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10 September 2026
Brookhaven Man Sentenced to 40 Months for being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Brookhaven man was sentenced on September 3, 2026, to 40 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Lincoln County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Anthony Marquiss Jones, 26, was found possessing a firearm by Brookhaven Police Department on February 3, 2024, in a motel room while being arrested on a warrant from the Mississippi Department of Corrections for absconding supervision.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The ATF and Brookhaven Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Bridgeville Man Arrested for Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Federal agents arrested a Bridgeville man on September 9, 2026, on charges of production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Thomas Twilley, 30, sexually abused a child, took sexually explicit photos of the child, and shared the photos with an administrator of a CSAM network online. Law enforcement estimates the victim was a young child when the material was produced.
Twilley is charged in a criminal complaint with production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a), and distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) & (b)(1). If convicted, Twilley faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years 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 made the announcement. HSI investigated the case with assistance from Delaware Child Predator Task Force and Delaware State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 26-mj-480.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bremerton, Washington couple sentenced to prison for wide-ranging ID theft and bank fraud crimesRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two Bremerton, Washington, women were sentenced this month for a long-running bank fraud scheme where they stole personal information of more than 250 people, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Emily Vranic, 34, was sentenced to three years in prison; her co-defendant, Heather Marquis, 37, was sentenced to 31 months. Both women were sentenced to three years of supervised release following their release from custody. The two were arrested on a federal complaint in April 2025. At the sentencing hearing for Vranic, U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright noted that the pair engaged in what she described as a “multi-dimensional, deliberate effort to defraud many people in many different ways.”
“These defendants attempted to steal at least $330,000 from their victims over a three-year period – ID theft and bank fraud was their ‘job’ and for at least 15 victims they were all too successful,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Beyond the financial harm, these defendants stole important records: tax returns; social security cards; retirement account information; divorce filings; immunization paperwork; immigration records; and military records. And each document theft was an invasion of privacy causing harm to the victim.”
“These two defendants made it their life’s work to lie, cheat, and defraud their very own community. Using every tool at their disposal to illicitly open accounts, redirect funds, and even paying their own mortgage while victims footed the bill.” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti, “Financial crimes of this nature inflict severe, long-term damage, forcing victims down a protracted road to recovery. Beyond the immediate financial loss, victims face the exhausting burden of closing fraudulent accounts and correcting damaged credit scores. While financial institutions may eventually reimburse stolen funds, they cannot restore the extensive time and energy required to repair the broader collateral damage.”
According to records filed in the case, from approximately 2021 until their arrests in November 2024, Vranic and Marquis defrauded victims and financial institutions in several different ways. Most often, they stole victims’ mail and used personal documents inside to activate credit cards, open new lines of credit, or gain wholesale access to online bank accounts. The pair would have documents related to their activities mailed to a third-party victim’s address, where they would intercept the mail again. Once they had fully taken over a stolen identity, statements and other records were mailed directly to their own Bremerton address.
Armed with their victims’ identities, the pair ran up credit card debt, made transfers from victim accounts to their own, and even used victim accounts to make monthly mortgage payments on the home they shared. One vulnerable victim was targeted with over $110,000 in fraudulent transfers; but for the bank’s intervention, that number would have been in excess of $170,000. Even when banks interceded to protect their customers by freezing targeted accounts, Vranic and Marquis repeatedly posed as account holders to try to get the fraud alerts removed.
In asking for a three-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore noted that though both women suffered from drug addiction, that did not affect the complexity of their frauds. “This scheme nonetheless required an extraordinary amount of organization, planning, and executive functioning skills. Marquis and Vranic kept records of every individual, every account, every piece of personal information that would ensure their scheme’s success. The variety of methods the women employed to steal from their victims was nothing short of labyrinthine to unravel.”
Marquis has agreed to a restitution obligation of $102,784 to the victims. Vranic will have a restitution hearing in October 2026 to determine the amount she owes.
The case was investigated by the Bremerton Police Department, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore.
Brandon Pulmonary Practice Agrees to Pay over $400,000 to Resolve False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Pulmonary Associates of Brandon, P.A. has agreed to pay $419,410 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare for certain Evaluation and Management (“E&M”) codes. The government contends that the underlying services were medically unnecessary and the claims in issue should have been properly submitted under a lower E&M code from January 2017 through March 2020.
“The submission of false and medically unnecessary claims to Medicare for office visits compromises the integrity of our nation’s federal health care programs and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “This resolution sends a clear message to the provider community and our district that we will actively investigate and prosecute this fraudulent conduct whenever it appears.”
“Medicare enrollees depend on medical providers to bill honestly and provide only medically necessary services,” said Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “When health care providers submit improper or inflated claims, they undermine the integrity of our federal health care programs and erode patient trust. Today’s resolution reflects our continued commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to hold providers accountable for improperly billing federal health care programs and to protect taxpayer funds.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Sheryl Turner, a former employee at Pulmonary Associates of Brandon. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Sheryl Turner v. Pulmonary Associates of Brandon, P.A., Case No. 8:23-cv-382-KKM-NHA (M.D. Fla).
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination or admission of liability by Pulmonary Associates of Brandon.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
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.
Batesville Woman Sentenced for Possessing Homemade Bombs, including One Found on Her Ex's VehicleRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Batesville woman was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison for possessing one or more homemade bombs on separate occasions.
According to court documents, Christina Willis, 29, previously pled guilty to possession of the bombs, or destructive devices, one of which Willis placed on the vehicle of her ex-boyfriend in June 2025. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Willis to 78 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Willis was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary made the announcement and stated, “We live in a wonderful country but it’s still a dangerous world, as confirmed by this case. When bombs are being produced an all-hands-on-deck response is required, which is what happened in this case. Federal, state and local law enforcement worked closely together in this coordinated investigation. The ATF and FBI working with the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Panola County Sheriff’s Office, the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Tupelo Police Department-this is what a successful investigation looks like. Well done.”
“ATF is dedicated to preventing and reducing violent crime involving the criminal use of explosives,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The collaborative effort of federal and local law enforcement, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, secured a sentence today that sends a message that ATF will continue to investigate and perfect charges against those who use explosives. ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities and neighborhoods and hold accountable those who threaten our safety.”
Assistant United States Attorney Robert Mims prosecuted this case.
Baltimore Man Indicted in Connection with Armed Robberies of Three Cellphone StoresRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Baltimore man faces indictment stemming from multiple armed robberies.
A federal grand jury charged Carlos Moody, 38, with three counts of interference with commerce by threats or violence in connection with the armed robberies of three Baltimore cellphone stores.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the indictment, in late December 2025, Moody robbed three different cellphone stores, located in the southern and northern areas of Baltimore, in a four-day period.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Moody faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each of the three counts alleged in the indictment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ty Pittinger and John W. Sippel, Jr., who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baton Rouge Man Indicted for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Approximately Thirty-Seven Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Worlington West, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to reports, on or about August 18, 2026, West was stopped for a traffic violation and was found to be in possession of approximately thirty-seven pounds of a substance which appeared to be cocaine. Presumptive testing yielded positive results for cocaine which would have an estimated street value of around $400,000. Additionally, West was also found to be in possession of a Taurus, 9mm pistol.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Baton Rouge Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney April Leon leads the prosecution.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Auburn Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Unlawful Employment of AliensRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — An Auburn, Alabama man has pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal COVID relief funds and to unlawfully employ aliens who were not authorized to work in the United States.
On September 9, 2026, Cesar Campos-Reyes, 52, pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with wire fraud, money laundering, and unlawful employment of aliens.
United States Attorney Thomas Govan, Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Flowers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mobile Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ellen Johnson for Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama made the announcement.
“Federal COVID relief funds were intended to help legitimate businesses and their employees, not to be diverted for personal gain or used to support an unlawful workforce,” said U.S. Attorney Govan. “This defendant defrauded programs designed to assist American businesses, misused taxpayer-funded assistance, and knowingly employed individuals who were not authorized to work in the United States. We will continue to hold accountable those who abuse federal programs and violate federal law.”
“Campos Reyes’s actions diverted critical pandemic relief funds away from the small businesses they were meant to support,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Flowers. “This guilty plea underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting taxpayer resources, safeguarding victims, and rebuilding public trust by holding accountable those who exploit federal programs and violate the law.”
“Fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief funds and knowingly employing unauthorized workers undermines both the integrity of federal programs and the rule of law,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Johnson. “HSI will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate individuals who exploit taxpayer-funded programs and violate our nation’s employment laws for personal gain.”
According to court documents and admissions made as part of his guilty plea, in May 2020, Campos-Reyes fraudulently applied for and received approximately $866,500 in funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The PPP and EIDL programs were established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide financial assistance to eligible small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Campos‑Reyes admitted that he did not use the relief funds for their intended purposes. Instead, in June 2020, he used $262,145.20 to purchase real property located in Opelika, Alabama.
Campos‑Reyes further admitted that, up to July 15, 2025, he knowingly hired and employed unauthorized aliens at multiple restaurants he owned or operated, fully aware that they were not permitted to work in the United States.
A sentencing hearing for Campos-Reyes will be scheduled in the coming months. At that hearing, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud, up to 10 years for money laundering, and up to six months in prison for unlawful employment of aliens. Campos-Reyes also faces substantial fines and the forfeiture of proceeds seized during the investigation. A federal district judge will determine Campos-Reyes’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation and resulting charges in this case are the culmination of a coordinated investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Additional assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alabama Department of Corrections, Auburn Police Department, Opelika Police Department, Prattville Police Department, Wetumpka Police Department, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service.
This operation received significant assistance from 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 Mobile comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and other federal and local agencies. The prosecution is being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama.
Atoka Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vet Sentrel Colbert, age 44, of Atoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 3 years’ probation for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
On November 5, 2025, Colbert pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 3, 2024, law enforcement discovered Colbert in possession of a 9mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Edith Singer represented the United States.
Anthon, Iowa, Man Sentenced to over 18 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Robert J. Fundermann, age 50, from Anthon, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, on September 10, 2026, to eighteen and a half years’ imprisonment. Fundermann previously pled guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography on February 5, 2026.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from April 2023 through April 2025, Fundermann distributed and attempted to distribute visual depictions of child pornography. Further evidence showed that Fundermann was grooming a 17-year-old to obtain images and videos of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A review of Fundermann’s phone showed he possessed 54 images and 98 videos of child pornography, involving material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers. The investigation also revealed that Fundermann was previously convicted for soliciting nude images from a minor in 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Fundermann to 222 months’ imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised release. Fundermann remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-4039.
The case was investigated by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
10 Des Moines Individuals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Ten individuals from Des Moines were sentenced to federal prison following their pleas to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, between March 2025 and September 11, 2025, the charged defendants obtained and distributed methamphetamine within Des Moines and elsewhere. The more than six-month investigation included controlled purchases of methamphetamine and concluded with the execution of more than 50 search warrants on September 11, 2025.
The defendants involved in this conspiracy include:
- Cole Anthony Langford, 42, sentenced to a 30-year prison term, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release;
- Kenneth Donald Stockman, 44, sentenced to a 12-year prison term, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release;
- Joshua Andrew Rankin, 38, sentenced to a 200-month prison term, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release;
- James “Jimmy” Stephen Waters Jr., 61, sentenced to a 78‑month prison term, followed by a four-year term of supervised release;
- Todd Allen Miller Jr., 32, sentenced to a 20-year prison term, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release;
- Samantha Sue Baldridge, 34, sentenced to a six-year prison term, followed by a four-year term of supervised release;
- Simon Anaya Sanchez, 50, sentenced to a 190-month prison term, followed by a six-year term of supervised release;
- Jason Lee Baxter-Blakely, 38, sentenced to a 100-month prison term, followed by a three-year term of supervised release;
- Jessica Renae Gleason, 43, sentenced to a 25-year prison term, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release; and
- Sara Ann Bowers, 40, of Des Moines, sentenced to a 10-year prison term, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
At the time they conspired to distribute methamphetamine:
- Langford was on absconder status for state eluding and drug trafficking offenses, following his parole from state custody after serving less than one year of his sentences.
- Rankin was on absconder status for two state drug trafficking offenses.
- Miller was on parole for three state drug trafficking offenses.
- Sanchez had a prior federal drug conviction from the Southern District of Iowa and had been discharged from supervised release in 2021.
- Gleason was on parole for a state drug trafficking offense.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Des Moines Police Department, and Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Tri-County Drug Task Force, and dozens of others.
9 September 2026
West Mifflin Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of drug trafficking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Tyree Saunders, 21, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that that an undercover officer made a purchase of various controlled substances, including crack cocaine, directly from the defendant. Based on that and other information, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained authority to intercept Saunders’ communications, which revealed that Saunders was regularly selling crack cocaine and used a firearm to threaten a co-conspirator. The investigators obtained a warrant to search the defendant’s home, where authorities found crack cocaine and a firearm.
Judge Hardy scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2027. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $2,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Saunders.
Valparaiso Man Sentenced for Making Online ThreatsRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Alexander Jakeway, 36 years old, of Valparaiso, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to transmitting online threats, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Jakeway was sentenced to 1 year of probation and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.
“The First Amendment does not give anyone unfettered liberty to threaten harm against other individuals, including agents of the United States government. In November 2025, the Defendant posted threats on social media directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The online posts included the Defendant telling followers to ‘actually kill’ ICE agents and to ‘shoot on sight.’ We will aggressively defend the United States Constitution and those who swear an oath to protect it. Thanks to the partnership of Homeland Security Investigations, the Valparaiso Police Department, and NDIN AUSA Lydia T. Lucius, the Defendant has been held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Valparaiso Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
This case is part of the nationwide National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative, which is a White House directed, interagency effort to integrate federal, state, and local partners in protecting First Amendment rights while targeting individuals and organizations engaged in political violence and is led by the investigative and prosecutorial Joint Task Force Vanguard.
Vallejo gun trafficker sentenced to 7 years in prisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Zuryess Roberts, 26, of Vallejo, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to seven years in prison for illegal gun trafficking and possessing a machine gun conversion device, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
A federal jury found Roberts guilty in May 2025 after trial.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Roberts was the leader of a loosely affiliated crew that was illegally selling dangerous, high-powered weapons in Vallejo using a Super 8 motel on Solano Avenue in Vallejo as the hub of their criminal activity. During the investigation, on multiple separate occasions, Roberts sold and oversaw the sale of dangerous weapons, including a machine gun conversion device and facilitated the sale of multiple untraceable ghost guns, on the streets of Vallejo to a person he believed to be a violent criminal. In total, Roberts was responsible for selling 13 firearms, and he received approximately $7,850, from selling firearms during the course of the investigation.
Four co-defendants were convicted of firearms-related crimes and sentenced to federal prison. They include:
Taezon Laurece Sanderson, 23, sentenced to 36 months; Divaya Talley, 18, sentenced to 36 months in prison; Napoleon Washington, 45, sentenced to 15 months in prison; Anderson Thurston, 66, sentenced to 12 months in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vallejo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Virgin Islands Man Sentenced for Making Interstate Threats and StalkingRead the Press Release
RUTLAND – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on September 8, 2026, Todd Hoyte, 55, of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 36 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Judge Lanthier scheduled a hearing on December 3, 2026, to determine any restitution that Hoyte owes as part of his sentence. Previously, Hoyte pleaded guilty to making interstate threats and cyberstalking.
According to court records, between July 29, 2024, and September 25, 2024, in a campaign of harassment, intimidation, and threats, Hoyte, while living in the U.S. Virgin Islands, placed more than 10 cellphone calls to Vermont, during which he left voicemails for Grand Isle County State’s Attorney Douglas DiSabito. These voicemails included a threat on DiSabito’s life as well as insults, slurs, and derogatory language against DiSabito. At the time, DiSabito was prosecuting Hoyte for a criminal offense. In pleading guilty, Hoyte admitted that he made communications to harass and intimidate DiSabito as well as for the purpose of issuing a threat and with knowledge that the communications would be viewed as a threat to DiSabito.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the FBI and thanked the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Hoyte was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould leads the Northern District of Texas to historic results and takes the stage as a national leader on the eve of his investitureRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Less than one year after appointment as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould marks a year of institutional transformation, historic prosecutions and measurable results across one of the nation’s largest and most complex federal districts.
Ryan Raybould was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney on Nov. 17, 2025, pursuant to an Attorney General Appointment. He was then appointed by the Northern District of Texas judges before being confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2026, following his October 2025 nomination by President Donald J. Trump.
From his first day in office, U.S. Attorney Raybould established three guiding principles for the Northern District of Texas: reduce violent crime, disrupt cartels, and protect North Texans from fraudsters.
Within his first 90 days, U.S. Attorney Raybould reorganized the Criminal Division to sharpen its focus on the threats facing North Texas and the nation. Over the following year, the office hired over 40 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and brought in the best and brightest leaders across the nation to reform its leadership team.
At the same time, the office increased violent crime prosecutions by 26 percent, white collar prosecutions by 50 percent and charged the most immigration offenses in North Texas history. The office also ranked first among the extra-large U.S. Attorney’s Offices in cases charged per federal prosecutor. Empowered by U.S. Attorney Raybould to crush crime, the office has already charged more criminals than in 2025 and will end the fiscal year with more filed cases than at any point this decade.
“In less than a year, we’ve only just begun to transform the Northern District of Texas into the safest community it can be. With families, businesses and entire industries moving here from across the country, North Texas is booming and our office is meeting that growth with unwavering resolve. I’m proud of the extraordinary team we’ve built, men and women who bring unmatched talent and commitment to the mission every single day. As Y’all Street emerges as a powerful economic engine, drawing investment and opportunity from every direction, one thing remains constant: criminals will find no refuge in North Texas. We will continue driving violent crime down, protecting our borders and defending the rule of law with absolute determination.” — U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould
PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES
Project Safe Schools
U.S. Attorney Raybould launched Project Safe Schools, a federal initiative aimed at protecting students, enforcing accountability and restoring transparency in public schools across North Texas. Project Safe Schools directly targets failures in mandatory reporting of educator misconduct and combats the practice known as “passing the trash,” where educators with known misconduct issues move between schools without disclosure of their prior wrongdoing.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that unites federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and public safety partners to coordinate efforts to reduce violent crime and strengthen community safety. The Northern District of Texas hosts several PSN operations. Under U.S. Attorney Raybould’s leadership, a second high‑risk area in Dallas – along Harry Hines Boulevard long known for trafficking, violence and public safety challenges – received PSN designation. Through a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, federal, state and local agencies recently shut down a sex trafficking conspiracy operating out of the Paris Adult Bookstore, resulting in the indictment of eight defendants on related federal charges. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Raybould expanded PSN to a second area in Fort Worth and is currently leading an operational surge there of state, local, and federal resources to ensure that violent offenders are brought to justice.
Decentralize the District
U.S. Attorney Raybould has made enormous strides to decentralize the district, including filing more cases in West Texas and ensuring that the branch offices are staffed to meet the population growth. U.S. Attorney Raybould has assigned more Assistant United States Attorneys and Special Assistant United States Attorneys than ever before to the Fort Worth division, Abilene division and Amarillo division. As the chief federal law‑enforcement officer for the entire region, overseeing a vast jurisdiction that spans 100 counties and multiple metropolitan areas, his commitment is to deliver fair, effective and consistent enforcement of federal law to every single one of the almost nine million residents who call North Texas home, ensuring their safety and trust in the justice system. As he often says, “I’m a U.S. Attorney for all 100 counties in North Texas. That is both an honor and an obligation that I aim to meet every single day by leaving it all on the field so that people can go about their lives free from violence, intimidation, and fraudsters.”
RECENT CASES OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
- Antifa Cell Leader Gets 100-Year Sentence for Terrorist Attack: In the Country’s first prosecutorial response to Antifa-designated domestic terrorism, Benjamin Hanil Song, who was convicted of the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, was sentenced to 100 years in prison. Together, the 16 Prairieland terrorists received a combined sentence of 450 years in prison.
- Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Dismantle San Angelo Drug Trafficking Ring – 48 Arrested as Part of “Operation Concho Valley Shakedown.” This investigation and prosecution dismantled a major drug‑trafficking network operating across West Texas, leading to 48 arrests and the disruption of a supply chain responsible for fueling violence and addiction throughout the region.
- 60‑Year Sentence for Child Sexual Abuse Material: Victor Torres pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography leading to one of the lengthiest sentences handed down in the District for such crimes highlighting the District’s commitment to protecting minors and combating sexual exploitation.
- Homeland Security Task Force Investigations lead to indictment of 8 members of designated foreign terrorist organization TdA: Five of the eight indicted illegal aliens from Venezuela were charged in Northern District of Texas with kidnappings that resulted in death, racketeering involving murder and other violent offenses.
- Health Care Fraud Takedown – 13 Charged in NDTX, $360 Million Loss: This strategically coordinated nationwide law enforcement action resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.
- Civil Fraud Enforcement – Nearly $75 Million in Settlements: The use of civil tools to protect the public fisc and recover taxpayer dollars lost to fraud, waste, or abuse is also a priority for U.S. Attorney Raybould, and so far in 2026 the office has reached civil settlements totaling $74,990,652.66, primarily under the False Claims Act.
These cases reflect U.S. Attorney Raybould’s and the Northern District’s concentrated efforts to disrupt cartels, domestic terrorist actions and cyber enabled crimes; dismantle fraud networks and protect children, reinforcing its strategic priorities in law enforcement.
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U.S. Attorney Moore Capito Commends Law Enforcement Partners After 59 Arrested During “Operation Coal Country”Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito joined with U.S. Marshal Jack Chambers, West Virginia State Police Colonel James Mitchell, and other law enforcement partners today to announce the success of “Operation Coal Country.” The multi-week enforcement initiative targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, violent fugitives, and other wanted individuals throughout the Southern District of West Virginia.
The 59 individuals arrested during the operation, which began August 13, 2026, and concluded last week, include 16 convicted sex offenders wanted on registration violations and 10 individuals charged with new sex offenses. The West Virginia State Police conducted over 380 compliance checks of registered sex offenders as part of Operation Coal Country.
“Each arrest resulting from these targeted enforcement operations protects our communities and makes them safer,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “The success of this operation continues the momentum we’ve created through dedicated, collaborative, and aggressive efforts with our law enforcement partners.”
Those arrested during Operation Coal Country include Clinton G. McNeely, 31, of Lyburn. A federal grand jury indicted McNeely on August 18, 2026, on three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of production of obscene material. McNeely was arrested on August 20, 2026. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two convicted sex offenders were indicted as part of Operation Coal Country after allegedly violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, SORNA provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
Among the other individuals arrested during Operation Coal Country, five face federal drug charges, three allegedly violated federal supervised release, and two allegedly violated terms of their federal pretrial release.
Operation Coal Country focused heavily on sex offender compliance and fugitive apprehension throughout the West Virginia State Police Troop 5 area of Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, and Wayne counties. Several of those arrested face charges in additional counties within the Southern District of West Virginia. Those arrested also include a fugitive wanted for murder in Florida who was captured in Dunbar, and a suspect in the sexual abuse of a female juvenile family member in Parkersburg who was arrested in Arizona. Participating law enforcement also found a missing child after an alleged parental abduction in Wood County.
The operation brought together federal, state, and local law enforcement resources in a coordinated effort to locate and apprehend fugitives while also conducting enforcement activities involving registered sex offenders. Investigators worked to identify registered sex offenders who were not complying with state and federal registration requirements and to locate individuals wanted for crimes involving sexual offenses.
Officers also seized 75.1 grams of fentanyl, 1.54 kilograms of methamphetamine, 33.3 grams of cocaine, approximately $6,000, one firearm, and assorted ammunition.
“The success of Operation Coal Country demonstrates what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combine their resources toward a common mission,” said U.S. Marshal Jack Chambers. “Fifty-nine arrests over the course of this operation means 59 wanted individuals were located and taken into custody. More importantly, this operation placed a significant emphasis on protecting our communities from individuals who have committed sex offenses or failed to comply with their registration requirements. The U.S. Marshals Service and West Virginia State Police will continue working together to investigate noncompliant sex offenders and apprehend dangerous fugitives throughout southern West Virginia.”
“When law enforcement works together, criminals have fewer places to hide,” said Colonel James Mitchell, superintendent of the West Virginia State Police. “Operation Coal Country shows the power of a coordinated, proactive approach to protecting our communities and holding offenders accountable. The West Virginia State Police is proud to stand with the U.S. Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in doing everything we can to keep the people of West Virginia safe.”
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Southern District of West Virginia Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force and the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) led Operation Coal Country in partnership with numerous other law enforcement organizations:
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
- WVSP Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force
- WVSP Sex Offender Registry
- West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Parole Services
- Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
- Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
- Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
- Logan County Sheriff’s Office
- Mercer County Sheriff’s Office
- Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
- Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office
- Barboursville Police Department
- Beckley Police Department
- Fayetteville Police Department
- Huntington Police Department
- Kenova Police Department
- Lewisburg Police Department
- Parkersburg Police Department
- Princeton Police Department
- St. Albans Police Department
- South Charleston Police Department
- USMS Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force
- USMS Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Two Pittsford men plead guilty for their roles in stolen cooking oil schemeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Guodeng Chen, and Didi Huang, both of Pittsford, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr to transportation of stolen goods in interstate commerce, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
On April 8, 2022, Chen and Huang caused 45,000 pounds of stolen, used cooking oil to be shipped from the Western District of New York to a refinery located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Chen and Huang received $29,433.60 for this shipment. On April 28, 2022, Chen and Huang caused another 45,000 pounds of stolen used cooking oil to be shipped from the Western District of New York to a refinery located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Chen and Huang received $30,618.00 for this shipment. The defendants knew there was a high probability that the cooking oil was stolen.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Anthony Licari, Special Agent-In-Charge, Midwestern Region.
Sentencing for defendant Chen is scheduled on December 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. and sentencing for defendant Huang is scheduled for December 15, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., both before Judge Geraci.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Stealing Checks from the Mail in Livingston and CliftonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Irvington man and a Roselle Park man both admitted to conspiring to steal checks from the mail using stolen or misappropriated arrow keys belonging to the United States Postal Service (“USPS”), U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Leslie Blackwood, 25, of Irvington, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an Information charging him with conspiracy to steal checks from the mail. Verly Antenor, 24, of Roselle Park, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty on July 16, 2026, before Judge Salas to the same charge.
According to documents filed in the cases and statements made in court:
Between September 2021 to March 2022, Blackwood and Antenor agreed with other individuals to steal checks from the mail. They possessed and used stolen or misappropriated arrow keys to access USPS collection boxes in Livingston and Clifton and steal mail containing checks. To profit from the scheme, Blackwood and Antenor sold, deposited, or caused to be deposited the stolen checks to fraudulently obtain funds from financial institutions. Blackwood and Antenor sometimes “washed” the stolen checks by erasing the date, payee, amount, and memo line from the stolen checks and replacing the information, oftentimes for higher amounts than the amounts originally written on the checks. Overall, Blackwood and Antenor agreed that the scheme caused an actual loss of approximately $670,313.46.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail theft carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing for Blackwood is scheduled for February 16, 2027, and sentencing for Antenor is scheduled for December 17, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited postal inspectors with the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, and special agents with the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation. He also thanked the Livingston Police Department and the Clifton Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel for Blackwood: Claressa Lowe, Esq.
Defense counsel for Antenor: Roberto Espinosa, Esq.
antenor.information.pdf blackwood.information.pdfTwo Individuals Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Mortgage Modification SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today an Indictment charging ARMANDO SOLIS BARRON, a/k/a “Solomon,” and DOMINIC AHIGA, a/k/a “Michael Grinnell,” a/k/a “Josh Weinstein,” with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their scheme to defraud clients of their mortgage modification business of millions of dollars in fees. BARRON and AHIGA were previously arrested and presented in the Central District of California and are expected to be arraigned on the Indictment this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause.
“This Office is committed to rooting out fraud in all of its forms, and we will work tirelessly to prosecute frauds targeting vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Armando Solis Barron and Dominic Ahiga allegedly preyed upon financially struggling homeowners who got behind on their mortgages by charging them monthly fees and leading them to believe much of their past-due balances would be forgiven, causing a number of those customers’ homes to go into foreclosure.”
“Armando Solis Barron and Dominic Ahiga’s alleged fraud scheme involved taking money from people who sought assistance with their mortgages,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “This scheme hurt hundreds of vulnerable people financially. The FBI will continue to prioritize complex financial fraud investigations to protect the public from anyone who takes advantage of consumers.”
According to the Indictment:(1)
From at least in or about June 2018 through at least in or about September 2022, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, BARRON and AHIGA, together with others, defrauded clients of their mortgage modification business and the clients’ mortgage lenders. BARRON, AHIGA, and others operated their mortgage modification business under different names, including Green Equitable Solutions, d/b/a Academy Home Services; South West Consulting Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Home Matters USA; Apex Consulting & Associates Inc., d/b/a Golden Home Services America; and Infocom Entertainment Ltd., d/b/a Atlantic Pacific Service (collectively, the “Company”). BARRON, AHIGA, and others solicited homeowners who were struggling to make monthly payments on their mortgages and promised to have the homeowners’ interest rates and monthly payments reduced in exchange for monthly fees.
BARRON, AHIGA, and others induced the Company’s clients to accept their services and to continue to pay the monthly fees by lying about, among other matters, the amount of time that the mortgage modification process would take and the nature of the fees that the clients were paying for mortgage modification services. The defendants and others also directed clients to stop making monthly mortgage payments to their lenders and to pay the Company monthly fees instead. The conspirators falsely told clients that their lenders would forgive their arrearages and, in many instances, that part of their monthly payments to the Company would go to pay down the balances of their mortgage loans. BARRON, AHIGA, and others also defrauded the clients’ lenders by making material misrepresentations and by engaging in fraudulent practices to cause the lenders to modify the clients’ mortgages, including by creating and submitting fabricated bank statements so that the Company’s clients appeared to meet the lenders’ criteria for a modification. Clients of the mortgage modification business operated by BARRON, AHIGA, and others paid over approximately $15 million for mortgage modification services, and a number of those clients’ homes went into foreclosure.
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SOLIS BARRON, 63, of La Habra Heights, California, and AHIGA, 56, of Los Angeles, California, are both charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Markewitz and James McMahon are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Tonto Basin Resident Charged with Transporting a Minor for Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A federal grand jury in Phoenix yesterday returned an indictment against Brian Matthew Griffeth, 48, of Tonto Basin, Arizona, for Transporting a Minor with Intent that the Minor Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.
The indictment alleges that between December 2023 and July 3, 2026, Griffeth transported a minor between Arizona and Florida with the intent that the minor engage in criminal sexual activity, including production of child pornography.
According to the previously filed criminal complaint, the FBI opened an investigation in November 2025 into Griffeth’s purported sexual abuse of the minor. Through the investigation, law enforcement learned that Griffeth had allegedly committed sexual acts with the minor when they were 13 and living in Arizona, and continued that abuse until the minor was 16, sometimes recording the interactions. During that time, Griffeth moved with his family and the minor to Florida.
A conviction for Transportation of a Minor for Criminal Sexual Activity carries a minimum penalty of 10 years, and a maximum penalty of life, a maximum of $250,000 fine, and a maximum term of supervised release of life.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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, visit justice.gov/PSC.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the FBI’s Jacksonville office and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
Indictments and criminal complaints are formal accusations of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 26-MJ-04268-PCT-CDB; 26-CR-01063-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-154_Griffeth# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Defendants Charged with Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Pierre Rasheem Fields, 42, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, Ray Eric Brasson, 36, of Minneapolis, and Jermaine Young, 26, of Chicago, were indicted for conspiring to distribute and distributing fentanyl.
According to a six-count federal indictment that was unsealed on September 9, 2026, Fields, Young, and Brasson conspired with each other and others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl from April 2026 through August 2026. Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Fields is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl, Young is also charged with three counts of distributing fentanyl, and Brasson is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl.
Fields was arrested this morning in the Houston, Texas, area, and he had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He will appear in U.S. District Court in Minnesota at a later date.
Young and Brasson were arrested early this morning at hotels in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and had their initial appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shannon G. Elkins. They will appear again in court on September 14, 2026, for detention hearings.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the East Central Drug Task Force, and the West Metro Drug Task Force, with assistance from other law enforcement partners.
Assistant United States Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of 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.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
State Inmate with Child Sexual Abuse Material Faces 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former inmate at Central State Prison in Macon who was serving a sentence for child molestation is facing up to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material on an altered J-pay tablet while behind bars.
Timothy Jock Knight, 45, formerly of Central State Prison, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Mark Treadwell on September 3. Knight faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for Dec. 1, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
“It is deeply troubling that, even while serving time for child molestation, this individual continued to seek out and view child sexual abuse material and research ways to harm children,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of state and federal authorities, the defendant was identified and will be held accountable.”
"There are few crimes more egregious than those perpetrated against children, and in this case the defendant proved he remains a danger to the community, even from a prison cell," said Rob Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. "We will take every opportunity to leverage our digital forensic technology to thwart the activity of distributors and consumers of child sexual abuse materials, no matter their location."
“Child sexual abuse material is a horrific form of exploitation that continues to victimize children long after the abuse itself occurs. Those responsible must be held accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI will never back down in the fight against this crime, and remain committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to protect our children and hold criminals accountable.”
“Any type of criminal activity perpetrated from behind the walls of our facilities will not be tolerated, and we are grateful to our federal and state partners for their assistance in bringing this case to a close,” said Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation received a Cybertip generated by Instagram in reference to the distribution of child sexual abuse material in 2021. Instagram reported that a subject account named “timknight444,” uploaded two images depicting CSAM. The tip included Knight’s profile picture and his driver’s license. GBI found Knight was serving a state sentence for attempted child molestation out of the Superior Court of Columbia County, Georgia, and was housed at Central State Prison, scheduled for release in January 2027.
The GBI obtained search warrant results for Knight’s Instagram account and collected two J-Pay tablets at Central State Prison. One tablet was found in Knight’s locker and had been altered but did not contain CSAM. Investigators found the second tablet with Knight when they confiscated it. Investigators confirmed that the tablet was altered and that it contained CSAM. Also, the device contained Google search histories for information on abusing, trafficking, and raping children. Investigators found 3,410 unique artifacts of CSAM material that include images of prepubescent children. Most images came from five different video series.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The GBI, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and the United States Secret Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Brown and Julius Jefferson are prosecuting the case for the Government.
South Bend Man Found Guilty by Jury for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Rodoundy Smith, 41 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 20, 2027.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew A. Krumwied, Joseph M. Barrier, and Lydia T. Lucius.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Sharon Resident Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating narcotics and firearm laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Jiemaliahl Cleveland, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on December 23, 2025, Cleveland possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and also possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for January 6, 2027. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Mercer County Drug Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cleveland.
Second cocaine trafficker receives prison sentence in Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 29-year-old woman has been sentenced for possession with intent to deliver cocaine.
Laura Janette Gonzalez pleaded guilty Sept. 21, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 25 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
The investigation began in early 2024 when authorities identified Edgar Alejandro Villarreal, a/k/a Fresa, as a large-scale cocaine trafficker coordinating the smuggling, transportation, and distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States.
During surveillance operations April 16, 2024, law enforcement observed Gonzalez and others arrive at a Weslaco parking lot in a Chevrolet Equinox to deliver narcotics. After spotting authorities, they fled.
Authorities conducted a traffic stop resulted in the discovery of a gift-wrapped box containing approximately 8.8 kilograms of cocaine.
The investigation revealed Villarreal and Edith Gonzalez, Laura Janette Gonzalez’s sister, coordinated the shipment that Laura Janette Gonzalez was to deliver.
Both Villarreal, 38, Brownsville, and Edith Gonzalez, 45, Donna, pleaded guilty. Edith Gonzalez received a 78-month-term, while Villarreal is scheduled to be sentenced Oct 21.
Laura Gonzalez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This operation 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 toward 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 South Texas/Houston comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Brownsville Police Department also assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.
Scam Center Strike Force Conducts Seizures of Chinese-Run Illicit Scammer Marketplace, and Restrains $52 Million in Laundered Crypto Scammer Funds in One DayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, together with major federal law enforcement and interagency partners, announced actions taken by the Department of Justice’s Scam Center Strike Force to secure America against Southeast Asian cryptocurrency-related fraud and scams. The Strike Force and the Department of the Treasury took coordinated actions against Xinbi Guarantee (“Xinbi”), an illicit marketplace for scam services, and the Strike Force deployed to Madagascar to assist in the taking down of 13 Chinese-run scam compounds. Approximately $52 million of cryptocurrency involved in scam money laundering was restrained in one day, bringing the total restrained by the Scam Center Strike Force to approximately $938 million.
Joining in the announcement were U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska Michael J. Heyman, FBI Criminal Division Deputy Assistant Director Matthew Floyd, Special Agent in Charge Tara McLeese of the United States Secret Service Washington Field Office, and Lisa Palluconi, Deputy Director of the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
“If Chinese organized crime can buy a custom website and a money laundering service the way you order takeout, then every American with a retirement account is in the blast radius,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My Strike Force will continue to dismantle Chinese organized crime, those who facilitate it, and protect Main Street America.”
As alleged in a seizure warrant unsealed today, Xinbi is a Chinese-language illicit marketplace, run on Telegram, where vendors market their services to scam center operators. The Telegram channel operated primarily in Chinese, and the vendors post their available services on the Telegram channel, to include creating custom scam investment websites, laundering or “washing” money that scammers obtain from victims of wire fraud, and soliciting trafficking victims to work in scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Once a scammer “purchases” a service from the vendor, Xinbi as an organization holds money to be paid to the vendor until the vendors services are complete, to assure the scammers that the vendors will perform the services. The seizure warrant alleged numerous instances where U.S. victims funds were traced to specific vendors who advertised their money laundering services on the Telegram channel, and posted cryptocurrency wallets for payment on Telegram. On September 7, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia authorized seizure of the Telegram channels hosting this marketplace.
A vendor advertisement on the Telegram channel for “cleaning” cryptocurrency for Chinese RMB.
A vendor advertisement on Telegram for recruiting scammer (“Level 1”) agents.
Additionally, also pursuant to the same warrant, the Scam Center Strike Force seized two cryptocurrency wallets that Xinbi used to collect payments for vendors, which collectively held approximately $12 million in funds. Law enforcement also sought restraint of 47 additional cryptocurrency wallets that were believed to be associated with money laundering on Xinbi’s network and with vendors who had worked for scammers. Due to all these coordinated efforts, more than $52 million worth of cryptocurrency was restrained from Xinbi and its network of vendors that facilitate the organized crime groups running scam centers around the globe. The Strike Force thanks Tether for its proactive assistance in this investigation.
Today, in further coordinated action, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Xinbi as a significant transnational criminal organization and identified numerous cryptocurrency wallets associated with Xinbi. OFAC also designated two other entities for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Xinbi. As a result of today’s action by OFAC, all property and interests in property of these three sanctioned entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. For more information, please see the Department of Treasury’s press release at this link.
“After scamming money from hardworking Americans, criminals operating overseas laundered it through the Xinbi Guarantee network, which operated under the false assumption that they were out of the reach of U.S. law enforcement, said Tara McLeese, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office. “The efforts of our agents and investigative analysts to trace stolen funds and unveil the scope of this criminal network shows that while the methods of fraud may change, our resolve does not.”
“Global crime faces global justice, and the FBI will stop at nothing to protect the finances that hardworking Americans build over their lifetimes,” said FBI Chicago Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen. “Today’s seizure demonstrates law enforcement and prosecutors’ commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling scam centers, no matter where they are in the world. The FBI is committed to working with domestic and international partners around the globe to stop scammers before they attack and hold these criminals accountable.”
“Scam centers are not just criminal enterprises—they are engines of exploitation that devastate victims, families, and communities," said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. " These schemes target our elderly and most vulnerable, draining their finances, eroding their trust, and in many cases leaving lasting emotional harm. The FBI is committed to dismantling these networks, holding offenders accountable, and restoring a sense of security to the communities they prey upon.”
Also today, U.S. Attorney Pirro announced that the Scam Center Strike Force will expand its scope to attack scam center compounds globally. In furtherance of that expanded focus, U.S. Attorney Pirro, together with U.S. Attorney Heyman and FBI Criminal Division Deputy Assistant Director Matthew Floyd, announced that the Strike Force had deployed a team to Madagascar to assist local law enforcement in cracking down on scam centers in that country. The Strike Force team, which was in country for two weeks, supported the local authorities related to the take down of 13 scam centers that were being operated by Chinese organized crime syndicates. The Strike Force team assisted in the processing of more than 3,200 electronic devices. The Strike Force team has also opened their own investigations on the basis of interviews conducted of the nearly 400 arrestees, at least approximately 30 of whom where Chinese leaders of the scam compounds, who were repatriated to China by the Chinese government.
"Transnational criminal organizations don’t care about borders, and the Department of Justice won’t either,” said Michael J. Heyman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska. We are proud to be part of the Scam Center Strike Force and will work to eliminate these international scam networks and bring justice to U.S. fraud victims across the country."
Boxes of phones from Chinese run compounds in Madagascar, reviewed by the Strike Force
Room of scam center evidence seized by the Madagascar authorities, which the Strike Force team assisted in processing.
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About the Scam Center Strike Force
The Scam Center Strike Force was officially launched by U.S. Attorney Pirro in November 2025 to address the growing threat posed by Chinese organized crime syndicates operating scam centers primarily in Southeast Asia. The Strike Force targets cryptocurrency investment fraud, cyber-enabled fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering operations that have cost American victims billions of dollars.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), cyber-enabled fraud schemes were responsible for almost 85% of all losses reported to IC3 in 2025. Within that category, CIF schemes have continued to grow, and the IC3 calculated the reported losses from CIF scams rose, from $4.57 billion in 2023, to $8.65 billion in 2025, an increase of 89%.[1] These figures, largely based on losses reported by victims, likely significantly under-represent the true loss amounts incurred by Americans, since most fraud victims do not report to IC3, if at all.
On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is unleashing every available tool to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud. The Scam Center Strike Force is a critical node in executing the mission outlined in the President’s Order.
Founded by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, the Strike Force has been joined it its work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations-DC, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Alaska, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Western Washington. The Strike Force works in collaboration with other federal agencies, including the Treasury and State Departments. The Strike Force works in strategic partnership with private industry and calls on all U.S. businesses to take more proactive steps to protect users from scam operations.
The Scam Center Strike Force will use every tool available to help secure Main Street Americans from these scams. With its interagency and public partners, it will educate Americans on how to identify these scams, prevent generational wealth from flowing from America into the pockets of Chinese organized crime, and work with unwavering focus to return stolen funds to victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia directs the Strike Force. Today’s seizures were handled by AUSA Seifert and AUSA Rick Blaylock, Jr., of the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as AUSA Mac Caille Peturrson, of the U.S. Attonrey’s Office for the District of Alaska, along with the FBI’s Chicago Field Office and U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance from Paralegals Peter Bleicken and Jessica In, both of the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Madagascar investigations are being handled by AUSA Peturrson, with AUSAs Seifert and Blaylock, along with FBI’s Honolulu Field Office. The FBI thanks authorities in Madagascar for their assistance.
San Francisco man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for child exploitationRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Sean Michael Hunt, 51, of San Francisco, was sentenced Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on May 17, 2010, Hunt pleaded guilty to receiving CSAM in Fresno. After serving his prison sentence, he relocated to San Francisco and began serving a lifetime term of supervised release. In March 2024, during a search of Hunt’s residence, Hunt’s probation officer found two laptops, three iPhones and one iPad. On the devices were more than 10,000 still images and 75 videos of CSAM. Hunt was charged with violating the conditions of his release and was additionally charged with possession of CSAM.
On Jan. 26, 2026, Hunt pleaded guilty to the violation of supervised release and to possession of CSAM.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the cases.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Western South Dakota and on the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that United States District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Arizona man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Gaylen Holy Rock, 40, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Holy Rock was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
Beginning in 2023, Holy Rock worked with others to distribute methamphetamine within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He received methamphetamine from co-conspirators in the Rapid City, South Dakota, area and was responsible for distributing over 500 grams of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
“Working together, law enforcement agencies across South Dakota are doing everything we can to eliminate the scourge of methamphetamine and other illicit drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “This defendant chose to victimize the communities of the Pine Ridge Reservation. He will now spend the next decade in federal prison, which should provide plenty of time to contemplate the wisdom of that decision.”
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).
The investigation was conducted by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Holy Rock was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Project Safe Schools: Federal grand jury charges former high school teacher with enticement offense for alleged sexual relations with a minorRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a former Muleshoe, Texas High School teacher has been charged in a federal enticement case involving a minor student.
A federal grand jury in Lubbock returned an indictment today charging Allegra Fey Mora, 28, with enticement of a minor for allegedly having sexual relations with one of her students.
“The full force of my office will be brought to bear on teachers, administrators, and school districts who perpetuate a cycle of abuse in our schools,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “No one who abuses a position of authority over a child in the Northern District of Texas will escape scrutiny. As I said before, Project Safe Schools is here to stay, and I’d encourage teachers, administrators and school districts to report any and all abuse that has occurred in the past to my office. If we find out about it on our own, the consequences will be more severe. And to North Texas parents, we will continue to fight for you to put bad actors in prison who abuse kids and create a culture of concealment in our North Texas schools.”
“Protecting children from exploitation is among HSI’s highest priorities, especially when allegations involve an abuse of trust by someone in a position of authority,” said HSI Dallas Deputy Special Agent in Charge Antwoine Jones. “HSI Dallas will continue working alongside our partners to identify, investigate and support the prosecution of those who target minors. Every child deserves to be safe from exploitation, including in the places where they should feel most protected.”
According to the indictment, from October 2025 to May 2026, Mora allegedly knowingly used a facility and means of interstate and foreign commerce, including a cellular telephone, to persuade, induce, entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity. Texas Rangers initiated an inquiry in June 2026 after receiving a report concerning possible inappropriate sexual conduct between Mora and a 17‑year‑old Muleshoe High School student. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted interviews, collected electronic evidence and executed search warrants related to the case. The evidence reviewed by investigators corroborates alleged explicit communications and conduct underlying the federal charge.
Mora was arrested by state authorities earlier this year and was released pending further state proceedings. If convicted, Mora faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to life in federal prison.
The Texas Rangers conducted the investigation with forensic assistance from Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam from the Lubbock Division is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Schools is a federal initiative aimed at protecting students, enforcing accountability and restoring transparency in public schools across North Texas. Project Safe Schools directly targets failures in mandatory reporting of educator misconduct and combats the practice known as “passing the trash,” where educators with known misconduct issues move between schools without disclosure of their prior wrongdoing. Project Safe Schools’ goals are to:
- Enforce mandatory reporting requirements tied to federal education programs.
- Hold school districts, administrators and teachers accountable through civil and criminal enforcement.
- Increase transparency in educator misconduct investigations.
- Strengthen student safety across schools in North Texas.
An indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Prior Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking & Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Michael Dontavious James, 34, of Marianna, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping dangerous career criminals off our streets remains a top priority for my office. We will aggressively prosecute these cases until our citizens have the safe, drug-free communities they deserve.”
Court documents reflect that on March 2, 2024, during a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper’s traffic stop, the Trooper smelled the odor of fresh green marijuana as he approached the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant was asked if there were any weapons in the vehicle, at which time he looked toward the front passenger windshield area and answered in the negative. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, law enforcement located a black bag secured to a black hose that was connected to the engine. The bag contained .3 grams of alpha PiHP, 1.98 grams of methamphetamine, and 15.9 grams of cocaine base. The bag also contained two 9mm firearms with loaded magazines and a bullet in each chamber. The defendant is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.
James faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment on the controlled substances count, up to fifteen years’ imprisonment for the possession of a firearm by a felon count, and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment for possessing the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch are prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen Winsor.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access 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.
Pinedale Woman Pleads Guilty to Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinedale woman pleaded guilty in federal court to involuntary manslaughter for killing her husband during a physical altercation.
According to court documents, on June 30, 2025, Mabelene Grey, 46, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, confronted her husband, John Doe, at their residence in Pinedale, New Mexico, regarding an affair. A physical altercation ensued, during which Grey produced a firearm and, during the struggle, fired it, killing John Doe.
Grey pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. At sentencing, she faces up to eight years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
Pensacola Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution & Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Marcel Mickles, 49, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to multiple counts of distributing cocaine, unlawful possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial felon’s days of flooding our streets with deadly drugs are over, and he’ll spend the next decade behind bars where he belongs because of his choice to poison our community with drugs and violence. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live on safe, drug-free streets, and my office will deliver on that promise with more aggressive prosecutions and lengthy prison sentences for career offenders, like this defendant.”
Court records reflect that the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received information that the defendant was selling cocaine from his residence in Pensacola, Florida. As part of an undercover operation, cocaine was purchased from the defendant. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence and located multiple loaded firearms throughout the house, methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, spice, and drug paraphernalia indicative of someone selling drugs. The defendant has multiple prior convictions, including armed robbery, aggravated battery, possession of controlled substances, and carrying a concealed weapon.
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said: “This case is a direct result of strong partnerships. When local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office work side by side, we get results. This sentence reflects the power of that teamwork and our shared commitment to public safety. We are grateful for these partnerships and what they mean for the safety of our community.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Walter E. Narramore.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alphonso LeSean Johnson, 36, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 8, 2025, Johnson possessed a Taurus model G3C 9mm pistol in Parkersburg.
Federal law prohibits a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Johnson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior convictions for domestic violence against a female victim who had cohabitated with and who was similarly situated as a spouse in Marietta, Ohio, Municipal Court on February 20, 2019, and for infliction of injury on a parent or child against K.D., with whom he shared a child in common, in Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, on March 16, 2010.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wood County Sheriff's Office, and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys D. Keith Randolph and JC MacCallum are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-58.
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Owner of Physical Rehabilitation Company Sentenced to 38 Months in Prison for $20 Million Fraud on Health Benefit ProgramsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald announced today that NOSSON SKLAR, a/k/a “Nathan Sklar,” was sentenced to 38 months in prison for engaging in a scheme to defraud health benefit programs through the submission of more than $20 million in fraudulent claims.
“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of this crime and our Office’s commitment to safeguarding affordable health care from fraud for all New Yorkers,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Nosson Sklar spent years bilking health care benefit programs of millions of dollars and will now spend serious time in prison for his conduct.”
According to the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings:
SKLAR was the owner and chief executive officer of a company that operated a series of physical rehabilitation facilities around New York City (the “Rehabilitation Company”). Between at least January 2020 and in or about July 2024, SKLAR submitted or caused others to submit more than $20 million in claims for medical services to various health care benefit programs, asserting that those services were rendered by a physician who worked with the Rehabilitation Company (“Victim-1”). But that was false. Victim-1 did not provide those services, did not work with the Rehabilitation Company during that time, and did not authorize SKLAR to submit bills in his name.
In or about July 2024, Victim-1 spoke with SKLAR on at least two occasions about the fraudulent bills. During those conversations, SKLAR admitted that he had committed “fraud” by billing under Victim-1’s name, and that he did it “because [of] the money.”
Between at least in or about January 2020 and in or about July 2024, SKLAR caused more than $20 million in claims to be submitted to three separate health benefit programs (the “Health Plans”), which listed Victim-1 as having been the rendering provider for the Rehabilitation Company. Approximately $12.4 million of those claims were eventually paid by the Health Plans.
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In addition to the prison term, SKLAR, 56, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $12,440,000 and to pay Victim-1’s legal expenses.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorja N. Knauer and David A. Markewitz are in charge of the prosecution.
Orange County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Orchestrating Massive Health Care Fraud that Submitted Nearly $270 Million in Bogus ClaimsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man was sentenced today to 360 months in federal prison for masterminding a massive health care fraud scheme in which nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims were submitted to Medi-Cal over an 11-month span for expensive prescription drugs containing generic ingredients that were not medically necessary and, many times, were not provided to the purported recipients.
Paul Richard Randall, 67, of Orange, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who also ordered him to pay $178,746,556 in restitution.
Randall pleaded guilty on April 7 to one count of wire fraud committed while on release.
“This defendant took advantage of California’s weak systems allowing him to submit $270 million in fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal in less than a year,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Today’s prison sentence underscore’s our department’s determination to aggressively punish criminals who steal from public health programs.”
“Paul Randall exploited a temporary change in Medi-Cal’s prescription drug reimbursement system to steal hundreds of millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars meant to help California’s neediest residents,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who would abuse our public benefit programs to line their own pockets: The Fraud Division will aggressively prosecute you and seek to hold you accountable to the fullest extent permissible under the law.”
“This case exposes unbridled greed at the expense of patients and taxpayers,” aid Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
“Stealing funds meant for essential care and corrupting medical decisions through kickbacks is deeply harmful and erodes trust in our health care system. HHS-OIG, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who exploit federal health care programs and ensure they are held fully accountable.”“The amount of money Paul Randall stole from California taxpayers through his fraud scheme is staggering,” said Patrick Grandy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “By exploiting a loophole in the Medi-Cal system, he was able to bill nearly $270 million dollars, then launder it to evade detection and pay kickbacks to his co-schemers. Today’s sentencing sends a strong message to anyone considering defrauding health care benefit programs that the federal government is actively seeking fraudulent claims and will pursue prosecution.”
Randall, along with Kyrollos Mekail, 38, of Moreno Valley, and Patricia Anderson, 59, of West Hills, took advantage of Medi-Cal’s suspension of its requirement that health care providers obtain prior authorization before providing certain health care services or medications as a condition of reimbursement. The suspension of the prior authorization requirements was part of an ongoing transition of Medi-Cal’s prescription drug program to a new payment system.
Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program, a public health insurance program which provides health care services for the state’s neediest residents, including low-income individuals, persons with disabilities, and individuals in foster care.
Through a business called Monte Vista Pharmacy, Randall and his co-schemers exploited Medi-Cal’s prior authorization suspension by billing Medi-Cal tens of millions of dollars per month for dispensing high-reimbursement, non-contracted, generic drugs through Monte Vista Pharmacy. Some prescription medications purportedly were to treat pain and included Folite tablets, a vitamin available over the counter.
Normally, these high-cost reimbursement medications would have required prior authorization under Medi-Cal’s old payment system. Medication involved in this scheme was medically unnecessary, frequently was not dispensed to patients, and procured by kickbacks.
From May 2022 to April 2023, Monte Vista billed Medi-Cal more than $269 million and was paid more than $178 million for 19 expensive, non-contracted drugs containing low-cost, generic ingredients that were not medically necessary, not provided, or both.
Randall also admitted that he committed the offense while on release in another criminal tax case in the Central District of California (USA v. Paul Richard Randall, No. 20cr31).
Randall and others then laundered their illicit proceeds by transferring the proceeds of the Medi-Cal fraud scheme to a third party to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to Anderson, to promote the fraud scheme and to conceal and disguise the transfers from detection by law enforcement.
Randall caused the wiring of at least approximately $269,120,829 in false and fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal for purportedly dispensing the fraud scheme medications that Anderson prescribed, on which Medi-Cal paid at least approximately $178,746,556. Randall started this fraud scheme while awaiting sentencing in another federal criminal case.
In his plea agreement, Randall agreed to forfeit property obtained from the fraud, including bank account balances exceeding $17 million, three vehicles, seven properties, and sports memorabilia, such as Mickey Mantle and Jackie Robinson baseball cards worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and Kobe Bryant game worn and signed sneakers.
Mekail pleaded guilty in August 2024 to two counts of health care fraud and awaits sentencing. Anderson is charged with two counts of health care fraud, and the criminal case against her is still pending. A criminal complaint was filed against Christina Mareik, a.k.a. “Christina Marie Sanchez Hernandez”, charging her with health care fraud and alleging that she played a key role in the Medi-Cal fraud scheme by creating fraudulent prescriptions for Medi-Cal beneficiaries and directing Anderson to sign them. The case against Hernandez is still pending.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the FBI, and the California Department of Justice investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Roger A. Hsieh of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Siobhan M. Namazi of the U.S. Department of Justice, Fraud Enforcement Division, are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters in this case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/fraud.
Nebraska Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that United States District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Norfolk, Nebraska, man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Cody Dittman, 36, was sentenced to five years and 10 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.
Dittman was indicted for Assault on a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026.
On May 2, 2025, Dittman refused to pull over after officers with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety attempted a traffic stop. Dittman led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit throughout the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, ultimately leaving Pine Ridge and entering Fall River County. During the pursuit, Dittman swerved his vehicle directly towards law enforcement officers deploying spike strips as they attempted to end the pursuit.
The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Dakota DCI, the Fall River County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Dittman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Missouri man pleads guilty to enticing minor to engage in sexual actsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri man pleaded guilty to criminal charges after making plans to engage in sex acts while chatting with an undercover federal agent posing as an underaged girl.
According to court documents, Jason A. Teeman, 47, of Raymore, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
In July 2025, Teeman used social media and text messages to chat with a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent purporting to be a 14-year-old girl in Kansas. During the conversations he made comments filled with sexual innuendo including how he only likes to “date young females” and “just keep in mind I’m the one risking going to jail here”. Teeman then made plans to travel from Missouri to Kansas to engage in sexual acts with the “girl” in the back seat of his car or at the girl’s home. After the agent explicitly claimed to be 14 years old, Teeman continued communicating in a sexual manner.
The FBI arrested Teeman after he arrived at the designated meeting location and confiscated his cellphone. Forensic analysis revealed 14 files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child erotica, including of children under 9 years old. His chat history revealed he sent multiple messages to other online users requesting they facilitate or assist in procuring a child for Teeman to have sexual contact with in exchange for money.
He is scheduled to be sentenced December 8, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY – U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mexican man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Eriberto Gonzalez-Ginez, 23, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Gonzalez-Ginez will also be deported back to Mexico upon completion of his sentence.
Gonzalez-Ginez was indicted for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in March 2026. He pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026.
On February 2, 2026, federal law enforcement officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, conducted a targeted enforcement operation regarding illegal immigration at a Rapid City residence. Gonzalez-Ginez is an illegal alien unlawfully present in the United States. Gonzalez-Ginez was in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck with a trailer hitched to its rear at the residence. When federal agents activated their emergency lights and sirens on their vehicles, Gonzalez-Ginez quickly put the truck in reverse, ramming into a federal agent’s duty vehicle. Gonzalez-Ginez kept his truck in reverse, pushing the federal agent’s vehicle back approximately ten feet. Gonzalez-Ginez then fled on foot, escaping authorities. Federal agents tracked his position again at the end of the month, where he unsuccessfully attempted to flee.
“This was outrageous and recklessly dangerous conduct by this lawless individual,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
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).
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removable Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Smuggling Methamphetamine in Luggage at Memphis AirportRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Lonnie Moore, Jr., 38, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on August 22, 2025, Memphis Airport police officers intercepted luggage that belonged to Moore, who had just landed at the Memphis International Airport from Los Angeles, California. A police K9 indicated the luggage contained narcotics; therefore, officers seized the luggage.
Police discovered that the luggage contained a large clear vacuumed-sealed bag containing 12 individual wrapped bags of a green leafy substance, which weighed a total of 13.10 lbs. This green leafy substance tested positive for marijuana. Additionally, there was another large clear vacuumed-sealed bag containing 2 individual wrapped bags of a hard crystal-like substance, which weighed a total of 9.10 lbs. This substance tested positive, and was later confirmed by a laboratory, for methamphetamine.
On April 15, 2026, Moore pled guilty as charged. Moore has prior convictions in Mississippi for possession of cocaine and methamphetamine. On September 3, 2026, the Honorable United States District Judge Brian C. Lea sentenced Moore to 144 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Drug smugglers who use domestic air travel to traffick meth threaten not only the critical infrastructure of the Memphis International Airport, but also the public safety of our citizens. The message is clear: our law enforcement partners will catch you, and we will convict and punish you for importing poison into West Tennessee.”
“This case should serve as a warning to would-be drug traffickers everywhere… find a new line of work; the DEA and our law enforcement partners will find you and bring you to justice”, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott. “Mr. Moore will serve a twelve-year prison sentence for his crimes, time that he could have spent as a productive member of society. Instead, he chose criminal behavior and the punishment that goes along with it.”
This case was investigated by the Memphis International Airport Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Maryland Woman Sentenced to Prison for $1.1M Tax Refund FraudRead the Press Release
A Maryland woman was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for attempting to steal more than $1.1 million from the IRS by filing false tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2019 and March 2020, Kendra Scarborough, of Oxon Hill, filed three false tax returns in the names of purported trusts that she controlled. In total, these tax returns sought more than $1.1 million in refunds that the trusts were not entitled to receive. Scarborough’s scheme resulted in the IRS issuing a refund of $412,000 to one of the purported trusts. Scarborough used these funds to pay for, among other things, the mortgage on her personal residence and other creditors.
Scarborough pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Debrorah L. Boardman ordered Scarborough to pay $410,117.44 in restitution to the IRS and forfeit to the government the proceeds from the tax refund that remain in her bank account.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Melissa Siskind of the Fraud Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Maryland Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges Connected to HSTF InvestigationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, stemming from charges for his role as a drug supplier.
U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Alcedo Hodge, Jr., 30, of Parkville, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges are in connection with a multi-state Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) drug investigation.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Shane K. Todd, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
According to court documents, in 2024, the DEA investigated a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Richmond, Virginia. Investigators identified Co-Conspirator 1 (CC-1) as one of the DTO’s re-supply sources, along with Hodge. Then in December 2024, law enforcement intercepted wiretap conversations about the DTO’s cocaine re-supply in the Baltimore Metropolitan area.
On December 5, investigators covertly followed a DTO member who drove from Virginia to Owings Mills, Maryland, to meet CC-1. During the surveillance, law enforcement observed Hodge arrive at a secluded shopping center parking lot. The DTO member and CC-1 then followed Hodge in their vehicles.
While in the parking lot, investigators saw CC-1 exit Hodge’s vehicle. Then, as Hodge left the parking lot, CC-1 called the DTO member over to his vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the DTO member after he returned to Virginia later that day. Investigators searched the DTO member’s car, recovering one kilogram of cocaine.
Additionally, in January 2025, investigators observed Hodge engaging in another suspected drug transaction. Then on March 17, 2025, investigators initiated a traffic stop on Hodge in Baltimore County after observing an additional suspected drug transaction. During the traffic stop, a K-9 unit scanned the vehicle and returned a positive alert for the controlled substances. Investigators searched the vehicle and recovered three kilograms of cocaine; a fully loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun equipped with a 22-round capacity extended magazine; and approximately $78,000 in cash.
After law enforcement arrested Hodge, investigators searched his Parkville residence. Inside his residence, investigators recovered an additional three kilograms of cocaine; another loaded firearm, which was stolen; and two digital money counters. Hodge acknowledged that he intended to use the recovered firearms and U.S. currency to facilitate his drug offense.
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 Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Miner who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Supervisory Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Sureños and Sinaloa CartelRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, aka “Homie,” 34, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The defendant was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson on September 9, 2026.
According to court documents, Diaz-Aguilar managed the “Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO)” and is a member of the Sureños, a transnational criminal organization originating in Southern California. He is one of several defendants in United States v. Diaz-Aguilar et al.
Other defendants in the case include:
- Juan Martin Elvira Jr., of Rochester, Minnesota, sentenced to 75 months in prison on June 11, 2026, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
- Edward Gonzalez, of Hastings, Minnesota, sentenced to 120 months in prison on June 3, 2026, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
- Eric Anthony Rodriguez, of St. Paul, Minnesota, sentenced to 260 months in prison on August 13, 2026, following a six-day trial where he was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
- Bruce Michael Orton, of North Branch, Minnesota, sentenced to 140 months in prison on June 16, 2026, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
According to court documents, in the summer of 2024, law enforcement began investigating suspected methamphetamine trafficking in Rochester, Minnesota. In August 2024, agents executed a search warrant at a coconspirator’s residence and found approximately 7.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 M-30 fentanyl pills, a variety of marijuana products, cellphones, and nearly $8,000 in cash. A review of the coconspirator’s phone revealed messages with “Homie,” the coconspirator’s methamphetamine supplier, with transactions going back to April 2024. Agents later determined that “Homie” was Diaz-Aguilar.
From October 2024 through January 2025, law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Diaz-Aguilar and executed a search warrant at a stash house in Hastings, Minnesota, where agents found a bulk quantity of methamphetamine and used drug packaging that demonstrated hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine had recently traveled through the house.
In December 2024, Diaz-Aguilar traveled to Chicago with two coconspirators to obtain a bulk quantity of methamphetamine and traveled in a two-vehicle convoy back to Minnesota. Police stopped the vehicle driven by one of the defendant’s coconspirators, Edward Gonzalez, and located approximately 42 pounds of methamphetamine in the trunk.
Agents later executed a search warrant at Diaz-Aguilar’s residence and seized his phones. Investigators found messages between the defendant and another coconspirator, Bruce Orton, about drug transactions dating back to August 2023 including discussions on pricing and the defendant’s access to 170 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also found a ledger in Diaz-Aguilar’s closet that contained sales entries of bulk quantities of methamphetamine to others.
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic deadly narcotics in Minnesota will be met with decisive action. My office remains fully committed to protecting the public by dismantling the criminal networks that put our communities at risk,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Today, the ringleader of an organization responsible for flooding our streets with methamphetamine was brought to justice,” said DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie. “No one is above the law and today’s sentencing is yet another reminder that DEA will work tirelessly to take these criminals and their poisons out of our neighborhoods.”
“The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team (SEMVCET) work collaboratively with local, state, and federal agencies to disrupt and dismantle Drug Trafficking Organizations. This case is one example of positive outcomes achieved when working together. Minnesota and beyond are safer with these dangerous drugs off the streets and the suspects held accountable,” said Tim Parkin, Captain of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and Commander of the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Minnesota State Patrol, Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Chisago County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Minnesota Drug Task Force, Hastings Police Department, Rochester Police Department, Cannon River Drug Task Force, and the New Prague Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.
Note: Previous press release on the indictment (April 8, 2025) linked here.
Man Sentenced to 14 and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Carjacking Vehicle at Gunpoint in Backyard of Chicago ResidenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint in the backyard of a Chicago residence has been sentenced to 14 and a half years in federal prison.
On the evening of Nov. 2, 2023, KENNETH MERRITT and DAMARRI CONNER carjacked an Audi sedan in the backyard of a residence in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood. A woman and her daughter had just returned home in another vehicle when Conner and Merritt sprang from a hiding place and attacked them. Merritt threw the mother violently to the ground, ripped her purse from her arms, and threatened to kill her and her daughter. Conner then pointed a gun at the woman’s husband, who had rushed outside to help his family. The carjackers took the Audi and drove off. The carjacking was captured on a home-security video, which can be viewed here.
Merritt, 29, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to carjacking and firearm offenses. On Sept. 3, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sunil R. Harjani sentenced Merritt to 14 and a half years in federal prison.
Conner, 23, of Chicago, also pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal carjacking and firearm offenses. Judge Harjani sentenced Conner on April 8, 2026, to the same period of incarceration as Merritt.
Merritt’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Fred Waller, Interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“This crime was heinous and violent,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Merritt’s case. “The trauma he inflicted on his victims will take years to repair.”
Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – James Brooks was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 10 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and for possession of a semi-automatic handgun during a drug sale. The government recommended a sentence of 10 years in prison.
"Fentanyl is tearing apart families and poisoning our communities at an alarming rate,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This sentence sends a clear and unwavering message to drug traffickers: if you flood our streets with lethal chemicals for profit, you will be caught, and you will face severe consequences in federal prison. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to disrupt these deadly networks and protect the people of Las Vegas."
“Every drug trafficker operates with a single, ruthless purpose—profiting from human suffering,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Alongside our partners, the FBI will continue dismantling their networks, erase their poison from our streets, and ensure every single participant faces justice behind bars.”
According to court documents, from October 28, 2023, to January 21, 2024, Brooks, also known as “Grizz,” conspired with co-defendant Geronimo Gutierrez to distribute pills containing fentanyl. During a drug transaction, Brooks possessed a 9mm semi-automatic handgun with a high-capacity magazine and paid cash to an individual for approximately 2,000 pills.
Fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance. Illicit fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just two milligrams, about the size of a few grains of salt, can be lethal.
Brooks pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Gutierrez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to money launder. On January 12, 2026, Gutierrez was sentenced to 97 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
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Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Kidnapping his Estranged WifeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Chad Oso of La Mesa was sentenced in federal court today to 121 months in prison for kidnapping his estranged wife and violently tearing her away from their two young children, who were left home alone as he forced their mother into his vehicle and drove away.
Oso was convicted of kidnapping by a federal jury in March. According to evidence presented at the trial, Oso showed up at the victim’s La Mesa home on September 17, 2024, unannounced and uninvited. Oso made demands of the victim, but she rejected them. Oso became increasingly aggressive, escalating the confrontation to the point where the victim left the apartment in an attempt to alert a nearby neighbor.
Oso chased after her, beat her, dragged her down the stairs to the garage of the apartment complex and forced her into the hatchback area of his Toyota RAV4. He then drove the victim away from her home against her will, away from her children who were left alone with the door to their home wide open.
Oso then drove around La Mesa, refusing to let the victim go while she desperately tried to escape. The victim banged on the back window of the hatchback area of the RAV4 and screamed for help so loudly and desperately that members of the community saw her, were alarmed and called 911.
Police responded to the victim’s apartment complex, called Oso and told him to bring the victim home. But Oso did not bring the victim home. Instead, he drove the victim, against her will into Mexico, to leave her in the “desert.”
Once in Mexico, the victim stuck her hand out of the car window and pleaded for help from Mexican Customs Officials, who then directed the car back to the United States Border. There Customs and Border Protection officers rescued the victim and arrested Oso.
The victim suffered injuries to her face, head, chin, arms, hands, and legs as a result of Oso beating her, dragging her and forcing her into his car.
“Violently ripping a mother away from her young children is an unconscionable act of violence and cruelty,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We will always stand with victims and fight for justice on their behalf.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the extreme violence the defendant was willing to inflict and the grave danger his actions posed to the victim,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “We commend the citizens who reported what they witnessed and thank our partners at the La Mesa Police Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Their quick actions directly contributed to the victim’s safe recovery and return to her children. The FBI remains committed to pursuing justice for victims of violent crime and working with all of our law enforcement partners to continue reducing violent crime in our community.”
“This case is a stark reminder of how quickly domestic violence can escalate into life-threatening violence,” said La Mesa Police Chief Ray Sweeney. “We are grateful to the members of the La Mesa community who recognized the danger and immediately called 911. Their actions, together with the response of law enforcement and the outstanding work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, helped bring this terrifying ordeal to an end and hold the defendant accountable.”
“CBP officers acted quickly and decisively to protect the victim and take the defendant into custody,” said Sidney Aki, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s San Diego Field Office. “I am proud of their swift response and grateful for the coordination among our federal, local, and international law enforcement partners, whose collective efforts helped bring this dangerous situation to an end.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Evangeline Dech.
Anyone who needs assistance can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Free and confidential help is available 24/7 at 800-799-SAFE (7233)or text START to 88788
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr2134-RBM
Chad Oso Age: 55 La Mesa, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Kidnapping (18 U.S.C. §1201)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and a $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
La Mesa Police Department
United States Border and Customs Protection
Man Pleads Guilty and Faces at Least 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in the Death of a Young WomanRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Hudeife Muhamud Mire, aka “Juice,” 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death.
His plea hearing was before U.S. District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell on September 8, 2026. Mire faces a statutory minimum of 20 years in prison and supervised release of at least four years.
According to court documents, in 2021, Mire conspired with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The defendant remained a part of the agreement until May 17, 2022, when he was arrested.
On April 16, 2022, Mire sold fentanyl to the victim, a 19-year-old woman. The victim died from an overdose minutes after consuming one of the pills. On May 17, 2022, police executed a search warrant at Mire’s apartment and seized roughly 180 grams of fentanyl pills and over $4,000 in cash. On May 19, 2022, state authorities charged the defendant with third-degree murder related to the woman’s death.
On June 1, 2022, Mire was released under certain conditions. However, days later, on June 4, 2022, and in violation of his release conditions, Mire flew to Kenya on a one-way ticket and remained there until January 6, 2026, when federal agents returned him to the United States. Mire admitted that he flew to Kenya to avoid investigation and prosecution for the offense.
“Today’s guilty plea represents a crucial step toward justice for the young woman and her family. Our office remains committed to holding accountable those who peddle deadly drugs into our communities,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“A 19-year-old woman lost her life to a pill that the dealer knew contained fentanyl, a substance that continues to destroy families and communities,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie. “Despite his best efforts to evade justice, Mire must now face the consequences of his actions, while also living with the knowledge that his dealings left a young woman’s family and friends grieving.”
“Mire’s plea agreement reflects the strength of our partnerships and the unwavering commitment required to bring fugitives to justice,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “The gravity of the defendant’s crimes—including distributing fentanyl that caused a young woman’s death and then fleeing to obstruct justice—underscores the importance of holding offenders accountable. This outcome was made possible through close cooperation with the Government of Kenya, whose assistance ensured the defendant’s return to the United States to face federal charges. We are grateful for their collaboration and for the collective work of all our law enforcement partners who made this result possible.”
“Fleeing the country didn’t allow Mr. Mire to escape accountability,” said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. “This case is a strong example of what can happen when law enforcement partners stay committed to seeing a case through, no matter how long it takes or how far it leads. The BCA was proud to work alongside our partners here in Minnesota and internationally to help locate Mr. Mire and return him to the United States to answer for his actions, moving this case one step closer to justice for Samantha Myers.”
“Although no sentence given to Hudeife Mire will equal the loss experienced by the victim’s family and friends, we are grateful that there will be accountability for his role in her death. Fentanyl continues to be a plague on our society and hopefully this prosecution deters others. The CEE-VI Drug and Gang Task Force, Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office, and Willmar Police Department would also like to acknowledge our state and federal partners who assisted in locating Mire in a foreign county and getting him back to the United States to be prosecuted,” said CEE-VI Commander Ross Ardoff, Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson, and Willmar Police Chief Mike Holme in a joint statement.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the CEE-VI (Cooperative Enforcement Effort) Drug and Gang Task Force, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office, and the Willmar Police Department, with assistance from other law enforcement partners.
Assistant United States Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.
Man Indicted on Distribution and Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Maryland man is facing federal indictment in connection with child sex abuse crimes.
Robert Paul Miller, III, 35, of West Friendship, is charged with distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possessing CSAM.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD)
According to the indictment, Miller distributed videos depicting adults sexually abusing minors. Miller also maintained a Dropbox storage account, associated with his email address, that contained one or more CSAM visual depictions.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Miller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for distributing CSAM. Miller also faces a maximum of 10 years for possessing CSAM.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Long Island Contractor Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Fraud in Connection with Hurricane Sandy Recovery FundsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Alexander Almaraz, the owner of Design Concepts Group LLC (DCG) in Freeport, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 48 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to induce individuals to hire him and pay DCG to repair their Hurricane Sandy-damaged homes. Almaraz pleaded guilty to the charge in September 2024. As part of the sentence, restitution to the victims will be determined at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney, announced the sentence.
“Although years have passed since Hurricane Sandy caused historic damage to our district, the defendant’s victims still feel the emotional and financial pain caused by his selfish crimes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentence holds Almaraz accountable for using vital recovery funds to fund a lavish lifestyle while his customers were deprived of their homes and suffering emotionally and financially. For this crime of greed, it is fitting that the defendant’s home will be a federal prison.”
“Alexander Almaraz defrauded more than 20 victims of Hurricane Sandy by promising to raise their storm-ravaged homes and instead used the money for his own personal gain by spending it on luxury items. Almaraz unlawfully sought to profit from the money intended to assist these desperate homeowners following this devastating storm. May today’s sentencing send a message that the FBI will never tolerate those who exploit natural disaster recovery efforts for greedy purposes,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“Hurricane Sandy ravaged waterfront communities across Nassau County, and in the aftermath, this defendant capitalized on the loss and pain of nearly two dozen homeowners trying to rebuild just to fatten his own wallet,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly. “In his greed, Almaraz made promises he had no intention of keeping and stole more than a million dollars in recovery funds earmarked to help residents who suffered total devastation in the storm. To add insult to injury, while the construction on his victims’ homes remained unfinished, Almaraz was out buying land for himself with their funds. I thank our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their commitment to prosecuting heartless schemers who exploited Long Islanders during this tragic event.”On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck New York and New Jersey, causing catastrophic damage to low-lying and coastal areas, including many neighborhoods in the Eastern District of New York. New York residents whose homes were damaged were eligible to receive funding from the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery through the New York Rising (NYR) program.
Almaraz entered contracts with homeowners who qualified to receive funds from NYR. As part of these contracts, Almaraz agreed to lift the victims’ homes and set them down on temporary support structures which would permit the foundations of the damaged homes to be removed and new foundations to be installed. After the new foundations were installed, Almaraz was supposed to lower the homes and reconnect the homes’ appliances. Between October 2015 and June 2019, Almaraz agreed to lift the homes of at least 20 customers who had received NYR funding and who collectively paid him approximately $2.5 million. Almaraz convinced many of these victims to move out of their homes and pay him rent to live elsewhere, all the while neglecting their projects and causing greater loss and suffering. Instead of performing the full scope of the agreed-upon work, Almaraz used the victims’ monies to pay for personal expenses, including credit card bills, land purchased in Kansas City, Missouri, and luxury automobiles, including a Lamborghini, a Porsche and a Jaguar. Almaraz’s fraudulent scheme caused more than $1.5 million in losses to NYR and the individual victims.The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ALEXANDER ALMARAZ
Age: 55
San Antonio, Texas; formerly of Freeport, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-17 (JMA)
Lieutenant in Sinaloa and Beltran-Leyva Cartels Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Roberto Lopez, a/k/a Shrek, a/k/a NWA, was sentenced to nearly two decades in federal prison following his convictions for cocaine trafficking and money laundering. Lopez, who was hiding in Mexico for more than a decade before his capture and expulsion to the United States, smuggled weapons to Mexico and helped manage a vast cocaine-smuggling network in support of high-level cartel leaders.
“Before he went underground, Lopez was the head of domestic transportation for ruthless and far-reaching cartels that poured drugs into our community with military-level precision,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Even if it takes decades, my office and our law enforcement partners in the Homeland Security Task Force will never cease our efforts to track and arrest fugitives in their hiding places and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Lopez’s sentence is the result of a determined and coordinated effort to dismantle the criminal network he was a part of,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The success of this investigation demonstrates the strength of our Homeland Security Task Force partnerships and what we can accomplish when agencies work together.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In the early 2000s, Edgar Valdez-Villareal, a/k/a “La Barbie,” was an infamous and ruthless enforcer for the Sinaloa and Beltran-Leyva Cartels in their war against the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas. Valdez also partnered with U.S.-based trucking businessman Carlos Montemayor to operate a distribution network that moved up to 300 kilograms of cocaine per week to Atlanta, Memphis, and other cities while smuggling cash back to Mexico in shipments carrying no less than $1 million per load. In just a six-month period, the organization distributed 1,500 kilograms of cocaine in Atlanta alone.
The cartels’ operation is also estimated to have smuggled more than 1,000 rifles, 100-200 converted machineguns, and hundreds of magazines and ammunition drums into Mexico from the United States, along with silencers, night vision goggles, ballistic vests, helmets, and other tools of violence.
Lopez was the primary lieutenant for Valdez and Montemayor’s network, handling various logistics, including payments to truck drivers and stash house operators and the repackaging and transportation of money over the border. He was repeatedly intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps discussing loads of cocaine bound for the U.S. and shipments of cash destined for cartel leaders. When the investigation disrupted the organization, Lopez fled to Mexico, where he remained in hiding until his arrest there in 2024.
Roberto Lopez, 46, of Laredo, Texas and Mexico City, Mexico, was sentenced to 18 years, 10 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He pled guilty on May 19, 2026, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Following his indictment on December 15, 2009, Lopez was arrested in Mexico City on June 27, 2024, and expelled by Mexico to the United States on August 12, 2025.
In 2018, a federal judge in Atlanta sentenced Valdez to 49 years and 1 month in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. In 2019, Montemayor was sentenced to 34 years and 3 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
Assistant United States Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Elizabeth M. Hathaway and former U.S. Attorney John Horn prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.