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9 September 2026
Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty to Shipping Methamphetamine to New Hampshire in Multi-State Dark Web Drug Trafficking by Mail OperationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Brejea Wrigley, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to two counts of Distribution of Controlled Substances, specifically more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2025, the defendant took over a dark web methamphetamine distribution operation under the vendor account name “BlackCoconut” and used that account to arrange shipments of drug parcels nationwide through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Items for sale through this operation included methamphetamine, fentanyl marketed as “China White,” pressed oxycodone pills, and mushrooms in various quantities. Undercover agents were able to arrange through the dark web for parcels of methamphetamine to be purchased and shipped from Phoenix, Arizona to a law enforcement monitored P.O. Box in Manchester, NH in September and October 2025. The first shipment contained nearly 450 grams of methamphetamine hidden inside two stuffed animals, purchased for a total of $1,850 from the “BlackCoconut” account. The second shipment contained more than 800 grams of methamphetamine, similarly packaged to the first shipment. Following further investigation and the execution of search warrants, the defendant was identified as the person operating the “BlackCoconut” dark web account and trafficking operation.
The charging statute provides for a sentence up to life in federal prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $10,000,000. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for December 17, 2026.
The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.
Arizona Man Charged with Enticing and Transporting a Minor to Kentucky to Engage in Illegal Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Arizona., man was indicted by a federal grand jury with charges related to enticement of a minor.
Dustin A. Hill, 22, of Florence, Ariz., was charged with attempted enticement of a minor, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. Hill had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.
The indictment alleges that between September 6 and Sept. 20, 2025, Hill, using a means of interstate commerce, attempted to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Hill traveled from the State of Arizona to the state of Missouri and then transported the minor from Missouri to the state of Kentucky with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The indictment further alleges that Hill transferred obscene materials to the minor.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. It was investigated by Atchison, Missouri Sheriff’s Department, the Evansville, Indiana Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Additional Hacienda Employee and Business Owners Plead Guilty to Bribery Conspiracies Involving Millions in Public FundsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 8, 2026, Alexander Ortiz-Robles, a Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Departamento de Hacienda or “PRDT”) employee was charged via information and pleaded guilty to participating in a bribery conspiracy involving the loss of approximately $6,772,578 in Puerto Rico tax revenue, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Ortiz-Robles is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Gina R. Méndez-Miró on January 15, 2027. This represents the third PRDT employee to plead guilty within the last three months to a bribery or fraud scheme. Along with numerous other “gestors”, individuals, and corporate defendants that also pleaded guilty, the total loss of Puerto Rico tax revenue related to these schemes exceeds $14 million.
According to the plea agreement in the case of Alexander Ortiz-Robles, he admitted to receiving bribe payments to eliminate Puerto Rico taxes owed by various individuals and businesses. From June 2020 through October 2025, Alexander Ortiz-Robles was an employee and agent of the PRDT with duties that included physically and electronically accessing and reviewing tax returns and documents related to invoicing and collection of owed taxes. The defendant had privileged access to the PRDT’s online platforms, the Puerto Rico Integrated Tax Administration System (PRITAS) and the Internal Revenue Unified System (GenTax/SURI) and was experienced and able to access, monitor, and modify taxpayer information, including creating taxpayer credits, modifying income tax, employee retention tax and sales tax information.
As part of the conspiracy, Ortiz-Robles corruptly accepted bribe payments and other benefits, in exchange for submitting false information to the PRDT. The false information was submitted to the PRDT for the elimination of taxes owed, evasion of taxes, and theft of funds. These bribe payments received by Ortiz-Robles included $15,500 in July 2022, $20,000 in December 2023, $60,000 in November 2024, and $6,000 in April 2025.
These illicit bribe payments were paid through third parties, who were in business to charge customers to illegally reduce their taxes owed. The conspiracy resulted in a total approximate loss to the PRDT of $6,772,578.
A separate but similar bribery and fraud scheme, Criminal No. 25-434(PAD), involving employees of the PRDT was indicted in October 2025. The following defendants in that case recently pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing before the U.S. District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado. That case involves a total loss of over $3.5 million (with some individuals jointly responsible for losses with corresponding companies).
DefendantGuilty PleaSentencing DateAmount of Loss[2] Harry E. Muriel-Falero7/20/202610/9/2026$665,639.74[3] César Rodríguez-Nieves8/17/202612/4/2026$852,487.91[4] 24 Marketplace, Inc.8/17/202612/4/2026$35,125.84[5] A La Silla LLC8/17/202612/4/2026$205,514.32[6] RB Marketplace, Inc.8/17/202612/4/2026$154,728.92[7] Hiram Firpi-Cruz8/18/202612/11/2026$526,263.67[8] Líneas de Puerto Rico, Inc.8/18/202612/11/2026$393,408.91[9] Héctor J. Baerga-Ortiz8/31/202612/14/2026$1,833,983.81[10] Híjole Foods Bistro Corp.8/31/202612/14/2026$447,241.14[11] HVP Foods Corp.8/31/202612/14/2026$564,545.29[12] BBB Food, Corp.9/1/202612/14/2026$386,483.84[13] BHV Food, Corp.9/1/202612/14/2026$225,340.52[14] VHB Foods Corp.9/1/202612/14/2026$131,461.02[15] Carlos A. Rodríguez-Ortiz 7/7/202610/2/2026$33,660.53[16] Red Point Pizza and Restaurant, Corp.8/10/202611/6/2026$33,660.53[19] Suhail Pastrana-Vega8/4/202612/4/2026$193,577.03[21] Rafael A. Tefel-Santana8/3/202611/6/2026$437,785.06[22] Gabrielle López-Berríos7/20/202610/16/2026$36,138.55[23] G Fitness & Body Performance LLC8/19/202612/18/2026$17,309.55[24] Veevo LLC8/19/202612/18/2026$1,642[25] Patria Silfa-Báez 8/25/202612/22/2026$47,209.44[26] Print Pro LLC8/25/202612/22/2026$44,630.33In another separate case, Criminal No. 26-359 (MAJ), Edwin Gómez-Villegas and Brisas BBQ, Inc. pleaded guilty on September 2, 2026, to participating in a similar fraud scheme to defraud PRDT of approximately $23,904 in Puerto Rico tax revenue. Gómez-Villegas and Brisas BBQ, Inc. are scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2026, by U.S. District Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán.
Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez-Carbó of the District of Puerto Rico; and Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating these matters. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy from the District of Puerto Rico’s Financial Fraud & Public Corruption Section is prosecuting these cases.
This is part of an ongoing effort to combat public corruption and fraud committed by Puerto Rico Department of Treasury employees. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico previously announced the indictment of the initial twenty-six individuals and corporations in October 2025, the July 2, 2026 guilty plea of Luis A. Jiménez-Guzmán, an Hacienda employee who admitted to participating in a similar bribery conspiracy involving the loss of approximately $5,000,000, and the July 20, 2026 guilty plea of Harry E. Muriel-Falero.
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12 Robertson County Defendants Charged in Federal Cocaine Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Twelve Robertson County residents have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a multi-year investigation into the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine and related firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
A federal grand jury returned the indictments in August 2026, charging the defendants with conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, along with numerous substantive drug trafficking offenses. One defendant is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The investigation began in approximately January 2024 and was conducted by the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from federal law enforcement partners.
On September 3, 2026, members of the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), and United States Marshals Service conducted a coordinated operation to execute federal arrest warrants. Six of the indicted defendants were arrested during the operation. An additional defendant was located in Ohio the following day and remains in custody there on state warrants. Five defendants were already in custody on other charges and are expected to make appearances in federal court later this month.
The defendants and charges include:
Derrick Artell Hurt, 47, of Greenbrier, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Santoria Antonio Brown, a/k/a “Hoggie,” 48, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Twelve counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Terrelle Epprise Payne, a/k/a “Rat Daddy,” 53, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Five counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Felon in possession of a firearm
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Michael Christopher Bigbee, a/k/a “Big Mike,” 42, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Alandis Vontay Darden, a/k/a “Apple Head,” 43, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Nine counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Anthony Terrill Swoopes, a/k/a “Swoopes,” 56, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Tomika Mischelle Woodard, a/k/a “Mickey,” 53, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Seven counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
David Lee Brown, 41, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Nola Ann Davis, 52, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Donald Ray Bugg, 36, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Shauntai Deshelle Black, 29, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- One count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Taylor Leighann Rose, 29, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
“Cocaine and crack cocaine poison neighborhoods, and the firearms that travel with them turn drug deals into shootings,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “For more than two years, the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF built this case one transaction at a time, and today a dozen alleged traffickers are facing federal charges because of that work. This office will use every tool the law gives us to dismantle drug networks in Middle Tennessee, and we are grateful to our partners at every level of law enforcement who made this operation possible.”
“This case is a prime example of law enforcement working collectively to protect our communities and confront those who blatantly disregard public safety by distributing deadly narcotics and illegally possessing firearms,” said Special Agent In charge, Jamey VanVliet. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and charge those individuals who continue to make our neighborhoods unsafe through armed drug trafficking activities.”
“The success of this multi-year operation is a direct reflection of the strong working relationships and partnerships we have built with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Robertson County Sheriff Michael Van Dyke. “Through communication, cooperation, and a shared commitment to our community, we were able to remove illegal drugs and firearms from our streets and hold those involved in criminal activity accountable. We are grateful to every agency and officer who worked together to make this operation a success.”
The investigation remains active and ongoing. The cases are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the resources of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have 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 available tools to prosecute and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States.
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8 September 2026
Washington State Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of MinorsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington State man pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking.
Dajohntae Rayshawnlee Richard, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking by fraud, force, and coercion, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
According to court documents, in May of 2025, Richard messaged a girl, age 15, on Facebook. Richard met with and had sex with the minor victim. Richard then drove her to a place in the State of Washington where he instructed her to solicit men seeking sex for money. Richard kept all the money that men paid for the sex acts with the minor victim. The victim reported that there were occasions when Richard hit and choked the minor victim if she did not do as Richard instructed. The victim was afraid that Richard would injure or kill her. On one occasion, he struck her in the face and choked her, causing a visible injury. This trafficking and abuse continued for about two months, and Richard transported her to various locations in Washington and Oregon to find customers.
In June of 2025, in the Seattle, Washington, area, Richard approached a second 15-year-old girl and told her she worked for him. Within days, Richard began threatening the child, controlling her use of her cellphone and forcing her to engage in sex with men for money, which Richard kept. The child victim feared for her life, so she complied with Richard’s demands. Richard drove the child victim to various locations to make money for him. This trafficking continued for about a month.
On June 28, 2025, the defendant transported both these minor victims and an adult woman to Portland, Oregon. Richard rented a hotel room and instructed the girls and woman to walk on 82nd Avenue for the purpose of finding customers with whom to engage in sexual acts.
On August 25, 2025, Richard made his initial appearance in federal court in Portland and was detained.
On August 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 4-count indictment charging Richard with 2-counts of sex trafficking by fraud, force, and coercion and 2-counts of sex trafficking of a child.
Richard faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $ 250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gains or losses resulting from the offense if such amount is determined to exceed $250,000, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 fee assessment. Richard will also be required to register as a sex offender. He will be sentenced on December 7, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Richard has agreed to pay restitution in full to the victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rochat and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
This case was brought in collaboration with 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.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Virginia Man Convicted of Investor and Bankruptcy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted Jihoon Park, 52, of Chantilly, Virginia, today for his participation in a fraud scheme that victimized individuals and defrauded a U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
“Jihoon Park claimed he would invest his community members’ life savings, retirement, and money and promised a high-yield return. Instead, he stole the millions of dollars entrusted to him to enrich himself,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Unsuspecting families and individuals suffered devastating financial crises because of Park’s crimes. The Criminal Division’s White Collar Section is using every available resource to stop criminals from destroying people’s livelihoods and retirements.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Park convinced people in his community to let him invest their money and grow their assets. He used his personal relationships and his former affiliation with a large national financial institution to gain victims’ trust and convince them to give him money to invest on their behalf. Park promised safe investments with high returns. But he lied. Instead, he transferred over $2.5 million from the multiple victims to himself. Among other things, he used the stolen money to buy a house and cryptocurrency for himself.
When one of the victims sued him, Park transferred assets to his wife and concealed millions of dollars in cryptocurrency assets before filing for bankruptcy and falsely claiming he had only $0.34 in financial assets and no cryptocurrency to avoid paying his victim creditors any money back from his fraud.
Park was convicted of three counts of wire fraud and two counts of bankruptcy fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10, 2026. Park faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on the wire fraud counts and a maximum penalty of five years on the bankruptcy fraud counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Timothy J. Coley of the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section and Trial Attorney Zachary H. Ray of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Jack Morgan for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Two Dominican Republic Men Each Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Roles in Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Two Dominican Republic residents illegally living in the United States each have been sentenced in federal court to two years of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on their convictions for money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentences on Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 35, and Engels Guillermo Almengot Valerio, 26. Rodriguez had been living in Cleveland, Ohio, and Valerio in Paterson, New Jersey.
According to information presented to the Court, Rodriguez and Valerio participated in a conspiracy in which they laundered proceeds obtained from a sophisticated grandparent fraud scheme operating out of the Dominican Republic. The scammers contacted elderly victims impersonating a grandchild or other close relative in a crisis and seeking immediate financial assistance. The scammers then arranged for rideshare drivers to pick up cash from the grandparents and deliver the money to a member of the organized crime group, with both Rodriguez and Valerio having received cash directly from drivers. Portions of the money were deposited into bank accounts and other portions were sent via money transfers back to the Dominican Republic. Valerio also ordered the rides used to pick up the cash, including some rides that delivered fraud proceeds to Rodriguez.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which worked with many law enforcement departments throughout the United States, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecutions of Rodriguez and Valerio.
Three Individuals Indicted for Illegal Acquisition of Firearms and Unauthorized Entry into a Secure Federal Facility with a Firearm in North Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Two men and one woman have been indicted in connection with illegal acquisition of firearms and unlawful entry with a concealed weapon into the secure U.S. Department of Energy Nevada National Security Sites North Las Vegas Facility.
“This indictment sends a clear message: we will not tolerate actions that threaten public safety or compromise the security of our nation's protected facilities,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The Department of Justice will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute anyone who attempts to bypass federal gun laws and violate secure spaces."
“The FBI will not tolerate acts that jeopardize public safety or the security of our nation's protected institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “We will continue working diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate any individual who attempts to breach secure areas or circumvent federal firearms restrictions.”
According to allegations contained in the indictment, in February 2026, Demandre Michael Frazier and Jessica Marie Zamora made false statements on ATF Firearms Transaction Record forms during the purchase of two pistols, one a 9x19mm Smith & Wesson and the other a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson. Later, in April 2026, Jessica Zamora and a yet-to-be publicly unidentified defendant made false statements on ATF Firearms Transaction Record forms during the purchase of a 10mm Smith & Wesson pistol.
Photo of a Smith & Wesson model SD-9 2.0 9x19mm semiautomatic pistol in U.S. v. Treyvon Jameel Currie et al, Case #2:26-cr-00182-APG-EJY
As alleged, on August 5, 2026, Treyvon Jameel Currie and Jessica Marie Zamora, carrying a concealed weapon, entered and attempted to enter the U.S. Department of Energy Nevada National Security Sites North Las Vegas Facility. There are notices stating the pertinent prohibitions and penalties posted at all entrances of the facility.
Treyvon Jameel Currie and Jessica Marie Zamora are each charged with one count of entry or attempted entry by fraud and false pretenses on real property of the United States with intent to commit a felony in that facility; one count of possession of a firearm in a secure federal facility; one count of unauthorized entry upon a facility, installation or real property of the United States Department of Energy Enclosed by a structural barrier; and one count of unauthorized introduction of a dangerous weapon upon a facility, installation or real property of the United States Department of Energy enclosed by a structural barrier. Zamora is also charged with two counts of illegal acquisition of a firearm. Demandre Michael Frazier is charged with one count of illegal acquisition of a firearm.
A jury trial has been scheduled for November 2, 2026, before Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon.
The FBI and North Las Vegas Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Texas Couple Sentenced for Operating Website Selling Smuggled Pesticides and Veterinary DrugsRead the Press Release
Thao Duong and Lam Mai, a wife and husband from Garland, Texas, were sentenced today in federal court to charges stemming from their operation of a website selling veterinary drugs and pesticides smuggled into the United State from Mexico. Duong was sentenced to three months in prison, two years of supervised release, and a forfeiture of more than $1.5 million. Mai was sentenced to two years of probation.
“The defendants in this case traded human safety and environmental health for illicit profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute transnational crimes to secure our border and protect the health and safety of Americans.”
“No one should profit from bringing illegal chemicals into the United States and poisoning American communities,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Illegal Mexican pesticides and animal steroids are a dangerous combination. The sentence in this case underscores the importance of the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt smuggling operations and secure our nation’s borders from foreign harm.”
“Trafficking toxic chemicals into the United States is a blatant assault on our national security and public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan R. Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “These defendants pumped dangerous, foreign sourced pesticides and drugs into our country recklessly putting American communities at risk. This sentence makes clear we will be uncompromising in the prosecution of those who engage in illicit activities that threaten our people, our environment and the integrity of our borders.”
“The FDA is charged with ensuring that veterinary drugs meet rigorous safety standards. When individuals smuggle and distribute misbranded and unapproved veterinary drugs, they jeopardize the health of animals,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lamb of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who distribute misbranded and unapproved animal drugs unlawfully.”
According to filings and evidence presented in court, in approximately 2011, Duong began using various online platforms to sell animal care products to customers throughout the United States. The products she sold were used primarily by people engaged in rooster fighting ventures. Duong was not a veterinarian and did not require customers to provide veterinary prescriptions to purchase veterinary drugs. She also sold products such as Cipio Vet, Baytril Max, and Caterrol, which are produced in Mexico and not approved by the FDA for use in the United States. In 2017, she added the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz to her inventory. Neither Taktic nor Bovitraz were registered with the EPA for sale or use and could not be sold legally in the United States.
In 2018, Duong started a website, which she used as her primary means of selling and distributing veterinary drugs and pesticides. After launching the site, Duong entered into agreements with several co-conspirators to purchase veterinary drugs and pesticides that she knew had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
The smuggled pesticides and veterinary drugs were brought into the United States through the Calexico Port of Entry in Imperial County, California, and placed in storage units near the border. Duong’s co-conspirators then shipped the products from California to Texas. Between 2018 and 2022, Duong obtained approximately $2.4 million worth of smuggled merchandise from her co-conspirators.
Lam Mai was the shipping manager for the website. After orders were received, he packaged the pesticides and veterinary drugs and distributed them to customers throughout the country using the U.S. Postal Service and other shippers.
According to the EPA, the active ingredient in the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz is amitraz, which is toxic to bees if released into hives, and then ultimately to humans when it ends up in honey, honeycomb, and beeswax. Misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and possibly reproductive effects in humans from the consumption of contaminated honey. Signs of neurotoxicity from exposure to amitraz have been documented in multiple animal species and include central nervous system depression, decrease in pulse rate, and hypothermia.
The EPA and FDA investigated the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincent J. Mazzurco and Madeleine Case for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here.
Straw Purchaser Sentenced to Prison for Buying a Gun for a Person Under IndictmentRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – A DeSoto County woman was previously indicted for purchasing a firearm at a federal firearms licensee store on behalf of a person who was prohibited from purchasing one. She was also indicted for lying under oath in court, both for another defendant, Lavoris McGee. Dominikka Thomas, 27, previously pleaded guilty to the straw purchase of the firearm for McGee.
Court records established that the defendant purchased a firearm for a person the defendant knew was prohibited from possessing firearms. This is against the law.
Honorable Sharion Aycock sentenced Thomas to 30 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release for the straw purchase. McGee was previously sentenced for illegal firearm possessions.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Marshal’s Service.
“In our effort to disrupt violent gun crime in our communities, ATF will continue to focus efforts on prohibited individuals who unlawfully possess firearms,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed today sends a message that ATF will continue to work alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure these repeat offenders do not gain access to more firearms and these enablers who make straw purchases are held fully accountable so we can keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.
Stockton man sentenced to 9.5 years in prison for robbing a Fire Wings restaurant at gunpointRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Douglas Sharron Piggee Jr., 55, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 9.5 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2022, Piggee walked into a Fire Wings restaurant in Stockton, pointed a loaded gun at the cashier, and demanded money from the register. Piggee then took the money and fled on foot, leaving his car keys behind. Officers found his car parked down the street. Inside the car was the cash, an unserialized, loaded, privately manufactured firearm or “ghost gun,” an extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, and the clothes Piggee used during the robbery. Piggee committed this crime while on supervised release after serving prison sentences for two prior federal convictions: one for armed bank robbery and one for escape and illegal possession of a firearm.
Piggee pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department conducted the investigation Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Desmond 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.
St. Louis Postal Worker Accused of Dumping 30,000 Pieces of MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis mail carrier has been accused of dumping at least 30,000 pieces of mail in vacant lots since 2024.
Armond Paige, 54, was indicted on September 2 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one count of delay or destruction of mail by a postal employee. The indictment says that Paige dumped mail in vacant, weedy lots rather than delivering it. From roughly 2024 to April 29, 2026, Paige discarded at least 30,000 pieces of mail in various vacant lots, the indictment says. At the time, Paige was working out of the Maryville Gardens Post Office on Meramec Street in south St. Louis.
Paige appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty.
A charge set forth in an indictment is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in jail, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
Southeast Missouri Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a southeast Missouri man to 20 years in prison for his role in the armed robbery of two businesses and their patrons in 2024.
Tarrence Raybon, 41, and two other men robbed a tobacco and liquor store in Kennett on Jan. 17, 2024. The two other men were armed. One grabbed a man and threw him to the ground while pointing a gun at him. They stole cash and a cell phone from victims and cash and lottery tickets from the store. Raybon was out on bond and wearing a GPS monitoring device on his ankle, which showed him at store at the time it was robbed.
Four days later, Raybon and two other men robbed another Kennett business. One man held a gun to a victim’s head while Raybon stole cash from the store’s office. Raybon used bolt cutters to break into video gambling machines and steal cash while his accomplices held employees and patrons at gunpoint. They also stole cash, a gun and a cell phone from victims. Raybon's ankle monitor again put him at the scene of the robbery. Both robberies were also captured on video.
On Feb. 27, 2024, Raybon and two other people were in a stolen car and being pursued by Pemiscot County Sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Portageville Police Department. The driver of the vehicle crashed. After Raybon fled on foot, officers found his driver’s license and a distinctive chrome Lorcin .380 handgun used during both robberies.
Raybon, of Kennett, in Dunklin County, pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to two counts of robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Kennett Police Department, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Portageville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton prosecuted the case.
This case is 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.
Six Defendants Indicted by Grand Jury for Conspiracy to Steal $5.1 Million in Business ChecksRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Willie Roy Turner Jr., aka “J.S.B.” and “Little Willie,” 29, of Chicago, Illinois, along with five co-conspirators, has been indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Turner Jr. made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shannon G. Elkins on September 4, 2026. Turner Jr. is the lead and one of six defendants in the case, and all were indicted by grand jury on June 26, 2026.
The defendants charged in this conspiracy and their charges include:
- Marc Anderson, aka “K.T.C.” and “Sam Smith,” is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
- Billy Ray Cameron Jr., aka “J.A.M.,” of Chicago, Illinois, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
- Devontay Colbert, aka “J.A.M.,” of Chicago, Illinois, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
- Dontae Williams, aka “F.O.A.,” of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
- Takiya Shemwell, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to the indictment, from at least in or about November 2022 to at least on or about September 2024, Turner Jr., Anderson, Cameron Jr., Colbert, and Williams knowingly conspired to defraud banks and credit unions in the Twin Cities area by negotiating stolen checks. The five defendants opened, or attempted to open, fraudulent and unauthorized bank accounts in the names of business victims at Twin Cities financial institutions. They then deposited checks payable to or paid from the business victims, which had been stolen from the United States mail, into the accounts using fraudulent personal identification and documentation related to the business victims. The defendants then fraudulently withdrew or attempted to withdraw the funds.
The five defendants engaged in the scheme by registering the payee business victims as new Minnesota Limited Liability Corporations. They then used the Limited Liability Corporation documents to open and attempt to open the unauthorized and fraudulent bank accounts. In opening the bank accounts, the defendants presented fraudulent identification in the names of other individuals and falsely claimed that they were authorized representatives of the payee business victims. After depositing the funds, the defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew the fraudulently obtained funds through cash withdrawals or cashier’s check purchases.
As part of the scheme, Turner Jr., Cameron Jr., and Shemwell, conspired to steal the business victims’ checks from the U.S. Mail. Shemwell, who was then an employee of the United States Postal Service in Chicago, identified and stole business mail pieces which contained checks paid from or payable to the Business Victims. Shemwell then sold the business victims’ checks to Turner Jr. and Cameron Jr. in exchange for payments on a peer-to-peer money transfer application. Turner Jr. and Cameron Jr. then shared the stolen checks with other co-conspirators and with each other.
In the course of their scheme, these conspirators deposited or attempted to deposit business victim checks worth over $5.1 million at Twin Cities financial institutions. In total, the defendants were successful in stealing over $1.5 million in business victim funds.
The Minnesota Financial Crimes Task Force (MNFCTF) protects and serves the public by investigating financial crimes related to identity theft, with a special emphasis on organized criminal enterprises. The MNFCTF is comprised of multi-jurisdictional law enforcement agencies working together to provide investigative expertise and resources. The MNFCTF includes representatives from local, state, and Federal agencies.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted jointly under the auspices of the MNFCTF by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Eagan Police Department, Richfield Police Department, and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, with significant assistance from the United States Marshals Service in Minnesota, Illinois, and Arizona.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline and Bryan T. Mette are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Angelo Mario Butler, Jr., 42, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Butler was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026 and pleaded guilty on June 22, 2026.
Butler’s conviction stems from a traffic stop on September 23, 2025, when he was found in possession of eight, individually-packaged baggies of methamphetamine and a handgun. He admitted he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Butler was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Mohamed Mohamud Hassan, 22, was sentenced to one year and two 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.
Hassan was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2026 and pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026.
Hassan was charged with possessing a firearm on October 2, 2025. On that day, he was driving a vehicle stopped by law enforcement and had a handgun on the driver’s seat of the vehicle. He was prohibited from possessing the firearm based on a prior felony conviction.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Hassan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Singaporean Ringleader of $245 Million Cryptocurrency Racketeering Enterprise Pleads Guilty in Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malone Lam, 22, a citizen of Singapore and recent resident of Miami, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. in connection with his role as ringleader of an international cybercrime conspiracy that used social engineering to steal and launder cryptocurrency valued at more than $245 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“If you build a cybercrime empire, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and hold you accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This defendant led an international network that preyed on victims through deception, invaded their privacy, and stole hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Working with our partners at the FBI and IRS-CI, we will continue to hunt down the criminals who weaponize technology to steal from innocent people.”
Lam pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of participating in a RICO conspiracy. Judge Kollar-Kotelly set a status hearing December 8, 2026.
According to court documents, the criminal enterprise began no later than October 2023 and continued through at least May 2025. The scheme developed through connections made on online gaming platforms and was comprised of individuals based in California, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and abroad. The RICO conspiracy used social engineering and occasional home break-ins to obtain information that allowed the conspirators to drain their victims’ cryptocurrency wallets.
Lam, aka “Anne Hathaway,” “$$$,” “King Greavy,” organized the social engineering enterprise, identified target victims, and coordinated the roles of the different conspirators.
Members and associates of the conspiracy used the stolen cryptocurrency to purchase, among other things, nightclub services ranging up to $500,000 per evening, luxury handbags valued in the tens of thousands of dollars which were given away at nightclub parties, luxury watches valued between $100,000 up to over $500,000, luxury clothing valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals for travel, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of exotic cars, ranging in value from $100,000 to $3,800,000.
Law enforcement arrested Lam on Sept. 18, 2025, at his rental home in Miami.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office. Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami field offices, as well as the United States Attorney’s Officers in the Central District of California, Southern District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and David Liss of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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 JD Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Senegalese Man Sentenced to 17 Months for Unlawfully Reentering the United States After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 8, 2026, Alassane Sow, 34, of Senegal, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a time-served sentence, which equates to approximately 17 months of imprisonment. Sow previously pleaded guilty to unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed.
According to court records, Sow moved from Senegal to Columbus, Ohio in 2014, eventually becoming a lawful permanent resident. While living in Ohio, Sow was arrested and convicted of multiple criminal offenses, including felony attempted vehicular assault in 2017, misdemeanor driving while impaired in 2018, felony theft in 2019, and felony receipt of stolen property in 2020. In 2023, while incarcerated in Ohio, Sow received a notice to appear for removal proceedings. Sow was subsequently removed on October 16, 2024. On April 13, 2025, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Sow crossed the international border between the United States and Canada near Holland, Vermont. Sow’s unlawful crossing was detected by U.S. Border Patrol sensors, and Sow was apprehended shortly thereafter by U.S. Border Patrol Agents.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “I am extremely grateful for the hard work and diligence of our Border Patrol Agents on the northern border. Their efforts ensure that those seeking to evade inspection at our ports of entry are swiftly detained. Due to these dedicated men and women, a man with a concerning criminal history was apprehended before he could proceed further into the United States.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nate Burris and Matthew Greer. Sow was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
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.
Sanford Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, NC – A federal judge sentenced Aaron Cotten, 50, of Sanford, NC, to 10 and half years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribution and possession with intent to distribute 11 pounds or more of cocaine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of heroin, possession with intent to distribution 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Cotten’s repeated traffic stops revealed large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, along with cash and signs of armed associates, showing just how deeply he was involved in the dangerous drug game,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “His efforts to hide this poison, including stuffing a pound of fentanyl inside a car’s engine bay, put communities across Eastern North Carolina at serious risk. With prior convictions for violent crimes and a steady supply line stretching from Charlotte to Down East. This conviction shuts down a major pipeline of deadly drugs in our region. This Big Shark Bad Boy will no longer swim in the shallows threatening our children and communities. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.”
On March 15, 2022, the Duplin County Sheriff’s Department stopped a vehicle with Cotten in the front passenger seat. Deputies detected a strong odor of marijuana and searched the vehicle, finding more than $15,000 in cash near Cotten’s seat. When deputies attempted to search Cotten, he became combative, resisting arrest. Deputies then searched Cotten and recovered more than a pound of cocaine and several ounces of fentanyl.
On April 3, 2024, the Lee County Sheriff’s Department conducted another traffic stop involving Cotten, who again sat in the front passenger seat. After a K‑9 alerted to narcotics, deputies searched the vehicle and discovered approximately one pound of fentanyl concealed in the engine bay of the car. Deputies also found a gun on another passenger.
The investigation revealed that Cotten distributed pounds and pounds of cocaine and fentanyl across Eastern North Carolina. He sourced the drugs from Charlotte. Cotten has prior convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and second‑degree burglary.
“Today’s sentence reinforces our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Cocaine and fentanyl trafficking threaten the safety of our communities, and combating these threats requires teamwork and strong partnerships across law enforcement. We will continue working together to disrupt the flow of dangerous drugs and make progress toward a Fentanyl Free America.”
“Wherever illegal narcotics are being sold, you find that the likelihood of violent crime greatly increases,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Every drug trafficking network that gets taken down is an opportunity to prevent violent crime and better protect our communities.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF, DEA, Jacksonville Police Department, Beulaville Police Department, Goldsboro Police Department, Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, and Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-00068-M-RJ
Russian National Extradited to United States for Bank Account Takeover Fraud Scheme Causing Millions of Dollars in LossesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, a Russian national and web developer who was extradited from the Republic of Georgia, appeared in federal court last week on fraud and aggravated identity theft charges stemming from his alleged role in a transnational conspiracy responsible for large‑scale bank account takeovers.
“This investigation and indictment underscore our commitment to disrupting large-scale cyber theft,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “With assistance from our international partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who weaponize technology for personal gain and hold them fully accountable in an American courtroom.”
“Filimonov allegedly used spoofed domains and fraudulent login pages to target unsuspecting online banking customers, stealing millions from victims,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This announcement is a powerful demonstration of the value of our partnerships on cybercrime, without which these extraditions and arrests would not be possible.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: from November 2023 through October 2025, Filimonov and his co‑conspirators executed a sophisticated scheme involving spoofed domains that mimicked the websites of federally insured financial institutions. The conspirators purchased sponsored search‑engine links to divert unsuspecting banking customers to fraudulent login pages, where victims entered their credentials. The conspirators used the stolen credentials to access bank accounts, review account balances, and initiate unauthorized wire transfers to steal bank account funds.
The indictment also alleges that Filimonov developed and maintained online infrastructure supporting the operation, including interactive databases storing more than 5,000 stolen login credentials and software designed to capture and transmit sensitive authentication data. Filimonov and his co-conspirators allegedly attempted to obtain millions of dollars from victim accounts, including accounts held by companies located in the Northern District of Georgia.
In connection with the charged scheme, the Department of Justice previously seized the domain web3adspanels.org, which operated as a backend server storing stolen credentials harvested from fraudulent banking websites. The seized server contained thousands of compromised credentials, including those belonging to victims located in the Northern District of Georgia.
Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 5,100 complaints reporting bank account takeover fraud, with reported losses exceeding $262 million. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant and to follow steps recommended by the FBI, including regularly monitoring financial accounts, using “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” for navigating to login websites, and guarding against phishing attempts.
On November 4, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, 36, of Russia, with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud; access device fraud conspiracy; multiple counts of bank, wire, and access device fraud; and aggravated identity theft. On September 4, 2026, Filimonov appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Atlanta and pled not guilty. If convicted on all charges, he faces a minimum of two years and a maximum penalty of 175 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Filimonov is being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Substantial assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Estonian Office of the Prosecutor General, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department, and the FBI Office of the Law Enforcement Attaché in Tbilisi.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica C. Morris and Senior Counsel Brian Mund of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Former CCIPS Trial Attorney Jolee Porter assisted in the investigation.
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.
Russian National Extradited to United States for Bank Account Takeover Fraud Scheme Causing Millions of Dollars in LossesRead the Press Release
Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, 36, a Russian national and web developer who was allegedly involved in a transnational cyber‑fraud conspiracy responsible for large‑scale bank account takeover activity, was arraigned Friday in the Northern District of Georgia after being extradited from the Republic of Georgia. Filimonov was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 4, 2025, for charges relating to a credential‑harvesting and bank‑fraud operation that targeted victims across the United States.
According to court documents, Filimonov and his co‑conspirators executed a sophisticated scheme involving spoofed domains that mimicked the websites of federally insured financial institutions. The conspirators purchased sponsored search‑engine links to divert unsuspecting banking customers to fraudulent login pages, where victims entered their credentials. The conspirators used the stolen credentials to access bank accounts, review account balances, and initiate unauthorized wire transfers to steal bank account funds.
The indictment also alleges that Filimonov developed and maintained online infrastructure supporting the operation, including interactive databases storing more than 5,000 stolen login credentials and software designed to capture and transmit sensitive authentication data. Filimonov and his conspirators allegedly attempted to obtain millions of dollars from victim accounts, including accounts held by companies located in the Northern District of Georgia.
In connection with the charged scheme, the Department of Justice previously seized the domain, web3adspanels.org, which operated as a backend server storing stolen credentials harvested from fraudulent banking websites. The seized backend database contained thousands of compromised credentials, including those belonging to victims located in the Northern District of Georgia.
Filimonov is charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud; access device fraud conspiracy; multiple counts of bank and wire fraud; possession of unauthorized access devices; possession of device‑making equipment; effecting transactions with unauthorized access devices; and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 175 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.
Senior Counsel Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Morris for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by former CCIPS Trial Attorney Jolee Porter and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Estonian Office of the Prosecutor General, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department, and the FBI Office of the Law Enforcement Attaché in Tbilisi.
Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received more than 5,100 complaints reporting bank account takeover fraud, with reported losses exceeding $262 million. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant and to follow steps recommended by the FBI, including regularly monitoring financial accounts, using “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” for navigating to login websites and guarding against phishing attempts.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner and operator of two Massachusetts restaurants pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to paying employees in cash over the course of six years without withholding and paying federal employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Marios Michalakis, 44, of Westwood, Mass., pleaded guilty to six counts of failing to collect, report and pay over federal employment taxes. Senior U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Dec. 8, 2026.
From at least January 2016 through December 2022, Michalakis ran two restaurants – Amelia’s, located in Stoughton, Mass., and Sofia Italian Steakhouse, located in West Roxbury, Mass. At each restaurant, Michalakis paid employees in cash “under-the-table,” that is, failed to withhold income taxes, Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes from employee wages. In total, Michalakis failed to pay more than $580,000 in employee and employer taxes owed to the IRS and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
Michalakis faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, together with restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Pizza Store Robber Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Justin Alan Seymour (37, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington to 18 years in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A federal jury found Seymour guilty in April 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in October 2024, while robbing a pizza store in Tampa, Seymour pointed a gun at the store clerk. Law enforcement obtained their first break in the case when they obtained dashcam video from a delivery vehicle parked outside the store, then utilized the video to ascertain specific unique characteristics of the suspect’s vehicle. Two days later, law enforcement pulled over the vehicle being driven by Seymour, who had a firearm in his waistband. Seymour’s cellphone data placed him near the pizza store at the time of the robbery.
At the time of the offense, Seymour had a prior felony conviction for attempted robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with the cellphone analysis. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is 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.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to 171 Months in Prison for 2022 Peoria CarjackingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adonijah Josiah Ortega, 23, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Sept. 3, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 171 months in prison for a 2022 carjacking during which Ortega shot and assaulted a man with a firearm. Ortega previously pleaded guilty to Carjacking and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
On the morning of Aug. 8, 2022, Ortega approached the victim in a business parking lot in Peoria, Arizona. There, he demanded the victim’s wallet and keys and a physical confrontation ensued. During the confrontation, Ortega struck the victim in the head several times with a pistol and shot him in the leg. Ortega then fled with the victim’s vehicle and later attempted to set it on fire by dousing the interior with gasoline and shooting at it. Investigators with the FBI and Peoria and Phoenix Police Departments arrested Ortega three days later at an apartment complex.
“Violent perpetrators like Mr. Ortega should know there is no safe place for them in Arizona because we won’t rest until we see them behind bars,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Our office is committed to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods because it is an initiative that continues to see results.”
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 Peoria Police Department, in conjunction with the FBI’s Phoenix Division, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick E. Chapman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Day, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-22-01078-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-153_Ortega# # #
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.Palmetto Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase of FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Desmin Terrell Belvin Jr. (21, Palmetto) today pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearm dealer. Belvin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on March 21, 2026, Belvin was the transferee of a Glock handgun from a firearm store in Bradenton. During the transfer, Belvin falsely stated that he was the actual transferee or buyer of the handgun, when in fact, he was obtaining the handgun on behalf of a juvenile. Belvin subsequently provided the handgun to the juvenile after leaving the store.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Palmetto Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is 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.
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Oregon Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Abusing His Role at Mobile Phone Store to Give Customers’ Info to CriminalsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Oregon-based AT&T Store employee was sentenced today to 16 months in federal prison for selling his access to his employer’s network to a hacker by “SIM swapping” customers – fraudulently reassigning customers’ cell phone numbers – so the hacker could take control of the victims’ bank accounts and steal their money, causing nearly $600,000 in intended losses.
Kenneth Carter, 44, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., who also ordered him to pay $99,528 in restitution.
Carter pleaded guilty on March 24 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.
“SIM swapping” is a technique in which a criminal fraudulently induces a mobile carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber’s Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card to a SIM card controlled by another without the legitimate subscriber’s authorization or knowledge. This process allows a criminal to intercept two-factor authentication codes sent to the victim via phone call or text message, and to gain access to the victim’s various accounts.
According to Carter’s plea agreement, from May 2018 to November 2019, Carter worked at an AT&T retail store in Portland, Oregon. As part of the conspiracy, a co-conspirator identified potential victims who had bank accounts that could be accessed online and would obtain personal identifying information (PII) and cell phone numbers for those potential victims. This co-conspirator then sent to Carter victims’ PII and cell phone numbers so Carter could do the SIM swap, which he could do as an AT&T Store employee.
Carter, at the co-conspirator’s direction, then used the victim’s PII to fraudulently cause AT&T to swap the victim’s SIM card from the victim’s cell phone to a different cell phone controlled by Carter and other co-conspirators.
A co-conspirator then caused password reset information and two-factor authentication codes for a victim’s online bank account to be sent by text message to a phone Carter and his co-conspirators controlled. He and others then forwarded the information and codes to a co-conspirator, who then accessed the victim’s online bank account and made fraudulent wire transfers from it. Carter and the other conspirators received a cut of the illicitly obtained proceeds, typically $1,000 to $2,000 per SIM swap, one of which occurred at an AT&T Store in Lancaster.
In November 2019, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence in Oregon and found that he possessed PII belonging to victims, including the cell phone number, name, and Social Security number of a victim who had $99,528 fraudulently transferred to a Portuguese bank account controlled by Carter’s co-conspirators.
In total, three victims targeted in this scheme suffered a combined intended loss of at least $593,963. Carter further admitted that in addition to these three victims, he performed SIM swaps on the accounts of other AT&T customers.
AT&T terminated Carter in 2019.
“[Carter] abused the trust of his employer and sold his access to AT&T’s network to a hacker by SIM swapping AT&T customers so the hacker could take control of victims’ accounts and deplete their funds,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “One victim lost nearly $100,000, and other victims may have lost more had it not been for fraud prevention at various banks, which stopped the transfers the funds before they were wired overseas.”
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roach and Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Omaha Men and Federal Inmate Sentenced for Cedar Bluffs Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Bruce J. Dortch, 31, Delonta McKnight, 34, and Dontae D. Orduna, 36, all of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced in federal court in Omaha for their roles in an armed bank robbery. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Dortch on August 17, 2026, and Orduna on August 31, 2026, to 204 months’ imprisonment: 120 months for bank robbery and 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. McKnight was sentenced on August 31, 2026, to 60 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit bank robbery. McKnight’s sentence will be served consecutive to concurrent 96-month sentences imposed in U.S. District Court of Nebraska and U.S. District Court of Northern Georgia.
There is no parole in the federal system. After Dortch and Orduna are released from prison, they will begin five-year terms of supervised release. McKnight will serve a three-year term of supervised release concurrent to the other terms of supervised release ordered in his prior cases. All were ordered to pay restitution to Community State Bank in the amount of $71,097.
Between October 3 and November 7, 2023, McKnight and Dortch had a group chat where they agreed to “get money” and began plotting. At that time, McKnight was incarcerated at FCI Pollock because of a prior federal bank robbery conviction. McKnight utilized a smuggled phone to initiate the group chat.
On January 14, 2025, Orduna and Dortch were captured on video surveillance arriving at Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, and ultimately drove to the Community State Bank, where they were captured on video surveillance entering the bank wearing disguises to include realistic human face masks with handguns drawn.
They pointed handguns at the bank employees and demanded money. Dortch grabbed an employee, led her to the vault at gunpoint, and demanded she place the money in a bag. Dortch and Orduna directed bank employees to spread bills to ensure there were no dye packs. Orduna took the money from the teller drawers, then Dortch and Orduna zip-tied the bank employees, instructed them to lie on the floor of the vault, and then closed the vault with the employees inside.
Dortch and Orduna left the bank with $71,097.00, including bait bills.
Beginning on January 25, 2025, McKnight, while still in prison, searched eBay for realistic, silicone human face masks and saved maps to various banks in Nebraska and Iowa with a smuggled phone and subsequently used the phone to email Dortch about banks that presented good robbery prospects. He advised Dortch about multiple banks in rural towns outside of Omaha, estimated their cash on hand, the amount of law enforcement presence in those towns, expected law enforcement response times to those banks, and he provided maps to the banks. McKnight specifically identified a bank in Modale, Iowa.
On March 7, 2025, GPS tracking information taken in combination with records from Dortch and Orduna’s phone providers showed that Orduna and Dortch met up and travelled approximately 35 minutes together to Modale, Iowa, where they drove by the Community Bank to “case” it.
On March 12, 2025, law enforcement foiled their apparent plans and arrested Dortch and Orduna at their respective residences and executed search warrants. At Orduna’s residence, law enforcement recovered $5,520 and a firearm. At Dortch’s residence, law enforcement recovered $11,210 including the Community State Bank bait bills, two firearms, the masks worn by Dortch and Orduna, and clothing worn during the robbery.
“These sentences demonstrate that violence does not pay,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods. “If you take a gun into a business and assault innocent employees who are simply doing their job, the United States Attorney’s Office will hold you maximumly accountable in federal court for those choices. The deputies and police officers that recovered the stolen money and the firearm performed a great public service in this case, and I thank them for it.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omaha Police Department, and Saunders County Sheriff’s Office.
Omaha Man Granted Presidential Clemency Convicted Again: Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Khyre Holbert, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 3, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Holbert to 109 months’ imprisonment on the felon in possession charge and 46 months for violating his supervised release of a prior federal conviction, for a total of 155 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After Holbert is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On October 4, 2025, at 0134 hours, an Omaha Police officer was patrolling The Old Market when he was alerted to a “person with a gun” located “up the street”. The officer exited his cruiser at which time he heard a single gunshot. A short time later, officers located Victim 1 who was suffering from a gunshot wound to his right hip. A description of the shooter was provided along with his path of travel. Officers located an individual matching the suspect’s description near 13th and Farnam streets, identifying him as Holbert.
Officers canvassed the area and located a single spent 9mm casing stamped “Aguila 9mm luger” at 12th and Howard streets. Officers canvassed the path of Holbert’s travel and located a discarded firearm directly in front of 1210 Howard Street. The firearm was located underneath a black Chevrolet SUV and identified as a Glock 43x 9mm handgun. The firearm was equipped with an extended high-capacity magazine that contained several rounds of “Aguila 9mm luger” live ammunition.
Officers reviewed video surveillance footage and noted Holbert appeared at approximately 0136 hours walking north on South 13th Street. During this time, Holbert appeared to observe a marked police cruiser at which time he began running north out of the camera view toward the Gene Leahy Mall. At 0150 hours, Holbert can be seen returning to the north facing entrance of an area hotel. Holbert remained in this area until he was taken into custody.
Officers obtained additional video surveillance from area businesses. The videos show Victim 1 and Holbert engaged in a verbal altercation on the corner of 13th and Howard streets. Holbert can be seen clutching his waistband repeatedly, as if concealing an item hidden underneath his clothing. Holbert and the victim then walk out of camera view to the southwest before a single gunshot is heard on the video. Holbert is then seen running east on Howard Street out of the camera view. The path of travel for Holbert was also noted to be the path where the firearm was located by officers.
The spent 9mm casing stamped “Aguila 9mm luger” recovered on scene was determined to have been fired from the recovered Glock Model 43X 9mm firearm. Two fingerprints were recovered from the firearm’s internal magazine. A senior forensic technician with the Omaha Police Forensic Investigations Unit identified the fingerprints as belonging to Holbert.
Holbert has multiple prior felony convictions for Carrying a Concealed Weapon -2nd offense, possession of a firearm by felon, both in the District Court for Douglas County, Nebraska.
Holbert was arrested in 2017 as part of Operation Brass Catcher, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives-led operation targeting Crips gang members. Holbert was indicted on 10 counts, including four counts of distributing crack cocaine, three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Holbert pleaded guilty to several counts and was sentenced to 240 months’ custody in the Bureau of Prisons.
On January 21, 2025, Holbert, along with several thousand inmates, was granted Executive Clemency by the Biden administration and released after serving just 100 months of his original 240-month sentence.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.
Ohio Missionary Enters Guilty Plea for Child Exploitation Crimes in HaitiRead the Press Release
Today, Jeriah Mast, 45, of Millersburg, Ohio, entered a guilty plea today to two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti.
According to court documents, Mast traveled from the United States to Haiti on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organization Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), where he sexually abused minors. Law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Sentencing is set for Dec. 15, 2026.
“Jeriah Mast preyed on vulnerable children while working in Haiti as a missionary,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea to multiple counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors reflects both the severity of his crimes and our unwavering commitment to holding U.S. citizens accountable when they exploit children abroad. This type of predatory conduct — committed by someone entrusted with missionary work — represents a profound betrayal of trust, and today’s plea is an important step toward justice for the many victims harmed by Mast’s actions.”
“This defendant violated the innocence of children and violated the trust of those who supported his supposed missionary work,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “It is reprehensible behavior that we will prosecute to the fullest. We thank the investigators from HSI and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work bringing this man to justice.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea underscores HSI’s critical mission to identify and investigate those who exploit children, including individuals entrusted with positions of authority, no matter where the crimes are committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI Cleveland will continue working to hold child predators accountable in the United States and to seek justice for victims wherever our investigations take us.”
HSI Cleveland investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Holmes County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ohio Missionary Enters Guilty Plea for Child Exploitation Crimes in HaitiRead the Press Release
Today, Jeriah Mast, 45, of Millersburg, Ohio, entered a guilty plea today to two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti.
According to court documents, Mast traveled from the United States to Haiti on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organization Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), where he sexually abused minors. Law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Sentencing is set for Dec. 15, 2026.
“Jeriah Mast preyed on vulnerable children while working in Haiti as a missionary,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea to multiple counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors reflects both the severity of his crimes and our unwavering commitment to holding U.S. citizens accountable when they exploit children abroad. This type of predatory conduct — committed by someone entrusted with missionary work — represents a profound betrayal of trust, and today’s plea is an important step toward justice for the many victims harmed by Mast’s actions.”
“This defendant violated the innocence of children and violated the trust of those who supported his supposed missionary work,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “It is reprehensible behavior that we will prosecute to the fullest. We thank the investigators from HSI and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work bringing this man to justice.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea underscores HSI’s critical mission to identify and investigate those who exploit children, including individuals entrusted with positions of authority, no matter where the crimes are committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI Cleveland will continue working to hold child predators accountable in the United States and to seek justice for victims wherever our investigations take us.”
HSI Cleveland investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Holmes County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Newport News bank robber sentenced to over 12 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 12 years and three months in prison for bank robbery with a dangerous weapon and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents, on or about Oct. 29, 2025, Curtis A. Robertson, 39, entered a bank in Newport News and waited in the teller line with a newspaper in his hands. When Robertson approached the teller window, he placed his newspaper, partially concealing a firearm, on the counter. The barrel of the firearm was visible to and pointed at the teller. Robertson passed the teller a note demanding money and the teller complied. Robertson then fled the bank with the stolen funds, leaving behind the note. Robertson discarded his newspaper and the hoodie he was wearing during the robbery into nearby dumpsters.
On Nov. 4, 2025, Robertson again entered a Newport News bank, waited in line, and passed a teller a note demanding money. A number of sightings were reported of a suspicious person running through backyards, and a witness identified Robertson from photo surveillance. Robertson was arrested on Nov. 6, 2025.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. The Newport News Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:26-cr-17.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New York man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to commit bank fraud.
According to court records, between July and October 2024, Sean Stevens, 23, fraudulently obtained money by driving coconspirators to bank locations, instructing them on what to do inside, and providing them with fictitious identification cards in order to allow them access to legitimate customer accounts. Stevens also agreed with coconspirators to travel to banks outside of Maine.
Stevens faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On September 2, 2026, REUBEN WEBB (“WEBB”), age 33, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to two counts of a four-count indictment charging him with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
In Count 2, WEBB is charged with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 3, WEBB is charged with possession of a firearm, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced WEBB to a term of imprisonment of 66 months. Following his sentence, WEBB will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years. WEBB must also pay a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to documents filed in federal court, beginning in August 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) conducted a joint criminal investigation within the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans. On September 9, 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) conducted surveillance specifically focusing on a target location in the 8800 block of Fig Street. While conducting surveillance, detectives observed a known individual standing on the front porch of the residence in possession of a firearm. Minutes later, WEBB arrived at the residence, driving a gray Jaguar F-Pace with no license plate. WEBB exited the driver’s seat and was observed in possession of a firearm. Shortly after, WEBB walked to a nearby neighborhood store. Surveilling units elected to stop WEBB. Uniformed officers entered the store and attempted to apprehend WEBB. Upon observing the officers, WEBB fled but officers arrested him shortly thereafter. During a search of WEBB’s waistband area, officers located his firearm, a Glock 29 Model Gen 4, ten-millimeter caliber pistol. The firearm was equipped with a magazine containing fifteen (15) live rounds and one live round in the firearm’s chamber.
After WEBB’s September 2024 arrest, members of law enforcement continued to investigate WEBB. After learning that WEBB continued to illegally possess firearms and continued to engage in drug trafficking, NOPD detectives obtained a search warrant for WEBB’s Instagram account. A search of WEBB’s Instagram account revealed pictures of WEBB in possession of firearms and Tapentadol. The search also revealed messages regarding the sale of controlled substances between WEBB and others. In response, detectives obtained court authorization to monitor WEBB’s location.
On May 15, 2025, NOPD detectives located WEBB’s 2019 Jaguar F-Pace car and stopped WEBB’s who was inside the vehicle. Officers later obtained a search warrant for WEBB’s vehicle and located a Glock Model 29, Gen 4, ten-millimeter caliber pistol in the glove box.
A residential search warrant was also obtained for WEBB’s residence. During the search, detectives recovered the following controlled substances and items/paraphernalia used by drug traffickers for packaging-controlled substances for distribution, including 180 tablets of Tapentadol, cocaine, two digital scales, and a vacuum sealer.
A stolen, Kel-Tec Model PLR-16, AR-15 pistol, was also recovered along with one (1) live round of ten-millimeter ammunition; two (2) boxes of .223 live rounds of ammunition; one (1) live round of .40 caliber ammunition; a black magazine containing thirty-eight (38) live rounds of 2.23x56 caliber ammunition; and one Magpul 60 round drum magazine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.
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.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy Involving More Than $1 Million in Fraudulent Pandemic Relief LoansRead the Press Release
Boise – U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Bart M. Davis announced today that Xanare Bomani, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for participating in a scheme to defraud financial institutions and the Small Business Administration (SBA) through fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications.
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.
According to court records, between July 2020 and April 2021, Bomani worked with co-conspirators to falsify financial information and submit false applications to financial institutions in Boise and elsewhere to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in COVID relief funds.
Bomani faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release, along with restitution as determined by the court. Sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2026, before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
This case was investigated by the Buffalo field offices of the IRS-CI and FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho is prosecuting the case.
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New Britain Man Charged with Gun Possession and Drug Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick, Jr., today announced that JAMIE PATTERSON, also known as “Diddy,” 28, of New Britain, has been charged by indictment with firearm possession and drug distribution offenses.
Patterson appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on June 12, 2026, West Hartford Police observed Patterson engaging in suspected drug sales on New Park Avenue in West Hartford. Later that day, officers attempted to stop Patterson’s vehicle but he fled at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement tracked Patterson’s vehicle to Middletown, where Patterson was taken into custody. A search of Patterson’s person revealed a 9mm pistol and distribution quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.
It is alleged that Patterson’s criminal history includes state convictions for drug and firearm offenses, and federal convictions in May 2023 for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Patterson has been detained since June 12, 2026. On August 26, 2026, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years.
Patterson, who is on federal supervised release, faces additional penalties if he is found in violation of his supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the West Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
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.
New Appointments Strengthen the USAO EDNC Commitment to Safer CommunitiesRead the Press Release
First Assistant United States Attorney administered the oath of office to newly appointed personnel who will serve in the Eastern District of North Carolina, including three Assistant United States Attorneys and a Budget Analyst. The USAO EDNC is responsible for a broad range of federal criminal and civil matters and works closely with local communities and law enforcement partners by upholding the rule of law, protecting constitutional rights, and strengthening public trust throughout the eastern region of NC.
Multi-Kilogram Fentanyl Seizure in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Nets Guilty Plea by Fort Walton Beach ManRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Aubrey Darnell Joseph Sr., 36, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump designated fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction because of the utter devastation it has wrought on communities nationwide, and this criminal was caught peddling large quantities of this deadly drug to make a profit off of the death and despair it inflicts. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, supported by the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, his days of threatening the health and safety of our communities are now at an end.”
Court records establish that between 2024 and 2026, the defendant participated in a conspiracy to obtain and distribute large quantities of fentanyl in the Northern District of Florida. In April 2026, federal authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house in Fort Walton Beach, during which nearly two and a half kilograms of fentanyl, an industrial sized press and multiple press plates, and almost $5,000 in cash were found and seized.
The defendant faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Alicia H. Forbes.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
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.
Montgomery County Man Charged with Cyberstalking in Connection with Messages Targeting Local Official, Police Officer, and Their FamiliesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Scott Testa, 60, of Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with two counts of cyberstalking, arising from online conduct targeting a local government official, a police officer, and their families.
The defendant appeared in federal court this afternoon for a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid, at which Testa was ordered detained in federal custody pending trial.
The indictment alleges that, on multiple dates in April of this year, the defendant, with the intent to harass and intimidate two victims affiliated with Whitpain Township, used the internet and/or electronic mail to engage in a course of conduct that caused, attempted to cause, and would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to the victims.
Specifically, as alleged, in April 2026, Testa posted on Reddit an AI-altered image depicting one victim wearing a white Ku Klux Klan robe with the name of his current employer in the background, and included false information about the victim, which defendant Testa knew to be false when it was posted. Then, as further alleged, Testa posted the names of this victim’s children and an address of a home which he believed to be the victim’s true home address.
In addition, the indictment alleges that, also in April 2026, Testa posted on Reddit an AI-altered image of a second victim and his family, including his minor children, with their faces exposed so that they could be identified, depicting them all wearing white Ku Klux Klan robes. Each time, along with the photograph, the defendant identified the victim and his family. Testa also posted messages directed at the victim, like “we are watching you,” “we are coming,” and “…This does not get erased; it’s forever. Your career and your family’s future is going to be pockmarked with you cowards. … we are going to run you out of town.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Missouri Man Sentenced for $284,000 Pandemic Rental Assistance FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Moberly, Missouri man was sentenced to 27 months in prison Tuesday and ordered to repay the $284,000 that he fraudulently obtained via a pandemic rental assistance scam.
Steven W. Hendren, 34, submitted numerous fraudulent applications for State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) rental assistance to the Missouri Housing Development Commission from March 2021 through June 2024. Hendren falsely listed himself as a landlord in the loan applications and included fake lease agreements and financial statements. He also submitted other applications in which he fraudulently inflated rent amounts and altered lease agreements and financial statements.
The SAFHR program was designed to provide emergency assistance for rent, utility bills and other expenses during the pandemic. Hendren received $284,840, much of which he used for personal expenses including the purchase of a 2020 GMC Yukon.
Hendren pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman 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.
Minnesota State Trooper Sentenced to 27 Years’ Imprisonment for the Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Jeremy Francis Plonski was sentenced to 324 months in prison and 180 months of supervised release for the production of child pornography and the distribution of child pornography.
Plonski was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Kate M. Menendez on September 8, 2026. He previously pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025.
According to court documents, from about April 2023 to October 2023, Plonski produced 23 child pornographic videos. In some of the videos, Plonski, who worked as a Minnesota State Trooper, wore his uniform while personally sexually abusing a minor victim. Plonski then distributed videos that depicted him sexually abusing the minor victim on a social media application.
“This defendant took an oath to protect the public, but he instead committed one of the most abhorrent offenses imaginable. Today’s sentence represents my office’s commitment to protect vulnerable children and the cooperation among federal and local law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“As we said in our previous statement, no badge, no title, and no position will ever place anyone above the law. Protecting the vulnerable is our duty. Anyone who violates that duty has no place in this organization or in our profession. We are grateful for the work that went into this investigation and for the accountability that followed,” said Colonel Christina Bogojevic, Chief of the Minnesota State Patrol. “Jeremy Plonski was terminated by the Minnesota State Patrol.”
“Jeremy Plonski betrayed everything he swore to protect,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is always horrendous crime, and as a law enforcement officer, Mr. Plonski knew the terrible harms that come to victims of these offenses. As we did in this case, the FBI and our partners will always act with immediacy and spare no resource to protect children from predators. While a prison sentence cannot repair the harms these crimes have caused, we hope that today’s outcome will offer the victim and their family the sense of peace, safety, justice, and hope they deserve as they work toward healing.”
“When someone sexually abuses a child, it is repulsive to all of us, but when it is also someone who wears a badge, it is even more disturbing,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “He vowed to uphold the law and he broke that promise. We are thankful for this result and that he has been held accountable for his actions.”
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol and other law enforcement partners.
The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Note: Previous press release on the defendant’s charge and indictment linked here.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft, Passport Fraud, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Ivvan Hernandez Servin (38, Mexico) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Paul Byron three years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and firearms offenses. Hernandez Servin pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Hernandez Servin is a Mexican national who was unlawfully in the United States. He used the stolen identity of a United States citizen to fraudulently obtain a United States passport, which he used to travel back and forth between the United States and Mexico. At the time of his arrest, Hernandez Servin was found in possession of several firearms, despite being a prohibited person. To obtain two of those firearms, Hernandez Servin had falsely stated that he was born in the United States.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Marcos Moreno-Navarro (33, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States. Moreno-Navarro pleaded guilty on May 22, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Moreno-Navarro is a citizen of Mexico. He was previously deported from the United States in 2015 and again in 2022. Moreno-Navarro was previously convicted of two felony offenses. In 2017, Moreno-Navarro was convicted of illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and sentenced to three months and seven days’ imprisonment. In 2022, Moreno-Navarro was convicted of possession of methamphetamine and sentenced to one month imprisonment and one year of probation. On February 27, 2026, Moreno-Navarro was encountered by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and arrested for driving under the influence, for which he was subsequently convicted. He was identified as an alien unlawfully present in the United States, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted.
This case was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jerry M. Harre.
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.
Mexican Illegal Alien Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien, with Enhanced Penalty for Prior Felony ConvictionsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –ANDRES TOVAR-MERCADO ("TOVAR-MERCADO"), age 39, a native of Mexico, was indicted on September 3, 2026, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and 1326(b)(2), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the charging document, the defendant was found in the United States on August 18, 2026, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on October 13, 2016.
TOVAR-MERCADO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien. He is also eligible for a 10-year enhanced sentencing because of felony convictions in the Western District of Texas for illegal re-entry into the United States.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for New England Bank Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TAYLOR DZICZEK, 44, formerly of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 90 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for a bank robbery spree in 2021 and 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 2021 and August 2022, Dziczek committed the following 14 robberies and one attempted robbery of banks and credit unions in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire:
- September 9, 2021 Arrha Credit Union, West Springfield, Mass.
- September 20, 2021 American Eagle Credit Union, Enfield, Conn.
- October 4, 2021 People’s United Bank, Brattleboro, Vt.
- October 15, 2021 Webster Bank, East Windsor, Conn.
- October 21, 2021 People’s United Bank, Brattleboro, Vt. (attempt)
- October 22, 2021 Webster Bank, Somers, Conn.
- November 5, 2021 Workers Credit Union, Athol, Mass.
- November 19, 2021 Liberty Bank, Avon, Conn.
- November 20, 2021 Savings Bank of Walpole, Keene, N.H.
- December 16, 2021 Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Montague, Mass.
- January 6, 2022 KeyBank, East Windsor, Conn
- January 21, 2022 Franklin First Credit Union, Greenfield, Mass.
- May 26, 2022 People’s United Bank, Plainville, Conn.
- June 3, 2022 TD Bank, Nashua, N.H.
- August 17, 2022 Liberty Bank, Meriden, Conn.
During each robbery, Dziczek typically turned off his cellphone and drove his car with the license plates removed to the bank or credit union. He then entered the bank or credit union wearing a hooded sweatshirt, surgical mask, and baseball cap, and handed the teller a note demanding cash in large denominations and claiming to have a gun.
During the investigation, Dziczek was identified as a suspect who robbed the Peoples United Bank, located at 117 East Street in Plainville, Connecticut, on May 26, 2022. On that date, Dziczek entered the bank, approached the teller counter and gave the teller a note stating words to the effect of, “I have a gun. Don‘t call 911. Don‘t set off any alarms.“ When the teller stated she did not have any more money, Dziczek pulled what appeared to be a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt and made additional statements including “Give me all the money,” “I have a gun,” and “Don‘t be a hero.”
Dziczek removed some of the paper money wrappers from the money he received from the teller and discarded them at the bank before he fled the scene. Plainville Police detectives collected the discarded money wrappers as evidence.
On October 21, 2022, FBI special agents surveilled Dziczek while he was in the MGM Casino in Springfield, Massachusetts, and retrieved an energy drink can with a black straw from which Dziczek was observed drinking. Laboratory analysis connected DNA found on the straw to DNA found on discarded money wrappers from the Plainville bank robbery.
Dziczek has been detained since his arrest on December 1, 2022. On September 26, 2025, he pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery.
Judge Nagala ordered Dziczek to pay restitution in the total amount of $82,567.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Division’s Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Boston Division, FBI Albany Division, Connecticut State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Athol (Mass.) Police Department, Avon (Conn.) Police Department, Brattleboro (Vt.) Police Department, Chicopee (Mass.) Police Department, East Windsor (Conn.) Police Department, Enfield (Conn.) Police Department, Greenfield (Mass.) Police Department, Keene (N.H.) Police Department, Meriden (Conn.) Police Department, Montague (Mass.) Police Department, Nashua (N.H.) Police Department, Plainville (Conn.) Police Department, Somers (Conn.) Police Department, and Springfield (Mass.) Police Department. The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of Scientific Services provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings, and Stephanie T. Levick. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont and for their close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Madison Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Madison, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Lawrence Johnson, age 51, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Johnson must register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.
Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024 and pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an undercover chat operation conducted by the Des Moines County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office between September 15, 2024, and October 10, 2024, during which law enforcement posed online as underage child personas to catch individuals who seek sexual acts or sexually explicit materials from minors.
In Johnson’s case, he was using his cell phone to access Facebook and befriended “Abby,” an undercover law enforcement officer who told Johnson she was 13 years old. Throughout the conversation, Johnson attempted to convince “Abby” to send him nude images of herself and travel to South Dakota for the purpose of having sex with him. Johnson was arrested, and when interviewed by law enforcement, admitted his behavior and belief that “Abby” was a real 13-year-old girl from whom he was seeking sexually explicit images and sex.
This case was investigated by the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota DCI, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Johnson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Curtis Soester, 49, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 27, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Soester to 262 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Soester’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
On August 28, 2025, Soester’s parole officer received information that Soester was selling drugs while at work. Lincoln Police Officers went to his workplace and spoke with him. Soester admitted he had methamphetamine and turned over a pouch containing approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine packaged in several bags. Soester also admitted he had methamphetamine in his car. Investigators searched his car and found approximately 62 grams of methamphetamine, multiple unused baggies, and a digital scale. At the time, Soester was on parole for drug distribution. His sentence was enhanced because of his prior felony convictions for drug distribution and robbery.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force (LLCNTF).
Lafourche Parish Resident Sentenced for Furthering a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – First Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that MICHAEL LEWIS, (“LEWIS”), age 44, of Thibodaux, Louisiana was sentenced on September 3, 2026 to 48 months imprisonment, followed by 12 months of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Brandon Long after previously pleading guilty to illegal use of communications facility to further a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2.
According to the court documents, beginning at a time unknown, but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, LEWIS conspired with other individuals, mainly Linez Green and John Paul Gage Jr., to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On multiple occasions, LEWIS used his cell phone to further this conspiracy, and helped others distribute methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux. Both Green and Gage Jr. have also previously pled guilty in this case.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Violent Crimes Unit.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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Lafourche Parish Resident Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – First Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that JOHN PAUL GAGE JR., (“GAGE JR.”) age 43, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, was sentenced on September 1, 2026 by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to 262 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, after he previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), §841(b)(1)(C), and §846, as well illegal use of communications facility, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, GAGE JR. conspired with several individuals to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On numerous occasions, GAGE JR. used his cell phone to further this conspiracy and distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux, Louisiana. GAGE JR. ultimately trafficked at least thirty kilograms of cocaine from Houston into the Eastern District of Louisiana.
First Assistant U. S. Attorney Simpson, praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Violent Crimes Unit.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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Kansas Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Kansas woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud and eight counts each of bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, in October 2025, Rachael Kennedy, 37, entered multiple financial institutions in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and impersonated actual account holders by presenting fictitious U.S. passport cards in the account holders’ names. Kennedy obtained $30,400 by withdrawing funds from preexisting home equity lines of credit. Kennedy was arrested in Canada after fleeing from police when she left a bank in Houlton.
For bank fraud, Kennedy faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. For aggravated identity theft, she faces a mandatory prison term of two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed; a $250,000 fine; and up to one year of supervised release. For passport fraud, Kennedy faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Portsmouth Resident Office, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Maine State Police, the Hampden Police Department, the Houlton Police Department, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Canadian Border Services Agency.
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Kansas City Man Arrested for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was charged after police officers located two machine guns in the vehicle he was driving.
Dominic M. Miller, 21, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint on Sept. 5, 2026.
The federal criminal complaint charges Miller with being a felon in possession of firearms and possession of machine guns on July 24, 2026.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, uniformed officers of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were conducting general patrol in the area of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Propsect Avenue, when they noticed a vehicle driving with an improper license plate. Officers stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver, Miller, and two other passengers. A computer check revealed Miller had an active warrant out of Kansas and he was arrested.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located two Glock handguns under the passenger floorboard. Both firearms were equipped with a machine gun conversion device, more commonly known as a “switch.” These devices convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic firearms, more commonly known as machine guns. Laboratory testing confirmed that both firearms functioned as fully automatic machine guns. On Sept. 3, 2026, the Kansas City, Misouri Police Department crime lab located genetic information (“DNA”) consistent with Miller’s DNA on one of the firearms. Prior to this incident, Miller was convicted of the felony of Unlawful Use of a Weapon in Jackson County, Mo., Case Number 2416-CR000871-01.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.