Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
14 April 2026
Carver Man Arrested on Federal Dogfighting ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Carver, Mass., man has been arrested and charged in connection with his alleged participation in a multi-year dogfighting conspiracy involving the breeding, training and fighting of dogs, as well as related animal cruelty and illegal gambling activities.
Corey Elliott, 49, has been charged with conspiring to participate in an animal fighting venture in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Elliott was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, Elliott allegedly participated in a long-running dogfighting conspiracy spanning several years and involving the breeding, training and fighting of dogs, as well as related gambling and animal cruelty offenses.
Specifically, it is alleged that Elliott and a co-conspirator operated a dogfighting venture, at times using the kennel name “The No Name Gang,” through which they possessed, bred, trained and fought dogs for sport and profit. The defendant and his co-conspirator allegedly maintained a close partnership over a period of years, during which they communicated extensively about dogfighting activities, including arranging fights, discussing outcomes, placing wagers and coordinating the acquisition, sale and conditioning of dogs for fighting purposes.
Charging documents further allege that Elliott was directly involved in organizing and hosting dogfighting events, including at his residence in Carver, Mass., and assisted in constructing dogfighting pits and kennel structures designed to house and condition dogs for fighting. Elliott and his co-conspirator allegedly discussed plans for specific fights, including the dogs to be used, the location and timing of the events and preparations necessary to conduct the fights.
It is further alleged that Elliott engaged in acts of animal cruelty in furtherance of the conspiracy, including training dogs to fight, subjecting dogs to violent encounters and culling dogs that did not meet desired performance standards. Elliott also allegedly discussed disposing of deceased animals and, at times, taking steps to conceal evidence of dogfighting activity.
According to the charging documents, Elliott and his co-conspirator also took steps to avoid law enforcement detection. These efforts allegedly included the use of coded language when discussing dogfighting activities, concealing dogs from public view, advising one another on how to avoid scrutiny from law enforcement and animal control authorities and relocating dogs to avoid potential seizure.
Searches of the co-conspirator’s residence in June 2023 resulted in the seizure of multiple pit bull-type dogs and evidence consistent with dogfighting activity, including veterinary supplies, training equipment and implements associated with dogfighting. Analysis of electronic devices seized revealed numerous videos and communications related to dogfighting, allegedly including messages between Elliott and his co-conspirator spanning several years.
In June 2025, during a search of Elliott’s residence in Carver, Mass., multiple pit bull-type dogs were seized from an outdoor kennel area. According to the charging documents, several of the dogs exhibited scarring consistent with dogfighting. It is further alleged that multiple items consistent with dogfighting activity were also recovered, including dog pedigrees, harnesses, leashes, syringes and veterinary medications, as well as equipment used to train and condition dogs.
To report animal fighting crimes, please contact your local law enforcement or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
The charge of conspiring to participate in an animal fighting venture provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Joseph F. King, Director of the Animal Rescue League of Boston – Law Enforcement Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Massachusetts State Police; Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; United States Marshals Service; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and the Acton, Boston, Carver and Hanson Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Burleson man sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Burleson man has been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Zachary Don Mathis, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on April 14, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in March of 2022, Mathis was identified during a drug trafficking investigation involving the distribution of fentanyl-laced pills in the Eastern District of Texas. Mathis admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing at least 4 kilograms of a mixture containing fentanyl which he would provide to others for further distribution 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 and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
###
Buffalo man pleads guilty to his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Steven Hoskins, 44, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
According to the plea agreement, between December 2022 and November 2024, Hoskins conspired with others to coordinate the shipment of cocaine from California to Buffalo through the mail and through the use of secret compartments in vehicles that were transported across the country. Hoskins would obtain anywhere between five and 50 kilograms of cocaine a month, which he would sell and distribute in the Western District of New York. On three separate occasions in July, August and September 2023, Hoskins delivered drug proceeds totaling $439,840.00 to an individual he believed was a member of the drug trafficking organization but was in fact an individual working with law enforcement. Hoskins distributed over 450 kilograms of cocaine throughout this conspiracy.
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 Buffalo/Rochester comprises agents and officers from HSI, the FBI, DEA, ATF, and IRS-CI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Fitzsimmons, Meghan E. Leydecker, and Elizabeth M. Palma. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 21, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
# # # #
Bosque Farms Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense for Unlawfully Possessing a ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Bosque Farms man pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm after multiple prior convictions for felonies and misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2024, Warren Chewiwi, 52, possessed a 12-gauge shotgun and shotgun shells. As a person previously convicted of both a felony and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Chewiwi was and is prohibited by law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Chewiwi pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing and up to three years of supervised release after his prison sentence. He must also forfeit the shotgun and ammunition to the United States government.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Isleta Pueblo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Chewiwi).pdfBoat Captains Plead Guilty in Deadly Maritime Smuggling EventsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Two boat captains whose ill-fated maritime smuggling attempt resulted in the deaths of four migrants, including two children, pleaded guilty in federal court today.
Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leyva and Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna admitted to their participation in a wide-ranging conspiracy that involved coordinating with individuals in Mexico to smuggle aliens into the United States using maritime vessels.
According to admissions in their plea agreements, the pair was working with a Mexico-based smuggling organization that provided the defendants with a 20-foot panga with a single motor. On the evening of May 4, 2025, the defendants piloted the vessel from Popotla, Mexico, with 19 aliens aboard, overloaded and ill-equipped for any emergencies that lay ahead.
The captains expected that upon arrival into the United States, other individuals would meet them at shore, conceal the aliens in vehicles, and then further transport them to their intended destinations within the United States. But things went very wrong.
As the vessel approached the United States shoreline near Del Mar, California, on May 5, 2025, the motor failed, causing the vessel to rotate and capsize approximately 200 yards from the coast and throwing all the migrants – many unable to swim - into the water. Many survivors said the captains told them to remove their life jackets as they approached shore so they could quickly transition to vehicles.
Four migrants on the vessel died. Gorgonio Placido-Diaz, Marcos Lozada-Juarez, and 14-year-old minor P.B.P. drowned while attempting to reach shore safely. All three were found unresponsive near the shore and pronounced deceased. On or about May 21, 2025, a human foot was found on the shoreline near Torrey Pines State Beach. Based on a subsequent DNA analysis, the foot was found to belong to a 10-year-old minor, whose parents were also on board.
Each of the aliens was paying about $13,500 for transportation into the U.S.
Three other defendants were charged separately with Conspiring to Transport Aliens within the United States, in connection with the same May 5 fatalities. They have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced (25-cr-2056-BJC).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill S. Streja, Edward Chang, and Sean Van Demark and Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr2057-BJC
Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna Age: 31 Mexico
Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leyva Age: 37 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Bringing in Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death and Aiding and Abetting – Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or life in prison and a $250,000 fine
Bringing in Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii), and Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison with a three-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
U.S. Border Patrol
United States Coast Guard
San Diego Lifeguard Service
San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office
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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA is the Justice Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 450 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 395 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Behavioral therapist pleads guilty to health care fraud for submitting inflated insurance reimbursement claimsRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Georgia: The owner of a McDuffie County behavioral therapy service faces up to 10 years in federal prison and substantial financial penalties after pleading guilty to submitting fraudulent insurance reimbursement claims.
Mira Stallings, 41, of Thomson, Georgia, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of Health Care Fraud, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Stallings to a statutory sentence of up to 10 years in prison, payment of restitution and fines, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our health insurance programs, particularly those that provide benefits to our military servicemembers and their dependents, are vital to those who need assistance for medical treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “With our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively pursue those who fraudulently access those funds for their own personal gain.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Stallings is a licensed behavioral therapist and owner of ABAscape LLC, a Thomson, Georgia, agency that provided behavioral therapy services to individuals with developmental disabilities. A parent of patients who received services from ABscape reported concerns about billing discrepancies to TRICARE, the health care and insurance program serving active duty servicemembers and their families.
The resulting investigation determined that from June 2020 through May 2023, Stallings submitted false and fraudulent billing claims to TRICARE for individual and group therapy services that were not provided, or were not provided as presented. The investigation determined that the fraudulent billing for more than $652,000 resulted in TRICARE payments of more than $572,000.
In addition, Stallings, through ABAscape, applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, under the guise of seeking funding for working capital to alleviate economic injury from the COVID-19 pandemic. She received nearly $1 million, and while certifying in her application that the funds would not be used for personal or household purposes, Stallings instead spent tens of thousands of dollars on personal credit card debts and to a debt collector, salary payments to a family member for fraudulent services, personal purchases from online vendors and retail stores, and nearly $50,000 for the construction of a dog-breeding compound.
“The reach of this investigation extends beyond healthcare into the deliberate manipulation of federal programs designed to support honest small businesses,” said Special Agent-in-Charge, Jason J. Sargenski, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Southeast Field Office. “By allegedly utilizing wire fraud to siphon resources from the Small Business Administration while simultaneously defrauding TRICARE, the defendant demonstrated a pattern of deceit that harms both the taxpayer and the integrity of our nation's essential support systems. We remain dedicated to following the trail of fraud wherever it leads to ensure those who prioritize personal greed over public service are held fully accountable.”
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randall Hall will schedule sentencing for Stallings after U.S. Probation Services submits a presentencing investigation report.
The case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes and Jennifer S. Thompson.
Baltimore Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man received a federal-prison sentence for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Reginald Dargan, 34, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a loaded firearm after a prior felony conviction and for violating the terms of his federal supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on November 8, 2024, BPD responded to a call for an aggravated assault at an East Baltimore residence. Upon arrival, BPD officers met with the victim who indicated that Dargan assaulted her. She also stated that he possessed a handgun.
While speaking with officers, the victim received a text message from Dargan asking her to let him in the back door. The officers then went to the back of the house and arrested Dargan. Then law enforcement recovered a Polymer 80, aka a “ghost gun,” .40 caliber pistol bearing no serial number, and one high-capacity magazine loaded with 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Dargan’s waistband.
Dargan was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition because he was previously convicted of a conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; conspiracy to brandish, use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and interference with commerce by robbery. Dargan was on federal supervised release as a result of this offense when he unlawfully possessed the firearm and ammunition, in violation of his release conditions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Safe Home. These programs bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Project Safe Home is an initiative under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to reduce domestic violence and prevent escalation to lethal violence by targeting offenders who use or possess handguns with a history of Domestic Violence.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Attempted Carjacking at Suburban Chicago Gas Station Leads to Nearly Six-Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for attempting to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint while the driver’s wife and children were inside.
The attempted carjacking occurred on the afternoon of Feb. 19, 2023, at a gas station in Dolton, Ill. An off-duty Cook County Sheriff’s Deputy was standing next to his Dodge Challenger when JAVON STINGLEY and two other men—JOSEPH SMITH and MICHAEL BANKS—approached with loaded handguns and demanded the vehicle. One of the carjackers said words to the effect of, “I’ll shoot you, don’t move,” and removed the Deputy’s service weapon from his waistband. The Deputy’s wife and children were able to flee the Challenger before the men started to get inside. The men decided not to take the Challenger and drove off in their own vehicle.
Stingley, 28, of Midlothian, Ill., was arrested in October 2024 and has remained in law enforcement custody since then. He pleaded guilty in federal court last year to an attempted carjacking charge. On April 9, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis sentenced Stingley to five years and ten months in federal prison.
Banks, 23, of Chicago, admitted his role in the attempted carjacking as part of a plea agreement that included other carjackings and firearm offenses that he committed. Banks is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ellis on June 24, 2026, at 10:15 a.m.
Smith, 34, of Hammond, Ind., has pleaded not guilty to the attempted carjacking as well as to other carjackings and firearm offenses for which he is charged. Smith is awaiting trial.
Stingley’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.
Atoka Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Evert Linnel Eoff, age 63, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count Felon in Possession of a Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Eoff with knowingly possessing one bolt action rifle and one semi-automatic rifle on January 10, 2026, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Atoka Police Department.
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.
Eoff will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith A. Singer and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
ADT to Pay $1.3M to Servicemembers for Illegal ChargesRead the Press Release
Note: Read the full settlement here.
The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders.
“Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.”
“Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.”
The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period.
Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
ADT to Pay $1.3 Million to Servicemembers for Illegal ChargesRead the Press Release
Note: Read the full settlement here.
MIAMI – The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders.
“Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.”
“Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.”
The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period.
Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
###
4 Sinaloa Cartel-Linked Defendants Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging They Operated Family-Run Drug and Gun Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement today arrested four Sinaloa Cartel-linked defendants – all members of the same family, three of them illegal aliens from Mexico – who are charged in a 29-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they trafficked fentanyl, pound quantities of methamphetamine, and firearms, including so-called “ghost guns” lacking serial numbers.
The following defendants were arrested today and are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles:
- José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, a.k.a. “Oso,” of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico;
- Alfonso Salazar, 46, a.k.a. “Pirate,” of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico;
- José Manuel Salazar, 22, a.k.a. “Lil Oso,” of Lancaster; and
- Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, a.k.a. “Sharky,” of Hesperia; an illegal alien from Mexico.
José Luis Salazar-Cruz, Alfonso Salazar, and Jorge Humberto Salazar are brothers. José Manuel Salazar is José Luis Salazar-Cruz’s son.
Law enforcement continues to search for co-defendant José Ángel López Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock.
All five defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
Salazar-Cruz is charged with seven counts of being an alien in possession of firearms, seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of possession of a destructive device, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
The other defendants are charged with various felonies – with Paniagua charged with two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. Among the charges Alfonso Salazar faces is distribution of methamphetamine and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, from February 2024 to December 2025, Salazar-Cruz used text messaging applications, encrypted messaging applications, telephone calls, and in-person meetings to coordinate the sale of narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as firearms. The other defendants charged then brokered sales of the drugs and firearms between suppliers and customers and met with customers to sell the drugs.
Multiple drug sales were made – often of approximately one pound of methamphetamine. For example, on January 21, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer nearly one pound of methamphetamine and approximately 324 grams (11.4 ounces) of fentanyl.
On July 30, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer approximately 1.2 kilograms (2.5 pounds) of methamphetamine. On December 19, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold the same buyer approximately 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds) of methamphetamine.
From December 2024 to July 2025, Salazar-Cruz and the other defendants also illegally sold buyers multiple firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber pistol, a street-sweeper destructive device, and a privately manufactured AR-style rifle with no serial number, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.”
In May 2025, Salazar-Cruz and three other defendants told a buyer that their supply of drugs came from Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico by traveling across the border via trailer; Paniagua obtained the drugs from members of the Sinaloa cartel; and he provided the drugs to Salazar-Cruz in exchange for money.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the San Bernardino Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the California Highway Patrol; and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Clifford D. Mpare of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. 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. The HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
13 April 2026
Veterinarian Arrested for Sending Threatening Text Message and Transporting Minors in Interstate Commerce with the Intent to Engage in Sexual ActsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Gregory Ford (53, of Morriston) has been arrested on an indictment charging him with three counts of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity and one count of sending threatening communications. Each transportation count carries a minimum prison term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The threatening communication count carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ford that the United States intends to forfeit his home in Morriston, which is alleged to have been used in the commission of these crimes. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment and facts presented in court, between October 16, 2024, and May 16, 2025, Ford transported two minor victims with the intent to engage in sexual activity. On September 23, 2025, Ford sent a text message containing a true threat to injure a third victim.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Birmingham Division, Florence RA, with the assistance of the FBI Jacksonville Division, Ocala RA. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $9.5 Million in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that the District of South Dakota collected $9,516,233.90 through criminal fines, restitution, loan defaults, bankruptcy, forfeiture, and affirmative civil enforcement efforts in FY2025. Moreover, the District of South Dakota worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $16,747,398.58. Of the total collections, $8.9 million was derived from criminal cases. A significant portion of this amount—$8,801,058.91—was returned to victims of crime, underscoring the Office’s commitment to ensuring justice and support for those adversely affected by criminal acts. The remainder was deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, a crucial resource that provides financial assistance to victims across the United States for costs arising from violent crime such as medical expenses, lost wages, mental health counseling, funeral expenses, and more.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $65,292,431 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
“Thanks to the diligence and hard work of our U.S. Attorneys and the highly skilled staff in our Financial Litigation and Asset Recovery Units on behalf of South Dakota victims and taxpayers, we have held criminals accountable and done everything we can to make victims whole,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We will continue to prioritize collection of restitution and debts to the federal government together with our law enforcement partners, as a critical part of our mission.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.U.S. Attorney Moore Capito and U.S. Marshals Service to Announce Results of Operation Spring SweepRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito and the United States Marshals Service will join with law enforcement partners tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, for a press conference to announce the results of Operation Spring Sweep.
The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force conducted Operation Spring Sweep in partnership with the West Virginia State Police. The nearly month-long operation recently concluded and targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives.
WHO: United States Attorney Moore Capito, U.S. Marshal Service, West Virginia State Police, additional law enforcement partners
WHAT: Press Conference to announce results of Operation Spring Sweep
WHEN: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Front Plaza, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston
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.
###
Two Wilmington Men Indicted on Federal Methamphetamine and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging two Wilmington men with conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine pills and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court records, Marcus Warren and Donavan McGriff, both 35, were the subjects of a drug investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Castle County Police Department (NCCPD).
Following that months-long investigation, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, members of the DEA, NCCPD, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team executed search warrants for Warren and McGriff, their residences in Wilmington, and McGriff’s car. Both Warren and McGriff were occupants of the car at the time of the search. The car search revealed over 500 grams of pills which were subsequently identified as methamphetamine.
The search of Warren’s residence resulted in the recovery of nearly one kilogram of additional methamphetamine pills and three guns, including a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” with no serial number. The search of McGriff’s residence resulted in the recovery of an additional gun.
Warren and McGriff are charged with conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and one count each of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, Warren faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. McGriff faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and DEA Philadelphia Field Division, Wilmington Resident Office, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett made the announcement.
The DEA and NCCPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin B. Smith is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:26-cr-61-UNA
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
Two Asheville Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Two Asheville methamphetamine traffickers were sentenced to prison today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jennifer Fox, 45, of Asheville, was ordered to serve 139 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Isaac Robinson, 47, also of Asheville, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents and evidence presented at Fox’s trial, beginning in July 2022, law enforcement began investigating Fox and Robinson’s drug trafficking activities in and around Asheville. Investigators learned that the defendants supplied methamphetamine to a network of local distributors. The investigation revealed that Fox and Robinson were selling methamphetamine out of Fox’s Asheville residence and elsewhere. According to trial evidence and witness testimony, the defendants trafficked kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, selling at least one pound of methamphetamine every couple of weeks, and maintained a premise for the purpose of trafficking and storing controlled substances.
Evidence further established that Fox and Robinson possessed 412 grams of actual methamphetamine and approximately 180 grams of marijuana stored in a hidden compartment in Fox’s house. During the investigation, law enforcement also found $26,211 in U.S. currency inside a safe in Fox’s residence.
On April 9, 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On August 5, 2025, a federal jury found Fox guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their investigation of the case, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in to practice in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position reflects the partnership between the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
Tobyhanna Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for His Misappropriation of Covid Relief Funds and with Making A False Tax Return in Support of Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Freeman, IV, age 46, of Tobyhanna, PA, was sentenced to 30 months in prison by United States District Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., on April 8, 2026, for one count of wire fraud and one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. Judge Saporito also ordered Freeman to pay restitution in the amount of $352,155.00 dollars.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, over a multi-year period between 2020 and 2021, Freeman submitted at least 10 applications seeking pandemic stimulus funds through both the Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, as well as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on behalf of several entities under his control, including, Second Haven Services for Youth, Inc., Phoenix Behavioral Health Network, LLC, Pocono Wing Hut, LLC, and Legacy Group Real Estate Company. The applications submitted by Freeman were filed on behalf of corporate entities that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, and that bore false employee headcount information, fabricated gross revenues, and costs of goods sold. Freeman additionally made material misrepresentations on these applications about his criminal history, representing that he had none when, in fact, he did. Freeman obtained over $300,000 dollars in stimulus funds through filing the fraudulent applications, which he spent on unapproved personal expenses and was never repaid.
Additionally, and in support of that fraud, Freeman filed a falsified Form 1040 and a falsified W-3 in 2020 for the 2019 tax year claiming thousands of dollars in taxes that were withheld and paid over to the IRS which had never happened. In addition to his failure to pay over those taxes, he also attempted to obtain thousands of dollars of tax refund money. Freeman did this for the purpose of creating a filed tax return in an attempt to obtain additional stimulus funds.
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.
In sentencing Freeman, the Court articulated its concerns with potential recidivism, noting Freeman’s evasive claims about past and present employment and fraudulent representations about his educational background.
“Today’s sentencing unequivocally affirms the gravity with which federal courts regard violations of the tax laws,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to uncovering the financial lies behind these schemes and holding accountable those who profit at the expense of the American taxpayers.”
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.
# # #
Titusville Teen Charged as Adult in Killing of Stepsister on Cruise ShipRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A 16-year-old has been indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the killing of his stepsister.
According to court records, T.H., 16, of Titusville, was traveling aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon with Anna Kepner and other family members on or about Nov. 6-7, 2025. During that time, while the ship was in international waters en route to Miami, T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxiation.
“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
T.H. was initially charged as a juvenile by information on Feb. 2. The case remained sealed until U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered it transferred for adult prosecution.
T.H. is charged with murder in the first degree and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. López is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20031.
###
Texas Man Indicted for Production of Child Pornography Involving Three Children in the Eastern District of WisconsinRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Axis C. Williams. (age: 21) of Aransas Pass, Texas, with production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).
According to court records, Williams is charged with meeting a juvenile online and causing her and two other juveniles to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record it, and send him the recordings.
If convicted of either count in the indictment, Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. He also faces a $250,000 fine and five years to life terms of supervised release on each count.
This case was investigated by the St. Francis Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations – Corpus Christi. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
# # #For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on X
Texas Man Faces Multiple Federal Charges Related to Attack on AI Company and its CEORead the Press Release
A Texas man was charged federally today with attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm after he threw a Molotov cocktail at a San Francisco residence and attempted to set a related business on fire on April 10, 2026.
According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, of Spring, Texas, is alleged to have traveled to San Francisco from Texas in order to kill the CEO of a major Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) company. Moreno-Gama allegedly approached the residences of the CEO, threw a Molotov cocktail, and then fled the premises.
“Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These alleged actions – which damaged property and could well have taken lives – will be aggressively prosecuted.”
After throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residences, Moreno-Gama allegedly went to the headquarters of the CEO’s AI company. Moreno-Gama attempted to break the glass doors of the building with a chair and stated that he had come to burn down the location and kill anyone inside.
The complaint describes that when San Francisco Police Department (“SFPD”) officers arrived on scene, they found Moreno-Gama in possession of incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a blue lighter, and a document. The first part of the document, entitled “Your Last Warning” by Daniel Moreno-Gama, advocated against AI and for the killing and commission of other crimes against CEOs of AI companies and their investors, listing names and addresses that purported to belong to multiple CEOs and investors. In the document, Moreno-Gama admitted to attempting to kill the victim CEO and requested others to join his movement.
Moreno-Gama ended the document with a letter addressed to the victim CEO, writing “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself…”
Law enforcement later learned that on the same day he committed these attacks, Moreno-Gama also emailed a version of the document to representatives at his former college back in Texas.
“We will not tolerate any attempt to change the way Americans live and work through fear or violence,” said United States Attorney Craig Missakian. “We are only at the beginning of this investigation, but if the evidence shows that Mr. Moreno-Gama executed these attacks to change public policy or to coerce government and other officials, we will treat this as an act of domestic terrorism and together with our law enforcement partners prosecute him to the fullest extent allowed by law.”
“The charges announced today reflect a deeply concerning escalation from intent to action targeting a private residence and a technology company with violence. The FBI will not tolerate threats against our nation’s innovation leaders or the companies that drive our economy forward. Acts of destruction aimed at the tech sector will be met with the full force of law enforcement. This case underscores the strength of our partnership with the San Francisco Police Department. Together, we remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and holding accountable anyone who seeks to bring violence to our communities.” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo.
A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Moreno-Gama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, and a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of an unregistered firearm. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI and SFPD.
To view the complaint, click here.
Texas Man Faces Multiple Federal Charges Related to Attack on AI Company and Its CEORead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A Texas man was charged federally today with attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm after he threw a Molotov cocktail at a San Francisco residence and attempted to set a related business on fire on April 10, 2026.
According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, of Spring, Texas, is alleged to have traveled to San Francisco from Texas in order to kill the CEO of a major Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) company. Moreno-Gama allegedly approached the residences of the CEO, threw a Molotov cocktail, and then fled the premises.
“Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These alleged actions – which damaged property and could well have taken lives – will be aggressively prosecuted.”
“We will not tolerate any attempt to change the way Americans live and work through fear or violence,” said United States Attorney Craig Missakian. “We are only at the beginning of this investigation, but if the evidence shows that Mr. Moreno-Gama executed these attacks to change public policy or to coerce government and other officials, we will treat this as an act of domestic terrorism and together with our law enforcement partners prosecute him to the fullest extent allowed by law.”
“The charges announced today reflect a deeply concerning escalation from intent to action targeting a private residence and a technology company with violence. The FBI will not tolerate threats against our nation’s innovation leaders or the companies that drive our economy forward. Acts of destruction aimed at the tech sector will be met with the full force of law enforcement. This case underscores the strength of our partnership with the San Francisco Police Department. Together, we remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and holding accountable anyone who seeks to bring violence to our communities.” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo.
After throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residences, Moreno-Gama allegedly went to the headquarters of the CEO’s AI company. Moreno-Gama attempted to break the glass doors of the building with a chair and stated that he had come to burn down the location and kill anyone inside.
Moreno-Gama striking the glass doors with a chair (above).
Moreno-Gama being approached by security while holding kerosene (above).
The complaint describes that when San Francisco Police Department (“SFPD”) officers arrived on scene, they found Moreno-Gama in possession of incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a blue lighter, and a document. The first part of the document, entitled “Your Last Warning” by Daniel Moreno-Gama, advocated against AI and for the killing and commission of other crimes against CEOs of AI companies and their investors, listing names and addresses that purported to belong to multiple CEOs and investors. In the document, Moreno-Gama admitted to attempting to kill the victim CEO and requested others to join his movement.
Moreno-Gama ended the document with a letter addressed to the victim CEO, writing “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself…”
Law enforcement later learned that on the same day he committed these attacks, Moreno-Gama also emailed a version of the document to representatives at his former college back in Texas.
A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Moreno-Gama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, and a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of an unregistered firearm. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI and SFPD.
Moreno-Gama Complaint
Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Arson and Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
Today, Regan Darby Prater, 28, currently of Tullahoma, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea to one count of arson and one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prater pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sentencing has been set before U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan for Sept. 9, in Knoxville.
Prater faces up to 20 years in federal prison, along with related fines, restitution, and a term of supervised release to be served after he is released from custody. As part of his agreement, Prater waived indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges.
Court documents establish that Prater used a so-called “sparkler bomb,” i.e., a napalm-based incendiary device ignited by a common sparkler, to destroy facilities maintained by the Highlander Center, a school for grassroots leaders and social movements in New Market, Tennessee. As part of his guilty plea, Prater admitted that he drove from his home in Tullahoma to the Highlander Center, ignited the sparkler bomb, and destroyed a building, ultimately causing over $1.2 million in damage.
Before he detonated the bomb, Prater spray-painted the symbol of the Iron Guard, a 1930s-era paramilitary arm of the Romanian Nazi Party, in the Highlander Center parking lot. This same symbol was engraved on the rifle used in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, just two weeks prior to the arson. Prater acknowledged that he committed the arson at the Highland Center due to his white-supremacist ideology and as a response to the Highlander Center’s faith-based educational priorities and its association with the Civil Rights Movement.
Separately, Prater also admitted that, in 2019, he attempted to provide material support to Hizballah, also known as “Hezbollah,” which the United States has recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. Specifically, Prater obtained a document purporting to contain personally identifiable information of over 35,000 individuals purportedly affiliated with the government of Israel. He then provided that document to an individual he believed to be associated with Hizballah, stating, among other things: “Start the hunt.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Katherine McCallister of the Civil Rights Division and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division.
Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Arson and Attempting to Provide Material Support to A Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 13, 2026, Regan Darby Prater, 28, currently of Tullahoma, TN, entered a guilty plea to one count of arson and one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prater pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sentencing has been set before United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan for September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in Knoxville.
Prater faces up to 20 years in federal prison, along with related fines, restitution, and a term of supervised release to be served after he is released from custody. As part of his agreement, Prater waived indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges.
Court documents establish that Prater used a so-called “sparkler bomb,” i.e., a napalm-based incendiary device ignited by a common sparkler, to destroy facilities maintained by the Highlander Center, a school for grassroots leaders and social movements in New Market, Tennessee. As part of his guilty plea, Prater admitted that he drove from his home in Tullahoma to the Highlander Center, ignited the sparkler bomb, and destroyed a building, ultimately causing over $1.2 million in damage.
Before he detonated the bomb, Prater spray-painted the symbol of the Iron Guard, a 1930s-era paramilitary arm of the Romanian Nazi Party, in the Highlander Center parking lot. This same symbol was engraved on the rifle used in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, just two weeks prior to the arson. Prater acknowledged that he committed the arson at the Highland Center due to his white-supremacist ideology and as a response to the Highlander Center’s faith-based educational priorities and its association with the Civil Rights Movement.
Separately, Prater also admitted that, in 2019, he attempted to provide material support to Hizballah, also known as “Hezbollah,” which the United States has recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. Specifically, Prater obtained a document purporting to contain personally identifiable information of over 35,000 individuals purportedly affiliated with the government of Israel. He then provided that document to an individual he believed to be associated with Hizballah, stating, among other things: “Start the hunt.”
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Katherine McCallister of the Civil Rights Division and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division.
###
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026.
Dallas Joseph Bluebird, III, 21, was sentenced to two years and nine 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.
Bluebird was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.
On June 30, 2024, Bluebird and another male subject exchanged gunfire with each other outside a Sioux Falls convenience store. Despite numerous shots being fired, no one was hit by the gunfire. Both subjects fled from the scene prior to police arrival, but investigators were able to identify Bluebird as one of the shooters based on DNA recovered from the firearm, which was left at the scene. Bluebird is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2023 conviction for Second Degree Escape.
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 Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Bluebird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Seminole Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Joe Logan, age 52, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Logan with knowingly possessing a rifle and nine rounds of assorted ammunition on June 2, 2023, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole Police Department.
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.
Logan will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
San Ramon Man Indicted on Charge of Using Online Platforms to Coerce and Entice Nine Minor Victims to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted a San Ramon man, Ishaq Ikharo, on charges of coercion and enticement of nine minor victims to engage in sexual activity.
According to the indictment filed on February 11, 2026, and court documents from April 2022 to September 2024, Ikharo, 28, used several online chat and gaming platforms to communicate with minor victims to persuade, entice, and coerce nine different minor victims who were under 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity. At the time of the alleged offenses, Ikharo was on federal supervised release for a 2023 conviction in the Western District of New York for possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo made the announcement.
Ikharo has been in custody since June 30, 2025. He is next scheduled to appear in district court on July 30, 2026, for a status conference before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
Anyone who has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5323) or tips.fbi.gov, or visit the following, dedicated website:
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-ishaq-ikharo-investigation-aka-shaq-investigation
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary M. Glimcher and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Volkar are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Jessie Chelsea. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI Special Agent Adelaida Hernandez.
Rowan County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Morehead, Ky., man, Corey Skiles, 34, was sentenced on Monday to 160 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to his plea agreement, on September 28, 2024, law enforcement received information that Skiles planned to transport a large quantity of controlled substances to Perry County. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Skiles and found 776 grams of methamphetamine, 57.34 grams of fentanyl, digital scales, and $1,483 in cash.
Under federal law, Skiles 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 five years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
– END –
Repeat Drug Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed cocaine that he intended to distribute was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Leondraie Antwarn Johnson, age 36, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 29, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance after a conviction for a felony drug offense.
On September 13, 2024, Cedar Rapids Police Department officers stopped Johnson’s car for a traffic violation. Johnson sped off in his car. While driving through a residential area, he reached speeds of more than 70 miles per hour. Johnson eventually stopped, left his car, and tried to elude officers on foot. Before officers were able to catch Johnson, he placed a bag containing cocaine and marijuana in a yard waste receptacle. Officers, using a police dog, found the bag that Johnson hid. At the guilty plea, Johnson admitted he intended to distribute the cocaine. Johnson was previously convicted of two different felony controlled substance offenses.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Religious Liberty Commission Holds Final Hearing on the Past, Present, and Future of Religious Liberty in AmericaRead the Press Release
Today, the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) held its final hearing to discuss the past, present, and future of religious liberty in America.
“Today’s capstone hearing of President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission contained more powerful testimony and discussion about how people of religion are under assault by the secular left," said Chairman Dan Patrick. "It is time to set the record straight: there is no such thing as ‘separation of church and state’ in the Constitution. For too long, the anti-God left has used this phrase to suppress people of religion in our country. During all 7 Commission hearings, witness after witness testified that the so-called ‘separation of church and state’ was used to take their God-given religious liberty rights away."
The witnesses included:
- Clarence Henderson – Clarence Henderson is a community activist with deep roots in the nation’s civil rights affairs. He was a participant in the 1960 Woolworth Lunch Counter Sit-in Movement and now is an outspoken advocate for Pro-Life and Pro-family causes in the black community. A former chairmen of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of North Carolina; a former fundraising chairman of the Gate City Alumni Chapter for North Carolina A&T State University and former secretary of Dudley High School Hall of Fame, Hall of Distinction for historic James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, NC, Henderson is a passionate bridge builder who has a history of bringing people together across cultural and political divides. His energetic involvement in his church as Head Elder, New Members Coordinator, Sunday school teacher, and Finance committee member; and his life’s journey as a teacher, college administrator, entrepreneur and motivational speaker has given him a unique perspective on what confronts society today.
- Paul Brintley - Dr. Brintley is the Senior Pastor and founder of Fellowship Church in Dallas, North Carolina. He is the son of the late Bishop L.C. Brintley. He was ordained into the ministry in September 1994 by his father in the Lord, Reverend William N. Podaras. During his mentorship with William Podaras, he attended Duke University School of Divinity where he furthered his studies in the gospel. He also has a Paralegal Degree from Kings College. And a Bachelors of Theology from Agape College. His travels have included South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Canada, Haiti, Israel, Germany, India, London, Zimbabwe, and 30 states in the USA. Through his travels and work in the mission field, He has established a number of churches in India and Africa and provides 100’s of DVD’s and printed materials to strengthen and support those churches. Dr. Brintley has authored a book entitled “Loyalty to the Man of God”. He is married to Celeste Crocker and they have one son, Paul Brintley II.
- Helen Aguirre Ferré - Helen Aguirre Ferré is the Administrator for Government and Public Policy at the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom. She is a bilingual government affairs and communications executive with extensive experience in public policy, institutional leadership, and strategic engagement at the state and national levels.She served as Assistant to the President and Director of Media Affairs in the White House during the first Trump administration, where she was also the Spanish-language spokesperson. She later served as Director of Communications for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Helen also served as Executive Director of the Republican Party of Florida. A former journalist, she has experience across print, radio, and television in both English and Spanish. In her current role, she advances research, dialogue, and policy initiatives that promote economic freedom and informed public discourse.
- Erika Bachiochi - Erika Bachiochi is a legal scholar who works at the intersection of constitutional law, political theory, women’s history, and Catholic social teaching. She is a Professor of Practice at the School for Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, where she teaches courses in the history of political thought, directs the Mercy Otis Warren Initiative for Women in Civic Life and Thought, and serves as editor-in-chief of its online journal, Fairer Disputations.
- Akshar Patel - Dr. Akshar Patel is an active volunteer with BAPS, a Hindu organization, where he dedicates his time to community service, spiritual development, and humanitarian initiatives. Through his involvement, he practices the values of selfless service, compassion, and integrity, contributing to programs that support individuals and strengthen communities. Furthermore, he helps to ensure that the voices of Hindu Americans are heard and recognized by our civic leaders. Professionally, Dr. Patel is an oncologist devoted to providing thoughtful, patient-centered cancer care based in Maryland. He specializes in delivering advanced, precise treatments while guiding patients and their families during one of the most challenging periods in their lives. By combining clinical expertise with a compassionate approach, he strives to improve outcomes and support patients through every step of their journey.
- Heather Rice-Minus – Heather Rice-Minus first joined Prison Fellowship in 2013. In her role, she leads teams that build partnerships with churches, help strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their children, foster partnerships with donors at every level, and advocate for restorative criminal justice reform. Previously, as the head of Prison Fellowship’s advocacy team, she was a leading voice behind the passage of the FIRST STEP Act. A sought-after public speaker on the intersection of faith, justice, and incarceration, Rice-Minus has addressed audiences at national conferences and events including Wilberforce Weekend, Q Ideas Conference, and more. She has also contributed to Christianity Today, Slate, CBN News, The Marshall Project, PBS’ Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, and many other media outlets. Previously, Rice-Minus managed prison reform advocacy efforts at the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and taught English in East Africa. She graduated cum laude from Colorado State University with a degree in liberal arts and social work. After earning her J.D. from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, she became a member of the Virginia State Bar, a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network and Faith & Public Life Ideas Council, and a Colson Fellow.
- Sister Mary Elizabeth, S.V. - Sr. Mary Elizabeth joined the Sisters of Life in 1993 after graduating from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, having heard the cardinal talk on campus during her junior year.
- Rabbi Aaron Lipskar - Rabbi Aaron Lipskar serves as Aleph’s Chief Executive Officer, operating out of the organization's headquarters in South Florida. He oversees key aspects of the Aleph Institute, including board and program development, finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and government relations with the Pentagon, the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Department of Corrections nationwide. In 1995, Rabbi Lipskar began serving as an Aleph volunteer, conducting national prison visits, and in 2000, he joined the organization as a full-time employee. A highlight of his Aleph experience was leading High Holiday services at GITMO for Jewish military personnel. After concluding formal Talmudic and rabbinic studies in the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva, Rabbi Lipskar studied in Israel and received rabbinical ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He has taught in the United States, Israel, Canada, and South Africa.
- Helen Alvare - Helen Alvaré is a Professor of Law at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, where she teaches Family Law, Law and Religion, and Property Law. She publishes on matters concerning marriage, parenting, non-marital households, and the First Amendment religion clauses. She is faculty advisor to the law school’s Civil Rights Law Journal, and the Latino/a Law Student Association, a Member of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (Vatican City), a board member of Catholic Relief Services, a member of the Executive Committee of the AALS’ Section on Law and Religion, and an ABC news consultant. She cooperates with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations as a speaker and a delegate to various United Nations conferences concerning women and the family. In addition to her books, and her publications in law reviews and other academic journals, Professor Alvaré publishes regularly in news outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, and CNN.com. She also speaks at academic and professional conferences in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Australia. Prior to joining the faculty of Scalia Law, Professor Alvaré taught at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America; represented the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops before legislative bodies, academic audiences and the media; and was a litigation attorney for the Philadelphia law firm of Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young.
- Ms. Oriel Ekşi - Oriel Ekşi is a managing partner with The Woolf Group, specializing in legislative strategy, coalition building, and non-profit development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville and brings extensive experience in operations management, grant development, and public speaking. Oriel works with organizations across the country to advance policy initiatives, strengthen programs, and drive sustainable growth.
Quemado Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Quemado man pleaded guilty in federal court after law enforcement seized 13 firearms and ammunition from his property during a 2024 search.
According to court documents, in April 2024, the Catron County Sheriff’s Office was investigating residential burglaries and identified Chad Walter Gash, 43, as a person of interest. During that investigation, law enforcement determined that Gash had previously been convicted in Texas in 2014 of manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance and that he completed his sentence in October 2019. As a convicted felon, Gash was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Investigators learned from neighbors that firearms were regularly being fired from Gash’s property and that Gash had possessed numerous firearms there. On April 30, 2024, officers executed a search warrant at Gash’s residence and recovered 13 firearms and ammunition from his bedroom and a travel trailer associated with him, along with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Some of the seized weapons included an unregistered short-barreled shotgun and a destructive device.
Gash pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Catron County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Dickens and Benjamin Suslavich are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Gash).pdfProlific Alien Smuggler Extradited from Brazil to Face Charges in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Bangladeshi national Saiful Islam, 39, will make his initial appearance in Laredo, Texas, today after being extradited from Brazil. An indictment in the Southern District of Texas was unsealed today charging Islam for his role in a conspiracy that smuggled numerous aliens through Central America to the United States.
According to court documents, Islam participated in a wide-ranging human smuggling operation and assisted other smugglers by facilitating the travel of aliens from São Paulo, Brazil, and other locations in South America, Central America, and Mexico so that the aliens could illegally enter the United States. The aliens were brought to the Southern border and were instructed to cross into the United States by wading across the Rio Grande River or by jumping a border fence.
Islam is charged with conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States, multiple counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to enter the United States. If convicted of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of three or five years in prison and he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If he is convicted of conspiracy to bring and/or conspiracy to encourage and induce and alien to enter the United States, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck of the Southern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Phoenix made the announcement.
HSI Phoenix and HSI Laredo are investigating this case with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border and Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force, HSI Mexico City, HSI Houston, HSI Calexico, HSI Monterrey, U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Brazil. The Justice Department thanks its Brazilian law enforcement counterparts for their assistance in this matter.
Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Cortez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by JTFA, the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 450 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 395 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for Carrying Stolen Shotgun on D.C. Metro BusRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gerald Anthony Evans, 30, a previously convicted felon and sex offender who resides in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for his unlawful possession of a 12-gauge shotgun that he carried as he rode a WMATA bus, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Gerald Evans boarded a public bus in the District of Columbia carrying a loaded stolen shotgun, which he admitted was his,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “With 23 prior law enforcement encounters, Evans has had every opportunity to choose a different path. Instead, he chose to carry a weapon onto a bus full of commuters. That choice has consequences.”
Evans, aka “Big Woobie G,” pleaded guilty on Jan. 13, 2026, in the U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 21-month prison sentence, Judge McFadden ordered Evans to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court papers, on Dec. 10, 2024, a Metro Transit Police officer observed Evans board WMATA Bus 5476 without paying his fare. The officer identified himself and asked Evans to step off the bus.
During the stop, officers asked Evans about a bag hanging below his coat. Evans said, “that’s my gun.” Officers opened the bag and found a Mossberg 590 Shockwave 12-gauge shotgun loaded with one round in the chamber and three rounds in the magazine. A check of the serial number revealed the shotgun had been reported stolen.
Evans’s criminal history includes a 2013 arrest for armed carjacking for which he pleaded guilty to attempt to commit robbery. While he was on probation for that case, he was found guilty of second-degree assault in Prince George’s County and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with ten years suspended. In 2022 he violated probation and was sentenced to 18 months confinement. In April 2016, Evans pleaded guilty in Prince George’s county to a sex offense in the fourth degree. He repeatedly has failed to register as a sex offender in the jurisdictions in which he has lived.
This case was investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Bloss.
Gerald Anthony Evans, 30, a previously convicted felon and sex offender who resides in the District of Columbia, in a photo taken by police body-worn camera. The shotgun was in the satchel resting on his lap.
Evans, circled in red, boarded the WMATA bus carrying a loaded shotgun that he had stowed in a black satchel.
24cr572
Previously Convicted Man Sentenced to 14 Year Prison Term for Killing Man in March of 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Monteze Morton, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday, April 10, 2026, to 14 years in prison for killing Dimitrious Brown, 29, on March 22, 2024, in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Morton pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026, to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable J. Michael Ryan ordered Morton to serve his 14-year prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release and he must also register as a gun offender.
According to the government’s evidence, Morton shot Brown following a brief altercation in the 2800 block of Hartford Street SE. Morton had previously been convicted of robbery and armed robbery in Maryland and was not allowed to own or possess a firearm.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
2024 CF1 004740
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced in Carrying Loaded Pistol at Anacostia Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jonathan McCrimmon, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a pistol at a Metro station in Anacostia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
McCrimmon pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 12-month prison sentence, Judge Nichols ordered McCrimmon to serve three years of supervised release. Government prosecutors had requested a sentence of 12 months.
According to court documents, on Sept. 17, 2025, just before 6 p.m., members of the Metro Transit Police Department stopped McCrimmon for publicly smoking marijuana in the Anacostia Metro Station parking garage. Officers patted him down and recovered a silver Armi Galesi .25 caliber pistol from his inner leg. The Italian-made firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber.
Officers also determined that McCrimmon had an outstanding warrant out of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and placed him under arrest as a fugitive from justice.
In a post-arrest interview, McCrimmon acknowledged his status as a convicted felon, that he understood he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, and that he had been carrying the loaded pistol recovered by officers.
McCrimmon was previously convicted of second-degree burglary in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for which he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The Italian-made Armi Galesi .25 caliber pistol found in McCrimmon’s possession.
25cr393
Powell Man Sentenced for Fraud, Money Laundering, and Supervised Released ViolationsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 9, 2026, Kenneth Francis Lee, 55, of Powell, TN, was sentenced to 99 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Lee will be on supervised release for 3 years. Judge Crytzer also ordered Lee to pay $7,022,140.12 in restitution to his victims.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Lee agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h).
According to filed court documents, from 2019 through 2024, Lee solicited money from victims to pay for litigation costs associated with the settlement of a purported legal case. There was, however, no such legal case or settlement, and Lee used the funds to support his own lifestyle and an online gambling habit. To conceal the source, control and ownership of the stolen funds, Lee conspired with others to transfer the money between multiple bank accounts.
Prior to committing the crimes leading to his sentencing on April 9, 2026, Lee had amassed earlier federal convictions. The first, in 2010, involved a mortgage fraud scheme that led to his conviction for wire fraud and money laundering. The second, in 2019, involved tax evasion and the failure to file tax returns. Lee committed his most recent offense while still on supervised release following his release from prison for the 2019 offenses.
The sentence imposed by Judge Crytzer consisted of an 87-month sentence for the wire fraud and money laundering convictions along with a 12-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release. The court ordered that Lee served the two sentences consecutively.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge, Donald “Trey” Eakins of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Division made the announcement.
Lee’s criminal conviction was the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr. represented the United States.
###
Pojoaque Man Sentence to 14 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pojoaque man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, between December 2021 and February 2022, Alexander John Duran, 31, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Pojoaque, engaged in a sexual act with a child under the age of 12.
Duran subsequently pled guilty to abusive sexual contact. Upon his release from prison, Duran will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case 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.
Podiatrist and Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Sentenced in $3.2 Million Healthcare Fraud Conspiracy Involving Unlicensed Person Performing Skin GraftsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston sentenced Felipe Ruiz, 52, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 53, of Clovis, to 63 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Judge Thurston also ordered forfeiture of nine properties owned by Aguirre and Ruiz, as well as a $2.6 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Aguirre and a $12.1 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Ruiz. The defendants pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2025.
“We trust licensed medical professionals to safeguard their patients and not hand them over to unqualified individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “This podiatrist put profit over patient safety by allowing a salesman to perform medical procedures on vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries. Today’s outcome underscores our commitment to holding providers accountable when they abuse that trust and bill federal health care programs for services that violate the most basic standards of care.”
"Health care fraud schemes don't just drain taxpayer-funded programs, they also put patients directly at risk," said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. "The FBI will continue working alongside HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who treat public trust as an opportunity for personal profit."
“By allowing an unlicensed and unqualified sales representative to perform medical procedures – including sharp wound debridement – on Medicare and Medi-Cal enrollees, Dr. Ruiz abandoned his professional responsibilities and violated the trust his patients placed in him,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Fueled by greed, Dr. Ruiz’s scheme exposed his patients to serious risk and undermined the integrity of federal health care programs. As today’s sentences demonstrate, HHS‑OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those who put profits above patients accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist and the sole owner of West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties. Aguirre was a pharmaceutical sales representative who sold skin grafts to Ruiz and WCP. Aguirre was not licensed to practice medicine.
Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre to apply skin grafts and perform other medical procedures on patients suffering from severe wounds, including foot amputations. Application of the skin grafts required sharp debridement, which means using a scalpel to scrape the wound until it bleeds. Some patients believed Aguirre was a physician, referring to him as “Dr. Gabe.” Aguirre would perform medical procedures alone without supervision from a trained physician.
Ruiz and Aguirre submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz and other physicians had performed the medical procedures, such as applying skin grafts to patients, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services.
In one example, WCP submitted $150,000 in claims to Medicare in 2023, claiming a physician performed the procedures, when in fact the physician was out of the country on vacation. In another example, Aguirre cut into patients with recently amputated feet with a scalpel and apply skin grafts without a physician’s supervision. Ruiz knew about Aguirre’s conduct and dismissed staff’s concerns about Aguirre.
Throughout the period, staff and third-party auditors raised concerns about Ruiz and Aguirre’s billing practices. The two ignored those warnings and continued to bill Medicare and Medicaid for services performed by Aguirre.
As a result, Ruiz submitted approximately $3,200,000 in false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal between 2021 and 2024.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Panama City Beach Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice a MinorRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Amani Lawrence, 27, of Panama City Beach, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with attempted enticement of a minor. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today.
Lawrence appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Charles A. Stampelos in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 26, 2026, before District Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Lawrence faces 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Panama City Beach Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available 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.
North Carolina Man Indicted for Producing Child Sex Abuse Material and Transporting a Minor Across State Lines for Unlawful PurposesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Joshua Lewis Magraff (37, North Carolina) has been charged by indictment with producing child sex abuse material (CSAM) and transporting a child across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual contact. If convicted of the CSAM offense, Magraff faces a minimum of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison. If convicted of the transportation offense, Magraff faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2026, a 16-year-old child was reported missing in Gastonia, North Carolina. On March 8, 2026, Magraff was stopped by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office for a traffic violation with the missing child in his vehicle. Magraff told the deputy that the missing child was his “little cousin” and that she was 16 years old. The missing child provided conflicting and inaccurate identification information to the deputy before providing her real name, at which point she was identified as the missing child. Magraff later agreed to answer questions and stated that he had met the child at a hotel in North Carolina approximately one month before and that the child and he were traveling to Florida to play gambling arcade games. Magraff repeatedly insisted that he had not brought the child to his hotel room before admitting that she had stayed in his hotel room for several weeks.
Law enforcement officers obtained search warrants for two cellphones that were seized from Magraff’s vehicle. Searches of those phones revealed that Magraff had produced multiple videos of himself performing sex acts on the child.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gastonia (North Carolina) Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Niceville Retired Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Involvement in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud and Federal Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Sidney Marc Wilson, Jr., 48, of Niceville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Mail Fraud; Mail Fraud; Wire Fraud; Money Laundering; and Subscribing to Materially False Tax Returns. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
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.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fraudsters like this defendant seek to enrich themselves by stealing the hard-earned monies of their unsuspecting victims. Our excellent federal law enforcement partners are hard at work to identify and dismantle those schemes, and my office stands ready to aggressively prosecute these crimes to hold scammers like this defendant fully accountable for the harm they have caused to those victims.”
Court documents reflect that between 2018 – 2022, the defendant operated an online scheme falsely promising victims returns on investments into his purported sales affiliate programs. Victims invested anywhere between $3,000 - $21,000 to be a part of what the defendant claimed would be a way for the victims to make significant amounts of money. However, after the victims mailed or wired the defendant their investments, he simply kept the money for himself or distributed it to his conspirators. The victims did not receive a return on their purported investments, and he evaded calls from the victims when they attempted to confront him about their investments. Through this scheme, the defendant fraudulently obtained millions of dollars from the victims, a portion of which he laundered through real property and cryptocurrency transactions. In addition, the defendant filed false federal income tax returns significantly understating his income for multiple years.
Wilson faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment on each of the fraud counts, up to ten years’ imprisonment on each of the money laundering counts, and up to three years’ imprisonment on each the tax crime counts. Wilson also faces the payment of restitution back to the victims.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 10:30 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraudulent behavior committed by Sidney Marc Wilson, Jr., please email the Federal Bureau of Investigation at psra.jk@fbi.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Naples Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Filing False Tax Returns Defrauding the IRS of more than $65,000Read the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Wilner Cenecharles has pleaded guilty to six counts of assisting in the preparation of false tax documents and two counts of filing false tax returns. Cenecharles faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison per count and has agreed to pay more than $65,000 in restitution. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Cenecharles was a tax preparer for Motivation Tax Financial Services, which operated out of the Excelsior Barber Shop in Naples, Florida. Cenecharles would meet with his clients at the barbershop and prepare their tax returns. On multiple occasions, Cenecharles added false profits or losses from fictitious businesses or included bogus educational credits to generate fraudulent refunds for his clients.
Cenecharles also did not report accurate amounts of gross receipts on his own personal income tax returns and failed to report thousands of dollars in tax preparation fees to the Internal Revenue Service.
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.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Two Burglaries, Gun TheftsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Monday sentenced one of the men who stole guns from two Jefferson County, Missouri businesses in 2020 to 46 months in prison and ordered him to pay restitution of $3,875.
Judge Stevens ordered Jynell Edward Luss’ sentence to run consecutive to his 20-year sentence for second-degree murder in an unrelated case.
Luss, 25, of Jennings, pleaded guilty in January to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee. His co-defendant, Carnell Robinson, 24, of Jennings, pleaded guilty in November of 2023 to the same charge.
Both men admitted to breaking into a pawn shop in Imperial, Missouri on July 12, 2020, at about 1 a.m. They stole four AR-style rifles, a shotgun, ammunition and jewelry. The next day, also at 1 a.m., they broke into a gun store near Arnold and stole two rifles and numerous boxes of ammunition.
Luss pleaded guilty in St. Louis Circuit Court in 2025 and admitted fatally shooting a man five days after the second robbery and stealing the victim’s gun.
Robinson was sentenced in February 2024 to 13 months in prison for the gun thefts. He pleaded guilty in Jefferson County Circuit Court in 2023 to burglary and stealing and was sentenced to eight years in state prison.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to 4 months in Prison for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Angel Mario Rosas-Martinez, 40 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien with a prior felony conviction, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Angel Mario Rosas-Martinez was sentenced to four months in prison and a $100 Special Assessment.
According to documents in the case, Rosas-Martinez’s criminal history includes two prior convictions for attempting to or illegally entering the United States, theft, a felony conviction for stalking when a temporary restraining order was in effect and was previously deported on three occasions.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Officer. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan.
Mexican Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on March 31, 2026, Brian Alexis Baldonado Belmontes, a Mexican citizen, was charged in a criminal complaint in the District of Nebraska for unlawfully possessing a firearm while illegally being in the United States. He is currently being held in federal custody on the charge.
Per the criminal complaint, on March 22, 2026, a detective with the Omaha Police Department was monitoring a social media account of a juvenile born in 2008. The video appeared to show the juvenile firing a .22 caliber AR-style rifle in the air approximately 20 times. Law enforcement later located the area of the shooting—the 5200 block of South 38th Street in Omaha. Officers went to the scene and found approximately 23 spent .22 caliber cartridge cases and two live .22 caliber rounds. They also found a vehicle that had been struck by bullets with approximately six defects. While processing the scene, the juvenile and Baldonado Belmontes approached officers and admitted to shooting the truck. Baldonado Belmontes later provided additional information to law enforcement, including advising where the rifle used in the shooting was located. Officers went to that location and recovered a Smith and Wesson, M&P 15-22, .22 caliber rifle.
Baldonado Belmontes admitted that he crossed into the United States illegally. According to the Department of Homeland Security, he is a foreign national and a citizen of Mexico. He illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location.
This case is being investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, he is subject to a term of imprisonment of up to 15 years.
Massachusetts Man Arrested for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mark Nacht, age 65, of Waltham, Massachusetts, was arrested on Friday, April 10, 2026, on charges of attempted enticement of a minor. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The complaint alleges that between December 18, 2025, and April 10, 2026, Nacht exchanged sexually explicit messages online with an undercover agent in Albany whom he believed would allow him to engage in sexual contact with a 13-year-old relative. Nacht also directly communicated with another undercover agent he believed was the 13-year-old girl to groom her to engage in sexually explicit activity. On April 10, 2026, Nacht travelled from Massachusetts to Albany with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 13-year-old girl. Nacht was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “As alleged, this defendant sought to prey on an innocent young girl and inflict terrible harm on her. Thanks to this incredible sting operation and others like it, parents can sleep more soundly tonight. Every day, we are working with our law enforcement partners to lock up pedophiles who would seek to exploit children in our communities.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “As alleged, Mr. Nacht left his home in Massachusetts to travel to Albany to have sexual contact with an individual he believed to be a minor. Instead, he found FBI Albany’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force waiting to arrest him. This arrest should send a clear message that the FBI is committed to aggressively investigating these dangerous predators and ensuring they are held accountable for their disturbing actions.”
Following the initial appearance on April 10, 2026, Nacht was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending a detention hearing on April 14, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart.
The charge filed against Nacht carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of ten years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. If convicted, Nacht would also be required to register as a sex offender.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI are conducting this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
###
Lebanon Man Sentenced to 65 Months’ Imprisonment for Possession of A Firearm by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Beaumont, age 29, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on April 7, 2026, to 65 months of imprisonment by United Stated District Judge Keli M. Neary for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, state police in Lebanon County were dispatched for a report of a man slumped over the wheel of a car. When police arrived, they found Beaumont asleep in the driver’s seat of a black Nissan. Police saw loose heroin on the passenger seat and took him into custody. During a search of the vehicle, police found a loaded SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol under the driver’s seat. They also found heroin, methamphetamine, and assorted drug paraphernalia.
Beaumont had previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and related charges in 2020. He was therefore ineligible to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
# # #
Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 35 Years for Operating Multi-Kilo Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Aaron Jarvis McGhee (40, Sumterville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan to 35 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Johnny Angelo Pack (51, Jacksonville), Shikita Lashelle James (39, Jacksonville), Natra Antonio Jones (33, Jacksonville), and Bobby Warren Harvey, Jr. (28, Jacksonville) were also sentenced for conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Pack, James, Jones, and Harvey were sentenced to 17 years and 6 months, 14 years, 12 years and 6 months, and 10 years, respectively. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the court documents, in 2022 and 2023, at McGhee’s direction, Pack, James, Jones, and Harvey operated a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that purchased fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine from Mexican sources of supply. They transported the drugs through Houston, Texas to Jacksonville, Florida where the drugs were sold. McGhee, already serving a federal prison term for a prior drug conspiracy conviction, used a contraband cellphone from prison to coordinate these transactions, which resulted in drug shipments across the southern U.S. border from Mexico into Texas. As part of the conspiracy, Pack secured these drug shipments and transported them back to Jacksonville using a semi-truck. Once in Jacksonville, Pack delivered the drug shipments to residences belonging to James, who stored and distributed the drugs to retail dealers in Duval and Clay Counties. James was also responsible for managing the DTO’s money. Jones and Harvey served as runners for the organization in Jacksonville and were responsible for transporting drugs and drug proceeds.
Between March and May 2023, members of the DTO routinely flew commercially between Jacksonville and Houston. They typically stayed in Houston one day before flying back to Jacksonville. Their phone location data indicated that they remained close to the airport in Houston before taking return flights. On April 28, 2023, DEA agents observed James travel to the Jacksonville International Airport where she dropped off Jones and Harvey, both of whom were scheduled to fly to Houston. Agents observed Jones and Harvey each checking in two suitcases as luggage. The agents seized the four suitcases and secured search warrants for them. Inside the suitcases, agents recovered a total of $773,780 in cash, as well as approximately five kilograms of fentanyl.
On May 16, 2023, DEA agents executed search warrants at two of James’s residences in Jacksonville, one on Mints Court, where Pack was living, and one on Cape Elizabeth Court, where James was living. Inside the Mints Court house, agents recovered approximately $28,000 in cash, approximately 5.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, and four loaded firearms. Inside the Cape Elizabeth Court house, agents recovered approximately $824,900 in cash, approximately 6.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 4.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of heroin, and five loaded firearms.
In total, between April 28 and May 16, 2023, agents seized more than 22 kilograms of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin from the DTO, as well as more than $1.6 million in drug proceeds. James used the drug proceeds on high-end luxury merchandise. Throughout the investigation, agents assembled evidence showing that the DTO was responsible for moving thousands of kilograms of drugs in less than a year.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force Takedown Results in Arrests and Indictment of Two Men for Distributing Large Quantities of Drugs and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Two men have been arrested and made their initial appearances in court on April 10, for allegedly trafficking significant quantities of fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine, and for laundering drug proceeds to Mexico.
An indictment unsealed Friday charges Francisco Felix and Alexis Arturo Martinez, also known as Arego Martinez Reglado, for conspiring to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. On April 9, federal law enforcement executed multiple search warrants on the defendants’ stash houses and a storage locker and seized approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills; 2.25 kilograms of fentanyl powder; 2.3 kilograms of heroin; one pound of methamphetamine; a semi-automatic rifle; and over $30,000.
“This indictment is a direct result of the coordinated actions and outstanding investigative work by the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The defendants were poisoning our communities with drugs. Nevada is safer thanks to the whole-of-government partnership and interagency collaboration. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to rid crime and drugs from our communities.”
“Fentanyl traffickers must be held accountable for the destruction caused by their crimes, and these arrests are the first step to holding those responsible,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Our Homeland Security Task Force will continue to fight against drug traffickers putting dangerous individuals behind bars and sending a clear message: if you peddle drugs and carry guns in our community, we will find you, and we will stop you.”
“Through coordinated efforts and strong partnerships, two narcotics criminals will face the full force of the law for the devastation they caused,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Nevada. “DEA is in lockstep with our HSTF partners, remaining ever committed to disrupting drug trafficking networks and halting the flow of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other dangerous drugs. Together, we will continue to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our communities.”
Photo Credit: FBI Las Vegas Field OfficePhoto of drugs, cash, and assault rifle with ammunition seized by law enforcement, U.S. v Francisco Felix and Alexis Arturo Martinez, Case No. 2:26-cr-0048-GMN-MDC
The indictment charges one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; six counts of distribution of fentanyl; four counts of distribution of methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and four counts of money laundering.
Felix and Martinez were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A jury trial has been scheduled for June 15, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is life in prison, and there is a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. Any sentence 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.
This case was investigated by the FBI and DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Brister is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. 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 Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
###
Justice Department Sues Connecticut, City of New Haven over Sanctuary PoliciesRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Connecticut, Governor Lamont, Attorney General Tong, the City of New Haven, and Mayor Elicker to challenge the State’s and City’s sanctuary policies that interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of immigration laws.
The complaint targets Connecticut’s so-called “Trust Act,” as well as other state and local sanctuary policies. Not only are the policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, they have allowed dangerous criminals to be released into Connecticut communities. The State’s and City’s intentional efforts to obstruct federal law enforcement put citizens at risk and are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“For years, Connecticut communities have paid the price of these misguided sanctuary policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This lawsuit seeks to end such open defiance of federal law.”
The case, filed in the District of Connecticut, is the latest action from the Justice Department targeting illegal sanctuary policies across the country, including Minnesota, Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, New York State, Colorado, Illinois, Rochester, and several New Jersey cities.
Read the full complaint here.