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30 September 2026
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After Being Previously DeportedRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty before Federal Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to the sole count of the indictment charging him with illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported with a prior subsequent felony conviction.
Tomas Paxtor-Paxtor, 29, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien, who had been convicted of another felony offense. On March 8, 2026, Paxtor was contacted by officers with the Missouri Department of Conservation. During the contact, Paxtor admitted that he had illegally reentered the United States on an unknown day in 2025, after he had been previously deported. Paxtor also admitted that he was illegally present in the United States. On Aug. 26, 2026, Paxtor was found voluntarily in the United States after being previously deported on Dec. 9, 2024. Paxtor was previously convicted of a felony offense in Newton County Circuit Court for driving while intoxicated that resulted in serious physical injury.
Under federal statute, illegally reentering into the United States after being previously deported is in direct violation of existing federal immigration law and is subject to a sentence of up to ten years imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Gloversville Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Angel Ruiz, age 30, of Gloversville, New York, was sentenced on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, to 93 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms crimes, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Ruiz admitted to his participation in a drug conspiracy from June 2020 to March 2021. Ruiz further admitted to selling cocaine out of a co-defendant’s house, where the drugs and multiple firearms were stored. The firearms were stored in a safe where the drugs were kept so that the defendant and his co-conspirator could access them to protect their drugs, drug proceeds, and themselves, from potential robbers.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, Senior U.S. District Judge, Frederick J. Scullin Jr., also sentenced Ruiz to serve a three-year term of supervised release to begin after Ruiz is released from prison.
“I commend ATF on their steadfast commitment to keeping communities like Gloversville safe,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “The sentence imposed should serve as a message to those who poison our communities with drugs and violence that you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished severely.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo stated: “Drug trafficking and firearms are a dangerous combination that fuels violence and threatens the safety of our communities. This 93-month federal prison sentence demonstrates that those who possess firearms while engaging in drug trafficking will be held accountable. ATF remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify, investigate and bring to justice those who use firearms to further criminal activity. We appreciate the dedicated efforts of our partners who helped bring this case to a successful resolution.”
ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Gloversville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown prosecuted the case.
Fort Walton Beach Felon Indicted for Federal Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jamil M. Hampton, 55, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of cocaine base; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Hampton appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for October 19, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Hampton faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute counts due to a prior conviction for a serious drug felony; a minimum mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the felon in possession count.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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 State Official Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for School Construction Extortion and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
KONSTANTINOS “KOSTA” DIAMANTIS, 70, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for extortion, bribery, conspiracy, and false statement offenses related to his conduct as director of Connecticut’s Office of School Constructions Grants and Review (“OSCGR”), the state agency responsible for the grant administration of all Connecticut public school construction projects seeking state funding.
Diamantis failed to appear for his sentencing and is currently being sought by law enforcement.
According to court documents and the evidence introduced during his trial, Diamantis demanded and received bribes from contractors in connection with multi-million dollar school construction projects he supervised as director of OSCGR. In exchange for those bribes, and promises to pay bribes, Diamantis used his official position to assist Acranom Masonry, Inc. (“Acranom”) to obtain and maintain contracts to perform work on state-funded school construction projects. Diamantis helped Acranom resolve a dispute concerning Hartford’s Weaver High School renovation project around 2018; obtain an additional work on that same project; and, in approximately 2019, obtain the masonry contract for the emergency rebuilding of the Birch Grove Primary School in Tolland. In numerous electronic messages between Diamantis and Acranom principals John Duffy and Salvatore Monarca, the three discussed their plan to pay Diamantis in exchange for his official action on behalf of Acranom. Diamantis also demanded payment in exchange for his actions and threatened to remove Acranom from the Weaver and Birch Grove projects if he was not paid.
Diamantis also demanded and received bribes from Antoinetta Roy in her capacity as the owner of Construction Advocacy Professionals, LLC (“CAP”). In exchange for those bribes, Diamantis used his official position to assist CAP in obtaining contracts to provide construction administrator and related services on state school construction projects, including a 2019 contract on the Birch Grove project in Tolland, a 2019 contract to assist New Britain in obtaining state reimbursement for school construction projects, and a 2019 contract related to the renovation project at Hartford’s Bulkeley High School. Roy paid Diamantis via cash and check, and hired Diamantis’s daughter at an inflated salary.
To conceal this conduct, on three different occasions in 2023, Diamantis made multiple false statements to federal agents investigating the matter.
Diamantis was arrested on May 16, 2024. On October 22, 2025, a federal jury in Bridgeport found him guilty of two counts of extortion, two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of bribery, two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, and 13 counts of making false statements.
“As the jury unanimously found, Kosta Diamantis abused his office to extort contractors and demand bribes, and then repeatedly lied to federal investigators to cover up his corrupt behavior,” said David E. Novick, First Assistant U.S. Attorney. “Rather than face the court at sentencing, this former criminal attorney and influential state official chose to mock the judicial system by becoming a fugitive. I thank the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation agents who diligently investigated this matter. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue working until Diamantis is returned and justice is fully served.”
“Public officials hold a privileged position of public trust,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien. “When an official abuses that trust for personal gain and enrichment, it harms taxpayers, undermines confidence in government, and diverts attention and resources from the communities those programs are meant to serve. A conviction for egregious public corruption offenses carries significant consequences. Failing to appear for sentencing, and attempting to flee from justice, does not change the jury’s verdict or our commitment to ensure accountability. We will aggressively pursue all options to return Mr. Diamantis to the United States to be held accountable for his offenses. FBI New Haven will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to pursue justice and help restore the public trust whenever public officials participate in corrupt acts.”
“Today’s sentencing of Konstantinos Diamantis demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to ensuring that all those who abuse their positions of power to enrich themselves at the cost of the American public are brought to justice,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “In one final self-serving act, Diamantis chose to flee the country in an effort to evade the sentence that the court ordered today. IRS-CI will continue working with our federal and global law enforcement partners to track down this international fugitive and ensure that he is returned to the United States where he will face justice.”
Judge Underhill will determine restitution after additional court proceedings.
Duffy, Monarca, and Roy pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and David E. Novick.
Former St. Louis Tax Preparer Sentenced to 56 Months in Prison for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a former tax preparer to 56 months in prison for preparing false tax returns and ordered her to repay $270,793.
Latasha L. Frison, 39, owned a tax preparation business in downtown St. Louis under various names including Taxed Rite. Evidence and testimony at her trial, which concluded July 1 with guilty verdicts on 16 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns, showed that Frison falsified those tax returns in multiple ways. She made up businesses out of thin air and claimed tens of thousands of dollars in fake business expenses on Schedule C forms, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow wrote in a sentencing memo. She “exploited a COVID-19 tax credit intended to provide tax relief to those who were sick or caring for loved ones sick during the pandemic.” She “fabricated ludicrous amounts of creditable gas purchases by her clients—in one instance, claiming that a full-time liquor store cashier purchased 40,000 gallons of fuel in a single year,” the memo says.
The trial showed that Frison falsified information on 16 tax returns for six taxpayers for tax years between 2020 and 2023, triggering hundreds of thousands of dollars in refunds to which they were not entitled. Eight additional returns were identified during the criminal investigation that contained similar falsehoods, and 37 more were civilly audited by the IRS and found to contain false information, according to court filings and statements in court Wednesday.
Clow told Judge Divine that “significant statistical aberrations” in Schedule C and tax credits that were similar to those that triggered the initial investigation surfaced in returns dating back to when Frison first opened her tax business in late 2017. Returns prepared by Frison included an unusually high percentage of credits as compared to state and national averages, Clow said.
Frison charged some of her clients exorbitant fees, the sentencing memo says. Frison told one client who owed the IRS over $20,000 that it would cost $700 to prepare her taxes, then charged $5,000 after falsifying the return and obtaining a tax refund of $22,000. In a four-year period, she received at least $240,000 in fees. She spent over $145,000 at St. Louis-area casinos, the memo says. At trial, Frison lied under oath when she blamed clients for the false information in the returns, the memo says.
“Stopping fraud against taxpayer funds and keeping the tax system fair are top priorities for IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI),” said Kansas City Field Office Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Latasha Frison operated a tax preparation business that profited by filing falsified information on her clients’ tax returns and caused thousands of dollars in refunds the clients were not entitled to. The tax loss to the Treasury and the tax nightmare created for the clients demands accountability. Through the partnership of IRS-CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, taxpayers now have justice.”
Frison lived in Cahokia at the time of her crimes and now lives in Texas.
The case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigation.
Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Callaway County, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court for producing and possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
Jimmy Joe Culbertson, 68, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Culbertson is a retired police sergeant, who served for more than 24 years.
Through his plea, Culbertson admits to photographing his abuse of two minor children. He also admits to possessing more than 150 CSAM files. Law enforcement located software intended to hide his online activity as well as permanently delete digital evidence.
Under federal statutes, Culbertson is subject to a sentence of up to 70 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Taskforce.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Former New York City Police Department Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Impersonating ICE OfficialRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, former New York City Police Department (NYPD) Sergeant Atickul Islam, also known as “James W. Anderson,” pled guilty to false impersonation of an officer of the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 912. Islam was charged after he falsely claimed to be a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official and directed a female victim and her family to turn themselves in at an ICE office or face “legal action” and “enforcement measures.”
The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. As part of his guilty plea, Islam was required to resign from the NYPD—which he did on September 25, 2026—and cannot apply to another position with the NYPD, or any law enforcement agency, at any time. When sentenced, Islam faces a maximum of three years’ imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“Instead of upholding the law and serving members of his community, Atickul Islam used lies and the threat of deportation to take revenge on a woman in his personal life,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “We expect law enforcement officers of every rank to act with honesty and integrity. As demonstrated by today’s plea, our Office will not tolerate any officer who would use the threat of federal law enforcement to carry out a personal vendetta.”
“Atickul Islam's guilty plea shows that impersonating a federal officer is a serious crime that erodes public trust. By using fake authority to target and intimidate a victim for personal reasons, he betrayed that trust - and now faces the consequences,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As set forth in court filings and during today’s plea proceeding, between March 22, 2025 and March 29, 2025, Islam sent the victim a series of text messages. On March 29, 2025, he sent the victim a message in which he stated that her family would always “live poor”; threatened to call ICE to “come get” her and her family; and implied that he knew her location. Approximately four hours after sending this message, Islam sent the victim another text message from an unknown number, claiming to be the Director of ICE’s New York Field Office. In the message, the defendant told the victim that this was an “official notice” that she had been reported to ICE and that she and her family must report to an ICE office or face “further legal action and enforcement measures.”
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity and Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Sections. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble and Molly Delaney are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Melissa Bennett.
The Defendant:
ATICKUL ISLAM (also known as “James W. Anderson”)
Age: 29
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-359 (DLI)
Five People Charged with Obstructing Access to Federal Facility in Williston, VermontRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Peter Booth, 58, of Jericho, Vermont; Lexington Kennedy, 22, of New York, New York; Henry Prensky, 80, of Burlington, Vermont; Roan Wade, 23, of Red Hook, New York; and Sherri Wormser, 57, of Colchester, Vermont, have been charged by Information with knowingly obstructing access to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center, located in the White Cap business park in Williston, Vermont. The Court has issued summonses which will require the defendants to appear before the Court for initial appearances, which have not yet been scheduled.
According to court records, on February 9, 2026, Booth, Kennedy, Prensky, Wade, and Wormser entered the atrium of the White Cap building and used their bodies to block the access doors between the atrium and the federal facility. All five were repeatedly warned their conduct was in violation of the law. All five ignored the warnings and directives to disperse. Access to the federal facility was restored only when law enforcement physically removed the five from White Cap. On May 14, 2026, Booth and Prensky again entered the atrium of the White Cap building and used their bodies to block the access doors between the atrium and the federal facility. Both were repeatedly warned their conduct was in violation of the law. Both ignored the warnings and directives to disperse. Access to the federal facility was restored only when law enforcement physically removed Booth and Prensky from White Cap. On July 24, 2026, Kennedy and Wade again entered the atrium of the White Cap building and used their bodies to block the access doors between the atrium and the federal facility. Both were warned their conduct was in violation of the law. Both ignored the warning and directive to disperse. Access to the federal facility was restored only when law enforcement physically removed Kennedy and Wade from White Cap.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “By repeatedly blocking the entrances and exits to this federal facility, the defendants created a risk to the safety and wellbeing of the Vermonters who work there. Such obstructions are dangerous, as they restrict the ability of people to enter and exit the facility, including in the event of an emergency. Moreover, the actions of these defendants, and others, necessitated a substantial police response, diverting law enforcement resources from other important priorities and responsibilities. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont will prosecute all those who knowingly obstruct access to federal facilities.” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ophardt thanked the Vermont State Police, the Williston Police Department, and the Federal Protective Service for their assistance in maintaining access to and from the federal facility.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the Information contains allegations only and that all five defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Booth, Kennedy, Prensky, Wade, and Wormser face up to 30 days of imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the statutory sentencing factors.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Nate Burris. Booth, Kennedy, Prensky, Wade, and Wormser have not yet retained nor been appointed counsel.
Federal jury convicts Dallas man on six counts of interstate threatsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould today announced that a federal jury convicted Phillip Daniel Peterson, 56, of Dallas, on six counts of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce.
“Today’s guilty verdict affirms that violent threats carry real consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Cyber‑based threats are real threats, and those who misuse online communications to sow fear should expect meaningful federal consequences. We are grateful for the jury’s careful consideration and remain committed to protecting the public from those that misuse technology to harm or frighten others.”
“This verdict makes clear that conveying violent online threats is a serious criminal offense with substantial consequences,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI remains committed to protecting our communities and ensuring that individuals who exploit digital platforms to intimidate, coerce, or instill fear are held accountable.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Peterson sent a series of threatening emails on June 23, 2023, directing violent language toward multiple victims. The following six communicated threats transmitted across state lines resulted in each of the convicted counts.
- “M.M., I am going to f**k you up.”
- “I am going to put your f**king head on a stick.”
- “I am going to a** f**k you M.M. you f**king c*nt.”
- “M.M. I am going to f**k you in the a** you stupid c*nt.”
- “I am going to f**k both J.H. and D.W. in the a**.”
- “You stupid f**gots better know I know where you live.”
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2027, before U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey. Peterson faces up to five years in federal prison per count on each of the six counts.
The FBI Dallas conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Hocter and Caroline Poore from the National Security Division prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Ten Foreign Nationals for Voter Fraud in Minnesota ElectionsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that ten defendants were separately indicted on September 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury for voter fraud. All defendants have already made their initial appearances in federal court.
“Today's charges allege that ten foreign nationals committed voter fraud in Minnesota, one voting illegally as recently as this August's primary,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The law is clear, only American citizens may vote in American elections, and enforcing this law is fundamental to our democracy. That should not be a partisan concept.”
“Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this administration will never allow the votes of American citizens to be cancelled out by non-citizens illegally voting in our elections. Only American citizens should be electing American leaders.”
“Voting in American elections is a privilege of American citizenship,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Stealing that privilege is a crime. When, in order to obtain a ballot, a non-citizen swears he or she is a citizen, we will prosecute.”
The defendants and their charges include:
- Bhator Konah Bryant, 61, a Liberian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote. She is alleged to have falsely claimed United States citizenship when registering to vote on October 18, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Edvile Vaidoto Edmunds, 59, a Lithuanian national, on one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 8, 2022. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Joshua Frederick Kofi Edzie, 63, a Ghanian national, on two counts of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on August 11, 2026, and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on October 23, 2024 and August 11, 2026. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- Alan Barbu Kargbo, 48, a Liberian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- Paul Kras, 78, a German national, on one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Fadil Rasim Ozegovic, 58, a Bosnian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Aparecido Donizetti Padovan, 62, a Brazilian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Chis Adam Pettiquoi, 43, a Liberian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Christian Liam Schenk, 47, a Canadian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance in the District of Massachusetts on September 29, 2026.
- Hester Sophia Weihmann, 69, a South African national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
The charge of false claim of citizenship in order to vote is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f) and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Voting by aliens is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 611 and is a class A misdemeanor and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a maximum fine of $100,000.
These cases were the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph S. Teirab is prosecuting these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Court Dismisses Another Challenge to Energy Development in Gulf of AmericaRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia yesterday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2018 biological opinion and 2025 consultation determination for oil and gas activities in the Gulf of America.
In March, the Endangered Species Committee voted unanimously to exempt oil and gas activities in the Gulf of America from the Endangered Species Act’s requirements. The Committee acted on the Secretary of War’s finding that the exemption was necessary for national security reasons. The ruling follows a similar decision in Maryland in June and a related April ruling in Louisiana, both giving effect to the exemption.
“This Department of Justice will never cease defending this Administration's efforts to ensure our Nation's security,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “We are pleased that a third court has correctly applied the Endangered Species Committee’s national security exemption to dismiss challenges to biological opinions by FWS and NMFS. Make no mistake, under President Trump, American energy dominance is back.”
“The national security exemption for Gulf of America oil and gas activities means what it says, as another federal court has now confirmed,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This decision removes another obstacle to energy production vital to our national security. The Department will keep defending President Donald J. Trump’s agenda to unleash American energy.”
The Endangered Species Committee, chaired by the Secretary of the Interior, may exempt federal agency actions from the Act’s requirements. The statute directs the committee to grant an exemption for any agency action if the Secretary of War finds it necessary for reasons of national security.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section handled this matter.
Elberon, Iowa, Man Sent to Federal Prison for over Six Years for Illegally Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
A man who threatened to shoot up a community event and who sent multiple people threatening messages featuring guns was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Daniel Scott Carter, age 42, from Elberon, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information at sentencing showed that in May 2024, Carter posted a photograph on Facebook of an AK-47-style firearm with the caption, “Say hello to my little friend.” In the comments section of his post, Carter threatened to shoot people at an upcoming community event and commit a “baptism by blood.” He also sent photographs of a different gun to multiple people, along with threatening text messages. In June 2024, law enforcement officers seized seven firearms that belonged to Carter, including an AK-47-style firearm that matched the firearm in Carter’s earlier Facebook post.
Carter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Carter was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Carter is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-85.
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Dual citizen of UK and South Africa sentenced for violent disruption of flight from Dublin to SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A resident of North Ireland who disrupted an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Seattle on June 19, 2026, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. James Bradley Noble, 35, spent about ten days in the King County Jail and Federal Detention Center (FDC) after disrupting the flight. He has been on home detention with electronic monitoring at a rented residence in Seattle since his release from the FDC. U.S. District Judge Lauren King accepted the recommendation of a time served sentence and told Noble, “Your behavior impacted all the people on the flight.” One flight attendant reported that the other passengers “were terrified” and had there been an inflight emergency, it would have been difficult for the crew to respond. “The flight attendants’ actions were admirable and ensured the safety of all on board,” Judge King said.”
According to records filed in the case, Noble was significantly impaired by alcohol and other medications he had taken while on the flight. He first assaulted the person sitting next to him, trying to force a pill on her and then spilling a drink on her. Next Noble went to the galley and aggressively grabbed a flight attendant from behind. The flight attendant attempted to escort Noble back to his seat. As he went down the aisle, he stumbled into the person sitting in front of him, cursed at the passenger and then violently shook the back of the person’s seat. The passengers around him had to be relocated and ultimately Noble was restrained to his seat. It took a number of flight attendants to get him securely restrained.
On August 19, 2026, Noble pleaded guilty to Interference with flight crew members and attendants.
In asking for the time served sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “After consuming a large amount of alcohol and a prescription medication, Mr. Noble became disruptive, threatening to fight other passengers and flight attendants. While no one was seriously injured, the seriousness of this behavior should not be minimized. No one should be subject to bad and borderline violent behavior while locked in a metal tube at 30,000 feet, with no way to escape the disruptive behavior. And Mr. Noble certainly should have known better as a licensed pilot himself…. His conviction will doubtless have other collateral consequences on his ability to freely travel and pursue his current employment.”
Victims are still working to provide information on restitution for injuries they may have suffered due to Noble’s behavior. A hearing is scheduled to set restitution in late October.
Noble is expected to voluntarily depart the U.S. following sentencing. With a felony conviction he may not be able to return to the U.S.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Lombardi.
Department of Justice Indicts Ten Aliens for Voter Fraud in MinnesotaRead the Press Release
Attorney General Todd Blanche, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that a federal grand jury indicted ten defendants separately on September 24, 2026, for voter fraud. All defendants have made their initial appearances in federal court.
“Today's charges allege that ten foreign nationals committed voter fraud in Minnesota, one voting illegally as recently as this August's primary,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The law is clear, only American citizens may vote in American elections, and enforcing this law is fundamental to our democracy. That should not be a partisan concept.”
“Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this administration will never allow the votes of American citizens to be cancelled out by non-citizens illegally voting in our elections. Only American citizens should be electing American leaders.”
“Voting in American elections is a privilege of American citizenship,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Stealing that privilege is a crime. When, in order to obtain a ballot, a non-citizen swears he or she is a citizen, we will prosecute.”
Case details are as follows:
- Liberian national Bhator Konah Bryant, 61, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote. She is alleged to have falsely claimed United States citizenship when registering to vote on October 18, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Lithuanian national Edvile Vaidoto Edmunds, 59, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 8, 2022. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Ghanaian national Joshua Frederick Kofi Edzie, 63, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on two counts of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on August 11, 2026, and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on October 23, 2024 and August 11, 2026. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- Liberian national, Alan Barbu Kargbo, 48, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- German national Paul Kras, 78, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Bosnian national Fadil Rasim Ozegovic, 58, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Brazilian national Aparecido Donizetti Padovan, 62, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Liberian national Chis Adam Pettiquoi, 43, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Canadian national Christian Liam Schenk, 47, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant will have his initial appearance in the District of Massachusetts on September 30, 2026.
- South African national Hester Sophia Weihmann, 69, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
The charge of false claim of citizenship in order to vote is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f) and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Voting by aliens is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 611 and is a class A misdemeanor and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a maximum fine of $100,000.
These cases were the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph S. Teirab is prosecuting these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DeFuniak Springs Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Bobby Womack, 45, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This armed drug trafficker thought he could enrich himself by peddling deadly drugs, but thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners and this successful prosecution by my office, he has learned we have zero-tolerance for criminality in my district. Our citizens deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute drug traffickers, like this defendant, to deliver on that promise.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement received a tip that the defendant was distributing narcotics out of a hotel in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Law enforcement surveilled the defendant at the hotel for several days and confirmed that the defendant was trafficking controlled substances. The defendant was arrested while attempting to leave the hotel, and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s hotel room and located several bags containing methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as a stolen handgun with a loaded magazine, in addition to other drug paraphernalia.
The defendant faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count; up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon count; and a minimum mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment consecutive to any sentence for the other offenses on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas S.P. Geeker and Christopher C. Patterson.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 29, 2026, at 1:00 pm, in the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
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.
Dauphin County Man Ordered to Forfeit $180,000 for Distributing Misbranded Drugs and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Skyler Garman, age 35, of Grantville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to one year probation by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary for one count of conspiracy in connection with the distribution of misbranded drugs and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Neary also ordered Garman to forfeit $180,000, which were his proceeds from the offenses.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Garman admitted that from 2019 to 2021 he conspired to distribute and did distribute in interstate commerce both selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), knowing that it was unlawful to do so under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Garman knew that it was unlawful under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to either (1) distribute in interstate commerce any new drug that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or (2) to introduce into interstate commerce any drug, or a dietary supplement, that was misbranded. Under the FDCA, “misbranding” could occur, among other ways, through false and misleading labeling and, in the case of a prescription drug, if it was dispensed without a valid prescription from a licensed medical professional.
During that time period, products containing SARMs were often illegally marketed and sold for body-building purposes. Athletes and bodybuilders who desired the muscle-building effects of anabolic steroids turned to products collectively called selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs). SARM products were synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the effects of testosterone and other anabolic steroids, and they were originally developed by drug companies as an alternative to anabolic steroids for people who suffered from age and disease-related muscle loss. FDA did not, however, approve any of these products for therapeutic use. In 2017, FDA issued safety alerts about SARMs and warning letters stating that products containing SARMs were unapproved new drugs and misbranded drugs.
Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) were a group of nonsteroidal compounds that had estrogen-like effects on some tissues but antiestrogen effects on other tissues. The SERMs class of drugs included branded drugs such as Tamoxifen, Exemestane, and Clomiphene. SERMS were also used by bodybuilders to counteract the unwanted side effects of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), including synthetic steroids, anabolic steroids, and SARMs. These side effects were caused by the infusion of estrogen into the body, which could cause breast enlargement in men, fat deposits, and erectile dysfunction. SERMs were typically used by bodybuilders and other athletes after an individual stopped taking, cycling, or using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Garman opened Body Science Supplements, a health and wellness store that sold vitamins and supplements, at or around Cumberland Street, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, around March 30, 2019. Garman and an associate then used Body Science Supplements and associated product brands, including such as “Savior Research Sarms” and “Savior Research Serms,” to sell unapproved and misbranded drugs. Garman knew, for example, that SARMs would affect the structure and function of the body, such as providing “increased muscularity,” and knew that the products contained false and misleading labeling, such as “not for human consumption.” Garman and an associate provided advice to customers on SARMs and SERMs dosing, including in conjunction with performance enhancing drugs.
Garman, through Body Science Supplements and associated brands, sold over $2.2 million in products, the large majority of which was comprised of unapproved and misbranded drugs. These products were sold through the internet and shipped via U.S. Mail and private and interstate carriers.
Garman used multiple bank accounts to conduct the business involving unapproved and misbranded drugs, including a business bank account in the names of Garman and another person. Once proceeds of these sales were in this business bank account, Garman and a co-conspirator then executed a series of wire transfers to other accounts, including personal accounts of Garman and an associate, and to pay for charges on a credit card.
Garman made over $180,000 in net profit from this unlawful activity.
"The FDA is committed to protecting public health by ensuring that drugs marketed to American consumers are safe and properly labeled," said Special Agent in Charge Marie Maguire, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. "This case demonstrates the risks posed when individuals illegally distribute misbranded drugs that have not undergone the rigorous FDA review process. With our partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who circumvent federal drug safety laws for financial gain."
The Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and Assistant United States Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma are prosecuting the case.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Jeremy Jovan Randolph, 37, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners work hard every day to keep dangerous criminals, like this defendant, off our streets to ensure our citizens can live in the safe, crime-free communities they deserve. By aggressively prosecuting cases like this, and ensuring dangerous criminals like this defendant are kept behind bars, we will succeed in improving public safety for the law-abiding citizens of the Northern District of Florida.”
Court documents reflect that on February 5, 2026, Tallahassee Police Department detectives assigned to the Traffic Unit noticed a vehicle parked illegally in a handicapped spot in a gas station parking lot. The detectives observed the defendant exit the store and enter the vehicle. The detectives then approached and could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and confirmed the defendant did not have a medical marijuana card. The defendant was asked to exit the vehicle. As the defendant did so, the detectives saw an AR-style pistol on the driver’s side floor of the vehicle where he had been sitting. The pistol was equipped with a 60-round magazine. The defendant is a previously convicted felon and was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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.
Columbus man who solicited sexual abuse of non-verbal minor sentenced to 25 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Richard (Tyler) Campbell, 36, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 300 months in prison for child exploitation and pornography crimes.
Campbell is one of five defendants implicated in a child pornography investigation that began with cyber tipline reports to the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Other defendants include Christian Toms and Carson Bigham, who were sentenced in recent months to 420 months and 80 months in prison respectively.
According to court documents, between December 2024 and February 2025, Campbell solicited the sexual abuse of a minor victim. He also posed online as both an adult with access to a minor and as a minor himself.
Campbell distributed child pornography to other individuals, including three of the other defendants. He told others he was looking for someone to have sexual relations with both him and his fictitious son, claiming the minor in the sexual abuse materials was his son.
Forensic review of the child pornography led investigators to Toms, who was sentenced in May to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing the minor depicted in the images, an 11-year-old non-verbal boy with Autism. Digital communications between Campbell and Toms revealed that Campbell made specific requests about how to sexually abuse the minor. Further, court documents detail that Campbell and Toms met up in person at an area Kroger, where they exchanged used children’s underwear.
Campbell possessed 165 files of child sexual abuse material, including that of infant, prepubescent and pubescent minors engaged in sex acts and subjected to bondage.
Campbell pleaded guilty in November 2025 to sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution and receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Columbia Man Indicted for Possession of Gun Fired at Richland County Sheriff’s DeputiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Renardo Tyson, Jr., 24, of Columbia, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2025, Tyson knowingly possessed a firearm, which was found in Tyson’s car after he led Richland County Sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase and fired numerous rounds at deputies and K9s. The deputies and K9s were not injured.
Tyson has a prior felony conviction for possession of a stolen firearm, which prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Tyson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Parente is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Canadian-American Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Casey Oakes, age 23, a dual citizen of Canada and the United States and a resident of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR), pleaded guilty on August 20,2026, for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Oakes admitted that in 2024, he received numerous packages shipped by a co-conspirator from Florida and California at residences in and around the AMIR that contained cocaine. Oakes transported the cocaine across the St. Lawrence River by boat to Canada, where it was received by additional members of the conspiracy. The conspiracy was uncovered when one of the packages was intercepted by HSI.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone said, “For decades, law enforcement and this Office have investigated and prosecuted narcotics trafficking occurring on and through the AMIR; this case is just the tip of the iceberg. My office remains committed to stopping narcotics smuggling in and around the AMIR and we need the cooperation of Tribal leaders and law enforcement to root out anyone who facilitates the poisoning of Americans with deadly and dangerous drugs.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone said, “Behind this case was a calculated cross-border narcotics pipeline, with cocaine concealed in shipments from across the country and ferried by boat into Canada through the Akwesasne region. This guilty plea demonstrates the resolve of HSI and our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks that exploit border communities for profit. As a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI Massena will continue to pursue those who place greed above public safety and bring accountability to individuals who inflict harm on our communities.”
At sentencing, scheduled for December 21, 2026, Oakes faces a term of imprisonment up to life, a fine of up to $10 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case is being investigated by HSI with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, and Sûreté du Québec. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS/ CID), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Border Patrol (CBP/ OBP), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Field Operations (CBP/ OFO), DEA, Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), USPIS, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), and Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
California Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Possessing Firearms and Ammunition as a Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Southern California man was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment today after he possessed two firearms and ammunition as a restricted person.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Francisco Andrade Santio, 46, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty on February 26, 2026, to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to his term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made at Santio’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 20, 2025, officers were dispatched to a Denny’s restaurant in St. George on a report of an intoxicated person, later identified as Santio. Santio was in the restaurant holding a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, vaping from a THC pen and stroking one of the waitress’ arms. Santio was asked by employees to leave and was observed by arriving officers exiting the restaurant, staggering to his vehicle and attempting to drive away. Officers pulled in behind Santio’s vehicle to prevent him from driving away. After a brief investigation and Santio’s refusal to perform field sobriety tests, Santio was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). During a search of Santio’s vehicle, law enforcement located two firearms and ammunition. Santio has a violent criminal history that includes multiple felony convictions.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the St. George City Police Department and the Washington County Drug Taskforce.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Buffalo smoke shop owner going to prison on cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Basheer Saleh, 42, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
In July 2025, law enforcement began an investigation into Basheer’s drug trafficking activities. In July and August 2025, investigators conducted four controlled purchases of cocaine, totaling approximately 532 grams, at Basheer’s store, Sweet Puff's Smoke Shop, on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. On September 2, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at several locations, including the smoke shop, a vacant store next door owned by Basheer, and his Delaware Avenue residence. Investigators seized approximately 5,000 grams of cocaine, a quantity of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt I. Kass and Monica Benjovsky. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
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Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machine GunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his participation in a shootout that left a female victim with a gunshot wound to her chest.
Natalio Miranda, 35, pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of a machinegun and being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16, 2026. Miranda was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 along with three co-defendants Romeo Miller, Jonathan Alves and Jahleil Monteiro.
On June 2, 2024, at approximately 1:45 a.m., law enforcement responded to a “shots fired” call at a home in Brockton where s large crowd was observed. A 31-year-old female victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest was transported to a nearby hospital and survived.
Numerous bullet casings were found scattered throughout the front yard and driveway of the residence. Video footage obtained from the home’s surveillance system determined that a house party led to a physical altercation in the driveway and an exchange of gunfire between the victim and Miranda, Miller and allegedly Alves.
Specifically, surveillance video captured Miranda as he discharged several bursts of ammunition from an automatic weapon in the front yard of the residence before leaving the scene. Miller and, allegedly Alves, are also shown firing towards the victim from the driveway. Miller is later seen on the footage crossing the street to hide behind a parked car, where he shot the victim in the chest. Surveillance video captured Miller returning to the driveway, where he passed his firearm off to Monteiro, before the two drove away in separate parked cars.
At the time of the shooting, Miranda was on federal supervised release for a fentanyl distribution conspiracy conviction. He also has a prior state conviction for cocaine distribution.
The charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being an accessory after the fact to a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to half the maximum punishment for the underlying offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Division; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda I. Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, residing in Milford, Mass. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joao Carlos Tavares Da Silva, 22, pleaded guilty to transportation and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 29, 2027. Tavares Da Silva was arrested and charged in January 2026.
Tavares Da Silva is a Brazilian citizen with an outstanding warrant in Brazil for statutory rape; production, reproduction, direction, recording or filming of scenes of explicit sexual acts or pornography involving children or adolescents; and selling or offering for sale any photograph, video, or other recording that contains scenes of explicit sexual acts or pornography involving a child or adolescent. During a search of Tavares Da Silva’s home in Milford, multiple electronic devices were seized. Images containing CSAM were located on one of those devices. The images depicted the sexual exploitation of an identified minor victim in Brazil. Tavares Da Silva produced the images in Brazil then transported the images to the United States via a mobile phone that he carried when he moved to Massachusetts in May 2025.
The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for life and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for life and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Milford Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Auto Thief Sentenced for Possession of a Machinegun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Tavious Bruce, 21, of Memphis, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for possession of a Glock 9mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device while driving a stolen Porsche SUV. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, law enforcement encountered the defendant inside a stolen Porsche SUV with the license plate removed and replaced by temporary tags registered to a different make and model vehicle. Officers discovered a Glock 9mm pistol fully loaded with an extended magazine and equipped with a machinegun conversion device (“MCD”), commonly known as a “switch,” which rendered the firearm fully automatic, in violation of federal law. Furthermore, the Glock was in the stolen Porsche within defendant’s reach.
Photo of seized firearm.
Though the defendant had no prior felony convictions which prohibited possession of a firearm, Bruce had an extensive pattern of unlawful behavior between ages 17 and 21. Beginning at age 17, the defendant stole a brand‑new car and repeatedly refused to comply with law enforcement during subsequent encounters. Bruce's conduct escalated over time, including fleeing during police encounters, demonstrating a lack of respect for authority. While his federal case was pending, Bruce was involved in a domestic dispute that allegedly turned violent.
The Court found that the defendant’s escalation from stealing a Volkswagen as a juvenile to a Porsche as a young adult reflected increased boldness and disregard for the law and further noted that machinegun conversion devices seem to exist solely to maximize a weapon’s destructive potential and significantly reduce firearm controllability, dramatically increasing the risk to the community.
On September 24, 2026, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker imposed a sentence of 18 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release, underscoring that probation is not appropriate for serious offenses involving machinegun conversion devices, even when the defendant has no prior convictions. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant stated, “Machinegun conversion devices pose a serious and lethal threat to public safety. This sentence sends a clear message that individuals who possess these dangerous weapons—especially in stolen vehicles and during escalating criminal conduct—will face real federal consequences.”
This case was investigated as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Kesha Zaffino, of the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, and Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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For more information, please contact our Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates
Attleboro Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Attleboro man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Defendant previously served 30 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
Gerard R. Proulx, Jr., 60, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 7, 2027. Proulx was arrested and charged in February 2026. He is currently detained.
According to the charging documents, in the summer of 2025, law enforcement investigating the receipt and distribution of child pornography via the internet downloaded multiple files from an IP address determined to be registered to Proulx. On Feb. 25, 2026, during a search of Proulx’s residence, various electronic devices including a desktop computer were recovered. An initial forensic examination of Proulx’s desktop computer revealed over 1500 files consistent with CSAM. Further review of Proulx’s devices remains on-going.
In 2012, Proulx was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in the District of Rhode Island and sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact usama.victimassistance@usdoj.gov.
Because of Proulx’s prior conviction, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and More Than 150 Pounds of Methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls AreaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Glendale, Arizona, man convicted Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Fentanyl. The sentencing took place on September 28, 2026.
John Roth, 58, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Roth was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He was convicted after a three-day trial on July 8, 2026.
Evidence at trial showed Roth was the Arizona-based source for a Sioux Falls drug trafficking organization, providing fentanyl and methamphetamine from Mexico through Arizona to Sioux Falls and the surrounding area. Roth provided the drugs while other members of the conspiracy transported and sold them. The evidence revealed more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine was delivered to Sioux Falls for sale within approximately eight months in 2024 and early 2025.
“John Stanford Roth was a key part of the Matthew Shade drug trafficking organization, which funneled Cartel-sourced fentanyl and methamphetamine in bulk quantities across the border from Mexico, into Arizona, and then up to Sioux Falls and the surrounding area,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Of thirteen defendants in this conspiracy, he is one of the last to be sentenced. The methodical takedown of the Shade organization is the result of incredible work by our federal prosecutors and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Investigation Service and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Hodges and Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Roth was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Alien Charged for Illegally Voting in 2024 ElectionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Bahamian national Terrance Patrick Evans, 37, a lawful permanent resident, has been charged by information with one count of voting by an alien. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of up to one year in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the information, Evans voted in the 2024 federal general election despite knowing that he was not a citizen of the United States.
An information 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 Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of State - Office of Election Crimes, and the Citrus County Supervisor of Elections. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jerry M. Harre.
Alachua County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Joseph Stephen Branton (56, High Springs) has pleaded guilty to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, while working in Haiti in July 2025, Branton began chatting online with an individual whom he believed to be a 14 to 15-year-old girl. That “minor” was actually an undercover special agent with Homeland Security Investigations. During their communications, Branton engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the minor. On September 3, 2025, Branton sent a sexually explicit photograph of himself to the minor.
Branton was arrested on January 28, 2026. He remains detained pending the resolution of the case.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
29 September 2026
West Monroe Woman, Her Family Members, and Their Associates Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Arson Conspiracy Involving 13 Residential FiresRead the Press Release
MONROE – On September 29, 2026, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller, along with federal, state and local partners, held a press conference to announce federal charges returned by a grand jury against seven defendants in a massive arson-related insurance fraud and money laundering conspiracy. (1) Lashaundalyn Whitlock Brown, 41, of West Monroe, (2) LaQuadra Whitlock, 26, of West Monroe, (3) Latricia Whitlock, 20, of Monroe, (4) Romenique Whitlock, 37, of Monroe, (5) Jonika James, 25, of Monroe, (6) Iesha Alexander, 26, of Monroe, and (7) Travericka Williams, 27, of Dallas, Texas, are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Use of Fire to Commit Federal Felony, with Lashaundalyn, LaQuadra, and Latricia Whitlock further charged with Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, Concealment Money Laundering, and Structuring. Defendants were arrested on September 23, 2026, and each face decades in federal prison if convicted on all charges, with substantial mandatory minimums as well.
“Setting homes ablaze to allegedly collect fraudulent insurance payouts is a brazen violation of trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Thanks to the outstanding work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Louisiana and their federal, state, and local partners, this case is moving forward with charges that hold these defendants accountable for their alleged acts that put innocent lives at risk for profit.”
“The audacity, the recklessness, and the greed of these defendants to allegedly turn fire setting into a for-profit operation is staggering. The conspirators charged here fed their greed by putting innocent lives at risk, including those of first responders, and destroyed the hard earned property of others while contributing to higher insurance costs for us all,” said U.S Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, are eager to see this matter through to its conclusion and will pursue a full accounting and real justice for those responsible for these alleged crimes.”"The cost to Louisiana policyholders is impossible to calculate," said FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp. "But every single one of us pays the price when criminals take advantage of programs meant to help actual victims. There is also real damage done to the businesses who invest in our communities. It is up to the FBI and our partners to investigate fraud and hold individuals accountable to protect everyone across this state."
The indictment alleges that the defendants carried out a years long fraud scheme involving intentionally set residential fires, fraudulent insurance claims, and fraudulent disaster relief claims in the Monroe and West Monroe areas. It is further alleged that between 2019 and 2026, the defendants routinely rented homes, obtained homeowners insurance policies, and then caused approximately 13 fires at those residences. They allegedly submitted false insurance claims seeking payments for fabricated personal property losses and extended stay hotel reimbursements. It is further alleged that the defendants submitted fraudulent relief claims with a national humanitarian organization for which they received cash payments under false pretenses. The indictment provides photos of the fires that reflect the extent of the damage done in furtherance of the scheme, including one photo of a residence ablaze as first responders endangered their lives to control the fire:
FBI FBIU.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Louisiana State Fire Marshal, the Monroe Fire Department, and the Louisiana State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller and Assistant U.S Attorney Amy J. Miller, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Joanne Henry-Mills and Investigator Carl Richard.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is pending assignment.
###CONTACT: Public Affairs: Cara.Alexander@usdoj.gov
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
(337) 262-6704West Mifflin Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Possessing and Distributing Cocaine While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 206 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of cocaine trafficking while on federal supervised release, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Richard Jasek, 43.
According to information presented to the Court, Jasek engaged in cocaine trafficking between December 2024 and February 2025, including possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, quantities of cocaine on both December 17, 2024, and January 29, 2025, and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base on February 20, 2025. Jasek was on federal supervised release for a previous conviction during the time he committed these offenses. This is Jasek’s third federal drug trafficking conviction during the last 15 years, with Jasek also having been on federal supervised release at the time he engaged in the criminal conduct that led to the second of those convictions.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and West Mifflin Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jasek.
U.S. Attorney encourages facts, not rumors about Kansas ICE operationsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser of the District of Kansas (USAO-KS) cautions that irresponsible rumors about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations could potentially harm the Kansas agricultural industry. He urges Kansans to wait for law enforcement agencies to release information rather than speculate or spread false information.
“Claims suggesting that these efforts were discriminatory ‘sweeps’ based on skin color and race are misguided and irresponsible. Such rhetoric stokes fear and risks unnecessary harm to Kansas industries,” said Kriegshauser. “We encourage everyone discussing this topic, especially on social media, to pause, wait for the facts to be released, and avoid amplifying sensational or unsubstantiated rumors.”
Kriegshauser emphasized, “When people witness ICE agents making an arrest, they do not know why that person is being detained. Because of laws, agency policies, and security safeguards, information about arrests is not always immediately made public. I ask people not to jump to conclusions and to instead wait for the facts to come out.”
On September 29, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security informed USAO-KS about the results of “Operation Safe Community - Kansas”, a three-day operation that took place between September 22 and September 24, 2026. ICE carried out this initiative designed to apprehend criminal aliens in Kansas.
ICE agents made 104 arrests in Southwestern Kansas. They arrested alien offenders with criminal histories, including assault, domestic battery, aggravated battery, criminal threat, knowingly using a weapon to cause great bodily harm, disfigurement or death; criminal carrying of a weapon or concealed carry of a pistol or firearm; and fleeing or eluding law enforcement officers.
Kriegshauser said, “The operations that took place in Southwest Kansas were not arbitrary but part of a larger effort to apprehend specific criminal aliens, some of whom were convicted of crimes like murder, assault, and rape,” said Kriegshauser. “Operation Safe Community - Kansas was a targeted operation designed to put some of the worst of the worst behind bars. Contrary claims are inaccurate. Instead, ICE officers conducted intelligence driven targeted immigration enforcement actions throughout Southwestern Kansas.”
Among those apprehended were:
• Kham Khamchanh — a criminal illegal alien from Laos convicted of homicide who was residing in Hutchinson.
• Raul Duquenzne-Batista — a criminal illegal alien from Cuba convicted of aggravated assault with weapon, kidnapping, rape of disabled person, aggravated assault with a gun, burglary, and rape with a gun who was residing in Larned.
• Jose Garcia Villa — a criminal illegal alien from Mexico convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault who was residing in Dodge City.
• Ky Sayapheth — a criminal illegal alien from Laos convicted of homicide, aggravated assault of public officer with weapon, aggravated assault of police officer with weapon, aggravated assault with weapon, and escape from custody who was residing in Hutchinson.
• Flora Elvira De La Cruz Bustillos — a criminal illegal alien from Mexico convicted of cruelty toward child and larceny who was residing in Liberal.“Wanted criminals sometimes go to small towns thinking they can lie low and move undetected by law enforcement. I believe that people living in rural communities like Southwestern Kansas deserve the same protection as residents of any major city by not having to live with violent offenders in their midst,” said Kriegshauser. “Because of these law enforcement agents, more than 100 criminals are no longer freely walking our streets, thereby making our Kansas communities safer places to live and work.”
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U.S. Attorney Moore Capito to Present Excellence in Law Enforcement Awards During Ceremony on Wednesday, September 30, 2026Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will honor more than 60 law enforcement professionals during the 2026 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston.
The annual awards ceremony recognizes the exemplary service of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have provided invaluable assistance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia in cases and initiatives.
Capito will present awards for outstanding law enforcement work on major cases involving drug crimes, violent crimes, firearms offenses, white-collar crimes, and the sexual exploitation of minors. He will also present the U.S. Attorney’s Office Distinguished Service Award and awards honoring the federal, state, and local Law Enforcement Officers of the Year and the Task Force of the Year.
WHAT: 2026 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony
WHEN: Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, Charleston, Fifth Floor
*** NOTICE: cameras and other recording devices will be permitted on the fifth floor of the Courthouse for the ceremony only. ***
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Indictments in West Texas Oil Theft CaseRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons, announced during a press conference today the indictments of Leandro Juarez, Moses Juarez and Eduardo Lopez for several counts related to oil theft.
According to court documents, the FBI began investigating Vallee Oil & Gas Inc. in January 2024. Founded by company president Leandro Juarez, Vallee is a company documented as a salt water disposal, which grants the company with the authority by the state of Texas to accept and dispose of produced water, a byproduct of oil production. The company does not have the authority to purchase crude oil.
The FBI investigation allegedly revealed that, beginning on or about Sept. 20, 2023, and continuing until on or about Feb. 18, 2025, Leandro Juarez, along with the head of Vallee’s West Texas operations Moses Juarez, and principal yard manager Eduardo Lopez, devised and executed a scheme to purchase and receive crude oil that had been stolen from locations in the Permian Basin region of New Mexico and transported across the Texas-New Mexico state line.
Vallee’s employees were allegedly directed by the defendants to pay drivers who were hauling the crude oil at approximately half the value of the product they were transporting. The indictment alleges that, during the months of March and April 2024 alone, the defendants directed Vallee employees to issue over $290,000 to a single driver in amounts below $10,000, a tactic used to evade reporting requirements.
“The fraud ran deep in this case but, essentially, these defendants were just common thieves stealing from those who had spilled their blood sweat and tears to extract that oil from the ground,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “When costs for oil and gas producers go up, the cost for the end purchase—the American taxpayer—also goes up. That’s why we will continue, through this whole of government approach, to take down and hold accountable those who steal oil from other producers.”
“Those who knowingly purchase, move, or profit from stolen oil and other products help create the demand that drives these crimes” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Briton Goad of the FBI El Paso, Midland Resident Agency. “We will continue working with our partners to identify those individuals and businesses and hold them accountable.”
The three defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen goods and three counts of receipt of stolen goods, aiding and abetting. Leandro and Moses Juarez are also charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions with funds derived from a specified unlawful activity.
Leandro Juarez, Moses Juarez and Eduardo Lopez were arraigned in the beginning of September and released on bond. The deadline for any plea agreement is Oct. 16. If the defendants choose to go to trial, jury selection is currently set for Nov. 2.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Railroad Commissioner, the Loving County Sheriff’s Office and the Reeves County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Parker is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Men Charged in Scheme to Defraud Investors Seeking to Invest in Pre-Ipo Companies and Trading FundRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and the Acting Inspector in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Darnell Edwards, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JACOB FRANKEL and CHRISTOPHER DINELLI with securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, and charging FRANKEL with investment adviser fraud and making false reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. FRANKEL will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figuerdo in Manhattan federal court, and DINELLI will be presented today in the District of Maryland. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.
“Prosecuting white collar crime is a top priority of this Office, and we are increasingly focusing on the pre-IPO markets as those markets grow,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “This alleged fraud left investors, including U.S. Navy veterans, with millions in losses after they were promised access to pre-IPO opportunities and sophisticated trading strategies that did not exist. As alleged, Jacob Frankel and Christopher Dinelli sold investors a fiction—exclusive investments, extraordinary returns, and professional management—while losing and diverting millions of dollars behind the scenes. When the truth threatened to catch up with them, they allegedly responded with more lies, including fabricated account statements designed to make devastating losses look like enormous gains.”
“Beyond Alpha Ventures billed itself as a company investing in AI, technology, and cryptocurrency startups; however, as alleged, the founders’ real business was diverting investors’ money for their own personal gain,” said USPIS Acting Inspector in Charge Darnell Edwards. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service relentlessly investigates investment fraud to protect investors and the integrity of the U.S. financial system. If you suspect investment fraud, please report it at USPIS.GOV.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
From 2023 through February 2026, FRANKEL and DINELLI perpetrated a scheme in which they fraudulently obtained over $8.7 million from approximately 35 investors in connection with their fund, Beyond Alpha Ventures LLC (“BAV”). As part of that scheme, FRANKEL and DINELLI repeatedly lied to investors who sought to invest in pre-IPO companies by falsely telling some investors that they were purchasing direct shares in a pre-IPO company and falsely telling other investors that a third-party administrator would create a special purpose vehicle for their investment, hold the investors’ funds, and oversee the investment. The defendants further oversubscribed one of the offerings and used the additional funds to, among other things, fund BAV’s margin calls and unprofitable options trading. The defendants further lied to investors by claiming that BAV had previously invested in numerous other major companies before they went public, that BAV currently held interests in several pre-IPO companies, and that FRANKEL and DINELLI were personally investing in the two pre-IPO companies for which they solicited investments.
FRANKEL and DINELLI further misled investors who sought to invest in BAV’s hedge-fund-style trading fund by falsely telling investors that BAV used a proprietary algorithm for its trading, had a long track record of producing exceptional returns, provided full liquidity, and real-time, verifiable access to the investors’ portfolios. In fact, BAV had no proprietary algorithms, limited trading history, and suffered catastrophic losses due to FRANKEL’s reckless margin options trading, which included losing approximately $1.9 million on a single trade. To hide the losses, the defendants created fabricated account statements and screenshots that purported to show investors’ double and triple-digit returns.
FRANKEL further lied repeatedly on his Form ADV filings by failing to disclose that he had previously been charged and convicted of felony offenses and had previously been disciplined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, including for failing to notify his prior employer of his criminal history.
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FRANKEL, 32, of Kinnelon, New Jersey, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, one count of investment adviser fraud, and one count of making false reports to the SEC, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
DINELLI, 34, of Frederick, Maryland, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding work of the USPIS. Mr. McDonald further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Finkel, Courtney L. Heavey, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitutes only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Indian Nationals Found Guilty of Participating in Cargo Theft Scheme in Which Freight Was Stolen from ShippersRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two Indian nationals were found guilty by a jury today of conspiring to steal cargo from warehouses across Southern California by buying or fraudulently using legitimate trucking companies to bid on authentic shipping contracts, picking up the cargo loads, and never delivering the loads to the agreed upon destinations.
Arshpreet Singh, 28, of Sacramento, and Vikramjeet Singh, 31, of Fontana, were found guilty of one count conspiracy to commit theft from interstate or foreign shipments. Arshpreet Singh also was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to evidence presented at a seven-day trial, from March 2024 to June 2025, Arshpreet Singh and his co-conspirators purchased or fraudulently used real trucking companies to bid on authentic shipping contracts. After winning the bids, the defendants and others took possession of the cargo but stole it rather than deliver it to the correct destination.
The stolen cargo was often high value electronics such as televisions and laptops, appliances and other high-value consumer goods. Other items stolen during the conspiracy included vacuums, LED lights, shoes and tires, with an estimated loss of at least $2 million.
The thefts occurred across Southern California, including in Fontana, Vernon, Santa Fe Springs, Perris, City of Industry, Long Beach, Compton, Commerce, Pico Rivera, Chino, and Moreno Valley, as well as in Grand Prairie, Texas.
The defendants purchased established trucking companies to further their scheme. For example, in March 2024, Arshpreet Singh met with the owner of a Texas-based carrier company named Z&F Transportation LLC to purchase the company for approximately $22,000. Later that month, a co-conspirator, on behalf of Z&F Transportation LLC, picked up a load of televisions in Fontana and never delivered it to its intended destination in Florida.
In May 2024, co-conspirators purchased a carrier company named Skyways Trucking LLC and then used it to steal laptops, televisions, solar panels and other items. Co-conspirators booked loads through brokers such as Uber Freight, picked up loads, then did not deliver the loads to their intended destinations.
Vikramjeet Singh was acquitted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
United States District Judge Anne Hwang scheduled sentencings hearings for January 20, 2027, at which time Arshpreet Singh will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, and Vikramjeet Singh will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Inland Violent Crime Suppression Task Force, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Fontana Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department, the Riverside County Sheriff Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department, and the Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Chang of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and Lloyd Masson of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Two Indian Nationals Charged in Connection with Transnational Counterfeit Ozempic SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida charged two individuals, Swapnadip Roy, 33, and Vicky Ramancha, 37, both Indian nationals, with conspiracy and smuggling related to an alleged transnational counterfeit prescription drug distribution scheme. The indictment alleges that Roy, Ramancha, and their co-conspirators sold counterfeit Ozempic to distributors in the United States at deeply discounted prices. Roy was extradited from Italy to the United States and made his initial appearance in Tampa, Florida, today.
“This indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting Americans from potential harm from counterfeit prescription drugs,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Murray for the Middle District of Florida. “Our office will not tolerate bad actors corrupting our pharmaceutical supply chain.”
“Counterfeit prescription drugs — especially common ones — threaten the health and safety of every American who depends on the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants allegedly exploited people’s health to pay themselves. We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs.”
“While the U.S. wholesale distribution market is highly regulated, those who choose to subvert the safeguards of the legitimate drug regulatory regime and supply chain by introducing counterfeit drugs into the U.S. market put American consumers at significant risk,” said Assistant Commissioner Justin Green of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI). “Drug safety and quality do not begin or end at the U.S. border. FDA takes reports of possible counterfeit medicines seriously and works closely with other federal agencies, foreign counterparts, and the private sector to help protect the nation's drug supply.”
According to court documents, beginning in at least July 2023 and continuing to April 2024, Roy and Ramancha allegedly obtained counterfeit Ozempic from unauthorized sources in China. The counterfeit Ozempic allegedly distributed by Roy, Ramancha, and their co-conspirators included counterfeit packaging, package inserts, pen labels, and needles meant to deceive downstream customers into believing they were purchasing authentic Ozempic authorized by the manufacturer. The scheme continued even after the FDA seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning regarding the products.
Roy and Ramancha are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the United States, three counts of smuggling, and two counts of selling counterfeit drugs and holding counterfeit drugs for sale. If convicted, Roy and Ramancha each face a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison.
FDA OCI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Roberts for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Peter Leininger of the Criminal Division’s Health & Safety Unit are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured Roy’s continued detention, following his arrest pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice, and then timely filed a request for his extradition from Italy.
The Health and Safety Unit within the Department’s Criminal Division works with law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute violations of federal laws designed to protect public health and safety. The unit focuses on corporations and individuals who make and sell dangerous drugs, food, and other consumer products that could cause significant harm to Americans. For more information, see https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-safety-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Indian Nationals Charged in Connection with Transnational Counterfeit Ozempic SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida charged two individuals, Swapnadip Roy, 33, and Vicky Ramancha, 37, both Indian nationals, with conspiracy and smuggling related to an alleged transnational counterfeit prescription drug distribution scheme. The indictment alleges that Roy, Ramancha, and their co-conspirators sold counterfeit Ozempic to distributors in the United States at deeply discounted prices. Roy was extradited from Italy to the United States and made his initial appearance in Tampa, Florida, today.
“Counterfeit prescription drugs — especially common ones — threaten the health and safety of every American who depends on the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants allegedly exploited people’s health to pay themselves. We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs.”
“This indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting Americans from potential harm from counterfeit prescription drugs,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Murray for the Middle District of Florida. “Our office will not tolerate bad actors corrupting our pharmaceutical supply chain.”
“While the U.S. wholesale distribution market is highly regulated, those who choose to subvert the safeguards of the legitimate drug regulatory regime and supply chain by introducing counterfeit drugs into the U.S. market put American consumers at significant risk,” said Assistant Commissioner Justin Green of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI). “Drug safety and quality do not begin or end at the U.S. border. FDA takes reports of possible counterfeit medicines seriously and works closely with other federal agencies, foreign counterparts, and the private sector to help protect the nation's drug supply.”
According to court documents, beginning in at least July 2023 and continuing to April 2024, Roy and Ramancha allegedly obtained counterfeit Ozempic from unauthorized sources in China. The counterfeit Ozempic allegedly distributed by Roy, Ramancha, and their co-conspirators included counterfeit packaging, package inserts, pen labels, and needles meant to deceive downstream customers into believing they were purchasing authentic Ozempic authorized by the manufacturer. The scheme continued even after the FDA seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning regarding the products.
Roy and Ramancha are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the United States, three counts of smuggling, and two counts of selling counterfeit drugs and holding counterfeit drugs for sale. If convicted, Roy and Ramancha each face a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison.
FDA OCI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Peter Leininger of the Criminal Division’s Health & Safety Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Roberts for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured Roy’s continued detention, following his arrest pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice, and then timely filed a request for his extradition from Italy.
The Health and Safety Unit within the Department’s Criminal Division works with law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute violations of federal laws designed to protect public health and safety. The unit focuses on corporations and individuals who make and sell dangerous drugs, food, and other consumer products that could cause significant harm to Americans. For more information, see https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-safety-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Obtain over $80 Million in Government Contracts Through FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas E. Lauer, age 64, and Rebecca J. Davis, age 77, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to one count of conspiracy to commit major fraud against the United States.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Lauer and Davis (formerly Rebecca J. Numer and Rebecca J. Elstner) each admitted that, from 2007 to 2014, they conspired with each other, and with other individuals, to obtain five contracts awarded to Davis’s company, Elstner Construction Company, at Letterkenny Army Depot. These contracts were “set aside” for eligible small, disadvantaged businesses who were participating in an SBA program devoted to their development, known as the 8(a) Business Development Program. The collective value of these contracts exceeded $80 million.
Lauer also admitted to conspiring with others to obtain a $5.3 million contract awarded to Bon Secour Management, at the VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. This contract was awarded to Bon Secour Management, which was a participant in a small business program devoted to small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans.
Davis, through Elstner Construction Company (ECC), joined the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program in or around 2001, despite not being eligible because she had previously entered the program under a different company name. Davis admitted that her 2001 entry into the program violated the rule on “one-time eligibility.”
Lauer assisted others to obtain certification for Bon Secour Management as a “service-disabled veteran owned small business,” or SDVOSB, in or around 2011.
Lauer and Davis admitted to entering contracts awarded to ECC at Letterkenny Army Depot knowing, based on their agreement with one another and with others, that ECC would violate certain 8(a) Program rules. The contracts awarded to ECC at Letterkenny Army Depot also imposed various specific requirements, including requirements relating to performance by the prime contractor, ECC. Lauer and Davis admitted to knowingly violating these contract provisions as well.
Davis also admitted to making false and fraudulent submissions to the U.S. Small Business Administration during and in relation to this criminal conduct, including a false 2008 certification that she and her company were in compliance with 8(a) Business Development Program rules relating to “control” and “one-time eligibility.”
Lauer also admitted that Bon Secour Management was awarded a Salem VAMC contract in March 2013 based on the company’s false representation that at least 15 percent of the cost of the contract performance would be spent on Bon Secour Management’s employees.
As part of her plea agreement, Davis agreed to pay $6 million in restitution, which she agreed was the approximate revenue that ECC retained and was derived from contracts awarded to ECC at Letterkenny Army Depot. Lauer agreed to pay about $6.45 million in restitution. Lauer also agreed to pay $6 million for the loss associated with the Letterkenny Army Depot contracts, as well as the approximately $459 thousand in proceeds maintained by Bon Secour Management from the Salem VA Medical Center contract.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ravi Romel Sharma, Christian T. Haugsby, and K. Wesley Mishoe are prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit major fraud against the United States is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Misusing U.S. Passports Belonging to Real Citizens at John Wayne Airport in O.C.Read the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – Two Chinese nationals have been charged in a federal criminal complaint alleging they presented United States passports belonging to other people when they tried to enter the U.S. from Mexico last month at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport, the Justice Department announced today.
Jin Fu Wei, 44 of Guangxi Province, China, and Xiaodan Lei, 47, of Henan Province, China, are charged with misuse of passport.
They have been in federal custody since their arrest last month and are expected to make their initial appearances today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
“Thanks to the diligent work of customs officers, two Chinese nationals attempting to use U.S. passports belonging to real American citizens were detained and now face federal felony charges,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “This case is not only a criminal matter. It also raises serious national security concerns when foreign citizens are able to enter the United States under false identities. We have a right to know exactly who is crossing our borders and what their intentions are.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on August 26, Wei and Lei – both citizens of China – traveled by commercial airliner from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico to the U.S. port of entry at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana. Upon arrival, the defendants presented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers U.S. passports of actual U.S. citizens for inspection and admission into the United States.
CBP officers determined that the biometric identifiers associated with the U.S. passports did not match those of Wei and Lei, namely that there was a mismatch between the facial recognition scans of the defendants and the scanned U.S. passports they presented. Neither of the defendants’ names appeared on the flight manifest, an official document that lists all the passengers and crew on board an aircraft.
Law enforcement detained the defendants for further review of their admissibility into the U.S.
On his person, Wei had one Chinese credit card and one Chinese bank card, both of which were in his name – not the name of the individual whose U.S. passport he used. Wei also had in his possession an expired Texas driver’s license for the rightful passport holder.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter with assistance from CBP.
Assistant United States Attorney Kent M. Walters of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Twin Brothers Plead Guilty to Tax Crimes from Their MRI Technician Jobs and Their Golf Tee-Time Brokering Side HustleRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two twin brothers and MRI technicians pleaded guilty today to deliberately failing to report to the IRS more than $1.3 million in income, including money they made from running a golf tee-time brokering business as a side hustle.
Se Youn “Steve” Kim, 42, of Buena Park, pleaded guilty to one count of subscribing to a false tax return.
Hee Youn “Ted” Kim, 42, of Pomona, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
According to their plea agreements, beginning in 2021, the Kim brothers operated a golf tee-time brokering business in which they reserved thousands of golf tee times at numerous golf courses in Los Angeles and Orange counties and resold them for a fee to members of the public.
Kim brothers directed reservation fees from their tee time business to be deposited into their personal financial accounts even after they formed a corporate entity for the venture, assigned an Employer Identification Number, and opened a business account.
Neither brother ever reported to the IRS any income from their tee time business, and both admitted to using some of the funds in this corporate account to pay for personal expenses and make cash withdrawals.
For the tax years 2021 through 2023, Steve Kim received approximately $810,919 in income. For the tax years 2022 and 2023 Ted Kim received in income approximately $496,998.
Steve Kim admitted that his 2021 federal income tax return omitted approximately $27,510 in income he earned from the tee-time brokering business he ran with his brother. His tax return that year further omitted income from capital gains, unemployment compensation, and early retirement distribution in the amounts of approximately $4,747; $8,723; and $8,635, respectively.
Both Steve and Ted Kim falsely claimed to their employers, who hired them as MRI technicians, that they were exempt from federal income tax withholdings, resulting in their employers ceasing any federal tax withholding for them.
For the tax years 2022 and 2023, Steve Kim willfully evaded the assessment of income tax in the amount of $155,021 while Ted Kim willfully evaded the assessment of income tax in the amount of $97,354.
Steve Kim further admitted to willfully failing to pay income tax due for the tax years 2012 through 2021, resulting in at least $221,004 in payments, interest, and penalties owed to the IRS. Rather than using available funds to pay his outstanding tax balance, Steve Kim spent his money on various other purchases and services. He caused a tax loss in the amount of at least $387,221 for tax years 2012 through 2023.
Ted Kim admitted to willfully failing to pay approximately $97,041 owed in payments, interest, and penalties for the tax years 2016 through 2021, and instead spent that money on other purchases and services. He caused a tax loss in the amount of $194,395 for tax years 2016 through 2023.
United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., scheduled January 12, 2027, sentencing hearings, at which time Steve Kim will face a statutory maximum sentence of three years in federal prison and Ted Kim will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Yervant P. Hagopian of the Major Frauds Section and Assistant United States Attorney Sebastian Bellm of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Twice deported illegal alien with seven DWI convictions sentenced to 74 months in federal prisonRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that an illegal alien from Mexico, with seven convictions for driving while intoxicated, was sentenced to 6+ years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States.
Fernando Salvador Perez Morales, 46, was indicted in November 2025 for illegally reentering the U.S. Perez-Morales pled guilty in March. U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr sentenced him to 74 months in federal prison on Sept. 23.
“Individuals who repeatedly violate our immigration laws and endanger our communities by driving drunk—especially after multiple removals—are not welcome in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “With seven DWI convictions, including hit and run crashes, Perez-Morales continued to illegally return and put North Texans at risk. This sentence underscores our commitment to protecting the public and enforcing federal immigration law. We appreciate the work of our ICE partners and the prosecutors who secured this conviction.”
“After violating our nation’s laws to illegally re-enter the country three times, this criminal alien repeatedly put the lives of innocent Americans in jeopardy by driving while he was intoxicated on seven different occasions, fleeing the scene twice,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office Director Miguel Vergara. “While sanctuary politicians and the media work to shield dangerous criminal aliens like this from deportation, our officers will continue to work tirelessly to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and remove illegal aliens who pose a threat to our communities.”
According to court records, between 2009 and 2025, Perez-Morales was convicted seven times of DWI, two of which involved hit and run accidents. In August 2025, Perez-Morales was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement his seventh conviction. Perez-Morales was removed from the U.S. in 2013 and 2020 and will be removed again once he fulfills his 74-month sentence in federal prison.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marbel Leonel Munoz and Eric Bales from the Major Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
Trio sentenced for fentanyl, heroin trafficking near Laredo elementary schoolRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – The final defendant in a three-person drug trafficking conspiracy has been ordered to federal prison for distributing fentanyl and heroin.
Freddy Serano, 42, pleaded guilty April 7.
On Sept. 16, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Serano to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
From May 8 through Aug. 25, 2025, law enforcement conducted an undercover investigation that resulted in the purchase of 3.916 grams of fentanyl and 9.95 grams of heroin from Maritza Navarro. The investigation revealed Navarro received her drug supply from Arturo Martinez and Serano.
The undercover activity occurred across the street from Kawas Elementary School.
Co-defendants Navarro, 43, and Martinez Jr., 34, received 48 and 24 months, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy.
Serano has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Ann Cortez prosecuted the case.
Three Oregon Men Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging three Oregon men with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Cody James VanWinkle aka COUNTUPCODY, 30, Gresham, and Kei-Jian Buckley, 32, Beaverton, had their initial appearances and arraignments today. Bruce Edward Jones, Jr. aka Juice, 30, Eugene, had his initial appearance and arraignment on September 24, 2026.
According to court documents, VanWinkle, Buckley, and Jones stole or obtained stolen checks and altered the payee line and dollar amount so that the check could be deposited by them instead of the intended payee. VanWinkle and Buckley formed an LLC called Pacific Swift Logistics, which was a sham business, to assist in their fraud. VanWinkle, Buckley, and Jones, along with others they recruited, deposited or transferred via wire the fraudulent and forged checks into the accounts controlled by VanWinkle, Buckley, or Jones. VanWinkle, Buckley, Jones, and others they recruited, withdrew, attempted to withdraw, or otherwise transferred the money before the financial institutions were able to flag the deposit as fraud and halt the withdrawals or transfers. When the recruits received money, they provided a portion of the stolen money to VanWinkle, Buckley, and Jones.
At their arraignments, VanWinkle and Buckley pleaded not guilty. Jones previously pleaded not guilty. All defendants are scheduled for trial November 24, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Sax is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Suspected members of an interstate drug ring make their initial appearance in federal courtRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Two Michigan men and a Montanan made their initial appearance in federal court today on suspicion of trafficking methamphetamine onto the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Vincent Earl Thompson, 26, from Clayton, Michigan; Derrick Byrd, 38, from Detroit, Michigan; and Michael Dean Grey Bear, 24, from Poplar, were arrested in September 2026 on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
The government alleges in court documents that Grey Bear was part of a drug trafficking operation that included Thompson and Byrd, who together moved significant amounts of meth from Michigan to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The three men were arrested while traveling together onto the Fort Peck Indian Reservation with methamphetamine in the vehicle.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Montana comprises agents and officers from federal, state and local agencies with the prosecution being led by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Godfrey for the District of Montana.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his illegal possession of a firearm.
Douglas Dockery, Jr., 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to one year imprisonment to be followed by three years of post-conviction supervision for being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm. Dockery was charged as a part of Operation Spring Cleaning, that was coordinated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and law enforcement across southwest Missouri.
On Jan. 3, 2026, Dockery was contacted by Ozark, Mo. police officers during an investigation into a recent theft at a local Walmart. During that contact, Dockery admitted to law enforcement there was a .45 caliber firearm within his vehicle. After consenting to a search, law enforcement located a Tisas .45 caliber M1911-A1 firearm, matching the description he had provided to officers. During the search, officers found a .22 caliber semiautomatic firearm, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and marijuana. Dockery was sentenced within a guideline range sentence of 12 months’ and one day imprisonment with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by three years of post-release supervision, and payment of a $100 Special Assessment as required by law.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Ozark Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Mark Murphy, Jr., 37 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Murphy was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
"For too long, methamphetamine has torn apart Indiana families, fueled violent crime, and devastated our streets. This individual chose to profit by spreading poison directly into the neighborhoods of South Bend, actively endangering our communities. Police executed a search warrant at Murphy’s residence and recovered about 439 grams of pure methamphetamine packaged in a suitcase. Today’s ten-year sentence sends a definitive message: if you bring deadly drugs into our communities, you will face severe consequences in a federal prison. This successful prosecution was made possible through the robust partnerships between the Elkhart Intelligence and Covert Enforcement Unit, the ATF, and the South Bend Police Department. By combining local expertise and neighborhood knowledge with federal resources and intelligence, investigators successfully cut off a dangerous pipeline of narcotics before it could cause further harm to South Bend families. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains dedicated to removing chronic offenders from the streets, disabling drug trafficking operations, and building safer, more resilient neighborhoods for everyone,” said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Elkhart Intelligence and Covert Enforcement Unit, and the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Shelby County Man Sentenced for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Shelby County, Ky., man, James Shuck, 41, was sentenced on Tuesday to a total of 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl and methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In 2023, law enforcement began investigating Shuck’s drug trafficking activities, ultimately leading to a search of his residence on December 19, 2024. During that search, law enforcement found flurofentanyl, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine that Shuck admitted he intended to distribute to others. He further admitted selling $300-$500 of drugs per day, most of which was methamphetamine, as well as fentanyl he obtained from Louisville. Agents also found a firearm that was located under Shuck’s mattress and in close proximity to the drugs. Shuck possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Bruce Gentry, Shelbyville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Shelbyville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Morgan and James Chapman prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to Register and Hiding Accounts Used to View Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Matthew Randall Gigot, 40, a previously convicted sex offender residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 56 months in federal prison in connection with his trafficking of child sexual abuse material and his failure to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Matthew Gigot, a convicted sex offender, was required to report all of his online accounts. Instead, he hid them and used those accounts to seek out child pornography with other predators,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He chose concealment and exploitation; this sentence shows those choices have consequences. We will keep exposing those who target children and those who try to hide in the shadows.”
Gigot pleaded guilty on April 6 before U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to sexual performance using minors and to failure to register as a sex offender. In addition to the 56-month prison term related to his conviction involving Sexual Performance Using Minors and 24-month sentence related to his conviction involving a violation of his requirement to register as a sex offender, Judge Chutkan ordered Gigot to serve 10 years of supervised release on each offense. Gigot will also be required to register as a sex offender for life in D.C.
According to court documents, between November 2024 and June 2025, Gigot traveled to a residence in the District to meet with other individuals to view child sexual abuse materials, at times engaging in sexual conduct with other adults while doing so. The material depicted young, prepubescent children being sexually abused by adults. Gigot also joined online video sessions from his D.C. home for the same purpose.
Separately, between July 2024 and March 2026, Gigot failed to report a secondary email account, a Snapchat account, and several Telegram accounts he was actively using, despite his being required to report any change in his registration information within 72 hours.
Gigot had been registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia since 2016, following a prior conviction for sexual performance using minors. During a January 23, 2026, search of his residence, FBI agents recovered the unreported accounts from electronic devices.
This marks Gigot’s second conviction for trafficking in child sexual abuse material.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard S. Kelley.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Sarasota Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Arson of Federal Property and a Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Trang Johnny Nha Phan (34, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to eight years in federal prison for attempted arson of federal property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Phan pleaded guilty on June 2, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 14, 2025, a law enforcement officer saw a fire ignite on the front of an M60A3 Full Tracked Combat Tank displayed as a war memorial outside a VFW facility in Sarasota. The VFW was open, with customers inside. The officer saw Phan walking away from the tank toward his vehicle. Officers recovered a white spray-painted glass liquor bottle and burned paper towels that smelled of gasoline. Phan’s fingerprints were found on a spray-paint canister and his DNA was found on the bottle. A destructive device expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concluded that the bottle and paper towel wick constituted a Molotov cocktail and a destructive device. The device failed because the bottle did not break on impact.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Whitney Mackay and Adam W. McCall.