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15 April 2026
Former Tennessee Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former Tennessee business owner pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay over employment taxes to the IRS on behalf of the company she owned and operated.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mari Alexander, 52, was the sole owner and president of a mental-health counseling center with multiple locations throughout Tennessee. Alexander controlled the counseling center’s financial affairs and was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from the wages of employees and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter, as well as filing quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS. From 2015 through 2020, however, Alexander willfully failed to pay over to the IRS the payroll taxes she collected from the counseling center’s employees, and willfully failed to file more than 20 quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS. In total, Alexander caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $1 million.
Alexander pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over employment taxes. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek of the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah K. Bogni for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
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Former CEO of Chicago Charter School Network Charged with Misappropriating More Than $103,000Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago today indicted the former Chief Executive Officer of a Chicago charter school network for allegedly misappropriating more than $103,000 in funds intended to support the non-profit’s educational work.
TIMOTHY KING served as CEO of Urban Prep Academies, a not-for-profit corporation that operated three charter schools in Chicago. Urban Prep received educational and organizational funds from Chicago Public Schools that were originally derived from the federal government.
An indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that in 2021 and 2022, King embezzled $103,833.31 from Urban Prep to pay for his personal credit card charges. The indictment further alleges that after receiving a federal grand jury subpoena and learning of the criminal investigation in 2022, King obstructed justice by deleting online records of three purported cash donations he had made to Urban Prep.
The indictment charges King, 59, of Chicago, with two counts of federal program theft and one count of obstruction of justice. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John F. Woolley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Midwestern Regional Office, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Public Schools, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Prashant Kolluri and Sean Hennessy.
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. Each count of federal program theft is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, while the obstruction count is punishable by up to 20 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
king_indictment.pdfFormer Baltimore Football Coach Sentenced for Overtime Fraud Scheme and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A former Baltimore City School police officer and Dunbar High School football coach is heading to federal prison in connection with federal wire-fraud and tax-evasion charges.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Lawrence Earl Smith, Jr. 52, of Perry Hall, Maryland, today, to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for creating and executing a scheme to submit fraudulent overtime slips. Smith received overtime payments, totaling more than $200,000, for time that he never worked. He also evaded paying more than $60,000 in federal income taxes for 2017, 2019, and 2020. Judge Gallagher ordered Smith to pay $215,352 in restitution to Baltimore City Public Schools, and $61,233.40 restitution to the IRS.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office.
According to court documents, from May 2005 until August 2022, Smith was employed as a Baltimore City School police officer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith was authorized to receive overtime pay to provide security for COVID-19 testing and food sites and he acted as a liaison with the Baltimore Police Department (BPD). He was also authorized to assist BPD in its investigations and to receive overtime pay if he received a BPD request outside of his regular hours for “emergencies” and situations that required an immediate response.
Beginning in January 2019 until August 2022, Smith claimed more than 3,330 hours of fraudulent overtime, totaling at least $200,000 in additional earnings, for hours that he never worked. In several of these instances, Smith was nowhere near the COVID-19 testing or food sites nor assisting BPD. Instead, Smith was at his Baltimore County residence, on his boat in or near the Baltimore Inner Harbor, or out of town on trips, including to Las Vegas, Florida, and the Caribbean. Smith also falsely claimed tax exempt status while failing to file state and federal income tax returns.
Additionally, Smith fraudulently caused his employer to abstain from withholding payroll taxes while his income remained unreported. Smith’s employer never withheld or paid his federal income taxes, due to Smith’s false Forms W-4. Since he never filed tax returns to report income, Smith evaded taxes for 2017, 2019, and 2020, causing him to owe the IRS $61,233.40.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation, along with the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adeyemi Adenrele and Jared M. Beim who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Fleeing drug smuggler sent to federal prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man has been ordered to prison for attempting to smuggle cocaine through the Border Patrol checkpoint near Kingsville, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Eric Barclay pleaded guilty Jan. 22 to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos has now ordered Barclay to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence Barclay fled on foot from law enforcement following a high-speed vehicle pursuit.
On July 25, 2024, Christopher Seabrook drove a silver Chrysler to the Javier Vega Jr. BP checkpoint near Sarita. Barclay was the passenger.
At the initial inspection, Seabrook fled and led law enforcement on a chase reaching speeds up to 125 miles per hour.
Authorities brought the vehicle to a stop by puncturing its tires, at which time Barclay tried to flee on foot. Following his apprehension and subsequent search of the vehicle, law enforcement discovered 10 bundles of cocaine weighing 9.8 kilograms hidden in the rear panels.
The narcotics have an estimated street value of $210,000.
Barclay has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Seabrook, 51, Philadelphia, was previously ordered to serve 120 months in federal prison.
BP and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Highway Patrol and the Philadelphia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Ashley Pruitt prosecuted the case.
Final Defendant Sentenced in Significant Lubbock Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
On April 13, 2026, the final defendant in a significant Lubbock, Texas methamphetamine trafficking organization was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Shawn Nichole Zatloukal was a member of a larger methamphetamine trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Lubbock area. She and her codefendants, all of Lubbock, were indicted in August 2025 and all later pled guilty to methamphetamine trafficking charges. Zatloukal was sentenced on Monday this week by Fifth Circuit Judge Andrew S. Oldham, sitting by assignment. The remaining defendants were sentenced by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who noted during co-defendant Jeremiah Arguijo’s sentencing hearing the staggering amount of drugs distributed by the organization. All were sentenced to lengthy prison terms:Jeremiah “Chris” Arguijo, 40, was sentenced to 360 months; Shawna Nichole Zatloukal, 55, was sentenced to 168 months; Christopher Alan Nagella, 59, was sentenced to 240 months; Adam “Adan” Casas, Jr., 52, was sentenced to 97 months; Benjamin “BJ” Hernandez, 46, was sentenced to 132 months; and
Nicholas James Westbrook, 45, was sentenced to 160 months.
“These lengthy prison sentences should serve as a warning of what lies ahead for those who distribute narcotics in the Northern District of Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “We will be relentless in identifying and prosecuting drug traffickers, as we continue to focus on making the communities in which we live safer.”
“These sentences underscore our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable for the harm they bring to our communities,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge, Joseph B. Tucker. “The DEA Lubbock Resident Office and our law enforcement partners throughout the region will continue to aggressively pursue those that distribute this poison and never waver as we seek to protect the neighborhoods we call home.”
According to court documents, the investigation lasted several months and culminated in the execution of multiple search warrants on July 22, 2025. During these searches, agents located several pounds of methamphetamine, multiple firearms, and several thousand dollars in currency. In total, agents seized over 4,200 grams of methamphetamine during this investigation, some of which is depicted below:
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting, the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 63 Months for Trafficking Narcotics from H Street StorefrontRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Pierre Black, 63, a resident of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for unlawful distribution of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Pierre Black operated a street-level fentanyl distribution scheme out of a storefront in the District,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He sold the drug to an undercover officer on six occasions—an amount large enough to equal roughly 80,000 potentially lethal doses. He also kept a loaded firearm alongside his supply and conducted these activities in a neighborhood already reeling from a fatal overdose.”
Black pleaded guilty on Jan. 13, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols to one count of unlawful distribution of fentanyl. In addition to the 63-month prison sentence, Judge Nichols ordered Black to serve three years of supervised release and to forfeit $13,310.
According to court papers, in early 2025, the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crime Suppression Division Overdose Section and the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating drug sales in the 700 block of H Street NE following a suspected fatal fentanyl overdose in the area. Investigators identified Black as a street-level fentanyl trafficker operating out of a store in that block.
As part of the investigation, an undercover officer conducted controlled purchases from Black. Over six purchases, the officer bought a total of 177 grams of fentanyl for more than $13,000.
On Sept. 5, 2025, officers arrested Black and searched his residence. In a bedroom closet safe, they recovered a loaded Springfield Armory XD-9 9mm handgun with nine rounds of ammunition in a 10-round magazine. On top of a safe, officers found 55.3 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and heroin. In the kitchen, they found an additional 14.27 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, heroin, and medetomidine, a sedative used by veterinarians. Black admitted that he possessed the firearm in connection with his drug trafficking.
Black has eight prior convictions, including four for drug distribution or possession with intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel.
The 53.90 grams of fentanyl purchased on July 28, 2025 (left), and the 55.13 grams of fentanyl purchased on Aug. 21, 2025 (right).
Investigators recovered a loaded Springfield Armory XD-9 9mm handgun with nine rounds of ammunition in a 10-round magazine.
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Española Man Charged with Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Española man has been charged in connection with an alleged assault by strangulation left the victim with serious injuries.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2026, Joseph Cata, 22, an enrolled member of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, allegedly assaulted the victim inside a residence in Española, New Mexico. During the assault, Cata allegedly struck the victim multiple times in the face with both open and closed hands and twice placed his hands around their neck, applying pressure so that they could not breathe or scream. The assault ended after a witness intervened.
As a result of the assault, the victim suffered visible injuries, including a bruised right eye, scratches, redness, contusions, and swelling to their face, consistent with having been struck repeatedly.
Cata is charged with assault by strangulation and suffocation and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Cata faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Clara Pueblo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Convicted of Using U.S. Citizen’s Identity for DecadesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – A federal jury has found Lesbia Cristina Grullon Nolasco (49, Orlando) guilty of passport fraud, theft of government property, aggravated identity theft, and making a false statement to a federal agency. Grullon Nolasco faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for passport fraud and theft of government property, up to 5 years for making a false statement to a federal agency, and a mandatory minimum of 2 years’ imprisonment, consecutive to any other prison term for aggravated identity theft. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 21, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Grullon Nolasco was indicted on December 17, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Grullon Nolasco is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who has lived in the United States for more than 30 years under the stolen identity of a Puerto Rican woman. Grullon Nolasco obtained false identification documents bearing her photo but the identity of the Puerto Rican woman. In 2018, Grullon Nolasco applied and obtained a U.S. passport under the stolen identity. When agents with the U.S. Department of State interviewed Grullon Nolasco in March 2024, she falsely claimed that she was the woman born in Puerto Rico under a different name. Grullon Nolasco provided agents with the victim’s birth certificate, that she obtained from Puerto Rico in 2011. She also produced the U.S. passport she obtained in 2018, and a Social Security card, all in the U.S. citizen’s name. During the interview, agents asked her questions about Puerto Rico, but Grullon Nolasco was unable to answer any of their questions correctly.
While being investigated by federal agents, Grullon Nolasco continued using false identification documents to obtain benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Between August 2021 and November 2025, Grullon Nolasco used over $10,000 in SNAP benefits. As a result of her fraud, the true person in Puerto Rico was denied SNAP benefits when she applied.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the U.S. Department of State, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Cruz.
Dominican Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Leading Drug Trafficking Organization that Amassed over $200,000 in ProfitsRead the Press Release
Dominican Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Leading Drug Trafficking Organization that Amassed Over $200,000 in Profits
CONCORD – Dominican national Raynerson Marcos De La Paz Matos, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty to five years in federal prison and one year of supervised release, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces. De La Paz Matos previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
“This defendant led a drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in Manchester and amassed over $200,000 in cash and jewelry from the criminal enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “Yesterday’s sentence holds him accountable. My office will continue working with law enforcement to protect New Hampshire communities from those who earn money from addiction.”
“This case highlights the relentless pursuit of those who profit from poisoning our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “This defendant led a sophisticated drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing dangerous quantities of fentanyl and cocaine—substances that continue to devastate families across our nation. This sentence sends a clear message: those who traffic deadly drugs and exploit others for profit will be brought to justice.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions in 2024, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of various quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine from the defendant and two others working for him as “runners” in Manchester. Following these transactions, on September 11, 2024, law enforcement conducted operations against the defendant and his two residences on Cilley Road and Dubuque Street in Manchester. The search of the Cilley Road residence yielded over 1,600 grams of fentanyl, 480 grams of cocaine, and $4,675 in drug proceeds, and the search of the Dubuque Street residence yielded $54,370 in drug proceeds and assorted jewelry with an estimated value of $161,675.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega is prosecuting the case.
This effort 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.
Defendant Sentenced to 22 Years’ Imprisonment for Sex Trafficking Women at the Sayville Motor Lodge on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Today, Michael Johnson, also known as “Wise,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert in federal court in Central Islip to 22 years’ imprisonment for sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, and interstate prostitution. Johnson and his co-conspirators operated a sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge, a motel located near Sunrise Highway on Long Island. Johnson was convicted of these crimes following a two-week jury trial in October 2025. Restitution for the victim will be determined at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentence reflects the profound harm caused by sex trafficking—a crime that strips victims of their autonomy, dignity, and safety,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Michael Johnson and his co-conspirators preyed on vulnerable women and treated them as commodities for profit. This outcome sends a clear message that such exploitation will be met with serious consequences, and it is my hope that it brings a measure of justice to the victims who endured these abuses.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the case.
“Michael Johnson trafficked multiple women into sexual slavery to profit off their bodies, while maintaining their subservience through social isolation, physical abuse and threats of death, and addictive drugs. For years, Johnson demonstrated extreme depravity as he physically and emotionally traumatized numerous women to satisfy his own greedy desires. May today’s conviction not only provide his victims a glimmer of comfort but also reflect the FBI’s commitment to protecting all vulnerable victims from sexual predators seeking to exploit them for financial gain,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
"Johnson took advantage of vulnerable women, using violence and drugs to control and exploit his victims, forcing them into sex trafficking for his own financial gain," stated Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. "This case serves as a warning to anyone who seeks to manipulate or abuse others — justice will find you. This sentence represents not only accountability, but also a recognition of the courage and strength of the victims who came forward. I commend the dedicated efforts of our detectives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York."
The Sayville Motor Lodge was a property at the center of a sex trafficking conspiracy based on Long Island. In November 2022, an indictment was unsealed in the Eastern District of New York charging Johnson, Timothy Bullen, motel owners Narendarakuma Dadarwala and his wife Shardaben Dadarwala, their son Jigar Dadarwala, Ashokbhai Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge with sex trafficking conspiracy. The Dadarwalas, Patel and Himanshu were also charged with managing a drug premises, and Narendarakuma Dadarwala was charged with distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses. In September 2025, a superseding indictment charged Johnson with three additional counts of sex trafficking.
As proven at trial, from approximately 2014 to 2022, Johnson, a pimp, conspired with others to further his sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge. Johnson forcibly sex trafficked multiple women, some of whom were addicted to drugs, and compelled them to commit commercial sex acts through a combination of force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion. Johnson controlled the victims by confiscating all the proceeds they earned from commercial sex acts; posting advertisements for them on various websites and setting the rates they would charge; using drugs — by both giving and withholding drugs — to induce them to stay and continue performing sex acts; isolating them from others; and physically, mentally, and emotionally abusing them. The women Johnson trafficked observed his close relationship with the Dadarwalas, and how the Dadarwalas facilitated and protected Johnson’s illegal activities.
Johnson instilled fear in the women he trafficked through physical violence and rape. Several victims testified that Johnson anally raped them and carried a gun at all times.
Co-defendants Narendarakuma Dadarwala and Shardaben Dadarwala pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy in April 2025, and co-defendant Patel pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy in September 2025. All three defendants are awaiting sentencing. The case remains pending against co-defendants Timothy Bullen and Jigar Dadarwala.
In connection with the November 2022 indictment and the arrests of Johnson and his co-conspirators, the United States seized the Sayville Motor Lodge. In October 2023, the United States facilitated the sale of the Sayville Motor Lodge to a company that was partially owned by a principal of a neighboring business with longstanding ties to the community. A portion of the proceeds of the sale were earmarked for forfeiture to the United States government, which enabled the Office to seek compensation for the victims of the charged conduct through the Department of Justice’s remission procedures.
The government’s case is being handled by the Long Island Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile and Samantha S. Alessi are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Adam Bernard, Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Kerry Ucci, Legal Assistant Katherine Szewczyk, and Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin.The Defendant:
MICHAEL JOHNSON (also known as “Wise”)
Age: 37
Selbyville, DelawareDefendants Previously Convicted:
NARENDARAKUMA DADARWALA (also known as “Naren,” “Pa” and “Dad”)
Age: 79
Sayville, Long IslandSHARDABEN DADARWALA (also known as “Sharda,” “Ma” and “Mom”)
Age: 72
Sayville, Long IslandASHOKBHAI PATEL (also known as “BG”)
Age: 61
Omaha, NebraskaDefendants Pending Trial:
TIMOTHY BULLEN (also known as “Trouble,” “T” and “Tiervoni”)
Age: 38
Bay Shore, Long IslandJIGAR DADARWALA (also known as “Cobra”)
Age: 47
Sayville, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-494 (S-1) (JS)
Dallas woman sentenced to 22 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas woman has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Isela Mendez, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on April 15, 2026.
According to information presented in court, Mendez was identified during an investigation involving the influx of counterfeit oxycodone, and other prescription pills, in the Eastern District of Texas and surrounding areas. It was determined that Mendez worked with others to distribute tens of thousands of “M30” fentanyl-laced pills. Mendez’s son, Nathan Garcia, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison as part of the same conspiracy on February 9, 2026.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Dallas Police Department.
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Crawford County Man Sentenced to 170 Months in Prison for Grooming, Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man to 170 months in prison for grooming and engaging in illegal sexual contact with a minor.
Nathaniel Rod Gibson, 34, gave the victim a phone and sent her via more than 18,996 text messages from March 10, 2023, to Sept. 6, 2023, while grooming her with romantic and flirtatious statements. Gibson also told the victim to delete the messages so that her mother would not find them. In June of 2023, Gibson drove the then-13-year-old victim from Missouri to a campground in Arkansas, where he engaged in an illegal sex act with her. He also did so at his home in Crawford County.
Gibson pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Diamond City (Arkansas) Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Court Orders Delaware Department of Labor to Comply with Lawfully Issued Federal SubpoenaRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – On April 13, 2026, Chief Judge Colm F. Connolly granted the United States’s Petition to Enforce a Department of Homeland Security Administrative Subpoena issued to the Delaware Department of Labor.
Last year, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) issued an administrative subpoena to the Delaware Department of Labor (“DDOL”) seeking documents for several specified Delaware businesses as part of an ongoing immigration-related worksite enforcement investigation being conducted by HSI. DDOL refused to provide the documents demanded by the subpoena. As a result, the United States filed suit seeking to enforce the subpoena. In his ruling, Chief Judge Connolly held that HSI’s investigation had a legitimate purpose, that the administrative subpoena sought information relevant to its investigation, and that the subpoena was not unreasonably broad or burdensome. As a result, Chief Judge Connolly held that HSI’s administrative subpoena was valid and enforceable. DDOL must now comply with the subpoena and produce the documents demanded therein.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace stated, “Congress gave HSI the authority to issue administrative subpoenas within its area of responsibility. Delaware’s state agencies have historically complied with federal subpoenas, as they are required to do by law. But here, a state agency refused to comply—not for legal reasons, but for political ones. That could not stand, so we sued to enforce the subpoena. We are gratified that the Court recognized the simple truth at the core of this case: federal law applies to everyone, whether they are a state or private entity, and whether they agree or disagree with the federal government’s policy priorities.”
Special Agent in Charge Eric McLoughlin stated, “HSI is committed to upholding the integrity of our nation’s labor laws and ensuring that investigations are conducted thoroughly and lawfully. The court’s decision affirms the legitimacy of our worksite enforcement investigations and the necessity of access to relevant records. We appreciate the support of our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and will continue to pursue all necessary avenues to protect the interests of American workers and businesses.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-mc-322-CFC.
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Connecticut CPA Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD J. SODLOSKY, 72, of Middlebury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to three months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release for tax evasion. Judge Bolden also ordered Sodlosky to pay a $50,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sodlosky, a self-employed Certified Public Accountant, owned and operated Edward J. Sodlosky, Certified Public Accountant (“EJS-CPA”) in Naugatuck. From 2016 through 2022, Sodlosky prepared and filed annual joint income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of himself and his spouse. He also filed annual partnership income tax returns for an entity named FinGLTD, which he owned with his spouse. During this seven-year period, Sodlosky cashed more than 2,000 client payment checks to hide income generated by EJS-CPA. As a result, a substantial amount of EJS-CPA’s business receipts was diverted from EJS-CPA’s bank accounts, and not reported in his joint income tax returns (Forms 1040 and 1040-SR) or partnership income tax returns (Form 1065).
Sodlosky deposited funds derived from the cashed checks, as well as client payment checks to EJS-CPA, into a network of business, personal, and nominee accounts. He maintained, controlled, and used 15 different bank accounts to deposit business receipts and to evade income taxes. Through this scheme, Sodlosky failed to report to the IRS $1,379,694.21 in additional income, resulting in a tax loss to the government of $422,720.
Sodlosky has paid the IRS $422,720, but still owes substantial interest and penalties.
On November 19, 2025, Sodlosky pleaded guilty to tax evasion.
Sodlosky, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 27.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Enticement of a Minor and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for attempted enticement of a minor and advertising child pornography
Ryan Edward Hine, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 30 years in federal prison without parole to be followed by 20 years supervised release for enticing a minor to produce child pornography and for advertising child pornography to other individuals over the internet.
According to court documents, Hine began texting with a 15-year-old female in in July 2018. Hine regularly requested her to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos. Hine traveled across state lines on a monthly basis in 2019 to engage in sexual acts with the child victim, which he recorded with his cell phone to produce videos of child sexual abuse. This continued until 2020.
Hine, posing as a minor female, continued to recruit minor victims to produce Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Hine then posed as the minor female and advertised the CSAM for sale to adult buyers over the internet.
Hine will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by HSI New Jersey, Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy and HSI Kansas City, Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Sabatini.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Colorado Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl, Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Denver, Co., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms.
Jason S. Thompson, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms. Thompson was found guilty on Jan. 6, 2026, after a two-day jury trial.
In the early morning hours of Aug. 30, 2024, officers with the Nixa, Mo., Police Department contacted Thompson, who was camping in a minivan in a Walmart parking lot. Thompson initially provided officers with false identification. When officers attempted to arrest him, Thompson fled on foot but was quickly apprehended. Once Thompson gave officers correct identifying information, they learned he had a federal probation and parole warrant for his arrest.
Officers searched Thompson and found a small bag of cocaine and more than $1,000 cash. When officers searched the minivan they located drug paraphernalia, a large plastic bag containing nearly 140 grams of fentanyl pills, and two loaded firearms: a Glock model 19 and a HS Produkt Hellcat.
According to court documents, Thompson has an extensive criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, conspiracy to distribute multiple controlled substances, and theft.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver, James J. Kelleher, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah R. Lucas. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
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.
Clayton Chiropractor Sentenced to 100 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a chiropractor who committed healthcare fraud and issued fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substance to 100 months in prison and ordered him to repay $4.7 million to Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare.
Jerry Dale Leech, 53, of Clayton, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in 2021 to one count of conspiracy, one count of obtaining controlled substances through fraud, one count of receiving illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of health care fraud. Two of his co-conspirators, Dr. Stanley L. Librach, now 65, of Chesterfield, and Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, 55, of Creve Coeur, pleaded guilty to similar charges.
In court during Wednesday’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric called Leech “the ringmaster of the conspiracy.”
All three men admitted that Dr. Ali and Dr. Librach wrote prescriptions for the powerful pain medication oxycodone and other controlled substances when there was no legitimate medical purpose and while acting outside the usual course of professional practice. As Leech knew, the doctors had not examined the patients, rarely looked at their charts and should have known via drug tests that they were not taking the drugs that they were prescribed or were taking non-prescribed or illegal drugs. Leech actively encouraged the doctors to prescribe controlled substances despite the aberrant drug test results. He also exchanged fraudulent prescriptions to other conspirators for cash or other items of value. The conspirators knew that pharmacies would seek reimbursement for the medications from Medicare and Medicaid. Leech admitted responsibility for at least 94,971 oxycodone pills that had been distributed with no legitimate medical purpose.
In another scheme, they agreed to send urine samples for testing to a lab operated by Dr. Ali, Central Diagnostic Laboratory, in exchange for illegal kickbacks that went to business entities owned by Leech and another co-defendant, Denis J. Mikhlin. CDL then sought reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for the testing. CDL paid Midwest Marketing, a company run by Leech, at least $150,795 in bribes for the reimbursement CDL received from federal health care programs, which was at least $861,600.
“Jerry Leech and his co-conspirators exploited Medicare and Medicaid and put patients at risk solely for their own financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG). “Even as our nation continues to address the opioid crisis, these fraudsters executed their schemes by pushing opioid medications without a legitimate medical purpose, thus siphoning critical resources from Medicare and Medicaid and undermining federal health care programs designed to protect vulnerable individuals. HHS OIG, alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who defraud our health care system to ensure they are held fully accountable.”
“Jerry Leech and the individuals he conspired with misled patients and in essence stole from the healthcare system,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “These acts are unacceptable. We hold practitioners to high standards for a reason and Mr. Leech took advantage of his title helping himself to profits while hurting others along the way. The DEA will not stand for these types of actions.”
Eleven defendants were indicted in 2020, including three doctors, their staff and purported patients. A twelfth was added in 2022. All have pleaded guilty.Mikhlin, 47, of Chesterfield, was sentenced in 2021 to nine years in prison and ordered to repay $181,265. Dr. Librach was sentenced in June of 2025 to 60 months in prison and ordered to repay $2.87 million. Dr. Ali was sentenced in September to 70 months in prison and ordered to repay $1.8 million.
The HHS-OIG, the DEA, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric, Derek Wiseman and Jonathan Clow 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.
Child Predator Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Devonte Andrew Edwards, 26, of Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child. During sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou emphasized the importance of protecting the public from Edwards, noting that Edwards himself had once told another person that he wanted to groom and assault children “for the rest of [his] life.”
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Devonte Edwards enjoyed finding children to sexually assault, enjoyed making recordings of his sexual assaults, and enjoyed bragging about it to his friends. I doubt he will enjoy being in federal prison for the next 30 years, but that is exactly where he belongs. Sexual predators take note: Keep your hands off of our kids or you will be found, prosecuted and sent to prison for a very long time.”
Authorities began investigating Edwards in the spring of 2025 when Child Protective Services learned that a 13-year-old minor had run away from home with an adult male. Police used forensic examination software to gather evidence from the minor’s phone. The information they gleaned showed the minor had been located near Edwards’s residence during the time of her disappearance. A judge issued a warrant to search his home, and police executed the warrant, seizing Edwards’s electronic devices. On Edwards’s phone, investigators found pictures and videos that showed him sexually assaulting the 13-year-old. They also recovered messages between Edwards and other people with a sexual interest in children. In these messages, Edwards bragged about the sexual assaults that he recorded, stating, “The 13-year-old really made me want to do this for the rest of my life.”
Edwards was charged and detained in Kalamazoo County after the search of his dwelling. Later, a federal grand jury indicted Edwards, accusing him of sexually exploiting a child contrary to federal law. He pleaded guilty as charged on December 17, 2025.
“Anyone who exploits a child should expect to spend decades behind bars, and this 30-year sentence sends that message loud and clear,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Devonte Edwards admitted to manipulating social media platforms to target underaged girls, a calculated and disturbing abuse of technology. I sincerely thank my team from the FBI Kalamazoo Resident Agency for their exhaustive investigative work, alongside our partners from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. Parents should remain vigilant, as many apps allow interaction with strangers and can expose children to serious risks. FBI Detroit will continue to pursue those who prey on our children and work to safeguard our communities from predators.”
“This conviction sends a clear message: when local and federal partners work together, we can hold offenders fully accountable,” said David Boysen, Chief of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. “These cases are complex and often cross jurisdictions, but our collaboration allowed us to build a strong case that led to a significant sentence. Protecting children is our highest priority, and we will continue to pursue these crimes relentlessly.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Roth and Austin Hakes prosecuted it.
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.
Century Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Weapons & ExplosivesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Joshua Dean Hardy, 27, of Century, Florida, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for two counts of possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act weapon without a serial number and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the outstanding investigative work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, which led to this successful prosecution and federal prison sentence. We will continue to deliver justice under Operation Take Back America to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that we will stop at nothing to secure the safety of our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
Court records reflect that during the early morning hours on July 23, 2025, Hardy shot himself in the leg while patrolling his property in Century, Florida. At the time of the shooting, Hardy was already under investigation for possession of an unregistered silencer located during a November 2023 traffic stop. A search of Hardy’s residence uncovered an additional unregistered silencer, homemade explosives, and a firearm with the serial number removed.
The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Browning attorney fined $100,000 for making a false statement to federal law enforcementRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning lawyer who was found guilty by a jury of making a false statement to law enforcement was sentenced today to serve four years of probation and to pay a $100,000 fine, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Nathan Nicholas Johnson St. Goddard, 45, was convicted by a jury in December 2025 of making a false statement in a sexual abuse investigation.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that on September 10, 2024, St. Goddard was interviewed by law enforcement about an allegation of sexual assault that occurred in June 2024. Law enforcement told him about the investigation and said he matched the description of the man and vehicle that dropped off the alleged victim. In a recorded interview, St. Goddard provided what he represented was a full narrative of his interactions with the alleged victim that night and claimed he only gave a ride to an intoxicated girl, which was a false representation because he knew at that time he had sexual contact with her.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Brockton Man Charged with Making False Statements to Law Enforcement About Firearms Recovered at Crime ScenesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston for allegedly making false statements to law enforcement regarding his disposal of more than 20 firearms he purchased more than a dozen of which later surfaced at various crime scenes across the Northeast, including a Boston homicide.
Klordenzsky Senecharles, 29, has been arrested and charged with making materially false statements. Senecharles was arrested yesterday and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, between March 2020 and May 2021, Senecharles purchased a total of 28 firearms and later sold four of them. Of the 24 firearms still registered to Senecharles, 13 firearms were allegedly recovered in connection with criminal activity, including a Feb. 26, 2024 homicide in Boston. According to the criminal complaint, when law enforcement questioned Senecharles about the whereabouts of the 24 firearms, Senecharles claimed that he had sold 21 of the 24 firearms to various Massachusetts registered firearms dealers. When law enforcement contacted the firearms dealers, they allegedly reported that they had no record of purchasing from Senecharles any of the 21 firearms he claimed to have sold them.
The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Colin T. Missett of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Bookkeeper for Nonprofit Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $79,000 from Incapacitated Senior CitizensRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Brenda Denise Walters, 57, of Nappanee, Indiana, has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to ten counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, in August 2023, Walters was hired by Organization A, a nonprofit that provides programs and services for elderly adults, to serve as a part-time bookkeeper for its Guardianship Program.
The Guardianship Program acts as a court‑appointed legal guardian for incapacitated adults and is responsible for managing the finances of individuals who are unable to manage their own affairs. As bookkeeper, Walters oversaw the financial accounts of approximately twenty‑three program clients. Her duties included taking control of client accounts, paying their bills, and responsibly managing their funds.
For nearly a year, Walters carried out a scheme to defraud mentally incapacitated elderly adults by stealing money from their personal bank accounts for her own benefit.
As part of the scheme, Walters transferred funds from client accounts into bank and credit card accounts she controlled, or used client accounts to pay her personal expenses, including paying her electric and insurance bills, buying clothes, hosting parties, and taking expensive vacations to New York City, Florida, and Pigeon Forge.
To conceal her theft, Walters created falsified bank statements that hid transfers to her personal accounts and fabricated documents to support fraudulent charges. In one instance, she created a fake United Healthcare bill for a client to disguise a transfer she made to her Apple Card. In another, she wrote a check from a client’s account to her mother, falsely labeling it “plumbing,” then deposited the funds into an account she controlled and altered the bank statement to remove evidence of the check entirely.
In total, Walters stole approximately $79,000 from at least six Guardianship Program clients.
“Brenda Walters preyed exclusively on some of the most vulnerable members of our society—elderly Hoosiers who could no longer manage their own finances and entrusted her to safeguard their life savings,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Her conduct was not a momentary lapse in judgment but a calculated scheme to enrich herself at the expense of people who had no ability to defend themselves. This office will continue to pursue justice for victims who are targeted because of their age, incapacity, or dependence on others.”
“Financial exploitation of vulnerable seniors is deeply reprehensible, and this case underscores the importance of vigilance and accountability - particularly when the offender is in a position of trust,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI remains committed to identifying and prosecuting those who exploit that trust for personal gain, and ensuring they are held fully accountable.”
FBI Indianapolis’ Financial Crimes Task Force in collaboration with the Carmel Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available from the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. [ET]. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website.
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Belizean Woman Found Guilty of Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury found Ana Zahia Gonzalez (46, Winter Garden) guilty of Naturalization Fraud. Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and denaturalization as a United States citizen. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 13, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Gonzalez was indicted on November 19, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Gonzalez knowingly submitted a fraudulent divorce decree from Belize as part of her naturalization application. Gonzalez entered the United States on a visitor visa in 2006 and overstayed her authorized visit. Five years later, she married a United States citizen, who was unaware that she was still lawfully married to a Belizean man. In 2016, Gonzalez applied for naturalization as a United States citizen and falsely claimed that her previous marriage in Belize had been legally dissolved before remarrying a United States citizen.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Bianca S. Bansal and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan.
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).
Belen Man Sentenced for Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Belen man was sentenced to 41 months in prison for submitting 21 fraudulent unemployment insurance applications using stolen identities during the pandemic.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between June 18, 2020, to October 15, 2021, Joseph Anthony Martinez, 44, submitted 21 fraudulent unemployment insurance claim applications through the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions using his own name, variations of his name, and the stolen identities of others. In addition to the 21 fraudulent applications, Martinez also modified and pursued a legitimate application that had been filed by another person, without that person’s knowledge. To this end, Martinez provided false employment information and opened bank accounts in other individuals' names without authorization to receive the fraudulent payments. As a result of his fraudulent activities, Martinez received more than $177,000.
Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of theft of government property. Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to five years of supervised release.He was also ordered to pay $177,956 in restitution, complete community service, and pay $300 in special penalty assessments.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office. Deputy U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley is prosecuting 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.
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Deandre Jomar Harris, 32, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 10, 2024, Harris sold approximately 7.22 grams of a substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant. As part of his guilty plea, Harris admitted that he conducted the transaction and that it occurred in the confidential informant’s vehicle while it was parked near Harris’ residence in Beckley.
Harris further admitted to selling quantities of a substance containing fentanyl totaling approximately 38.4 grams over the course of four transactions between September 11, 2024, and September 24, 2024. Harris sold the fentanyl substance each time to the confidential informant, and each transaction occurred in the confidential informant’s vehicle near Harris’ residence.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-7.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Tilford Bradley, 50, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2024, Bradley sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $100 in a business parking lot in Beckley. As part of his guilty plea, Bradley admitted to conducting the transaction and further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine on February 14, 2024, February 28, 2024, and July 22, 2024, each time to a confidential informant.
Bradley is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-117.
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Armenian Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Controlled Goods to RussiaRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – An Armenian national pleaded guilty in a federal court in Austin today to participating in a criminal conspiracy to export goods from the United States to the Russian Federation through the Republic of Armenia without the requisite license or authorization from the U.S. government.
According to court documents, from February 2022 until at least August 2024, Kamo Kirakosyan knowingly and willfully combined, conspired, and agreed with others to export and reexport goods subject to the Export Administration Regulations without having first obtained the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry & Security. The exported goods included items that could be used for semiconductor manufacturing.
Kirakosyan became the straw or substitute purchaser of the U.S.-origin goods for his co-conspirators shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and the imposition of additional sanctions and export restrictions on Russia. As part of the scheme, Kirakosyan sent a co-conspirator instructions on opening a bank account in Armenia for the purpose of evading sanctions. While arranging the transshipment of goods to Russia, Kirakosyan represented himself to U.S. companies as the Armenian buyer of goods and did not provide truthful information about the end users, despite the U.S. companies’ requests for end user statements, and despite Kirakosyan’s knowledge that the unauthorized export or reexport to Russia of certain shipments was prohibited without a license. On Feb. 23, 2023, the company Kirakosyan conspired with was designated by Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control on the Specially Designated Nationals List, subjecting the Russian company to U.S. blocking sanctions and a general prohibition on transacting with U.S. persons or entities.
Kirakosyan was initially charged in a criminal complaint on or about July 31, 2024. He was extradited from Germany to the U.S. on Aug. 29, 2025, and pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to violate federal law. He faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons, made the announcement.
The FBI San Antonio Counterintelligence Task Force, comprised of the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and other partners, is leading the investigation. The FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Berlin provided significant assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also played a key role in securing Kirakosyan’s extradition to the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Keith Henneke are prosecuting the case with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
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Aiken Felon Indicted for Illegally Possessing a Gun Following Five Points Traffic StopRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Devron Jakell Duncan, 33, of Aiken, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to statements made in court, on Feb. 15, 2023, an officer with the University of South Carolina Police Department was patrolling the Five Points area of Columbia. Around 2 a.m., the officer stopped a vehicle driven by Duncan. Duncan refused commands to stay in the vehicle, pushed the officer, and ran. After apprehending Duncan, USCPD officers searched the area and found a loaded 9 mm pistol that Duncan had tossed. Further investigation revealed that Duncan’s girlfriend was the purchaser of the gun and had previously told law enforcement that Duncan stole the gun from her residence.
Duncan has prior convictions for domestic violence, illegally possessing a firearm, and kidnapping, among other offenses. These offenses prohibit Duncan from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Duncan faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Duncan is currently detained pending trial.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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 University of South Carolina Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Timmons is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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6 Charged in Sumter and Lee County Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a multi-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging six individuals for their roles in trafficking cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana.
The following defendants were arraigned in federal court today:- Lorenzo Blackwell, 35, of Bishopville
- Marquis Quintell Durant, 38, of Sumter
- Marcus Martenez McConico, 37, of Sumter
- Kalvin Clay Singletary, 36, of Sumter
- Perry Sherrod Taft, 65, of Sumter
- Nikennia Fatese Carter, 34, of Bishopville
The indictment stems from a Homeland Security Task Force investigation targeting individuals involved in drug trafficking in the Sumter and Lee County areas. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered significant quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and multiple firearms. This operation was also part of the FBI's Operation Spring Cleaning, a surge of law enforcement resources targeting violent gangs and drug activity.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Sumter Police Department, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, with assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###13 Charged in Worcester Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Thirteen individuals have been charged for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Central Massachusetts and Puerto Rico that distributed cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana.
The following defendants have been charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances:
- Jack Saez Jr., 34, residing in Dayville, Conn.;
- Christopher Rivera Rodriguez, 32, residing in Puerto Rico;
- Jan Carlos Martinez Mendez, 23, residing in Puerto Rico;
- Dayanara Mendez, residing in Dayville, Conn.;
- Shaquille De Jesus Torres, 32, residing in Puerto Rico;
- Gerardo Villegas Rodriguez, 28, residing in the Dominican Republic;
- Sheldon Herring, 48, residing in Worcester, Mass.;
- Duamel Ocasio, 55, residing in Worcester, Mass.;
- Anthony Hines, 57, residing in Worcester, Mass.;
- Stephen Bandilla III, 55, residing in East Brookfield, Mass.;
- Justin Gilchrest, 34, residing in Webster, Mass.;
- Alondra Daleishka Cruz Mendoza, 23, residing in Puerto Rico; and
- Ushuuaniliz Hernandez Rios; 21, residing in Puerto Rico.
According to the charging documents, Saez was the leader of a DTO that was receiving packages through the mail containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico for distribution in Massachusetts. Over the course of the investigation, more than 10 kilograms of cocaine that had been shipped through the mail from Puerto Rico to addresses in Worcester County was seized. It is further alleged that Saez’s DTO also distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Searches of multiple stash houses and residences in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico allegedly resulted in the seizure of eight firearms along with distribution quantities of other narcotics.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
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. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations; United States Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms; Southern Worcester County Drug & Counter Crime Task Force; Puerto Rico Police Bureau; Massachusetts State Police; and the Auburn, Webster, Worcester, Southbridge, East Brookfield, Gardner, Leicester and Los Angeles Police Departments. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are 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.
14 April 2026
Woman Who Defrauded Four Federal Needs-Based Programs Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who lied to government agencies to receive benefit funds to which she was not entitled was sentenced to federal prison on April 13, 2026.
Gladys Louise Stephenson, age 48, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an October 27, 2025, guilty plea to theft of government property, supplemental security income benefits fraud, and false statement or representation.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between March 2017 and April 2022, Stephenson made false statements to the Social Security Administration to receive Social Security benefits. Stephenson concealed her marital status and living arrangements, specifically that she was married to her spouse and that she lived with him. During this time, Stephenson made the same false representations to the Iowa Department of Human Services in connection with her receipt of food and family assistance benefits.
Stephenson also committed fraud in connection with two types of federal benefits authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, Congress authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses through a program called the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). In May 2021, Stephenson applied for a PPP loan and represented that she operated a sole proprietorship with nearly $100,000 in gross income. She received a PPP loan in the amount of $20,416 from the Small Business Administration based on those false representations. Stephenson spent that money on her personal expenses, including hotel rooms and casino visits. The CARES Act also authorized additional types of unemployment insurance benefits. In January 2021, Stephenson applied for unemployment benefits and falsely said that she had been employed as a housekeeper but could no longer work due to COVID-19. Based on these false statements, Stephenson received unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled.
Stephenson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Stephenson was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $106,058.97 in restitution. Stephenson was ordered to pay $58,950.97 to the Social Security Administration; $15,123 to the Iowa Department of Human Services; $20,416 to the Small Business Administration; and $11,569 to Iowa Workforce Development. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Stephenson was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on May 11, 2026.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-0096.
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Wewoka Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Megan Renee Burgess, age 47, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Theft in Indian Country, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in January 2017 and continuing on until about November 7, 2022, Burgess did take, and carry away with intent to steal and purloin, the personal property of another, specifically, United States currency exceeding $1,000 in value.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Burgess was released on bond pending sentencing.
Virginia Woman Convicted of Identity Theft and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Richmond, Virginia woman has admitted identity theft and money laundering in the Northern District of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Kelli Renee Miller, 43, pled guilty today to aggravated identity theft and transactional money laundering. According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller worked with Michael Vordjorbe to assume the identities of account holders without their knowledge or permission and withdrew funds from accounts at several banks, some in the Northern District of West Virginia. Miller and Vordjorbe deposited the illegally obtained money into another count to hide the theft. The amount of fraudulent funds obtained was $137,000 and the total relevant conduct fraud was between $500,000 and $1.5 million.
Vordjorbe pled guilty in March 2026. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026.
Miller faces up to two years in prison for identity theft and faces up to 10 years for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the FBI; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations; the U.S. Postal Service, Loudon County, Virginia; and the Stamford, Connecticut Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Vermillion Man Sentenced to over 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Vermillion, South Dakota, who was convicted of Attempting to Produce Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and two counts of Receipt and Transportation of Child Pornography following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls this past January. The sentencing took place on April 13, 2026.
Nicholas Keitges, age 34, was sentenced to 20 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $16,000, as well as a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $400. Upon release from federal prison, Keitges must register as a sex offender.
Keitges was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023.
A thorough investigation by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations, identified Keitges as an online predator. The investigation discovered that Keitges had started collecting and trafficking in child pornography online, then progressed to playing out his pedophilic fantasies with others online before he was able to befriend and groom a young girl from the Sioux Falls area.
In the Spring of 2022, Keitges used the online platforms Omegle and Snapchat to befriend the 14-year-old girl. He then sexually groomed her and attempted to coerce her into sending him sexually explicit images of her genitalia. When Keitges arrived at her home to meet up for sexual relations, the minor got scared and law enforcement was called. The following year, law enforcement received a CyberTip that discovered Keitges had been using online platforms such as Dropbox and Google to transport files containing child pornography.
The investigation culminated in a jury trial in which Keitges was convicted of one count of attempting to produce child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and two counts of transportation of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota DCI, South Dakota ICAC Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Keitges was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
United States Attorney Moore Capito and U.S. Marshals Service Announce Results of Operation Spring SweepRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito joined with the U.S. Marshals Service and other law enforcement partners today to announce the successful conclusion of Operation Spring Sweep. The nearly month-long operation targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives and resulted in 72 felony arrests.
The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force launched Operation Spring Sweep in partnership with the West Virginia State Police on March 9, 2026. While it officially concluded on April 4, 2026, the work of the task force continues as another of its targeted fugitives was captured in Ohio on April 14, 2026.
“If we’re serious about the future of West Virginia, there is nothing more important than protecting it – so our children can live, work, and thrive here,” Capito said. “We are not followers. We are leaders. That’s the standard in this office, the commitment of our law enforcement partners every day, and the promise the people of West Virginia can expect from all of us moving forward.”
The West Virginia State Police conducted 222 sex offender compliance checks as part of Operation Spring Sweep, and 19 of the resulting arrests were for alleged violations of registration and notification requirements. The arrested sex offenders include Johnathan Matthew Taylor, 30, who was indicted on March 17, 2026, by a federal grand jury on a charge alleging he violated the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Southern District of West Virginia is a regional and national leader in the successful prosecution of SORNA violations. Part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, SORNA provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
“Operation Spring Sweep shows exactly who we are – West Virginia is leading this country in being tough on crime, especially crimes against the most vulnerable,” Capito said. “We are targeting violent offenders and sexual predators who refuse to register and think the rules don’t apply to them. They haven’t learned their lesson – but they will. We will find them, and we will bring them to justice. That’s what this operation is about.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Video of the press conference is available on the office YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UoPHRZfc-s&t=3s
U.S. Attorney’s Office announces results of “Operation Big Muddy”Read the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois announced today the results of a warrant enforcement operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service and its task force law enforcement partners.
The warrant enforcement operation targeted violent fugitives with felony warrants and identified gang members in the southern counties of the Southern District of Illinois. The coordinated effort was executed over three days by law enforcement officials with the U.S. Marshals Service Southern District of Illinois Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force. The operation resulted in 21 arrests and seized 4 firearms and 12 grams of narcotics.
“The U.S. Marshals led this successful operation to remove dangerous fugitives from our local communities,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This operation highlights law enforcement at its best. Thanks to the strong leadership of the U.S. Marshals this coordinated operation ensures that these violent fugitives will be brought to justice, all while strengthening partnerships and public safety throughout the Southern District of Illinois.”
Building on its successful “Operation Safe Christmas”, this operation resulted in the arrests of dangerous fugitives. One fugitive, arrested in Edwardsville, Illinois, is charged with three counts of aggravated murder and three counts of murder related to a 1992 fire in Napoleon, Ohio. Another fugitive, arrested in Creal Springs, Illinois, is charged with Crimes Against Persons in Williamson County, Illinois.
“Operation Big Muddy, though executed over just two working days, showcased the precision and effectiveness of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in the Southern District of Illinois. The operation strategically targeted the most dangerous offenders, including those wanted for homicide, major drug trafficking, weapons violations, and other violent crimes. Its success underscores not only the task force’s commitment to public safety, but also the strength of its partnerships—without the dedication and collaboration of our law enforcement partners, these results would not have been possible” said U.S. Marshal David C. Davis.
The U.S. Marshals Service Southern District of Illinois Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force consists of participating agencies from the Illinois State Police, Belleville Police Department, Granite City Police Department, Alton Police Department, ATF Chicago, Homeland Security Investigations, Illinois Department of Corrections – Parole, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department.
Two Men Charged with Narcotics and Firearms Offenses for Running A Fentanyl Manufacturing Facility in A Residential BuildingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Task Enforcement Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Farhana Islam, and Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso, announced the arrests of KAREEM ANTOINE TURNER and ALEXANDER DARAVINA on narcotics and firearms charges for operating a fentanyl manufacturing facility in a Brooklyn residential apartment building. TURNER and DARAVINA were arrested on April 13, 2026 and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker, where they were ordered detained.
“As alleged, Kareem Turner and Alexander Daravina ran an industrial-scale pill mill in a Brooklyn apartment, pumping deadly fentanyl pills onto the streets of New York in mass quantities,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Fentanyl is poison. It kills New Yorkers every day. If you are dealing in fentanyl, you are dealing in death. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will use all resources available to give New Yorkers what they want and what they deserve: the destruction of these deadly factories and their operators in federal prison.”
“These individuals allegedly transformed an apartment into a fentanyl processing plant: mixing, pressing, and packaging fentanyl alongside other deadly narcotics with absolutely no regard for the health and safety of their neighbors,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “This was not just alleged drug trafficking; it was a potential death sentence to others living in the building. The magnitude of this alleged operation, which resulted in the seizure of two pill press machines, one capable of producing thousands of deadly pills per hour, as well as two kilo press machines, underscores the scale and lethality of the threat we face every day. Restoring safety to our neighborhoods is critical, but above all, saving lives remains our top priority.”
“For years, HSI New York special agents and investigators have confronted the devastating impacts of fentanyl and other illicit narcotics, which fracture families, corrode neighborhoods, and turn ordinary apartments into covert pill mills that imperil entire communities,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “These arrests are a stark reminder that these crimes are not just numbers on a page, but direct threats to the public's safety and well-being. Through the disciplined collaboration of HSI New York, DEA New York, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and our Homeland Security Task Force partners, we are committed to safeguarding our city and dismantling the criminal enterprises that profit from poison in our neighborhoods.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
TURNER and DARAVINA converted a residential apartment in Brooklyn into a “Pill Mill” where they manufactured, stored, and sold kilograms of drugs, including fentanyl. The Pill Mill contained an industrial-scale pill-press machine capable of manufacturing approximately 4,800 tablets per hour, a hand-cranked pill-press machine, two kilogram presses, and other industrial-grade equipment.
Electronic evidence gathered during the investigation revealed multiple pictures of the Pill Mill; messages in which TURNER and DARAVINA discussed the assembly of the pill-press machine; documents, including a troubleshooting guide and handwritten notes, relating to the manufacture of fentanyl; and FaceTime screenshots in which DARAVINA is seen examining drugs and guns. Some of these photographs are included below:
Handwritten Summary of Fentanyl Ingredients
DARAVINA Looking at Bags Containing Narcotics During a FaceTime Call
On April 13, 2026, DEA and HSI agents searched the Pill Mill pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant and found kilograms of fentanyl and other narcotics in powder and pill form, along with kilograms of ingredients used in the manufacture of fentanyl. They also recovered two loaded guns hidden in a speaker inside the Pill Mill. One of the guns had an extended magazine. In ongoing testing, multiple kilograms of suspected narcotics found in the Pill Mill have tested positive for fentanyl. Photographs from inside the Pill Mill that law enforcement agents took while executing the search warrant are below:
* * *
TURNER, 47, of Brooklyn, New York, and DARAVINA, 45, of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with (i) conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and (ii) using a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, that drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, which must be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed, and a maximum term of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA and HSI. Mr. Clayton also thanked the New York State Police for its assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Honduran Nationals Sentenced for Their Roles in Years-Long Off-the-Books Payroll SchemeRead the Press Release
Two Honduran nationals were sentenced Tuesday to 204 months and 51 months in prison for their roles in operating a years-long off-the-books cash payroll scheme that facilitated the employment of undocumented aliens working illegally in the United States and caused a loss to the United States of more than $38 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2022, Iris Villafranca and Osman Donaldo Zapata, both Honduran nationals, conspired together and with others to create a series of shell companies to run an unlicensed check cashing and cash courier service business. These shell companies cashed approximately $89 million in checks from subcontractors in the construction industry, charging them a percentage of the dollar amount of the checks they cashed as a fee for this service. Through this scheme, construction contractors and subcontractors paid their workers in cash without withholding and paying required payroll taxes, allowing them to operate without regard to the workers’ legal authority to work in the United States. The defendants also caused the filing of false tax documents with the IRS to conceal the off-the-books payroll scheme.
In addition, the defendants defrauded workers’ compensation insurance companies by leasing their certificates of insurance to contractors and by providing false and fraudulent information to the insurers about, among other things, the number of workers covered by the insurance and the amount workers were paid.
Villafranca and Zapata both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Villafranca also pleaded guilty to four counts of filing false individual income tax returns based on her 2019 through 2022 tax returns, which did not report all the income she earned from the scheme and rental income she earned from real estate she owned.
Villafranca was sentenced to 204 months and Zapata was sentenced to 51 months. Villafranca was ordered to pay more than $38 million in restitution to the United States and forfeit $89 million of criminal proceeds from the scheme and Zapata was ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution to the United States. Francisco Alvarez, who conspired with Villafranca, Zapata and others, was previously sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution.
A fourth member of the conspiracy is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. ICE ERO Miami (Orlando sub-office), Florida Highway Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, US Marshals Service, State Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have assisted in arrest operations.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorney Kavitha Bondada of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting 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.
Two Former Postal Workers Sentenced for Theft of U.S. Treasury Checks Valued at More Than $4 Million from Kennedy Airport Mail FacilityRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Kevaughn Wellington and Ky-Mani Straker, each former United States Postal Service (USPS) employees, were sentenced by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati to prison for their participation in a fraudulent scheme through which they sold, for their own financial gain, United States Treasury checks issued by the United States Department of the Treasury. Wellington and others stole the Treasury checks from the USPS mail facility located at John F. Kennedy International Airport (the JFK Mail Facility), where the defendants were previously employed.
Wellington was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to forfeit $100,000, and Straker was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to forfeit $57,945.56. The defendants were further ordered to pay $405,696.98 in restitution. The defendants each previously pleaded guilty to stealing government funds and conspiring to steal government funds.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York (USPIS); Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office (USPS-OIG); Michael L.J. Carpenter, Special Agent in Charge, United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office (USSS), announced the sentences.
“The former postal workers abused their positions of trust at the JFK Mail Facility to fraudulently obtain Treasury checks intended for the well-being of hard-working individuals to whom the funds were owed, and kept the proceeds for themselves,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office is committed to holding accountable individuals who use taxpayer funds to line their own pockets, and today they paid the price for their greed and disregard of the law.”
“The defendants abused their position as USPS employees and turned their employment into a multimillion-dollar criminal enterprise to steal from innocent American taxpayers. Today’s sentence makes it very clear that postal inspectors will investigate and bring to justice anyone who takes advantage of the U.S. Mail,” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward.
“The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity throughout the Postal Service and its workforce. The special agents of the USPS OIG will vigorously investigate those who choose to steal U.S Mail and defraud the American public. The sentence imposed on the defendants will serve as a reminder that there are severe consequences when individuals commit crimes targeting the U.S Mail. The USPS OIG is thankful for the great longstanding relationships we have developed with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat mail theft,” stated USPS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Modafferi.
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) aggressively investigates individuals who attempt to exploit U.S Treasury refund checks meant for hard working taxpayers for their own private gain,” stated TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Carpenter. “TIGTA's mission is to protect the integrity of our nation's tax administration system. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate federal laws are prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
“These defendants undermined the public’s trust in our mail system by stealing more than $4 million in Treasury checks meant for people who were expecting those funds,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “We rely on the integrity of the postal network, and today’s sentencing holds these fraudsters accountable for their illegal and selfish acts. Because of the work of our investigators, law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, we have dismantled this fraudulent operation.”
“The defendants' brazen selfishness not only violated the public trust, but directly harmed the citizens they were supposed to serve by illegally siphoning funds -- resources those people were relying on -- for their own personal gain,” stated USSS Special Agent in Charge McCool. “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to preserving this nation’s financial integrity and was proud to have had a role in holding these defendants accountable. I commend the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New York Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and our many other law enforcement partners for bringing justice in this case.”
From approximately June 2021 through August 2023, the defendants engaged in a scheme to steal and sell Treasury checks mailed for distribution through the JFK Mail Facility. Wellington, who was employed at the facility as a mail clerk, worked with others to steal parcels containing Treasury checks. Then, together with Straker and others, Wellington sold the stolen Treasury checks for a portion of the face value of each check. As part of the scheme, Wellington stole—and conspired with Straker to sell—over 125 Treasury checks valued at more than $4 million, including checks intended to be individuals’ Social Security benefits, COVID relief and tax refunds. In addition to selling stolen Treasury checks, Straker falsely endorsed and deposited stolen Treasury checks into a bank account and withdrew the proceeds for his own financial gain. Law enforcement uncovered over 350 videos and images from Wellington’s phone depicting Treasury checks that were not addressed to him or Straker.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs and General Crimes Sections. Assistant United States Attorney Elias Laris in in charge of the prosecution.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Defendants:
KEVAUGHN WELLINGTON
Age: 33
Jamaica, New YorkKY-MANI STRAKER
Age: 26
Orange, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-275 (DG)
Two Cousins Plead Guilty to Federal Crimes in Connection with Nationwide Online Short-Term Rental Booking ScamRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two cousins – one from Southern California, the other from Colorado – pleaded guilty today to federal crimes related to a double-booking, bait-and-switch scam run nationwide through online short-term property rental platforms.
Shray Goel, 37, of Calabasas, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Shaunik Raheja, 36, of Denver, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice.
According to their plea agreements, in 2013, Goel and Raheja started an online business, listing properties for short-term rental through online platforms. They operated the business under various legal entities and business names, including Abbot Pacific LLC and Jet Set Work LLC.
The defendants rented properties nationwide, including in Marina del Rey, the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles, and Malibu as well as San Diego; Chicago; Cleveland; Dallas; Denver; Milwaukee; Bloomington, Indiana; South Bend, Indiana; Savannah, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Austin, Texas.
From October 2017 to November 2019, Goel and Raheja used fake host names and, in certain instances, other people’s identities to list properties. They used these fake host accounts to conceal their own identities, to double-book properties, and to post fabricated positive reviews of their properties. They also used the fake host accounts to continue to list properties after one online platform banned them in 2015 because of repeated host cancellations and guest complaints.
In some cases, Goel and Raheja listed fake addresses, addresses that did not have any rental housing, were unaffiliated with the schemers, or did not exist at all – using these fake addresses to create duplicate listings for a single purported property. The fake addresses also allowed them to evade local rules and regulations governing short-term rentals, and to control who had access to properties.
The crux of the scheme was a double-booking-bait-and-switch practice. To carry out the scheme, Goel and Raheja posted multiple listings of the same property, listing the same property multiple times on a single platform and cross listing the property on multiple platforms. This was done, in part, to maximize the price they could charge for their rentals – by listing different daily rates for the same property and renting to the guest that booked at the highest price. The defendants also did not block calendars of competing listings after a property had been booked and continued to list the booked property as being available for rental on the booked dates.
After a listing had been booked the defendants chose which – if any – guest to host. For an overbooked guest – or a guest they did not want to host – the defendants lied to the guest about why a booked property was unavailable. These false excuses included that the property had a plumbing problem or some other unforeseen issue. The defendants then cancelled the reservation, convinced the guest to cancel, or switched the guest to a different property.
To further their fraud, Goel and Raheja took steps to discredit negative reviews, and they otherwise tried to hide negative reviews from prospective future guests. They posted bogus negative reviews about the guests who panned their listings or called out the fraudulent and deceptive listing practices, and they removed negatively reviewed listings and then re-listed the properties using new listing identifiers, thereby removing the bad reviews.
Goel and Raheja used these and other lies and misrepresentations to trick guests into booking properties they would not have otherwise booked and to profit at the expense of guests and the rental platforms. The last-minute nature of the cancellations also caused guests and the rental platforms to suffer losses when guests were forced to find alternative lodging at the last minute.
Raheja admitted in his plea agreement to lying in April 2023 to federal law enforcement officials investigating the scheme. Raheja falsely stated that he never intentionally overbooked properties and that he was not aware of any intentional overbooking.
United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu scheduled an August 14 sentencing hearing for Goel, who will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Judge Hsu scheduled a September 11 sentencing hearing for Raheja, who will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated this matter with assistance from the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kerry L. Quinn and David Y. Pi of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.
Three-Time Felon Sentenced in Robbery, Illegal Possession of a Firearm and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Naquel Matao Henderson, 28, a three-time convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 56 months in federal prison in connection with a street robbery in Northeast when he crashed a scooter into a car stopped at a traffic light, demanded money from the victim motorist for a new pair of pants, grabbed the motorist’s satchel from around her neck, and then fled from police, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Following a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Henderson on April 8, 2025, of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, robbery, and unlawful possession of oxycodone. In addition to the 56-month prison term, District Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered Henderson to serve three years of supervised release. Government prosecutors had asked for a 72-month prison sentence.
Henderson, aka “Marquel,” additionally is currently awaiting trial for a January 2019 murder.
According to court documents, June 24, 2024, a police commander driving an unmarked cruiser requested backup at 2:15 p.m. at 15th and Benning Roads NE. He reported that he had just witnessed a potential robbery.
A motorist had been traveling on the 1400 block of Maryland Ave. when she stopped her car at a traffic light. When the light turned to green, a motorized scooter ridden by Henderson collided with the front driver’s side of her car. The driver got out of her car to check on the damage and to see if the scooter rider was injured. Henderson claimed the crash had damaged his pants and demanded that she give him $100 to buy a new pair.
The driver refused to give Henderson any money and pointed out that it was he who had crashed into her car. Henderson then pushed the driver with two hands and snatched the satchel that was around her body. As Henderson fled down the 700 block of 15th Street, NE, tossing items out of the satchel, two police officers arrived and gave chase. During the foot pursuit, one of the officers observed Henderson crouching down near a backyard fence with a firearm in his hand. Officers eventually tackled Henderson and ordered him to release the firearm.
Henderson fought and resisted while he struggled with an officer over a loaded firearm. Police eventually recovered a Glock 30, .45 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber, and an additional 14 bullets scattered nearby.
Officers searched Henderson and recovered 50 oxycodone pills. The pills were manufactured by two different companies and were stored in two different pill bottles – neither of which listed Henderson as the prescribed user of the narcotic.
At the time of his arrest, Henderson had two prior felony convictions also was on pretrial release in D.C. Superior Court, where he was charged with numerous violent offenses, including conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder while armed.
Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and former U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
Surveillance photo of Henderson riding his scooter directly into the front driver’s side of the motorist’s vehicle as she approaches the intersection of 15th and Maryland Ave, NE.
Surveillance photo of Henderson snatching the driver’s satchel away.
Police recovered a Glock 30, .45 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber, and an additional 14 bullets scattered nearby.
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Three men, including illegal alien, sentenced to federal prison for illegal gun possessionRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Three men have been sentenced to substantial prison terms in separate cases for illegally possessing firearms.
The sentencings before U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker were announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:
- Benjamin Greene, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and fined $1,500. Greene was convicted at trial in January on a charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Greene’s possession in February 2024 after he stole a car at a gas station and crashed while running from police. Greene has a substantial history of felony criminal convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
- Yeiker Luis Arevalo-Hernandez, 21, a Venezuelan national illegally present in the United States, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to be deported after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien. In June 2025, Savannah Airport Police officers were called for assistance at a hotel near the airport. A dispute among several men caused a disturbance at the hotel, and police officers reviewing security footage determined Arevalo-Hernandez possessed two pistols and hid them behind the hotel’s dumpsters before officers arrived. Illegal aliens are prohibited from possessing firearms.
- Arkeem Myers, 36, of Savannah, was sentenced to 77 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In December 2024, Savannah police officers arrested Myers, a passenger in a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation, after determining he was in possession of a pistol found under his seat. Myers has a record of repeated felony convictions, including gun charges, and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
“Previously convicted felons and illegal aliens are prohibited from possessing guns – period,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We are in lockstep with our law enforcement partners in making our communities safer by taking these gun-carrying criminals off our streets.”
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Savannah Police Department, and the Savannah Airport Police, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Makeia R. Jonese, Darron J. Hubbard, Timothy P. Dean, and Ryan E. Bondura.
Three Indicted for Wire Fraud Conspiracy Involving PPP LoansRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – On April 14, 2026, a federal Grand Jury in Hammond, Indiana, approved a two-count Indictment charging Charleasa Johnson and Micah Franklin of St. John, Indiana, and Ebony Star Wilson, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The Indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy, the defendants collectively assisted in submitting more than 80 fraudulent PPP loan applications, resulting in the distribution of fraudulent PPP loan funds in an amount over $2 million.
The Indictment also charges Charleasa Johnson and Micah Franklin with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin F. Wolff.
The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Justin Luis Ruiz, 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case exemplified the threats our kids face online from sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them. Parents must be made aware of these emergent threats to their children, so that they can closely monitor their kids’ access to and use of online platforms to keep them safe. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these predators for their disgusting crimes as we do our part to keep our kids safe online.”
Court documents reflect that a 2024 investigation by the Rapid City (South Dakota) Police Department uncovered that Ruiz had solicited a minor to send him nude photographs depicting child pornography. Further investigation, including law enforcement’s search of a Tallahassee residence, identified Ruiz communicated online with known and unknown persons, many of them apparently minors, and exchanged child pornography with those individuals.
Ruiz faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment for production of child pornography, a mandatory minimum term of 5 years’ imprisonment and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for possession of child pornography. Upon release from prison, he will serve a minimum mandatory term of 5 years on supervised release, and up to a lifetime of supervision.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at 10:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Tallahassee Police Department and the Rapid City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Tallahassee Man Indicted for Distribution of Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Tedrick Childs, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of distribution of cocaine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Childs appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 5, 2026 at 8:30 am, before Chief District Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida.
Childs faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the distribution of cocaine count and not less than 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to Life imprisonment, on the distribution of methamphetamine count.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Clayton Morgan, 49 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Morgan was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Morgan sold about 512 grams of methamphetamine to another person on two occasions. Police obtained a search warrant for his home and recovered an additional 581 grams of methamphetamine. Morgan was serving a term of supervised release from a prior federal felony conviction for drug distribution.
“Clayton Morgan was under federal supervision for a past felony drug conviction when he decided to reenter the illegal methamphetamine business,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “That was a mistake. He learned the hard way that federal law enforcement, working with our state and local partners, will hold a person accountable each and every time they violate the laws designed to protect citizens from dangerous narcotics. I commend our law enforcement partners for their excellent work on this matter, and the just outcome it produced.”
“The sentence imposed in this case sends a clear message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated and underscores the threat dangerous drugs pose to our communities. This case also reflects strength of our partnerships. ATF remains committed to working with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Bend Police Department as well as our other federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to further reduce violent crime and protect the public,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon.
“Today, DEA reports that methamphetamine seized and tested has reached the highest purity and potency ever recorded. Average purity levels reached nearly 97% in 2025. The Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, along with Mr. Morgan, should be ashamed of themselves for driving Hoosiers to addiction and death through methamphetamine. While on supervised release for a prior federal drug conviction, Mr. Morgan had an opportunity to be a productive member of society, which he threw away. His new stint in federal prison will give him plenty of time to consider the pain and agony he brought to his northern Indiana community. Law enforcement at every level in northern Indiana will never back down to the immorality of drug trafficking. Mr. Morgan’s arrest and conviction are proof of that,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
Sexual Predator Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Enticement of A Minor – Currently Awaiting Trial on State Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Rockland County Sheriff, Louis Falco III, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced that ANTHONY MITCHELL was sentenced today to 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti for enticement and coercion of a minor spanning multiple years when the victim was 13 and 14 years old.
“Anthony Mitchell is a sexual predator,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He enticed a 14-year-old victim numerous times, both in person and while incarcerated and awaiting trial on state charges for a 2022 murder. New Yorkers know how important it is that Anthony Mitchell and those like him are off the streets. This Office will use all our tools to deliver on that mission. We ask that all New Yorkers be proactive and vigilant in holding predators accountable and ensuring every child can grow up free from exploitation. Individuals with information concerning the sexual exploitation of children are urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or use the tips page: https://tips.fbi.gov.”
“The Rockland County Sheriff’s Office was proud to work alongside our federal partners, including the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office, in this investigation,” said Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco III. “Through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to protecting our community, our collective efforts helped lead to the successful prosecution and sentencing of an individual who preyed on a child. Those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our society will be identified, investigated, and held fully accountable under the law.”
“Already incarcerated, Anthony Mitchell’s depravity extended beyond the walls of his cell as he continued to seek sick satisfaction from the sexual coercion and exploitation of a young teenage girl,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI continues to stand alongside our local law enforcement partners to hold accountable sexual predators who target our communities’ children.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
Between January 2021 and September 2022, MITCHELL induced a 14-year-old female minor (the “Victim”) to create sexually explicit photographs and videos of herself and send them to him.
In or about July 2022, MITCHELL was arrested on state murder and other charges and incarcerated at the Rockland County Jail. For a period of months while incarcerated awaiting trial, the defendant continued to communicate with and demand sexually explicit material from the Victim, which the Victim created and sent to MITCHELL at his direction.
Individuals with information concerning the sexual exploitation of children are urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or use the online tips page: https://tips.fbi.gov.
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In addition to the prison term, MITCHELL, 26, of Haverstraw, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of Haverstraw Police Department, the Town of Ramapo Police Department, and the Village of Spring Valley Police Department. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Arad, Kathryn Wheelock, and Jeffrey C. Coffman are in charge of the prosecution.
Scranton Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Isaiah Postell-Jones, age 25, of Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Postell-Jones previously admitted that on March 13, 2024, he knowingly sold over 100 grams of methamphetamine in a parking lot in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, for $900. Postell-Jones further admitted that on two other occasions he sold “sham” methamphetamine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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San Francisco Caregiver Charged with Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Elsie Eclevia Curameng on charges of tax evasion and filing false tax returns for calendar years 2019 through 2022. Curameng made an initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco this morning.
According to the indictment filed April 7, 2026, and unsealed today, Curameng, 68, of San Francisco, is alleged to have evaded assessment of taxes on at least $1.5 million of unreported income. From at least 2008 through 2022, Curameng was an in-home caregiver for a client, G.C., whom she provided support in activities of daily living as well as managed her client’s finances. As part of her financial duties, Curameng paid herself and the client’s other caregivers. From 2019 through 2022, Curameng received hundreds of checks from G.C. totaling over $2.2 million – $1.5 million of those checks were noted as payments for nursing services and vacation pay. Curameng deposited substantially all of those paychecks into her personal bank accounts.
For calendar years 2019 through 2022, Curameng filed tax returns but did not report any of the income from her services to G.C. on those tax returns. As a result, Curameng owed additional taxes that would have been assessed if she had filed accurate returns. Additionally, for tax years 2019 and 2020, Curameng filed not one but two false tax returns that omitted the income from her services to G.C.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Linda Nguyen, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) - Oakland Field Office, made the announcement.
Curameng was released on bond. Curameng is next scheduled to appear in district court on May 20, 2026 for a status conference before U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $100,000 for each count of tax evasion, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201, and three years in prison and a fine of $100,000 for each count of filing a false tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by IRS-CI.
San Diego Couple Admit to Two-Year Mail Theft SpreeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – David Anthony Burge and Kyrsten Renee Bospflug pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that for two years, they stole mail from multiple post offices, apartment complexes and business complexes all over San Diego County – converting other peoples’ checks, credit cards and personal information into more than $150,000 in nefarious profit.
According to their plea agreements, from July 2023 to July 2025, the husband-and-wife team worked as partners in crime, using stolen U.S. Postal Service keys and counterfeit keys manufactured by Burge to access and steal mail from the Bonita Post Office and apartment complexes all over San Diego - on Island Avenue, Georgia Court, Broadway Street, Ohio Street, 31st Street, Riviera Drive, and Pacific Beach Drive.
Burge and Bospflug admitted they altered stolen checks so they could cash them. They also impersonated victims at banks using the victim’s personally identifiable information – such as names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers and credit and debit card account numbers - obtained from the stolen mail.
For example, Burge falsely presented himself to at least three different banks posing as one of his victims, using the victim’s actual birth date, Social Security number and other information to open bank accounts in the victim’s name. Burge then mobile deposited stolen checks that were altered to list the victim as the payee, and then he deposited the stolen checks into the bank accounts that he opened and controlled. Bospflug admitting doing the same at two other banks, posing as a different victim.
The plea agreement details how Burge and Bospflug exchanged text messages detailing their crimes. For instance, in February 2024, Burge reported to Bospflug that “mail was scarce” but that “we have 2 amex” and “let’s see what we can do with these checks.” Burge and Bospflug understood “2 amex” to mean two American Express credit cards stolen from the mail, and the reference to “checks” to mean checks intended for others and stolen from the mail. On another occasion, Bospflug texted Burge to ask him to confirm a victim’s social security number. Burge texted back a photograph containing that victim’s PII. Bospflug texted back, “Nice, I remembered it,” to which Burge replied, “[N]ice job … hopefully it works.”
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on June 25 at 12:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Rogge and Eric Olah.
If you believe you may have been a victim of this crime, please contact the United States Postal Inspection Service hotline at 877-876-2455.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26-cr-00726-BTM
David Anthony Burge Age: 33 Chula Vista, CA
Kyrsten Renee Bospflug Age: 36 Spring Valley, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Mail Theft Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
United States Postal Inspection Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.