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24 April 2026
Mexican National, illegally present in the U.S., sentenced to prison for unlawful firearms possessionRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 25-year-old Mexican national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Arturo Perez Ramirez was arrested by Seattle Police on December 1, 2024. He was driving a stolen car in south Seattle. He was the sole person in the car and was stopped after a short police chase. A Firearm was later found in the vehicle. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “Terrorizing a community is not something we can tolerate.”
According to records filed in the case, Ramirez was brought to the U.S. from Mexico as an infant. He had multiple run-ins with the law as a juvenile and as an adult. Ramirez is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a conviction for attempted robbery. He was sentenced to more than 57 months in prison in February 2023.
In asking for a 37-month sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “His convictions run the gamut from violent robberies and firearm offenses to stolen cars, escapes, thefts, and eluding. He spent a considerable amount of his youth detained in juvenile facilities. If facing criminal justice system consequences served as a deterrent for the defendant, he would not be facing deportation to a country in which he has not resided since infancy.”
Ramirez likely will be referred to removal proceedings following prison. Judge Martinez stressed that should he return to the U.S. he would face increasingly longer sentences.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Selling Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas, Transcripts, and Nursing LicensesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Laurel man was sentenced to almost two years in federal prison in connection with a nursing credentials scam.
The Honorable Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Patrick Nwaokwu, 55, to 21 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for committing wire fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
According to his plea agreement, Nwaokwu conspired with others to sell fraudulent nursing diplomas and educational transcripts to individuals. He also assisted the purchasers with fraudulently obtaining nursing licensures they needed to attain employment in the health care field. Nwaokwu engaged in the scheme through multiple entities, including Nursing School 1, located in Virginia, and Palm Beach School of Nursing, located in Florida. As a result of the scheme, Nwaokwu and his co-conspirators caused more than $1.5 million in actual losses.
Beginning in 2018, Nwaokwu conspired with Musa Bangura, 67, of Manassas, Virginia, to recruit potential purchasers in Maryland and elsewhere who were looking to obtain nursing degrees. Nwaokwu sold purchasers fraudulent Nursing School 1 documents. These documents falsely confirmed that the purchasers completed the necessary courses and clinical training at Nursing School 1 to obtain nursing degrees.
Nursing School 1 is no longer licensed, so Nwaokwu, Bangura, and others backdated the false documents that they sold to purchasers to make it appear that they attended Nursing School 1 before it lost its licensure.
Additionally, beginning in 2018, and continuing through at least July 2021, Nwaokwu conspired with Johanah Napoleon, 50, of West Palm Beach County, Florida, and Geralda Adrien, 56, of Broward County, Florida, to sell false and fraudulent RN and LPN degrees from Palm Beach School of Nursing to individuals in Maryland. Nwaokwu generally charged $17,000 for RN degrees and $6,000-$10,000 for LPN degrees. He instructed purchasers to list Palm Beach School of Nursing on their National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) applications but to leave their graduation date blank, so the date could be backdated. This would make it appear that the student graduated before Palm Beach School of Nursing lost its licensure.
By providing these fraudulent documents, Nwaokwu and his co-conspirators assisted the purchasers with obtaining fraudulent nursing licenses from state licensing agencies, including the Maryland Board of Nursing, and ultimately employment in the health care field. The scheme enabled these unqualified individuals to apply for licensure and practice as nurses. As a result, Nwaokwu and his co-conspirators consciously and recklessly exposed Maryland patients to potential harm, risk of death, and serious bodily injury.
Bangura previously received a 13-month federal-prison sentence for his role in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Macon Offenders Guilty in ATF Firearms Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Three Macon offenders, two with prior felony convictions, have been held accountable at the federal level for their roles in an illegal firearms and drug trafficking network as part of a larger Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigation in the community.
Brandon Thorpe, 32, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 23. Thorpe faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled by the Court.
Lonnie Alexander, 44, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on April 21. Alexander faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a maximum $10,000,000 fine. His sentencing is scheduled for July 9.
John Cato, 25, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Feb. 5, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking on Nov. 19, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over the cases. There is no parole in the federal system.
“High-capacity firearms and ammunition, including a machinegun, were removed from the streets of Macon and the defendants were held accountable for their crimes as a result of this ATF-led investigation,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working in close partnership with local, state and federal authorities to uphold the law and make every community we serve safer.”
“ATF remains committed to identifying and dismantling criminal networks trafficking firearms that fuel violent crime in our communities,” said ATF Resident Agent in Charge Robert W. Davis. “This case underscores our relentless focus on repeat offenders who illegally sell guns and narcotics, putting lives at risk. We will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those who threaten public safety are held accountable.”
According to court documents and statements in court, ATF agents learned in March 2024 that Alexander, a convicted felon, was illegally selling firearms and narcotics in Macon and opened an investigation. Between April 2024 and April 2025, Alexander was recorded carrying out multiple illegal sales of guns and drugs at locations around Macon, including within 1,000 feet of Mercer University’s campus on April 23, 2024. During that transaction, Alexander distributed over 27 grams of cocaine to an individual in the parking lot of Towne Place Suites, near Mercer University’s campus. Alexander sold over 40 grams of cocaine at different times earlier that month.
On May 22, 2024, an individual who had previously told Alexander that he was a convicted felon and that he wanted a gun for drug trafficking, purchased a 9mm pistol with a magazine and three rounds of ammunition during a transaction arranged by Alexander at his Macon home. The following day, an individual bought a loaded 9mm pistol from an associate of Alexander’s, with Alexander receiving a “finder’s fee” for arranging the sale.
On September 12, 2024, an individual bought a 9mm pistol in a transaction arranged by Alexander at a gas station in Macon. Later that day, the individual bought a .38 special revolver and over 15 grams of methamphetamine from Alexander at an apartment complex in Macon.
On April 23, 2025, Alexander arranged a sale of firearms and methamphetamine to an individual in a restaurant parking lot in Macon. During the transaction, Alexander sold over 80 grams of methamphetamine, and Cato sold three firearms to the individual, including a machinegun.
On May 20, 2025, Cato sold seven firearms and a 50-round drum magazine to an individual in a restaurant parking lot in Macon.
On June 26, 2025, Thorpe drove Cato to a parking lot in Macon, carrying a dozen firearms, including a Glock switch, which converts a semi-automatic pistol into a machinegun. Cato intended to sell the firearms to an individual. The individual purchased all the firearms from Cato.
On July 9, 2025, Cato arrived at a parking lot in Macon to sell a convicted felon firearms and promethazine, a sedative. As ATF agents surrounded Cato’s car, Cato ran into oncoming traffic on Riverside Drive. The agents soon caught and arrested him. Inside Cato’s car were four firearms, two of which had been reported stolen, and 192 ounces of promethazine.
In all, ATF seized 30 firearms. Cato is responsible for trafficking 26 firearms; of those 26 firearms, Thorpe is responsible for possessing 12 of them. ATF seized four illegal firearms from Alexander. The firearms included a machinegun, conversion devices, and stolen guns. In addition, ATF seized more than 67 grams of cocaine and more than 100 grams of methamphetamine from Alexander, and 192 ounces of promethazine from Cato. Alexander and Thorpe each have previous felony convictions. Thorpe also had an active warrant from another county at the time of his arrest. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch is prosecuting these cases for the Government.
Lycoming County Man Indicted on Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyrone Jammal Wade, age 49, of Lycoming County, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a drug-trafficking charge.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Wade with possession with intent to distribute cocaine on March 26, 2026, in Montour County.
The FBI, Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit, and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most significant offense is twenty years of imprisonment and a fine. A sentence for each of these offenses also includes a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Leader of multi-million dollar international money laundering and drug trafficking ring sentenced to 20 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Monica Dominguez Torres has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading a transnational criminal organization that operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds to Mexico.
“Dominguez Torres once operated a prolific criminal operation and lived a lavish lifestyle paid for by drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Now, thanks to the diligent work of our Homeland Security Task Force, Dominguez Torres’s operation has been demolished, and she will spend the next two decades in prison paying for her crimes.”
“This case highlights the evolving nature of drug trafficking organizations which is combining large-scale methamphetamine conversion with complex asset accumulation,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Our agents followed the drugs and the money, leading to the seizure of millions in assets tied directly to criminal activity.”
“We followed the money, and it led us straight to the heart of this criminal operation. HSI doesn’t just chase shadows—we dismantle cartels and protect the homeland, one takedown at a time,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Our success is built on strong partnerships and combining our unique capabilities with those of our federal, state, and local allies. Together, we deliver results that keep our communities safe.”
“Methamphetamine conversion laboratories present an immediate and significant threat to communities across the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “These clandestine operations endanger the public through toxic chemicals, fire hazards, and their ties to transnational criminal networks. The sentencing of Monica Dominguez Torres underscores that individuals who engage in this level of criminal activity will be held fully accountable. IRS Criminal Investigation, in coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, remains committed to conducting rigorous, collaborative investigations to dismantle these organizations.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Monica Dominguez Torres’s organization operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories where liquid methamphetamine, obtained from sources in Mexico, was converted into hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to be sold in the Atlanta area and elsewhere. Dominguez Torres and her associates used residences in the Atlanta area to collect and count millions of dollars in cash from these drug sales. The proceeds were laundered and sent to coconspirators in Mexico.
As part of the criminal operation, Dominguez Torres and her associates purchased millions of dollars’ worth of real estate, vehicles, and luxury goods – all designed to conceal the illicit source of their wealth. The investigation revealed that Dominguez Torres purchased five separate residences, including a seven-bedroom waterfront home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Three of these residences were purchased with bulk cash brought directly to the transaction. Dominguez Torres and others also purchased nine luxury vehicles worth approximately $780,000. Dominguez Torres also spent lavishly on high-end goods, including nearly $400,000 at Louis Vuitton and more than $425,000 at Burberry over roughly four and a half years.
During the investigation, agents seized nearly $3.6 million in cash from Dominguez Torres’s residences, stash locations, and associates. When agents arrested Dominguez Torres at her Conyers, Georgia home in February 2024, they seized more than $1.7 million in cash, five firearms, and three vehicles.
On April 22, 2026, Monica Dominguez Torres, 37, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. As part of her sentence, Dominguez Torres was ordered to forfeit $1,750.961.00, four houses, a Cadillac Escalade, and a firearm. Nine other members of Dominguez Torres’s criminal organization including several members of her immediate family were charged as a result of the multi-year investigation. Federal agents with the DEA, HSI, and IRS partnered to conduct a thorough investigation of Dominguez Torres’s operation that resulted in these federal charges and seizures.
In addition to Dominguez Torres’s sentence, the following co-defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the money laundering conspiracy:
- Juan Contreras Pavon, 32, of Jonesboro, Georgia, a bulk-cash money launderer, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Dominguez Torres’s husband, Bladimir Hernandez, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by a year of supervised release.
- Dominguez Torres’s son, Luis Contreras Dominguez, 23, of Riverdale, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, followed by a year of supervised release.
- Dominguez Torres’s nephew, Louis Joshua Dominguez, 24, of Stockbridge, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
Five other defendants are awaiting trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, with valuable assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Nicholas L. Evert are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
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.
Leader of Violent Criminal Enterprise Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The leader of a violent criminal enterprise that operated in Hampden County was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for directing the trafficking of large amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine throughout Western Massachusetts, as well as for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The defendant used violence and threats of violence to control his territory in Holyoke, including an attempted violent armed kidnapping.
Vicente Gonzalez, 45, of Springfield, Mass. was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 220 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. In July 2024, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In October 2005, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
Gonzalez was arrested and charged along with four others in March 2022.
In early 2021, Gonzalez was identified as the leader of a violent criminal enterprise that operated in Hampden County. Gonzalez’s organization included at least 10 individuals, who served as lookouts, runners, managers, enforcers and manufacturers to support the daily sale of cocaine and crack cocaine in the Holyoke and Springfield areas. – The primary base of operations was an apartment building in Holyoke that was located in a highly populated residential neighborhood. The investigation revealed that Gonzalez’s drug trafficking operations were prolific – distributing approximately 500 grams per month in the area of the apartment building alone between April 2021 and March 2022.
In furtherance of the trafficking activity, Gonzalez used violence and threats of violence to control his territory in Holyoke – maintaining an arsenal of firearms at the apartment stash house.
In June 2021, Gonzalez led an attempted armed kidnapping of a rival drug dealer at the apartment building. Specifically, moments after the victim entered the building, Gonzalez and his co-conspirators were captured on surveillance video in broad daylight, attempting to abduct the victim, pulling him back into the building, brandishing firearms and attempting to detain the victim.
Gonzalez has a significant criminal history that includes violent offenses and narcotics activity. He has prior convictions for armed home invasion in Florida, for which he received a three-year sentence, and a narcotics conviction in Massachusetts, for which he received a sentence of three to five years.
Gonzalez is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in the case. The remaining fifth defendant, Ocasio-Ramos, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense in February 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28, 2026.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan; and Lawrence E. Akers, Superintendent of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil L. Desroches and Annapurna Balakrishna of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Leader of Fentanyl Trafficking Organization in Duluth Sentenced to 174 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Defendant Ezell “Cash” Lucas, 34, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 174 months in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking operation responsible for transporting mass quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Chicago to Minnesota for sale to drug users in Duluth, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Lucas was the last of seven defendants in the case convicted of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances to be sentenced.
From December 2021 to February 2024, Lucas managed a large-scale drug distribution operation (the “Lucas DTO”) based in Chicago that targeted drug customers in the Twin Ports region. Lucas worked with local drug distributors in Duluth to traffic fentanyl from Chicago and establish a customer base in Duluth. Lucas then directed criminal associates from Chicago to travel to Duluth and conduct the organization’s operations on the ground. Lucas, sitting in Chicago, fielded calls from drug customers and directed those customers to pre-determined locations in Duluth to meet Lucas’s drug dealers and complete the sales. During a two-year period, law enforcement seized more than 890 grams of fentanyl and 262 grams of methamphetamine from the Lucas DTO over the course of 19 seizure events, including controlled buys, traffic stops, residence search warrants, and a seizure incident to an overdose death.
In February 2024, a federal grand jury indicted multiple defendants, including Lucas, with engaging in a Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. This week, U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced Lucas to 174 months in prison for his role in the offense.
In August 2025, Lucas’s co-defendant Carl Brown, 32, of Chicago, proceeded to trial on the charged offense. Brown was convicted by a federal jury following a three-day trial. He was later sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for his role in the offense.
Lucas’s remaining six co-defendants pled guilty and were sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment:
- Anthony Green, 36, of Chicago, Illinois: 120 months
- Matthew Erickson, a/k/a “EZ,” 37, of Duluth, Minnesota: 60 months
- Robert Chism, 37, of Chicago, Illinois: 48 months
- Deandre Westmoreland, 37, of Chicago, Illinois: 32 months
- Pharoo Withersoon, 37, of Chicago, Illinois: 18 months
“This case sends a clear message: individuals who profit from distributing illegal substances in our community will be identified and prosecuted,” said Lt. Jason Tanski of the Duluth Police Department and Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force (“LSVOTF”). “For over a year, during a critical period of the opioid crisis, LSVOTF conducted a comprehensive investigation into the Lucas Drug Trafficking Organization. This investigation included extensive undercover operations by LSVOTF Investigators to identify those individuals involved in the organization. Numerous residences throughout Duluth were used by Lucas and his organization to distribute fentanyl to the community, preying on our community and advancing their illegal operation.
“The sentencing of this prolific drug dealer has a direct and positive impact on public safety by removing a significant source of supply and helping protect lives. The LSVOTF would like to credit the cooperation and assistance of our state and federal partners that helped bring this case to a successful resolution.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Duluth Police Department, LSVOTF, the Saint Louis County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and Syngen Kanassatega prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize Sexual Predator Who Sexually Groomed and Assaulted Child Beginning When She Was ElevenRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced that it has filed a denaturalization action in the Southern District of New York against Hassan Sherjil Khan, a native of Pakistan. Starting in 2007 or 2008, Khan began communicating online with an 11-year-old girl (the Victim). Until 2013, Khan, knowing that Victim was barely in her teens, continually coerced and enticed her to send him sexually explicit images of herself and to engage in sexually explicit conduct via live video chats. Khan also traveled abroad to engage in sexual acts with the Victim when she was only fifteen.
But when Khan applied for naturalization in August 2012 — just four months after he had traveled to have sexual contact with Victim — he concealed his involvement in his sex crimes. As a result, he was able to procure U.S. citizenship in May 2013. After Khan naturalized, the Victim disclosed his crimes, and he was arrested in September 2015 and charged with coercing and enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, sexual exploitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child outside of the United States, and receipt of child pornography.
“Naturalization and U.S. citizenship will not protect sexual predators from the consequences of their horrific acts,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “If you fail to disclose serious crimes while seeking naturalization, the government will discover your lies and revoke your ill-gotten U.S. citizenship.”
At the time of his arrest, Khan was working as a physician.
On Jan. 14, 2016, Khan pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). He was sentenced to 17 years in prison and remains incarcerated.
The denaturalization complaint against Khan alleges that he illegally procured his naturalization because when he naturalized, he lacked good moral character required for naturalization because he had committed a crime involving moral turpitude and then had given false testimony about his crimes during his naturalization proceedings. The denaturalization complaint also alleges that Khan obtained his naturalization through willful misrepresentations or concealment of material facts.
The litigation is being jointly handled by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Litigation-Affirmative Litigation Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Waterman for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Khan’s sex crimes were investigated by the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Rossmiller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The denaturalization claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability regarding Mr. Khan’s naturalization.
Note: This press release is based in part on the press release issued upon Khan’s criminal sentencing in June of 2016.
Justice Department Intervenes in xAI lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s ‘Algorithmic Discrimination’ LawRead the Press Release
The Justice Department moved to intervene in a lawsuit filed by artificial intelligence company xAI, challenging a new Colorado law that prohibits so-called “algorithmic discrimination.” The Justice Department alleges that the Colorado law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by requiring AI companies to prevent unintentional disparate impact that their products could have based on protected characteristics like race and sex, and by exempting liability for certain forms of discrimination designed to advance “diversity.”
“Laws that require AI companies to infect their products with woke DEI ideology are illegal,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will not stand on the sidelines while states such as Colorado coerce our nation’s technological innovators into producing harmful products that advance a radical, far left worldview at odds with the Constitution.”
“America’s success in the AI race will depend on removing barriers to innovation and adoption across sectors,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Laws like Colorado’s that force AI models to produce false results or promote ideological bias threaten national and economic security and must be stopped.”
The statute, Colorado SB24-205, requires AI “developers” and “deployers” to satisfy certain disclosure, reporting, and prevention requirements when creating algorithm products designed for services like mortgage lending, student admissions, and job-candidate selection. But the statute has an explicit carveout for discriminatory algorithms designed to advance “diversity” or “redress historic discrimination.” AI company xAI filed a lawsuit challenging the statute on April 9.
You can view the lawsuit here.
Jury Finds Six-Time Felon Guilty of Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On April 22, 2026, following a two-day trial in United States District Court, a jury convicted Richard Allen, Sr., also known as “Hoss,” 55, of Chattanooga, TN, of possessing 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it; possessing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Sentencing is set for October 1, 2026, before United States District Judge Charles E. Atchley, in United States District Court at Chattanooga. Allen faces a mandatory minimum 10-years imprisonment up to a maximum of life imprisonment.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on August 15, 2024, Chattanooga Police Officers encountered Allen in the East Lake Courts Housing Complex and found him to be in possession of over 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and two loaded pistols. Allen is a multi-convicted felon, having sustained six previous felony convictions in state and federal courts. On September 6, 2024, officers again encountered Allen in East Lake Courts. He was found to be in possession of over 21 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The Chattanooga Police Department Neighborhood Policing Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Chattanooga Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office and Drug Enforcement Administration Chattanooga Resident Office provided valuable assistance during the investigation and trial.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Poole and Kevin Brown represented the United States at trial.
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.
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Iranian National Charged for Smuggling Illegal Aliens into United StatesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of Texas charging Jafar Tafakori, 57, an Iranian national, for his role in coordinating the smuggling of illegal aliens into the United States. Tafakori was arrested in Colombia at the request of the United States.
According to the indictment, from at least Dec. 1, 2022, through on or about May 15, 2024, Tafakori illegally brought large numbers of aliens, primarily Iranian nationals, into the United States. In exchange for payment, Tafakori coordinated with others to provide shelter, transportation, and occasionally airline tickets for the aliens to travel through South and Central America and Mexico. Tafakori charged some aliens as much as $30,000 for his services. Once at the U.S./Mexico border, the aliens were directed to illegally enter the United States.
“Securing our borders and stopping alien smuggling is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This defendant allegedly transported many illegal aliens into the United States, exploiting our nation’s immigration laws and depriving our immigration officials the ability to vet and review the individuals entering our communities. Thanks to the hard work of our prosecutors and investigative partners, this individual was arrested in Colombia and will be brought to justice in the United States for his crimes.”
“Jafar Tafakori allegedly smuggled Iranian nationals illegally into the United States for 18 months,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Based on this indictment, Colombian authorities acted fast and arrested Tafakori, and when he is extradited, he will face justice in the United States. Those who endanger our communities by participating in human smuggling across our borders will be apprehended regardless of if they live in the United States or abroad.”
“Tafakori’s actions demonstrate the inherent dangers of an open-border policy,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The enemy was at the gate, and the gate was left wide open. Tafakori’s indictment and arrest, which was facilitated by members of the Homeland Security Task Force, reinforce this administration’s commitment to securing our borders, protecting Americans, and diligently prosecuting those who took advantage of derelict open-border policies.”
“Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in its pursuit of transnational criminal organizations that endanger national security by smuggling illegal aliens from regions associated with criminal activity,” said acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco, HSI San Antonio. “HSI’s ongoing investigations focus on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks to ensure those who threaten the safety of our communities are brought to justice. Our commitment to protecting the homeland is unwavering, and we will continue to use all available resources to prevent individuals with dangerous intentions from exploiting our borders.”
“The arrest of this Iranian national involved in smuggling large numbers of individuals — primarily fellow Iranian citizens — into the United States underscores the global reach and threat of human smuggling networks,” said Assistant Director Ricardo Mayoral of HSI International Operations. “This outcome, made possible through close coordination between HSI San Antonio, HSI Bogotá, and our Colombian partners, reflects HSI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our borders and disrupting transnational criminal activity.”
Tafakori is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States and five counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. If convicted of three or more counts of illegally bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, Tafakori faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of fifteen years.
Colombian authorities issued a warrant and arrested Takafori on April 23 in Pereira, Colombia, pursuant to a request from the United States.
HSI San Antonio conducted the investigation along with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, HSI Bogotá, and United States Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector Intelligence Unit. Significant assistance was provided by HSI Bogota’s Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit from the Colombian National Police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (TCIU-DIJIN) and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office.
Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions section, on detail from the Office of International Affairs, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian Rosales for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Office of International Affairs, and Interpol Washington provided significant assistance in this matter. The Justice Department thanks its Colombian law enforcement partners for their expeditious enforcement operation.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 350 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force 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 U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In One Week, DOJ’s New Fraud Division Secures $300M in Funding for Prosecutorial Support While Announcing More Indictments, Convictions, and Sentences Representing Millions in Taxpayer FraudRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the following actions from across the country to hold individuals accountable for schemes that attempted or succeeded in defrauding the American taxpayers.
“Our message is clear: Steal from the American taxpayer, and you will answer to federal prosecutors," said Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “With our partners nationwide, we are holding criminals accountable and protecting taxpayer money. We will leave no stone unturned in our war against fraud.”
Notably, on April 22nd, the Justice Department announced the availability of $300 million in funding to prevent and prosecute fraud and other crimes nationwide. This grant program will strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity, expand intergovernmental coordination, and enhance the ability of jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes.
Friday, April 24
A New York man was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to launder the proceeds of a $24.4 million pharmacy fraud scheme. The defendant laundered the proceeds of the scheme through various trading companies, which gave the appearance of legitimate business, facilitated the kickbacks and bribes, and distributed profits among the pharmacies’ owners.
A West Virginia man was sentenced to five years of federal probation after admitting that he obtained a $2 million loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for his business and instead converted at least $1.4 million of the proceeds for his personal enrichment.
Thursday, April 23
The Criminal Division, D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office, and their law enforcement partners announced a series of coordinated actions by the Scam Center Strike Force against overseas criminal organizations that have defrauded Americans of billions of dollars. These actions include charges against two Chinese nationals and $700 million in restrained cryptocurrency.
A Missouri man pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a scheme to fraudulently obtain two Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans totaling $92,233.32, guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
A Missouri woman was sentenced to 41 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining $2.3 million in funds intended to feed hungry Missouri children.
Wednesday, April 22
A Washington man was arraigned in the U.S. District Court in Tacoma for multiple counts of wire fraud and SNAP benefit fraud, resulting in more than $600,000 loss to federal nutrition program. A man in Maryland pleaded guilty to bank fraud after admitting to fraudulently obtaining $160,000 in COVID-19 relief funds and attempting to obstruct justice. He faces a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for bank fraud.
Five New Orleans men were indicted for violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the Federal Gun Control Act, and committing bank fraud.
A D.C. woman was sentenced to 11 months in prison for her role in a years-long conspiracy to steal more than $393,340 from her nonprofit employer by making unauthorized personal purchases on the organization’s corporate credit card.
A Missouri medical doctor was arrested on an indictment that accuses him of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid and providing prescription drugs to friends, people suffering from substance use disorders and those with whom he had sexual relationships.
A Florida woman was indicted by a federal grand jury charging her with two counts of wire fraud involving Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program funds.
Tuesday, April 21
A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania was indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of wire fraud and theft of government property, accepting bribes to approve more than $500,000 in fraudulent unemployment compensation claims.
Monday, April 20
Five Romanian nationals have been charged for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to steal nearly $1 million worth of food assistance benefits from low-income families and individuals in Ohio and California. A Florida woman who orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $465,489 in COVID-19 relief funding was sentenced to 18 months’ incarceration in Newark federal court.
A Cayman national who renounced his U.S. citizenship pleaded guilty to evading payment of more than $1.5 million of federal income tax liabilities. His sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as restitution and monetary penalties.
A New York man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for defrauding the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) of approximately $1.1 million in loans awarded under the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Brockton, Mass., has been arrested and charged with healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft.
A Jefferson Parish resident was sentenced to 70 months in prison for obtaining over $350,000 in funds through numerous Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using falsified tax forms, and also fraudulently obtained Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds in the names of numerous purported renters.
A Florida man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in a $33 million health care fraud and kickback scheme in Newark, New Jersey.
Friday, April 17
A Kauai man was sentenced to 14 months in prison following his guilty plea for making a false statement to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for $1.4 million in funds.
A Detroit surgeon was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for psychotherapy services.
Six St. Louis area residents were indicted for their involvement in a $8.3 million pandemic fraud scheme, and three were arrested.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Updated April 24, 2026
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to File and to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that George Dilles (age 55) of Inverness, Illinois, pled guilty to one count of failure to truthfully account for and pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202. On April 20, 2026, the district court accepted Dilles’ guilty plea.
According to the plea agreement, Dilles was the president and part-owner of NG Enterprises, Inc., a company that provided elderly home personal care in the Milwaukee area and over time employed from 50 to 110 workers. Dilles was required to withhold federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes from his employees’ wages, hold those amounts in trust, and pay them over to the IRS. Additionally, he was responsible for filing quarterly tax returns (Forms 941) reporting those amounts to the IRS, and for paying the employer’s matching portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes. For 17 quarters in tax years 2019 through 2023, Dilles willfully failed to file Forms 941 and to pay over the taxes due. Including all relevant conduct, the loss to the IRS totaled more than $1.2 million.
Dilles’ sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before United States District Court Judge J.P. Stadtmueller. At sentencing, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as a term of supervised release after any imprisonment.
IRS, Criminal Investigation, investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Scully is prosecuting.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Illinois Man Admits Carjacking, Shooting in St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Venice, Illinois on Friday admitted helping carjack one man in St. Louis in 2024 and shooting at another.
Harry Moore, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of carjacking and one felony count of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. He admitted driving a Cadillac that had been stolen in Belleville, Illinois to the 2900 block of Minnesota Avenue in St. Louis on Sept. 4, 2024. Two armed people were in the car, including a juvenile. They got out and demanded the wallet, iPhone and keys from the driver of a Subaru Outback at gunpoint. Moore, who was also armed, got out and demanded that the victim unlock his phone and provide his debit card PIN.
Moore then drove to a gas station, followed by his accomplices, and used the victim’s debit card to withdraw more than $200 from an ATM. He also transferred $200 to someone via Cash App using the victim’s phone.
About an hour later, Moore was in the front passenger seat of the Outback when he spotted someone from a rival group walking near Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis. Moore fired multiple rounds from a .45-caliber handgun as his target fled into a parking garage. Later that day, investigators found the juvenile and the stolen Outback in East St. Louis.
On Oct. 10, 2024, Moore was arrested inside a home in Cahokia Heights, Illinois. Investigators found three firearms there, including the Glock used in the shooting.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on July 27. The carjacking charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The brandishing charge is punishable by at least seven years in prison, consecutive to the sentence he receives for the carjacking charge.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI and the St. Clair County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – NAIM BILAL EVANS, 38, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 96 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on April 19, 2025, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a metro convenience store following reports of a man with a firearm. When officers arrived, they encountered Evans crossing the street and recovered an AR-15 firearm from a nearby trash can. Surveillance video from outside the store showed Evans kicking the store’s front door while armed with the firearm.
On May 20, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Evans with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded to the charge on August 29, 2025.
At a sentencing hearing on April 22, 2026, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Evans to serve 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Wyrick noted Evans’ repeated criminal history related to firearms. Public records reflect that Evans has prior felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including pointing a firearm in case number CF-2008-939 and being a felon in possession of a firearm in case number CF-2018-157.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Illegal Aliens from Mexico Indicted for Drug Trafficking in Utah after Agents Seized Nearly 100,000 Fentanyl Pills and Other Narcotics in Homeland Security Task Force OperationRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging two illegal aliens from Mexico with drug crimes after agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, and Homeland Security Task Force, seized approximately 98,800 fentanyl pills and other illicit drugs during the execution of multiple search warrants.
Eder Montoya-Rosales, aka Jesus Tadeo Gonzalez Estrada, 21, residing illegally in Salt Lake City, and Nazario De Jesus Del Campo Perez, 31, residing illegally in Salt Lake City, were initially charged by complaint on April 9, 2026.
According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in February 2026, agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force initiated a criminal investigation into Montoya-Rosales, Perez, and other members of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On April 8, 2026, agents executed multiple search warrants on residences and vehicles believed to be used by the defendants. During the search of Perez’s residence, agents located and seized approximately 9,747.99 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl; 1,330.34 grams of field-tested positive heroin; 84.70 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine; a suspected drug ledger; drug paraphernalia, and U.S. currency. The fentanyl evidence is approximately 97,000 fentanyl pills.
During the search of Montoya-Rosales’s vehicle, agents located and seized approximately 184.29 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl; 243.28 grams of field-tested positive heroin, and 15.81 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine. The fentanyl evidence is approximately 1,800 fentanyl pills. During the search of Montoya-Rosales’s residence, agents located and seized approximately 2.71 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl and a quantity of U.S. currency. Montoya-Rosales was previously removed from the United States on October 1, 2024. Perez has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions, including March 26, 2014, July 26, 2019, and November 5, 2024.
Montoya-Rosales and Perez are charged with multiple charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute heroin, and reentry of a previously removed alien. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 24, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Salt Lake comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien from Guatemala Charged with Assaulting Federal Officer and Illegally Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marco Antonio Herrera, a citizen of Guatemala, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on charges of assaulting a federal officer and illegal entry into the United States.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on April 1, 2026, Herrera was found by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers in Williamsport, PA. It is also alleged that Herrera is a citizen of Guatemala with no legal basis to be present in the United States. Herrera allegedly refused to comply with the officers’ investigation and impeded them by resisting arrest and striking one of them with his elbow.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 8 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Illegal Alien with Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after being removed on three prior occasions from the country.
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on April 27, 2025, Cesar Daniel Reyes-Rodriguez was found in the United States after he was previously deported to Mexico on June 25, 2019; October 18, 2019; and On June 23, 2023.
On April 26, 2025, officers with the North Las Vegas Police Department arrested Reyes-Rodriguez for his fourth DUI since 2016. Reyes-Rodriguez was previously convicted of his third DUI, a felony, in 2018. Reyes-Rodriguez also has previous felony convictions for Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell out of the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada (2018), and Illegal Reentry after Deportation out of the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada (2021).
Reyes-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. After serving his prison sentence he will be deported to Mexico for a fourth time.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Ruben Levya made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Illegal Alien Convicted by Jury on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury delivered a guilty verdict against a Baltimore man, who is a Honduran citizen unlawfully present in the United States, convicting him of sexually abusing and exploiting three minor victims. The jury found Jose Adan Lopez-Guevara, 39, guilty of 14 counts of sexually exploiting a child and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office (PGCSAO).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2015 and 2024, Lopez-Guevara sexually abused three minors, ranging from 2 to 11 years old at the time of the abuse. Lopez-Guevara produced images and videos of himself, and the victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct, many of which were found on the dark web.
In December 2024, HSI initiated an investigation after its investigators in Portland, Maine, observed previously unseen child sexual abuse material videos on the internet. After identifying Minor Victim 1 in the videos, and determining that he lived in Maryland, investigators quickly referred the matter to HSI Maryland.
Then on December 12, HSI executed several search warrants in Maryland and discovered Lopez-Guevara in possession of two phones. Investigators forensically examined the phones and discovered additional images of Lopez-Guevara sexually abusing Minor Victim 1. Law enforcement also found depictions of Lopez-Guevara abusing Minor Victim 2 and Minor Victim 3. Additionally, law enforcement found hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material on the phone associated with an encrypted messaging application.
Lopez-Guevara faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for each count of sexual exploitation of a child, and 20 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Honorable Richard D. Bennett scheduled sentencing for July 28, at 11 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, MSP, BCPD, PGCSAO, for their work in the investigation, along with the Center for Hope for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Victoria Liu who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Homeland Security Task Force: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CARLOS GONZALEZ NAVA, 26, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully residing in the U.S., waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to drug trafficking and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2025, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating a series of suspicious parcels that were being mailed from southern California to multiple addresses in New London. The investigation revealed that a drug trafficking organization was shipping large quantities of narcotics, primarily heroin and cocaine, through the U.S. Mail to Connecticut, and that Gonzalez Nava was the primary recipient of the drugs. In November 2025, a court-authorized search of one intercepted parcel revealed nearly a kilogram of heroin, and in February 2026, a search of another intercepted parcel revealed approximately 400 grams of cocaine.
Gonzalez Nava was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on March 11, 2026. On that date, a search of his New London residence revealed four firearms, including semi-automatic pistols and a shotgun.
Gonzalez Nava pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a quantity 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 unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford on July 16.
Gonzalez Nava has been detained since his arrest.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Natasha M. Freismuth.
Hobbs Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Possession After Shooting Security OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Hobbs man was sentenced to 66 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after he shot a store employee during an attempted liquor theft at an Albuquerque business.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2024, Kevin Metcalf, 37, entered El Rey Liquors in downtown Albuquerque and attempted to steal a bottle of alcohol. When a store employee intervened, Metcalf fled the scene before turning around and firing a shot toward two employees standing in the doorway, striking an employee in the leg.
As the incident unfolded, a nearby officer with the Albuquerque Police Department heard the gunshot and observed a vehicle leaving the area without headlights. After a short attempt to evade, the vehicle was stopped, and Metcalf, who was seated in the front passenger seat, was detained along with the driver. Officers observed a tan firearm protruding from beneath the front passenger seat. A subsequent 911 call reported the shooting, and responding officers reviewed surveillance footage and confirmed Metcalf was the shooter.
Metcalf later admitted that the firearm recovered from the vehicle was the one used during the offense. At the time, Metcalf had prior felony convictions and knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Metcalf pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Upon his release from prison, Metcalf will be subject to three years of supervised release.
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.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
Fully Suspended Sentence Handed Down for Robbery and Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonio Gaither, 17, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for a spree of robberies and carjackings that took place in September 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gaither, who was sixteen years old at the time of the offenses and who was charged pursuant to Title 16, pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025, to one count of carjacking, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of robbery. At Gaither’s sentencing on April 24, 2026, the United States requested a sentence of twelve years of incarceration, representing a sentence at the top of his sentencing guidelines for each count, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The Honorable Judge Jennifer DiToro sentenced Gaither to a fully suspended sentences of 48 months for carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and 24 months for each count of robbery, with 18 months of supervised probation. The Court’s sentence was entered pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act, over the government’s objection, which permits a sentence beneath the mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration for carjacking and five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. On March 17, 2026, Gaither’s co-defendant, Derrick West, also received a suspended sentence over the government’s objection.
According to the proffer of facts, on September 19, 2024, at approximately 10:31 p.m., in the 500 block of 48th Place NE, Gaither, his co-defendant Derrick West and two additional suspects, pulled up next to the first victim, while she was parking her car. Two of the suspects exited their vehicle and one pointed a firearm at the victim and ordered her to exit her vehicle. Two of the suspects took the victim’s car, and all four suspects fled the scene.
Separately, on September 20, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., in the 800 block of P Street, NW, Gaither, West, and additional suspects approached the victim, who was sitting in his vehicle with his doors unlocked. One of the suspects opened the driver’s side door and ordered the victim to exit the vehicle, while another suspect assaulted the victim, striking him about the face and body. The victim exited the vehicle and fled in fear of his safety. The suspects fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle, taking with them the victim’s wallet, credit cards and phone which were inside the car.
In addition, on September 30, 2024, at approximately 5:21 p.m., in the 100 block of 35th Street, NE, Gaither and West approached a third victim, who was talking on his cell phone as he walked away from his vehicle. One of the defendants grabbed the victim’s phone out of his hand. Both Gaither and West demanded the victim’s car keys. Out of fear for his safety, the victim handed over the keys, but he was still punched in the face several times by both defendants. The defendants took the victim’s cell phone and fled the scene in his vehicle.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Roberts and Ben Helfand, who prosecuted the case.
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Frankfort Man Convicted of Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky.- A Frankfort man, Donald Demil Clay, 50, was convicted on Wednesday by a federal jury in Frankfort for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Clay was convicted of the charges following a two-day trial.
According to testimony at trial, the investigation as to Clay began with numerous tips to law enforcement that Clay was renting a commercial property in Frankfort that he used to store and to distribute cocaine. After several months of surveillance, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at the property used and maintained by Clay. Police seized approximately 4 ounces of cocaine that was concealed in a box affixed to a custom poker table.
Clay was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in July 2014.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Derrick Napier, Frankfort Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, DEA, and the Frankfort Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury.
Clay will appear for sentencing on July 9. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Former Sober Home Owner and Operator Sentenced for Kickback Conspiracy and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Charlotte, North Carolina, woman, Delores Jordan, 57, and Ernest Williams, 52, of Lexington, Ky., were sentenced this week to 60 months and five years of probation respectively, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for their roles in a kickback conspiracy and health care fraud.
Serenity Keeper’s, LLC (“Serenity Keepers”), owned by Jordan, was a sober home company based in Fayette County, Ky., that purported to provide mental health and substance abuse treatment services and housing for individuals enrolled in its program. Serenity Keepers allegedly used urine drug tests for their clients for non-medical reasons, such as ensuring sobriety. Beginning in 2019 through February 2022, Williams ran several sober homes operating as Serenity Keepers.
According to her plea agreement, in the fall of 2019, Jordan solicited kickbacks from an individual in exchange for the referral of urine drug testing from Serenity Keepers to various urine drug testing labs. Jordan received these kickbacks in the form of check, cash, and electronic payments for the referral of urine drug testing from Serenity Keepers to three different urine drug testing labs. In October 2021, the kickbacks increased to $5,000 and were paid to Jerome Davis, one of Jordan’s co-defendants, in the form of consulting payments, paid as checks, or ACH payments to Davis’s company X-Tremly for Christ, LLC.
Through the scheme, Jordan and Serenity Keepers caused Medicaid and Medicare to pay three different urine drug testing labs approximately $2,569,946 for urine drug testing referred to them, in exchange for unlawful kickbacks paid to Jordan. Willams performed urine drug testing on the residents of the homes he operated knowing the tests were not ordered by a medical provider and would not be reviewed by a medical provider.
As further part of the scheme, between August 2019 and March 2022, Serenity Keepers billed Medicaid for peer support services that were not provided by licensed peer support specialists. At Jordan’s direction, Williams stated that individuals living in his sober homes received six hours of peer support services per day, knowing that was not true. Over that time frame, Williams received $365,374.72, a percentage of the amount billed to Medicaid for the homes he managed.
Dashawn Dawkins was convicted earlier in April 2026 for his role in the kickback conspiracy and health care fraud conspiracy. Lily Bell, who paid the kickbacks to Dawkins, Jordan, and Davis, and who facilitated the abuse of the Nurse Practitioner’s stolen identifiers, pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. Jerome Davis pled guilty to his role in the kickback conspiracy and was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day of incarceration.
Under federal law, Jordan and Williams must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Attorney General, Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs
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Former Primary Health Network CEOs Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Non-Profit Medical Organization of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Two former CEOs of Primary Health Network (PHN), a non-profit medical organization headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, have been sentenced in federal court to terms of imprisonment on their convictions for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentences on Drew Pierce, 58, of West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, and Jack Laeng, 72, of Lake Milton, Ohio, sentencing Pierce on April 23, 2026, to 40 months of imprisonment and Laeng on April 16, 2026, to 24 months of imprisonment.
According to information presented to the Court, Pierce engaged in multiple schemes to defraud PHN over the course of almost a decade, with Laeng joining him in two of those schemes. First, Pierce, Laeng, and others agreed to enter into contracts with a developer on behalf of PHN in return for kickback payments of 50% of the funds the developer received from PHN. PHN’s board of directors was not aware of the kickback payments, which ultimately caused a loss to the company of more than $1.5 million. Laeng was the CEO of PHN for the beginning of the scheme, from 2011 to about 2014, at which time Pierce took over as CEO.
Pierce, Laeng, and others also engaged in a scheme in which they inserted a company called TopCoat between PHN and the company’s legitimate vendors. Through the scheme, PHN paid TopCoat, which provided no services other to then pay the true vendors a lesser price. PHN’s board of directors was unaware that TopCoat performed no actual work and was made up entirely of PHN insiders. The TopCoat scheme caused a loss to PHN of more than $400,000. In addition to these schemes, Pierce separately engaged in another kickback scheme, as well as in a scheme to pay his own personal expenses out of PHN accounts and conceal those payments as business expenses.
Another co-defendant in some of the schemes, Mark Marriott, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2026.
Assistant United States Attorneys William B. Guappone and Jeffrey R. Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of the defendants.
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.
Former Dallas Police Department Sergeant Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Selling Stolen Service WeaponsRead the Press Release
A former Dallas Police Department sergeant who sold stolen service weapons was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Thomas Fry, 53, of Royse City, Texas, was sentenced on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, by United States District Judge Brantley Starr for possession and sale of a stolen firearm.
“This police officer violated his oath and the public’s trust when he chose to commit a crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Our law enforcement partners work day and night to keep us safe and enforce the law, and our trust and faith in them will not waiver. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to root out the few bad apples among their ranks.”
“This case strikes at the core of public trust,” said Brian Garner Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Dallas Field Division. “The very individuals entrusted to safeguard our communities must be held to the highest standard. When that trust is violated through the theft and illegal sale of firearms, it endangers the public and undermines the integrity of law enforcement. This 28-month federal sentence sends a clear message: no one is above the law, and those who abuse their authority will be held accountable. ATF remains committed to working alongside our partners to protect our communities and prevent illegal firearms trafficking.
Court records reveal that Fry, who at the time was a sergeant with the Dallas Police Department, admitted to three separate instances of taking a firearm owned by the Dallas Police Department, knowing that the firearms were stolen, and selling them to an Oklahoma pawn shop in June and July of 2022.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.
Former Bay City Civic Leader Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Non-Profits and Driving Historic Theatre into BankruptcyRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – A former Bay City civic leader was sentenced today in connection with a multi-year scheme that defrauded two Bay City non-profit organizations of more than $750,000 and drove one of them into bankruptcy, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Caleb Rowell, Director, Bay City Department of Public Safety.
Michael Bacigalupo, 64, of Essexville, Michigan, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson to 24 months in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $196,641.17 to the Bay County Historical Society, and $151,000 to the Bay City State Theatre or its successor and to serve a two-year term of supervised release following his incarceration.
According to court records, between June 2020 and November 2023, Bacigalupo simultaneously served as Director of the Bay City Downtown Development Authority, Chief Operating Officer of the Bay City State Theatre (BCST), and Executive Director of the Bay City Historical Society (BCHS). He exploited these positions to fraudulently divert funds to the renovation of the Wenona Park Bandshell, without the authorization of either organization’s board.
In the first phase of the scheme, Bacigalupo approached the Bay County Growth Alliance (BCGA), a local non-profit lender, and obtained an $800,000 loan using the BCST building as collateral. He falsely represented to BCGA that the BCST Board had approved the transaction and provided fabricated board minutes to substantiate that lie. Bacigalupo deposited the loan proceeds into BCST accounts and diverted them to the Bandshell project without the Board’s knowledge. After making partial repayments of $277,000, he ceased payments altogether, leaving an unpaid balance of at least $523,000. Unable to service a debt it never authorized, BCST defaulted and declared bankruptcy.
Separately, from November 2020 through January 2022, Bacigalupo diverted $231,541 from BCHS toward the Bandshell project by manipulating the organization’s accounting records and fabricating contractor invoices. Left without the funds Bacigalupo had misappropriated, BCHS was unable to complete planned renovations to its own museum and was forced to lay off staff.
Bacigalupo also fraudulently obtained approval of a $900,000 federal grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation by misrepresenting the identity of the applicant and the purpose of the funds. When MEDC sought documentation to support an initial $450,000 disbursement, Bacigalupo submitted fabricated invoices and falsified accounting records. MEDC determined the documentation was insufficient and ultimately withheld the grant entirely.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “Fraud in the garb of civic leadership is still fraud. And this man’s fraud hurt cherished Bay City organizations.”
This case was investigated by the Bay City Department of Public Safety. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William Thomas Orr and Ryan A. Particka
Former 4-H County Extension Agent Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Terence Lorenzo Clemons, 52, was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, Clemons was a County Extension Agent that operated 4-H programs in the Bath County School System. In April 2024, Clemons began a romantic “relationship” with a minor victim in the school system. Through extensive conversations via text messaging and various social media platforms, Clemons professed his “love” and asked the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct via livestreaming and by sending him videos/photos. Clemons used his position as a leader of 4-H programs to gain access to the victim, which included at least one instance of physical touching, during events Clemons attended through the 4-H program.
During the sentencing hearing, the Court noted the seriousness of this type of offense cannot be overstated. The Court also remarked that those with positions of trust need to understand this conduct will not be tolerated.
“This defendant held a position of trust and exploited that position in order to prey on the vulnerability of a child,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “That betrayal strikes at the very core of our communities, where parents and families should be able to trust those entrusted with mentoring and guiding young people. We remain committed to holding accountable anyone who abuses that trust and to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect children from exploitation and harm.”
Under federal law, Clemons must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Florence man sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing and receiving images and videos of child pornographyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Florence man who produced child pornography was sentenced today to 360 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Matthew Ray Tack, 41, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to two counts of production of child pornography, two counts of transfer of obscene material to minors, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 14, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Matthew Tack’s residence in Florence and seized several phones and a laptop. Law enforcement searched the laptop and found three videos and 20 pictures which depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of the images and videos had creation dates ranging from December 5, 2023, to May 8, 2024, indicating they were received on the laptop on those dates. Several of the file paths indicated that at least some of the images were shared via applications like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Additionally, forensic analysis of the laptop revealed Tack had engaged in chats with minors on an online chat application, largely between 2021 and 2022. The chats included Tack’s solicitation from multiple minors of images and videos that depicted the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Tack consistently urged the minors with whom he was talking to send him sexually explicit images and videos. For example, in a 2021 chat with a minor who indicated they were just entering the 10th grade, Tack told the minor that he wanted “lewd pics” of the child and that “I had hopes that later I could get you to send some.” Tack told the child his sexual interest in her was due (at least in part) to her age, saying “… young and hot, definitely my weakness.”
Beginning on April 20, 2021, and continuing through October 9, 2021, Tack engaged in similar chats on the application with Jane Doe 1. At the time of these chats, Jane Doe 1 was 13 years old. Tack began their chat by immediately asking Jane Doe 1 for a picture. He then sent several shirtless photos of himself and asked Jane Doe 1 “Could you take some?” In total during this conversation, Tack sent Jane Doe 1 two pictures of his penis and Jane Doe 1 sent Tack three images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct, at Tack’s behest.
Law enforcement located Jane Doe 1 and interviewed her. She confirmed she likely sent the above-described images to Tack and identified herself in some the pictures law enforcement recovered from the records of the conversation described above.
Beginning on September 16, 2021, and continuing through February 19, 2022, Tack also engaged in similar chats on the application with Jane Doe 2. At the time of these chats, Jane Doe 2 was 13 years old. During the conversations, Tack exhorted Jane Doe 2 to send him images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Tack reassured Jane Doe 2 he would not show the images to anyone because of how “bad” the age difference between them was, and that “…we should not be doing this but we are… I could go to prison.”
Law enforcement located Jane Doe 2 and interviewed her. She identified Tack by picture and confirmed she sent Tack the images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Glasgow Police Department, and Western Australia Police Force conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Felon who Possessed a Firearm that was Used in a Robbery Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced on April 23, 2026, to 60 months in federal prison.
Blake Allen Ott, age 23, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 10, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
In October 2024, while searching Ott’s home, law enforcement officers found a loaded gun in his bedroom. They also found cash and marijuana around the home. Evidence showed that Ott was involved in distributing controlled substances. Prior to October 2024, Ott gave the gun to another person who used the gun to rob a home in Dubuque. Ott was aware the gun would be used in a robbery. Ott’s prior convictions include participation in a riot and robbery.
Ott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ott was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ott is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Dan Chatham and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-01038.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Firearm Found During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced on April 22, 2026, to 24 months in federal prison.
Keontis Dontrell Cunningham, age 29, from Chicago, received the prison term after a November 14, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
In 2024, as he was driving, law enforcement officers stopped Cunningham based on an outstanding warrant. During the traffic stop, officers located a gun in the car. Cunningham was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, including an aggravated assault conviction from Tennessee.
Cunningham was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Cunningham was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Cunningham was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole L. Nagin and Dan Chatham and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-00062.
Federal Law Enforcement Seizes 22 Firearms and Multiple Kilograms of Narcotics from Chicago Storage Unit; Alleged Drug Trafficker ArrestedRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Federal law enforcement this month arrested an alleged drug trafficker and seized 22 firearms and multiple kilograms of narcotics from his Chicago storage unit.
MARIO NEUSTADTER sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer in Chicago on three occasions in January of February of this year, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The complaint charges Neustadter, 47, of Chicago, with distribution of a controlled substance. Neustadter was arrested on April 7, 2026. He has been ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim to remain detained in federal custody pending trial.
During a detention hearing, the government advised the Court that federal law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of Neustadter’s storage unit on the day of his arrest and discovered 22 firearms, approximately 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 kilograms of cocaine, more than two kilograms of suspected fentanyl, and dozens of cell phones, among other items. A photo of the seized items was entered into evidence at the hearing and can be viewed below.
The complaint and arrest were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Todd C. Smith, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. The officials noted that the investigation remains ongoing.
This investigation is part of Operation Fentanyl Free America, a DEA-led initiative to protect the United States from synthetic opioids by disrupting the fentanyl supply chain, reducing its availability, and saving American lives.
“I commend the actions of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners who worked diligently to seize dangerous drugs and an arsenal of high-powered firearms from the defendant before they could flood the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The arrest and substantial seizures in this case are but one example of the outstanding work being done by the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office, the DEA, Chicago Police Department, and Cook County Sheriff’s Office every day to combat drug trafficking and reduce violent crime. Let this case serve as a warning to criminal drug traffickers: There is no hiding place for those who flood our communities with illegal narcotics.”
“Today’s announcement underscores DEA’s commitment to removing fentanyl and other dangerous drugs, as well as illegally possessed firearms, from our communities,” said DEA SAC Smith. “Through Operation Fentanyl Free America and strong partnerships with the Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department, and all of our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to saving American lives from tragic drug overdoses and poisonings.”
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
neustadter_complaint.pdfFederal Jury finds Arlington Woman Guilty of Retaliatory Stalking of Assistant District AttorneyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – On April 23, 2026, after a 3-day trial, a federal jury found Adrienne Rosse, 37, of Arlington, Tennessee, guilty of two counts of cyberstalking for mailing harassing letters about a Shelby County Assistant District Attorney. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.
According to information presented at the trial, Adrienne Rosse’s husband, Charles Rosse, is being prosecuted by the Shelby County District Attorneys’ Office for charges of rape and sexual battery. A 2023 trial on those charges resulted in a mistrial due to a hung jury. The Assistant District Attorney (ADA) who prosecuted the case attempted to negotiate a settlement of the case, and told Charles Rosse that if they did not reach a plea agreement, she intended to re-try the case. Charles Rosse rejected the plea offer. His case remains pending.
Adrienne Rosse was “filled with rage” about the continued prosecution of her husband. In August 2023, she sent anonymous letters to the Tennessee Attorney General, the Shelby County District Attorney, several local news reporters, the Memphis Bar Association, and the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility, falsely accusing the ADA of having a secret career in pornography, which she described in graphic detail and supported with 20 pages of pornographic photos of women who resembled the ADA.
In November 2023, unsatisfied because the ADA had suffered no professional consequences and was continuing to prosecute her husband, Adrienne Rosse sent out another round of anonymous letters, enclosing the same pornographic photos, this time to local defense attorneys. Because of this harassment, the ADA left the Shelby County District Attorney’s office and moved from the Memphis area. Despite Adrienne Rosse’s attempts to destroy her career, the ADA has continued her career as a prosecutor in a new location.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 5, 2026 before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris of the Western District of Tennessee. Adrienne Rosse faces up to five years of incarceration, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Prosecutors seek justice every day without fear or favor on behalf of the public, and no person deserves to be victimized and retaliated against because of their public service occupation. The defendant’s attempt to destroy the distinguished career of an ADA is reprehensible, and we will seek a significant sentence in this case to deliver justice for the victim and hold this offender accountable.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).
Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Delery and Raven Icaza prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Federal Jury Convicts Massachusetts Man for Attempting to Sex Traffic a Minor at a Manchester HotelRead the Press Release
Federal Jury Convicts Massachusetts Man for Attempting to Sex Traffic a Minor at a Manchester Hotel
CONCORD – After a 4-day trial, a Haverhill, Massachusetts man was convicted by a federal jury for attempting to sex traffic a 12-year-old in a proactive federal and local law enforcement operation on November 14, 2024, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Ozeias Luiz Guilherme, age 40, was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. United States District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe ordered Guilherme detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for August 4, 2026.
On November 14 and November 15, 2024, in a proactive law enforcement operation, agents posted and monitored an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. The advertisement contained images of what appeared to be two minor females, and a contact phone number. Law enforcement agents monitored this line and used it to communicate with potential sex buyers, including Guilherme. During a text conversation between an undercover agent and Guilherme, the agent stated that she had a 12-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. The agent then provided Guilherme with the address of a hotel in Manchester. Once at the hotel, the defendant met with an undercover agent and confirmed that he was in possession of the agreed upon $100 to pay for the commercial sex act.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Vicinanzo and Matthew Hunter are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Convicts Ecuadorian for Threatening to Murder San Antonio Park RangerRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury in San Antonio convicted an Ecuadorian national for threatening to murder a federal official, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on or about July 24, 2023, Sergio Renato Tapia, 31, called the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and left a voicemail that included a violent threat to murder a National Park Service ranger. NPS rangers immediately recognized Tapia's voice and worked quickly with the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend him on July 26.
NPS rangers had previously encountered Tapia on numerous occasions at Mission Concepcion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to an active Catholic church, citing him several times for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. This week, in front of U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam, the jury unanimously found Tapia had intentionally communicated a threat to murder a federal official, rejecting Tapia's insanity defense after deliberating for one hour.
The NPS and USMS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Mangels is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Federal Indictment Charges Reputed Chicago Gang Member with Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A reputed member of a violent Chicago street gang has been indicted on a federal firearm charge for allegedly unlawfully possessing two firearms.
ALEXANDER MARTINEZ-QUIROZ, 35, of Chicago, possessed a rifle and handgun from December 2025 to April 2026, according to an indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. As a previously convicted felon, Martinez-Quiroz was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
A criminal complaint filed in the case alleges that Martinez-Quiroz fired three shots from the handgun while standing in front of a Chicago building on Dec. 18, 2025. While firing the shots, Martinez-Quiroz calls out that he is a member of the street gang, the complaint states. Martinez-Quiroz recorded himself firing the shots, and the government played the video at Martinez-Quiroz’s detention hearing in federal court. The video can be viewed here. [Note: You may need to download the video to see it properly. The download button is on the bottom right of the video, next to the volume button.]
Martinez-Quiroz was arrested on April 9, 2026. A U.S. Magistrate judge initially ordered him released from custody on bond, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office appealed to a U.S. District Court judge, who reversed the Magistrate judge’s ruling and granted the government’s motion for pre-trial detention. The defendant is now in federal custody pending trial.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
martinez-quiroz_indictment.pdf martinez-quiroz_complaint.pdfFederal Drug Charge for Gainesville ManRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Trai Williams, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Williams appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 27, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida.
If convicted, Williams faces 10 years to Life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Fayette County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Paul Jeremiah Buckner, 38, of Oak Hill, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 7, 2024, a law enforcement officer in Glade Creek conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Buckner was a passenger. The officer found that Buckner possessed a Taurus TPC .380-caliber pistol during the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Buckner admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possession the firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on January 14, 2014.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the National Park Service.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-58.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Osama Omar Qasem, 29, was sentenced on Thursday to 120 months by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of trafficking in firearms.
According to his plea agreement, from January to March 2025, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to conduct four controlled drug and firearm transactions from Qasem. Through the four transactions, Qasem sold the informant over 700 grams of methamphetamine and three firearms. After the fourth transaction, the informant contacted Qasem to set up a fifth controlled buy. When Qasem showed up for the transaction, law enforcement were waiting. Qasem was found with a loaded firearm in his car, equipped with a large capacity magazine. Law enforcement also located approximately 136. grams of cocaine and 237 grams of methamphetamine that Qasem admitted he was planning on distributing to others.
Under federal law, Qasem must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Fairfield County man faces federal charges after allegedly traveling to North Carolina to kidnap, sexually exploit 12-year-oldRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Federal charges were filed against a Bremen, Ohio, man who allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old North Carolina girl after meeting the minor online. The defendant was discovered with the victim in Ohio when he crashed his car into a median.
Virgil Larson, 45, is charged with kidnapping a minor and four other child exploitation or pornography crimes. He will appear in federal court today at 1:30pm.
According to charging documents, in early April, the FBI received information regarding a missing 12-year-old from North Carolina. Investigation revealed that Larson had been communicating with the victim on Snapchat and through text messages.
North Carolina law enforcement officials were still at the girl’s home investigating the missing person report when her parents received a call from the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office on the victim’s cell phone. Deputies confirmed that they were with the victim and that she had been in the front passenger seat of a vehicle being driven by Larson.
An affidavit details that Larson crashed his car into the median of Highway 33 near Hocking and Athens counties. Deputies were called to the single-vehicle crash and Larson claimed he had fallen asleep while driving and needed assistance getting his vehicle out of a ditch.
Larson allegedly told law enforcement officials that the victim was “just a friend” and that she was 18 years old. When the victim could not name her birth year, officers separated her from the defendant and learned she was 12 years old.
A forensic review of their online messages revealed that the victim was threatened and told others would be killed if the victim did not send a sexually explicit image.
Larson was arrested in Hocking County on local charges on April 7 and has remained in custody since.
His federal charges will supersede the local ones and include sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt or possession of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and kidnapping a minor. If convicted as currently charged, Larson would face up to life in prison. Larson is a sex offender with at least two prior related convictions.
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; Hocking County Sheriff Lanny E. North; and Stokes County, North Carolina, Sheriff Joey Lemons announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.
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Echelon Fitness Multimedia, LLC Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for $2,100,000Read the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Echelon Fitness Multimedia, LLC (Echelon), a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based company that sells connected fitness equipment, such as smart bikes, treadmills, and rowers and provides digital memberships that offer live and on-demand classes, agreed to settle allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) that the Company deceptively undervalued fitness equipment imported into the United States to lessen tariff obligations and other import assessments owed to the United States. Under the terms of the settlement, Echelon will pay at least $2,100,000 to resolve the FCA claims.
According to filed documents, it was alleged that from September 2019 through January 2023, Echelon knowingly submitted inaccurate invoices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that underreported the cost of equipment purchased from a China-based manufacturer-assembler and repeatedly failed to include the cost of computer tablets incorporated into packaged equipment shipped from China to the United States when declaring the total values of the imported equipment to CBP, improperly reducing tariffs and other import assessments.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of a case filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by a relator, Mr. Greg Dahlstrom. Under the whistleblower provisions a private party, known as a “relator,” can file an action on behalf of the United States and may receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Greg Dahlstrom v. Echelon Fitness Multimedia, LLC et al., Case No. 1:22-CV-222 (E.D. Tenn.) The relator will receive $420,000 of the proceeds from the settlement and possibly additional sums as permitted under the FCA.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan G. McGonigal and Alexa Ortiz Hadley for the Eastern District of Tennessee represented the United States, with assistance from DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating waste, fraud, and abuse impacting the United States and its agencies. One of the most powerful tools in this work is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to DHS at https://hotline.oig.dhs.gov/#step-1 or 800-323-8603.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Eastern District of Texas highlights child sexual abuse and sex trafficking convictions for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, 10 offenders sentenced to a total of 270 years in federal prison and one offender sentenced to LIFERead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs joins the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the Executive Office for the United States Attorneys (EOUSA) in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme is, “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities.”
“The dark web has exploded into an unprecedented underground world of perversion and horror,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “Predators are using the internet to facilitate the abuse of children, as well as adult sex trafficking. The cases below highlight our relentless work to protect children in the Eastern District of Texas and beyond. We are also committed to bringing those who are engaged in sex trafficking in the Eastern District of Texas to justice.”
In April 2026, Kyle Lee Roy Francis, a Northwest ISD teacher, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with receiving and possessing child pornography.
On March 19, 2026, Justin Philip Ciruti was convicted by a jury in Plano of possessing and distributing over 200 images of child pornography. Ciruti faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing.
On January 22, 2026, William McKinnley Garland and Anastasiya Claire Lyons were convicted at trial in a sex trafficking conspiracy that involved recruiting young women on social media sites, convincing them they could make a lot of money as models or escorts, and then forcing them into prostitution, which often included beatings, tasers, shock collars, frigid showers, unwanted tattoos, and acts of humiliation. Garland and Lyons face up to life in federal prison at sentencing.
On December 16, 2025, Rolando Alexis Bravo pleaded guilty to being involved in a conspiracy to transport children from Oklahoma to Texas where they engaged in prostitution with others. Bravo faces life in federal prison at sentencing.
In December 2025, Henry Alberto Calix-Martinez, an illegal alien, was indicted and charged with sexually exploiting a minor by producing and distributing child pornography.
In November 2025, Gavin Rivers Weisenburg and Tanner Christopher Thomas were indicted for an elaborate scheme to lead an expedition to an island in Haiti where they planned to murder the men and turn the women and children into sex slaves.
In November 2025, William Caleb Elliott, a Celina ISD teacher and coach, was indicted and charged with production of child pornography.
On October 21, 2025, John Prentice Robertson was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for paying women in the Philippines to sexually abuse their own children and produce custom-ordered child pornography for him.
On October 21, 2025, Ashley Blaine Brooks, a convicted sex offender, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for child pornography violations.
On October 21, 2025, Trinity Snow Cassells was sentenced to 170 months in federal prison for posing online as a teen boy to communicate with minors and distribute child pornography to them.
On August 26, 2025, Traylan Xavier Mosley was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for pretending online to be an attractive teenage girl in order to entice teen boys to send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Mosley then created online child porn packets which he advertised for sale to others.
In August 2025, John Matthew Emerson, a convicted felon on supervised release for a previous child pornography conviction, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with child pornography violations.
On July 30, 2025, Enrique Adrian Gomez was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for enticing two pre-teen victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct to create child pornography images and videos. At sentencing, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs said, “The ease with which Gomez was able to communicate with the minor victims here is a reminder of the constant threat that social media applications can pose to children. Under the guise of online friendship, Gomez persuaded these children to engage in adult acts that no child should be doing, let alone be doing online. Our office is committed to stopping criminals like Gomez in their tracks, but the most important tool to stop online predators is an active and engaged parent. Nothing protects children better than a parent who sets and enforces limits on a child’s online activities and actively monitors their social media presence.”
On July 29, 2025, James Richard Rollins, a parolee, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography at his halfway house.
On July 21, 2025, Tristan Kalobbe Martin was sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison for communicating with a minor while gaming through an on-line game console and convincing the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
On June 24, 2025, Sasha Sheree Abshire was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexually assaulting a pre-school age child, creating sexually explicit videos and photos of the abuse, and distributing the material online for pay.
On June 24, 2025, Fransisco Gonzalez was sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a minor girl. Gonzalez isolated the girl from her family under the guise of taking her to church, then used her to produce sexually explicit photos and videos, which he distributed to others.
On June 18, 2025, Desnique Deshawn Herndon was sentenced to life in federal prison for trafficking multiple teen girls, some as young as 13, for commercial prostitution.
On June 5, 2025, Zachary Arzola was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for traveling from Texas to Ohio to have sex with a child.
On May 19, 2025, Corey Lamar Johnson was convicted at trial of sex trafficking violations. Johnson trafficked young women across the United States and forced them into prostitution, often brandishing firearms and violently beating them when they objected. Johnson faces life in federal prison at sentencing.
Achieving justice for victims and protecting their rights is our highest duty, and we are honored to participate in the national observance of this special week to honor victims and victim advocates.
For additional information regarding National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and resources for victims, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/.
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Dubuque Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A prohibited person who possessed a gun was sentenced April 23, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison.
Nathan Frazier Stark, age 48, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 29, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
On January 24, 2024, officers searched defendant’s home in Dubuque, Iowa. During the search, officers found a revolver that had an obliterated serial number, Stark’s cell phone, and a bag containing approximately 2.35 grams of methamphetamine on a table in the kitchen. At the guilty plea, Stark admitted that he possessed the firearm after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
Stark was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Stark was sentenced to 37 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.
Stark 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-1004.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Driver Sentenced to Prison Term for His Role in the Killing of an Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daniel Bangura, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for charges stemming from the July 2023 shooting of 46-year-old Donald Childs, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Marks pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed on January 13, 2026. Bangura also pleaded guilty on that day to obstruction of justice. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson sentenced Bangura to the 66-month prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release. His co-defendant, Iesha Marks, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2026.
“Today’s sentencing reflects the serious consequences that come with participating in senseless violence,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The defendant may not have pulled the trigger, but he played an undeniable role in the death of an innocent man standing on his own street.”
According to the government’s evidence, at 2:43 p.m. on July 30, 2023, Bangura drove Marks to the 100 block of Farragut Street, NW. As they rode through a busy intersection, Marks extended her arm out of the front passenger window and fired multiple shots directly into Farragut Street, striking and killing Mr. Childs, who was standing on the sidewalk. Bangura sped away from the scene and drove Marks to Pennsylvania in order to dispose of the murder weapon.
Bangura has been in custody since he was indicted in May of 2025.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmin Emrani, who prosecuted the case.
2025 CF1 005760
District of Arizona Charges 288 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from April 17 through April 24, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 288 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 147 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 113 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 24 cases against 28 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Jesus Jose Alvarez-Ramirez. On April 24, 2026, Jesus Jose Alvarez-Ramirez was charged by criminal complaint with Bringing an Alien to the United States Unlawfully. On April 23, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent responded to a radio call about three individuals traveling near Dateland, Arizona. When the agent approached the group, which included Alvarez-Ramirez, another adult male, and an unaccompanied male juvenile, they were attempting to conceal themselves in brush to avoid detection. Agents determined that Alvarez-Ramirez acted as a foot guide for the group, bringing them from Mexico into the United States. They also learned that Alvarez-Ramirez’s fee for crossing was waived and that he would eventually receive payment for acting as a foot guide. It was determined the three individuals were citizens of Mexico, all unlawfully present in the United States. [Case number: 26-MJ-01328]
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-067_April 24, 2026, Immigration Enforcement
(note PR originally sent out as #068 to media)
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Department of Justice Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa join federal, state, and local communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services.
This year’s observance takes place April 19 to 25, 2026, and features the theme “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities.”
As part of this observance, the Southern District of Iowa recognizes the courage and bravery of victims, and the outstanding work of law enforcement, victim advocates, and community service partners throughout Iowa. The Southern District of Iowa would like to specifically recognize two individuals for their outstanding service to crime victims:
Award for Excellence in Victim Services
- Brittany Marshall, Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center (CIAC) of Adel, Iowa, nominated by the Ringold County Attorney’s Office.
Law Enforcement Victim Service Award
- Braeden Nielson, Fairfield Police Department, nominated by the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office.
“During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we highlight that achieving justice includes honoring the dignity and voices of victims. Our office remains committed to listening, advocating, and ensuring victims’ rights are respected at every stage of the process,” said United States Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa.
The 2026 Award for Excellence in Victim Services recognizes the performance of Victim Services Coordinator Brittany Marshall. As a member of Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center, Ms. Marshall serves victims across ten counties: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Guthrie, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor, and Union. Her victim-centered approach is described as widely respected, including a creative and persistent dedication to providing coordinated services in the rural counties she serves. She often provides victims after-hours assistance and consistent support through a variety of investigative steps. Ms. Marshall also provides training to law enforcement and county employees on identifying and assisting crime victims.
The 2026 Law Enforcement Victim Service Award recognizes Fairfield Police Department Officer Braeden Nielsen. Officer Neilsen graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 2023. His work is praised for exhibiting a level of dedication to justice and victim advocacy that far surpasses his tenure in law enforcement and transcendent of the traditional patrol officer responsibilities. Officer Neilsen’s work has had tangible impact on the Fairfield community, including accountability in kidnapping, sexual exploitation, and sex offender registry violation investigations.
The Southern District of Iowa would also like to recognize Charlotte Kovacs, who serves as the Supervisory Victim Witness Coordinator, and Katie Blanchard, who serve as a Victim Witness Specialist, for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa. Together Charlotte and Katie support victims and witnesses of crimes throughout the federal legal process. Charlotte and Katie are committed to ensuring that victims and witnesses are treated with fairness and respect while ensuring their voices are heard in the criminal Justice System.
For more information about Services and Victim Rights, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/victim-witness-assistance.
Defendant Pleads Guilty and Agrees to 20-Year Sentence for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – On April 20, 2026, Antonio D. Jackson, pleaded guilty to a four-count federal superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distributing methamphetamine with a co-defendant, Ivy S. Daniels. Jackson was scheduled for a jury trial that day but instead chose to plead guilty and accept a 20-year prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin W. Jackson of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division, Sheriff Jon Hayden of the Graves County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, federal and state partners began investigating Antonio D. Jackson, 39, of Paducah, Kentucky and others associated with him in March of 2024. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol investigators intercepted a package containing approximately 4 kilograms of methamphetamine in Louisville, Kentucky, addressed to a Mayfield, Kentucky, residence associated with Jackson. U.S. Postal Service employees also verified other shipments being made to the same address during the same time frame. On April 14, 2024, Jackson supplied co-defendant Ivy S. Daniels with approximately 210 grams of methamphetamine that was sold to investigators. Similarly, on April 16, 2024, Jackson supplied Daniels with 211 grams of methamphetamine that was then sold to investigators. Just after this sale, investigators arrested Jackson while he possessed approximately 106 grams of methamphetamine.
Sentencing is set for July 10, 2026. A federal district court judge will decide prior to sentencing whether to accept the parties’ plea agreement of a 20-year sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA, HSI, USPIS, Graves County Sheriff’s Office, McCracken County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Seth Hancock of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office prosecuted the case with assistance from paralegal Cristy Crockett.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Dayton man who allegedly participated in shootout at downtown bus hub arrested by federal agents for possessing machinegunRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – James Thomas Hurt, 25, of Dayton, was arrested by federal agents and charged with a firearms crime in connection with a shooting at the RTA bus hub in downtown Dayton in September 2025. Hurt appeared in federal court here this afternoon.
According to court documents, Hurt possessed a machinegun during the shooting at the bus hub during the morning of Sept. 26, 2025. Surveillance video allegedly showed Hurt being assaulted by other individuals before running and returning fire.
Hurt allegedly discarded his firearm in a trash can in a parking garage near East Fourth Street. Hurt later returned to the trash can, allegedly to locate his weapon, but it had already been seized by Dayton police officers.
Officers subsequently discovered additional evidence, including ammunition and Glock switches, or machinegun conversion devices, buried in an area near the RTA bus hub where Hurt was observed on surveillance digging shortly after the shooting.
At the time of his arrest yesterday evening, Hurt was allegedly in possession of 10 suspected machinegun conversion devices, two of which were swift links made for AR-type firearms.
Hurt is charged with illegal possession of a machinegun, a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Dallas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Federal Officer with Deadly Weapon and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Dallas man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and methamphetamine and heroin trafficking, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Angel Flores, 36, of Dallas, was sentenced on April 22, 2026, by United States District Judge Ed Kinkeade for assaulting a federal officer and conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
According to court records, Flores, and another individual, Andres Saucedo, Jr., 42, of Dallas, were involved in importing and trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin obtained from a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization. Court documents reveal that Flores sold undercover agents a kilogram of heroin for $7,200 in the Dallas area in late 2024. Flores, Saucedo, and others working with them continued selling kilogram quantities of methamphetamine to numerous other individuals from that time until Flores was arrested on May 21, 2025. The two even orchestrated the sale of two kilograms of methamphetamine on May 20, 2025, the day before Flores was apprehended by FBI SWAT.
During the investigation, according to court documents, agents discovered that Flores, Saucedo, and others plotted to rob another drug trafficker of 30 to 40 kilograms of methamphetamine on May 19, 2025. While surveilling Flores and Saucedo to prevent this robbery, Flores and Saucedo realized they were being followed and attempted to lure two federal agents to a place where other coconspirators in their group would ambush and shoot them. Before reaching the planned ambush location, Saucedo fired a gun at an undercover FBI Task Force Officer in one of the vehicles. The undercover officer was an FBI Task Force Officer with the Dallas Police Department who was working with the OCDETF North Texas Strike Force, now the Homeland Security Task Force.
“Angel Flores was not only a drug trafficker who poisoned our communities with massive amounts of deadly heroin and methamphetamine, he was also a predator in the violent business of robbing other narco-traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This predator of predators will spend the next 30 years extracted from our community.”
“Combatting violent crime and drug trafficking is the primary focus of the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force. The sentence imposed in this case underscores the seriousness of the defendant’s role in distributing large quantities of narcotics and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. The FBI will continue working with our partners to dismantle the infrastructure of drug trafficking organizations in our communities,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
“Yesterday’s sentence is an example of the serious consequences of dealing dangerous drugs and committing violent acts in our communities,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. “Mr. Flores will spend the next 30 years in federal prison for dealing dangerous drugs and assaulting a federal officer. DEA Dallas is committed to hold the rule of law and protect American lives. DEA and its Homeland Security Task Force law enforcement partners throughout the region will continue to investigate those who prey on the innocent in our communities and bring them to justice.”
This investigation was conducted by the OCDETF North Texas Strike force, now the Homeland Security Task Force, with Special Agents and Task Force Officers from DEA, FBI, HSI, the Dallas Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department and Coppell Police Department all participating. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney L. Coker prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting, the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
DEA to Host 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25thRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will host the 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at nearly 4,200 locations nationwide.
Twice a year, DEA joins forces with local law enforcement and community groups to host DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, giving the public a safe and anonymous way to dispose of expired and unused prescription medications. By getting rid of unnecessary medications in the home, families can help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental poisonings.
“DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is one of the most effective ways we can prevent addiction before it starts,” stated DEA New Jersey Field Division Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. “Too often, unused medications sit in medicine cabinets where they can be misused, stolen, or lead to accidental overdoses. By safely disposing of these medications, we are protecting our families and saving lives.”
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has been in effect since 2010, but the program was started in New Jersey in 2009 by the DEA New Jersey Field Division and their partners. This program has provided an easy and accessible way to dispose of medications that could pose a threat if misused. Over the past 16 years, National Prescription Take Back Day has removed more than 20 million pounds of unwanted medications from communities across the United States. New Jersey residents have surrendered more than 444,000 pounds of these medications.
Opioids, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine, are among the most misused prescription pain medications, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be securely sealed in their original container.
Syringes, sharps, or illicit drugs are not collected. To learn how to properly dispose of these items we encourage you to visit FDA.gov.
To find the Take Back Day location nearest you visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
For those unable to participate in this month’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are more than 16,500 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses that offer safe medication disposal year-round. In addition, many police departments also provide permanent drop boxes to ensure Every Day is Take Back Day.
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