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20 April 2026
S.C. Inmate Sentenced to 262 Months in Federal Prison for Coordinating Drug Sales from Inside the S.C. Department of CorrectionsRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. - Samual Earl Ramu, age 34, of Johnsonville, S.C., has been ordered to serve nearly 22 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiring to distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine from inside the walls of the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Evidence presented in court demonstrated that Ramu was the leader of a drug trafficking organization while in SCDC. Ramu used others outside prison to conduct transactions on his behalf using a contraband cell phone. Ramu attempted to have others use drones to drop contraband inside the prison. In total, Ramu was held accountable for conspiring to distribute 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with quantities of fentanyl and marijuana.
“We are very grateful for our local, state, and federal law enforcements partners to include the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as we continue to quickly respond, disrupt, and dismantle the efforts of those who attempt to poison our communities with fentanyl or methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The use of contraband cell phones and drones to advance criminal activity will continue to be met with the full force of federal investigation and prosecution in South Carolina.”
“Drug traffickers who threaten our communities with deadly substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine cannot hide from Homeland Security Investigations—even behind prison walls. Our work protects the public by ensuring that those who endanger our neighborhoods are held accountable, no matter where they operate. This case is a testament to the power of our partnership with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and our unwavering commitment to keeping our communities safe,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Ramu has prior convictions for several drug trafficking offenses and was serving a 15-year state sentence for possession with intent to distribute heroin and trafficking methamphetamine during the commission of this offense. Ramu was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of 5 years. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, and the S.C. Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.
Romanian Nationals Indicted for Fraud Scheme to Steal Nearly $1M in SNAP Benefits from Low-Income FamiliesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Five men have been charged for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to steal nearly $1 million worth of food assistance benefits from low-income families and individuals in Ohio and California.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the following defendants. All are citizens of Romania:
- Ionut Ilie, aka Ionut Dorabantu, aka Morgan Anderson, aka Ionut Craciun-Cercel, aka Lukas Hladky, aka Frederick Juhl, 44, not legally present in the U.S.;
- Constantin Eugen Ion, aka Piranha, 44, also a citizen of Mexico;
- Valentin Velicu, aka Grasu, aka Yanis Karagunis, 50;
- Dragos Georghie Vasile, 46; and
- Marian Alexandru Semplican, 23.
Each defendant is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud
- Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud
- Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft
- Sale or Receipt of Stolen Government Monies
Ilie faces an additional charge for Reentry of a Removed Alien. He was previously removed from the United States twice: Feb. 24, 2023, and Feb. 25, 2019, after being found in the country without the consent of the Secretary for Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the U.S.
Defendants were apprehended in a series of coordinated arrests throughout Ohio and California, and one remains at large.
According to the indictment, the conspiracy allegedly targeted the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which is intended to help low-income families and individuals purchase food. In Ohio, the SNAP benefits are loaded onto Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards that can be used at retailers to purchase food. Court documents show that the conspiracy also targeted retailers in California with a similar scheme.
U.S. v. Ilie et al., case# 1:26cr147Through a form of financial fraud that takes place at the point of sale known as “POS skimming,” the defendants allegedly conspired to install devices onto legitimate card readers at retailers that EBT card users frequent. The devices blend seamlessly with the payment terminals, and victims are most likely not aware that their information has been compromised. The devices are programmed with software to capture payment and personal information from the magnetic stripe when EBT cards are swiped.
U.S. v. Ilie et al., case #1:26cr147To carry out the SNAP benefits theft in Ohio, POS skimmers were mailed from California to several local locations including a UPS Store in Mentor in Lake County. The skimmers were then placed at 7-Eleven stores in Toledo and Maple Heights, Ohio, and at a Broadway Food Center in Toledo. Investigators also found that skimmers were placed at gas stations throughout Cleveland and Toledo. Defendants then allegedly checked card balances before draining the EBT accounts of their funds to load onto blank cards which they then re-sold to others.
During a search warrant execution at one defendant’s residence in North Hills, California, agents found a room that served as a workshop to manufacture POS skimmers. Among the items seized were faceplates for EBT machines, keypads, wiring, schematics for overlay devices, tools to construct the devices, data extraction components, and several fake IDs.
In total, approximately $961,000.00 was stolen, or attempted to be stolen, during the conspiracy.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal records, if any, roles in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Cleveland Division, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U. S. Postal Inspection Service.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledges the assistance of the United States Secret Service, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, the Ohio Investigative Unit, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol-OSP Intelligence Unit.
Assistant United States Attorney Duncan T. Brown for the Northern District Ohio is leading the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Rock Hill Cartel-Connected Kingpin Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Hundreds of Kilograms of Fentanyl, CocaineRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Timothy Markee Gayton, 34, of Rock Hill, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in two drug trafficking schemes.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed in January 2018, Gayton operated industrial-scale clandestine drug labs in the Rock Hill area, where fentanyl was pressed into pills designed to look like prescription drugs. Gayton then supplied these fentanyl-laced pills to drug dealers in South Carolina.
In February 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Gayton’s residence and seized fentanyl, amphetamine, marijuana, four firearms, nine firearm magazines, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, and $23,000 in cash. He was arrested and released on bond, but seven days later, he sold a kilogram of fentanyl to a law enforcement source.
Between 2018 and 2022, Gayton imported pill presses, pill binder, and fentanyl powder from China and Mexico, set up clandestine laboratories in the York County area, and manufactured hundreds of thousands of illegal fentanyl pills. During the search of one of Gayton’s one drug labs, agents found $53,000 in cash, handguns, 7 pill presses, 150,000 pills made to look like Roxicodone, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, pill stamps, pill binder, Narcan, a money counter, and a vacuum sealer. Gayton’s identical twin brother, Timario Gayton, was convicted for his role in this drug lab and sentenced to 180 months.
During a search of Gayton’s house the same day, agents found $4,000 in cash, 4 rifles, extended magazines, a kilogram press, packaging material with fentanyl inside, and fentanyl. Gayton also distributed hundreds of kilograms of cocaine during the course of the conspiracy.
In January 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Gayton for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. While awaiting trial and in federal custody, Gayton arranged for the distribution of over a kilogram of fentanyl from jail on several occasions. He was again federally indicted for conspiracy and two counts of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He also bribed a jail guard, who was charged and convicted for the conduct. Gayton was responsible for getting illegal drugs and contraband cell phones inside the jail, all while in federal custody.
“The expanse of Gayton’s drug trafficking network was immense, from Rock Hill, across the nation, and over international borders to reach his cartel supply networks. Gayton is now closed for business and will assume a new residence within the highly secure confines of the United States Bureau of Prisons for the next 25 years, with no parole,” said U.S Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “This investigation and prosecution is yet another example of how responsive and effective our local, state, and federal law enforcement partnerships remain in South Carolina. Specifically, I would like to thank the Rock Hill Police Department, the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Columbia Police Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, as well the DEA, FBI, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Office.”
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gayton to 300 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (YCMDEU), the Rock Hill Police Department, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Columbia Police Department, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.
Richland County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing GunRead the Press Release
Columbia, S.C. — Carlos Antwon Lewis, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on March 4, 2025, a Richland County Sheriff’s deputy observed an SUV committing a traffic offense. The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the SUV and made contact with the driver. Lewis was the front passenger. The deputy smelled the odor of marijuana, which the occupants admitted to smoking before leaving their residence. The deputy asked both occupants to step out and asked Lewis if he had any firearms or narcotics on his person. Lewis stated that he had a firearm in his waistband. The deputy recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from Lewis’s waistband. Upon further inspection of the firearm, the firearm was equipped with a silver Glock switch.
Lewis is prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon prior convictions for arson/attempts to burn, willful & malicious, burglary, criminal domestic violence 1st offense, criminal domestic violence 2nd offense, unlawful carrying a firearm, possession of less than one gram of methamphetamine or cocaine base, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance near a school, distribution of methamphetamine or cocaine base, and arson.
Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Lewis after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
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.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who trafficked fentanyl on behalf of a Mexican drug supplier was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Willys Enrique Santana Ramirez aka Juan Adorno, 48, was sentenced on April 15, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 84 months of imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release.
“Fentanyl continues to devastate our communities, leaving a trail of addiction, loss, and shattered families in its wake,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “Those who traffic this deadly substance are not just breaking the law, they are fueling a crisis that is claiming lives at an alarming rate. Our office remains committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who profit from this destruction.”
On February 14, 2025, Santana Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) determined that Santana Ramirez participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy with his brother-in-law, distributing both fentanyl powder and pills containing fentanyl which were designed to resemble a legitimate prescription medication, oxycodone. As part of the investigation, Santana Ramirez arranged the delivery of approximately 900 pills in exchange for $45,000.
Santana Ramirez’s co-conspirator, Watly Federico Valenzuela Ruiz, was sentenced on April 10, 2024, to five years in federal prison. Both were arrested on September 7, 2021, by DEA Drug Task Force Agents. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 8,964 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills with a net weight of 1,012.9 grams of fentanyl; 4.475 grams of fentanyl powder; and 892.3 grams of fentanyl.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; Rhode Island State Police; Cranston Police Department; Middletown Police Department; Newport Police Department; Pawtucket Police Department; Providence Police Department; Warwick Police Department; Woonsocket Police Department; and Amtrak Police.
Prior felon arrested on gun chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Earl Stone, 34, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
According to the complaint, late in the evening on April 12, 2026, Buffalo Police officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle on Route 33 Expressway. During the stop, officers detected the smell of alcohol and asked the driver to step out of the vehicle to conduct a standard field sobriety test. Officers then asked the passengers for a New York State Drivers’ License so someone could move the vehicle to a safe location. All passengers refused, including Stone, who got out of the vehicle and sat on ground of the 33 Expressway. Officers noticed what appeared to be the outline of a slide of a firearm by the right shin of his pantleg. As he stood up at the request of officers, a loaded .40 caliber firearm fell out of his pant leg. Stone was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon- 2nd Degree: Loaded Firearm and Criminal Possession of a Weapon-3rd Degree: Large Capacity Feeding Device. In December 2013, Stone was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Stone made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing on April 21, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Louis A. Testani. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Craig Macy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Persistent human smuggler sentenced for using minor in new scheme involving Chinese nationalsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year-old Roma resident has been ordered to federal prison for transporting illegal aliens, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Lizandro Monroy pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2025.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Monroy to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered that Monroy has two prior federal convictions for human smuggling and returned to the same criminal conduct approximately one month after his release from federal custody. In handing down the sentence, the court noted similarities in his prior convictions to include that all involved vehicle or foot pursuits.
On June 21, 2025, authorities discovered a raft crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico near the Roma Observation Deck, a known human smuggling pickup location.
Law enforcement saw a grey Ford Focus make multiple passes before parking near the deck. Monroy exited the vehicle, left it running and then instructed the minor passenger to move into the driver’s seat and pick up the aliens.
Shortly thereafter, three Chinese nationals ran from the brush and entered the vehicle, prompting law enforcement to attempt a traffic stop. However, the minor driver fled, which led to a vehicle pursuit and multiple collisions. The vehicle eventually crashed into a utility pole and a law enforcement vehicle before coming to a stop. One of the aliens sustained a head laceration that required medical attention.
Monroy admitted he recruited and paid the 15-year-old minor to transport the smuggled aliens from the pickup location. He also provided the travel route and supplied a cell phone to receive instructions from smuggling coordinators.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Pensacola Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening a Pensacola Police Department DetectiveRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Tamal W. Jenkins, 20, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for interstate threatening communication with intent to extort. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the brave men and women of law enforcement who are on the front lines in the fight against crime. They deserve our gratitude and respect for placing themselves in harm’s way every day to keep our communities safe. As this case demonstrates, anyone who harms or threatens to harm a law enforcement officer will be aggressively prosecuted by my office and held accountable.”
Court documents reveal that, in July 2025, the Pensacola Police Department arrested suspects during a homicide investigation. Within days of the arrest, one of the responsible Pensacola Police Detectives received an electronic text message threatening to kill the Detective if she did not release the suspects who are now facing homicide charges. Through legal process and electronic investigative techniques, law enforcement identified Jenkins as the person who made the threat against the Detective for acting in the course of her official duties.
Jenkins imprisonment will be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Jenkins also faces a violation of prior state-ordered probation for firearm and drug offenses.
Pensacola Police Chief Eric Winstrom said: “Threats of violence against those upholding the law cannot be tolerated. The Pensacola Police Department is grateful to our federal partners for recognizing the gravity of this incident and ensuring Mr. Jenkins is held accountable.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Pensacola Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Orlando Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Opening and Operating Bank Accounts in International Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Joseph Elegele, Jr. (41, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $801,559.33, the proceeds of his criminal conduct. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Elegele pleaded guilty on December 18, 2025.
According to court documents, between August 2017 and June 2023, Elegele was part of a fraud scheme that laundered funds that had been fraudulently obtained from various businesses throughout the United States and in the Bahamas. Elegele’s role in the scheme was to establish business bank accounts in the Middle District of Florida through which large money transfers could be routed. Other members of the conspiracy, who were located overseas, used online communications and business email compromises to scam the businesses into making fraudulent transfers to accounts controlled by Elegele, who then immediately made large cash withdrawals or cashier check purchases to launder and dissipate the fraud proceeds. Elegele kept portions of the proceeds for himself and passed the remainder on to other scheme conspirators.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
Op Sweet Silence Ends Zohannon Gang, Seizes Guns and Drugs in ColumbusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Federal authorities and law enforcement today announced the sweeping takedown of the Zohannon Gang and its associates in Columbus, the result of Operation Sweet Silence, a campaign targeting violent crime and drug trafficking tied to criminal organizations, including Mexican cartels, in the region.
“This is what a successful operation looks like – dangerous gangs dismantled, guns and drugs off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Operation Sweet Silence shows the power of focused, determined law enforcement collaboration. While we celebrate this victory, our mission is far from over, and we remain committed to protecting our communities and holding criminals accountable every day.”
“Criminal Street gangs were responsible for a wave of violent crime in and around Columbus,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Richard Bilson of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office. “Columbus is a safer place now that the FBI and our partners have effectively dismantled this armed drug trafficking organization. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to keep our streets safe.”
“This investigation represents the very best of law enforcement collaboration,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Federal, state and local partners worked side by side for years to uncover the full scope of this criminal enterprise and ensure every individual responsible faced justice. With the conviction of this defendant, we are getting closer to holding all individuals involved accountable. Our communities are safer today because of the dedication and teamwork of the investigators and prosecutors, and we are committed to bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”
“We won't stop until the criminal activity stops,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “There is strength in collaboration when we combine our resources to go after criminal enterprises involving street gangs, drug dealers and convicted felons. We will continue this fight for safer streets and a safer community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal and local law enforcement conducted Operation Sweet Silence from August 2022 until May 2024, an extensive investigation into the illegal activities of the Zohannon criminal street gang and other criminal street gangs in Columbus—including US World, the Crips, the Bloods, and the Gangster Disciples—involving armed drug trafficking with ties to two Mexican cartels. The operation dismantled the Zohannon Street Gang and severely impacted other gangs, especially US World, a hybrid criminal organization in Columbus.
Connected to this operation, a total of $270 million in drugs were seized, including $20 million in cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana from the streets of Columbus and $250 million of marijuana from a California supplier. 119 firearms, including machineguns, rifles, shotguns, high-capacity magazines and stolen weapons were seized and removed from the streets of Columbus.
Thirty-one defendants, all from Columbus unless otherwise indicated, were indicted across nine separate indictments, and 30 defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial, with some already sentenced by the court. Operation Sweet Silence defendants are:
Freddie Bowens, also known as “Profit,” 27, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for the illegal possession of a machine gun.
Fernando Brown, also known as “Nino,” 33, was found guilty at trial of conspiring to traffic methamphetamine, cocaine, and more than 100 pounds of marijuana and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking and is awaiting sentencing.
LaBrandon Brown, 31, was sentenced to four years in prison for using a phone to facilitate a drug offense.
Jantzen Carter, 40, of Waverly Hall, GA, was sentenced to ten years in prison for drug conspiracy.
Ulises Cervantes, 33, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
Anthony Champion, 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Trenton Clemons, 48, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for drug conspiracy.
Dequindre Dawson, 33, was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for drug possession with intent to distribute.
Nicholas Fitzpatrick, 30, was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Terry Gash, 54, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
Undrae Hayes, 37, was sentenced to eight years in prison for drug conspiracy.
Roderick Hicks, 59, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Christopher Hill, 36, was sentenced to two years in prison for using a phone to facilitate a drug offense.
Marquez Holloway, 32, was found guilty at trial of drug conspiracy and drug distribution and is awaiting sentencing.
Darius Jenkins, 24, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Jeffrey Kimbrough, 29, was sentenced to three years of probation for drug conspiracy.
Hykeem Lomax, 33, pleaded guilty to using a phone to facilitate a drug offense and is awaiting sentencing.
Quadarius Lusk, 30, pleaded guilty to using a phone to facilitate a drug offense and is awaiting sentencing.
Aundray Morgan, 39, pleaded guilty to using a phone to facilitate a drug offense and is awaiting sentencing.
Tommie Mullins, Jr., also known as “TJ,” also known as “Bo,” also known as “Mini,” 31, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug conspiracy.
Javonta Paden, 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Adrian Palmer, also known as “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for drug possession with intent to distribute.
Adrian Pleasants, 29, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Derrick Porter, 54, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
Dahvontay Richardson, 28, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Trenton Thomas, also known as “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison for drug conspiracy.
Juan Carlos Torres-Arzapalo, 41, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
Corey Turner, also known as “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug conspiracy.
Jhy’Keith Williams, 24, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for illegally possessing a machine gun.
Malik Williams, 27, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for drug possession with intent to distribute.
Leonard Campbell, 37, of Columbus, is charged by federal indictment with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is facing a maximum of life in prison. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.The case was investigated by FBI Georgia, the DEA, and the Muscogee County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office with critical assistance from the Harris County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Role in $3.7M Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 68-year-old man has pleaded guilty to his role in leading a conspiracy to obtain millions of dollars from his employer.
Barry Anderson, of Findlay, Ohio, pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud
- Mail Fraud
According to documents and evidence presented in court, Anderson was a 20-plus year employee with a multinational company specializing in industrial explosives and technical and blasting services, who served in various roles throughout the years. In his role as regional president, Anderson embezzled approximately $400,000 through a fraudulent invoice scheme. Anderson coordinated with Gregory Shuey, the owner of a backhoe and dump truck business, to falsify 373 invoices from 2016 to 2023. Anderson directed the business owner either to greatly inflate the invoices or create fake invoices for services that were never performed. Anderson then paid these invoices on behalf of his employer to Shuey’s business. Shuey then deposited the checks into a bank account that he controlled. From there, he gave Anderson a 50 percent cut of the fraudulently obtained funds as part of their arrangement. Anderson’s employer paid approximately $2,432,844 in fraudulent invoices to Shuey’s business.
In addition to Anderson’s fraudulent invoice scheme, he also caused his employer to make lease payments to himself and others under false and fraudulent pretenses. Anderson and his confederates created limited liability companies (LLC)s which they owned and controlled. Through the LLCs, they purchased properties which they then leased to Anderson’s employer. Anderson caused his employer to enter into lease agreements under false pretenses by concealing the fact that he and his confederates were benefitting financially from the deals. From 2014 to 2023, Anderson was linked to 34 invoices seeking rental payments from his employer, totaling approximately $954,330.
Anderson’s sentencing date is yet to be scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller for the Northern District of Ohio leads the prosecution.
North Charleston Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Bribing Public OfficialsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Aaron Charles-Lee Hicks, 38, of North Charleston, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his role in two schemes to bribe North Charleston City Councilmen.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in early 2024, Sea Fox Boat Company hired Hicks as a consultant. Sea Fox had proposed a new boat manufacturing facility in North Charleston, but its plans required a zoning change to the subject property. Amid strong community opposition to the project, Sea Fox hired Hicks to garner community support and help ensure that North Charleston City Council would vote in favor of the zoning change. Sea Fox hired Hicks based on the recommendation of two members of North Charleston City Council—Jerome Heyward and Mike A. Brown. Hicks accepted $30,000 in consulting fees from Sea Fox between February and June 2024.
Hicks agreed to pay Heyward and Brown a portion of his consulting fees in exchange for their influence and official action with respect to Sea Fox’s proposal. Hicks paid Heyward $5,000, including $2,500 in cash on the date of City Council’s vote on the rezoning application. Hicks paid Brown at least $1,000 in cash.
Further evidence revealed that Hicks was involved in a second scheme to bribe Sandino Moses, who was a member of North Charleston City Council at the time. Hicks was present during a meeting on April 26, 2024, during which Tory Fields agreed to bribe Moses to gain his support of Sea Fox’s rezoning efforts. Thereafter, Fields paid Moses two bribes to convince him to support the Sea Fox plant, and Hicks knew that Fields had done so.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Hicks to 15 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 2-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Hicks was also ordered to forfeit $30,000, representing the consulting fees and ill-gotten gains of his crimes.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse and Whit Sowards are prosecuting the case.
Nine Illegal Aliens Convicted of Immigration Offenses in MarchRead the Press Release
Pensacola and Gainesville – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that nine illegal aliens were convicted of federal immigration crimes in the month of March.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our federal immigration laws are not mere suggestions, and presence in the United States is reserved only for those who enter our country the right way in compliance with those laws. The U.S. citizens in the Northern District of Florida have a right to expect their government to secure our international borders and rigidly enforce our laws that are designed to keep our country safe, and that is exactly what my office will continue to do by aggressively prosecuting anyone who violates our immigration laws.”
According to court records, nine previously indicted defendants were convicted in the month of March for being unlawfully present in the country after a prior removal. The illegal aliens convicted in the month of March include:
- Benancio Cuyuch-Pelico, 34, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in October 2013. He was encountered in Escambia County on January 27, 2026.
- Santos Gonon, 25 of Guatemala, who was previously removed in May 2019. He was encountered in Escambia County on January 21, 2026.
- Pablo Cuyuch-Garcia, 35, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in May 2011. He was encountered in Escambia County on January 26, 2026.
- Gordolias Perez-Ramirez, 32, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in February 2018. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on February 1, 2026.
- Antonio Isidro-Lopez, 44, of Honduras, who was previously removed in January 2025. He was encountered in Escambia County on February 5, 2026.
- Nicholas Mencho-Lucas, 43, of Mexico, who was previously removed in June 2011. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on September 21, 2025.
- Kenji Bonilla-Cubas, 30, of Honduras, who was previously removed in February 2020. He was encountered in Escambia County on February 5, 2026.
- Juan Hernandez-Cruz, 33, of Mexico, who was previously removed in April 2015. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on February 15, 2026.
- Pedro Humberto Vasquez-Guerra, of El Salvador, who was previously removed in October 2017. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on December 9, 2025.
The cases involved investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with the assistance of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Naval Air Station Police, the Pensacola Police Department, Fort Walton Beach Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
Assistant United States Attorneys Alicia H. Forbes, Thomas S.P. Geeker, Brooke A. DiSalvo, Tyler Fleming, Christopher C. Patterson, Jeffrey M. Tharp are prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Series of Multi-Million Dollar Business Email Compromise SchemesRead the Press Release
Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Animashaun Adebo, also known as “Kazeem” and “Kazeem Animashaun,” pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a series of fraudulent business email compromise (BEC) and related romance schemes that resulted in more than $50 million in losses by individuals and small businesses located within the Eastern District of New York and throughout the United States. The defendant and his co-conspirators misappropriated victim funds and laundered them through shell company accounts in the United States and abroad, sometimes using unsuspecting middlemen to further obscure the fraudulent source of the funds.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, New York Field Office (USSS), announced the plea.
“The defendant and his network of criminal associates perpetrated sophisticated frauds targeting victims here in Brooklyn and throughout the country,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Schemes like these cause enormous hardship and financial losses to victims every year. Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize prosecuting these online criminal actors and getting victims their hard-earned money back.”
“The staggering number of monetary losses this defendant and his network of thieves inflicted on innocent, hardworking, and good people caused significant financial hardship and distress. Let this sentence send a message to other cyber-criminals out there: You won’t get away with your crimes forever. We will track you down. And there will be significant consequences for your criminal misdeeds,” stated USSS Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool. “I am proud of the work the U.S. Secret Service did in this case, and I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and our other law enforcement partners for their diligence in bringing justice to the innocent victims hurt by this criminal network.”
A BEC scheme is a form of cyber-enabled financial fraud. In a typical BEC scheme, a malicious actor compromises legitimate business email accounts through computer intrusion techniques or social engineering and uses those accounts to cause the unauthorized transfer of funds. Techniques for perpetrating these schemes include identity theft, spoofing of emails and websites and the use of malware. Confidence fraud is another form of cyber-enabled financial fraud. In a typical confidence fraud, a malicious actor befriends and gains the confidence of another individual through online communications and uses that confidence to cause the transfer of funds for unauthorized purposes. A romance scheme is a type of confidence fraud wherein the perpetrator adopts a fictitious online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The perpetrator then uses the illusion of a romantic relationship to cause the transfer of funds for unauthorized purposes.
Between April 2021 and March 2022, the defendant and his co-conspirators orchestrated a series of fraudulent BEC schemes and related romance schemes and laundered and received proceeds from the fraudulent schemes. As one part of the BEC schemes, victim-individuals involved in real estate transactions received fraudulent emails purporting to be from legitimate parties to those transactions. The emails instructed them to wire funds they believed to be related to the real estate transactions to specified bank accounts. The fraudulent email accounts that contacted the victims closely resembled, but were slightly different from, the email addresses of the legitimate parties to the transaction (a process known as “spoofing”).
As another part of the BEC schemes, employees of victim-companies received fraudulent emails purporting to be from legitimate vendors or other business partners of those companies directing them to transfer funds to specified bank accounts. The employees were also defrauded through email spoofing and received fraudulent emails from accounts that closely resembled, but were slightly different from, the email addresses of the legitimate vendors and business partners.
In each case, after the victims executed the wires in accordance with the fraudulent instructions, the transferred funds were misappropriated from the victims and sent to and through accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-conspirators. The defendant further laundered illicit proceeds through the purchase of luxury watches and through an illegal money exchange operation run by his co-defendant Idowu Ademoroti, who was previously convicted and sentenced to a term of incarceration for his role in the scheme. Adebo ultimately received fraudulent proceeds in corporate bank accounts located in Nigeria.
A third defendant, Nelson Ojeriakhi, also a Nigerian national, was arrested in Paris, France and extradited to the United States in July 2025. Ojeriakhi pleaded guilty in November 2025 and is pending sentencing. A fourth defendant, Noguan Marvellous Eboigbe, also a Nigerian national, remains at large.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Reich and Daniel J. Marcus are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Liam McNett and Chelsea Guzman.
The Defendants:
ANIMASHAUN ADEBO (also known as “Kazeem” and “Kazeem Animashaun”)
Age: 40
Chicago, IllinoisIDOWU ADEMOROTI
Age: 33
Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Atlanta, GeorgiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-239 (PKC)
NOGUAN MARVELLOUS EBOIGBE (also known as “Randall Olson,” “Martin Roberto” and “Carlos Eduardo”)
Age: 45
Lagos, NigeriaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-240 (PKC)
NELSON OJERIAKHI (also known as “Ojeey Mami” and “Oba Millie”)
Age: 32
Lagos, NigeriaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-188 (PKC)
New Yorker Sentenced for Supplying Kilogram Quantities of Cocaine to D.C. -Area Distribution RingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daryl Smith-Winfree, 44, a New York-based cocaine supplier, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96 months in prison for his role in a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy that funneled multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from New York into the Washington metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“On multiple occasions Daryl Smith-Winfree drove kilogram quantities of cocaine from New York to the Washington area, hiding them in his car, and kept meticulous ledgers on his phone tracking every customer and every delivery,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “With seven prior convictions, he chose to continue dealing. Today’s sentence reflects both the seriousness of this conspiracy and his long history of choosing crime over every other option available to him.”
Smith-Winfree pleaded guilty on Jan. 28, 2026, before Judge Amir H. Ali to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In addition to the 96-month prison sentence, Judge Ali ordered Smith-Winfree to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 120 months.
According to court documents, beginning in the summer of 2024, the FBI launched an investigation into a large-scale cocaine conspiracy spanning the District, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. Smith-Winfree served as a cocaine supplier, personally transporting multi-kilogram quantities from New York to customers in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Those customers included co-defendant Marcus DeVonta Williams, who then redistributed the cocaine throughout the region.
On Jan. 28, 2025, law enforcement observed Smith-Winfree meet Williams in the parking lot of a shopping center in Wilmington, Delaware. Smith-Winfree entered Williams’s vehicle carrying an unknown object and remained inside for about 18 minutes before leaving without it. On March 24, 2025, surveillance captured a second meeting between the two at a Walmart parking lot in Wilmington.
The following day, Williams provided co-defendant Tavon Valentine Lee with 250 grams of cocaine. When Montgomery County Police stopped Lee shortly afterward, they recovered about 257 grams of cocaine, a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol, and suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills. Inside a bag Lee had discarded before the stop, officers found cocaine packaging consistent with kilogram-quantity distribution, cocaine residue on cutting instruments, and a parking receipt tied to Williams’s vehicle.
On June 3, 2025, a Howard County police officer conducted a traffic stop on Smith-Winfree in Maryland based on GPS data indicating he was on the way to resupply Williams with cocaine. A drug-detecting dog reacted strongly to Smith-Winfree’s Honda Pilot. A search of the vehicle revealed three kilograms of cocaine hidden inside. That same day, officers executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence and recovered more than 200 grams of cocaine, $35,000 in additional currency, and numerous items to distribute cocaine.
A search warrant executed on Smith-Winfree’s iCloud account revealed digital ledgers tracking cocaine deliveries by date and quantity, with entries corresponding to customers including Williams. Smith-Winfree admitted responsibility for at least five kilograms of cocaine.
Co-defendant Lee pleaded guilty Jan. 30, 2026, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Co-defendant Williams pleaded guilty Feb. 4, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Sentencings are pending.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Office, the Montgomery County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, and the Arlington County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and Michael L. Barclay.
A search of Smith-Winfree’s Honda Pilot revealed three kilograms of cocaine hidden inside.
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New York Man Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining $167,000 Worth of GroceriesRead the Press Release
New York Man Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining $167,000 Worth of Groceries
CONCORD – A New York resident was indicted for fraudulently obtaining approximately $167,000 worth of groceries from Hannaford Supermarkets, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Clinton Rathan, 33, was charged with four counts of Wire Fraud. He was arrested in Brookyln, New York, on April 16, 2026, and released on $15,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Concord, New Hampshire, on April 30, 2026.
According to the indictment, Rathan placed over 500 pick-up orders for groceries through the Hannaford app across a seven-month period in 2022. Rathan used false or fraudulently-obtained identities and debit or credit cards to place the orders across New England and New York. After Rathan picked up the grocery orders, Hannaford tried to process the debit or credit card information, but the cards were all declined.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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.
New Orleans Man Indicted for being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 16, 2026, OLIN D. GRANT, JR. (“GRANT”), 30, from Marrero, was indicted on April 16, 2026 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, on or about January 14, 2026, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, GRANT, knowing that that he had been previously convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, was found in possession of a firearm, a Glock, Model 19X, 9mm caliber pistol. GRANT faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U. S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Possession of Gun in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JADI’KISS J’HAD WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 21, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on June 13, 2024, Louisiana State Police attempted to stop a stolen Toyota Highlander driven by WILLIAMS. WILLIAMS failed to comply with troopers’ orders and instead chose to ram the Louisiana State Police vehicles. During a search of the Toyota Highlander, officers located a firearm as well as controlled substances including fentanyl, Tapentadol, and marijuana, all of which were packaged for distribution.
As to the narcotics charge, WILLIAMS faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. As to the firearms charge, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with the minimum being at least 5 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This sentence must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2026.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distribution and Committing Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –LIONEL WINDING, JR. (“WINDING”), age 20, pleaded guilty on April 14, 2026 before Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to seven federal drug and gun offenses, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
WINDING pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846; two counts of distributing various quantities of fentanyl, two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C), and (b)(1)(D); and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, over the course of five transactions between November 2024 and January 2025, WINDING, and his co-conspirators, sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms to individuals WINDING believed to be legitimate buyers. WINDING was personally armed with a handgun during two of those transactions. WINDING was arrested on January 30, 2025. Law enforcement officers searched the motel room where he was staying and recovered cocaine and marijuana that WINDING intended to sell, and a Glock Model 22 firearm equipped with a drum magazine and loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition.
As to his conspiracy conviction, WINDING faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to life, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release up to life. As to his convictions for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, WINDING faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to 40 years, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release up to life. As to his convictions for distributing a quantity of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, WINDING faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and a mandatory minimum of 3 years of supervised release up to life. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, WINDING faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each conviction also carries a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Smuggling and Selling Counterfeit Native American JewelryRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A husband and wife from New Mexico appeared in federal court in Asheville today and pleaded guilty to smuggling counterfeit Native American jewelry made in Vietnam and selling it to customers in the United States as authentic, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Kiem Thanh Huynh, 60, and My Ngoc Truong, 61, pleaded guilty to misrepresentation of Indian goods in an amount greater than $1,000, in violation of the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act, and smuggling.
Meridith Stanton, Director of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the U.S. Department of the Interior, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Those who profit by passing off counterfeit goods as authentic Native American items are not just deceiving buyers, they are exploiting culture and taking income from Native American artists and their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Protecting the integrity of Native American art and heritage is vital to persevering Indian cultural traditions and economic opportunity. My office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement counterparts to investigate these cases and hold accountable anyone who seeks to profit from counterfeit Indian items.”
“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board administers and enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, a truth-in-marketing law,” said Director Stanton. “The Act is intended to rid the American Indian and Alaska Native (Indian) art and crafts marketplace of counterfeits in order to protect the economic livelihoods and cultural heritage of Indian artists and artisans and their Tribes, as well as consumers. Authentic Indian art and craftwork is a critically important tool for the passage of cultural traditions, traditional knowledge, and artistic skills from one generation to the next. Huynh and Truong’s importation in bulk of counterfeit Indian jewelry from Vietnam and subsequent wholesale of the jewelry as Navajo made is an affront to Indian cultures, economies, artists, and artisans of the Indian Tribes resident in North Carolina, and Indians nationwide. Due to the outstanding work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Indian Arts and Crafts Act Investigative Unit, the perpetrators are being held accountable, and the message is clear. For those selling counterfeit Indian art it is important to know that wherever you are we will diligently work to find you and hold you accountable.”
“By smuggling and falsely marketing imported goods as authentic Native American handicrafts, Hyunh and Truong undermined the livelihoods and cultural traditions of Native American artists and took advantage of customers,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “The Indian Arts and Crafts Act exists to protect Native artists, their work, and the generations of tradition behind it. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proud to work with the Department of Justice and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board to investigate these violations, and today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to protecting consumers, standing with tribal communities, and holding accountable those who exploit Native artists and this market for profit.”
According to filed documents and the plea hearing, Huynh and Truong co-owned MT Jewelry MFG., Inc. (MT Jewelry) located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The business, marketed to wholesale customers, claimed on its website that it specialized “in creating unique and handmade southwestern jewelry.” Huynh and Truong traveled to trade shows throughout the United States, including in Western North Carolina, where they sold their merchandise as authentic Native American jewelry.
According to plea documents, much of the jewelry sold by the defendants was not Indian produced or the product of an Indian tribe. Between December 2023 and July 2024, law enforcement intercepted six shipments from Vietnam that were destined for MT Jewelry. The shipments contained jewelry, including pendants, bracelets and rings, made in Vietnam to resemble Native American-style jewelry. The jewelry was adorned with unique stones and/or fish or wildlife products and were marked with inscriptions and other hallmarks commonly used by artists to authenticate their handicrafts. As importers of jewelry, Huynh and Truong failed to mark the items with country-of-origin or other commercially feasible markers to indicate they were imported before selling them.
In pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that, on two occasions, Huynh and Truong attended GLW Shows in Western North Carolina where they sold counterfeit jewelry contained in shipments intercepted by investigators. Huynh and Truong falsely claimed that the jewelry was made by Native American artists at their shop in Albuquerque and that their workers were Navajo. As Huynh and Truong admitted in court, the defendants knew the jewelry they were selling was made in Vietnam by non-Indians and that they falsely sold these items as authentic Native American handicraft.
Huynh and Truong will remain out of custody pending sentencing. At sentencing they face a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison for the Indian Arts and Crafts Act violation and up to 20 years for the smuggling charge. They have agreed to forfeit $341,967.98, constituting the proceeds of their crimes.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Indian Arts and Crafts Act Investigative Unit for the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
Natchez Trace Parkway Ranger Recognized for Outstanding Work with VictimsRead the Press Release
OXFORD – U.S. Attorney Scott Leary is proud to have recognized Law Enforcement Ranger Dylan Romine from the National Park Service on April 20, 2026, for his outstanding work and service on behalf of crime victims in the Northern District of Mississippi. Ranger Romine was given the Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service Award as part of the District’s recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
In the predawn hours of May 11, 2024, Mother’s Day, a family was changed forever. A twenty-year-old chose to drive on the Natchez Trace Parkway while under the influence of alcohol. His actions resulted in a head on collision that claimed the life of a father and severely injured a minor child who were on their way to a local fishing tournament.
Dylan Romine, a law enforcement Ranger with the National Park Service, was the first Ranger to respond to that scene. Ranger Romine worked to ensure that lifesaving care was received by the minor victim and that crucial investigative steps were taken. He later provided testimony that was described by a U.S. Magistrate Judge as among “the most competent and compelling testimony” he had ever heard from a law enforcement officer. The work that he and other law enforcement Rangers with the NPS performed following those tragic events led to a 240-month sentence for the defendant.
Those are normal things that society expects from their law enforcement officers. Ranger Romine went above and beyond in his actions in that case. He worked to ensure that the victims were informed and assisted throughout the process and worked to make sure that their voices were heard and their rights were protected. His dedication to the victims’ family was noticed throughout the criminal justice process by the Assistant US Attorney who worked on this case and nominated him for this Award.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated, “So often we take for granted the wonderful work provided by our law enforcement professionals. They miss holidays and birthdays protecting Mississippians from crime. Our officers run to danger, not away from it. Our office is honored to recognize Ranger Romine, and all the other law men and women who work selflessly for us. Dylan Romine embodies the best of what we expect from our men and women who put on a badge. The victims of this crime were tragically made part of the criminal justice system, and Ranger Romine treated them with the dignity and care they deserved.”
Superintendent of the National Park Service Wendy Hart Ross said “The Natchez Trace Parkway is incredibly proud of Ranger Romine’s dedication and professionalism. He adheres to strict investigative protocol while supporting victims, their families, and their communities during times of crisis. His work exemplifies the highest standards of public service and this award is well-deserved.”
Carolyn Clayton embraced the role of victims’ advocate at a time when there was no such thing. Her daughter was murdered at a time when there were no laws on the books defining victims’ rights and she had to rely on the media for information. Clayton championed victims’ rights in Mississippi and worked tirelessly to bring about changes to laws affecting those touched by violent crime. In her honor, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi awards the Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service award to recognize law enforcement or individuals who have demonstrated tremendous efforts and service to crime victims.
More Than 220 New Federal Immigration Cases Added in Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 221 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from April 10 to April 16, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for kidnapping, numerous DWIs, theft, violent crime, and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended an illegal alien whom they had observed running north from the U.S.-Mexico border in the El Paso area. A criminal complaint alleges that one of the agents observed that the alien’s cell phone rang repeatedly and that, using the alien’s cell phone, the agents were led to a location on East Paisano Drive. According to the complaint, they encountered Mexican national Carlos Alberto Cardona at the location, where he had arranged to pick up the alien to assist with smuggling. Cardona stated he himself had entered the U.S. illegally on March 25 and agreed to work for a smuggling organization to avoid paying his own smuggling fee. Additionally, the complaint alleges Cardona would be paid $500 per week for taking care of illegal aliens and would transport them to a stash house. Further investigation led the USBP agents to the stash house where they allegedly located 14 illegal aliens and arrested Pedro Anaya-Anaya, an alleged caretaker who had also illegally crossed into the U.S. on March 25 and agreed to work for the smugglers in lieu of paying a smuggling fee balance of $3,500. Both Cardona and Anaya-Anaya now face human smuggling charges.
Juan Carlos Andrade-Martinez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was encountered on July 4, 2023, at the El Paso County Detention Facility, where he faced state charges for kidnapping. Last month, on March 17, he was convicted and sentenced to 32 months imprisonment. Andrade-Martinez was transferred to ICE custody on April 9 and is now charged with illegal re-entry. He was previously convicted for improper entry by an alien in 2010 and was last removed from the U.S. in November 2019.
A criminal complaint alleges that Mexican national Moises Velazquez-Perez was found near the Burlington North Santa Fe Railyard in El Paso after being previously deported twice, the last being on Dec. 19, 2025. In June 2023, Velazquez-Perez was convicted of resisting an officer with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer. Prior to that, he was arrested for assault and convicted of resisting an officer in 2008.
Ecuadorian national Bosco Joel Idrovo-Soto was arrested in El Paso after being identified as an illegal alien. In 2004, Idrovo-Soto was convicted of aggravated assault in New Jersey and sentenced to 364 days in jail. He was removed from the U.S. in September 2009 following an arrest for shoplifting.
U.S. citizen Frank Camacho was charged with transportation of illegal aliens in San Antonio. According to a criminal complaint, a USBP agent conducted a traffic stop on a pickup truck driven by Camacho on Texas State Highway 85 near Dilley. The complaint alleges that, while approaching the vehicle, the agent observed a single male in camouflage clothing lying flat on the floorboard. The individual was determined to be an illegal alien. Additionally, the complaint alleges that Camacho possessed a fully loaded 9mm handgun in in the center console of the vehicle.
Cesar Reyna-Ramirez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested in San Antonio and charged with illegally re-entering the United States. Reyna-Ramirez was previously encountered at the Kendall County Jail in 2024 following an arrest for an obscured license plate. Despite an immigration detainer, he was not released to ICE custody. On Wednesday, ICE Enforcement Removal Operations and USBP agents conducted a traffic stop on Reyna-Ramirez near Loop 410 North and U.S. Highway 87. A review of his criminal history revealed Reyna-Ramirez was previously convicted of transportation of an unlawful alien within the U.S. and sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.
Honduran national Roger Andino Gomez-Dominguez aka Jose Jeremias Dominguez was arrested by USBP agents near Maverick and charged with illegal re-entry. Gomez-Dominguez has been deported thrice before, the last being in March 2024, following a conviction for stalking. In 2023, he was convicted of a DUI and threatening crime with intent to terrorize.
ICE arrested Mexican national Felipe Marquez-Rangel in Travis County on Wednesday, charging him with illegal re-entry. Marquez-Rangel has been removed from the U.S. three times, the last being in August 2018, following his second DWI.
Rodolfo Renteria-Mendez, also an illegal alien from Mexico, was found in Caldwell County on April 13. Immigration records indicated that Renteria-Mendez was previously removed for the second time in July 2017, after being convicted of his second DWI. He is now charged with illegal re-entry.
Hector Perez-Sales aka Marvin Perez-Sales, an illegal alien from Guatemala was found in Williamson County on April 13. Perez-Sales has been previously removed from the U.S. seven times, the last being in September 2017.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Monroe County Man Sentenced to 96 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jayson Diaz, age 35, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on April 17, 2026, to 96 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, between October 23, 2024, and November 19, 2024, a confidential source purchased cocaine and fentanyl on four occasions from Diaz. On November 21, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Diaz’s residence in East Stroudsburg. They seized 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, in excess of 250 grams of fentanyl, drug packaging and processing materials, three firearms and in excess of $220,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking After Possessing 86 Pounds of 100% Pure Methamphetamine and 4,700 Carfentanil PillsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Tobias Jimenez-Martinez, 36, a Mexican national residing in Madera, pleaded guilty today to trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on March 4, 2025, police officers searched Jimenez’s Madera apartment and seized 39.28 kilograms (86.5 pounds) of actual “ice” methamphetamine with a 100% purity. Jimenez later admitted to transporting the methamphetamine from San Diego and was planning to distribute it in Reno, Nevada. The methamphetamine was packaged in 90 plastic bags of different sizes. Officers also seized approximately 4,700 counterfeit M30 pills that tested positive for carfentanil. According to the DEA, carfentanil is a synthetic opioid estimated to be 100 times stronger than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Madera Police Department; the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is composed of personnel from the California Department of Justice, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Madera County Narcotics Enforcement Team (MADNET); the Madera County District Attorney’s Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.
Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on July 27, 2026. Jimenez faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
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.
Long Island Man Sentenced to Prison for $1 Million Covid-19 FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Carmine G. Agnello was sentenced by United States District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury to 15 months in prison for defrauding the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) of approximately $1.1 million in loans awarded under the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Agnello was also ordered to pay restitution to the SBA in the amount of $1,268,302, serve two years of supervised release, and perform 100 hours of community service. Agnello pleaded guilty in September 2024 to wire fraud in connection with the scheme.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS) announced the sentence.
“During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the defendant shamefully lined his own pockets with government and taxpayers’ dollars which he must repay as part of today’s sentence,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will continue to investigate and bring to justice those criminals who stole funds that were intended to assist legitimate businesses and their employees during a time of crisis.”
“Mr. Agnello defrauded a program designed to assist businesses and employees during the pandemic,” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Larco-Ward. “This investigation showcases the results that postal inspectors strive to achieve in collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York.”
Congress created the EIDL as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Enacted on March 29, 2020, the CARES Act provided emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the EIDLP, which provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters.
As set forth in court filings and on the record during the defendant’s plea and sentencing hearings, between April 2020 and November 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Agnello fraudulently applied for, and received, at least three EIDLP loans totaling approximately $1.1 million, which he submitted on behalf of Crown Auto Parts & Recycling, LLC (Crown), a Jamaica, Queens-based business that he operated. In an effort to receive loans to which he was not entitled, Agnello submitted false information to the SBA about the number of employees who worked for Crown, as well as about the intended use of the loan proceeds. Instead of using the funds for Crown, Agnello diverted them for his personal use, including by investing approximately $420,000 in a cryptocurrency business.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder.
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.
The Defendant:
CARMINE G. AGNELLO
Age: 39
Smithtown, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-366 (NJC)
Lexington Man Convicted of Armed Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. After a three-day trial, a Lexington man, Victorian Valdimar Hardaway, 36, was convicted on Thursday by a federal jury in Lexington for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a detectable amount of oxycodone; distributing fentanyl; possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, oxycodone, and methamphetamine; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
According to testimony at trial and items seized during a search warrant, Hardaway had large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the apartment where he was staying. Law enforcement recovered numerous items of drug paraphernalia, including a hydraulic press, baggies, cutting agents, a blender, more than $5,000 in bundled cash, and digital scales. Evidence revealed that Hardaway was a large-scale drug trafficker in the Lexington community selling substantial amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Hardway also possessed firearms during drug transactions and another one in the bedroom where many drugs and paraphernalia was recovered. Further, Hardaway’s criminal history shows he is a convicted domestic violence aggressor.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, and Lexington Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ron Walker and Aubrey McGuire Girouard.
Hardaway will appear for sentencing in August 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum of 20 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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Land O’Lakes Man Working as a Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deploy Ransomware and Extort U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Land O’Lakes man, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit ransomware attacks against U.S. companies in 2023.
According to court documents, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, collaborated with the operators of the Blackcat/ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware variant used by cybercriminals to attack and extort institutions and companies. Beginning in April 2023, Martino abused his role at a U.S.-based cyber incident response company to assist BlackCat actors. Working as a negotiator on behalf of five different ransomware victims, Martino provided BlackCat attackers with confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his company’s clients without the clients’ or his employer’s knowledge or permission. This confidential information assisted the ransomware actors and maximized the ransoms that the victims were required to pay. The BlackCat actors paid Martino for this confidential information.
Additionally, Martino has admitted to conspiring with Ryan Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Martin of Texas to successfully deploy BlackCat ransomware between April 2023 and November 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the U.S. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry and leveraged their knowledge and skills to commit these crimes. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their share of the ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.
To date, law enforcement has seized $10 million of assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained using proceeds of the offense or acquired as a result of the offense.
“Angelo Martino’s clients trusted him to respond to ransomware threats and help thwart and remedy them on behalf of victims,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, he betrayed them and began launching ransomware attacks himself by assisting cyber criminals and harming victims, his own employer, and the cyber incident response industry itself.”
“Ransomware victims turned to this defendant for help, and he sold them out from the inside,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As he admitted in court, he abused his position at a cyber incident response company to feed confidential information to BlackCat actors, helping them maximize ransom payments from American victims. He then went further, joining the conspiracy himself to deploy ransomware and profit from extortion. This guilty plea makes clear that if you weaponize insider access and cybersecurity expertise against victims in South Florida or anywhere in this country, you will be prosecuted. And as the seizure of more than $10 million in assets shows, you will not get to keep the proceeds of your crime.”
“The FBI works every day to dismantle the ransomware ecosystem,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “That includes apprehending key facilitators like Angelo Martino, who abused the trust placed in him as a private sector negotiator by collaborating with ransomware criminals. Martino provided BlackCat ransomware actors with confidential information to maximize ransom payments. He also conspired with other U.S. residents to launch attacks on victims across the country. His guilty plea demonstrates that, for all the international aspects of cybercrime, the threat is also here in the United States. The FBI is proud of the close collaboration with partners that led to this outcome.”
Martino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martin and Goldberg separately entered guilty pleas to the same charge in December 2025. Martin and Goldberg are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt BlackCat ransomware, during which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by the BlackCat ransomware actors.
The FBI’s Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer for the Middle District of Florida and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón of the Southern District of Florida.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.
If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV/BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can also be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required):
he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20065.
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Justice Department Files Clean Water Act Complaint Against DC Water for Potomac Interceptor FailureRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a civil complaint in federal court today against the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) and the District of Columbia for claims of Clean Water Act violations from the collapse of the Potomac Interceptor resulting in the discharge of more than 200 million gallons of raw, untreated sewage into the Potomac River.
The complaint seeks financial penalties, sewer assessment and rehabilitation projects, and pollutant mitigation work to remedy DC Water’s failure to operate its sewer system in compliance with the Clean Water Act and its permits. The complaint alleges that DC Water failed to properly operate and maintain its sewer system in a manner that keeps untreated sewage out of the Potomac River and its tributaries, and other areas with risk of human contact. The complaint also seeks an order for DC Water to, at a minimum, develop an Enhanced Operations and Maintenance Plan for all its sewer lines.
“DC Water’s failure to maintain the Potomac Interceptor resulted in raw sewage flowing into the Potomac River and the surrounding environment, posing a direct risk to public health,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “As cities grow and infrastructure ages, cities must invest in their wastewater system to prevent such catastrophes. This complaint seeks to secure DC Water’s commitment to properly maintain its foundational sewage infrastructure.”
According to the complaint, DC Water operates the Potomac Interceptor, which conveys an average of up to 60 million gallons a day of sewage from parts of Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland to the Potomac Pump Station in Washington, D.C.
On Jan. 19, a portion of the Potomac Interceptor collapsed where it passes through the C&O Canal National Historic Park, near Lock 12, in Montgomery County, Maryland. Between Jan. 21 and 24 DC Water crews worked to install diversion pumps to route wastewater around the failed section of the Potomac Interceptor. Beginning on Jan. 24, DC Water used a portion of the C&O Canal to contain the bypassed flow until it could re-enter the Potomac Interceptor downstream of the collapse.
DC Water’s use of the C&O Canal to route sewage around the failed section of the Potomac Interceptor required multiple high-powered pumps. These pumps periodically clogged, requiring them to be taken out of service and cleaned. On Feb. 8, DC Water reported that an estimated 500,000 gallons of sewage was discharged to the Potomac River when multiple pumps had to be shut down due to clogging with rags and wipes.
When President Trump declared a FEMA emergency, the Army Corp of Engineers deployed to assist with mitigation efforts, including building stormwater diversions around locations that were still covered with sewage debris to prevent stormwater from coming into contact with harmful pollutants left behind by the deposition of untreated sewage.
In total, the Potomac Interceptor collapse resulted in unauthorized discharge of more than 200 million gallons of raw, untreated sewage to the Potomac River.
EPA investigated the case.
ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed the complaint.
Joseph E. diGenova Sworn in as Counselor to the Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, Joseph E. diGenova was sworn in as Counselor to the Attorney General, assuming a senior advisory role within the U.S. Department of Justice.
In this capacity, diGenova will advise the Attorney General on significant legal, policy, and enforcement matters, drawing on decades of experience in federal prosecution, complex investigations, and national legal practice.
“Joe diGenova brings a lifetime of experience, judgment, and proven leadership to this role,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He understands the mission of the Department of Justice and the responsibility we carry to enforce the law fairly, protect the American people, and uphold the Constitution. I am confident he will serve with distinction.”
diGenova has served in some of the most demanding legal roles in government and private practice. From 1983 to 1988, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, where he led one of the largest and most complex prosecutorial offices in the country. During his tenure, he supervised major public corruption, national security, and violent crime prosecutions, earning a reputation for disciplined, results-driven leadership.
Following his government service, diGenova built a distinguished career in private practice, representing clients in high-stakes criminal, civil, and congressional investigations. He has also been a frequent legal commentator and advisor on matters involving federal law enforcement and constitutional issues.
diGenova received his undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati and his law degree from Georgetown University.
As Counselor to the Attorney General, diGenova will support the Department’s mission: to protect Americans, enforce the rule of law, and ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice.
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Jefferson Parish Resident Sentenced to 70 Months Imprisonment for Fraud and Identity Theft Totaling over $350,000Read the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 9, 2026, JELISSA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 37, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was sentenced by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier for two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
On April 7, the Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Judge Barbier sentenced LACOUR to 46 months imprisonment on the wire fraud counts and 24 consecutive months imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft counts for an aggregate prison term of 70 months. Judge Barbier ordered LACOUR to serve three years of supervised release following her imprisonment and to pay $342,032 in restitution.
According to court documents, LACOUR obtained numerous Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using falsified tax forms, and also fraudulently obtained Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds in the names of numerous purported renters. In some instances, the PPP and ERAP applications were for her accomplices who sought to benefit from the fraudulent applications, while in other instances, LACOUR misused others’ identities to obtain payments in their names. The combined total loss for the wire fraud and aggravated identity theft schemes was approximately $366,236.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.
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Jacqueline F. Dagle Sworn in as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda announces the appointment of Jacqueline F. Dagle as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
“Jacqueline Dagle is a skilled advocate with significant litigation experience and a strong record of public service,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “She brings extensive experience handling complex matters, the ability to manage demanding caseloads, and a commitment to the rule of law. She will be a strong asset to our Civil Division and the office’s mission.”
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Dagle served as a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program, where she litigated civil enforcement matters and handled bankruptcy-related proceedings. In that role, she managed a high-volume caseload, appeared regularly before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and conducted legal analysis of complex financial matters.
Dagle previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Diane Finkle of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Rhode Island, where she conducted legal research and drafted memoranda, orders, and decisions. She also served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Scott L. Kafker of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Earlier in her career, Dagle gained experience at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, Civil Rights Unit, and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
Dagle earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from New England Law, Boston, where she was a Rappaport Fellow and a member of the Mock Trial Team. She also received a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Rhode Island.
Dagle is admitted to practice in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Jacksonville Man Indicted for Possessing More than a Pound of FentanylRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Issac Darnell Henderson (32, Jacksonville) has been charged by federal indictment with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including more than a pound and a half of fentanyl. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The indictment also notifies Henderson that the United States intends to forfeit assets, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
On February 14, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant for a residence belonging to Henderson and recovered more than one and a half pounds of multi-colored fentanyl.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
Iranian citizen extradited from Panama to U.S. on indictment in SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 44-year-old citizen of Iran was extradited to the United States last week and will appear today at 2:00 PM in U.S. District Court in Seattle on a nine-count indictment related to his scheme to violate trade sanctions against Iran, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Reza Dindar, aka Renda Dindar was indicted by the grand jury in August 2014. Dindar was arrested in Panama in July 2025 at the request of the United States. The indictment was unsealed with his arrival in the Western District for his initial appearance.
“The members of this conspiracy thought they could evade export restrictions by shipping goods through a third country – in this case China,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “But law enforcement uncovered the scheme, and the grand jury returned the indictment leading to the appearance today.”
According to the indictment, the conduct in this case violates sanctions against Iran imposed by the President’s Executive Order in March 1995 and reimposed in 2001. The orders prohibit the unauthorized exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran; as well as the exportation or supply of goods, technology, or services to persons in third countries knowing or with reason to know that the goods, technology or services are intended for supply, trans-shipment, or re-exportation to Iran.
According to the indictment, between 2010 and 2014, Dindar managed a business called New Port Sourcing Solutions in Xi’an, China. The company hid the fact that it was procuring items in the U.S. for companies in Iran. It fraudulently claimed the goods were destined for China. The indictment details that in 2011 and 2012, Dindar and his coconspirators used deception to purchase parts for three military sonar systems from a business in the Western District of Washington. Dindar and his coconspirators claimed the systems would be used by a company in China. In fact, the indictment alleges that at all times, the plan was to ship the parts through China to Iran in violation of export controls.
“The Bureau of Industry and Security is committed to enforcing the nation’s export control laws. This indictment and extradition are evidence of that commitment,” said BIS Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, David Peters.
“This successful extradition marks a significant step towards accountability for members of this conspiracy whose actions posed a threat to our national security,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “HSI special agents, in close partnership with our U.S. and international law enforcement partners, demonstrate that actors who attempt to exploit the U.S. trade system and to provide sensitive technology to foreign threats will face consequences despite their efforts to evade justice abroad.”
Dindar is charged with conspiracy, two counts of export to an embargoed country, two counts of smuggling goods from the United States, two counts of money laundering for the $97,600 the company sent to the U.S. for the purchase, and two counts of filing false export records.
If convicted, Dindar faces up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security - Office of Export Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Panama to secure the arrest and extradition from Panama of Dindar. Significant assistance was provided by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
dindar_indictment.pdfIranian National Living in San Fernando Valley Arrested on Federal Complaint Charging Her with Selling Weapons for Iran’s GovernmentRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Iranian national residing in the San Fernando Valley has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging her with selling Iranian-made weapons – drones, bombs, and millions of rounds of ammunition – to Sudan, the Justice Department announced today.
Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
She was arrested on Saturday night at Los Angeles International Airport before she could board a flight departing the United States.
Mafi is expected to make her initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. No plea will be taken today.
“This individual came from Iran and gained legal status under the Obama administration,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “While enjoying a life in the United States, this woman was allegedly breaking the law by brokering lethal weapons deals with Iranian adversaries. This will not stand, and anyone who breaks our laws and threatens national security will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
“As Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made clear, the Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute violations of U.S. sanctions that target foreign adversaries such as the government of Iran,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant took advantage of our open immigration system to live freely in Los Angeles while simultaneously working to traffic arms on behalf of a country that seeks to destroy us. Not on our watch. We look forward to securing long prison sentence for her blatant criminal conduct.”
“The FBI will not tolerate weapon sales to American adversaries by lawful permanent residents of the United States,” said Akil Davis, The Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendant allegedly abused the privilege of living in the United States by delivering weapons on behalf of a regime that sponsors terrorism.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Mafi schemed to broker the sale of weapons, weapons components, and ammunition on behalf of the Government of Iran in violation of U.S. law.
Mafi is an Iranian national who in October 2016 became a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. She owns and operates an Oman-based company, Atlas International Business LLC, which also is known as “Atlas Global Holding” and “Atlas Tech LLC.” In early 2025, Mafi brokered weapons deals on Iran’s behalf through her company.
For example, she facilitated a contract worth more than $70 million for the sale of the Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone from Iran’s defense ministry to Sudan’s military. She coordinated the Sudanese delegation’s travel to Iran and was paid more than $7 million.
She also brokered the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan and submitted a letter of intent to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to purchase the bomb fuses for Sudan. Mafi also brokered the sale of millions of rounds of ammunition from Iran to Sudan.
The IEEPA imposes controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism.
The IEEPA prohibits a U.S. person from transacting or dealing in goods or services owned by the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). This law also bars U.S. persons from transacting with specially designated nationals and blocked persons such as the IRGC and Iran’s defense ministry.
At no time did Mafi apply for or obtain the required licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department to engage in any transactions alleged in the complaint’s affidavit. She also never registered with or applied for approval from the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to engage in brokering activities with respect to U.S. or foreign defense articles.
Records obtained pursuant to a search warrant show approximately 62 bidirectional contacts between Mafi and an Iranian intelligence officer’s phone numbers between December 2022 and June 2025.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Mafi would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia of the Public Corruption & Civil Rights Section and David C. Lachman of the National Security Division are prosecuting this case, with valuable assistance from Department of Justice Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Illegal Alien Previously Convicted of Drug Offenses Charged with Healthcare Benefit Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Brockton, Mass., has been arrested and charged with healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Amaurys Arias Arias, 44, was charged with one count of making false statements relating to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft. The defendant was arrested and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for April 23, 2026.
According to the charging documents, Arias used the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen to obtain government benefits. Specifically, it is alleged that Arias falsely represented that he was a U.S. citizen when applying for healthcare benefits in Massachusetts and submitted a sworn affidavit falsely alleging the same. As a result, it is alleged that Arias ultimately obtained tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of MassHealth benefits using the stolen identity. It is further alleged that Arias used the stolen identity in connection with prior arrests, leading to convictions in the name of the U.S. citizen victim.
The charge of making false statements relating to a health care program provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. 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.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit 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.
Hudson Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Attempting to Sex Traffic a Minor at a Manchester HotelRead the Press Release
Hudson Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years in Prison for Attempting to Sex Traffic a Minor at a Manchester Hotel
CONCORD – A Hudson man was sentenced to 162 months in prison for attempting to sex traffic a 12-year-old, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces. After a three-day trial in May of 2025, Stacey Lancaster, age 47, was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. United States District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro presided over the trial and announced the sentence, which also included a 5-year term of supervised release.
On November 14 and November 15, 2024, in a proactive law enforcement operation, agents posted and monitored an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. The advertisement contained images of what appeared to be two minor females, and a contact phone number. Law enforcement agents monitored this line and used it to communicate with potential sex buyers, including Lancaster. During a text conversation between an undercover agent and Lancaster, the agent stated that he/she had a 12-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. The agent then provided Lancaster with the address of a hotel in Manchester. Once at the hotel, the defendant met with an undercover agent and confirmed that he was in possession of the agreed upon $100 to pay for the commercial sex act, and that he would use a condom.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted 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.
Hedge Fund Manager Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion in AustinRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Cayman national who renounced his U.S. citizenship pleaded guilty today to evading payment of more than $1.5 million of federal income tax liabilities.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Justin Ryan Schmidt, formerly of Austin, managed a hedge fund focusing on cryptocurrency investments. Between 2020 and March 2022, Schmidt earned a total of more than $6 million from his hedge fund but did not report any of this income on his 2020, 2021 or 2022 tax returns. Instead, Schmidt falsely reported earning income of $5,000 or less during each of those years. At the same time, he held millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts that he failed to disclose to the IRS.
In November 2021, Schmidt became a British citizen. He renounced his U.S. citizenship in March 2022. Individuals who expatriate from the United States are required to report certain information to the IRS about their net worth, income, assets, and liabilities as of the date of their expatriation. Schmidt willfully filed a false expatriation statement reporting that his net worth was $25,000 at the time of expatriation, when in fact it exceeded $2 million, and stating that he had complied with his tax obligations for the preceding five years when he knew that he had not.
In 2023, Schmidt paid approximately $5.8 million to purchase real property in Snowmass Village, Colorado, and sold the property a few months later for approximately $9 million. Schmidt had a duty to report his U.S. sourced income, but did not report the gains from this sale and evaded payment of taxes by submitting false documents to prevent taxes from being withheld on the sale.
Schmidt pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. His sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Michael Jones of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Gardner assisted at the hearing.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announce 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.
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Havana Man Indicted for Federal Crimes Related to Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Marlo G. Davis, 47, of Havana, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Davis appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 26, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.
Davis faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and up to 40 years, on the drug possession count, and a consecutive five years’ imprisonment, up to life imprisonment, for carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. If his prior felony convictions are determined to qualify him as an Armed Career Criminal, Davis faces a minimum mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to life, if convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Hardy, Iowa, Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Scott Devries, 57, from Hardy, Iowa, pled guilty April 20, 2026, to one count of possession of child pornography in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing, Devries admitted that between January 2021 and August 2022, he possessed and received visual depictions of child pornography, which included prepubescent minors or a minor under the age of 12. While executing a search warrant, law enforcement discovered 20 electronic devices that contained child sexual abuse material. Forensic analysis of the devices found almost one million images of child pornography, some of which involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as infants and toddlers.
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 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 and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Devries remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Devries faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Charles City Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3060. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Hard Money Lender Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors in 2 Cases involving Bitwise Industries and Voyager Pacific Capital Management Totaling $45 Million in LossesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in two separate cases that resulted in a combined loss of approximately $45 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Startop Investments LLC Hard Money Loan Scheme
According to court documents, from December 2022 through May 2023, Hardcastle and business partner Andrew Adler, 32, of Greenwich, Connecticut, loaned Bitwise Industries approximately $20 million in high-interest hard money loans through their special purpose entity Startop Investments LLC. Hardcastle and Adler split the loans up and sold them to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was obligated to pay significantly less interest on the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of Bitwise’s Co-CEO, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and therefore more appealing to the investors.
Hardcastle and Adler received tens of thousands of dollars in origination fees for the loans and stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Moreover, one of the loans to Bitwise included a secure interest reserve of approximately $700,000. Secure interest reserves are supposed to be disclosed to loan investors and serve to protect investors in the event the borrower does not repay the loan on schedule. The investors were unaware of this reserve.
Hardcastle and Adler then used these reserve funds to make an unrelated investment in another company that they operated without the investors’ authorization, and the money was not available to repay the investors when Bitwise collapsed in May 2023 without repaying the loans. As a result, the investors in the loans lost nearly all of their money.
Adler pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to commit wire fraud when he defrauded investors out of $20 million, and on June 2, 2025, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison.
Bitwise Industries was a startup technology company headquartered in Fresno County. Bitwise had a parent company and several other related companies, which were controlled by Jake Soberal, Irma Olguin, Jr., and a board of directors. Soberal and Olguin, Jr. pleaded guilty to defrauding Bitwise’s investors and lenders, including Startop, out of approximately $115 million. In December 2024, they were sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively.
Voyager Pacific Capital Management Ponzi Scheme
Hardcastle was a general partner and chief executive officer at Voyager Pacific Capital Management, a real estate investment firm based in Florida with operations throughout the country that managed assets worth tens of millions of dollars.
According to court documents, between June 2020 and January 2025, Hardcastle and others falsely represented to investors in their Opportunity Fund II that their money would be used to acquire residences, land, and tax liens, among other assets. Instead, Hardcastle and others used the money to pay promised returns to other participants, personal investments, and other improper purchases. They provided fake financial information to the participants that falsely said that the Fund was performing well when, in fact, it was not.
At times, Hardcastle and others at Voyager sold certain properties in the Fund that were in disrepair or underperforming to themselves and did not disclose these sales to the participants. The sales were on paper only and no money changed hands. Hardcastle and others at Voyager made the sales because they did not have sufficient capital to maintain or improve the properties and they were prohibited from incurring debt on the properties based on their agreements with the participants. The sales allowed them to artificially inflate the value of the Fund and the participants’ shares and therefore continue receiving their management fees and other compensation from Voyager.
Hardcastle and others at Voyager agreed with each other to carry out their scheme to defraud and knowingly participated therein. In doing so, they acted with the intent to deceive and cheat the participants out of their money. The participants would not have made their investments had they known how Hardcastle and others at Voyager were using their money. Ultimately, the Fund was acquired by a third party at a discount, and the value of the participants’ shares was diminished.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigations in both cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the cases.
Hardcastle is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Sept. 14, 2026. Hardcastle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Fourteen New Indictments Returned for Immigration Offenses in MarchRead the Press Release
Pensacola and Gainesville – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that 14 previously deported illegal aliens have been separately indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States in the month of March.
According to court records, the 14 illegal aliens indicted in the month of March include:
- Osman Guerrero-Torres, 45, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Alachua County in January 2026, after previously being deported in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2016, and 2021. Trial is scheduled for April 29, 2026, at 8:30am in Gainesville, Florida, before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Allen C. Winsor.
- Jairo Calel Vicente, 30, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2025 and 2026. Trial is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 8:00am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
- Romeo Escalon, 44, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2012. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for April 16, 2026, at 2:30 pm in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon.
- Juan Hernandez-Cruz, 33, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2015. Sentencing took place on March 24, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida.
- Jose Rodas-Castillo, 37, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2016. Trial is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 8:00am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
- Joel Perez Vasquez, 42, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in February 2026, after previously being deported twice in 2013. Sentencing took place on April 8, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida.
- Ricardo Castrejon Lucatero, 31, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2018. Trial is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 9:00am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
- Darlin Alvan-Galdamez, 32, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in March 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. Trial is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 8:00am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
- Anibal Murcia-Barrera, 27, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in March 2026, after previously being deported in 2017. Trial is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 8:00am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
- Santos Gomez-Diaz, 41, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Walton County in September 2022, after previously being deported in 2013 and 2017. Trial is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 9:00am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
- Rodolfo Garcia Martinez, 38, of Guatemala, allegedly possessed or used fraudulent documents and reentered the United States illegally. The defendant was located in Escambia County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2009, 2014, and 2017. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for April 28, 2026, at 11:30 am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon.
- Luis Lopez Lopez, 27, of Guatemala, allegedly possessed or used fraudulent documents in February 2026. Trial is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 9:00am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
- Ismael Martinez Domingo, 31, of Guatemala, allegedly possessed or used fraudulent documents in February 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for April 15, 2026, at 10:30am in Pensacola, Florida, before U.S. District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
- William Gary Perez Perez, 23, of Guatemala, allegedly possessed or used fraudulent documents in February 2026. Sentencing took place on April 8, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida.
The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Guerrero-Torres faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine pursuant to allegations of prior convictions qualifying for an increased maximum sentence. The penalty for possession or use of fraudulent employment documents is a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The cases involved investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with the assistance of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Naval Air Station Police, the Pensacola Police Department, Fort Walton Beach Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
Assistant United States Attorneys Alicia H. Forbes, Thomas S.P. Geeker, Brooke A. DiSalvo, Tyler Fleming, Christopher C. Patterson, Jeffrey M. Tharp are prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former soldier convicted of physically and sexually assaulting minors while serving abroadRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Following a four-day trial, a federal jury in the Northern District of Georgia convicted an Atlanta man of sexually and physically abusing two minors while he was stationed overseas with the U.S. Army.
“When he should have been honorably defending our country with the utmost integrity, Schlueter instead spent years terrorizing his young victims through physical and sexual abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thankfully, federal law allowed my office and our partners in Washington to seek justice for the children Schlueter battered and molested abroad. Excellent work by the prosecutors and investigators assigned to this case will ensure that Schlueter is suitably punished for his wickedness.”
“The defendant exploited a position of trust to carry out horrific abuse against vulnerable children,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is committed to protecting children wherever these crimes occur and to ensuring those who commit such acts are held fully accountable. We are grateful to the victims for their courage in coming forward and to our partners who helped bring this case to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Adam Schlueter was stationed in Grafenwöhr, Germany from 2009 until 2013, while enlisted in the U.S. Army. In Germany, he physically, emotionally, and sexually abused two minor victims. At trial, both minors described being choked and beaten by Schlueter. One minor also testified that Schleuter pushed him through a second-story window and dangled him above the ground when he was eight years old.
Schlueter sexually assaulted both minors when they were under the age of 10. To prevent his victims and others from reporting the abuse to authorities, Schleuter threatened to harm and even kill witnesses.
On April 17, 2026, a jury convicted Adam Schlueter, 39, of Atlanta, of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 12 and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Sentencing has been set for July 9, 2026. Schleuter faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years of imprisonment for each of the aggravated sexual abuse convictions and may be sentenced to life imprisonment.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leanne Marek for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise Peters assisted with the prosecution of this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former U.S. Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Election ContributionsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Roger Hoffman, 70, a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was sentenced this week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for making unlawful political contributions as a foreign national. He was also ordered to pay a $150,000 fine. Hoffman pleaded guilty to this charge on September 26, 2025.
On January 15, 2009, Hoffman, formerly a Wisconsin resident, became a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis. On or about July 9, 2009, Hoffman executed a formal Oath of Renunciation of Nationality of the United States before a United States consular officer. After renouncing his citizenship, Hoffman continued to make political contributions using a straw donor to disguise the foreign nature of his contributions.
Hoffman gave money to Person A and directed Person A to contribute to specific candidates for federal and state office in specific amounts, using Person A’s own name. To execute this scheme, Hoffman directed Person A to open checking accounts with multiple banks, with the checks listing Person A’s Madison, Wisconsin, address and provided the funds for these accounts. Hoffman however, controlled the checkbooks, online login credentials, and debit cards for these accounts.
For more than a decade, Hoffman used the funds in the accounts to make donations to candidates for federal and state office in the United States by writing checks drawn on the accounts and by using the debit cards linked to the accounts to make contributions and donations online. Hoffman falsely represented to the recipients of the contributions that Person A was the contributor or donor, when in fact Hoffman was the true source of the funds. From 2011 to 2020, Hoffman directed Person A or made in Person A’s name more than 1,200 federal and state contributions totaling over $300,000.
After federal agents interviewed Hoffman, he tried to obstruct the investigation by telling Person A to falsely tell agents that the contributions were made of Person A’s own volition.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson stated that Hoffman demonstrated a resolute pattern of dishonesty. Judge Peterson further stated that Hoffman failed to clearly accept responsibility for his conduct despite overwhelming evidence of a scheme to purposely violate election law that was significant in scope.
The charge against Hoffman was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard, Western District of Wisconsin, and Dahoud Askar and Celia Choy, Trial Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, prosecuted this case.
Former U.S. Army Member Convicted of Physically and Sexually Assaulting Two Minors While Serving AbroadRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Northern District of Georgia convicted a Georgia man Friday of sexually and physically abusing two minors.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Adam Schlueter, 37, of Atlanta, was stationed in Grafenwöhr, Germany while a member of the Army from 2009 until 2013. While there, he physically, emotionally, and sexually abused two minor victims. During trial testimony, both minors described being choked and beaten by Schlueter, among others form of egregious physical abuse. One minor described, at age eight, being pushed through a second-story window and dangled above the ground. Schlueter sexually assaulted both minors when they were under the age of 10. Schlueter also employed threats to prevent his victims and other witnesses from disclosing the abuse to authorities, going so far as to threaten to kill one witness.
The jury convicted Schlueter of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 12 and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia; and Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leanne Marek for the Northern District of Georgia 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Pharmacy President Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme Involving Compounded MedicationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – On April 1, 2026 Adam Brosius, 61, of Delray Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in a $33 million health care fraud and kickback scheme, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through 2016, Brosius and others used Main Avenue Pharmacy, a mail-order pharmacy with a storefront in Clifton, New Jersey, to run an illegal kickback scheme involving medically unnecessary compounded drugs including scar creams, pain creams, migraine mediation, and vitamins. Brosius worked as Main Avenue’s director of business development, and later as its president.
As part of the scheme, Main Avenue identified compounded drugs that would yield exorbitant reimbursements from health insurers, including both federal and commercial payers. Once Main Avenue identified lucrative formulas, it would create large prescription pads with those formulas on it and distribute the pads to marketers across the country. The marketing companies would in turn distribute the prescription pad to telemedicine companies and doctors with whom they had a financial arrangement.
After filling prescriptions, Main Avenue submitted claims to health care benefit programs for reimbursement, including Medicare, Tricare, and commercial payers in New Jersey and elsewhere. After Main Avenue obtained reimbursement, it paid kickbacks to marketers who had generated the prescriptions. Main Avenue signed contracts with many of the marketers, which detailed the illicit kickback arrangement, which called for Main Avenue to pay each marketer money based on the volume of referrals of compounded prescriptions and the reimbursement amount that Main Avenue received. Main Avenue received approximately $33 million in reimbursements for compounded medications alone from health care benefit programs. Over $5.8 million of that amount was paid by TRICARE, a federal payer.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Madeline Cox Arleo also ordered $33 million in restitution, $27 million in forfeiture, and a term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the following law enforcement organizations with the investigation leading to the sentencing: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Silvestro.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine M. Romano and Matthew Specht.
The Department of Justice has established the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it.
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Defense counsel:
David A. Eskew, Esq., New York, New York.
Mark A. Berman, Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey.
Former North Charleston Councilmember Sentenced to Two Years Probation in North Charleston Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Sandino Savalas Moses, 51, a former North Charleston City Councilmember, has been sentenced to two years of probation for misprision of a felony.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Moses was a city councilmember when Sea Fox Boat Company’s application for a zoning change was presented to North Charleston City Council. Sea Fox had hired two consultants, Aaron Charles-Lee Hicks and Hason Tatorian Fields, to help generate support for the project. After Moses moved to table the matter when it was presented for a first reading, Hicks and Fields met with members of the Sea Fox team to discuss a path forward. Fields expressed that Moses was susceptible to a bribe because of personal difficulties. After the meeting, but before the matter was re-presented to North Charleston City Council, Fields paid two bribes to Moses. When Moses realized that Fields was trying to bribe him in exchange for his support of the Sea Fox project, Moses repaid the bribes but never reported Fields to law enforcement.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Moses to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Sowards and Emily Limehouse prosecuted the case.
Former Hanahan City Councilman Waives Detention Hearing in Possession, Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material Case, Remains in Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Kevin Phillip Hedgpeth, 48, former City of Hanahan Mayor Pro Tem and member of City Council, appeared this morning for a scheduled detention hearing in United States Magistrate Court in Charleston. Hedgpeth, represented by counsel, waived his right to the hearing and will remain in federal custody pending trial. Arrested on federal warrants last Thursday, Hedgpeth has been charged with possession and production of child sexual abuse material.*
According to the charging document, which was authorized by United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker, an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Hedgpeth as a member of a forum on social media that was facilitating the sale of child sexual abuse material.
Further investigation revealed that Hedgpeth has paid numerous minors who have been identified as likely victims of child sex abuse in CyberTips submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. From December 2021 to present, Hedgpeth’s Cash App and PayPal accounts paid 47 accounts that were either associated with minors or suspected of selling content. The accounts Hedgpeth paid include minors in the Charleston, South Carolina area.
Further investigation revealed that videos and images depicting child sexual abuse were stored in an iCloud account registered to Hedgpeth’s personal e-mail address, his cellular phone, and his home address, and that the account had been accessed frequently from his home internet router. Hedgpeth used his iCloud account and social media to communicate with children, to direct them to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos, and to send these videos to him in exchange for money. One victim was 12 years old when the communication began. Hedgpeth paid that minor for child sex abuse videos, and he pressured that minor to produce content with the minor’s 15-year-old brother. At times, Hedgpeth pretended to be a minor, and at others, he distributed child sexual abuse videos to minors to entice them to produce and sell similar content to him.
Hedgpeth faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison, a maximum of 30 years, lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office, plus sex offender registration requirements.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Investigators are seeking the public’s help to identify possible victims. If you have relevant information to report, please contact HSI at Charleston_exploitationtips@hsi.dhs.gov, by telephone at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423), or through the online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Elliott B. Daniels are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
* The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.
NOTE:The unsealed criminal complaint is attached. Please use discretion in reading and sharing with your audiences.
Former Fresno Art Council Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $1.8 Million of Publicly Designated FundsRead the Press Release
plea_agreement_caldwell.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — Suliana Caldwell, 46, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud involving over $1.8 million in funds stolen from the Fresno Art Council, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Caldwell worked as the Fresno Art Council’s operation’s manager from 2021 to February 2026. In this position, she managed the Fresno Arts Council’s bank accounts, payroll, grants, donations, and general finances. Her duties also included providing periodic financial updates and reports to the executive director, board members, and the City and County of Fresno.
Beginning in 2022, Caldwell began embezzling funds by making unauthorized withdrawals of money from the Fresno Arts Council’s bank accounts. In 2023, after the Fresno City Council designated the Fresno Arts Council to administer the Measure P grant money, Caldwell significantly increased the amount of money she withdrew from the Council’s accounts. Measure P is a tax initiative approved by Fresno voters in 2018 to provide funding for parks, trails, and the arts, among other things. In August 2023, the Fresno Arts Council received $9.4 million in Measure P funds, and in October 2024, it received an additional $5.7 million in a second round of funding.
Caldwell concealed the fraud by using her position of trust as the operations manager to alter and falsify financial reports that showed incorrect funds in Fresno Arts Council bank accounts. She presented these reports to the Fresno Arts Council executive director, board members, and others as accurate when they were not.
Between June 2022 and February 2026, Caldwell stole more than $1.8 million from the Fresno Arts Council. She then used the funds to gamble at local casinos, pay for vacations, and for other improper personal expenses.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Joseph D. Barton are prosecuting the case.
Caldwell is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Aug. 10, 2026. Caldwell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Former CFO of Chicago-Area Company’s Subsidiary Convicted of EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted the former Chief Financial Officer of a Chicago-area company’s subsidiary on fraud charges for embezzling more than $1 million.
TINA FEUERSTEIN, 53, of Hanover, Penn., was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud. The jury returned the verdicts on April 9, 2026, after a four-day trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Each count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt set sentencing for Aug. 26, 2026.
Feuerstein served as the CFO of a Pennsylvania company that was owned by a company in the Chicago area. Evidence at trial showed that Feuerstein used a company credit card over the course of five years to purchase personal items, including luxury furniture, designer apparel, and everyday expenses. To conceal her theft, Feuerstein falsified entries in the company’s general ledgers to offset the amounts that she had stolen. She also deleted items in the company’s expense-reporting system to hide more than 3,800 credit card charges that she had made totaling more than $1 million.
In addition, Feuerstein prepared false consolidated financial statements misstating the company’s total expenses that her employer relied upon to make business decisions. The evidence at trial also showed that Feuerstein had previously embezzled more than $250,000 while working in the accounting department of another company.
The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Anne Yonover.
Florida Woman Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for COVID-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida woman who orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $465,489 in COVID-19 relief funding was sentenced to 18 months’ incarceration in Newark federal court on Friday, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Jane Batista, 44, of Lake Worth, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin on October 1, 2024 to a two-count Information that charged her with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2020 to August 2021, Batista submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for herself, her husband, and two businesses they owned and operated. In support of those applications, Batista lied about the number of employees the businesses employed, the income the employees earned, and the revenue Batista and her husband generated as sole proprietors. Batista also submitted forged documents, including fake tax return documents. After the victim lenders funded the loans, Batista used that money for personal expenses and made several large transfers, including one for approximately $15,000.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin ordered forfeiture in the amount of $465,489 and imposed a two-year term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Maltese with the investigation.
The Department of Justice has established the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron L. Webman, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Robert Taj Moore of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Murray Richman, Esq.
Renée C. Hill, Esq.