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14 April 2026
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Pill Trafficking that Resulted in an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sandro Escobedo, 37, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Monday for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and distribution of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Escobedo was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone M-30 pills and cocaine for an organization that was responsible for importing tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and cocaine from Mexico and distributing them in northern California and elsewhere between May 2019 and January 2021. In October 2019, a teenage victim died of fentanyl poisoning from fentanyl pills that Escobedo distributed.
Fifteen other defendants have pleaded guilty, and 13 have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 19 months to 27 years. Escobedo pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2025.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET 5), the California Highway Patrol, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, the Yuba City Police Department, and the West Sacramento Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Mexican authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Luis Lopez Zamora to the United States from Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Sacramento is composed of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Rochester man going to prison for his role in financial fraud scheme involving stolen checksRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Sheldon Marquis Adams, 26, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Between March and September 29, 2023, Adams conspired with others to obtain hundreds of checks that had been stolen from U.S. Postal Service mailboxes in the Rochester, NY, area. Adams and his co-conspirators would then forge or alter the checks with the intent to obtain money from the associated bank accounts. Adams used social media to recruit individuals to cash or deposit the checks into their own accounts and withdraw the money before the issuing bank detected the fraud. If the individuals successfully cashed the checks, they would give the money to the members of the conspiracy in return for a small payment. On September 29, 2023, in furtherance of the conspiracy, Adams was found in possession of 15 pages of blank check stock paper and approximately 335 checks that had been stolen between April and June 2023 from U.S. Postal Service blue collection boxes. Some of the checks had been altered by washing them with acetone.
The scheme involved approximately 227 individual victims and 36 business victims, in addition to the victim financial institutions, and stolen and altered checks totaling approximately $516,912.17.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Postal Inspector-in-Charge Jason Buckley, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Chamberlin, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
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Raleigh Career Criminal Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl and a GunRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Jeremy Hinton to 12 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl in Raleigh. On April 4, 2025, Inmate Hinton pleaded guilty to selling fentanyl.
“Fentanyl poisons our communities, killing our kids and neighbors. This dope dealer has 8 felony convictions for violent crimes in state court before facing federal justice for profiting off the pain and desperation of addicts, ruining their families. The only thing more deadly than fentanyl is fentanyl and guns—and that’s what this defendant was selling. Let this sentence warn anyone pushing this poison. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
The Raleigh Police Department (RPD) and ATF conducted two controlled purchases of fentanyl from Inmate Hinton. During the second controlled purchase, Inmate Hinton also sold a Glock 36 handgun. When law enforcement ultimately tried to pull Inmate Hinton over to arrest him, he sped off in a car chase, ultimately evading them. Later that day, law enforcement again tried to pull Inmate Hinton over, and he fled again, driving over 80 miles per hour. Inmate Hinton got sentenced as a career offender because of his egregious criminal history, which includes felony convictions for breaking and entering, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, selling cocaine, possessing drugs with the intent to sell them, and shooting a gun into occupied home.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. RPD and ATF investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-365-M-RJ.
Potomac Gardens Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to 12 Months for Role in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lawrence Smith, 55, a resident of Fairfax, Virginia, was sentenced today to 12-months-and-a-day in prison for his role in a large-scale cocaine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Lawrence Smith was a regular participant in a drug operation that fed narcotics into a District of Columbia neighborhood in Southeast,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This prosecution was the product of a long-term federal wiretap investigation which dismantled this conspiracy that was poisoning the Potomac Gardens community. Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to pursuing every link in that chain.”
Smith pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. In addition to the 12-month sentence, Judge Kelly ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. The government had requested a sentence of 15 months.
According to court papers, the FBI began a long-term investigation in 2024 into drug trafficking at the Potomac Gardens housing complex in Southeast Washington. As part of that investigation, agents obtained authority to wiretap phones used by Ronald Hunt and Garrett Isley, alleged leaders of the conspiracy whose cases are pending. Intercepted calls revealed that Smith regularly communicated with Isley and obtained narcotics from him on an almost every-other-day basis, then redistributed them to others. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted responsibility for distributing between 200 and 300 grams of cocaine.
Co-defendant Maurice Tutt was sentenced on March 13, 2026, to 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Co-defendant Michael Augment pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Augment’s sentencing is pending.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the D.C. Housing Authority Police, Virginia State Police, Montgomery County Police, and Fairfax County Police.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Solomon S. Eppel and Nihar Mohanty.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcPoteau Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clifford Elmo Smith, age 41, of Poteau, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about April 20, 2025, and continuing until on or about January 13, 2026, Smith knowingly possessed one or more matters which contained visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, transported by, in, and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, which Smith accessed with the intent to view.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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.
Smith will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Killing His Nephew on the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on April 13, 2026.
Eric Anduja, 53, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Anduja was charged by a Superseding Information with Voluntary Manslaughter. He pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026.
In May 2025, Anduja became intoxicated and got into a disagreement with Alban “Boots” Vitales. During the argument, Anduja ultimately stabbed Vitales in the neck with a kitchen knife. Vitales ran from the residence where the argument had taken place, sought help, and passed away on the front door step of a neighbor’s home.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Anduja was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A South Point, Ohio, man, Michael Merrick, 26, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 360 months for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in September 2024, a minor victim reported that she had been sexually assaulted by Merrick, and he had taken sexually explicit pictures of her using his phone. On September 27, 2024, law enforcement searched Merrick’s phone and located the sexually explicit photos. Merrick admitted to sexually abusing the minor victim and to producing sexually explicit images of the victim in Boyd County, Kentucky.
Under federal law, Merrick must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 25 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Todd Kelley, Ashland Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Ashland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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North Carolina man sentenced to 12 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of 14.16 grams of methamphetamine and 1.18 grams of fentanyl from Donjuan Murphy, 23, of Hertford, in Virginia Beach. On June 18, 2024, in Chesapeake, law enforcement executed state warrants from North Carolina and Virginia. When law enforcement attempted to take Murphy into custody, he initially tried to escape by backing his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle and refused to put the car in park and exit it. He eventually complied with commands and was taken into custody.
From Murphy’s vehicle, investigators recovered, among other items, 38.76 grams of fentanyl; 2.54 grams of methamphetamine; 80.55 grams of cocaine; 816.94 grams of marijuana; Oxycodone, Buprenorphine, and Naloxone; four firearms, including one equipped with an extended magazine and another that had been reported stolen; ammunition; and $9,246.
Murphy previously was convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions in North Carolina for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a felon. As a convicted felon, Murphy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Chesapeake Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-34.
New Jersey Company Agrees to Repay $3.25 Million in CARES Act FundingRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A civil settlement was unsealed showing that a New Jersey company agreed to pay back $3.25 million after receiving too much funding from the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program it was ineligible to receive, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
In 2020, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, commonly known as the “CARES Act.” Qualifying businesses were authorized to obtain a forgivable disaster loan to preserve jobs in industries impacted by COVID-19. When the CARES Act was amended, applicants were allowed to seek a second round of disaster relief funding, with restrictions on funding for single corporations. Additionally, corporations seeking a second disbursement could not employ more than
300 employees.Under the Federal False Claims Act, private individuals act as qui tam, “whistleblowers,” and may bring lawsuits against entities that have committed fraud against the government. A qui tam Civil Complaint was filed by GNGH2, Inc. in March 2024, alleging that Eurecat U.S. Incorporated (Eurecat) violated the False Claims Act. Court documents show that Eurecat allegedly employed more than 9,000 people and is a subsidiary of a large publicly traded company, Albemarle Corporation. Eurecat is a New Jersey business corporation with its principal place of business in Houston, Texas. They also operate a chemical plant in
McAlester, Oklahoma.Court documents allege that Eurecat applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the Small Business Administration in May 2020 and received $2,736,400, which was forgiven. In February 2021, Eurecat applied for a second PPP loan and received an additional $2,000,000. After receiving the funds, they sought loan forgiveness a second time, and it was granted in August 2021.
In the Settlement Agreement, Eurecat admitted to exceeding the employee threshold to be eligible for a second-draw PPP loan. They agreed to pay the United States $3,250,000, of which $2,068,44.44 is restitution. After the restitution is paid, the United States will pay GNGH2, Inc. $325,000 as its statutory share under the False Claims Act for bringing the suit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Cooper represented the Northern District of Oklahoma, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel assisted in the litigation of this case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
New Hampshire Man Indicted for Cyberstalking and Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Londonderry, N.H. man was arrested today for allegedly cyberstalking a Massachusetts victim through social media, text messages and various online platforms. Among numerous other things, the defendant allegedly posted sexually provocative statements, including a post that indicated the victim wanted to be sexually assaulted. The defendant also allegedly directed others on social media to produce, post and repost sexually explicit material of the victim.
Brad Cerullo, 46, was indicted on one count of cyberstalking and one count of sexual exploitation of children. Cerullo was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on March 25, 2026 and released by the Court on conditions, over the government’s objection.
According to the charging documents, between March 2021 and May 2025, the victim received approximately 72 text messages on her cell phone from at least 26 unknown senders, many from VoIP numbers. Several of the text messages referenced her photos or personal information on impersonation Twitter accounts. It is alleged that two of the unknown VoIP numbers were traced to Cerullo.
Over 340 of the victim’s images, including sexually explicit images and videos stolen from a secure device in the victim’s possession, and at least 10 accounts, including four accounts containing the victim’s name, were allegedly used to impersonate and/or further a campaign to shame, defame, harass, or otherwise cause the victim substantial emotional distress.
It is further alleged that child sexual abuse material of an approximately 12-year-old minor victim, who was known to the defendant, was found in some of Cerullo’s online accounts.
The charge of stalking by electronic means provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of no less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release and fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Wayne Tracy, Acting Chief of the Haverhill Police Department made the announcement today. The Andover and Londonderry (N.H.) Police Departments provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Mitchell Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mitchell, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 13, 2026.
Dakota Moore, 24, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Moore was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 2, 2026.
On August 5, 2025, law enforcement officers were looking for a certain vehicle after receiving reports that someone in the vehicle had fired shots. When law enforcement found the vehicle, they found Moore inside the vehicle and in possession of a firearm. Moore is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction for a felony crime.
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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Moore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Missouri Woman Sentenced to Prison for $3.8 Million International EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Monday sentenced a woman to 90 months in prison for embezzling $3.8 million from her employer with the help of co-conspirators in China.
Judge Clark also ordered Bridget Thebeau, now 46, of St. Charles County, to repay the money. Her lawyers brought checks totaling $104,500 to court.
As part of her scheme, Thebeau struck a deal with some of her employer’s suppliers in China to inflate purchase orders in exchange for kickbacks. She altered some purchase orders and issued others that were fictitious. Between 2015 and 2023, she altered 152 purchase orders and issued 82 completely fictitious purchase orders, for a total of $3.82 million. In return, her co-conspirators wired more than half of that money to her personal bank account. When asked at sentencing to explain what she did with money, Thebeau provided what Judge Clark deemed to be incomplete and untruthful answers.
It was a crime motivated purely by greed, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf wrote in a sentencing memo. Thebeau did not have a drug problem, financial issues or mental health problems that might have motivated her to steal from her employer. Judge Clark characterized Thebeau’s embezzlement scheme as one of the worst he’s seen during his time on the bench.
Thebeau tried to hide her crime with fraudulent shipping labels and fraudulent bills of lading issued by the China-based suppliers, fraudulent invoices that she created and claimed she had issued to the company’s customers and false information she supplied to the company’s owner and accountants. When her embezzlement was discovered, she deleted records from the company’s server, submerged her laptop in a sink full of water, tried to destroy evidence on her cell phone and deleted information that was stored in the cloud, according to testimony in Monday’s hearing.
The owner of Thebeau’s former company is no longer able to retire and has been forced to sell assets to try and keep the company afloat, the sentencing memo says.
Thebeau pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in May of 2025 to five counts of wire fraud
The U.S. Secret Service and the Chesterfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 9, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Félix Ebdiel Muñiz-Rivera to 240 months (20 years) in prison and 15 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of two five-year-old female minors, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Muñiz-Rivera was indicted on August 28, 2025, arrested on August 29, 2025, and plead guilty on December 18, 2025.
According to court documents, Félix Ebdiel Muñiz-Rivera, 21, of Camuy, Puerto Rico, from June 2025, through in or about August 2025, did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two five year old female minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, and the visual depiction was produced and transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, that is, a cellular phone device.
According to the facts admitted during the change of plea hearing, Muñiz-Rivera sexually assaulted two female minor victims and recorded the acts in his cellular phone. On August 7, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents received a duty call from the Police of Puerto Rico (POPR) regarding a potential child pornography case. This occurred while the POPR were at a Public Housing Project in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, conducting a drug trafficking operation. While at the scene, a POPR agent observed defendant Muñiz-Rivera engaging in what appeared to be a drug transaction. The officer went after the defendant, but he ran off, leaving his cellphone behind. The cellphone was unlocked and opened, and the agent was able to observe a video/image of a female infant, and close to the infant’s genital area, was a male adult genital member. Evidence obtained from a federal search warrant of defendant’s cellphone revealed another video produced by the defendant containing child sexual exploitation material with the two five-year-old female minor victims.
“The Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute those criminals who exploit and harm children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated Police of Puerto Rico and HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community. Exploitation of our children has no place in civilized society.”
HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos said: “Two decades behind bars underscore the profound gravity of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. This 20-year sentence reflects not only the enduring harm inflicted on victims, but also our unwavering resolve to hold offenders fully accountable.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
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Man Sentenced for StalkingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALFRED HUMBLES (“HUMBLES”), age 55, a former resident of Gretna, Louisiana, was sentenced on April 8, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to Stalking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2261A(2)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, from November 2018 until January 28, 2019, HUMBLES sent harassing and intimidating communications to a former girlfriend living in Texas. On November 29, 2018, the former girlfriend sent an email to HUMBLES indicating to him that the relationship was over, to stop having contact with her and that law enforcement had been notified. Approximately 25 texts and emails were quoted in the Indictment. Among them, on January 9, 2019, HUMBLES emailed the victim and stated “I can’t think of one reason why you should be walking around breathing.” On January 23, 2019, HUMBLES emailed the victim and stated “…you don’t know what I’m capable of and you’re not untouchable.”
U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon sentenced HUMBLES to time served which amounted to forty-seven (47) months in custody and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachal Cassagne were charge of the prosecution.
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Longtime Bucks County Teacher Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Adamsky, 66, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for child pornography offenses. Judge Pappert also ordered Adamsky to pay a $30,000 fine, $38,000 in victim restitution, a $10,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment, and a $20,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.
The defendant was charged by indictment in September of last year and pleaded guilty in December to one count of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
At the time of his arrest, Adamsky was a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Nativity of Our Lord grade school in Warminster, Pa., and had taught there for 38 years.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Adamsky knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or about June 15, 2024. Additionally, he possessed two computers and two flash drives containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These depictions included prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, the Warminster Township Police Department, Upper Merion Township Police Department, and Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.
Long-Time Fugitive Sentenced to 70 Months’ Incarceration for Multimillion Dollar Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German man who orchestrated a massive mail fraud scheme by mass mailing false and fraudulent psychic solicitations was sentenced to 70 months’ incarceration in Newark federal court, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Georg Ingenbleek, 59, a citizen of Germany, was indicted in 2020 and has been a long-time fugitive. He was apprehended in Bolzano, Italy in 2024 and extradited to the United States in May 2025 to face the indictment, which charged him with two counts of mail fraud. Ingenbleek previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to the two counts of mail fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least 2011 through 2016, Ingenbleek created numerous direct mail solicitations supposedly from world-renowned psychics, falsely and fraudulently offering recipients individual psychic services and objects that would result in great fortune. Many of the letters falsely promised that the psychic services being offered were free of charge. Ingenbleek then directed co-conspirators to send fraudulent billing notices to the same victims that stated that the victims owed money for psychic services and that failure to pay would be “prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” The fraudulent billing notices falsely represented that the victims owed fees and threatened to take legal action if the victim did not send a check, usually for $20 to $50. Through his fraudulent psychic mailing campaign, Ingenbleek obtained more than $13 million dollars from victims.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi ordered forfeiture in the amount of $13,618,921.19 and imposed a three-year term of supervised release.
U.S Attorney Frazer credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charges, and HSI Rome and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for providing significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Italy.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Daniel Rashbaum, Esq., Miami, Florida.
Lobbying firm and its owner ordered to pay $400,000 for fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program loansRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ordered Iseman & Associates LLC, a lobbying firm located in West Palm Beach, Florida, and its owner Vicki Iseman, to pay $408,730.44 after finding that they submitted fraudulent applications to obtain federally guaranteed loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
In March 2025, the United States filed a Complaint against Iseman & Associates and Iseman alleging that they had violated the False Claims Act (FCA) and Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) by submitting false documents and falsely certifying eligibility for two PPP loans. Businesses primarily engaged in lobbying or political activities were categorically ineligible to obtain PPP loans. According to the government’s complaint, Iseman & Associates and Iseman had submitted falsified tax documents and made false certifications as part of their PPP loan applications.
The District Court found that the United States had shown it was entitled to judgment on the FCA and FIRREA claims asserted against the defendants and, accordingly, awarded the United States summary judgment, and entered judgment that included treble damages and penalties under the FCA.
The outcome in this case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel, Litigation Unit, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Beerbower, assisted by Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni.
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.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 1:25-cv-450-MSN-LRV.
Justice Department Reveals the Biden Administration’s Weaponization of Federal Law Against Pro-Life AmericansRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group published a report detailing the Biden Administration’s weaponization of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Based on a review of over 700,000 internal records, the report not only details specific ways the Biden Justice Department weaponized federal law, but also outlines the corrective action taken by the current Justice Department to make right the wrongs of the prior administration.
“This Department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “No Department should conduct selective prosecution based on beliefs. The weaponization that happened under the Biden Administration will not happen again, as we restore integrity to our prosecutorial system.”
President Trump promised to end the weaponization of the federal government. To many Americans, prosecutions under the FACE Act have been the prototypical example of this weaponization. The Justice Department conducted a thorough review of internal discussions, case files, and prosecutorial decisions under the Act and concludes that the Biden DOJ weaponized the FACE Act in several ways.
- The Biden DOJ closely collaborated with pro-abortion groups to track pro-life activists’ First Amendment activity. Pro-abortion groups—especially the National Abortion Federation, Planned Parenthood, and Feminist Majority Foundation—capitalized on their relationship with the Biden DOJ to gain internal information and push targets for enforcement. These groups compiled evidence and dossiers that ultimately gave rise to search warrants and charges. The Biden DOJ affirmatively asked pro-abortion groups about pro-life individuals’ travel and constitutionally protected advocacy. The Biden DOJ and career attorneys monitored pro-life activists for years before charging them.
- The Biden DOJ’s prosecutors engaged in inappropriate conduct and comments. Prosecutors knowingly withheld evidence that defense counsel requested to prepare an affirmative defense, tried to screen out jurors based on religion, and authorized aggressive arrest tactics instead of allowing pro-life defendants to self-surrender.
- The Biden DOJ helped a pro-abortion group secure funding. The lead prosecutor on each FACE Act prosecution served as a reference on the National Abortion Federation’s application for a private grant. We found no record of ethics approval for the attorney to take an interest in the financial outcome of a party having business before the Biden DOJ.
- The Biden DOJ pursued significantly harsher sentences for pro-life defendants than violent pro-abortion defendants. The Biden DOJ requested an average sentence of 26.8 months for pro-life defendants, compared to 12.3 months for pro-abortion defendants.
- The Biden DOJ violated the rights of Americans through its biased enforcement of the FACE Act. Though the Act was supposed to protect both pro-choice and pro-life facilities, the Biden DOJ provided extensive support to abortion clinics, while ignoring and downplaying vandalism and attacks against pregnancy resource centers.
The Biden DOJ’s actions were wrong. The Trump Administration and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche are committed to rectifying these wrongs by taking the following actions.
- On January 23, 2025, President Trump issued full and unconditional pardons to many of the pro-life Christians unfairly targeted by the Biden DOJ.
- DOJ has settled civil cases to address the injustices and took personnel action against those responsible.
- DOJ leadership has dismissed, with prejudice, three civil lawsuits against pro-life activists: United States v. Connolly, No. 2:24-cv-04467 (E.D. Penn.); United States v. Zastrow, et al., No. 2:24-cv-00576 (M.D. Fla.); United States v. Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, et al., No. 1:24-cv-00893 (N.D. Ohio).
- The Trump DOJ issued a directive that, moving forward, DOJ prosecutors may only bring abortion-related civil actions and prosecutions under the FACE Act in extraordinary circumstances or in cases presenting significant aggravating factors.
- To prepare this report, DOJ reviewed approximately 700,000 internal records. Acting Attorney General Blanche has approved a limited waiver of privileged information to provide the public the opportunity to review the underlying materials.
“The behavior unearthed in this report is shameful,” said Assistant Attorney General Daniel Burrows, Office of Legal Policy. “Lawyers who should have known better withheld evidence, worked to keep committed religious people off juries, and generally allowed the Department of Justice to be used as the enforcement arm of pro-abortion special interests.”
DOJ is committed to prosecuting crime in a manner that is consistent with its mission to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights. Should other affected individuals have concerns, DOJ will assess their allegations without fear or favor.
You can find the report and over 800 pages of exhibits here.
Jury finds Hamilton man guilty of illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Hamilton man who illegally possessed several firearms and ammunition was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Following a one-day trial, Shawn Ryan Cowan, 28, was found guilty of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Cowan faces 15 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for August 26, 2026. Cowan was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that law enforcement officers received information that Cowan was in possession of a firearm. A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence where law enforcement located the following:
- Ruger SR-22, .22 cal. pistol;
- Raven Arms P25, .25 cal. pistol;
- F.LLI Pietta Fabrica D'Armi, Big Bore Rough Rider, .357 cal. revolver;
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) TM22-A-18, .22 cal. rifle;
- Marlin Firearms Co. 20, .22 cal. rifle;
- High Standard Sentinel, .22 cal. revolver;
- North American Arms NAA22, .22 cal. revolver;
- Smith & Wesson 18, .22 cal. revolver;
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) VRPA40, .12 cal. shotgun;
- Heritage Mfg. Inc. Rough Rider, .22 cal. revolver.
Agents also located various calibers of ammunition.
Cowan was previously convicted of Aggravated Assault in Montana, which is punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Cowan also is required to register as a violent offender for life because he received another felony conviction while required to register. The defendant’s right to possess a firearm was never restored under Montana or federal law.
The defendant admitted to law enforcement that he was “technically a felon,” but stated he owned guns because his conviction was fraudulently obtained by county officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office.
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Illegal alien guilty in decades-long identity theft schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 62-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Houston has admitted to theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Beginning in 1992, Ana Silvia Garcia used a Social Security number belonging to a U.S. citizen. Using that identity, she submitted immigration petitions on behalf of family members and obtained disability and Medicare benefits.
As a result of the scheme, Garcia unlawfully received more than $278,000 in benefits from 2013 through February 2026. She was not entitled to those funds.
Garcia later admitted her true identity following her arrest in February.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge will impose sentencing July 2. At that time, Garcia faces up to 10 years in federal prison for stealing government funds and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for committing aggravated identity theft.
Garcia has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General and Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation with assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Bauman is prosecuting the case.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within federal benefit programs.
Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Re-entering the U.S. Without AuthorizationRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Five aliens have been sentenced for illegally entering the United States after being previously deported from the country. These cases are separate and not related. Upon completion of their sentences, they will be subject to a detainer from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will be taken into administrative immigration custody for removal from the U.S.
The following defendants previously pleaded guilty to Illegal Entry of a Removed Alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326:
- Francisco Constancio-Mariscal, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least two occasions, with the most recent being April 28, 2011. He was found in Port Clinton, Ottawa County, on Jan. 4.
- Oscar Mendoza, 52, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Jan. 17, 2008. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12.
- Guillermo Gutierrez-Rivas, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being June 29, 2024. He was found in Benton Township, Ottawa County, on Dec. 19, 2025.
- Alvaro Veliz Gonzalez, 35, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions, with the most recent being Oct. 11, 2021. He was found in Toledo, Lucas County, on Dec. 8, 2025.
- Marcos Alberto Bardales-Lopez, 27, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion, with the most recent being Dec. 6, 2019. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12.
Additionally, Jhofran Andres Laya-Gutierrez, 29, a citizen of Venezuela, was sentenced to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty to Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Federal Officer, Falsification of Records, and Misuse of a Social Security Number.
These investigations were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
The prosecutions were led by Assistant United States Attorneys Ava Rotell Dustin, Robert Melching, Sara Al-Sorghali, Alissa Sterling, and Matthew Simko for the Northern District of Ohio.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Indicted for Alleged Drug Trafficking after Law Enforcement Seized Approximately 176 Pounds of NarcoticsRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – a federal grand jury in St. George returned an indictment today charging an illegal alien from Mexico for drug crimes after law enforcement, including agents with the Homeland Security Task Force, seized approximately 176 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop last month.
According to the allegations in court documents, on March 13, 2026, Robert William Galicia-Hernandez, 27, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was pulled over in a black Nissan Sentra for a traffic violation near the Utah/Arizona border. During the traffic stop, A law enforcement K-9 was used to conduct a “sniff” of the vehicle and gave a positive alert to the presence of illegal drugs. A search of the vehicle was conducted and officers located and seized multiple packages of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed approximately 176.6 pounds.
Galicia-Hernandez is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the St. George Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Hurricane Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These prosecutions are 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 agents and officers of the HSTF Salt Lake and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien from El Salvador Charged with Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly WeaponRead the Press Release
mendoza_hernandez_complaint.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States Attorney Eric Grant announced that a federal criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, a national of El Salvador residing in Stanislaus County, with assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon.
According to court documents, on April 7, 2026, at approximately 6:50 a.m., four federal law enforcement officers conducted an operation in the city of Patterson, California, to locate and arrest Mendoza Hernandez because he is illegally present in the United States. Officers stopped Mendoza Hernandez near an onramp to Interstate 5 by activating their emergency lights. Mendoza Hernandez pulled over on the right shoulder.
During the stop, Mendoza Hernandez identified himself and an agent informed Mendoza Hernandez that he was being detained and instructed him to step out of the vehicle. Despite repeated requests, Mendoza Hernandez kept his car running and did not comply with agent requests. Mendoza Hernandez eventually drove forward and hit an agent with his vehicle. Mendoza Hernandez then quickly shifted the vehicle in reverse and abruptly accelerated in a rapid backward motion. While in reverse, Mendoza Hernandez violently collided with the front of a law enforcement vehicle parked behind Mendoza Hernandez.
After striking the front of the agents’ vehicle, Mendoza Hernandez’s vehicle then directly faced two of the agents assisting in the stop. After a brief pause, Mendoza Hernandez accelerated forward toward the agents. One of the agents was in the direct path of Mendoza Hernandez’s vehicle and jumped out of the way to avoid being hit. Mendoza Hernandez jumped the center median and drove the wrong way against traffic toward the freeway. He then crossed the median, stopping his car on the side of the road.
During this incident, and in response to the vehicle’s movements, agents discharged their firearms at the vehicle. Mendoza Hernandez was hit several times. Agents rendered medical aid at the scene and Mendoza Hernandez was transported to the hospital. After receiving medical treatment, Mendoza Hernandez was medically cleared and taken into FBI custody on Monday, April 13, 2026.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department helped secure the scene and provided substantial public safety assistance while Mendoza Hernandez recovered in the hospital. The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office provided substantial support following the incident. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Hitt is prosecuting the case.
The defendant’s custody status will be determined during his initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge.
If convicted, Mendoza Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge in the Criminal Complaint is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Illegal Alien Who Unlawfully Used A Social Security Number and Assaulted Agents Sentenced to 15 Months in CustodyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Julio Cesar Garcia-Espinoza, 29, a citizen of Mexico living illegally in the United States, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for the offenses of falsely claiming lawful permanent resident status, using a Social Security number not assigned to him in order to obtain employment, and assaulting and inflicting bodily injury on Homeland Security Investigations agents who were attempting to arrest him.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “I consider this to be a serious case. All too often, our law enforcement officers are injured while doing the job we ask them to do. When most of us go to work each day, we don’t have to seriously worry about being attacked. They do. These officers deserve the respect and gratitude of all of us, and they will always receive the full support of my office when they are endangered while doing their jobs.”
After entering the United States illegally in 2022, Garcia-Espinoza procured and used a false permanent resident card and a false Social Security card to obtain employment at Riedstra Dairy, Ltd., in Mendon, Michigan. After he was indicted by a federal grand jury for such offenses, HSI Special Agents attempted to serve him with a court-ordered arrest warrant on September 24, 2025. He forcibly resisted being taken into custody by kicking, biting, spitting, yelling, and cursing. One of the officers was bitten on the chest; the bite broke the skin and he required medical treatment. On January 7, 2026, Garcia-Espinoza entered a plea of guilty to all counts.
Upon the completion of his sentence, Garcia-Espinoza will be subject to removal proceedings to deport him to his native Mexico.
“There are serious consequences for those who commit fraud and resort to violence against law enforcement,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “Our special agents put themselves at risk every day to uphold the law and protect our communities. HSI remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard the integrity of our immigration system and ensure the safety of our officers and the public.”
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
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.
High Museum of Art’s former chief operating officer charged with embezzlementRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Brady Lum, the former chief operating officer of the High Museum of Art, was arraigned today on a federal charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Lum allegedly used his position at the High Museum to steal more than $600,000 from the museum by doctoring invoices and approving transactions for personal purchases.
“While entrusted to run the High Museum, Lum allegedly used the museum’s money as his personal slush fund and thereby betrayed one of Atlanta’s civic crown jewels,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will move with swift precision to prosecute individuals who abuse positions of power and trust to enrich themselves at the expense of non-profit institutions.”
“We expect officials of one of our communities’ historic institutions to serve as stewards — not to loot it,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham. “The FBI remains unwavering in its pursuit to hold accountable those who exploit their positions for selfish purposes.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: The High Museum of Art is an iconic cornerstone of Atlanta’s cultural identity, featuring a collection of more than 20,000 works of art, a dynamic schedule of special exhibitions, and engaging community-focused programs.
Lum served as the High Museum’s chief operating officer from January 2, 2019, until his resignation on December 9, 2025. As COO, he was responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling the High Museum’s operational and financial activities.
During his tenure as COO, Lum repeatedly purchased non-business items and services for himself, including luxury guitars and other music equipment, personal music lessons, and woodworking equipment, through direct supplier invoicing and through the High Museum’s corporate credit card reimbursement process. Lum concealed the nature of his transactions in several ways, including by submitting altered invoices, using his position to exercise delegated expense approval authority, and using accounting adjustments to spread his expenses across different cost centers so that they would not be readily identified.
For example, in one instance, on or about November 29, 2024, Lum submitted an altered invoice for reimbursement through the High Museum’s online expense processing platform. While the submitted invoice showed a $9,147.87 purchase of equipment that appeared to be for the museum’s benefit, the original version of the invoice was for a guitar and accessories. Over the course of his scheme, Lum stole more than $600,000 from the High Museum.
Brady Lum, 59, of Atlanta, Georgia, was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher C. Bly. Members of the public are reminded that the information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges until he is proven guilty or admits guilt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas N. Joy is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Hanahan City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Arrested for Possession, Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — According to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant unsealed today, Kevin Phillip Hedgpeth, 48, City of Hanahan Mayor Pro Tem and member of City Council, has been charged with possession and production of child sexual abuse material.*
According to the charging document, which was authorized by United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker, an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Hedgpeth as a member of a forum on social media that was facilitating the sale of child sexual abuse material.
Further investigation revealed that Hedgpeth has paid numerous minors who have been identified as likely victims of child sex abuse in CyberTips submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. From December 2021 to present, Hedgpeth’s Cash App and PayPal accounts paid 47 accounts that were either associated with minors or suspected of selling content. The accounts Hedgpeth paid include minors in the Charleston, South Carolina area.
Further investigation revealed that videos and images depicting child sexual abuse were stored in an iCloud account registered to Hedgpeth’s personal e-mail address, his cellular phone, and his home address, and that the account had been accessed frequently from his home internet router. Hedgpeth used his iCloud account and social media to communicate with children, to direct them to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos, and to send these videos to him in exchange for money. One victim was 12 years old when the communication began. Hedgpeth paid that minor for child sex abuse videos, and he pressured that minor to produce content with the minor’s 15-year-old brother. At times, Hedgpeth pretended to be a minor, and at others, he distributed child sexual abuse videos to minors to entice them to produce and sell similar content to him.
Hedgpeth faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison, a maximum of 30 years, lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office, plus sex offender registration requirements.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Investigators are seeking the public’s help to identify possible victims. If you have relevant information to report, please contact HSI at Charleston_exploitationtips@hsi.dhs.gov, by telephone at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423), or through the online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Elliott B. Daniels are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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* The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.
Hampton man sentenced to 20 years in prison for coercing minors to produce child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the coercion and enticement of two minors.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2020, Yahmir Deshawn Kawante Hamlet, 25, uploaded a video file with advertising links to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in exchange for payments.
On Dec. 6, 2023, FBI investigators searched Hamlet’s residence and seized seven electronic devices containing approximately 425 image files and 122 video files of CSAM, as well as MEGA and Dropbox links and multiple Telegram chats negotiating sales of CSAM. The CSAM files included infants and toddlers, masochism, and bestiality. The devices also included sexually explicit conversations between Hamlet and two minors. Hamlet paid the minors for sexually explicit images and videos.
After Hamlet’s arrest on May 1, 2025, the FBI identified additional CSAM, including 30 images and five videos.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-36.
Hampton felon sentenced to over three years in prison for latest firearm convictionRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Aug. 8, 2024, law enforcement observed Tre’Vonte Jermel Hunter, 27, leave a residence with a camouflage backpack and enter a vehicle. At that time, Hunter was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant. When officers stopped the vehicle, Hunter fled on foot. Officers pursued and ultimately apprehended Hunter.
Investigators recovered a handgun from the backpack. The handgun was loaded with a 30-round extended magazine, and investigators recovered an additional 17-round magazine. Hunter previously was convicted of, among other crimes, evading and eluding, hit and run, reckless driving, failure to appear, forgery of a bank note, disregarding law enforcement commands, driving on a suspended license, driving on a revoked license, driving without a license, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and carrying a concealed weapon. As a convicted felon, Hunter cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk Office; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division – Norfolk District Office; and the Hampton Police Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-58.
Grand jury indicts former fugitive on attempted murder of federal officers, firearms & violent crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury returned an indictment here today against a Dayton man who had been a fugitive in Missouri for approximately five years. The defendant fired shots at fugitive apprehension officers when they arrived at his Dayton home to take him into custody.
Terrence Gay, 41, had been a fugitive since September 2021, when he failed to appear to begin serving a federal prison sentence for fentanyl crimes.
According to court documents, on March 19, the Southern District of Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) developed new information regarding Gay’s whereabouts and began surveillance on his residence.
On March 23, law enforcement officials surrounded Gay’s home, announcing their presence and purpose.
Gay allegedly failed to comply with agents to come out of his home and eventually fired approximately 12 rounds at officers, striking an unmarked Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office vehicle with deputies nearby.
Dayton Police SWAT and Montgomery County SWAT teams arrived to provide assistance.
During this time, United States Marshals received a phone call from Gay’s attorney, and a three-way call was made to arrange Gay’s peaceful surrender.
Gay is charged in the six-count indictment with assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, attempted murder of a federal officer, two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and illegally possessing a firearm as a fugitive. He was originally charged by federal criminal complaint on March 25.
Besides his prior convictions in Missouri, Gay has prior convictions in Montgomery County for aggravated robbery, theft and kidnapping.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; United States Marshal Michael D. Black; Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck; and Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Erica D. Lunderman is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand jury indicts Dayton man for robbing local bankRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man arrested three hours after he allegedly robbed a local bank has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
John Donald Butler, 62, was originally charged by federal criminal complaint on April 1. His indictment was returned today.
According to charging documents, on March 30, Butler entered the Key Bank on Miamisburg Centerville Road in Dayton at approximately 2:45pm. Butler was dressed as a construction worker. He allegedly passed a note to the bank teller, telling the individual to get everything out of the top drawer and not to include any dye packs. Butler received more than $9,000 in cash and fled the scene.
Law enforcement obtained security images of Butler, who was not wearing any sort of face covering. Officials also used license plate readers to track Butler’s vehicle before and after the robbery.
Approximately three hours after the robbery, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Butler and arrested him. Cash, drugs and the robbery note were all subsequently located on Butler or in his vehicle.
The defendant has previously been convicted of more than 20 other bank robberies in prior federal cases in Florida and Georgia.
Bank robbery is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Butler has remained in custody since his arrest.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Moraine Police Chief Craig Richardson announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth L. McCormick is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Gainesville Man Sentenced to over Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Voluminous Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Daniel Reginald Hanna, II, 38, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to twelve and a half years in federal prison on charges related to receipt and possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material are heinous crimes that have the effect of re-victimizing the innocent children who were sexually exploited every time the horrific images and videos of their abuse are shared. This sentence reflects the gravity of these crimes, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute predators like this defendant to ensure we achieve justice for the victims of child sexual abuse and, ultimately, prevent future victimization from occurring.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant maintained a significant and disturbing collection of child pornography. While executing a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in March 2025, law enforcement located numerous electronic devices that contained child sex abuse material, including 163 videos in a folder entitled “Kids,” and over 2,500 images of child pornography on two cell phones.
Following his release from prison, Hanna will be on supervised release for 12 years and is required to register as a sex offender.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that crimes involving the exploitation of children will be met with unwavering accountability,” said Chief Moya, Gainesville Police Department. “I want to commend the investigators, prosecutors, and partnering agencies whose dedication and persistence ensured that this individual was brought to justice. Protecting children remains one of our highest priorities. We will continue to use every resource available to identify offenders, support victims, and prevent these crimes from occurring.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former Placerville Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing and Tampering with the Narcotic Medications of United States Military VeteransRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carrie Wallace, 47, of Pollock Pines, pleaded guilty Monday to tampering with a consumer product and mail theft by a postal employee, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Wallace used her position as a U.S. Postal Service employee to access and steal mail parcels containing prescription medication and vape products. She intentionally targeted packages sent by the Department of Veterans Affairs to its patients because those packages generally contained narcotic medications. Wallace cut into the packages, opened the prescription narcotics medication bottles, stole the medication and replaced it with over-the-counter medication, retaped the packages and placed them back in the mail stream to be delivered to the intended recipients. Multiple veteran victims consumed the tampered medication, putting them at risk of injury for taking incorrectly dispensed drugs. Due to Wallace’s medication theft and tampering, veteran victims experienced extreme pain, increased agitation, anger, and other mental health symptoms.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the VA Police Department conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case.
Wallace is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 10, 2026. Wallace faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Connecticut Tax Preparer Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DIANA MILLER-LLOYD, also known as “Diana Rabin” and “Diana Lloyd,” 45, of Port Orange, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release for preparing numerous false tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller-Lloyd formerly resided in Middlefield and operated Lloyd Forenzique & Accounting Services Corporation, a tax return preparation business in Connecticut. She established the business in 2017 in Windsor, and subsequently moved it to Branford in 2019 and to Guilford in 2021. Before 2017, Miller-Lloyd provided tax preparation services under the business name Lloyd Forensic & Accounting Services. Miller-Lloyd routinely obtained substantial federal tax refunds for her clients, many of whom had annual incomes exceeding $500,000, by disregarding information provided by the clients and their employers, and by fabricating and improperly deducting charitable contributions and business expenses, including advertising, repairs and maintenance, travel, meals, utilities, insurance, and legal services.
As a result of these fraudulent deductions, for the 2016 through 2021 tax years, Miller-Lloyd attempted to obtain for her clients at least $1,062,293 in either fraudulent refunds or fraudulent reductions on owed tax payments. The IRS detected apparent fraudulent activity on several of the filed returns before refund monies were paid, resulting in an actual loss to the government of $472,913.
In addition, Miller-Lloyd at times used the professional credentials of another person, who was a certified public accountant, to defend filed returns when audited by the IRS.
Judge Nagala ordered Miller-Lloyd to pay to the IRS restitution of $467,717.
On October 1, 2025, Miller-Lloyd pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns.
In 2010, Miller-Lloyd was convicted in New York for grand larceny related to the preparation of false tax returns.
Miller-Lloyd, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 13.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Florida Nursing Assistant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.
Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.
“Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
“This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.”
“By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.”
After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Florida Nursing Assistant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.
Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.
“Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
“This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.”
“By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.”
After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida 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.
Florida Man Charged with Running Multi-State Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man was arrested today for allegedly defrauding investors who believed they were funding short-term, high-return loans for real estate transactions or storm damage repair.
Jose Bello, 38, was charged with four counts of wire fraud. He made an initial appearance in the Southern District of Florida and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document, Bello told investors that he worked with a group that would invest its money in short-term financing that Bello variously referred to as “private lending,” “gator lending” or “hard-money lending.” It is alleged that Bello recruited investors through friends and family and over Facebook and Discord. Bello allegedly gave investors fake descriptions of the investment opportunities and claimed that the loans were for repairs caused by storm damage. It is alleged, however, that Bello did not invest any of the funds he received from victim investors. Instead, Bello allegedly used the money to pay purported returns to earlier investors and otherwise gambled with investor funds. It is further alleged that Bello made false statements and excuses to investors as to why he had not made promised interest payments and/or could not return the investors’ principal. It is alleged that Bello obtained at least $5.7 million from investors and caused them to lose at least $1.8 million in purported investments.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
First of two violent ATM bank robbers sentenced to ten years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 24-year-old Texas man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for a string of violent bank robberies, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Seth Coles-Body, of Houston pleaded guilty in February 2026 to four counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted bank robbery for his role in a scheme to steal from banks by assaulting and threatening ATM technicians. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, Coles-Body “was enjoying a criminal life… The conduct was driven by greed and an appetite for money without considering the overall community.”
“This defendant targeted ordinary, hardworking citizens who were simply doing their job, and who now have to live with the fear and trauma that comes from being ambushed and beaten in their workplace,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Mr. Coles-Body used increasing violence as time went on. Even after several law enforcement encounters, he never slowed down, instead he celebrated his robberies on social media. This significant sentence is warranted.”
“For months, Mr. Coles-Body and his co-defendant committed a series of increasingly brazen and violent robberies across the United States, including in multiple locations in the state of Washington,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “They badly injured repair technicians just trying to do their jobs and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars. I commend the hard work of the FBI Seattle, Phoenix, and Houston field offices, along with state law enforcement partners nationwide, in bringing these thieves to justice.”
Coles-Body, 24, and Ahmon Hogg, 23, of Humble, Texas, were identified as part of a robbery ring operating across the country. The men would disable ATM machines, and when the technician showed up to fix the machine, they would threaten or assault the technician to steal the cash containers, called cassettes, from the ATM.
In December 2024, the pair worked together to disable ATMs on December 23 and 24, when the machines would be loaded with cash for the Christmas holiday. The coconspirators disabled a Bank of America ATM in Renton, Washington. After the technician arrived and began repairing the machine, he was forcibly confronted by Hogg and Coles-Body who brandished a screwdriver and demanded he open the machine and provide them with the cash cassettes. The technician did not open the machine, and after a scuffle, the technician was able to escape.
The next day in Vancouver, Washington, a technician was sent to repair a Bank of America ATM on SE Mill Plain Boulevard. As the technician started repairs, Hogg and Coles-Body ran up and intimidated the victim and grabbed five cash cassettes filled with currency. The men fled in a car that matched one seen the previous day in connection with the attempted robbery in Renton.
The defendants also admitted they had disabled a Bank of America ATM in Battle Ground, Washington, that same day.
While the investigations were ongoing in Washington, Hogg and Coles-Body were identified in connection with ATM tampering cases on January 3, 2025, in the Phoenix, Arizona area. ATMs for Bank of America and Wells Fargo had been tampered with like the Washington ATMs. Hogg and Coles-Body were stopped by Phoenix law enforcement while attempting to rob one of the ATMs they had disabled.
On March 7, 2025, the defendants committed another robbery at Bank of America in Redmond, Washington. An ATM repair technician was working on the machine that had been disabled by Hogg and Coles-Body. Once the machine was open, two robbers ran up and stole cash canisters filled with money from the machine. Five of the canisters were later recovered, damaged, on the shoulder of highway 520. A few days later, Coles-Body was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol with approximately $209,000 in cash. The cash was seized, and Coles-Body was released.
In May 2025, Hogg and Coles-Body were back in Houston, where they reside, and committed another robbery of a Wells Fargo. A repair technician had the machine open to make repairs, and Coles-Body rushed the technician and caused injuries. The men stole about $117,000 from the machine and abandoned their car a short distance away.
In June 2025, the men traveled to Oregon and disabled ATMs in Tigard and Hillsboro. While in the area, the men robbed an ATM customer who had just used a different machine.
Hogg and Coles-Body then drove from Oregon to Maine and on June 30, 2025, they disabled a Bank of America ATM in South Portland, Maine. While the technician was making repairs the men rushed and beat the technician, stealing $47,000 from the Bank of America.
The men left Maine and drove across the country to Jackson, Mississippi where they were arrested in a traffic stop. They had stolen firearms and significant amounts of cash in the car.
Both men have agreed to pay restitution to the victims currently determined to be $768,900.
The sentencing resolves all the cases in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Maine, and Mississippi.
Speaking in court today and asking for the high-end ten-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell said, “These were hands-on robberies carried out with violence and intimidation…. No place in the country was off limits, and this was fun for him. There was no remorse – this was a source of pride and celebration.”
Coles-Body will be on three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Vancouver, Phoenix, and Houston offices of the FBI and state law enforcement, the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force, and state law enforcement partners in Hillsboro Oregon, Battleground, Washington, and Jackson, Mississippi. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell, with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Offices in Phoenix and Houston.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney, FBI SAC Warn Residents of Scam CallsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Ian Kaufmann, warn residents of scam calls being made in the Western District of Virginia.
Callers have reported receiving multiple phone calls from numbers not associated with the United States Attorney’s Office, or other government agencies, but manipulated to appear legitimate. The fraudulent callers demand payment and threaten to “kick down their doors.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will not contact citizens demanding money or personal information. If someone receives such a call or email, they should not provide any personal information, credit card numbers, prepaid cards or money.
Federal authorities do not call victims of crimes or suspects of crimes and ask for money or personal identifying information over the telephone. If you receive a similar call or email, please contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov immediately.
Fentanyl Traffickers Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people have been sentenced for fentanyl and methamphetamine offenses in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Courtney Stewart, 30, of Piedmont, West Virginia, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison. Stewart worked with Nelson Anthony Zambito to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl in Mineral County and elsewhere. Zambito was Stewart’s drug supplier. Zambito’s home was searched, and officers seized nearly 29 grams of meth and nearly 1 gram of fentanyl. Zambito pled guilty in October 2025. He will be sentenced at a later date.
In a separate case, Crystal Lyn Lewis, 36, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 40 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Lewis worked with Delano Butler and others to sell fentanyl and other controlled substances in the Eastern Panhandle. The drug operation investigation yielded 30,000 to 40,000 press fentanyl pills, along with 14 firearms, and other illegal drugs. Butler pled guilty on April 10, 2026. He is awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Potomac Highlands Drug task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff's Office; Grant County Sheriff's Office; Hampshire County Sheriff's Department; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Federal Jury Convicts Porcupine Man of Assault and Witness Tampering ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal jury has convicted Jimmy Pilcher, age 49, of Porcupine, South Dakota, of Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation, three counts of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Witness Tampering, following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 9, 2026.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, and a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Pilcher was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026.
During the wintertime of 2024, Pilcher began a romantic relationship with the victim. Shortly after their relationship started, Pilcher began controlling the victim by monitoring her communications with others. When Pilcher started to lose control of his victim, he began assaulting her and using other forms of mental and emotional manipulation on her. In July 2025, Pilcher saw a picture of the victim with another male and accused her of cheating on him. Pilcher became enraged and punched the victim in the face and stomach and pulled her hair. He used his knee to continuously strike the victim’s upper leg and outer thigh/hip area. Pilcher then strangled the victim over a kitchen sink. This strangulation caused the victim to see flashes of light and impeded her ability to breathe. The next day she received medical attention at Indian Health Services, and the staff observed injuries consistent with abuse, including bruising around her neck.
In October 2025, Pilcher assaulted the same victim in the head and face inside a truck in rural Pine Ridge. Witnesses intervened and were able to get the victim away from Pilcher. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety responded to the scene and arrested Pilcher. Following his arrest, Pilcher began contacting the victim from within the jail. Pilcher was able to convince the victim not to show up for court and was eventually released from jail. A tribal protection order was, however, still in effect.
On December 5, 2025, in violation of the protection order, Pilcher took the victim inside his truck and drove to a field away from his residence. While inside the truck, Pilcher accused her of cheating on him with another male. Pilcher dragged the victim across the seat, threw her out of the truck, and pulled her up by her hair. During this beating, Pilcher struck the victim in the face, hit her in the back of the head, punched and kicked her with shod feet, and strangled her. During the beating, Pilcher threatened to kill her and her family. The victim was able to get away from Pilcher and got a ride to her house. Pilcher was eventually arrested by law enforcement.
After his arrest, Pilcher contacted the victim from the jail in Pine Ridge. Pilcher attempted to persuade the victim into not pursuing charges and pleaded with her not to report the full extent of the abuse. Pilcher told the victim and his sister that he had spoken with law enforcement and was aware that his case was under federal investigation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Fayette County Man Previously Convicted of Violating Clean Water Act Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Graves, 70, of Charlton Heights, pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return. Graves admitted to causing tax losses totaling $266,053.00 by underreporting his income.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2021, Graves filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return for tax year 2016 listing his income as $816.00. As part of his guilty plea, Graves admitted that he filed a false return and that his corrected tax income for 2016 was approximately $427,256.00. Graves further admitted that his false tax return resulted in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $125,285.00.
Graves also admitted that he falsely listed his annual income as $816.00 on tax returns for years 2017 to 2020, underreporting his income by a total of approximately $608,163.00 and wrongfully withholding $140,768.00 from the U.S. Treasury Department.
Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00. Graves also owes $266,053.00 in restitution.
During the time period, Graves owned and operated West Virginia Environmental Services, Inc. (WVES). Graves and WVES were paid over $9.8 million from 2006 to 2020 to accept industrial waste at a Fayette County landfill and treat the resulting contaminated liquid or leachate. On February 22, 2023, Graves pleaded guilty as an individual and on behalf of WVES to violating the Clean Water Act, admitting they failed to maintain the landfill’s leachate collection for several years beginning in at least 2016. This failure by Graves and WVES caused the discharge of toxic pollutants including arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and selenium into Jarrett Branch, a tributary that flows into the Kanawha River near Alloy. On December 21, 2023, Graves was sentenced to one year of incarceration, to be served on home confinement as part of a five-year term of federal probation, and fined $10,000.00 WVES was fined $500,000.00 and placed on corporate probation for three years.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The Criminal Investigative Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection investigated the Clean Water Act violations, which brought the false tax returns to light.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes 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. 2:26-cr-31.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braden Robertson, 30, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2024, Robertson possessed a Ruger model Wrangler .22-caliber revolver, a Colt model Buntline Scout .22-caliber revolver, a Ruger model Blackhawk .45-caliber revolver, a Sar Arms model SARB6P Hawk 9mm pistol, and an Excam model GT27 .25-caliber pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Robertson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to commit a felony and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance on July 30, 2018, in Fayette County Circuit Court.
Robertson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Four of the firearms possessed by Robertson were stolen from a Fayette County pawn shop. On July 4, 2024, Jawuan Akil Watts and other individuals broke into the pawn shop on three occasions while the business was closed and stole 33 firearms, ammunition, coins, and a gaming console. Watts traded, sold, or gave many of the firearms to others in the Oak Hill community including individuals with felony convictions. On July 6, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Lesley Scott Watkins and found three firearms during the search, including two that were stolen from the pawn shop. Sixteen of the stolen firearms have not been recovered.
On December 4, 2025, Watts, 32, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Watkins, 50, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, each for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
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 Oak Hill Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-23.
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FBI Arrests Two Men on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, FBI special agents arrested two men on criminal charges related to child exploitation conduct.
A federal grand jury indicted Elid Jesuel Pizarro-Morales on April 9, 2026, with six counts of sexual exploitation of children, receipt of child exploitation material, and possession of child exploitation material. According to court documents, Pizarro-Morales, 22, from Carolina, created and used an internet based social application account to communicate with male minors and solicited the male minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct to obtain sexually explicit images and videos.
In November 2025, the defendant induced, enticed and coerced four male minors, two 14 year old minors, a 12 year old minor, and a 13 year old minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. From August 2023 through February 2026, Pizarro-Morales knowingly possessed, and accessed with intent to view material containing images of child pornography, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, using an Apple iPad.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In a separate case, Miguel Ángel Marquez-Rosario, a 43 year old man from San Juan, was arrested today by FBI agents for child exploitation. On April 9, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Marquez-Rosario with two counts of transportation of child exploitation material and possession of child exploitation material.
According to the indictment, from February 2026 through March 2026, the defendant knowingly used electronic devices for possession and access with intent to view images of child exploitation material, including of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
If convicted, Marquez-Rosario faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing our joint efforts with our state, local, and federal partners to locate these offenders and ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Crimes against children are among the most serious violations we investigate,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The consumption of child sexual abuse material feeds a despicable industry that exploits innocent children. Every child deserves safety, and we won’t rest until every offender faces the full weight of federal law.”
The FBI is investigating the cases.
AUSA Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting both cases.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug dealer known as ‘Panda’ sentenced to more than 11 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Patricia Flesch, 36, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 135 months in prison for conspiring to traffic bulk amounts of narcotics.
According to court documents, Flesch, who is also known as “Panda,” was a well-known mid-level drug dealer in central Ohio. Between September 2020 and June 2023, she distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to local users and other dealers in the Columbus area.
As part of her narcotics conspiracy, Flesch used houses and motels throughout the region to store drugs and facilitate drug transactions. She ran several drug premises and, at one time, was coordinating the delivery of 10 to 15 pounds of methamphetamine weekly from a source in Texas, according to her Facebook account.
Some of the drug premises included Flesch’s apartment on Hilton Avenue and other residences on Franshire Drive, East 14th Avenue and Helen Street. Law enforcement observed Flesch travel to different motels in Columbus and back to Helen Street nearly 440 times between March 16 and April 6, 2023.
Flesch was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit; announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Columbus and Pickerington police departments also coordinated throughout the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Drug Dealer Sentenced in Two Separate Federal CasesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa drug dealer was sentenced in two separate federal cases for distributing drugs throughout the Northern District of Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Tony Eugene Bahe, 38, for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of a Firearm while Drug Trafficking. He was ordered to 180 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. In the second case, Bahe was sentenced for Drug Conspiracy. He was ordered to concurrently serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in November 2024, Tulsa Police officers executed two search warrants on homes they believed Bahe was using for drug distribution. During the execution of his home in south Tulsa, officers found Bahe with a loaded firearm in his pocket. During a search of the residence, officers recovered 8 grams of fentanyl, more than 50 grams of methamphetamine broken down for distribution, drug scales, and additional drug distribution paraphernalia.
While searching the second home located in north Tulsa, officers recovered more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, ballistic body armor, digital scales, and additional items used for drug distribution. A K-9 conducted an open-air sniff on Bahe’s truck and alerted its handler that drugs were present. Officers searched the vehicle and found an additional 24 kilograms of methamphetamine in the truck.
While searching both homes, officers seized more than 22 guns from the properties. Court records show that Bahe has been convicted of several felonies that make it unlawful for him to possess a firearm and ammunition.
In Bahe’s second indictment, he admitted to conspiring with several others to distribute bulk quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Tulsa community. Once Bahe obtained a large quantity, he would break it down for individual sale.
Bahe is a member of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Tulsa Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal Service, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy prosecuted the case.
Dallas mechanic sentenced to lengthy prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Dallas auto mechanic has been sentenced to a lengthy federal prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose Cruz Badillo-Rivera, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III on April 14, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in January of 2020, an on-going drug trafficking investigation in the Eastern District of Texas identified Badillo-Rivera as a multi-kilogram methamphetamine distributor who was negotiating drug transactions at his Dallas automotive mechanic shop.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Collin County man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking meth and cocaine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A McKinney man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Eraldo Orozco-Fernandez, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III on April 14, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on March 31, 2023, Orozco-Fernandez was stopped for a traffic violation in McKinney. A search of the vehicle during the stop revealed approximately 3.76 kilograms of cocaine, a firearm, and over $2,800 in cash. A search of Orozco-Fernandez’s McKinney residence yielded another eight kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately one kilogram of cocaine and $6,000 in U.S. currency. Orozco-Fernandez admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Cleveland Income Tax Preparer Charged with Filing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 46-year-old woman has been arrested for her role in preparing and filing false federal income tax returns on behalf of her clients.
Sherita Booker, of Cleveland, was charged by criminal complaint on April 9 for Aiding or Assisting in the Preparation of False and Fraudulent Federal Income Tax Returns.
According to court documents, she learned to prepare returns while working at a national tax return preparation company from about June 2016 to April 2017. Thereafter, she started her own tax return preparation business under different entity names, as well as her own name.
During the investigation, agents discovered that when Booker prepared tax returns for clients, she allegedly attached fraudulent Schedule C documents (used to indicate business profit and losses) to clients’ Form 1040—even though the clients did not own businesses. Booker also employed other schemes to avoid tax due and owing to the IRS by her clients.
If convicted, Booker faces up to three years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Services-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna L. Fasko and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio are leading the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
About IRS-CI
IRS Criminal Investigation is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 19 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad.
Chinese National Servicemember Indicted for Conspiring and Attempting to Obstruct an InvestigationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a two-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Yuan Li, 35, a Chinese national residing in the United States, for conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The indictment alleges that Li joined the United States Navy in January 2022 after previously being discharged from the Army. During his time in the Navy, Li completed an Application for Naturalization to apply for U.S. citizenship. Li did not answer whether he had been discharged other than honorable from the military and listed a fraudulent address in San Fransico as his current residence.
During an investigation into housing allowance fraud and assault, investigators discovered Li communicated with a foreign national on the Chinese social media app Red Note. The foreign national sought to purchase information from Li in his capacity as a service member. When Li learned he was under investigation, he instructed an accomplice to delete various messaging apps from his phone and restore his electronic devices to their factory settings, which would have resulted in the destruction of all records and content of Li’s contact with the foreign national.
Li faces a maximum penalty of five years for the conspiracy charge and 20 years for the obstruction charge. He is currently detained pending trial. He was arrested in Florida on March 6 and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker for arraignment on the indictment on April 13.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell 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.###
Charlottesville Man Sentenced for Promoting Commercial Sex RingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Charlottesville, Virginia man, who posted hundreds of online advertisements for commercial sex, booked hotel rooms and transported women for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, was sentenced yesterday to 8 years in federal prison.
Brian Lamont Turner, 45, pled guilty in November 2025 to one count of promoting, managing, establishing and facilitating prostitution and one count of transporting for purpose of prostitution.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions throughout 2023 and 2024, Turner caused multiple adult victims to travel from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the States of North Carolina and South Carolina for the purpose of engaging in prostitution and other sexual activity.
To facilitate these activities, Turner posted commercial sex advertisements online, booked hotel rooms where the women stayed and engaged in commercial sex, and communicated with customers to set-up commercial sex “dates.” Turner received some, if not all, of the commercial sex proceeds.
In addition, Turned posted hundreds of commercial sex advertisements for the eight identified adult victims in this case between October 2018 and January 2024, for which he financially profited.
Additionally, all the identified victims in this case suffered from some form of drug addiction, an addiction that was fueled by drugs supplied by Turner.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Welsh and Keith Parrella prosecuted the case for the United States.