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15 April 2026
United States Sues Illinois Doctor for Fraudulent Billing in Durable Medical Equipment SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a lawsuit under the False Claims Act against an Illinois-based doctor for allegedly causing the submission of claims to Medicare for medically unreasonable and unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME).
The complaint alleges that between December 2018 and April 2019, Dr. Alexandria Williams signed orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces for Medicare beneficiaries she never examined and who often did not want or need the braces. The orders that Williams allegedly signed were pre-populated based on telemarketing calls made to Medicare beneficiaries and contained multiple false statements, including, for instance, that Williams had completed an evaluation of the patient, discussed the use of orthotics with the patient, and instructed the patient on medical follow-up care. It is alleged that Williams generally did not contact the beneficiaries herself and had no medical relationship with the beneficiaries. At the time of the alleged conduct, Williams was a licensed physician in Massachusetts and ordered the braces for Massachusetts-based beneficiaries.
The complaint further alleges that Williams received payment for each order she reviewed through a staffing company that had connected her with Integrated Support Plus, Inc., a telemedicine company whose owner pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme in 2020. The orders she allegedly signed became the basis for DME suppliers to submit claims to Medicare for orthotics. As a result of Williams’ alleged participation in this scheme, the government contends that Medicare paid approximately $630,000 in false claims for DME that were medically unreasonable and unnecessary.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Foley’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit.
The claims are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
U.S. Treasury Manager Charged with Tax Evasion, Failure to File Tax Returns for Five YearsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Edner Escarne, 52, a former manager at the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with four counts of tax evasion and five counts of failing to file a tax return.
Escarne, of the District of Columbia, was arrested at his residence this morning by agents from Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. At his first appearance this afternoon, Escarne was arraigned and pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey.
Escarne served as Director of Talent Acquisition between November 2017 through January 2025, at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). According to charging documents, for the years 2019 through 2023 which are at issue, Escarne received an aggregate government salary of over $1 million.
The indictment alleges that on at least four occasions Escarne submitted false Forms W-4 in which he falsely claimed that he was exempt from federal income tax withholding when, in fact, he was not entitled to claim exempt status. By claiming exempt status, Escarne caused the OCC to withhold little or no federal income taxes from his wages for the years 2019 through 2022.
In addition, the indictment alleges that Escarne did not timely file his taxes for the tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Santiago of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcTwo U.S. Nationals Sentenced for Facilitating Fraudulent Remote Worker Scheme that Generated $5 Million in Revenue for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's WMD ProgramsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men from New Jersey have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for their involvement in a scheme to generate revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The scheme involved the dispatchment of skilled information technology (IT) workers who, using stolen identities of U.S. persons, posed as domestic workers to obtain remote IT jobs with U.S. companies, including several Fortune 500 companies and a defense contractor. The multi-year scheme used the stolen identities of at least 80 U.S. persons and generated more than $5 million in illicit revenue for the DPRK government.
Kejia “Tony” Wang, 42, of New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to nine years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2025, Kejia Wang pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit identity theft.
Yesterday, Zhenxing “Danny” Wang, 39, also of New Jersey, was sentenced by Judge Gorton to 92 months prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $200,000. On Jan. 7, 2026, Zhenxing Wang pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
In addition to the prison sentences imposed, the defendants were also ordered to forfeit $600,000 that they received in connection with the scheme. To date, the United States has received $400,000 of the ordered forfeiture amount.
“This case exposes a sophisticated scheme that exploited stolen American identities and U.S. companies to generate millions of dollars for a hostile foreign regime. By operating so-called ‘laptop farms,’ these defendants enabled overseas actors to infiltrate U.S. businesses, access sensitive data and undermine our economic and national security,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The sentences imposed this week reflect the seriousness of this conduct and our commitment to holding accountable those who facilitate sanctions evasion and foreign threats from within our borders.”
“For years, the defendants enriched themselves by assisting North Korean actors in a fraudulent scheme to gain employment with U.S. companies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The ruse placed North Korean IT workers on the payrolls of unwitting U.S. companies and in U.S. computer systems, thereby potentially harming our national security. NSD will hold accountable those who facilitate North Korea’s illicit revenue generation efforts.”
“Today’s announcement sends a clear message: U.S. nationals who facilitate DPRK IT worker schemes and funnel revenue to North Korea will face FBI investigation and potential prison time,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Working closely with our partners, the FBI will pursue their co-conspirators and hold accountable those who seek to empower the DPRK by defrauding American companies and stealing the identities of private citizens.”
“These sentencings should act as a deterrent to foreign individuals and entities attempting to illegally access and export critical defense information,” said John Helsing, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “Investigating the theft, illegal export, diversion, or proliferation of sensitive Department technologies is a priority for DCIS, particularly where such compromises could enable foreign adversaries to use those capabilities against our nation’s warfighters. We will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who threaten our national security.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is steadfast in its commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system from foreign adversaries and criminal actors,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “This case demonstrates the critical importance of collaboration across law enforcement agencies to disrupt schemes that threaten our economy and national security. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit our financial institutions and technology infrastructure for illicit purposes, ensuring that the United States remains a safe and secure place to do business.”
“Today’s sentences should serve as a warning to those who continue to carry out schemes intending to deceive U.S. companies,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto. “We will relentlessly pursue those responsible! The FBI is committed to working with our partners to expose and mitigate these fraudulent IT schemes and provide unwavering support to victims of North Korean cyber actors. The FBI strongly advises organizations to closely monitor their data, strengthen their remote hiring processes, and report any suspicious activity or fraud to the FBI.”
From approximately 2021 until October 2024, the defendants and other co-conspirators compromised the identities of more than 80 U.S. persons to obtain remote jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, including many Fortune 500 companies, and caused U.S. victim companies to incur legal fees, computer network remediation costs, and other damages of at least $3 million. Kejia Wang traveled to Shenyang and Dandong, China on two separate occasions in 2023, to meet with overseas actors about the scheme, including a former classmate that Kejia Wang knew was from North Korea. Kejia Wang went on to serve as the U.S.-based manager for the scheme, supervising at least five facilitators in the United States who collectively hosted hundreds of computers of U.S. victim companies at their residences. Zhenxing Wang was among the U.S. facilitators who received and hosted victim company laptops at his residence. He and the others also enabled overseas IT workers to access the laptops remotely by, among other things, connecting the laptops to hardware devices designed to allow for remote access (referred to as keyboard-video-mouse or “KVM” switches).
Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang created shell companies with corresponding websites and financial accounts, including Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC and Independent Lab LLC, to make it appear as though the overseas IT workers were affiliated with legitimate U.S. businesses. In fact, these companies had no employees or operations and existed only to further the scheme and enable the defendants and their co-conspirators to receive proceeds from the scheme. The financial accounts established by the two defendants for these shell companies ultimately received millions of dollars from victimized U.S. companies, much of which was subsequently transferred to overseas co-conspirators. In exchange for their services, Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and the four other U.S. facilitators received nearly $700,000 for their respective roles in the scheme.
IT workers employed under this scheme also gained access to sensitive employer data and source code, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) data from a California-based defense contractor that develops artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technologies. Specifically, between on or about Jan. 19, 2024, and on or about April 2, 2024, an overseas co-conspirator remotely accessed without authorization the company’s laptop and computer files containing technical data and other information. The stolen data included information marked as being controlled under the ITAR.
In June 2025, 17 web domains used in furtherance of this scheme were seized as well as 29 financial accounts, holding tens of thousands of dollars in funds, used to launder revenue for the North Korean regime through the remote IT work scheme. In October 2024, eight locations across three states were searched that resulted in the recovery of more than 70 laptops and remote access devices, such as KVMs. Simultaneously four web domains associated with Kejia Wang’s and Zhenxing Wang’s shell companies Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC, and Independent Lab LLC were also seized.
In June 2025 the defendants were charged along with eight overseas operatives who remain at large.
Concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms of persons engaged in certain activities that support DPRK, including money laundering, exportation of luxury goods to North Korea, specified cyber-activity and actions that support weapons of mass destruction proliferation. The reward is offered for the following eight defendants who are alleged to have participated in the above-described scheme and one suspected IT worker:
- Xu Yongzhe (徐勇哲)
- Huang Jingbin (黄靖斌)
- Tong Yuze (佟雨泽)
- Zhou Baoyu (周宝玉)
- Yuan Ziyou (Samuel Yuan)
- Zhou Zhenbang (周震邦)
- Liu Menting (劉孟婷)
- Liu Enchia (刘恩嘉)
- Song Min Kim (a.k.a. Chengmin Jin)
Today’s announcement represents the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced sentencings of DPRK IT worker facilitators in July and December 2025 and February and March 2026.
As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024, January 2025 and July 2025, North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate revenue
Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory; a July 2023 advisory; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Holcomb of the National Security Unit prosecuted the cases alongside Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section. Valuable assistance was provided by FBI New York, Newark and San Diego Field Offices; HSI Newark Field Office; United States Postal Inspection Service’s San Diego Field Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of New York and the Southern District of California.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Two U.S. Nationals Sentenced for Facilitating Fraudulent Remote Information Technology Worker Scheme that Generated $5M in Revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the sentencings of two U.S. nationals, Kejia Wang, 42, and Zhenxing Wang, 39, for their roles in facilitating North Korean remote information technology (IT) workers posing as U.S. residents to obtain work at more than 100 U.S. companies. The multi-year scheme used the stolen identities of at least 80 U.S. persons and generated more than $5 million in illicit revenue for the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Kejia Wang, of Edison, New Jersey, was sentenced to 108 months in prison. In September 2025, he pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit identity theft. Zhenxing Wang, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was sentenced to 92 months in prison. In January 2026, he pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to the sentences of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton ordered the defendants to serve three years each of supervised release and to forfeit a total of $600,000 that was paid to them for facilitating the North Koreans. As of today, the United States has already received $400,000 of the ordered forfeiture amount. The court also ordered Kejia Wang to pay a judgment of $29,236.03 in restitution.
“For years, the defendants enriched themselves by assisting North Korean actors in a fraudulent scheme to gain employment with U.S. companies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The ruse placed North Korean IT workers on the payrolls of unwitting U.S. companies and in U.S. computer systems, thereby harming our national security. NSD will hold accountable those who facilitate North Korea’s illicit revenue generation efforts.”
“This case exposes a sophisticated scheme that exploited stolen American identities and U.S. companies to generate millions of dollars for a hostile foreign regime. By operating so-called ‘laptop farms,’ these defendants enabled overseas actors to infiltrate U.S. businesses, access sensitive data and undermine our economic and national security,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “The sentences imposed this week reflect the seriousness of this conduct and our commitment to holding accountable those who facilitate sanctions evasion and foreign threats from within our borders.”
“Today’s announcement sends a clear message: U.S. nationals who facilitate DPRK IT worker schemes and funnel revenue to North Korea will face FBI investigation and potential prison time,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Working closely with our partners, the FBI will pursue their co-conspirators and hold accountable those who seek to empower the DPRK by defrauding American companies and stealing the identities of private citizens.”
“These sentencings should act as a deterrent to foreign individuals and entities attempting to illegally access and export critical defense information,” said Special Agent in Charge John Helsing for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “Investigating the theft, illegal export, diversion, or proliferation of sensitive Department technologies is a priority for DCIS, particularly where such compromises could enable foreign adversaries to use those capabilities against our nation’s warfighters. We will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who threaten our national security.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is steadfast in its commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system from foreign adversaries and criminal actors,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy of HSI San Diego. “This case demonstrates the critical importance of collaboration across law enforcement agencies to disrupt schemes that threaten our economy and national security. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit our financial institutions and technology infrastructure for illicit purposes, ensuring that the United States remains a safe and secure place to do business.”
“Today’s sentences should serve as a warning to those who continue to carry out schemes intending to deceive U.S. companies,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto of the FBI Las Vegas Field office. “We will relentlessly pursue those responsible! The FBI is committed to working with our partners to expose and mitigate these fraudulent IT schemes and provide unwavering support to victims of North Korean cyber actors. The FBI strongly advises organizations to closely monitor their data, strengthen their remote hiring processes, and report any suspicious activity or fraud to the FBI.”
According to court documents, from approximately 2021 until October 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators compromised the identities of more than 80 U.S. persons to obtain remote jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, including many Fortune 500 companies, and caused U.S. victim companies to incur legal fees, computer network remediation costs, and other damages of at least $3 million. Kejia Wang traveled to Shenyang and Dandong, China on two separate occasions in 2023, to meet with overseas actors about the scheme, including a former classmate that Kejia Wang knew was from North Korea. Kejia Wang went on to serve as the U.S.-based manager for the scheme, supervising at least five facilitators in the United States who collectively hosted hundreds of computers of U.S. victim companies at their residences. Zhenxing Wang was among the U.S. facilitators who received and hosted victim company laptops at his residence. He and the others also enabled overseas IT workers to access the laptops remotely by, among other things, connecting the laptops to hardware devices designed to allow for remote access (referred to as keyboard-video-mouse or “KVM” switches).
Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang created shell companies with corresponding financial accounts, including Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC, and Independent Lab LLC, to make it appear as though the overseas IT workers were affiliated with legitimate U.S. businesses. In fact, these companies had no employees or operations and existed only to further the scheme and enable the defendants and their co-conspirators to receive proceeds from the scheme. The financial accounts established by the two defendants for these shell companies ultimately received millions of dollars from victimized U.S. companies, much of which was subsequently transferred to overseas co-conspirators. In exchange for their services, Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and the four other U.S. facilitators received nearly $700,000 for their respective roles in the scheme.
IT workers employed under this scheme also gained access to sensitive employer data and source code, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) data from a California-based defense contractor that develops artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technologies. Specifically, between on or about January 19, 2024, and on or about April 2, 2024, an overseas co-conspirator remotely accessed without authorization the company’s laptop and computer files containing technical data and other information. The stolen data included information marked as being controlled under the ITAR.
The other eight defendants indicted in June 2025 remain at large and wanted by the FBI. Concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms of persons engaged in certain activities that support DPRK, including money laundering, exportation of luxury goods to North Korea, specified cyber-activity and actions that support weapons of mass destruction proliferation. The reward is offered for the following eight defendants who are alleged to have participated in the above-described scheme and one suspected IT worker:
- Xu Yongzhe (徐勇哲)
- Huang Jingbin (黄靖斌)
- Tong Yuze (佟雨泽)
- Zhou Baoyu (周宝玉)
- Yuan Ziyou (Samuel Yuan)
- Zhou Zhenbang (周震邦)
- Liu Menting (劉孟婷)
- Liu Enchia (刘恩嘉)
- Song Min Kim (also known as Chengmin Jin)
Previously, in June 2025, the FBI and Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) announced the seizure of 17 web domains used in furtherance of this scheme and the seizure of 29 financial accounts, holding tens of thousands of dollars in funds, used to launder revenue for the North Korean regime through the remote IT work scheme. In October 2024, as part of this investigation, federal law enforcement executed searches at eight locations across three states that resulted in the recovery of more than 70 laptops and remote access devices, such as KVMs. Simultaneously with that action, the FBI seized four web domains associated with Kejia Wang’s and Zhenxing Wang’s shell companies Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC, and Independent Lab LLC.
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office, DCIS San Diego Resident Agency, and Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Field Office investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Holcomb and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the cases, with significant assistance from Legal Assistants Daniel Boucher and Margaret Coppes. Valuable assistance was also provided by Mark A. Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, and Southern District of California.
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Today’s announcement represents the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced sentencings of DPRK IT worker facilitators in July and December 2025, and February and March 2026.
As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024, January 2025, and July 2025, North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate this revenue
Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Londonderry RobberyRead the Press Release
Two Men Plead Guilty to Londonderry Robbery
CONCORD – Two men pleaded guilty today in federal court for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Isaiah Ferro, 19, of Queens, New York, and Zaire Braddock, 21, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe. Ferro’s sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2026. Braddock’s sentencing is scheduled for July 29, 2026.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, Ferro and Braddock, along with three co-conspirators, traveled together from New York to Londonderry, New Hampshire, for the purpose of robbing a local business. Upon arriving at the business, the five individuals entered the premises, where they threatened the victim with what appeared to be a firearm and restrained the victim. Ferro, Braddock, and their co-conspirators then proceeded to steal merchandise and goods from the business, placing those items in a truck driven by a sixth co-conspirator. Afterwards, Ferro, Braddock, and three co-conspirators fled the scene in their vehicle and returned to New York.
The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and not more than 3 years of supervised release. 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led this investigation. The Londonderry Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, Massachusetts State Police, and New York Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case.
Two Brevard County Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Eric William Garvin (29, Palm Bay) and Anthony Lee Khan (40, Palm Bay) have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Garvin was sentenced to 17 years and 6 months, and Khan was sentenced to 14 years and 8 months. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between August and September 2025, Khan sold an ounce of fentanyl to a confidential source on three occasions. Garvin supplied the fentanyl to Khan for each of these deals. Search warrants were then executed at both of their residences, resulting in the recovery of an additional over 900 grams of cocaine, over 400 grams of methamphetamine, and over 350 grams of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Palm Bay Police Department, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Texas Man Posed as a Minor on Social Media, Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Santa Rosa man who previously resided on Fort Hood was sentenced in a federal court in Waco today to 240 months in prison for distributing child sexual abuse material to minors, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Gilbert Andrew Longoria, 23, possessed and operated accounts on Instagram and Snapchat where he pretended to be a 15-year-old male seeking nude photos of minor females. Longoria admitted to having approximately 70 images of child pornography from minor females and that he maintained an online relationship with a 14-year-old female for several months, throughout which they exchanged nude photos of each other.
Longoria was arrested on June 5, 2025, and pleaded guilty to the indicted charge on Dec. 16, 2025. U.S. District Judge Alan Albright presided over the case.
The FBI and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gloff prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Six Indicted for Shipping Kilograms of Cocaine and Fentanyl from California to Massachusetts via UPSRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Six individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that involved shipments of packages containing kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl from California for further distribution in Massachusetts:
- Edwal Vargas, a/k/a “Max,” 34, of Swampscott, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; one count of money laundering conspiracy; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine;
- Yanivel Gomez, a/k/a “Ashley,” 31, of Peabody, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy;
- George Salvatore Landingham, 33, of North Andover, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine;
- Stephanie Tejeda, 33, of Hudson, N.H., was indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy;
- Tyrone Shepherd, 41, of Chestnut Hill, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and
- Gustavo Tavares, 44, of Studio City, Calif., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
According to the charging documents, more than 260 UPS packages were shipped from California to various addresses in Massachusetts by members of the conspiracy. It is alleged that several of those packages were seized during the investigation and found to contain approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine and a kilogram of fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of at least 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Nathaniel Yeager of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Boston Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on April 13, 2026.
Elizeo Kalimba, 33, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kalimba was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He was convicted following a jury trial in federal court in October 2025.
Kalimba worked with another individual to obtain thousands of fentanyl pills from Arizona that he then distributed in Sioux Falls. Members of the Sioux Falls Police Department used a confidential informant to conduct two controlled purchases of fentanyl pills from Kalimba and then executed a search warrant at his home that led to the discovery of approximately 3900 pills in his home. Investigators believe Kalimba was responsible for trafficking over 13,000 fentanyl pills in and around the city.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Dakota DCI, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Kalimba was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Courtney Richmond, age 49, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine, Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a 4-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls. The verdict was returned on April 10, 2026.
The charges for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance each carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, a $10 million dollar fine, at least five years and up to life on supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The charge for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person carries a sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Richmond was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations started investigating Richmond late in 2022 and the DEA started looking into him in the Fall of 2023. Investigators discovered that Richmond was sourcing methamphetamine to at least one other person who was then reselling it to others. They observed text and Facebook messages between the two that confirmed their drug related dealings. Eventually, investigators obtained warrants for Richmond’s person, residences, and vehicles. On December 14, 2023, investigators stopped Richmond in a vehicle that had his company’s BBQ food truck logo on the side. They searched the vehicle and found approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded pistol. They then searched his home and found an additional 216 grams of methamphetamine and another loaded firearm. Richmond is not allowed to possess firearms due to four prior felony convictions from the state of Minnesota. The investigation into Richmond and his associates resulted in the seizure of approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brookings Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date will be set for a later date. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Second defendant linked to drug trafficking in notorious “Jungle” homeless camp sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 43-year-old Seattle man as sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 75 months in prison for his years long activity dealing meth and fentanyl in Seattle’s homeless encampments and International District, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Khampheth Keodara sold fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and cocaine to people residing in “The Jungle” a homeless encampment under I-5 near Seattle’s International District. At today’s sentencing hearing Judge Tana Lin said, “You were dealing fentanyl, meth, and cocaine – drugs that cause great harm in our community. Your actions added to all that suffering.”
“On three separate King County cases, Keodara got a break from judges, and a reduced sentence for his crimes, by agreeing to undergo drug treatment. All three times he washed out of the drug treatment program,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Even as he was pretending to be in drug treatment, he was dealing poisons to vulnerable unhoused people. This sentence is the result of such predatory behavior.”
According to records filed in the case, the investigation began in November 2023, with the Seattle Police, FBI, and DEA focusing on a drug trafficking organization dealing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the homeless encampments of Seattle and in drug trafficking areas of the International District at locations such as 12th and Jackson. Some of the defendants were arrested with firearms. Using a court authorized wiretap, investigators gathered evidence of the drug trafficking and made arrests and seizures over the course of the investigation. Law enforcement heard intimations of violence on the calls and worked to intervene without tipping off the targets of the investigation. In one call involving Keodara he discussed providing a pound of methamphetamine to the contact, indicating he was not a small-time dealer.
During the arrest operation in January 2025, law enforcement seized 17 firearms and various quantities of controlled substances.
On January 21, 2026, Keodara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In asking for a 90-month sentence, assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Conzatti wrote to the court, “Keodara continued to commit crimes while in his 30s. He received his third DOSA (Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative) sentence in 2022 after committing numerous felony offenses, including identity theft, unlawful possession of a firearm, witness tampering, and conspiracy to commit witness tampering. This DOSA, like his first two, was revoked… While in the community, ostensibly engaging in drug treatment, Keodara was engaged in drug distribution.”
“Mr. Keodara has had multiple chances to become a law-abiding citizen,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle. “Instead, he chose to contribute to the fentanyl crisis plaguing our communities by preying on those made vulnerable by their addictions. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to remove dangerous drugs and those who peddle them from our communities, along with the violent crime they bring.”
Keodara is the second defendant to be sentenced in the case. Theodore Nation, 36, of Seattle was sentenced in February 2026 to 30 months in prison. Tommy Pham, 38, of Newcastle, Donfeuy Saephan, 55, of Seattle, and Sang Tran, 55, of Kent, Washington, have each pleaded guilty and are scheduled for sentencing in July.
The investigation was led by the FBI, Seattle Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with significant assistance from the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). Investigators also worked with the King County Sheriff’s Office and the Tukwila Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.
This investigation 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 Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
SantaCon Organizer Charged in Wire Fraud Scheme Targeting Attendees and Host VenuesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Jennifer L. Piovesan, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging STEFAN PILDES with wire fraud. PILDES was arrested today in Manhattan and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.
“As alleged, Stefan Pildes promoted SantaCon as an event grounded in charitable giving, but instead of donating the millions of dollars he raised, he ran his own con game,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He took advantage of New Yorkers’ generous holiday spirit to finance his lifestyle through personal expenses, big and small. No matter how you dress it up, fraud is fraud. We are committed to protecting New Yorkers from those who exploit their enthusiasm and generosity.”
“Stefan Pildes, the president of SantaCon, allegedly pocketed over half of the proceeds generated by his nonprofit to make personal purchases,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Pildes allegedly stole Christmas from tens of thousands of victims and deprived local charities of more than one million dollars. The FBI continues to root out scrooges that greedily exploit the goodwill of New Yorkers.”
“When individuals exploit charitable causes for personal gain, they undermine the trust our communities place in organizations meant to serve the public good,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Piovesan. “IRS-CI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to uncover deceptive financial schemes and ensure those who abuse their positions for personal enrichment are held accountable.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
From at least November 2019 through April 2026, PILDES defrauded tens of thousands of individuals and small business owners who participated in a popular, Christmas-themed event organized and promoted by PILDES, referred to as “SantaCon.” SantaCon is a ticketed bar crawl that takes place annually in December in New York City, during which over approximately 25,000 attendees dress as Santa Claus and other holiday characters and travel to participating bars and restaurants throughout the day. At all relevant times, PILDES served as the president of and controlled the nonprofit entity that organizes SantaCon called Participatory Safety, Inc. (“PSI”).
SantaCon primarily generates proceeds through (i) sales of tickets to bar crawl attendees (“Attendees”) and (ii) sales commissions from bars and restaurants that serve as host venues along the bar crawl route (“Venues”). PILDES, through PSI and its representatives, represented to Attendees and Venues that SantaCon was an event to benefit charity.
PILDES maintained a website for SantaCon (the “SantaCon Website”) that was used to promote and communicate information about SantaCon. The SantaCon Website advertised that Attendees who purchased a ticket to SantaCon would receive access to the Venues and that proceeds from ticket sales would be distributed to various charities. For example, in or about December 2024, PILDES promoted on the SantaCon Website that ticket money went “directly to Santa’s charity drive,” and that “[y]our money will be split between the various charities listed on this page as well as local neighborhood charities along Santa’s route.” Additionally, the SantaCon Website described SantaCon as a “charitable, non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention.” PILDES also solicited bars and restaurants to participate in SantaCon through representations regarding the event’s charitable mission. Venues that were signed up as official stops on the SantaCon route agreed to give PSI a designated percentage of their food and beverage sales during the event. This contribution was characterized as a “charitable commission” or “donation” and was typically between 10% and 25% of sales. In exchange, PILDES, through PSI and its representatives, agreed to distribute the charitable commission to various charities.
In reality, PILDES defrauded the Attendees and Venues. SantaCon events from 2019 to 2024 generated approximately $2.7 million in proceeds, including over $2 million in ticket sales and over $675,000 in charitable commissions from Venues. PILDES donated only a small fraction of the millions of dollars he raised for charity. Instead, PILDES siphoned off more than half of the charitable proceeds to an entity that PILDES controlled, Creative Opportunities Group, Inc. (“COG”), that had no public connection to SantaCon, where he used these funds freely to finance various personal ventures. PILDES also abused his control over PSI’s bank accounts to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of the remaining proceeds for his own personal use. Among other things, PILDES spent SantaCon proceeds on extensive renovations to a lakefront property in New Jersey, concert tickets, luxury vacations, extravagant meals, and a luxury vehicle. PILDES did so despite claiming that he did not receive any compensation from SantaCon or PSI. PILDES told one representative of a potential Venue that “[n]o producer receives income from this event, this is a charity event.”
If you have been victimized by STEFAN PILDES, as either an attendee or a venue that participated in SantaCon, please fill out the short form found here: https://www.fbi.gov/SantaConVictims.
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PILDES, 50, of Hewitt, New Jersey, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton thanked the FBI and IRS-CI. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
This case is being supervised by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Varun A. Gumaste and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew N. Stahl are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
San Antonio Repeat Tax Evader Sentenced to Federal Prison on Tax DayRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison for tax evasion, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Juan R. Gonzalez, 52, owned and operated a residential construction business in San Antonio, under the name Gonzalez Construction, working as a subcontractor for other entities. During tax years 2020 and 2021, Gonzalez organized his personal and business financial activities so as to evade the assessment of his federal income taxes. He did this by commingling funds, dealing extensively in cash, using a nominee name, handling his affairs to avoid making the records usual in transactions of the kind, and other conduct intended to mislead or conceal. Gonzalez did not file tax returns for tax years 2020 and 2021, during which he earned approximately $1,030,079.45 of taxable income, resulting in a tax due and owing of approximately $370,752.64.
Gonzalez, who was previously convicted of tax evasion in 2011, was indicted in May 2025 on 22 counts, including two tax evasion counts, 18 counts of structuring currency transactions, and two counts of identity theft. He pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion on Jan. 7. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ordered Gonzalez pay $370,752.64 in restitution to the IRS.
“Gonzalez is returning to federal prison having not learned after his first conviction 15 years ago, that the U.S. government does not tolerate those who try to undermine our tax laws,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Every American has a legal duty to pay their taxes, and today's sentencing—on Tax Day of all days—is a good reminder of the consequences awaiting those who refuse to do so.”
"Gonzalez didn't learn to respect the law and society after his first 30 months in prison, so maybe losing his freedom for 37 more months will deter him from deceiving his employers, financial institutions and our nation," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton of IRS Criminal Investigation's Houston Field Office. "Tax evasion is willfully deciding to avoid paying taxes. Today is Tax Day. Make the right decision."
IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Harris prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Roundup man sentenced to 10 years in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in ThailandRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Roundup man who was teaching in Thailand and groomed one of his students to produce sexually explicit material was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Billie Lee Walker, 61, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in May 2024 the father of John Doe, then a 15-year-old boy, disclosed to law enforcement that Walker, who was a teacher at a school in Thailand, had inappropriate communications with John Doe while John Doe was a student at the school.
Walker, a United States citizen, began teaching John Doe around August 2021 and was dismissed from the school around May 2024. John Doe’s electronic media was analyzed. Images of child pornography were recovered, including of John Doe, as well as communications between Doe and Walker. John Doe was forensically interviewed and confirmed several images found on his electronic media. He also outlined how he communicated with individuals he knew online only by their first names and how Walker sent him money for various images John Doe created, including about $30 for a video of Doe masturbating.
On or about May 28, 2024, Walker was interviewed when he entered the United States. He admitted he communicated with John Doe online and had “only seen a few images” of John Doe naked. He also noted that, at least on one occasion, he did pay John Doe for images. Finally, Walker acknowledged creating online personas to communicate with John Doe.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Musselshell County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Roanoke Woman Sentenced to 600 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Annamarie Fleischman, 36 years old, formerly of Roanoke, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children and Receipt of Child Pornography, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Fleischman was sentenced to 600 months in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Restitution will be imposed at a later date.
According to documents in the case, between April 2023 and August 2023, Fleischman used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. On or about June 2023, Fleischman also received images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“This Defendant will spend the next fifty years in prison for choosing to not only violate a child, but also to document it! This was nothing short of deplorable, and prison is the only appropriate response to this behavior. The Northern District of Indiana is safer thanks to the hard, professional work and partnership between federal and local law enforcement, particularly the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Indiana State Police, the Huntington County Sheriff’s Office, the Roanoke Police Department, and the Huntington County Prosecutor’s Office led by Prosecutor Jeremy Nix and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Theresa Searles. Those that predate on children in this way need to be put away where they cannot harm more kids,” Mildred said.
“Annamarie Fleischman’s heinous actions deserve every day of her 50-year sentence. HSI will continue to utilize every resource at our disposal to protect children from those who seek to exploit and do them harm,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Indiana State Police, the Huntington County Sheriff’s Office, the Roanoke Police Department, and the Huntington County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Repeat child sex crime offender sentenced to more than 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A defendant who served more than 11 years in prison for a child pornography offense then re-engaged with an individual he believed to be the mother of three minor girls to discuss his sexual desires with the girls was sentenced in federal court here today to 378 months in prison.
This case marks the fourth federal child exploitation or pornography conviction for William Kisor, 57, of Columbus. Kisor was on supervised release for two prior offenses when he first communicated in 2012 with the undercover agent whom he believed was a mother of minors.
According to court documents, after being released from prison, Kisor contacted the same online undercover agent with whom he communicated prior to his 2012 conviction, never realizing that the person was an agent of law enforcement. The undercover agent used the persona of an adult mother with minor daughters. The defendant contacted the agent in hopes of beginning an incestuous relationship with the “mother” and “daughters.”
For several months, while the defendant was on supervised release, the defendant communicated with the purported mother via email, text message, and phone call and described in detail the sexual acts that he wanted to perpetrate on the fictional daughters whom he was told were 8 and 14 years old.
In November 2024, Kisor drove to a hotel in Canal Winchester to meet the woman and her children and was arrested by federal agents.
Kisor pleaded guilty in October 2025 to attempted coercion and enticement.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch are 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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Prior felon pleads guilty to drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Robert L. Robinson, 50, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of firearms, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
According to the plea agreement, on June 7, 2024, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Robinson’s Sterling Avenue residence, during which approximately 125 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, two firearms, ammunition, and $35,869.00 in cash were seized. Robinson was taken into custody following the search warrant execution. Robinson was previously convicted of felony crimes in 2003 and 2011 and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 21, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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Poplar man pleads guilty to sending obscene material to minorRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Poplar man accused of sending obscene pictures and videos to a minor admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Benjamin George Walkingeagle, Sr., 40, pleaded guilty to one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Walkingeagle faces 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for August 12, 2026. Walkingeagle was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in October 2023, the FBI investigated Walkingeagle for transferring obscene material to a minor after a 14-year-old female, Jane Doe, reported he was sending her sexual messages. Doe was forensically interviewed and confirmed Walkingeagle sent her pictures and videos over Facebook. She no longer had the messages but provided law enforcement with screenshots. The messages show sexually explicit messages, including what appears to be a picture of male genitalia. The actual image was covered up by the victim, but it is consistent with an image of the genitalia of the photographer. In a 2025 interview with the FBI, Walkingeagle admitted he sent Jane Doe a picture of his genitalia that he took in his bedroom.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Glasgow Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Pickaway County man pleads guilty to federal gun, drug crimes involving multiple kilograms of narcotics seized from Hilliard hotelRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Pickaway County man pleaded guilty in federal court here today after investigators seized 18 firearms, tens of thousands of dollars in cash and bulk amounts of narcotics from his Hilliard hotel room in October 2025.
Samuel A. Griffith, 35, of Ashville, Ohio, admitted guilt in six federal drug and gun crimes. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
According to court documents, in October 2025, Griffith sold fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine from a hotel room at the Red Roof Inn in Hilliard. When agents executed a search warrant in the hotel room, they discovered more than four kilograms of methamphetamine, 800 grams of fentanyl, a partial kilogram of cocaine, numerous firearms and nearly $40,000 in cash.
Griffith has prior felony convictions for robbery, aggravated possession of drugs and having weapons under disability. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Specifically, Griffith pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and illegally possessing a firearm as a felon.
Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape; Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles A. Jones and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin W. Kelley is representing the United States in this case.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 17½ Years in Prison for Violent Home Invasion Robberies Targeting Business Owners and EmployeesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ali Chandler, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 210 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $60,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for two violent home invasion robberies targeting business owners and employees.
Chandler and co-defendant Abdullah Hartage were charged by superseding indictment in October 2022. Both pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to commit robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of committing or threatening physical violence in furtherance of a plan or purpose to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. Hartage was sentenced in January to 18 years in prison.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on November 13, 2021, Chandler, Hartage, and others met at their intended victims’ area business and waited outside until closing time, when the owners and their adult daughter left. The robbers, who had conducted prior surveillance to determine where the family lived, then drove to the residence, arriving before the victims.
When the victims opened their garage and parked inside, the four perpetrators, armed with handguns, stormed in. One of the gunmen struck the 61-year-old male victim several times in the head, causing injuries, and forced him to the ground. Another gunman forced the business owners’ daughter to the ground at gunpoint, and yet another perpetrator forced the 65-year-old female victim from the garage into the home at gunpoint, striking her several times in the head and causing injuries. After the home’s security alarm sounded, the perpetrators fled, taking the daughter’s backpack, which contained her credit/debit cards and ID.
In the next robbery, committed on December 4, 2021, Chandler, Hartage, and others targeted an employee of an area store. They had spent weeks casing the store, following the victim home and identifying her house. On the night of the robbery, the perpetrators again arrived ahead of the victim. Within minutes of the victim arriving home, three armed men broke in, one telling her “I know where you work.”
The 68-year-old victim was zip-tied to a chair and pistol whipped in the face, causing head injuries, including a gash requiring stitches and a concussion. The perpetrators made off with a safe containing cash, coins, and jewelry.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Montgomery Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty.
Peoria Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining $1.8 Million in Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Leslie Victor Gentry, 54, of Peoria, Arizona, pleaded guilty on April 8 to Filing False Claims for Refund. Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich.
According to the plea agreement, Gentry knowingly prepared and submitted 14 false Form 941 tax returns for tax years 2020 and 2021. Gentry filed the tax returns on behalf of two businesses that he and his wife owned, but that were not in operation during that time. The tax returns claimed false COVID-related tax credits based on fictitious wages paid to fictitious employees. Gentry admitted that, in reality, the companies did not have any employees and did not pay any of the reported wages. Through the false filings, Gentry fraudulently sought and received more than $1.8 million in COVID-related tax credits.
A conviction for Filing False Claims for Refund carries a maximum term of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the IRS.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-00263
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-061_Gentry
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced to Nearly 14 Years in Prison for Role in $2 Million Fraud Scheme Against the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Atlanta Field Office, announced the sentencing of a York, Pennsylvania woman for her role in a scheme that defrauded the United States government of more than $2 million.
On April 15, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 45-year-old Queen Naja, also known as Renata Winifred Ince and Naja Talibah Zahir, to 165 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. In addition to her term of imprisonment, the court ordered Naja to serve three years of supervised release following her release from prison. The court also ordered restitution in the amount of $2,065,797.26.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in April 2021, Naja contacted co-conspirator Quentin Diego Sturgeon of Montgomery, Alabama, through social media with a plan to fraudulently obtain funds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The scheme involved creating a legal trust, submitting false tax documents, and filing a fraudulent payment in order to generate a refund to which the conspirators were not entitled. As a result, the IRS issued a U.S. Treasury check in the amount of $1,010,561.26.
Sturgeon previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering and was sentenced on August 26, 2025, to 12 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,010,561 in restitution jointly with Naja.
In addition to Queen Naja’s scheme with Sturgeon, the court determined that her criminal activity included filing false returns and fraudulent payments on behalf of herself and other individuals. Specifically, the court ordered her to pay restitution for $1,055,236.12 in refunds issued to Queen Naja’s mother as a result of Queen Naja’s fraudulent payments.
With part of the refund checks that her mother received, Queen Naja bought a house, where she lived for several years while continuing to commit her fraudulent activity. Between trial and sentencing, she listed that house and all its furniture for sale. IRS-CI obtained a seizure warrant for the proceeds of that sale, securing $214,010.42 for the government.
The court also determined that Queen Naja submitted numerous fraudulent payments to the IRS in an effort to obtain additional refunds. If Queen Naja’s efforts had been successful, she would have caused the IRS an additional $428,732,324.56 in losses.
“This defendant orchestrated a complex fraud scheme designed to exploit the United States government and steal taxpayer funds,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Crimes like this strike at the heart of our nation’s tax system and undermine public trust. Those who engage in this type of criminal conduct must be held accountable and face serious consequences.”
“With fabricated documents and a fraudulent refund request, Queen Naja sought to exploit the federal tax system for more than a million dollars.” said Special Agent in Charge Hardeman. “The special agents of IRS CI are committed to identifying and investigating individuals who deliberately attempt to misuse the tax system for personal gain.”
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated this case with assistance from the Montgomery Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted the case.
Panama City Felon Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Matthew Lee Keith, 41, of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to seventeen years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our communities safe requires us to remove serial offenders, like this defendant, from our streets for extended periods of time. My office is up to the task, and this successful prosecution is yet another win under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America initiative. As President Donald J. Trump has made clear, the American people deserve safe, crime-free streets, and that is exactly what my office and our state and federal law enforcement partners will deliver with more cases like this.”
Court documents reflect that in August 2024, as part of an ongoing drug investigation, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by the defendant in Panama City, Florida. During the traffic stop, a trained K-9 unit alerted to the presence of drugs within the vehicle, and a subsequent search yielded fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, alprazolam, a loaded handgun, as well as other items indicative of drug distribution. The defendant is a serial felon with numerous prior felony convictions for crimes including tampering with a witness, carrying a concealed weapon, battery, trafficking methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of heroin, and possession of cocaine.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Orlando Man Sentenced to over Six Years for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Involving COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance BenefitsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Dexter Ray King (36, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. to six years and three months in federal prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered King to forfeit $549,375.50 in proceeds from his bank fraud scheme. A restitution hearing is scheduled for June 29, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
King was convicted on January 9, 2026, following a jury trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, during the COVID-19 pandemic, King filed dozens of fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits across several states. For many of the claims, King used stolen identities of other people and fake addresses. Once the claims were approved, King changed the addresses on the claims to his Orlando, Florida apartment, ensuring that the debit cards containing the fraudulently obtained government benefits were mailed to him. He then used the debit cards to withdraw the money from the bank. King also filed fraudulent claims using his own name, but Social Security numbers that did not belong to him and had the resulting benefits direct deposited into his bank account. In total, King received over half a million dollars in fraud proceeds, which he spent on a new $77,000 SUV, a trip to Las Vegas, expensive restaurants, and luxury fashion brands.
This case was investigated by the Department Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Orange County Man Charged with Enticing Multiple Minors to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity and Multiple Child Sexual Abuse Material OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Aaron Starbird (44, Orlando) has been charged by indictment with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, one count of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), four counts of receipt of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM. If convicted, Starbird faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in 2025 Starbird became the target of an investigation by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation when he began chatting with an undercover officer and expressed interest in engaging in sexual activity with minors. Starbird’s cellphone was seized as part of that investigation. A search of his device revealed that between 2021 and 2024, Starbird coerced and enticed two minor victims to engage in illegal sexual activity and attempted to entice another minor victim to do the same. For one of the minor victims, who was 14 years old at the time, Starbird made plans to meet with the minor, picked the minor up from the minor’s home, and took the minor back to Starbird’s residence, where they engaged in sexual acts. During this period, Starbird also induced another minor victim to produce CSAM, and Starbird received other CSAM on multiple occasions in connection with conversations Starbird had with others about engaging in sexual activity with minors.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Device-Making EquipmentRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in federal prison for illegally possessing credit card encoding devices.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2024, Sean Matthew Langston, Jr., 33, of Columbus, Ohio, was arrested in Rankin County following a traffic stop wherein he and his co-defendant, John Carleton Johnson, Jr., were found to be in possession of approximately 322 gift cards, seventeen reencoded instruments containing stolen bank card data, and two magstripe encoding devices. Langston and Johnson could be seen on CCTV footage at various retail stores throughout the Jackson metropolitan area purchasing gift cards with known cloned instruments.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Langston and Jonson on February 20, 2025. Langston pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession, production, or trafficking in device-making equipment with intent to defraud on December 11, 2025. Johnson pleaded guilty to the same charge on June 30, 2025, and was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment on November 3, 2025. Both men were ordered to pay fines.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Glaze, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force with assistance from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Flowood Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
Nigerian and Georgia Men Charged in Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Scheme that Sought over $100M from the IRSRead the Press Release
Indictments were unsealed today in the Northern District of Georgia and the Western District of Texas charging a Georgia man and a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft and other crimes arising out of a scheme to defraud the IRS using stolen identities.
According to the indictment, Akinade Adedeji Raheem, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Abayomi Quadri Eletu, 42, of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, conspired together and with others to claim fraudulent tax refunds using the stolen identities of accountants and taxpayers. Over the course of their scheme, the co-conspirators allegedly filed more than 300 false tax returns claiming over $100 million in refunds from the IRS.
Between 2018 and 2023, Eletu, Raheem and others allegedly obtained identifying information for tax professionals and taxpayers, including their names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, by creating online accounts with the IRS and requesting private taxpayer information. As part of the scheme, they changed the addresses of taxpayers to an address controlled by the co-conspirators, so the IRS would correspond with the co-conspirators instead of the taxpayers. They also submitted “change of address” requests to the U.S. Postal Service to cause the mail of some taxpayers to be forwarded to a co-conspirator’s address. Using the personal identifying information of others, Eletu, Raheem and their co-conspirators electronically filed tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds, then allegedly directed the IRS to split the refunds among several prepaid debit cards. Before issuing some of these tax refunds, the IRS sent verification letters to the addresses controlled by the co-conspirators, who, pretending to be the taxpayers, fraudulently verified the taxpayers’ identities and instructed the IRS to release the refunds.
Eletu allegedly directed Raheem and others to obtain prepaid debit cards to receive the anticipated fraudulent tax refunds. Once the refunds were deposited onto the prepaid debit cards, they laundered some of the funds by purchasing, among other things, money orders from U.S. Postal Offices and local stores in amounts low enough to avoid reporting thresholds. They also used the money orders to purchase used cars from auction sites, some of which they shipped to Nigeria, as well as designer clothing and other items.
Eletu was arrested in the UK at the request of the United States.
Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Eletu was also charged with five counts of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, seven counts of access device fraud and 21 counts of aggravated identity theft. Raheem is also charged with 14 counts of access device fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. The defendants face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 20 years for money laundering and 10 years for access device fraud, as well as a mandatory sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States also thanks the United Kingdom for its valuable assistance in the investigation.
Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Michael Jones of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Pearce for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the cases. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas has provided substantial assistance to the investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nigerian and Georgia Men Charged in Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Scheme that Sought over $100 Million from the IRSRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Indictments have been unsealed in the Northern District of Georgia and the Western District of Texas charging a Georgia man, Akinade Adedeji Raheem, and a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, Abayomi Quadri Eletu, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft and other crimes arising out of a scheme to defraud the IRS using stolen identities.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Akinade Adedeji Raheem and Abayomi Quadri Eletu conspired together and with others to claim fraudulent tax refunds using the stolen identities of accountants and taxpayers. Over the course of their scheme, the co-conspirators allegedly filed more than 300 false tax returns claiming over $100 million in refunds from the IRS.
Between 2018 and 2023, Eletu, Raheem and others allegedly obtained identifying information for tax professionals and taxpayers, including their names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, by creating online accounts with the IRS and requesting private taxpayer information. As part of the scheme, they changed the addresses of taxpayers to an address controlled by the co-conspirators, so the IRS would correspond with the co-conspirators instead of the taxpayers. They also submitted “change of address” requests to the U.S. Postal Service to cause the mail of some taxpayers to be forwarded to a co-conspirator’s address. Using the personal identifying information of others, Eletu, Raheem and their co-conspirators electronically filed tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds, then allegedly directed the IRS to split the refunds among several prepaid debit cards. Before issuing some of these tax refunds, the IRS sent verification letters to the addresses controlled by the co-conspirators, who, pretending to be the taxpayers, fraudulently verified the taxpayers’ identities and instructed the IRS to release the refunds.
Eletu allegedly directed Raheem and others to obtain prepaid debit cards to receive the anticipated fraudulent tax refunds. Once the refunds were deposited onto the prepaid debit cards, they laundered some of the funds by purchasing, among other things, money orders from U.S. Postal Offices and local stores in amounts low enough to avoid reporting thresholds. They also used the money orders to purchase used cars from auction sites, some of which they shipped to Nigeria, as well as designer clothing and other items.
Eletu was arrested in the UK at the request of the United States.
Akinade Adedeji Raheem, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Abayomi Quadri Eletu, 42, of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Eletu was also charged with five counts of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, seven counts of access device fraud and 21 counts of aggravated identity theft. Raheem is also charged with 14 counts of access device fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. The defendants face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 20 years for money laundering and 10 years for access device fraud, as well as a mandatory sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg of the Northern District of Georgia and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States also thanks the United Kingdom for its valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Pearce of the Northern District of Georgia and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Michael Jones of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office from the Western District of Texas has provided substantial assistance to the investigation.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Multiple Baltimore Men Charged in Drug Trafficking Organization TakedownRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Several Baltimore-area men are facing charges today, stemming from a joint-agency takedown of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in the 500 block of Sheridan Avenue in North Baltimore. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced it filed charges against the men in connection with the operation.Omar Gilliam, 43, Derrell Washington Coates, 42, Kevin Harris, 34, and Darren Farmer, 36, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base, commonly referred to as crack cocaine. Stephen Oliver, 38, is charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, Gilliam and Oliver are charged with firearm trafficking and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person due to each having a prior felony conviction.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the charges with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City.
“These charges underscore our continued commitment to making Baltimore and all of Maryland safer. This collaboration is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we work together with a shared commitment to public safety,” Hayes said. “We will continue working side by side with our partners to disrupt criminal activity and deliver justice for the communities we serve.”
“This operation highlights the power of coordinated teamwork,” Doerrer said. “ATF remains firmly committed to holding the most violent individuals in our community accountable using every available tool to protect public safety.”
“This takedown is a strong example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement at every level works together with a shared commitment to public safety,” Worley said. Through the dedication of our Northern District Action Team and the support of our federal, state, and local partners, we were able to dismantle a dangerous group responsible for trafficking drugs and contributing to violence in our communities. Our work continues, and together, we are making Baltimore and our region safer.”
“Residents in every neighborhood of our city have concerns about the guns and drugs that fuel violence in their community. Today’s takedown once again reaffirms that we have made it our mission, as law enforcement, to find purveyors of violence and crime and hold them accountable. This investigation reflects the power of strong collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement partners,” Bates said. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, ATF Baltimore, the U.S. Marshal’s Office, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their partnership and commitment to public safety. As our Firearm & Drug Trafficking Unit prepares to prosecute the defendants, we will continue working together to dismantle similar networks that put lives at risk and undermine the safety of Baltimore’s communities.”
According to the criminal complaint, between August 2025 and March 2026, ATF and BPD partnered to investigate the North Baltimore DTO. During the investigation, law enforcement identified specific members and located potential stash locations through confidential informants.
Beginning in August 2025, ATF used a confidential informant (CI-1) to buy narcotics from Gilliam, Harris, and Washington Coates. In October 2025, ATF then used a second confidential informant (CI-2) to buy narcotics from the same DTO members. Then in December 2025, CI-2 began purchasing narcotics and firearms from Oliver, and in March 2026, CI-2 purchased firearms from Gilliam. Farmer began distributing narcotics to CI-2 in January 2026.
In total, law enforcement conducted 15 controlled purchases from Gilliam, two of which included firearms. Washington Coates participated in seven of those controlled purchases, and Harris participated in one. In addition, law enforcement conducted eight controlled purchases from Oliver, along with two separate controlled purchases of firearms, and law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases from Farmer, some of which also involved Gilliam and Harris.
Law enforcement continued monitoring Gilliam, Oliver, Harris, Washington Coates, Farmer, and others participating in drug trafficking activities in different Baltimore-area locations. Then on April 8, authorities arrested four of the defendants on the federal charges, while also executing federal search warrants at three addresses in the 500 Block of Sheridan Avenue, along with another Baltimore City property, and a Baltimore County residence. Law enforcement arrested the fifth defendant, Farmer, today.
During the arrest and search operation, officers recovered numerous firearms, along with nearly 400 grams of suspected narcotics.
A complaint is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by complaint are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Maryland and Baltimore County Police Department for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Stanton Lawyer who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Multi-Agency Operation - “Paris on Ice” - Leads to Multiple Federal and State Indictments for Trafficking Methamphetamine in West TennesseeRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Nineteen people have been indicted and are facing state and federal charges for their involvement in an organized drug trafficking scheme in West Tennessee. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, and Neil Thompson, District Attorney General for the 24th District, announced the unsealing of the indictments today.
The charges are the culmination of a two-year long investigation and takedown by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Henry County Sheriff’s Department, Huntingdon Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, Henderson County Sheriff’s Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, and the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
According to court documents, between May 2024 and February 2026, the defendants conspired, coordinated, and worked together and with others to distribute methamphetamine throughout West Tennessee.
On March 16, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging seven individuals with Conspiracy to Distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. Those individuals named in the federal indictment are:
- Ryan Shonte Sims, 35 - of Nashville, TN
- Katherine Foust, 37 - of Paris, TN
- Darryl Barnes, 60 - of Henry, TN
- Stacie Shoffner, 58 - of Henry, TN
- Marcus McClennan, 43 - of Clarksville, TN
- Jessica Hilliard, 38, of Paris, TN
- Jason Hedges, 54 - of Jackson, TN
On March 2, 2026, a Henry County Grand Jury returned indictments charging 12 additional individuals with various state violations. Those individuals charged are:
- Mark William Davis, 43, of Waverly, TN - Criminal Responsibility for the Sale of Methamphetamine
- Michael Lamont Wilson, 51, of Paris, TN - Criminal Responsibility for the Sale of Methamphetamine
- George E. Easley, 41, of Henry, TN - Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine
- Jerry Lynn Clark, 68, of Paris, TN - Sale of Methamphetamine
- Brianna V. Holder, 32, of Paris, TN - Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine
- Timothy L. Vandyke, 40, of Paris, TN - Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine
- Mandy L. Shriner, 50, of Paris, TN - Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine
- Johnnie May Lee, 67, of Paris, TN - Sale of Methamphetamine
- Amanda K. Seward, 47, of McKenzie, TN - Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine
- Jenia D. Singleton, 36, of Buchanan, TN - Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine
- Mark D. Noah, 58, of Huntingdon, TN - Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine
- Anthony Dakota Walker, 26, of Big Sandy, TN - Sale of Methamphetamine
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "These indictments and takedown represent another great example of law enforcement working together to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that distribute poison in the Western District of Tennessee. I commend the outstanding investigative efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this important and impactful operation, and we look forward to holding the perpetrators accountable in federal court."
“Let this case serve as a warning to would-be drug traffickers seeking to poison our communities…the dedicated men and woman of the DEA will stop at nothing to terminate your operations and ensure that you face justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of the DEA’s Louisville Field Division. “For nearly two years, the DEA and our law enforcement partners were relentless in our efforts to shut down a drug pipeline into rural West Tennessee; and today, our tenacity paid off.”
“Our agency remains firmly committed to investigating and disrupting organized drug trafficking in Tennessee. These arrests reflect the ongoing, coordinated enforcement efforts aimed at confronting the methamphetamine distribution that continues to impact this region. We will continue working tirelessly alongside our local, state, and federal partners to combat the violent crimes linked to methamphetamine and other illegal drugs being trafficked throughout our state, " said Director David B. Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
“This is an example of a great collaborative effort from multiple agencies. We’re proud to be able to do our part to assist with prosecuting these cases," said District Attorney General Neil Thompson.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Parham and Assistant District Attorney Anthony Clark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
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 Memphis comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies, to include the investigative agencies listed above, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Montpelier Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Child Exploitation CaseRead the Press Release
Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 10, 2026, Jeffery Paul Coolidge, 61, of Montpelier, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., to a term of 240 months of imprisonment to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Coolidge previously pleaded guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
According to court records, Coolidge befriended a family who had recently immigrated to the United States. The family had two young children, including a 6-year-old boy. Coolidge invited the family to dinner, gave the children gifts, and asked to be able to play with the children. In March of 2023, Coolidge falsely told the children’s father that he had a medical exam to prepare for in order to gain access to the 6-year-old boy. Coolidge instead sexually abused the boy. In August of 2023, Coolidge again sexually abused the boy while babysitting him and took photographs of the abuse. Coolidge then distributed those photographs to a dark-web site he frequented.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Montpelier Police Department, the Australian Federal Police, and the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Crimes Center.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne Smith and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Van de Graaf. Coolidge was represented by William Vasiliou, Esq.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Monticello Man Indicted for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Keagan Garrett Bohlinger, 26, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on eleven counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Bohlinger appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 26, 2026, at 8:30 am, before District Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted, Bohlinger faces a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment on each production of child pornography count. Bohlinger also faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession of child pornography count.
The case is being jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Marlborough Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement from a Non-ProfitRead the Press Release
Marlborough Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement from a Non-Profit
CONCORD – A Marlborough woman pleaded guilty to embezzling from Monadnock Peer Support (MPS), a mental health non-profit based in Keene, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Christine Allen, a/k/a Christine Nowill, a/k/a Christine Yardley, 52, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for July 28, 2026.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Allen was the Executive Director of MPS. As Executive Director, she had full access to MPS’s finances, including its accounting records, bank accounts, checkbook, and debit cards. Between January 2021 and May 2023, Allen embezzled from MPS. She used the stolen money on personal expenses, including bedding material, gaming equipment, hockey equipment, men’s clothing, and a meat cleaver.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to 3 years, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Involving Three MurdersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national and member of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in three murders. Defendant participated in beating, shooting and dismembering victims.
Franklin Antonio Amaya Paredes, a/k/a “Mosca” or “Tony,” 28, unlawfully residing in New Bedford, Mass. pleaded guilty to racketeering involving murder, conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving murder and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2026. These charges stem from two indictments, one in the District of Massachusetts, the other in the Eastern District of Virginia. By agreement, Paredes’s Virginia charges were transferred to the District of Massachusetts.
“This defendant – an illegal alien who’s been residing unlawfully in our country – admitted to participating in three brutal murders across state lines to advance MS-13’s violent agenda and be rewarded within the gang’s ranks,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Let this serve as a clear message: individuals who come to this country and engage in this level of violence will be aggressively investigated, prosecuted and held fully accountable. This transnational criminal organization is far-reaching, but my office will continue to use every resource to dismantle it and protect Massachusetts communities from such barbaric devastation. As was the case here, my office will continue to work with agents and prosecutors across the country until MS-13 and other transnational criminal groups have been eliminated.”
“What Franklin Antonio Amaya Paredes did to his victims was particularly heinous – so much so that, years later, the circumstances of these three murders still stand out,” said Ted. E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The sheer brutality, cruel depravity, and terror he inflicted on behalf of MS-13 demonstrates a complete disregard for human life. Amaya Paredes belongs behind bars, and that’s exactly where today’s conviction will keep him. Meanwhile, the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement and community partners to dismantle this transnational criminal organization, bring an end to their senseless violence, and obtain justice for the victims of their crimes.”
According to court documents, Paredes was a member of the Uniones Locos Salvatrucha (ULS) clique of MS-13. The ULS clique operated in northern Virginia, southeastern Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States. The clique was responsible for committing numerous murders and other acts of violence and distributing marijuana and cocaine in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Money generated from drug sales was used for the ULS clique’s needs in the United States, to fund MS-13 activities in El Salvador, and to help incarcerated MS-13 members.
On Aug. 25, 2018, Paredes and other members of ULS met in New Bedford, Mass., to murder an associate of MS-13’s Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique. MS-13 leadership in El Salvador had approved the murder because they believed the victim had betrayed MS-13. They met the victim at the residence of an MS-13 member in New Bedford and after the group ate dinner, Paredes and other ULS members beat and strangled the victim to death. Paredes and other ULS members then dismembered the victim’s body and buried the remains in a nearby wooded area. Paredes and other members of the group were promoted within MS-13’s ranks for their participation in the murder. The victim’s remains have not yet been found.
In June 2019, Paredes and other members of ULS conspired to murder individuals who frequently gathered to drink in a wooded area in the clique’s perceived territory in Reston, Va. On June 23, 2019, ULS members armed themselves with firearms and machetes and traveled to the Hunters Woods area of Reston. There, members of the group murdered the first many they encountered by shooting him and slashing him with a machete, while Paredes and others remained in nearby cars ready to assist. After the murder, Paredes and other members of the group drove to a nearby hotel room and recounted the details of the murder.
On July 14, 2020, Paredes shot and killed another victim near Horseneck Road in Dartmouth, Mass. Text messages showed that Paredes, who was the victim’s cousin, invited the victim to a family party where he was murdered.
After being charged with murder by state authorities, Paredes confided that he murdered his cousin because the cousin failed to “check in” with MS-13 leadership when he arrived in the New Bedford area from El Salvador and had done a poor job growing MS-13 in Southeastern Massachusetts. Paredes also conspired to kill a witness to the murder while in state custody.
As alleged in the indictments, MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization with tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere. MS-13 branches, or “cliques,” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts and Virginia. In furtherance of its mission, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, specifically against rival gang members; kill informants; and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. MS-13 members maintain and enhance their status in the gang and the overall reputation of the gang by participating in such violent acts.
The charge of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy involving murder provides for a maximum sentence of life in prison; supervised release for up to five years; and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross profits or other proceeds obtained by the defendant from racketeering activity. The charge of murder in aid of racketeering provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; supervised release for up to five years; and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Foley; J. Frank Bradsher, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia; FBI SAC Docks; FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Jeff Grimming, Acting, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Fairfax County (Va.) Police Chief Kevin Davis; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl, Meghan C. Cleary, and Brian A. Fogerty are prosecuting the case for the District of Massachusetts. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Blanchard, Megan Braun, and Natasha Smalky prosecuted the case for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Los Angeles, California Man Sentenced to over 23 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Los Angeles, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026.
Dejuan Croom, 43, was sentenced to 23 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Croom was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.
From late 2023 to September 2024, Croom was a member of a California and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization which transported large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota, ultimately distributing the drugs in the Sioux Falls area. The organization shipped packages of drugs through the U.S. mail and utilized rental vehicles to drive the drugs – typically stored in hidden compartments – to South Dakota. The organization started out using local hotels as bases for their distribution operations and later shifted to short-term rental properties. Croom served in a managerial role for the organization, under the direction of the group’s leader, Quantiae Harris. Croom drove drug-laden rental vehicles from California to Sioux Falls, assisted in selling the drugs to the group’s local sub-distributors, and deposited large quantities of the drug proceeds in Harris’ bank accounts at his behest.
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 Minneapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, SD DCI, SFPD, MCSO, and SDHP with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Croom was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lexington County Felons Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Derrick Jameel Joye, 24, and Jalen Shaprie Rutherford, 24, both of Lexington, have been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Evidence obtained during the investigation revealed that on June 4, 2024, officers with the West Columbia Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle. During the stop, a front-seat passenger, identified as Joye, exited the vehicle and ran through a nearby apartment complex while carrying an AR-15–style pistol. Despite multiple commands from pursuing officers to stop, Joye failed to comply, continued running, and discarded the firearm before he was apprehended. Officers detained Joye and recovered a loaded semiautomatic pistol with a round in the chamber.
Officers also detained the driver, identified as Rutherford, who admitted to possessing a firearm located in the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a loaded semiautomatic 9mm pistol from the glove compartment, along with an extended magazine and additional ammunition.
Rutherford had prior felony convictions for involuntary manslaughter, unlawful possession of a firearm, second-degree domestic violence, and receiving stolen goods. Joye had a prior felony conviction for second-degree assault and battery. At the time of the offense, Rutherford was out on bond, faces state charges for murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. As convicted felons, both Rutherford and Joye were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger-Lewis sentenced Joye to 33 months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. Rutherford was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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. PSN is a violent crime reduction strategy based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.###
Lawrence County Man Pleads Guilty to Water PollutionRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Martha, Ky., man, Josh Ferguson, 42, pleaded guilty on Tuesday before Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to knowingly discharging waste product into waters of the United States.
According to his plea agreement, in the fall of 2025, the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection (“Kentucky DEP”) received a tip about the discharge of “brine water,” a waste product of oil production, into the Left Fork Blaine Creek in Lawrence County. On September 3, 2025, a Kentucky DEP inspector investigated the site where Ferguson owned two oil production wells. A hose connected to a metal brine tank ran through a field to the Left Fork Blaine Creek, where it was actively discharging waste product into the waterway. Downstream of the discharge, the water was orange with no signs of life, and water samples indicated extremely elevated chloride levels. When interviewed by the Kentucky DEP inspector, Ferguson admitted that he had been discharging brine water into the creek in order to save money, that he did not have a permit to do so, and that the conduct had been ongoing for two years. The Left Fork Blaine Creek is a water of the United States.
“Dumping oil-production waste into Kentucky waterways to save money is both illegal and unacceptable,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This case reflects our commitment to protecting public health, enforcing the Clean Water Act against those who put profit over people, and safeguarding the natural resources that our communities rely on.”
“These ongoing discharges threatened the public and aquatic life downstream—putting profits over people and the environment,” said Leslie Y. Carroll, Acting Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Kentucky. “Clean water is one of Kentucky’s most valuable resources, and it must be protected. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that EPA and our enforcement partners will investigate violations and hold polluters accountable to protect human health and the environment.”
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Anthony R. Hatton, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by EPA-CID and Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Ferguson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10. He faces a maximum of three years in prison and a minimum fine of not less than $5,000 per day of violation. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Lancaster Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking, Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Travis Rashad Laney, 38, of Lancaster, has been sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison for distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Evidence presented in court revealed that agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Laney as an individual involved in trafficking significant quantities of narcotics in the Lancaster area. On three separate occasions between April and May 2024, Laney sold a combined total of more than 700 grams of methamphetamine to law enforcement.
On May 9, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Laney’s residence in Lancaster. During the search, officers recovered approximately 1,000 grams of methamphetamine, 376 grams of cocaine, 560 grams of fentanyl, 282 grams of a fentanyl analogue, 953 grams of marijuana, 946 grams of codeine, and additional quantities of amphetamine, ketamine, MDMA, and alprazolam.
Additionally, law enforcement recovered 11 loaded firearms, including one equipped with a Glock switch, along with a large sum of cash and materials used in the packaging and distribution of narcotics.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Laney to 210 months in prison, to be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.
###Jury Convicts Minnesota Man of Illegally Possessing Machine GunRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the District of Minnesota convicted a Minnesota man today of possessing a machine gun created by attaching an illegal machine gun conversion device to a semi-automatic firearm.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Amiir Mawlid Ali, 19, of Minneapolis, was arrested after officers found a machine gun in his possession during a routine traffic stop as he was on the way to a high school graduation. Mr. Ali tried to flee the scene during the traffic stop but officers apprehended him before he could get away. The firearm was equipped with a machine gun conversion device and an extended magazine, which was loaded with over 30 rounds of ammunition. A firearm expert testified at trial that the machine gun possessed by Ali test fired 15 bullets in 2 seconds.
“This defendant possessed an extremely dangerous weapon – a machine gun created by the application of a device known as a switch that converts a legal firearm to an illegal one,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Illegal weapons like this are unduly dangerous and offer nothing legitimate in a law abiding society. The Criminal Division will continue to prosecute illegal firearms offenses like this one to keep communities safe.”
“The verdict announced today makes clear that possession of a firearm modified to function as a machine gun will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office. “The FBI is proud of our work on this case, and we thank our Local, State and Federal law enforcement partners for their assistance. Together we will work to stop those who put innocent lives in our community at risk.”
The jury convicted Ali on one count of possession of a machine gun. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexandra Swain of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Albania Concepción for the District of Minnesota are prosecuting the case.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice a 14-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Isaiah Jacob Jordan (26, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Jordan Emery Pratt to 10 years in federal prison for using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a 14-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Jordan pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026. He was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and information presented in open court, on January 18, 2025, an undercover Nassau County Sheriff’s Office detective (UC) was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adults who were seeking to contact and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as a 14-year-old child, the UC was asked by Jordan about his age and sexual preferences. Jordan engaged in multiple sexually explicit conversations with the UC, with Jordan asking the UC to meet for sexual activity in a Walmart parking lot. Once Jordan arrived, he was taken into custody. A search of the car revealed condoms and lubricant in the center console, along with the cellular phone Jordan used to communicate with the UC. A search of Jordan’s cellular phone revealed several images of children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local investigative resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indiana Man Charged with Robbery and Murder of Illinois Bar OwnerRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury in the Central District of Illinois returned an indictment on April 8, 2026, charging Julius Burkes, 47, of Indiana, with obstruction of commerce by robbery, murder, and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Burkes is alleged to have robbed and murdered the owner of The Line, a bar in Momence, Illinois, using a firearm, on February 2, 2026. The indictment was unsealed on April 13, 2026.
Burkes was arrested in Hammond, Indiana, on February 3, 2026, by officers of the Hammond Police Department, who were working in coordination with the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office. Burkes has remained in law enforcement custody since that date. He was initially charged by the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office, which has been working in coordination with federal authorities and the U.S. Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation and after Burkes’ arrest.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for obstruction of commerce by robbery are up to 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The maximum statutory penalties for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon are up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The maximum penalty for murder is up to life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force (“TCAT”); the Illinois State Police; the Momence Police Department; the Bradley Police Department; the Grant Park Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force; and the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Freres is representing the United States in the prosecution.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Indian Citizen in the United States on Student Visa Found Guilty of Conspiring with Others to Defraud a Vietnam VeteranRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury today convicted a citizen of India in the United States on a student visa for conspiring with others to knowingly defraud a 79-year-old Vietnam Veteran in Delaware County.
Venkateswara Chagamreddy, 27, living in San Antonio, Texas, was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
In August 2025, the elderly victim called a phone number that he believed was Microsoft support. While speaking with “Microsoft,” the victim was told that criminal activity had been detected on his computer and that information would be turned over to the federal government. The victim was then contacted by someone who identified themselves as a federal officer and provided a false badge number. The fake federal officer told the victim that his identity had been stolen and provided to criminals, which resulted in him being “investigated,” and that his identity was used to commit federal crimes.
The fake federal officer spoke with the elderly victim about his finances and stated that he would be transferred to the “treasury department.” The victim was told that his money needed to be transferred to gold and that an “officer” would pick it up the following day. The elderly victim complied and provided photos of the gold. When the fake officer arrived, the victim handed over the package.
A few days later, the victim was contacted again by the fake federal officer, who demanded more funds. The victim contacted a family member, who explained that he was being scammed and contacted the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. With the victim's cooperation, deputies scheduled another pickup. When Chagamreddy arrived at the victim’s home at the scheduled time and date, he was arrested. Evidence presented to the jury showed that he had $500 in cash, a cell phone, and 23 ounces of gold in the vehicle.
An agent testified about the messaging found on Chagamreddy’s phone. The exhibits shown to the jury clearly show that he was working with another individual to defraud numerous victims within 48 hours. The agent testified that Chagamreddy flew from Austin to North Carolina where he picked up gold from an 87-year-old woman. Trial evidence showed that after delivering the gold to a different co-conspirator, Chagamreddy sent a photo of a dollar bill with “29 oz rec 3000 paid” written on it.
The messages indicate that the following day, Chagamreddy drove from Austin, Texas, to Andale, Kansas, starting at 1:21 am. Throughout the drive, Chagamreddy would provide status updates, including screenshots of his location and fuel levels, to the co-conspirator. Upon arrival, Chagamreddy booked a hotel room to rest for a few hours and then drove to the destination he had been directed to. The co-conspirator described the 75-year-old woman from whom Chagamreddy would be picking up gold. Chagamreddy then sent a photo of a sealed box to the co-conspirator with a message that said, “23 Oz.”
After completing that trip, the agent testified that the messaging showed that Chagamreddy then drove to Delaware County, Oklahoma. The co-conspirator described the 79-year-old that he would be getting gold from and provided a photo of the victim, who was visibly wearing a Vietnam veteran shirt. The victim lived alone on a rural road. Chagamreddy was actively providing photos, showing that he was lost. After finding the location, Chagamreddy provided one photo confirming that he arrived and was detained shortly after by Delaware County Sheriff’s deputies.
In 2025, the Department of Justice reported to Congress that more than 280 enforcement actions were taken against over 600 defendants, many of whom were in the United States illegally or were extradited to be prosecuted. Collectively, the defendants attempted to steal, or stole, over $2.3 billion from more than one million Americans. The Department pursued more than 40 types of elder fraud. Investment fraud ranked number one, with more than $1.8 billion in losses, followed by fraudulent tech support at $982 million.
The Elder Justice Initiative website provides several scenarios and red flags to help educate yourself and loved ones about the types of abuse, including financial exploitation.
Chagamreddy will remain in custody until sentencing is scheduled at a later date.
Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Greenough and Augustus Forster prosecuted the case.
To find help or report elder abuse, you can contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311)
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday. Elder Justice Neighborhood Resources for Oklahoma are available here.Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Conspiring to Create and Distribute Animal Crush Videos Showing Violent Torture of MonkeysRead the Press Release
Amanda Leigh Fourez, of Catlin, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to charges of distributing and conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos through online chat groups.
According to court documents and statements made in court during the change of plea hearing, Fourez paid thousands of dollars to commission bespoke sexual torture videos of monkeys, and later she distributed the obscene crush videos over the Internet. Fourez archived and controlled the distribution of animal crush videos. She was a member of several online chat groups and private payment groups dedicated to the creation, distribution, and discussion of sexual and violent videos depicting monkeys being tortured, including baby and adult monkeys being burned and their genitals mutilated.
Fourez is the second individual to be charged in this animal crush conspiracy ring. Another member of these groups, Joseph Garrett Buckland, of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos earlier this month.
Fourez faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and a maximum penalty of seven years in prison for the distribution charge and a fine of up to $500,000. A judge will determine the sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, and Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement.
HSI New Orleans’ Cyber and Human Exploitation Investigations and the FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly M. Locher for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Conspiring to Create and Distribute Animal Crush Videos Showing Violent Torture of MonkeysRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Catlin, Illinois, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos and then distributing those videos through online chat groups, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Amanda Leigh Fourez, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
According to court documents and statements made in court during the change of plea hearing, Fourez and others conspired to pool their money to commission the creation of animal crush videos—that is, videos that show actual obscene conduct in which living non-human mammals, in this case, monkeys, were purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury—and then distributed those videos to other group members and chat groups via an instant messaging application. Fourez acknowledges sending at least 11 payments to others to commission animal crush videos, and then knowingly distributing animal crush videos on at least 10 occasions. Fourez archived and controlled the distribution of animal crush videos.
Another member of these groups, Joseph Garrett Buckland of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos earlier this month (read the news release regarding Buckland’s plea here).
Judge Wiegand scheduled Fourez’s sentencing for August 27, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to seven years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Emily Stone of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans’ Cyber and Human Exploitation Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Fourez.
Illegal alien sentenced 27 years in federal prison as part of Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Mexican national illegally living in the United States has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Israel Sanchez Arciga, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 324 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on April 14, 2026.
According to information presented in court, Arciga and others were importing liquid methamphetamine from Mexico, completing the manufacturing process in Texas and then distributing multi-kilogram quantities of highly pure methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. Arciga, an illegal alien, was also in possession of a firearm when he was arrested on July 14, 2023, outside the methamphetamine conversion lab in Rice, Texas, where he was living.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office, Flower Mound Police Department, Garland Police Department, and Hunt County Sheriff’s Office, with additional assistance from the Texas Department of Public Service and Navarro County Sheriff’s Office.
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Illegal alien from El Salvador sentenced to prison for reentering the United States following his removal as a convicted felonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Salvadoran national Moises Osvaldo Sorto-Iraeta, 31, was sentenced today to a year and four months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed following his conviction for an aggravated felony. Sorto-Iraeta remains subject to the prior order of removal.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2017, Moises Osvaldo Sorto-Iraeta, 31, was found guilty of unlawful bodily injury for participating in an assault outside a restaurant in Prince William County. Sorto-Iraeta was sentenced to five years in prison, but his sentence was suspended when he was removed from the United States on May 19, 2017, pursuant to a final order of removal.
After illegally reentering the United States, Sorto-Iraeta was arrested in Loudoun County on Dec. 30, 2023, for assault and battery, brandishing a weapon, possession of a weapon by a violent felon, and gun possession by an unlawful alien. On Feb. 7, 2024, he was convicted of assault and battery and brandishing a firearm. Three months after his release from prison, Sorto-Iraeta was arrested in Loudoun County on April 29, 2025, for possession of cocaine. He was sentenced on Oct. 10, 2025, to 90 days in prison.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Washington, D.C., investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Miguel Ortiz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-319.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 27 years in Federal Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio today to 330 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Jose Antonio Gabaldon-Salas, 30, of Nuevo Leon, was pulled over by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper on July 16, 2023, driving south on Interstate Highway 35 near Abbott. A K-9 conducted a free-air sniff of Gabaldon-Salas’s vehicle, alerting to the odor of narcotics near the seam of the rear door on the driver’s side. The trooper removed the door panel to discover three colored plastic bags containing eight bundles of rubber-banded U.S. currency along with a half brick of a white powdery substance. Further investigation revealed two more bundles of rubber-banded U.S. currency inside a black backpack on the passenger seat.
A chemical analysis determined that the substance found in Gabaldon-Salas’s vehicle was 520.24 grams of cocaine. The bundled cash totaled $38,685. Gabaldon-Salas stated that he worked for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) since October 2022, operating as a money counter before being promoted to driver. As a driver, he trafficked cocaine to Dallas and returned bulk cash to the border area to be smuggled into Mexico.
Gabaldon-Salas admitted to transporting between six and 12 kilograms of cocaine per month from December 2022 up until his July 2023 arrest. He also stated that he worked for the DTO both for money and out of fear, saying that he had been threatened on numerous occasions and that he witnessed another member of the organization hire a hitman to shoot a cocaine dealer/business partner in Mexico.
Gabaldon-Salas revealed that he resided at an Austin apartment with a co-conspirator and the co-conspirator’s girlfriend. A search of the apartment resulted in the discovery of $58,695, believed to be proceeds from narcotics trafficking.
Gabaldon-Salas was arrested on July 16, 2023, and indicted on Oct. 18, 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 29, 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presided over the case.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Harrisburg Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Repeatedly Trafficking Drugs and Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bernard Johnson, age 48, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on April 14, 2026, to 15 years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the case against Johnson arose from two separate incidents. In the early morning hours of November 23, 2017, police responded to Johnson’s apartment because of reports that burglars were in the apartment. When the police responded to the apartment, they did not find the burglars. Instead, they found cocaine, crack cocaine, and a firearm strewn about the apartment. When Johnson arrived at his apartment, they found more drugs in his car.
While released by local authorities pending trial for that offense, local police were called to another incident involving Johnson. On August 17, 2018, police responded to a call that Johnson was at a Susquehanna Township home and was pointing a gun at someone. With police responding to scene, Johnson fled in his truck. A long vehicle chase through the streets of Harrisburg ensued. As law enforcement blocked off a street, Johnson threw out of the window of his vehicle a handgun with a silencer. Police arrested Johnson. They later searched his truck and found more cocaine for trafficking.
On July 10, 2025, Johnson pled guilty to five charges: three counts of drug trafficking and two counts of possessing firearms as a felon.
When imposing the sentence, Judge Wilson noted his long criminal history. That criminal history included convictions in state and federal court for drug trafficking and weapons offenses. The Judge expressed a significant risk of recidivism and a need to protect the public.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the West Shore Regional Police Department, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, and the Susquehanna Township Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Consiglio, Steven Dukes, and Carlo Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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Gun Store Owner Indicted for Aiding and Abetting Straw Purchasing and Failing to Report Cash Payments over $10,000Read the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The owner of Virtus Armament and The Armory, Virtus Armament, a federal firearms licensee (FFL), was indicted last week on charges related to aiding and abetting straw purchases of firearms and failing to report cash transactions over $10,000.
On April 8, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an 8-count indictment against Esteban Yanez, 34, of Gilbert, Arizona, for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, Straw Purchasing of Firearms, and Failure to File Forms 8300 Relating to Cash Received in Trade or Business. Yanez was arraigned April 14.
The indictment alleges that on three occasions, Yanez aided and abetted individuals who knowingly made false statements to Yanez’s FFL when submitting the ATF Form 4473, misrepresenting the actual purchaser of the firearms. In two instances, the firearms were being purchased for an individual convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms. Finally, Yanez is also alleged to have failed to file the IRS Form 8300, reporting the receipt of over $10,000 in a trade or business related to the sale of firearms.
A conviction for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Straw Purchasing of Firearms carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Failure to File Forms 8300 Relating to Cash Received in Trade or Business carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-00326
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-062_Yanez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien and Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Guatemalan National has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and illegal entry into the United States.
Edilberto Gonzalez-Barrera, 40, was charged in a two-count indictment on April 14, 2026. The indictment alleges Gonzalez-Barrera illegally entered the United States without being properly admitted to the country, and illegally possessed of a Sig-Sauer P365X, 9mm firearm.
Under federal statutes, illegal possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924 (a)(8) is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Further, under federal statute, illegal entry in the United States without being properly admitted to the country, pursuant to Title 8, United States Code, Section 1325, is subject to a sentence of up to 6 months 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 the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Carthage, Missouri, Police Department.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.