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23 April 2026
Leader of Gun Dealing Ring Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison for Selling More Than 500 Guns in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jerrell Lawson, 35, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 17 years and five months in prison for his convictions for conspiracy to unlawfully deal in firearms, unlawfully dealing in firearms, transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident, unlawful mailing of a firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between November 2019 and March 2022, Lawson arranged to buy more than 500 firearms in Georgia and ship them into California, where his sub-distributors sold them on the streets. In total, Lawson and his co-conspirators paid more than $300,000 to purchase those firearms. Lawson would broker firearms transactions in Georgia over the internet, and co-defendant Malek Williams, a Georgia resident with a license to carry a concealed firearm, would pick up firearms in person and mail the firearms to various locations in California at Lawson’s direction. Some of the firearms went to individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. Some of the guns were also particularly dangerous: machine guns and guns with “drums” designed to hold dozens of rounds of ammunition.
The investigation began when a firearm used in a violent shooting in California was traced to Georgia, then to Lawson’s organization. Law enforcement learned Lawson and his co-conspirators used coded language to traffic firearms and moved money using a variety of financial institutions. During the investigation, interdicted packages destined for Lawson and other co-conspirators were found to contain firearms, ammunition, knives, and brass knuckles, among other things.
In August 2023, a grand jury charged Lawson and nine co-defendants with various firearms offenses relating to this interstate firearm dealing ring. All of Lawson’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Lawson pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2025.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force Initiative and a number of other state, local, and federal agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Justin Lee are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Sacramento is composed of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing ChecksRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Larceny. The sentencing took place on April 20, 2026.
Lyle Dean Misun Tibbits, 33, was sentenced to one year in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $9,880.00 in restitution.
Tibbits was indicted for Larceny by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 9, 2026.
In June 2025, Tibbits, while working on a ranch in Kyle, stole several blank checks belonging to his employer. Between June and July 2025, he unlawfully wrote several checks totaling nearly $10,000.00 to himself and another person and then cashed the checks and used the proceeds for his own personal gain.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Tibbits was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kenton County Man Sentenced for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Crestview Hills, Ky., man, William Clark, 70, was sentenced on Thursday to 63 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for receiving child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on July 13, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report that a man was taking photos of children in their swimsuits at a recreation center in Kenton County. Officers spoke to Clark who admitted that he possessed computer-generated depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and that he had downloaded the material from two websites. Clark consented to the search of his electronic devices and law enforcement found approximately 885 digital images and three digital videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement further found that hundreds of those files had been downloaded from websites including those the Defendant admitted visiting.
Under federal law, Clark 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 5 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); and Chief Mike Leming, Erlanger Police Department, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI and Erlanger Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to COVID FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty today 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.
Mark Crosby, 43, was the owner of a Missouri limited liability company called Crosby Auto LLC. On May 14, 2020, Crosby submitted a $71,417 PPP loan application on behalf of Crosby Auto. In the loan application, Crosby falsely stated that, in 2019, Crosby Auto had a monthly payroll of $28,567, and gross receipts of $736,928. In reality, Crosby Auto did not have that payroll or annual revenue.
Based on the fraudulent representations Crosby made in the PPP loan application, on June 2, 2020, $71,400 was transferred to Crosby Auto’s bank account.
Crosby was also the owner of a business called MSC & Sons Trucking LLC. MSC & Sons Trucking LLC applied for a $20,833.32 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The application stated the business had gross income of $131,848 in 2019. The application included a 2019 Schedule C which stated the business had gross receipts of $131,848, and contract labor expense of $69,129. The Schedule C was not filed with the IRS and MSC & Sons Trucking LLC did not have gross receipts or payroll in those amounts.
On May 5, 2021, MSC & Sons Trucking LLC’s account received the $20,833.32 PPP loan.
Under federal statutes, Crosby is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on a set of advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
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.
Justice Department Places FDA-Approved Marijuana Products and Products Containing Marijuana Subject to a Qualifying State-issued License in Schedule III, Strengthening Medical Research While Maintaining Strict Federal ControlsRead the Press Release
In accordance with President Trump’s December 18, 2025, Executive Order on Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research, the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today announced the issuance of an order immediately placing both FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by a state medical marijuana license in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, as well as the initiation of an expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. The new hearing, beginning June 29, 2026, will provide a timely and legally compliant pathway to evaluate broader changes to marijuana’s status under federal law. Together, these actions provide immediate and long-term clarity to researchers, patients, and providers alike while still maintaining strict federal controls against illicit drug trafficking.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is placing both FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana, and medicinal marijuana products subject to a qualifying state-issued license in Schedule III under his authority to reschedule drugs to carry out the United States’ obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This action recognizes the longstanding regulation of medical marijuana by state governments and the need for a common-sense approach to this reality.
“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”
“Under the direction of President Trump and Acting Attorney General Blanche, DEA is expeditiously moving forward with the administrative hearing process — bringing consistency and oversight to an area that has lacked both,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “Our men and women in law enforcement remain committed to fighting drug cartels, the fentanyl epidemic, and protecting American lives.”
Separately, the Department announced procedural updates to expedite the ongoing rulemaking process required to fully remove marijuana from Schedule I and place it into Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.
Under the prior administration, a notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal Register on May 21, 2024, followed by a notice of hearing on August 29, 2024. Upon further review, the DEA is withdrawing the prior notice of hearing and terminating those proceedings in order to move more efficiently toward the completion of marijuana’s complete redesignation. This action will accelerate the administrative process, include firm deadlines, and allow DEA to proceed in the most expeditious manner consistent with federal law.
DEA will hold a new administrative hearing beginning June 29, 2026, regarding the proposed rescheduling of marijuana. A new notice of hearing is being published in the Federal Register to govern these proceedings and facilitate a timely resolution of the rulemaking.
Today’s order is reflective of the Department of Justice’s continued dedication to common-sense policies and the prioritization of the safety and well-being of all Americans.
Jury Convicts Mexican National of Federal Immigration ViolationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An illegal alien has been convicted of illegally reentering the United States.
According to evidence introduced at trial, Jaime Cruz-Hernandez, 37, was stopped and arrested on Jan. 6, 2026, by the Grandview, Mo. Police Department for driving while intoxicated. It was then determined that Cruz-Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally, after having been previously deported to Mexico in 2019.
Under federal statutes, Cruz-Hernandez is subject to a sentence of up to two years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began on April 22, 2026.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Viet Le. It was investigated by Grandview, Missouri Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Homeland Security Investigation.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Anthony Flowers, 59, of Jackson, has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
In September 2025, an internal auditor with Gerdau Long Steel of North America discovered that an employee in its Jackson office was downloading large data files to his work computer. Using data loss prevention software, the auditor was able to determine that Flowers was the employee in question. The auditor found that Flowers had downloaded 90 data files over the previous week, at least nine of which contained blatant child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The auditor determined that Flowers utilized his work laptop at his residence and offloaded the data files to an external hard drive. The auditor subsequently notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about the incident.
A search warrant for Flowers’s residence in Jackson was later obtained and executed. During the search, Flowers agreed to speak with FBI agents regarding his activities. Flowers admitted to viewing CSAM on his work computer and transferring the material to an external hard drive, which he later deleted from the hard drive. FBI agents in Tampa, Florida were able to meet the auditor at Gerdau’s office in that area and obtained a thumb drive containing many of the files located during the internal audit.
Upon reviewing the files, FBI agents discovered that Flowers had downloaded 40 images and nine videos that contained blatant CSAM, including images of prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct, material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, and material that portrayed the sexual abuse or exploitation of infants and toddlers.
Following Flowers’s guilty plea to a one-count criminal information charging him with possession of child pornography in November 2025, United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Flowers to 78 months in prison and five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Judge Anderson also ordered that Flowers pay a special assessment in the amount of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Let this sentence serve notice on those who use the internet and electronic means to access materials that exploit, abuse, and victimize minor children: You cannot hide, we will track you down, and you will be held accountable for such disturbing and predatory criminal conduct."
This case was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jackson Police Department, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Illegal alien indicted for attempting to coerce a minor into prostitutionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging an illegal alien from Guatemala for allegedly trying to lure a minor into engaging in criminal sexual conduct.
According to court documents, Nicolas Perez-Paxtor, 40, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation and one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
In February 2026, Perez-Paxtor is accused of attempting to persuade or coerce a minor under the age of 18 years old to engage in prostitution.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are investigating the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Ramiro Erik Flores-Hernandez, 44, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on four counts of distribution of cocaine and two counts of attempt to commit possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Samuel Juarez-Leal, 23, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Luis Luna-Magdaleno, 51, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on one count of reentry by a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Inocencio Rodriguez-Antonio, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on one count of reentry by a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Juventino Hernandez-Zalazar, 37, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Dennis D. Dees, 39, of WaKeeney was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.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 England Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Entering the United States Without InspectionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A citizen of the United Kingdom pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States without inspection.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Ali Mohammed Ali Abdullah, 18, to time served. Abdullah will be turned over to immigration authorities for removal proceedings.
According to court records, Abdullah and three other men walked through the heavily wooded border between Quebec and Franklin County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their point of entry was within a few hundred yards of the Saint Zacharie, Maine port of entry that was manned by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (“OFO”). Upon exiting the woods, Abdullah and his companions began walking down the Golden Road heading east.
Passersby in the area reported to an OFO agent seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road. The OFO agent reported the sighting to the U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) station in Jackman. A USBP agent and an OFO agent responded to the area of the sighting, located the four men and took them into custody without incident. When questioned about their citizenship, Abdullah and his three companions stated they were citizens of the United Kingdom. The four were subsequently transported back to the Jackman Border Patrol station. Further investigation revealed that Abdullah had entered the country unlawfully to secure work in the U.S.
USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien Who Possessed a Dangerous Weapon in Cook County Jail and Committed an Attempted Vehicular Hijacking Indicted for Allegedly Unlawfully Re-Entering U.S. After DeportationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien who resided in a Chicago suburb has been indicted on a federal immigration charge for allegedly unlawfully re-entering the United States after a deportation.
An indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges HECTOR DANIEL GAMBOA-MANTALVO, 30, with one count of unlawful re-entry after deportation and removal. Gamboa-Mantalvo pleaded not guilty to the charge during his arraignment on Tuesday in federal court in Chicago. A status hearing is set for May 27, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt.
Gamboa-Mantalvo, a Mexican national who resided in Palatine, Ill., was removed from the United States in July 2020, the indictment states. During the arraignment hearing on Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman advised the Court that Gamboa-Mantalvo was discovered in the United States in 2023 when he was arrested for committing an attempted vehicular hijacking in Palatine. He was convicted of that offense and has been serving a five-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections. While in pre-trial custody in that case, Gamboa-Mantalvo possessed a dangerous weapon in the Cook County Jail. He was later convicted of a weapons offense and sentenced to a concurrent term of four years in state custody.
Gamboa-Mantalvo waived his right to a detention hearing on the federal charge and has been ordered into federal custody. The unlawful re-entry charge is punishable by up to twenty years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Defendants convicted of this offense are subject to deportation.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Among other priorities, the HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
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.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Selling Firearms and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Carver, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling four firearms as well as fentanyl in 2024.
Talles Provette De Faria, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Angel Kelley to 32 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In December 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license, one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was charged by criminal complaint in September 2024.
On two dates between April and September 2024, Provette De Faria met with a cooperating witness in Eastern Massachusetts and sold a total of four firearms. In addition, Provette De Faria communicated with the cooperating witness on other dates about other firearms and also sold the cooperating witness fentanyl.
Specifically, on April 24, 2024, Provette De Faria sold two 9mm pistols and ammunition in exchange for cash at a Home Depot parking lot in Plymouth. Later, on May 15, 2024, Provette De Faria sold fentanyl to a cooperating witness at a parking lot in Barnstable.
On subsequent dates, Provette De Faria continued to send pictures and videos to the cooperating witness showing firearms – both pistols and rifles – and offering them for sale. This continued across several dates and into June. On several occasions, Provette De Faria indicated that he had an out-of-state source of supply for firearms.
On Sept. 19, 2024, before he was arrested by authorities, Provette De Faria sold a pistol, a rifle, as well as a 30-round magazine loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition to the cooperating witness in Plymouth. The pistol had previously been reported as stolen:
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Plymouth, Barnstable and New Bedford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Reynolds and Michael J. Crowley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Huntington Man Ordered to Pay $347,038.02 in Restitution for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Robert Elsten, 57 years old, of Huntington, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Fraud and False Statements, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Elsten was sentenced to time served, followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $347,038.02 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, Robert Elsten owned and operated Global Paving, LLC, a family-owned asphalt paving company. Elsten’s customers routinely paid Elsten by check for paving work. Elsten would then deposit some of those checks into the business bank account. Other checks received by Elsten for paving work were cashed by Elsten at various check cashing facilities. Elsten then failed to report on his taxes all gross income earned from Global Paving, LLC.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Lengthy Prison Sentences for Two Mexican Nationals Convicted of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation has resulted in lengthy prison sentences for two Mexican nationals for trafficking illicit drugs into Charlotte and elsewhere. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that the defendants were members of a drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Leonardo Sandoval-Ocampo, 26, of Mexico, who is illegally present in the United States, was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and distribution of methamphetamine. Gerardo Agustin Salinas-Isais, 43, who was a non-citizen legally residing in the United States, was sentenced to 135 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Both defendants will also be removed from the United States after they complete their respective prison sentences.
“We talk about cartels all the time – this case is an example of how real the threat is,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This case shows that cartels like Sinaloa are in our communities. The Homeland Security Task Force is dedicated to the complete elimination of cartels like Sinaloa, and this case is an important step in achieving that goal. These defendants will now spend more than a decade in federal prison and then be removed from the country.”
According to filed documents and court proceedings, from November 2022 through May 2023, Sandoval-Ocampo and Salinas-Isais were members of Mexico-based drug trafficking organization. During that time, Sandoval-Ocampo was a drug distributor for the organization, responsible for delivering multi-kilogram quantities of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, for further distribution locally. Over the course of the investigation, Sandoval-Ocampo made or coordinated multiple drug deliveries to investigators working in an undercover capacity. Upon his arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sandoval-Ocampo’s residence in Lexington, N.C., where they seized methamphetamine, marijuana, and firearms, including a rifle and two semi-automatic pistols. The residence of an individual Sandoval-Ocampo directed to make deliveries was also searched, resulting in the seizure of 1.8 kilograms of pills pressed with fentanyl. Based on his part in the conspiracy, Sandoval-Ocampo was held accountable for more than four kilograms of methamphetamine.
Salinas-Isais worked for the organization as a local distributor. In April 2023, Salinas-Isais distributed approximately 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. In May 2023, law enforcement stopped Salinas-Isais’s vehicle while he was traveling from Atlanta into Western North Carolina. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found a bag containing nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine and 355 grams of cocaine that Salinas-Isais possessed with the intent to distribute to others.
Sandoval-Ocampo and Salinas-Isais will remain in federal custody until they are transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
This was an investigation led by the HSTF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an 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 CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP), United States ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the North Carolina Insurance Bureau, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the Nash Count Sheriff’s Office, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick Count Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Kannapolis Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Huntersville Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Pineville Police Department, the Stallings Police Department, the Kings Mountain Police Department, the Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Anderson City Police Department, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Airport Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Summerville Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s office, the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Eden Police Department, the Piedmont Triad Internal Airport Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of North and South Carolina.
Holly youth soccer coach indicted by federal grand jury for transporting a minor from Ohio to Michigan to engage in criminal sexual activityRead the Press Release
FLINT – A Holly, Michigan youth soccer coach has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity and coercion and enticement of a minor, announced Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
Charged was Chason Pointer, 42, of Grand Blanc, Michigan.
According to court records, Pointer preyed on a minor child online and then traveled across state lines in the middle of the night to transport the child from the child’s northern Ohio home to a Michigan hotel to sexually abuse the child. Further investigation revealed that Pointer had traveled to Ohio previously to sexually assault the child and discussed this activity with the child through a social media messaging platform.
On April 10, 2026, a federal magistrate judge in Flint held a bond hearing and detained Pointer pending trial based on clear and convincing evidence that no set of bond conditions could ensure the community’s safety with Pointer in it.
Pointer pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. The magistrate judge continued Pointer’s detention pending trial on the charges.
“Creeps lurk online and prey on our children. They want to hurt them just as this man allegedly did. And we are in a race to stop these monsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon.
“Those who exploit children and transport them across state lines should know we will find them and ensure they are held accountable for their actions,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The acts described in this indictment are disturbing. The child in this case was specifically targeted, posing a danger to the minor and to our communities across both states. I am grateful to the members from our FBI Flint Resident Agency for their work in this case, alongside the critical partnership with the Fenton Police Department and Sylvania Township (Ohio) Police Department. FBI Detroit will continue to use every resource available to identify and stop those who prey on children.”
If you have any information that may be relevant to this investigation and/or if you have a child who may have relevant information through the child’s contact with Pointer as a youth soccer coach in the Holly, Michigan area, please contact: Detroit FBI Field Office at 313-965-2323 or send email to tips.fbi.gov.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Flint office investigated this case with significant assistance from the Fenton Police Department and Sylvania Township (Ohio) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Grant Newman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent. The burden is on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Healthcare Worker at Detention Facilities Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Neery Velazquez admitted in federal court today that while he was a healthcare worker at U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention facilities in San Diego County, he submitted almost $250,000 in false travel claims for reimbursement.
Velazquez, who worked for a government contractor, pleaded guilty to a single count of False Claim. He is scheduled to be sentenced before District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo on July 14, 2026.
Contractor employees are eligible to request reimbursement of their lodging, meal and incidental expenses when they are on “Temporary Duty” (TDY) travel more than 50 miles from the employee’s permanent home.
The defendant was hired in January 2020 to work as a “traveler” performing contracted services for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) away from his permanent home in Las Vegas. In 2021, however, the defendant moved his permanent home to San Diego, making him ineligible for reimbursement for travel expenses.
According to his plea agreement, between 2021 and 2024, Velazquez submitted approximately 35 monthly travel claims to his employer and falsely attested that he was entitled to reimbursement of his lodging, meal, and incidental expenses because he was on TDY travel.
Velazquez also admitted he submitted forged documents to inflate and support his purported monthly expenses. This included a forged month-to-month lease agreement with a fake landlord, along with a forged rental receipt signed by the fake landlord, to make it appear as if he was paying thousands of dollars more for rent of a supposed temporary home each month than he was actually paying for his permanent residence.
In total, Velazquez submitted approximately $244,019.48 in false travel claims for reimbursement. CBP reimbursed approximately $181,082.85 of that amount before it discovered discrepancies in the submitted travel claims.
This case stemmed from an investigation led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Finance, Investment Analysis Office. The investigation revealed that nearly a third of the contractor’s 100 employees on TDY status in the San Diego area were committing some form of travel benefits fraud. Investigators determined that such employees had submitted more than $1.59 million in false travel claims to their employer for reimbursement, which CBP later reimbursed. CBP offset the loss by withholding funds payable to the contractor based on findings of false claims.
The investigation and subsequent scrutiny also resulted in a reduction in travel claims submitted by the contractor to CBP. Notably, the submitted claims decreased from an average of $3.9 million per month in calendar year 2023 to $3.1 million per month in calendar year 2024, resulting in a cost avoidance of approximately $9.6 million.
“Every dollar stolen through fraudulent travel claims is a dollar taken directly from the pockets of hardworking taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We stand committed to preserving a government that stewards the public’s money wisely and protects it from wrongdoers.”
“This guilty plea sends a strong message that those who attempt to defraud the government and American taxpayer will be identified and held accountable for their actions,” said Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “We appreciate the coordination with our law enforcement partners in their actions to exact justice for these crimes.”
“This plea agreement highlights CBP OPR’s ongoing commitment to accountability and integrity, said Jeffrey Egerton, Acting Executive Director of the Investigative Operations Directorate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility. “Today’s resolution reaffirms our duty to protect taxpayers and ensure those who misuse government funds are held accountable.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26-cr-1544-CAB
Neery Velazquez Age: 31 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Claim – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 287
Aiding and Abetting, Title 18, U.S.C. Section 2
Maximum penalties: Five years in prison and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Finance
Harvey Man Guilty of Coercing Three Minors into Sending Him Sexually Explicit Images and Distributing and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – LANCE ROTOLO, JR. (“ROTOLO”), age 20, a resident of Harvey, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, this investigation began when the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned of an online chat on a social media platform that an online covert employee had with an individual, subsequently determined to be ROTOLO. In the chat, ROTOLO sent images that appeared to constitute child sexual abuse material and made a series of concerning statements. Thereafter, agents executed a search warrant on ROTOLO’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant, agents seized numerous electronic items, including an iPhone belonging to ROTOLO.
A subsequent forensic review of ROTOLO’s iPhone revealed that ROTOLO used the iPhone on multiple occasions between in or around December 2024 and in or around March 2025, to take approximately three (3) photos and two (2) videos of Victim 1, a minor female, while Victim 1 was unclothed in a bathroom. ROTOLO took the pictures surreptitiously, without Victim 1’s knowledge or authorization.
The review of ROTOLO’s iPhone also determined that between January 2025 and February 2025, ROTOLO met Victim 2, a minor female, though a social media service. ROTOLO pretended to be a minor-aged male. During their correspondence, at ROTOLO’s request, ROTOLO and Victim 2 engaged in sexually explicit conduct via video calls. On numerous dates, ROTOLO demanded that Victim 2 engage and continue to engage in sexually explicit conduct while on video calls with him, at least some of which he recorded without Victim 2’s consent. When Victim 2 expressed reluctance and explained to ROTOLO that Victim 2 had previously been the victim of sexual assault, which ROTOLO was “making [] worse,” ROTOLO threatened Victim 2 by stating he would send sexually explicit photos and videos he had obtained of Victim 2 to Victim 2’s social media friends and contacts. ROTOLO’s iPhone also contained evidence that between December 2024 and January 2025, ROTOLO engaged in a similar extortionate scheme to obtain sexually explicit depictions of Victim 3, a minor female born in February 2010.
Finally, ROTOLO’s iPhone revealed that ROTOLO knowingly used his cellular phone to search for, download, save, and distribute at least fifty (50) images and twenty-three (23) videos depicting the sexual victimization of children on numerous dates between November 2024 and April 2025. Some of the children depicted in the digital files were as young as approximately less than one (1) year old at the time the child sexual abuse material was created.
ROTOLO faces a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years in prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment. ROTOLO further faces at least five years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. He may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Fallon has been scheduled for July 23, 2026, at 2:00 pm.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Criminal Division, is in charge of the prosecution.
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Possessing Firearms as A FelonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Aqudre Quailes, age 28, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 10 years’ imprisonment for possessing multiple firearms as a previously convicted felon. The Court also ordered a 3-year term of supervised release to follow the term of imprisonment.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in December 2020, an arrest warrant was issued for Quailes after he absconded from state parole. In March 2021, Quailes was found in a Harrisburg residence with two loaded handguns, including one with an extended magazine. Law enforcement also found inside the residence loose ammunition and crack cocaine. Quailes had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including drug trafficking.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Harrisburg City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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Hardin County Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Child Enticement and Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – James Daniel McGee, 36, of Savannah, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for using the internet to entice a minor to engage in criminal sexual acts from July to November 2024, and for committing that offense while being required to register as a sex offender under Tennessee law. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
In May 2013, McGee was convicted of solicitation of a minor and exploitation of a minor by electronic means in Hardin County, Tennessee. As a result of those convictions, he was required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Tennessee law for at least 10 years. In September 2024, McGee was removed from the Tennessee sex offender registry following his petition for removal after he completed the requisite 10-year registry period. However, it was later learned that in July 2024, McGee began communicating via social media applications and text messages with a 15-year-old minor female who resided in Campbell, Missouri.
The investigation revealed that in August 2024, McGee traveled from his residence in Savannah to the minor female’s residence in Missouri and engaged in sexual acts with her. Later, in November 2024, McGee traveled to Missouri again, picked up the minor female near her home, and then traveled back to Savannah where the two again engaged in sexual activity at McGee’s home.
Officers with the Savannah Police Department ultimately found the minor female in McGee’s home. She was interviewed and told the police that she met McGee on Facebook earlier that year, that McGee asked her to send him nude photos and videos of herself, and that she complied because he told her that he would get her into “deep trouble” if she did not. She also confirmed the McGee videotaped them having sexual intercourse at his home in Savannah.
Following his guilty plea to the above charges, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced McGee to 35 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. McGee is also facing several state charges in Hardin County and in Dunklin County, Missouri for his conduct in this case.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “With the proliferation of cell phones and social media, vulnerable children are at a high risk of solicitation and enticement for sex. This office will always aggressively prosecute and seek significant and mandatory sentences for such recidivist and predatory behavior in order to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
This case was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Campbell, Missouri Police Department, and the Dunklin County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates
Hampton trio pleads guilty in a $3.6M Treasury check schemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Three conspirators from Hampton pled guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
According to court documents, Katie Anne Keller, 44; Christopher Allen Lee Krall, 34; and David Henry Graham, 53, along with other co-conspirators, obtained checks issued by the U.S. Treasury intended for various residents of New York state without the knowledge or consent of the victims. Using fraudulent identification documents, Keller, Krall, and Graham opened bank accounts in the names on the Treasury checks. They would then deposit the checks, withdraw the funds, and share them among the co-conspirators.
From August 2023 to January 2024, the conspirators deposited or attempted to deposit more than 12 forged U.S. Treasury checks totaling approximately $3,600,177.
Keller was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 25, 2024, when she and Graham attempted to open a bank account using the PII and fraudulent identification of two victims. Keller continued the scheme after her arrest. In April 2025, Keller opened an account at a bank in Tennessee and deposited a $10,047 Treasury check. Keller also was on site at a bank in Alabama with co-conspirators who attempted a similar scheme in September 2025.
On October 28, 2025, the FBI searched Keller’s residence in Hampton and recovered approximately 25 sets of identity documents in the names of different individuals, packaged with credit cards, social security cards, and sometimes financial or other identification documents from 10 different states. The documents were packaged with approximately 18 apparent burner phones. When Graham was arrested, he was in possession of two different fraudulent identity documents.
Keller is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.
Krall is scheduled to be sentenced on AUG. 6 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.
Graham is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-115.
Gardner Man Charged with Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gardner man has been charged with possessing fentanyl intended for distribution.
Jason Page, 41, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Page was arrested on April 15, 2026 and remains in custody following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester earlier today.
According to the charging documents, in the spring of 2024, an investigation began into Page for alleged drug trafficking activities. A search of Page’s apartment in Gardner and his storage locker in Leominster were in January 2026 and allegedly resulted in the discovery of more than $29,000 in suspected drug proceeds, digital scales, psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana in his apartment. More than 60 grams of fentanyl pills, more than 47 grams of fentanyl powder, more than 95 grams of cocaine, more than 240 grams of methamphetamine and more than 60 grams of MDMA were allegedly found in his storage unit.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a no less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Gardner Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Fresno Man Indicted for Cocaine and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Maurice Hackett, 49, of Fresno, charging him with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a felon, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
According to court documents, on March 25, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search of Hackett’s residence after detectives observed multiple social media posts, by a person later identified as Hackett, that contained pictures of additional firearms and narcotics, as well as boasts about robbing others for drugs. In his residence, officers located a loaded handgun with a high-capacity magazine and more than a pound and a half of cocaine, as well as a scale and pay/owe sheets that are used to track who owes money. Hackett is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions in Fresno County and in the U.S. District Court in Fresno for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Hackett faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison as well as a $5 million fine. If convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, he faces a mandatory minimum and consecutive sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
Fresno County Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Guillermo Catzalco, 47, of Firebaugh, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Catzalco was found to be in possession of a Glock-style privately manufactured handgun, an AR-style privately manufactured rifle, a disassembled North American Arms Inc. .22-caliber revolver, extended-capacity firearm magazines, tools consistent with firearm manufacturing, and ammunition of various calibers. Catzalco is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions in Stanislaus County including, assault with a deadly weapon, vehicle theft, burglary, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Firebaugh Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Karp is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Catzalco faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
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. Law enforcement 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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Fort Worth Federal Jury Convicts Keller Man for Firearm Crime at DFW AirportRead the Press Release
A Fort Worth federal jury convicted a Keller man of a firearm crime at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Following a three-day trial, the jury convicted Xavier Lamar Mottley, also known as Xavier Thomas, 44, of Keller, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“DFW is one of the largest and busiest airports in the world, and as the North Texas area continues to grow, it is important that we remain vigilant to keep the millions of people who travel through our airports annually safe. I am committed to investigating and prosecuting any case that impacts the safety of our North Texas residents who use and travel through our airports,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Congratulations to the trial team and the agents who worked tirelessly for the defendant to be held accountable.”
“Through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners, we were able to identify and seize an unsecured firearm. This quick response ensured the safety of all those who traverse DFW Airport,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
According to evidence presented at trial, on July 24, 2024, while at DFW Airport, Mottley checked in a bag under the name of his minor daughter containing an unsecured and loaded Sig Sauer pistol. The jury heard that after authorities with the Transportation Security Administration and DFW Airport Department of Public Safety confronted him, Mottley lied about his felony status and weaved a story initially claiming, then disclaiming, his ownership of the gun.
The jury also heard evidence that Mottley had two prior felony convictions, a federal conviction for access device fraud and a state conviction for theft of property valued over $1,500. Mottley and his wife testified that the gun belonged to his wife and that she had forgotten to remove it from the backpack after taking a trip the year prior.
Mottley is set for sentencing on August 7, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, who presided over the trial. Mottley faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and DFW Airport Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Transportation Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric B. Chen and Matt Capoccia prosecuted this case.
Former Velda City Police Chief / City Administrator Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Stealing $307,100 in City FundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Thursday sentenced the former police chief and city administrator of Velda City, Missouri to 27 months in prison for stealing $307,100 in city funds.
Judge Stevens also ordered Daniel Paulino, 52, to repay $248,929 to the city, as some of the money was recovered.
Paulino was appointed to the city administrator position in 2021. He was police chief until the department was dissolved in 2024, earning a salary of approximately $95,000 for the dual role. During an almost four-year period from 2021 to 2024, Paulino stole from the city in multiple ways:
- Paulino caused three city checks totaling $1,800 to be fraudulently issued to him.
- Paulino caused about 20 direct deposits totaling $30,667 in city funds, purportedly for additional payroll, to be deposited into his personal bank account without the knowledge or approval of other city officials.
- On 17 occasions, Paulino used a city credit card to transfer a total of $37,500 in city funds to two businesses owned by Paulino and his spouse.
- He caused about 55 direct deposits of $54,693 in Velda City funds, purportedly for his spouse’s payroll, to be sent to his personal bank account.
- Paulino used a city credit card, city checks and ACH transactions to pay for his personal expenses, including a $25,500 check for a 2007 International tow truck that he used in his private towing business.
Paulino admitted using the money for travel, automobiles, pool supplies, utilities at his personal residence and food and beverage charges.
“The City’s police chief, sworn to serve the citizens and the community, turned out to be a thief, stealing from the very community and people he was charged with protecting,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said in court. “While receiving a generous salary and benefits in his two city positions,” Paulino took advantage of those positions and defrauded a city where the “estimated 1,250 residents have a median household income which is 30% lower than the State of Missouri," he wrote in a sentencing memo.
In a victim impact statement, Velda City Mayor Derrick Gill wrote that Paulino was “the most powerful appointed official in our local government” with “unchecked access to virtually every aspect of City government.” The losses caused by Paulino were “devastating,” Gill wrote, and destroyed citizens’ trust in city officials and city employees’ morale. He created a hostile work environment for police officers while “depleting the funds needed to properly staff and equip the department,” triggering the department’s abrupt dissolution, he wrote.
“Daniel Paulino didn’t mastermind a sophisticated scheme; he abused the trust placed in him and exploited a lack of oversight. As the city’s financial gatekeeper, he used taxpayer funds for personal expenses, including vacations, vehicles, and even repairs to his swimming pool,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “He stole from a community where one in five residents lives below the poverty line. The people of Velda City deserve accountability and a system that prevents this kind of corruption from happening again.”
Paulino pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November to two counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith prosecuted the case.
Former Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice a 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Tony Leroy Bartley, Jr. (38, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 10 years in federal prison for using the internet to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Bartley was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. He pleaded on January 27, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made this announcement.
At the time of his arrest in this case, Bartley was working as a pre-kindergarten teacher at a school in Ponte Vedra Beach.
According to court documents, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation on a social media application to identify adults who were seeking to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. On July 25, 26, and 29, 2025, UC and app user “keven,” subsequently identified as Bartley, exchanged several private online messages on the app and by text messaging. After UC advised Bartley that the “child” was 13 years old, Bartley suggested that they engage in sexual activity. Bartley provided graphic descriptions of the sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child.” He also sent an explicit photo of himself to the “child.”
On August 5, 2025, Bartley was arrested by FBI agents. During an interview with agents, Bartley admitted that he had recently communicated online with a girl who was “underage” and that he had discussed having sex with the “child.” Bartley added, “I should have stopped at 13 [years-old], and that’s on me.” Bartley also admitted sending the explicit photo to the “child,” adding, “I’m going away for a long time.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Massachusetts Woman Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining More than $100,000 in COVID-19 Rental Assistance Funds in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Minnesota woman, formerly of Holliston, Mass., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with her fraudulent receipt of emergency rental assistance funds intended to provide housing assistance for individuals unable to pay rent due to a financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yvonette Joseph, 45, of Minneapolis, Minn., was indicted on two counts of theft of government money and two counts of unlawful monetary transactions. The defendant was previously charged by criminal complaint in August 2025 and released on conditions.
According to the charging documents, in or about November 2021, Joseph received more than $100,000 in Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds from the California Department of Housing & Community Development, the administrator of the ERA program for the state of California, after purported tenants submitted applications identifying Joseph as the landlord of a property in Los Angeles. Upon receipt of the funds, Joseph allegedly moved the funds from one bank account she controlled to another account she controlled, before wiring some of the funds to a bank account in Nigeria and wiring other funds to a cryptocurrency exchange – a digital marketplace where users can buy, sell and trade cryptocurrency.
In 2021, Congress established the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program to provide financial assistance to eligible low-income households to cover the costs of rent, rental arrears, utilities and other house-related expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The charges of theft of government money and unlawful monetary transactions each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, forfeiture and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Loren J. Sciurba, Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Florida man has been indicted on child exploitation charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A four-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court charges Kyle David Dudick, 36, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida with production of child pornography, attempted production of child pornography, transfer of obscene material to minors, and distribution of child pornography. The incidents allegedly occurred in August 2025 in Jefferson County, Alabama. On April 16, 2026, Dudick was arrested in South Carolina.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. Reports can be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Five Admit Role in St. Louis Area Mail TheftRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Five people have admitted involvement in the theft of mail from St. Louis area collection boxes.
Roderick Orlandez Walker, 26, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Thursday to one count of conspiracy, two counts of mail theft and one count of possession of stolen mail. He admitted involvement in the purchase of an arrow key from a mail carrier in the Marine Villa neighborhood in south St. Louis on July 20, 2023. Arrow keys are used to unlock mail collection boxes. Investigators traced the car the group was driving to a rental car company and learned that Marissa Diane Worthen and Walker rented it. Walker was armed at the time of the car rental. Evidence showed that Worthen, Walker and Yahtis Niquae Bailey were present at the arrow key purchase.
Walker also admitted being present when mail was stolen from a collection box in Ladue, Missouri on July 25, 2023. On Oct. 12, 2023, he used an arrow key to steal mail from a collection box in Frontenac, Missouri.
U.S. Postal Inspectors tracked the vehicle used by Walker and others to an Airbnb in the 5500 block of Chippewa Street in St. Louis, then followed the vehicle to a restaurant. Walker, Tommy Earl Kilbert and another person were in the car, where they also found an arrow key that had been reported lost by the Jennings, Missouri Post Office between June and July of 2023.
A subsequent court-approved search of the Airbnb found checks that had been stolen from the mail in various locations, a book of blank business-style checks and Walker’s laptop, which contained check-writing software and messages about altering checks. Forensic examinations of the laptop and multiple cell phones used by the group revealed hundreds of images of checks believed to have been stolen from the mail. The total face value of the checks exceeded $2.2 million. Two company checks stolen from the mail in Brentwood were altered to be payable to two people in Florida and were cashed, costing the company $38,576.
Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21. He faces up to five years in prison for each count and will be ordered to pay restitution.
Worthen, 38, of Atlanta, was sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and stealing keys adopted by the Post Office. Bailey, 26, of the Atlanta suburbs, was sentenced to 15 months on charges of conspiracy, stealing keys adopted by the Post Office and mail theft. Roderick Henry Gaines, Jr., 24, also of the Atlanta suburbs, was sentenced to 12 months and a day on the conspiracy charge. All three were ordered to pay restitution of $5,680
Kilbert, 27, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 12 months and a day for conspiracy, stealing keys adopted by the Post Office, possession of stolen mail and mail theft. His restitution is $39,786.
This U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Frontenac Police Department and the Ladue Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torrie Scheider and Donald Boyce are 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.
First Liberty president charged with multi-million-dollar Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Edwin Brant Frost IV, former president of the now-defunct, Newnan, Georgia-based First Liberty Building & Loan LLC (“First Liberty”), was arraigned today on a federal charge of wire fraud for orchestrating a massive, multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme.
“Frost abused the trust of his clients, family, and friends by allegedly soliciting investors with promises of sizable returns, while knowing the money raised would instead be used for his personal expenses and to pay early investors to maintain the illusion of profits,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “With assistance from our law enforcement partners, we will pursue, prosecute, and punish greedy schemers who defraud victims out of their hard-earned savings and retirement accounts.”
“Frost allegedly operated a classic Ponzi scheme—using new investor funds to pay earlier investors while concealing significant financial losses,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Schemes like this exploit trust and can devastate victims’ savings and retirement security. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in financial fraud and to protecting the investing public.”
“The defendant in this case was charged today for allegedly orchestrating a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of investors,” said Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Atlanta Region. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud and other financial crimes, as we seek to protect consumers and preserve the integrity of our Nation’s banking sector.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From at least 2021 until in or about July 2025, Frost solicited individuals to invest in what was marketed as short-term small business loans (“Bridge Loans”) that would be provided to businesses in need of immediate funding. Frost told investors that their money would be used solely to fund these Bridge Loans. He also promised investors that they would receive rates of return between 8 and 18 percent and that their monthly interest payments would be funded by the repayment of the Bridge Loans. Frost represented that First Liberty would, in turn, be compensated either from loan fees borrowers would pay to obtain the Bridge Loans or through the difference between the interest borrowers paid to First Liberty and the interest First Liberty paid to the investors.
Contrary to these representations, the money First Liberty received from investors was not used solely to fund Bridge Loans. Instead, Frost used new investors’ money to pay returns to previous investors and to fund more than $5 million of personal and sometimes extravagant expenditures, including:
- Over $230,000 to rent a vacation home in Maine
- Over $140,000 to purchase jewelry
- $20,800 for a Patek Philippe watch
- Over $2 million on credit card bills and
- Over $570,000 on political contributions
Frost failed to disclose to investors that several loan borrowers had defaulted on the repayment of their loans, and that, despite having defaulted, Frost had continued to provide Bridge Loan financing to at least one of the defaulted companies. During the scheme, Frost raised at least $140 million from at least 300 investors.
Edwin Brant Frost IV, 68, of Newnan, Georgia, was arraigned today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. He was released on bail pending further proceedings.
Members of the public are reminded that the information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges until he is proven guilty or admits guilt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General with substantial assistance from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Adams is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga
Final Defendant Sentenced in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Batavia, Ohio, woman, Stephanie Marie Terrell, 39, was sentenced on Thursday to 78 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for aiding and abetting the attempted possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to her plea agreement, on May 23, 2025, the United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted a package containing over 220 grams of methamphetamine that was addressed to a residence in Covington and mailed from Houston, Texas. On May 27, 2025, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the Covington residence, and Scott Baxter, Terrell’s co-defendant, retrieved the package from the porch and brought it to a nearby vehicle driven by Terrell. Terrell began driving away from the residence, but law enforcement initiated a traffic stop. Dereco Lamont Evans, the front seat passenger and another co-defendant, opened the passenger door and threw the package out. Evans and Terrell were detained.
Terrell admitted that she was retrieving the package, that the intended recipient was Timothy McCay, another co-defendant, that she knew the package contained drugs, and that she had facilitated McCay receiving the drugs from Joseph Felix Garza of Houston, another co-defendant.
Terrell’s co-defendants were previously sentenced to the following:
- Joseph Felix Garza was sentenced to 132 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release
- Timothy J. McCay was sentenced to 123 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release
- Harry Smith was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release
- Scott Baxter was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release
- Dereco Lamont Evans was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release
- Stephanie Marie Garcia was sentenced to time served (4 days) and 3 years supervised release
Under federal law, Terrell and her co-defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, Terrell will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Lesley Allison, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pittsburgh Field Division; and Scott Hardcorn, Director of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by USPIS and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Spievack is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
– END –
Felon Convicted on Drug-Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been found guilty by a federal jury for drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
The jury returned a guilty verdict against Dimarcus DeSean Hodge, 34, of Birmingham, after two days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke. Hodge was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to evidence presented at trial, between October 26, 2023, and February 15, 2024, Hodge sold more than 140 grams of methamphetamine and a gram of fentanyl to a law enforcement source over a series of controlled purchases. On February 21, 2024, a search warrant was issued for two of Hodge’s vehicles. Officers recovered 4.5 pounds of methamphetamine, over an ounce of heroin, three firearms, a bag of 9mm ammunition, two iPhones, digital scales, and $1,790 in cash.
Hodge is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions in Jefferson County, Alabama.
HSI investigated the case, along with the Leeds Police Department. Irondale Police Department and Birmingham Police Department assisted in executing the arrest warrant. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan S. Kirk and Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Federal jury convicts registered sex offender of sexually exploiting two minorsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Gum Spring man yesterday on charges of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), possession of CSAM, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission by a registered sex offender of a felony offense involving a minor.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Richard Scott Tyson, 57, was convicted in 2002 of rape involving a child, for which he received 99 years of imprisonment with 86 years suspended. Between 2021 and 2023, Tyson sexually exploited two minor victims.
Tyson met the first victim, identified as Minor Victim 1 or MV1, in 2021 and developed a relationship with MV1 and his family members. Tyson soon began taking MV1 on trips and paying for items such as video games, clothing, or activities on his behalf. MV1 then began staying overnight and on weekends at Tyson’s house. During a trip with MV1 to a trampoline park, MV1 met and befriended Tyson’s second victim, identified as Minor Victim 2 or MV2. Tyson communicated with both victims through Snapchat.
MV2 joined Tyson and MV1 during activities and trips to hotels, resorts, and amusement parks, for which Tyson paid. During these activities and trips, as well as at Tyson’s home, Tyson engaged in sexual relations with MV2 and took pictures of both minor victims while they were nude or mostly undressed and posed in sexualized positions in exchange for money.
Tyson faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea M. Gibbons and Thomas A. Garnett are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-34.
This release was revised on April 30, 2026, to correct the headline.
Federal Prisoner Sentenced for Assaulting a Bureau of Prison’s NurseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – On April 22, 2026, a Washington D.C. man was sentenced in federal court for one count of assault on a Bureau of Prisons’ nurse at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners.
Lawrence C. Boykin, 72, was serving a prior sentence from 1991 for his conviction on multiple counts of sodomy on a minor and indecent acts with a minor when he assaulted a nurse on duty at the Bureau of Prisons in Springfield.
On December 21, 2024, while serving his prison sentence, Boykin began verbally abusing staff and then threw a food tray at the victim. The food tray struck the victim causing a broken nose, laceration, and concussion.
U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool sentenced Boykin to 46 months imprisonment, run consecutively with the remainder of Boykin’s 1991 prior sex offense conviction, followed by one year of post-release supervision.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons.
Eight Indicted for Illegal Gambling BusinessRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – On April 23, 2026, a federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne, Indiana, approved an indictment charging Rodney L. Naylor, Bruce Naylor, Chae David Naylor, Jawauna P. Davis-Parker, Michael L. Carter, Douglas W. McKinney, Christian R. Naylor, and Paul G. Rowan with conducting, financing, managing, supervising, directing, and owning an illegal gambling business in violation of Title 18, United States Code section 1955.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana Gaming Commission, the Indiana State Police, and the Allen County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Geller and Dawn Ransom.
Eastern District of Texas observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, continues vigorous prosecution of firearms-related offenses sentencing 17 defendants to over 261 years in federal prisonRead 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.”
“Firearms are a staple in the world of drug trafficking, street gangs and cartels, and other criminal enterprises,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We are committed to making our communities safer by keeping firearms out of the hands of violent offenders. The cases below highlight our work to eradicate gun violence in the Eastern District of Texas.”
On April 15, 2026, Israel Sanchez Arciga, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine. Arciga, an illegal alien, was in possession of a firearm when he was arrested.
On April 7, 2026, Brandon Elliot Bennett was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for robbing a licensed firearms store in Plano of more than 60 guns, which he sold to others.
On March 24, 2026, Jaquallon Tyjuan Hargett was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for robbing an individual of $100 at an ATM machine in Daingerfield. Hargett was armed with a pistol outfitted with a machinegun conversion device, also commonly referred to as a Glock-switch.
On March 10, 2026, William Charles Fincher was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm during a domestic violence disturbance. As a convicted felon, Fincher is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms.
On March 5, 2026, Charles Bernard Byrd, a Houston gang member, was convicted by a jury in Beaumont in connection with a violent crime spree that included multiple burglaries, auto thefts, and the armed robbery of two ATM repair technicians. Three of Byrd’s fellow gang members had previously pleaded guilty. The defendants are awaiting sentencing and face from 20 to 45 years in federal prison.
On February 26, 2026, Victor Manuel Navarette Roman, an illegal alien, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and trafficking methamphetamine.
On January 22, 2026, Abigael Colin Saldana, an illegal alien, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic firearms from Texas to Mexico.
On January 5, 2026, Victor Heredia was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for a string of convenience store robberies, during one of which he discharged a firearm in the ceiling of the store.
On December 11, 2025, Naiyme Kidd was sentenced to 117 months in federal prison for the armed robbery of a game room in Beaumont.
On December 9, 2025, Santana Deangelo Powell was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after law enforcement discovered a hidden compartment in his vehicle full of methamphetamine and cocaine. Powell was also found to be carrying a firearm during his drug trafficking activities.
On October 2, 2025, Charleston Jamal Washington was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for two armed bank robberies.
On September 16, 2025, Jahtaya O’Dayjah Hamilton was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after being stopped for a traffic violation and found in possession of four stolen handguns.
On August 26, 2025, Victor Guardado Zepeda was sentenced to 231 months in federal prison for leading a violent crime spree which included robbing two convenience stores at gunpoint and severely beating a store employee. The stores were robbed of over $100,000.
On July 29, 2025, Carly Melana Fowler was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison, her co-defendant, Cole Ethan Schroeder had already been sentenced to 114 months in federal prison. The Jefferson County couple attempted to rob a convenience store armed with a rifle.
On July 9, 2025, Brian Keith Murphy was sentenced to 85 months in federal prison after firing shots at individuals in a gas station parking lt. Murphy was identified by police after monitoring a live-stream video of the incident.
On May 30, 2025, Keandre Marquis Robinson was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison for robbing a Beaumont convenience store and killing the store clerk. After shooting the clerk twice in the chest, Robinson stole cigarettes from behind the counter and fled with co-defendant Larry Nathaniel Hagan. Hagan was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison.
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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Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Threatening Federal OfficialRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, convicted of Threatening a Federal Official. The sentencing took place on April 20, 2026.
Joseph Lafferty, age 68, was sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Lafferty was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He was convicted following a jury trial in federal district court in January 2026.
The evidence presented at trial established that on July 21, 2025, Lafferty threatened to get his gun and kill a federal official employed by Indian Health Service, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Defendant made the threat in Eagle Butte, in the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Jorge Junior Alvarez Rodriguez, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2026. Alvarez was charged in May 2025.
On May 3, 2025, upon arrival at Boston’s Logan Airport from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Alvarez was flagged for secondary screening. During a review of Alvarez’s cell phone, files depicting CSAM were found. Multiple files depicting children as young as four to seven years old were discovered.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant may be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection, Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Julissa Walsh of the Criminal Division 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.
Diamond District Fence Sentenced to 46 Months in Connection with Large Scale Transnational Stolen Property OperationRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 46 months in prison for conspiring to receive stolen property that had been transported in interstate commerce. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Kuntz ordered the defendant forfeit $2,500,000 and restitution will be determined at a later date. The defendant and his co-defendant Juan Villar pled guilty in July 2025. Villar was sentenced in February 2026 to 46 months’ incarceration along with restitution and forfeiture.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) announced the sentence.
“Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar used the cover of their Diamond District store to encourage, coordinate, and profit from theft groups conducting burglaries nationwide,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendants tried to make a quick buck by buying stolen valuables from transnational criminals, and in doing so, bought themselves lengthy prison sentences.”
“Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar facilitated the sale of stolen goods obtained from criminals for profit. The goods stolen came from across the United States, impacting victims nationwide. The FBI and its partners have worked diligently to bring charges against these two individuals for their unlawful activity,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“What started with criminals trying to commit burglaries in Nassau County, has now ended in multiple arrests and guilty pleas; including these defendants,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder. “When you try and buy stolen goods that were taken from hard working people, we will work with our great partners to find you, and hold you accountable. Today, that accountability came.”
“For years, the defendant participated in a large-scale transnational operation of brazen burglaries,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “This international pipeline targeted residential homes and commercial vendors to receive and purchase stolen property, contributing to dangerous criminal activities. Thanks to the work of our detectives, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, we have shut down this enterprise, and this sentencing ensures those responsible are being held accountable.”
Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as “fences” for burglary crews from South America, who traveled around the United States, including the Eastern District of New York, committing burglaries, typically targeting wealthier neighborhoods in Nassau County and elsewhere or jewelry vendors, and stealing luxury accessories. According to court filings and statements Nezhinskiy made at his earlier guilty plea, between approximately 2020 and 2025, he conspired with Villar and others to receive and purchase stolen property, including jewelry, watches, handbags, and assorted luxury items that had been stolen and transported into New York. Nezhinskiy and Villar’s operation, which consisted of purchasing stolen property from these crews for cash, provided an essential market for the stolen goods, perpetuating the dangerous criminal activities of the burglary and theft crews composed largely of foreign nationals. Evidence linked Nezhinskiy and Villar to residential and commercial burglaries around the country, including burglaries from at least one professional athlete.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division and the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Katherine P. Onyshko, and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Special Assistant United States Attorney Marsalla M. King with respect to forfeiture matters.
The Defendants:
DIMITRIY NEZHINSKIY
Age: 44
North Bergen, New JerseyJUAN VILLAR
Age: 48
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-40 (WFK)
Detroit Man Sentenced to over Two Years for Selling Cocaine While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Detroit Man Sentenced to Over Two Years for Selling Cocaine While on Federal Supervised Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 23, 2026, Terry Dawayne Catchings, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, a/k/a “Biggs” was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 30 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. On March 10, 2026, Catchings pleaded guilty to two charges of distribution of cocaine and cocaine base in December 2025, as well as a charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine in January 2026. Catchings was still serving a federal sentence of supervised release at the time of the distributions of cocaine in 2025.
According to court records, in a prior case in 2024, Judge William K. Sessions III sentenced Catchings to 18 months of incarceration and a year of supervised release for an offense related to drug distribution in Vermont. At the time, Judge Sessions specifically warned Catchings that if his criminal activity continued, “it’s only a matter of a short time before you get arrested” and “you find yourself in a prison setting for longer and longer periods of time.” While on supervised release from that sentence in December 2025, Catchings was caught selling cocaine and cocaine base in Vermont and was then arrested after returning from New York with over 100 grams of cocaine to sell in Vermont concealed in the fabric ceiling of his car. In imposing sentence today, Judge Lanthier acknowledged the fact that Catchings sold drugs while on supervised release and reminded Catchings of the warning Judge Sessions had given him after his first sentence.First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont Drug Task Force, FBI, Morristown Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and Vermont State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. Catchings was represented by Kevin Henry, Esq.
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.
Department of Justice and United States Attorney Honor Crime Victims and Survivors During 2026 National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) from April 19–25, 2026.
This year’s NCVRW theme is Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities. The weeklong initiative promotes victims’ rights and honors crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. “This week gives us a chance to thank the people and organizations whose tireless work comforts victims of crime in Iowa, giving them support, life-saving services, and, most importantly, hope,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson.
NCVRW 2026 is commemorated in Iowa with many events across the state, including:
· Sioux City Community Awareness Event: A large gathering at the Sioux City Convention Center featuring 30+ agencies to support survivors and share resources.
· 17th Annual “Go the Distance for Crime Victims” 5K: Held at Thomas Park in Marion to support victims’ costs.
· Iowa Department of Corrections Annual Crime Victims’ Rights Week Commemoration: A presentation honoring deceased crime victims, their loved ones, and those that supported them through the criminal justice system.
Olson also announced winners of awards given to those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to crime victims in Iowa. The Award for Victim Services honors individuals or groups working in a victim-service role. The Law Enforcement Victim Services Award is the highest federal honor for victim services presented to law-enforcement officers in Iowa.
Receiving the Victim Services Award is Sarah Harms, victim-witness coordinator of the Statewide Prosecution Section of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Receiving the Law Enforcement Victim Services Award are Deputy Erin Bennett, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Holly Witt, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation; and Detective Christopher Wuebker, Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor victims and survivors of crime, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services, and recognize the dedication of those who work with crime victims.
For additional information about this year’s NCVRW activities and more ideas on supporting crime victims, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov.
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Davenport Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on April 22, 2026, to 137 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Ricky Edward Kirk, Jr., 39, fled from officers during an attempted traffic stop in July 2024. During a foot chase Kirk repeatedly reached toward the firearm in his waistband, before being tased and falling to the ground. Officers recovered Kirk’s firearm from the ground after it fell out of his waistband while he was being handcuffed. Kirk has multiple felony convictions, including a 2022 conviction for possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine in the Iowa District Court for Scott County which he was on parole for at the time of this offense.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Kirk will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Convicted murderer already serving life in prison sentenced to additional 35 years for running drug distribution and money laundering operation from state custodyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Jarvis Matthews has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for his role in leading a multi-million-dollar drug trafficking and money laundering operation from the confines of Calhoun State Prison. After a trial in October 2025, a federal jury found Matthews guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, five counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and money laundering conspiracy. When he committed his federal crimes, Matthews was already serving sentences of life with possible parole for murder and felony murder convictions, following fatal shootings in 2001 and 2002 in Atlanta. The murders occurred during robberies at apartments where Matthews had lured victims expecting to buy tire rims and marijuana.
“This convicted murderer brazenly used contraband cell phones behind prison bars to distribute millions of dollars of illegal drugs in our community and launder drug money for criminal cartels,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The dogged work by our Homeland Security Task Force team of federal investigators, state officers, and local partners dismantled Matthews’s network and helped ensure the safety of our community.”
“Georgia and the rest of the country is safer now that Jarvis Matthews will be locked away in federal prison, unable to run his vast drug and money laundering operation,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham. “FBI Atlanta will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that career criminals like Matthews and those who conspire with them are brought to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Jarvis Matthews, while imprisoned at Georgia Department of Corrections facilities, used contraband cellphones to coordinate the distribution of illegal drugs at houses in the Cleveland Avenue neighborhood of Atlanta. Matthews directed his fiancée, girlfriends, nephew, and two adult sons to distribute drugs and collect and launder money on his behalf.
In early 2022, FBI agents identified a social media account that Matthews used to facilitate dozens of drug deals. In April of 2022, FBI agents made a controlled purchase of two kilograms of methamphetamine from Matthews through his son Charvis Harris, who previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced in this case. Ultimately, the FBI obtained a wiretap on Matthews’s phone and conducted surveillance at one of Matthews’s drug trap houses, which was operated by codefendant Alvin Edwards. With these tools, the FBI was able to apprehend Matthews’s drug customers after they met with Matthews’s sons, Harris and Javaris Mathews, to obtain drugs. Matthews conspired with others, such as codefendant Shabreya Brown, to transport drugs, and codefendant Miriam Modesti, to launder money.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Matthews distributed hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs in the Atlanta area and laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds, including for drug suppliers in Colombia and California.
On April 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty sentenced Jarvis Matthews, 47, of Atlanta, Georgia, to 35 years in federal prison for his role in leading a multi-million-dollar drug trafficking and money laundering operation from the confines of Calhoun State Prison. Judge Geraghty ordered that the federal sentence run consecutively to Matthews’s state sentences of life imprisonment.
The following defendants were previously sentenced in this case:
- Charvis Harris, 22, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
- Javaris Dasan Mathews, 24, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to six years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Alvin Edwards, 53, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Miriam Modesti, 53, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
- Shabreya Brown, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, the Dooly County Sheriff’s Office, the Fayetteville Police Department, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer and John DeGenova prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is also 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 U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
City Man Sentenced to 11½ Years in Prison for Philadelphia, Upper Darby CarjackingsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Legend Hall, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 138 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $7,400 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for committing two armed carjackings.
Hall was charged by superseding indictment in April of last year, in connection with a September 2024 carjacking in West Philadelphia, and charged separately by information with an October 2024 carjacking in Upper Darby, Pa.
In July of last year, Hall entered a plea of guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Jose R. Arteaga to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As described in the superseding indictment and other public filings, on September 17, 2024, Victim #1 parked on the 300 block of 62nd Street in Philadelphia and reported being immediately approached by three males, later identified by investigators as Hall and co-defendants Kristian Jackson, 20, also of Philadelphia, and Jalaal Claitt, 20, of Atlanta, Georgia.
One of the defendants asked Victim #1 to drive them somewhere. When Victim #1 refused, two of the males took out handguns and told Victim #1 to get out of the car. The three males then got into Victim #1’s black Chevy Malibu and drove off with Victim #1’s iPhone 14 and approximately $500 that was in the car.
As further detailed in court filings, on October 1, 2024, Hall, Claitt, and others placed an order for a pizza delivery at Slices and Moore in Upper Darby. When the delivery driver (Victim #2) attempted to make the delivery, the defendant and others pointed guns at him and took Victim #2’s wallet, phone, car keys, the proceeds of the pizza shop, and the rest of the money that Victim #2 had on him at the time. Hall and the others then jumped into Victim #2’s vehicle and fled the area.
Co-defendant Jackson pleaded guilty to the West Philadelphia carjacking and was sentenced in February to eight and half years in prison. Co-defendant Claitt pleaded guilty to both the West Philadelphia and Upper Darby carjackings and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Upper Darby Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Samantha A. Arena.
Chinese National Arrested at JFK International Airport on Federal Charges for Illegally Photographing Military Aircraft at Nebraska Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
Tianrui Liang, 21, of China, was charged by complaint for conduct related to illegally documenting Air Force planes located at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, announced United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.
Offutt Air Force Base is a key base in the Air Force’s Strategic Command. Liang was allegedly present at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota in the days leading up to his visit to the Air Force installation in Nebraska. Liang crossed the Canadian-United States border on March 28, 2026, from Vancouver, Canada, to Washington on a valid B1/B2 visa.
A complaint affidavit filed in the District of Nebraska alleges that Liang drove to New York after being confronted by the FBI in Nebraska. The FBI obtained an arrest warrant for Liang who was subsequently arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Following Liang’s arrest on April 7, Liang appeared in a federal magistrate court for the Eastern District of New York on the Nebraska federal charge. The magistrate judge released Liang and refused a government request for a stay to allow federal prosecutors in Nebraska to appeal the release to a federal judge in the District of Nebraska. Federal prosecutors in Nebraska then successfully appealed Liang’s release and he was then taken back into federal custody on April 10, 2026, by order of the Chief District Court Judge for the District of Nebraska. Liang is presently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service and is being brought to the District of Nebraska for further proceedings in the case.
“Any individuals who unlawfully attempt to acquire sensitive information about military aircraft located in the District of Nebraska will be held maximumly accountable under federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods.
The criminal complaint is only a charge. Liang has not been convicted and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, he is subject to a term of imprisonment of up to 1 year. The investigation into whether more serious charges are implicated by the facts in this case is ongoing. The arrest warrant was pursued to prevent Liang fleeing the country while the investigation was ongoing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Kleine and Matt Lierman with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Brendan P. Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Chinese National Arrested at JFK International Airport on Federal Charges for Illegally Photographing Military Aircraft at Nebraska Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
Tianrui Liang, 21, of China, has been charged by complaint for conduct related to illegally documenting Air Force planes located at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, announced United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.
Offutt Air Force Base is a key base in the Air Force’s Strategic Command. Liang was allegedly present at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota in the days leading up to his visit to the Air Force installation in Nebraska. Liang crossed the Canadian-United States border on March 28, 2026, from Vancouver, Canada, to Washington on a valid B1/B2 visa.
A complaint affidavit filed in the District of Nebraska alleges that Liang drove to New York after being confronted by the FBI in Nebraska. The FBI obtained an arrest warrant for Liang who was subsequently arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Following Liang’s arrest on April 7, Liang appeared in a federal magistrate court for the Eastern District of New York on the Nebraska federal charge. The magistrate judge released Liang and refused a government request for a stay to allow federal prosecutors in Nebraska to appeal the release to a federal judge in the District of Nebraska. Federal prosecutors in Nebraska then successfully appealed Liang’s release and he was then taken back into federal custody on April 10, 2026, by order of the Chief District Court Judge for the District of Nebraska. Liang is presently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service and is being brought to the District of Nebraska for further proceedings in the case.
“Any individuals who unlawfully attempt to acquire sensitive information about military aircraft located in the District of Nebraska will be held maximumly accountable under federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods.
The criminal complaint is only a charge. Liang has not been convicted and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, he is subject to a term of imprisonment of up to 1 year. The investigation into whether more serious charges are implicated by the facts in this case is ongoing. The arrest warrant was pursued to prevent Liang fleeing the country while the investigation was ongoing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Kleine and Matt Lierman with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Brendan P. Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
California Men Charged with Trafficking Controlled Substances in Cumberland CountyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonathan Martinez, age 28, and Christopher Martinez, age 25, both from Adelanto, California, were charged in a criminal information with drug-trafficking offenses, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the Information alleges that on or about October 6, 2025, Jonathan and Christopher Martinez possessed with intent to distribute five kilograms and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, also a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalties upon conviction are life imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Information only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Burlington Man Sentenced to over 25 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man was sentenced on April 21, 2026, to 310 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Jason Lee Ringold, also known as “Ringo,” 47, sold over 600 grams of methamphetamine in the Burlington area between April and June 2024. Ringold displayed a gun and threatened one of his customers during a drug transaction. In 1999, Ringold was convicted in federal court for a drug conspiracy involving the manufacture of methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Ringold will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Burlington Police Department investigated the case.
Browning man sentenced to over 15 years in prison for multiple assaultsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning man who over a three-year period separately assaulted 2 different individuals and sexually abused a woman was sentenced today to 188 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
A jury found Kevin James Trombley, 28, guilty of one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in October 2025.
A separate jury found him guilty of one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence in March 2026.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial in October 2025 that in June 2022, Trombley and Jane Doe were both at a house party outside Browning at the home of mutual family members. Late that night as the rest of the house slept, and while Doe was trying to make her way to bed, she encountered Trombley in the kitchen. There, he used force against Doe, pushed her into the bathroom, and engaged in non-consensual sex. Doe escaped the bathroom and immediately reported the assault.
Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and interviewed Trombley. He denied having any contact with Jane Doe, then recanted and admitted being in the bathroom with her but only for a moment. He denied having any sexual contact with her.
In July 2023, Jane Doe’s father saw Trombley at a rodeo in Browning, Montana. He approached him and told him something to the effect that he was going to prison for what he did. Trombley assaulted Jane Doe’s father, hitting him so hard he sustained a head injury and required a medical procedure to repair the injuries to his face.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial in March 2026 that John Doe was drinking with friends and family in the late hours of March 22, 2024, and early hours of March 23. Early in the morning on March 23, Trombley and some friends entered the same residence without permission.
Once inside, a fight broke out between Doe, Trombley, and others. After the fight caused damage, the homeowner ordered everyone to leave and grabbed a pellet gun to make her point.
The fight migrated outside into the driveway that abuts the house. Trombley retreated to his truck that was parked on the street. Doe, meanwhile, stood in the driveway. According to witnesses, Doe was unarmed and had his hands up, saying something to the effect of, “What are we going to do?”
At that point, Trombley—who was seated in the driver’s seat of his truck—leaned across the passenger seat and fired a gun through the truck’s window. The shot hit Doe in the abdomen, and he fell to the ground. Trombley fled in his truck. Doe was taken to Blackfeet Community Hospital before he was transferred to Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, where he underwent surgery for injuries to his internal organs. Law enforcement spoke with several witnesses who identified Trombley as the shooter.
Law enforcement went to a residence in search of Trombley. They found him sleeping in a back bedroom, and they found a Smith & Wesson 40 caliber pistol—later confirmed to have been purchased by Trombley—between the box spring and the mattress on which he slept. When Trombley’s truck was later searched, officers found a spent shell casing on the passenger side floorboard. When law enforcement interviewed Trombley, he did not deny being at the party but denied knowing how Doe was shot.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the cases. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Billings man sentenced to over 13 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine was sentenced today to 168 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Vincent Lee Bell, 33, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in August of 2025, law enforcement learned from a confidential source that Bell was distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine in Billings. On August 28, 2024, utilizing a confidential source, law enforcement arranged a purchase of methamphetamine from Bell. Bell sold the confidential source 154.1 grams of actual methamphetamine.
On September 20, 2024, law enforcement conducted a second controlled purchase using a confidential source. Bell sold the source 102.3 grams of actual methamphetamine.
After his arrest, law enforcement searched Bell’s vehicle and seized an additional 582.4 grams of actual methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
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