the air, and fled the area. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together to identify Fitzhugh as the robber, and the FBI took him into custody on August 19, 2024.
On April 24, 2026, Maximo Fitzhugh, 25, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. to serve 10 years, six months in prison to be followed by five years on supervised release. On October 25, 2025, Fitzhugh pled guilty to one count of communicating interstate threats and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise K. Peters prosecuted 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.
Felon in Possession of a Firearm SentencedRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL –Michael Bexley of Mobile was sentenced on April 16, 2026, to 51 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Bexley, 36, has several prior felony convictions, including Possession of an Unregistered Firearm in the Southern District of Alabama, Attempted Burglary 1st Degree, Discharging a Gun into an Occupied Building and Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess a Firearm. On July 10, 2025, officers with the Mobile Police Department were dispatched to Theodore, Alabama on a suspicious circumstances call. Bexley was trying to disassemble a motorcycle with a “For Sale” sign on it. It appeared to be a theft in progress. When officers arrived, Bexley was in possession of a firearm. The owner of the motorcycle was identified and denied knowing Bexley or giving him permission to access the motorcycle.
White’s term of incarceration will be followed by three years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms along with Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice H. Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
Felon Who Illegally Possessed Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a gun was sentenced on April 24, 2026, to five years in federal prison.
Nicholas John Baker, age 35, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 25, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Baker was previously convicted of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), in the Iowa District Court for Jackson County in 2014.
On July 31, 2025, Baker possessed a gun during a domestic dispute. Later that same day, officers searched Baker’s home and they found a stolen gun in the attic. The gun was equipped with a 32-round magazine. At the guilty plea, Baker admitted he knowingly possessed the firearm.
Baker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Baker was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Baker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1044.
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Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Laundering Pandemic Loan MoneyRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who laundered over $20,000 in fraudulently obtained government loan moneys during the COVID-19 pandemic was sentenced on April 23, 2026, to more than two years in federal prison. Joshua Brandon Johnson, age 34, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, received the prison term after a December 1, 2025, guilty plea to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity.
In a plea agreement, Johnson admitted that, in June 2021, he received $20,208 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan proceeds. The PPP was a forgivable loan program that Congress enacted in 2020 to help small businesses that were struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson’s fraudulent PPP loan application falsely stated that he was a barber who had earned nearly $100,000 in 2020.
In his fraudulent PPP loan application, Johnson instructed that the PPP money be deposited into a bank account that he controlled in Cedar Rapids. By 10:00 a.m. on the morning of the deposit of the fraudulently obtained government money into his account, Johnson withdrew $20,000 in cash. Johnson later admitted that he quickly withdrew the PPP loan money in cash because he owed child support and knew the money could be garnished from his account. Between 2021 and 2024, Johnson was in and out of prison in Indiana for failing to meet his child support obligations.
Johnson spent the remainder of the PPP loan money on fast food, at gas stations, and for home food delivery. In August 2021, Johnson submitted a false application to have the government loan forgiven, falsely stating that he had spent the $20,208 from the loan on “Payroll Costs.” When federal agents asked Johnson why his PPP loan application had false statements about his purported income as a barber, Johnson replied he was just “shootin’ [his] shot.”
Johnson is a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history in Iowa and Indiana. Johnson’s prior convictions include resisting law enforcement, theft, domestic-abuse assault, possession of controlled substances, and nonsupport of a dependent child.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Johnson was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $20,208 in restitution to the United States Small Business Administration. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Johnson was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on May 19, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-53-LTS.
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Federal Judge Sentences Johnston County Social Services Employee for Stealing over $100,000 from SNAPRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Shermeca McCrary, a Wayne County woman, to 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and to pay a Forfeiture Money Judgment of $102,000 for her role in a scheme to steal more than $100,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) benefits administered by the United States Department of Agriculture and managed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and county Division of Social Services.
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.
“We proudly join the President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud in prosecuting this case. This office will continue to hold accountable anyone who steals any of our taxpayer funded programs. This SNAP fraudster has learned the lesson – Cheaters.Never.Win.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
Inmate McCrary used her position and privileges as a Johnston County Social Services case worker, to unlawfully access the SNAP accounts of qualified individuals and stole $102,000 in government funds to her own personal benefit and use.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II sentenced the defendant. The USDA OIG, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Johnston County Department of Social Services Program Integrity, are investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-275-M.
Federal Authorities Complete Largest Racketeering Prosecution in District History Against Syndicato de Nuevo MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced today the conclusion of the federal prosecution of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (SNM) prison gang following the conclusion of recent sentencing hearings. Spanning over a decade, the investigation and subsequent litigation resulted in state and federal charges against 178 members and associates.
Originating in the New Mexico state prison system following the 1980 prison riot, SNM functioned as a violent racketeering enterprise operating both inside correctional facilities and in communities throughout New Mexico, maintaining power through murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and witness intimidation. SNM operated under a "blood in, blood out" philosophy, members were required to commit acts of violence to gain entry into the gang. The federal prosecutions, conducted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) statute, successfully resolved decades of such violence.
Example of SNM tattoo Example of SNM tattooThe investigation employed extensive and long-term investigative techniques, including more than 110 undercover drug and firearm purchases, dozens of confidential human sources, and court-authorized wire intercepts. Investigators uncovered a coordinated criminal enterprise involving SNM and affiliated gangs that trafficked fentanyl and methamphetamine both inside correctional facilities and in communities across New Mexico, while using violence and intimidation, including targeting suspected cooperators, to maintain control.
Highlights of the investigation and litigation include:
- 156 individuals federally indicted for 325 overt acts between 1980-2024.
- Federal authorities successfully charged and convicted members of 13 murders committed both inside and outside state facilities. These include the 2001 cold-case strangulations of two inmates in state facilities and the 2007 and 2014 killing of two inmates SNM leadership suspected to be cooperators. 🔗 🔗
- Authorities disrupted a 2015 conspiracy to assassinate the then-Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Corrections Department and high-ranking members of the New Mexico State Police in retaliation for the conviction of SNM associate Michael Paul Astorga for the murder of BCSO Deputy Jim McGrane. 🔗
- In October 2022, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of the gang’s leaders, affirming the government’s application of federal racketeering laws to prison-based criminal enterprises. 🔗
- Six jury trials resulting in nine convictions. 🔗🔗🔗🔗🔗🔗
- 12 SNM members sentenced to life in prison: Anthony Ray Baca, Jody Rufino Martinez, Robert Padilla, Angel DeLeon, Joe Gallegos, Edward Troup, Carlos Hererra, Anthony Cordova, Arturo Arnulfo Garcia, Billy Garcia, Daniel Sanchez, and Sam Silva.
- $1.8 million in cash, 1.1 million fentanyl pills and 160 pounds of methamphetamine seized during the execution of 16 federal search warrants on September 1, 2022.
“This case required years of patience, discipline, and persistence from prosecutors, agents, and staff who stayed with it to the end,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “It was difficult work, but it was necessary work, and this office saw it through.”
"It is impossible to overstate the enormity of this investigation. For more than a decade, our team and partners stayed committed to dismantling violent crime and delivering justice for the victims and communities most impacted by this gang's violence," said Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. "Protecting the American people remains the highest priority of the FBI. I want to thank not only the Albuquerque FBI Special Agents and support staff who worked on this investigation, but also the U.S. Attorney's Office, and every other agency who saw this case through to the end."
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office Violent Gang Task Force (VGTF) investigated the cases with assistance from the New Mexico Department of Corrections, New Mexico State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Correction Center, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department, FBI’s El Paso, Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas and Knoxville divisions, Drug Enforcement Administration’s Albuquerque District Office and the Las Vegas (NM) Police Department. The Las Cruces Branch Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted the cases.
Farmington Man Charged in Federal Firearms Case Following Undercover OperationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man has been charged in federal court after allegedly selling multiple firearms and ammunition to an undercover law enforcement officer.
According to court documents, on September 14, 2025, Pete Kimbell, 41, allegedly spoke to an undercover officer with the New Mexico Region II Narcotics Task Force using coded language and stated that he had multiple firearms for sale. The undercover officer arranged to meet Kimbell the following day to view and purchase the firearms.
On September 15, 2025, the undercover officer met Kimbell at a residence in Kirtland while surveillance units monitored the location and the officer wore a covert recording device. During the meeting, the officer observed and purchased several firearms and multiple boxes of ammunition from Kimbell for approximately $2,100.
As a previously convicted felon, Kimbell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Kimbell is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which has been scheduled for April 29, 2026. If convicted of the current charge, hefaces up to 15 years in prison.
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 FBI’s Violent Gang Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Farmington Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Rio Rancho Police Department and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Kimbell).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eight Drug Traffickers Arrested in Northwest Arkansas Sentenced to Combined 100 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – Eight individual drug traffickers arrested by state, local and federal law enforcement agencies were sentenced last week to over 1200 combined months of imprisonment. All eight individuals were sentenced by the United States District Court for their roles in distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine across Benton and Washington Counties in Arkansas. The Honorable Chief Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
“Fentanyl and Methamphetamine continue to destroy lives across Arkansas,” said U.S. Attorney Kimberly D. Harris for the Western District of Arkansas. “These investigations are excellent examples of combined federal and state law enforcement partners working together to apprehend drug traffickers targeting Northwest Arkansas communities.
Federal grand juries returned multi-count indictments involving all eight individuals for their roles in large-scale drug trafficking. The eight Defendants received the following sentences:
Timoth Conklin, age 38, of Springdale, Arkansas, was sentenced on April 23, 2026, to over 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Conklin was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in April 2025 for multiple drug crimes committed in and around Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Christopher Park, age 43, of Rogers, Arkansas, was sentenced on April 23, 2026, to over 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. Park was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in June of 2025 for multiple drug crimes committed in and around Rogers, Arkansas.
Russell Shipman, age 45, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced on April 20, 2026, to over 14 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine. Shipman was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in May 2025 for multiple drug crimes committed in and around Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Javier Colon-Rivera, age 45, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced on April 20, 2026, to 14 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for Distribution of Fentanyl. Colon-Rivera was originally indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in April 2025 for multiple drug related crimes committed in and around Lincoln and Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Chasity Lewis-Adams, age49, of Springdale, Arkansas, was sentenced on April 17, 2020, to over 13 years in federal prison followed by eight years of supervised release on one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Lewis-Adams was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in February 2025 for multiple drug crimes committed in and around Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Luis Marquez-Garcia, age 38, of Davenport, Florida, was sentenced on April 16, 2026, to over 13 years in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release on one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Marquez-Garcia was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in April 2025 for multiple drug related crimes committed in and around Lincoln and Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Danny Trent Barrows, age 45, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced on April 16, 2026, to over 13 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Barrows was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in August 2025 for multiple drug related crimes committed in and around Winslow, Fayetteville, and Goshen, Arkansas.
Marquesha Young, age 34, of El Dorado, Arkansas, was sentenced on April 20, 2026, to 10 years in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Young was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in November of 2025 for drug related crimes committed in and around Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The Fourth (4th) Judicial District Drug Taskforce, Fayetteville Police Department, Rogers Narcotics Unit, Lincoln Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated these cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts, Kevin Eaton, Sydney Stanley, and David Harris prosecuted these cases on behalf of the United States.
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.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Dyer Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Michael Deckinga, 42 years old, of Dyer, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip S. Simon after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Michael Deckinga was sentenced to 180 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution to the victims of the offense.
According to documents in the case, between November 22, 2024, and May 14, 2025, Deckinga distributed child pornography, and further he admitted to accessing child sexual abuse material on Kik Messenger for approximately five years.
“The Defendant was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. To the public, Michael Deckinga presented himself as Vice President of Advancement at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana dedicated to providing a religiously inspired education to Indiana’s young people,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “But once behind the Internet’s veil of anonymity, Deckinga betrayed his true self. He collected a trove of some of the vilest child pornography available, which he then distributed to likeminded users. Over the same period, he sent a host of graphic online messages to multiple purported minors to solicit additional child pornography. Thankfully, agents from Homeland Security Investigations, working closely with partners in the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, uncovered Deckinga’s crimes so that he could be held accountable by the federal justice system. I thank HSI, the Indiana State Police, and the Dyer Police Department for their excellent investigative work. I also thank Mr. Patrick Harrington’s team from the Tippecanoe County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and AUSA Emily Morgan from the US Attorney’s Office, for their excellent work bringing this case to a just conclusion. Their combined efforts show how effective Project Safe Childhood can be when its members work as a team and a predator is now behind bars.
“Homeland Security Investigations will relentlessly pursue those who distribute child pornography and exploit innocent children. Our agents are dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice. We thank our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and remain committed to safeguarding our communities from these horrific crimes,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino.
All of the agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case would like to thank the local community for their outpouring of support.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Indiana State Police, the Indiana State Police Digital Forensics Unit, the Dyer Police Department, and the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Deadly Beating Yields Guilty Plea from D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Lewis, 35, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty Friday in connection to the deadly beating of 55-year-old Mark Carter, that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. on October 10, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The charges have a sentencing range of 12-15 years of incarceration. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 2, 2026.
The government’s evidence indicates that on October 10, 2022, Lewis confronted the victim, Mark Carter, in an alleyway off Southern Ave SE, regarding an ongoing feud about the victim’s use of a car that belonged to the defendant’s family member. Lewis found Carter with the car in the alleyway. The defendant grabbed Carter and threw him to the ground. Lewis repeatedly punched and kicked Carter in the head and the body until he became unresponsive. The defendant then dragged Carter out into the middle of Southern Avenue SE and fled the scene. The victim succumbed to his injuries five days later on October 15, 2022.
Lewis was arrested on December 7, 2022, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Peter Roman.
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Court Sentences Mobile County Man for Possessing A Firearm as A Four Time Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL - On April 16, 2026, United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Demarcus Jeremy Hodge to 61 months’ imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted Felon.
Court documents show that on July 31, 2025, Hodge was stopped by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) for a traffic violation. A MCSO Deputy could smell the odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle and asked HODGE to exit the vehicle. The deputy conducted a pat-down for officer safety and a loaded handgun was found in Hodge’s waistband. Law enforcement searched the vehicle due to the strong smell of suspected marijuana. Two bags of marijuana and a set of digital scales, used for weighing drugs, were found in the vehicle.
A MCSO Narcotics Investigator arrived on scene and read Hodge Miranda warnings. Hodge advised that he understood his rights and agreed to speak with law enforcement officers. Hodge stated the marijuana was his and he forgot the gun was on him during the traffic stop. Hodge also admitted he was a convicted felon and knew he should not have a gun. Hodge added that he purchased the gun on the streets from a woman for $300.
An ATF Special Agent examined the firearm, a Sig Sauer, 9mm handgun, and determined it was not manufactured in the State of Alabama and thus affected interstate commerce by making its way into Alabama. At the time Hodge possessed the firearm, he had been previously convicted of the following felonies: Promoting Prison Contraband, on or about April 21, 2016, in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama, in case number CC-2015-006497; Receiving Stolen Property (Count 1) and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Count 2), on or about December 4, 2019, in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama, in case number CC-2019-002452; and Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, on or about February 8, 2022, in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama, in case number CC-2020-002693. The firearm was determined to have been stolen from a man who resided in the State of Florida.U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys George F. May and Galliard S. Ladd prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Court Sentences Mobile County Man for Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL - On April 10, 2026, United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced Ray Anthony Parker to 70 months’ imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted Felon.
Court documents show that on July 22, 2024, a Mobile Police Department (MPD) Officer executed a traffic stop on a vehicle which was traveling east on Airport Boulevard for improper lane usage. The MPD Officer approached the driver side of the vehicle and immediately noted the odor of marijuana. The Officer contacted the sole occupant of the vehicle who identified himself as Ray Parker. While speaking with Parker the odor of marijuana emanating from within the vehicle grew stronger.
The MPD Officer asked Parker to exit the vehicle at which time the Officer detained him, placing him in the back seat of his patrol vehicle. While placing Parker in the patrol vehicle Parker stated that he had marijuana and a firearm inside of his vehicle. The Officer searched the vehicle and recovered a clear plastic bag containing approximately five grams of marijuana.
The Officer then recovered a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine under the driver’s seat. Parker had previously been convicted of felony offenses to include Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin in the United States District Court for the Southern District if Alabama, Case No. CR16-00064-CRB, on or about August 15, 2016, and Possession/Receipt of a Controlled Substance in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama, Case No. CC2010-005621, on or about April 2, 2012. The Glock firearm was not manufactured in the State of Alabama and thus affected interstate commerce by its transportation into the State of Alabama.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Mobile Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George F. May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Cornish Man Pleads Guilty to Making Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Cornish man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to transmitting a threatening interstate communication.
According to court records, Blake Tibbetts, 25, made a post on X, a social media website, in which he used a racial epithet in an angry exchange with another X user and threatened to pay “a visit VERY soon” to the user’s “kind,” sending “them” his “condolences.”
Tibbetts faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum supervised release term of three years. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, the Maine State Police, and the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal investigated the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Possessing a Loaded Firearm and FentanylRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Lanoix Pierrelus, 26, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 41 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm while also carrying 50 fentanyl pills he intended to sell, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On Aug. 26, 2025, Pierrelus pleaded guilty before Judge Nichols in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 41-month prison term, Judge Nichols ordered Pierrelus to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 51-month prison term.
According to court papers, on Oct. 22, 2024, Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol in a high-crime area observed a group of about eight individuals congregating in the street near a Toyota sedan. When Pierrelus noticed the officers’ approach, he moved quickly toward the rear passenger door of the vehicle, reached toward his groin area, and crouched behind the car. Officers searched the area where he had crouched and recovered a loaded Ruger Model 57 pistol, with a round in the chamber and 21 rounds in the magazine.
When officers searched Pierrelus following his arrest, they recovered a black satchel containing 50 blue pills stamped “M30.” The pills appeared to be oxycodone but were later confirmed by a DEA laboratory chemist to be fentanyl, with a total net weight of about 5.4 grams. Pierrelus admitted he intended to sell them.
Pierrelus was on court-ordered supervision for a prior felony firearm conviction at the time of the offense.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
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Connecticut Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Exploiting Multiple ChildrenRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Taiel Gookool, age 31, was sentenced on April 17, 2026, to 35 years in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci for exploiting four different minors and possessing child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
In 2018, Gookool was convicted of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree in Connecticut, a statutory rape offense involving a victim between 13 and 15 years old. He was required to register as a sex offender as a result. In 2024, he sexually exploited four teenage females, subjecting all of them to vaginal sex and three of the four to mouth-to-penis contact. The defendant created or had the victims create videos of the sexual abuse.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Though Gookool was sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment for his 2018 conviction, he served just over 2 years of that sentence because the rest was suspended. This left him inadequately punished and totally undeterred, repeating the same conduct with multiple victims not only after his release but while still on probation for it. His 35-year sentence ensures that the community will be protected for decades to come. I applaud the work of the FBI and the New York State Police in bringing this dangerous sexual predator to justice.”
Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremorli said: “Mr. Gookool, a registered sex offender and pathological predator, will spend the next three and a half decades in federal prison for refusing to change his sickening behavior. While he remains behind bars and unable to harm our most vulnerable, the FBI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure justice for the victims of these dangerous criminals.”
FBI-Albany investigated the case with assistance from FBI-New Haven and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Chesapeake nurse pleads guilty to taking medications intended to treat patients in painRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake woman pled guilty on April 24 to obtaining controlled substances by fraud.
According to court documents, from January 2023 to March 2024, Michelle Kollmar, 56, was a Registered Nurse working at a healthcare facility. Among Kollmar’s responsibilities was treating patients suffering from, among other afflictions, sickle-cell anemia or who were in cancer comfort care. These patients had patient-controlled analgesia pumps to dispense medication when they were in pain.
Kollmar used patients' personal identifying information to access Omnicells, which are automated prescription drug dispensing machines, and diverted vials of hydromorphone. She would later replace the vials in the Omnicell with syringes, including with doses that were about to expire. Kollmar also accessed the Omnicell when she was off work and should not have been in the hospital.
Multiple videos showed Kollmar diverting and replacing hydromorphone vials in Omnicells. Lab analysis revealed that some of the replacement syringes did not contain any hydromorphone and were found to be mostly water, while one was suspected of being diluted Dilaudid.
During the investigation Kollmar tested positive for hydromorphone, though it was not prescribed to her, and admitted that she used the hydromorphone she had taken.
Kollmar is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 27 and faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, and the Virginia State Police investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-103.
Charlotte Company Agrees to Pay Nearly $1.2 Million to Resolve Allegations It Improperly Obtained a PPP LoanRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Okaya Shinnichi Corporation of America (Okaya), a steel tubing manufacturer located in Charlotte, has agreed to pay $1,196,421.68 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by providing false information to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today.
This settlement resolves allegations that Okaya misrepresented that it was a small business with less than 300 employees among all affiliates on its application for a second round PPP loan of $478,568.67. Instead, the lawsuit alleged, Okaya was the jointly held U.S. subsidiary of two Japanese corporations, and had multiple affiliates worldwide, totaling well over the 300-employee limit for second round PPP loans.
This matter arose from a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Okaya Shinnichi Corporation of America; W.D.N.C. Case No. 3:25-cv-232.
The government’s investigation was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Johnson.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability
Central Valley Business Owner Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Role in Stealing $4.8 Million in Livestock Feed IngredientsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Richard Best, 72, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years in prison and ordered to pay $2 million in restitution for his role in a fraud scheme that stole millions of dollars’ worth of canola (used to make livestock feed) from international food processors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“Richard Best treated the agricultural supply chain as his personal inventory, stealing nearly $5 million worth of canola oil for his personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that those who commit fraud in our agricultural markets will be found and prosecuted. We remain committed to protecting the integrity of our markets and the businesses that play by the rules.”
“Richard Best and Shawn Sawa orchestrated a scheme to steal almost $5 million worth of canola destined for cattle feed and other commodities. The products were then sold to pay Best’s operating expenses and fuel Sawa’s lavish lifestyle,” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “White collar crime is not victimless; victim companies can be devastated by crimes like these and the price of the commodities they sell can also be impacted. This is why the FBI is committed to uncovering corporate fraud and urges anyone with information about crimes like this to come forward.”
According to court documents, from 2015 through 2017, Best and Shawn Sawa, 49, formerly of Clovis, stole $4.8 million worth of canola from international food processors. They then sold the canola for a windfall. Best pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2025. Sawa pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Dec. 8, 2025, to 18 months in prison.
Best and Sawa carried out the scheme through Best’s now defunct train-to-truck transloading company, Richard Best Transfer Inc. (RBT). A transloading company transfers commodities from one mode of transportation to another mode. The victim food processors sent hundreds of thousands of tons of their canola to RBT for delivery to their customers. Sawa was the Fresno area manager for one of the victim food processors from whom he and Best stole canola. Sawa initially received kickback payments from Best to try to increase the supply of canola that RBT received from that food processor before they began their scheme.
Best and Sawa sold the stolen canola through an acquaintance in Texas who used to work in the livestock-feed industry. The acquaintance sold the stolen canola to farms and dairies and distributed the proceeds according to Best’s instructions. This included wire transfers to Best, RBT’s bank accounts, and Sawa. The account that Sawa used was opened in his spouse’s name to try to conceal the scheme.
Throughout the scheme, Best and Sawa caused RBT to email fraudulent inventory reports to the victim food processors representing that RBT had certain amounts of their canola in stock when, in fact, RBT had significantly lesser amounts. Best and Sawa used the proceeds from the scheme to purchase luxury homes and multiple vehicles, take trips, hire private karate teachers, and cover RBT’s operating expenses, among other expenses.
Shortly before the scheme was discovered, Best gave Sawa an old cellphone that had belonged to Best’s deceased mother. Best did so because he was afraid that the victim food processor for whom Sawa worked was onto their scheme and was monitoring communications on Sawa’s company issued devices. They then used the old cellphone to secretly communicate with each other in furtherance of the scheme.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Chapple, Joseph Barton, and Chan Hee Chu prosecuted the case.
Cartel Member Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 24, 2026, Jose Cardenas-Salcido (age 43) was sentenced to twenty-two years of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, by United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller.
Judge Stadtmueller previously found Cardenas-Salcido guilty of the following crimes after a bench trial in January 2026: distributing at least 400 grams of fentanyl; unlawfully using a communication facility to commit a felony; attempting to obstruct justice using physical force; and attempting to corruptly persuade a witness to offer influenced testimony in an official proceeding.
During the trial, witnesses described how Cardenas-Salcido supplied pills containing fentanyl to lower-level distributors selling in the Milwaukee metro area. Cardenas-Salcido and his collaborators sent their fentanyl through the mail before a shipment containing over 5,000 pills was intercepted by law enforcement in October 2022, and investigators later learned that Cardenas-Salcido was the source of those drugs. The evidence also showed that the defendant was an admitted member of the Sinaloa cartel, with familial connections to it.
The government also proved that after Cardenas-Salcido was detained pending trial, he attempted to obstruct justice in multiple ways. First, the defendant offered to supply a fellow inmate with guns and drugs from the cartel if that inmate would provide the defendant with false exculpatory affidavits. Next, the defendant offered a cartel connection to a different inmate if that same inmate would kill the witnesses set to testify against him. Finally, the defendant attempted to intimidate the witnesses against him by sending threatening letters mentioning his cartel connections to the witnesses’ families. Evidence admitted during the trial included the photo below, which depict the fentanyl pills Cardenas-Salcido trafficked.
In its sentencing commentary, the government emphasized the dangerousness of Cardenas-Salcido’s conduct, given fentanyl’s potency and the risk of violence associated with his crimes.
While imposing sentence, Judge Stadtmueller noted that he had sentenced over 2,600 defendants in federal court and was accordingly quite familiar with the dangers posed by the defendant’s conduct, which was “totally antithetical to that which we expect from the average citizen.”
The Court also noted Cardenas-Salcido’s association with both “the Sinaloa cartel” and local individuals “who are attracted to that lifestyle.” Judge Stadtmueller explained that while incarceration is expensive, a substantial sentence was necessary given the nature and circumstances of the defendant’s crimes. The Court noted that while fentanyl is not the most expensive drug available, it is “the most deadly” and responsible for the most overdose deaths in the community.
The Court also underscored the “undeniable association between drug trafficking and the loss of innocent lives” and noted the very short period that had elapsed between the defendant’s release from his prior sentence in Arizona and the drug trafficking at issue in this case. Finally, Judge Stadtmueller emphasized the “critically important” need to protect the public from this defendant, describing this consideration as “front and center” of the Court’s sentencing analysis.First Assistant U.S. Attorney Schimel stated, “Thousands of people in our state have died from fentanyl poisoning, and by 2021 was the leading cause of death for 18 to 45 year-olds. Those who bring this drug into our communities and profit off the death, destruction and violence associated with the fentanyl trade must be locked up.”
“This investigation and sentence underscore the strength of coordination between federal, state and local partners in identifying and dismantling those responsible for distributing fentanyl," said John McGarry, assistant special agent in charge of DEA Milwaukee District Office. "The DEA will continue to prioritize these cases to disrupt supply chains and protect our communities from this deadly drug.”
Chief Patrick Mitchell of the West Allis Police Department stated, “This sentence should serve as a warning to drug traffickers that the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin are unified in our efforts to hold individuals accountable for the destruction caused by drug trafficking.”
“The sentencing of Jose Cardenas-Salcido sends a clear message in how critical a role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners play in protecting American consumers from illegal narcotics being shipped via the U.S. Mail. U.S. Postal Inspectors are committed to continuing our work to dismantle drug trafficking operations to keep USPS customers and employees safe from drug traffickers who favor profit over human lives,” stated Acting Inspector-in-Charge Nicholas Bucciarelli of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Chicago Division.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Allis Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Knight.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 76 Months in Federal Prison for Gun ConvictionRead the Press Release
Frank Sneed, age 33, of New Roads, Louisiana, was sentenced to 76 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson further sentenced Sneed to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearm involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made during his plea, on November 29, 2023, an East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office detective responded to a report of retail theft at a retail store located off Siegen Lane in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While working that investigation, officers observed two men (Man #1 and Man #2), who were unrelated to the initial investigation, entering the store together. After Man #1 was observed hiding items on his person, officers contacted and detained both men. As reflected in the video from the store, Man #2, who was identified as Sneed, did not participate in the theft. However, in conjunction with an officer safety pat down, Sneed told the detective that he had a gun in his jacket. Officers located and removed a Smith and Wesson M&P 45 pistol from Sneed’s jacket. At the time of the offense, Sneed knew he had been convicted of a felony and could not possess a firearm.
Sneed was previously convicted of two counts of simple burglary on May 9, 2011, in the 19th Judicial District Court, and was initially sentenced to two years of probation and later three years in prison after his probation was revoked; simple burglary on October 25, 2011, in the 19th Judicial District Court, and sentenced to one year in prison to run consecutive to his three-year sentence; two counts of armed robbery on August 3, 2015, in the 19th Judicial District Court, and sentenced to 10 years in prison; and simple escape on March 22, 2016, in the 12th Judicial District Court, and sentenced to one year in prison to run consecutive to his 10 year sentence.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office; and U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Anderson is in charge of the prosecution.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Boise Cascade Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Violating the Lacey Act for Its Role in a Timber Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The Boise Cascade Company (Boise Cascade) pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for a felony violation of the Lacey Act for its role in a timber trafficking scheme to evade countervailing and anti-dumping duties. Boise Cascade was sentenced to pay a fine of $6,382,000, representing twice the gross profits it derived from the illegal wood at issue in this case, and implement a compliance plan. Boise Cascade is the third federal criminal enforcement action to come out of this large-scale duty evasion scheme.
“As I made clear at last week’s TIMBER Working Group Roundtable event hosted by ENRD, we must thwart efforts of foreign bad actors who engage in illegal timber mining to finance other illicit and dangerous activities,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “Boise Cascade’s guilty plea is a significant step toward ending illegal timber shipments from entering our country, thereby bolstering American security and safeguarding American citizens from threats of transnational criminal organizations.”
“Boise Cascade either knew about or was willfully blind to the illegal importation of the plywood they were purchasing from Horizon Plywood,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This scheme defrauded taxpayers of import duties and undercut law-abiding competitors by importing and selling between $25 million and $65 million worth of plywood products. By purchasing these illegal imports, Boise Cascade helped perpetuate the scheme.”
“Trade fraud is not a paperwork violation. It is theft from the American taxpayer and an attack on lawful American commerce,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Boise Cascade knowingly profited from illegally imported timber and helped sustain a scheme designed to evade millions in duties owed to the United States. Today’s guilty plea and sentence make clear that companies that turn a blind eye to fraud in pursuit of profit will be held accountable. Our Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect honest businesses, American markets, and the integrity of our trade system.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to protecting U.S. economic interests and enforcing laws that safeguard our natural resources,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “This case highlights the importance of collaboration between federal agencies to disrupt illegal importation schemes and hold responsible parties accountable. HSI will continue to pursue those who seek to profit by circumventing U.S. laws and regulations.”
Boise Cascade is a publicly traded company with a distribution center in Pompano. Boise Cascade purchased wood from Horizon Plywood (Horizon), whose principals, Noel and Kelsy Quintana, were sentenced in February 2024 for conspiracy and Lacey Act violations based on their illegal importation of hardwood plywood. Horizon employee Marta Angelbello was also sentenced after pleading guilty to making a false statement in a declaration related to her role in the scheme.
According to court filings, during the sales years of 2018 through 2021, Boise Cascade’s Pompano location purchased hardwood plywood from Horizon, totaling more than $30 million. Beginning in approximately 2019, Boise Cascade purchased, received, sold, and transported hardwood plywood from Horizon knowing (including actions manifesting willful blindness) that hardwood plywood was illegally imported from China. The importation was illegal because Horizon smuggled the wood and violated the Lacey Act by falsifying import declarations for hardwood and softwood plywood. Boise Cascade knew that Horizon had previously tried to hide the origin of the wood that it imported. For example, Horizon transshipped products from China to Malaysia, where it moved product into new containers, and then from Malaysia to the United States. Boise Cascade knew or should have known the plywood purchased from Horizon was sourced from China.
Boise Cascade was also aware the United States executed a search warrant at Horizon’s warehouse in South Florida in January 2021, and despite knowing that Horizon was under some federal investigation, Boise Cascade still placed at least 10 new orders for birch plywood in the two weeks following the search warrant and received the orders.
HSI investigated the case with support from Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Harris and Elizabeth Hannah for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-60088.
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