Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
8 September 2026
Justice Department to Conduct Election Monitoring in New Hampshire Primary ElectionRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice is monitoring polling sites in two New Hampshire cities — Manchester and Nashua — for the state’s primary election to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.
“The Department of Justice is continuing its monitoring efforts all the way through primary season,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This is the last week before the Division begins ramping up preparations for midterm election monitoring, which will help ensure trust and transparency throughout the country.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire is proud to partner with the Civil Rights Division on election integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire. “New Hampshire’s elections, including our critical First-in-the-Nation Primary, deserve to instill the highest possible confidence. My office will continue bringing together state and federal partners to ensure that Granite State elections are free, fair, and in accordance with all applicable laws.”
The Department, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces federal voting rights laws to ensure the right to vote is protected for all eligible citizens. The Department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.
The Department is currently monitoring polls with four DOJ staff from the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in each city.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces various federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.
From now and up to Election Day on Nov. 3, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. If you would like to request election monitoring in a particular jurisdiction, please contact the Voting Section at VEM@usdoj.gov, and the Civil Rights Division will determine whether monitoring is warranted.
Jacksonville Sex Predator Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Alexander Charles Whitaker (41, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Whitaker pleaded guilty on May 8, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers received a cybertip that a social media user from Jacksonville had uploaded files of CSAM. After reviewing the information in the cybertip, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for the social media account and learned that it belonged to Whitaker. After reviewing Whitaker’s Facebook account, further evidence led to a search warrant of Whitaker’s home where his cellphone was seized and searched. Whitaker’s phone contained more than 100 images and videos depicting CSAM.
At the time of this offense, Whitaker was on probation following a Florida state prison sentence for possession of child pornography. In addition, since Whitaker has been classified as a sexually violent predator, once he serves his prison sentence, under Florida law, he will be committed to a security facility for control, care, and treatment.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Iowa and Michigan Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Two men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the Des Moines Police Department began investigating Corser Scott Paine, 29, of Des Moines, and Eric Tyrone White, 31, of Detroit, following the overdose death of a Des Moines man in April 2025. During a search of Paine’s apartment five days after the overdose death, law enforcement found hundreds of grams of fentanyl powder mixed with Xylazine (a veterinary sedative), BTMPS (an industrial chemical), and methamphetamine, as well as fentanyl test strips, scales, baggies, gloves, and a blender that had been used to mix the drugs. At least nine cellphones were seized and searched, which allowed law enforcement to connect Paine to the overdose victim and demonstrated that White served as Paine’s drug source of supply.
On July 7, 2026, Paine was sentenced to 126-months’ imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. On September 3, 2026, White was sentenced to 195-months’ imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Control Unit investigated the case.
Illegal alien sentenced for firearm possession after visa overstay in HoustonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Erik Guadalupe Ibarra Venegas pleaded guilty June 5.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Venegas to serve 16 months in federal prison and a $100 special assessment. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Oct. 28, 2025, law enforcement responded to a report of a suspicious man pushing two bicycles and carrying tools in a cul-de-sac. Authorities found Venegas walking in the middle of the road obstructing traffic.
During the police encounter, the defendant was asked if he had any firearms. Venegas showed the officer a 5.56 caliber pistol that was on his person.
Venegas had no identification and provided a fake name, but fingerprint analysis later confirmed his identity.
The investigation revealed Venegas had overstayed his visa and was unlawfully present in the United States. As a result, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Hedwig Village Police Department, ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Smith and AUSA Byron Black prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien from England Sentenced for Entering the US Without Inspection and Lying to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A citizen of the United Kingdom was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States without inspection and lying to federal investigators.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Mohammed Sultan Saleh, 22, to time served. Saleh pleaded guilty on June 18, 2026.
According to court records, Saleh and three other men walked through the heavily wooded border between Quebec and Somerset County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their point of entry was within a few hundred yards of the Saint Zacharie, Maine port of entry that was manned by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (“OFO”). Upon exiting the woods, Saleh and his companions began walking down the Golden Road heading east.
Passersby in the area reported to an OFO agent seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road. The OFO agent reported the sighting to the U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) station in Jackman. A USBP agent and an OFO agent responded to the area of the sighting, located the four men and took them into custody without incident. When questioned about their citizenship, Saleh and his three companions stated they were citizens of the United Kingdom. The four were then transported back to the Jackman Border Patrol station.
During subsequent questioning by FBI and USBP agents, Saleh maintained that he had not intentionally entered the United States. He falsely claimed that he and his friends were on a hike in Canada and had accidentally crossed into the U.S.
USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
###
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Passport and Benefit FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Salem, N.H., was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for passport and SNAP fraud.
Juan Felipe Chalas, 58, was sentenced by Judge Leo T. Sorokin to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Chalas was also ordered to pay restitution of $304,932. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. Chalas was arrested in March 2026 and in May 2026, pleaded guilty to passport fraud and illegal acquisition of SNAP benefits.
For over two decades, Chalas used the name, birthdate and Social Security number of a United States citizen to apply for and receive Massachusetts driver’s licenses, U.S. passports, and over $25,000 in Social Security disability benefits, more than $12,000 in SNAP benefits and over $266,000 in MassHealth benefits. SNAP is a federal program administered by the states that provides funds for low-income individuals and families to purchase food. MassHealth is a federal and state program that provides medical benefits to low-income individuals.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley: Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Nathan Hebert, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is 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.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Healthcare Benefit Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2026 in federal court in Boston to healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Manuel Antonio Baez, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of falsely representing a Social Security number, one count of making false statements relating to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Dec. 2, 2026. In May 2026, Baez was arrested and charged and has been held in custody since his arrest.
Baez used the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen, including the citizen’s Social Security number, to obtain government benefits. Specifically, Baez represented that he was a U.S. citizen when applying for healthcare benefits in Massachusetts and submitted a sworn affidavit falsely alleging the same. Baez ultimately obtained over $80,000 in MassHealth benefits using the stolen identity. Baez also committed drug offenses in the name of the U.S. citizen, including a 2018 conviction for trafficking heroin and a 2007 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance.
The charge for falsely representing a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making false statements relating to a health care program provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin T. Missett of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Husband and Wife Fraudsters Extradited from Jamaica After Wife’s Failed Attempt to Flee JusticeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, announced the extradition of husband and wife, SWAYNE BARKER and RICKI RICKALINE GIBBS, from Jamaica today on fraud and bail jumping charges, respectively. BARKER faces charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and receiving stolen money for his role in a multi-year scheme to defraud elderly victims across the United States, resulting in losses of over $1.7 million to more than 20 victims. GIBBS was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas in January 2026 to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with this scheme. Following sentencing, GIBBS fled to Jamaica and now faces additional charges for bail jumping. BAKER and GIBBS arrived in the United States on August 27, 2026, and were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. Both cases are assigned to U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas.
“Today’s extradition makes clear that fraudsters who exploit vulnerable victims will be held accountable and that those who would seek to escape the consequences of their crimes will be relentlessly pursued until they are brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald.
“Attempting to escape a federal sentence or hide from charges across the ocean is a losing strategy,” said U.S. Marshal Ricky J. Patel. “Ricki Rickaline Gibbs jumped bail and fled to Jamaica, but the USMS in the Southern District of New York and the USMS Jamaica Foreign Field Office, working hand-in-hand with local Jamaican law enforcement, tracked both Gibbs and Swayne Barker down. Our message is clear: if you prey on vulnerable individuals there will be nowhere safe for you to hide. We will find you and bring you back to answer for your crimes.”
According to the Superseding Indictment through which BARKER is charged and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:(1)
From at least in or about 2019 through at least in or about 2023, BARKER and GIBBS defrauded more than 20 victims of over $1.7 million by representing to victims that they had won prizes in a sweepstakes and needed to transfer money to pay taxes and fees to claim their purported prizes. In truth, the victims had not won any sweepstakes prizes, and BARKER, GIBBS, and others misappropriated these victims’ funds.
Victims of this scheme typically received an unsolicited phone call or text from an individual using a common name—e.g., “Robert James,” “Robert Hill,” or “Mark Miller”—claiming they had won a life-changing amount of money and a luxury car but needed to pay taxes or fees to addresses and accounts specified by the caller before receiving the prize. The caller then remained in contact with the victims and, after the victims made their initial payments as directed, informed the victims that additional payments were required to receive their purported winnings. In particular, victims were instructed to send money by mailing checks, money orders, Vanilla Visa gift cards, and cash concealed in books, as well as by wire and Zelle transfer, to addresses and accounts identified by the caller. After luring victims in with the sweepstakes lie, the perpetrators of this scheme also used romance scam tactics to induce victims to continue making payments. Gibbs is a dual citizen of Jamaica and the United States, who participated in the scheme from both New York and Jamaica, alongside co-conspirators based in Jamaica, including BARKER, who is a citizen of Jamaica.
According to the Indictment charging GIBBS with failure to surrender for service of sentence and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:
GIBBS was sentenced by the Honorable Kenneth M. Karas on January 7, 2026, and ordered to surrender on February 9, 2026, to the United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, or to a designated facility. GIBBS failed to surrender to the United States Marshal on that date and instead fled to Jamaica, where she was arrested in April 2026 pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest warrant.
* * *
BARKER is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, as well conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison. GIBBS is charged with failure to surrender for service of sentence, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. In addition to this new charge, GIBBS has been extradited to serve her pending sentence of 51 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. GIBBS has also been ordered to pay forfeiture of $1,018,703, and restitution of $1,379,402.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Division. Mr. McDonald also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Jamaican authorities, including the Jamaican Constabulary Force, for their assistance in securing BARKER and GIBBS’s arrest and extradition.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levander, Margaret Vasu, and Ioannis Drivas are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges against BARKER in the Superseding Indictment and against GIBBS in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
^
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment against BARKER and the description of the Superseding Indictment against BARKER set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Grand jury indicts Cincinnati man for assaulting postal workerRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted Wendell Terrence Swan, 56, of Cincinnati, charging him with assaulting a federal employee.
According to the indictment, on Aug. 5, Swan intentionally assaulted a United States Postal Service mail carrier while the victim was engaged in his official duties. Swan allegedly struck the mail carrier several times and threw him to the ground, inflicting bodily injury.
Swan was indicted on Sept. 2 and brought into custody today.
Assaulting a federal employee carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Former Physician at Veteran Affairs Medical Center Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former physician employed at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Bedford, Mass., pleaded guilty on Aug. 27, 2026 in federal court in Boston to receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Sven Knudsen Ljaamo, 71, pleaded guilty on Aug. 27, 2026 to on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Nov. 18, 2026. The defendant was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on April 23, 2025 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement learned that over 100 files of suspected CSAM files had been uploaded to Ljaamo’s Google account. Several CSAM files, along with tens of thousands of pornography files, were found during a review of Ljaamo’s devices, including on a cell phone Ljaamo kept in his office at the VA Medical Center.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Billerica, Lowell and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Former Foundation IT Manager Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Nearly $1 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 months and one day of imprisonment on his conviction of wire fraud, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Charles A. Richardson, 45.
According to information presented to the Court, Richardson was employed as an information technology professional with the Pittsburgh-based philanthropic foundation The Heinz Endowments. Between 2016 and 2024, Richardson embezzled nearly $1 million in funds from his employer through a shell corporation Richardson controlled by authorizing payment for fraudulent invoices that billed the foundation for work not performed either by Richardson’s shell corporation or other vendors.
Assistant United States Attorney William Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Richardson.
Former Army Pay Technician Sentenced for Claiming Pay for Military Funeral Honors Ceremonies That Never OccurredRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER O’CONNOR (“O’CONNOR”), a former Army pay technician, was sentenced on September 3, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to five years’ probation, 100 hours of community service, and payment of $98,691 in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
O’CONNOR previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, for submitting fraudulent reimbursement requests for military funeral honors that he and six other Army reservists allegedly performed, but had not.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant United States Chandra Menon, Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
Updated for accuracy. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Command is currently named The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
***
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Advantage ProgramsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - Sevindik Huseynov, a national of Azerbaijan, pleaded guilty in federal court today to three counts of health care fraud in connection with a $137 million scheme targeting Medicare Advantage Programs.
Huseynov, 48, formerly of Sunnyvale, California and a national of Azerbaijan was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 25, 2025. Under the plea agreement, Huseynov pleaded guilty to three counts of health care fraud.
In pleading guilty, Huseynov, who was the Chief Executive Officer of a fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) company, Vonyes Inc., admitted to aiding and abetting a scheme to submit thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs). The claims were submitted on behalf of unsuspecting beneficiaries and sought reimbursement for medical equipment such as wound dressing and orthotic braces. Beginning in January 2025 and continuing until Huseynov was arrested on June 17, 2025, he participated in the scheme with other individuals in the United States and abroad to submit large volumes of claims to MAOs offering Medicare Part C benefit plans. In total, Huseynov, through Vonyes, sought reimbursements of at least $137 million from MAOs for medical equipment that was not provided, not needed by patients, and not authorized by a medical provider. Huseynov admitted to receiving reimbursement checks for $2.8 million and depositing those checks in Vonyes bank accounts he set up. After the money was deposited, Huseynov wired most of the money to bank accounts in Hong Kong.
Huseynov is currently in federal custody. Huseynov’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 2, 2027 at 1:30 PM before U.S. District Judge Noel Wise. Huseynov faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, health care fraud. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya Karwande with the assistance of Lynette Dixon, Ambereise McElrath, and Mimi Lam. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is 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.
Following trial, Hamilton man sentenced to 2 years for unlawfully possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Hamilton man who unlawfully stored a cache of firearms at his house was sentenced today to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
After a one-day trial on April 13, 2026, a jury found Shawn Ryan Cowan, 46, guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Cowan, who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, was keeping guns in his home. A tip to law enforcement led investigators to seek a warrant and search Cowan’s home.
There they found:
- Ruger SR-22, .22 cal. pistol
- Raven Arms P25, .25 cal. pistol
- F.LLI Pietta Fabrica D'Armi, Big Bore Rough Rider, .357 cal. revolver
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) TM22-A-18, .22 cal. rifle
- Marlin Firearms Co. 20, .22 cal. rifle
- High Standard Sentinel, .22 cal. revolver
- North American Arms NAA22, .22 cal. revolver
- Smith & Wesson 18, .22 cal. revolver
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) VRPA40, 12-gauge shotgun
- Heritage Mfg. Inc. Rough Rider, .22 cal. revolver
Investigators also found various types of ammunition.
Cowan had been convicted previously of aggravated kidnapping, burglary, and possession of dangerous drugs in Montana and so was required to register as a violent offender for life. Cowan, who became belligerent with agents as he was arrested, acknowledged he was “technically a felon,” but said he owned guns because his conviction was fraudulently obtained by county officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF and Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
First week of September brings 239 more cases in continued border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 247 people have been charged, including 232 illegal aliens, in 239 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from Aug. 28-Sept. 3.
A total of 171 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 41 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. In addition, 42 people have been charged with human smuggling which includes 20 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and firearms charges.
Three illegal aliens charged during this period were already removed this year, but returned again unlawfully to the Rio Grande Valley, according to new criminal complaints against them. Junior Fidel Ramos-Leiva is a Honduran male who allegedly has a prior conviction of robbery with dangerous weapon, while Mexican nationals Brayan Valadez-Hernandez and Brayan Gutierrez-Salvador have two prior felony drug convictions and an alien smuggling conviction, respectively.
Law enforcement discovered three more Mexican males illegally in the United States. Jose Ivan Hernandez-Martinez and Jose Francisco Torres-Olguin allegedly have prior convictions for alien in possession of a firearm and alien smuggling before their removals in 2025. Jose Luis Amezcua-Gutierrez was discovered near Hidalgo, despite having been removed in 2024 following his conviction and sentence for indecent liberties with child.
All five face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Ivan Gerardo Castillo-Castro, an illegal alien from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, received a 33-month federal prison sentence for being an alien in possession of a firearm. At the hearing, the court heard about his prior criminal history, including convictions for assault and illegal reentry, as well as incidents in which he assaulted a domestic partner, a juvenile, and a police officer attempting to arrest him. While awaiting sentencing, he also participated in a gang-style assault on other inmates.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Final Defendant in Child Sex Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Antonio Marquis Nicholson, 34, of West Columbia, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in 2023, Nicholson and his codefendants targeted vulnerable minors, specifically 16 and 17-year-old girls. One victim was a missing and runaway minor from another state. Two victims were Columbia-area high school students with clear vulnerabilities. Together, the four defendants enticed, harbored, transported, advertised, provided, and exploited the three girls into commercial sexual exploitation. They took photographs of the victims, gave them lingerie, advertised them on commercial sex websites, and confiscated the proceeds. Victims were subjected to physical violence and forced to have sex with adult men. They were exposed to drugs, guns, and dangerous encounters with violent customers. The young girls did not have access to medical care, food, or other daily necessities.“This is the behavior of a monster. Nicholson and his codefendants exploited these children in the most vulnerable way possible,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “I commend law enforcement for working together at the federal, state and local level to intervene and rescue these children, who are survivors of such heinous acts.”
“Antonio Nicholson targeted vulnerable kids, including runaways, and treated them like property to be advertised, sold, and controlled,” said HSI Carolinas Special Agent in Charge Mark M. Zito. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: if you prey on children, you will pay for it. HSI and our partners will keep working to protect children and other vulnerable people and bring these predators to justice.”
“It’s heartbreaking to think sex trafficking happens in our communities. Our children are our greatest asset while also being our most vulnerable. To profit off cruelty and abuse to a child is reprehensible,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “In South Carolina, the local, state, and federal partnerships we have mean those who commit such disgusting crimes will face the consequences. Every survivor deserves justice.”United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Nicholson to 300 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision. Three co-defendants were previously sentenced. Terrell Counts was previously sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment. Rebecca Melanie Perry was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment. Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary was sentenced to 165 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore prosecuted the case.###
Fannin County man sentenced to federal prison for buying and selling firearms without a licenseRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Bonham man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Raymundo Duran Baza, 21, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on September 4, 2026.
According to information presented in court, from September 2024 through October 2024, Baza and at least one other person conspired to engage in the business of dealing in firearms, while not being a licensed firearms dealer. During this time, Baza was responsible for buying and re-selling firearms and Machine Gun Conversion Devices for profit.
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 making 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Smith.
##
Evansville Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled as Six Head to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Six individuals, all from Evansville, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking ring operating in Southern Indiana.
DefendantSentenceCharge(s)Lovechild McGuire, 3328 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Christopher Flax, 5013 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineAmiee Ranes, 4615 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 Grams or more of methamphetamineTrent Marion. 3915 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineUnique Carter, 28 Seven years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineCamri Outlaw, 31Time served, two years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineAccording to court documents, investigators began examining the organization in January 2023, identifying a coordinated group responsible for distributing crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl throughout the Evansville area. McGuire served as the local leader of the trafficking ring, securing bulk quantities of narcotics from a supplier in Springfield, Tennessee. Flax, Ranes, Marion, and Carter operated as mid‑level distributors.
During the investigation, officers learned that the N-Handz barber shop on South Green River Road was being used as a primary distribution location. Additionally, a storage unit at Eastside Park served as the organization’s main stash site.
On November 30, 2023, McGuire directed his romantic partner, Camri Outlaw, to pay drug couriers $60,000 for 35 pounds of methamphetamine. Outlaw transported the narcotics from her home to the storage unit controlled by McGuire and Carter. That same day, federal agents executed a search warrant on the unit, recovering approximately 34.8 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 13,000 fentanyl pills, and one kilogram of cocaine.
Between June 1, 2023, and December 5, 2023, the drug trafficking organization distributed more than 4.5 kilograms of actual methamphetamine into the Evansville community.
“Methamphetamine and other deadly controlled substances have devastating impacts on users, their loved ones, and our communities,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug traffickers like these defendants, responsible for pushing this poison from across the country into our neighborhoods, must be held accountable for the suffering they cause in search of quick profits. This operation is an outstanding example of the impact we can have with the help of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Evansville Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Wheatley, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Eastern NC Drug Pipeline Dismantled: 35 Years Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Raleigh, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Alexander Sandoval, 29, to thirty‑five years in federal prison for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl, meth, and cocaine throughout the Eastern District of North Carolina. On December 12, 2025, Sandoval plead guilty to conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of meth, distributing 50 grams or more of meth, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime.
“This depraved drug pusher pumped staggering amounts of fentanyl, meth, and cocaine into our communities, hiding his poison in furniture and moving it across Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Even up to the bitter end, armed with a revolver, fleeing at more than 100 miles an hour, and running from officers on foot, he refused to stop. But, in the end, he fought the law and the law won. Let this be a stark warning, we will put you in prison for decades. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.”
In 2022, investigators identified Sandoval as a narcotics supplier. As they expanded their investigation, law enforcement discovered his drug‑trafficking organization hid fentanyl, meth, and cocaine inside furniture and shipped to Fayetteville. Once the shipments arrived, he directed others to retrieve the packages, dismantle the furniture, and collect the drugs for distribution. Sandoval’s operation moved approximately 79 pounds of fentanyl, 1,817 pounds of meth, and 174 pounds of cocaine into Eastern North Carolina. Literally a ton of poison meant to kill citizens and their children so he and his minions could scam a few bucks.
Between February and June 2023, investigators conducted several controlled meth purchases from Sandoval, who consistently carried a firearm during the drugs. When Hope Mills Police later attempted to stop him for speeding, he took off, leading officers on a high‑speed chase that exceeded 100 mph before he abandoned his vehicle and ran away on foot. As he fled, he unsuccessfully tried to toss a revolver and meth, but the cops eventually found those after they arrested him.
Despite his track history for criminal recklessness, the state judges just released him from state custody. Sandoval immediately returned to his criminal ways. Within just a few months, he again fled in a high-speed chase from police, eventually ditching his car, and attempted to toss his cocaine. Despite his arrest, Sandoval remained undeterred, shamelessly making multiple phone calls from jail to organize his drug distribution upon his release. All of those calls were recorded, and law enforcement followed all his plans.
“This sentence reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from dangerous drug traffickers,” said the Reid Davis FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “In the past year alone, federal drug‑trafficking investigations led to thousands of arrests nationwide, including significant increases in cases involving fentanyl and methamphetamine. These arrests are the result of coordinated efforts with our federal, state, and local partners, and they underscore our intensified crackdown on the criminal networks driving the fentanyl epidemic. The FBI will continue to crush violent crime, dismantle these organizations, and hold those who threaten the safety of North Carolinians accountable.”
"This guilty plea and subsequent sentencing reflect our relentless commitment to removing violent, habitual offenders from the streets of Fayetteville. Drug trafficking and gun violence inflict deep, lasting harm on our neighborhoods, and our department will not stand by while violent actors endanger our residents and threaten the peace of our community,” said Assistant Chief Todd Joyce, Fayetteville Police Department. “This outcome demonstrates what is possible through seamless coordination between local officers, federal investigators, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. To those who choose to introduce dangerous narcotics and illegal firearms into Fayetteville; you will be met with the full weight of our combined resources, and you will be held accountable under federal law."
This prosecution is part of Operation Couch Potato, a component of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) established under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole‑of‑government initiative committed to dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad. Through unprecedented interagency coordination, HSTF directs federal law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute the broad spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations. The HSTF places a particular emphasis on targeting offenders involved in crimes against children and uses all available legal authorities to identify, prosecute, and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement following sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. FBI, the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Hope Mills Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is available on our website. Related court documents and additional information can be found at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-89-D-BM-1.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced on September 3, 2026 to 15 years in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.
According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Jacob Adam Toler, 31, uploaded and distributed files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized a cell phone and a laptop during a search of Toler’s Des Moines residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Toler used them to receive and possess more than 125 videos containing child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Toler will be required to serve a 10‑year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Toler was also ordered to pay $48,500 in restitution.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Del Rio Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio felon was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division special agents conducted a traffic stop on Alfredo Martinez Jr., 42, and located a firearm in the vehicle, which he denied owning.
In November 2022, the Texas Department of Public Safety executed a state search warrant on Martinez’s residence. During the search, agents found a .357 revolver and two shotguns. Martinez again denied ownership of the firearms, claiming that two individuals had left items at his house that could not fit in their vehicle and that, despite being a convicted felon, he agreed to store their things.
Further investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that one of the shotguns found in the search of Martinez’s residence had been stolen. On Jan. 11, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Martinez for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
On Jan. 26, 2023, a Val Verde Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on Martinez. The deputy notified an ATF special agent, who arrived on scene and located a loaded MP-25 pistol along with an additional loaded magazine inside Martinez’s vehicle. Martinez was arrested for the charges from the Jan. 11, 2023, indictment. A search warrant was executed on Martinez’s residence, resulting in the recovery of two more firearms and assorted ammunition.
Martinez pleaded guilty on July 10, 2023, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Last week, Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses sentenced Martinez to the statutory maximum.
The ATF and TX DPS CID investigated the case with assistance from the Val Verde Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allyson Breech prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Defendants sentenced after pleading guilty to illegally transporting a stolen motor vehicleRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, Georgia: An illegal alien has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a stolen vehicle operation. His co-defendant’s have also been sentenced.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge L. Randal Hall and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:
Marcial Diaz-Sanchez, 25, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $70,859 after pleading guilty to Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
Isaiah Joseph Jaimes, 25, of South Houston, Texas, was sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release, 40 hours of community service and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $70,859 after pleading guilty to Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and testimony, in November 2024, Diaz-Sanchez and his co-defendant attempted to sell a vehicle, which they knew had been stolen from Texas. The defendants used Facebook Marketplace to negotiate and arrange the sale of the vehicle, which unbeknownst to them was to an undercover Jenkins County Deputy Sheriff.
A subsequent search of the defendant’s phone revealed photos of high-end vehicles, counterfeit Texas titles and VINs, and large amounts of U.S. currency.
An additional co-defendant, Rene Armando Reyes Velasquez, 24, of El Salvador, was previously sentenced in June after pleading guilty to Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
“Know this: those that steal another’s property and disregard federal law will face justice,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Our extensive relationship with our law enforcement partners was instrumental in the prosecution of this case, directly impacting the safety of our communities and security of our property.”
“Stealing vehicles and attempting to turn stolen property into profit comes with serious consequences,” said Brad Snider, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Statesboro office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to disrupt these schemes, recover stolen property, and hold those responsible accountable.”
The FBI and Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of this case and was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcela C. Mateo and Kelsey L. Scanlon.
Columbus man sentenced to 15 years in prison for cyberstalking exes, creating AI-generated obscene material of adults & childrenRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – James Strahler II, 37, of Columbus, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison for cybercrimes that included both real and AI-generated sexually explicit images and threats of violence to numerous victims.
Strahler had installed more than 24 AI platforms and more than 100 AI web-based models on his phone. The defendant used telephone calls, voicemails, text messages and web postings to engage in a campaign of harassment against his victims.
Strahler pleaded guilty in April to cyberstalking, producing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse and publication of digital forgeries. His conviction of publication of digital forgeries is part of the Take It Down Act, a law enacted in 2025 that prohibits non-consensual online publication of intimate visual depictions and AI forgeries.
“I’m proud of my Office’s prosecution of this case—the first in the Nation under the Take It Down Act,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Thanks to this new law, we can now show offenders like Strahler that they will not get away with producing and posting disturbing AI-generated content. Today’s sentence should serve as a warning that significant prison time will result from this repulsive conduct.”
“The Take It Down Act was enacted to protect innocent victims from AI-generated deepfakes or intimate images shared online without permission,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie. “The FBI will continue to investigate these digital crimes used to harm real people and ensure offenders are brought to justice.”
“This case demonstrates the importance of taking these types of crimes seriously and working together to protect victims and hold offenders accountable,” said Hilliard Police Chief Mike Woods. “We are proud of the work our officers and detectives did to help bring this case forward and grateful to our federal and local partners for seeing it through to justice.”
From December 2024 until June 2025, Strahler sent harassing messages to at least six adult female victims. These messages included nude images of the victims, both real and AI-generated.
For example, Strahler used AI to create pornographic videos depicting at least one adult victim engaged in sex acts with her father. He then distributed those videos to the victim’s co-workers. He also messaged the mothers of the adult females and demanded nude photos of them, threatening to circulate explicit or obscene images he created of their daughters if they did not comply. He often called the victims and left voicemails of him masturbating or threatening rape. He referred to the victims’ specific home addresses in his threats.
Strahler also posted online AI-generated obscenities he created of children. He generated these files using the faces of minor boys from his community. He then morphed the face of the minor boys onto the bodies of other adults or children and created videos that depicted the boys engaged in sex acts. Strahler specifically created AI-generated obscenity of the minor boys having sex with their mothers and/or grandmothers.
Strahler created more than 700 images of both real victims and animated persons and posted them to a website dedicated to child sexual abuse. An additional 2,400 images and videos on his phone were flagged as depicting nudity, morphed child sexual abuse material or violence.
Strahler’s criminal conduct was first reported to the Hilliard Police Department and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office before being referred to the FBI. He was arrested on federal charges in June 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hilliard Police Chief Mike Woods and officials with the Maryland AI and Synthetic Media Threats Task Force (MASTTF); announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
# # #
Columbus Man Receives 27-Year Federal Sentence for Sexually Exploiting Child in His CareRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Andrew Wade Case, 39, of Columbus, Indiana, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, as well as distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material. Upon release from federal prison, Case must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
According to the indictment, on December 19, 2024, Andrew Case forced Minor Victim 1 — a child under the age of 12 and in his custody and care— to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a four-minute video. In addition to exploiting the child in his care, Case also distributed other child sexual abuse material to individuals over a peer‑to‑peer network.
The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Bloomington Police Department received alerts related to the videos Case shared. When investigators executed a search warrant at Case’s home, they found Minor Victim 1 living in severely neglected conditions, including sleeping on the floor amid insects and showing signs of untreated lice.
A forensic examination of Case’s cell phone revealed more than 600 images and videos depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including content involving sadomasochistic abuse and other depictions of violence or exploitation of infants and toddlers.
“A child’s home should be a sanctuary of safety, trust, and protection where they are shielded from the dangers of the world. Instead, this safe space was violated by the defendant. It is paramount we safeguard children from every threat, especially when those threats come from within their own home,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “While this child has endured irreversible trauma, we hope today’s sentence helps restore her trust in the justice system and offers a measure of peace as she moves forward.”
“The Secret Service is committed to leveraging the full weight of its cyber and forensic resources to support investigations into crimes against children,” said Ike Barnes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “This case is a sobering reminder of the threat a child can face inside of their own home. Our investigators are committed to using every tool available to hold those who victimize children in their care accountable. We thank the Indiana State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their steadfast partnership throughout this investigation, and we’ll continue to work together to ensure anyone preying on a child in our community is brought to justice.”
"The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force maintains zero tolerance for adults who abuse positions of trust to sexually exploit, harm, or abuse children," said Indiana State Police Lieutenant Christopher Cecil, the commander of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. " We are committed to locating, investigating, and arresting offenders who prey on children. No child deserves to live in fear."
The United States Secret Service and the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. Sawa, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.
###
Clovis woman arrested for multimillion dollar fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Criminal complaint:
brown_kelly_complaint.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — Kelly Lynn Brown, 47, of Clovis, was arrested Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, on a criminal complaint for using her employer’s company credit card to make more than $4 million of unauthorized, personal purchases, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court records, between November 2020 and October 2024, Brown worked as a bookkeeper at a leading Fresno business specializing in custom countertops and commercial hardwood products. In her role, she had access to the personally identifiable information of employees, including the business’s owner.
In January 2021, Brown recommended that the owner obtain an American Express credit card for business expenses. The owner, however, was not interested in obtaining an American Express credit card for himself or for his business. Nevertheless, two weeks later Brown gave the owner two American Express credit cards, one under the owner’s personal name and the other under the business name.
A few months later and unbeknownst to the owner, Brown obtained a credit card in her own name under the owner’s American Express account without his authorization. Brown began using this credit card for unauthorized personal expenses, including luxury retail purchases, travel, health and beauty treatments, and a down payment on a 2022 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.
In August 2022, Brown started an online apparel store, Western Edge Boutique. Around the same time, she made numerous clothing and apparel-related purchases on the unauthorized card.
Brown used the business’s bank account to make payments to American Express from 2021 through 2024 to conceal and further her fraud scheme. In late 2024, the owner discovered the scheme and fired Brown. Brown spent more than $4 million dollars on unauthorized purchases.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arelis M. Clemente is prosecuting this case.
If convicted, Brown faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Chicago Man Indicted for Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Daquan Lamont Smith (20, Chicago, IL) has been charged by indictment with interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on December 6, 2025, Smith knowingly transmitted in interstate commerce a communication containing a true threat to injure passengers on a cruise ship, including during a recorded call to the cruise, during which Smith stated: “I’m coming from, I’m coming. I’m on the cruise boat coming from Bahamas that left two days ago, and I’m letting you guys know now I have a bomb on the boat and I want to blow it up.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys in the Orlando division of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Camden County Business Owner Admits to Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County man admitted to failing to pay over to the IRS payroll taxes for the employees of his business, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald announced.
Tyrone Pitts, 60, of Lawnside, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of failing to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the IRS payroll taxes.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2020 through 2023, Pitts was the owner, operator, and president of a construction company called Arline Electrical Construction Services LLC (“AECS”). Pitts had the authority to exercise significant control over AECS’s financial affairs and was a “responsible person” of AECS, meaning that he was required to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the IRS the payroll taxes withheld from the wages of AECS’s employees. However, during that same time period, Pitts almost entirely failed to file Form 941 employment tax returns and failed to pay over to the IRS approximately $810,403 in employment taxes.
The tax fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2027.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden and Trial Attorney Hayter L. Whitman of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
26-192 ###
Defense counsel: Nicholas Harbist, Esq., Princeton, New Jersey.
pitts.information.pdfBuffalo man sentenced for attacking postal carrierRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jacob D. Ortiz, 34, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of assaulting a federal employee resulting in bodily injury, was sentenced to time served and three years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
On September 9, 2025, a United States Postal Service (USPS) Letter Carrier approached the mailbox of a residence on Columbus Avenue in South Buffalo and observed Ortiz on the front porch of the house. Without any warning or provocation, Ortiz descended the front steps and lunged toward and tackled the letter carrier (victim) to the ground. Ortiz then began punching the victim repeatedly with his fists, forcing the victim to use their hands to protect their face as Ortiz delivered punches to the victim’s face, head, and midsection. Ortiz temporarily stopped, but then charged a second time, forcing the victim to flee the scene for their own safety. Ortiz gave chase but was unable to catch up, allowing the victim to get to safety. As a result, the victim sustained bodily injury, including a bump on the back of the head, several contusions to other parts of the head and face, and bruises and scrapes to their elbows and knees.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Justin Page.
# # # #
Broken Bow Resident Pleads Guilty to Three Counts of Child Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vicki Lou Rhyne, age 45, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to three counts of Child Abuse in Indian Country, each count punishable by a term of up to Life in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that between in or about January 2025 and on or about August 5, 2025, Rhyne willfully and maliciously caused harm, failed to protect from harm, and tortured and injured three children under the age of eighteen. The Indictment further alleged that Rhyne withheld food as punishment, restrained the minor victims, and struck and slapped them, all while responsible for the children’s health, safety, and welfare.
The crimes occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rhyne will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Armed Drug Trafficker from Springfield, Massachusetts Sentenced to 144 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine in Bennington, VermontRead the Press Release
RUTLAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 8, 2026, Alec Diaz, a/k/a “Benn Tenn,” 22, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 144 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Diaz previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, possessing with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and carrying and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court records, between January 2023 and September 2025, Diaz was a manager and supervisor of a drug trafficking organization operating around Bennington, Vermont. Diaz and his associates imported kilograms of cocaine into Vermont on multiple occasions. Once the cocaine was in Vermont, 90% of it was cooked into cocaine base. Diaz and his associates also regularly imported fentanyl. Numerous individuals, including a juvenile, distributed drugs on behalf of Diaz, at times selling over 1,000 bags of fentanyl a day. On September 24, 2025, law enforcement arrested Diaz in Pownal, Vermont. In the camper where Diaz was found, agents seized a .45 caliber handgun, approximately 26 grams of cocaine, approximately 32 grams of cocaine base, and $15,000 cash.
In addition to drug trafficking, Diaz was involved in firearms trafficking. Diaz obtained both handguns and AR-style rifles from a Bennington-area resident, and later transferred them to another drug trafficker. Diaz also used firearms during his drug trafficking activities, displaying them to intimidate others and protect his drug trafficking operation. On at least one occasion, Diaz obtained a firearm in exchange for drugs.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Bennington County Sheriff’s Department, the Vermont State Police Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Bennington Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Springfield (MA) Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Cambridge (NY) Police Department.
First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt added: “For two and a half years, Diaz pushed kilograms of poisonous drugs into Vermont for profit while facilitating the movement of firearms to other drug traffickers. Diaz’ lengthy prison sentence should serve as a warning to others who would do the same.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner. Diaz was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Samuel Ansell.
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.
60-Year-Old Man from Arecibo Found Guilty of Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 3, 2026, after a four-day jury trial, Willie Torres-Gerena, 60, of Arecibo, PR, was found guilty of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa presided over the trial.
On January 25, 2024, FBI Special Agents arrested Torres-Gerena, former boxing coach, for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a 16-year-old female minor. Evidence and witness testimonies presented during trial revealed that the defendant, who was a trusted father figure for the victim, invited her to lunch and instead transported her to a motel and attempted to rape her.
“These cases are particularly sensitive and require expertise, patience, understanding, and compassion for the victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Héctor Ramírez Carbó. “This verdict sends a clear message that those who exploit minors or attempt to do so will be held fully accountable and face significant consequences for their crimes.”
“Today’s verdict reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Thanks to the courage of the victim and the dedicated work of our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, justice was served. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who exploit or harm children are brought to account, no exceptions.”
The defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison, followed by a supervised release term of five years up to life. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2026, at 9:00 am. The defendant was ordered detained in custody of the Bureau of Prisons pending sentencing.
The FBI investigated the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez‑Lora and Fabiola Rivera-Laboy from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit prosecuted 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
45-Year-Old Canóvanas Man Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 25, 2026, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested David Ortiz-García, a 45-year-old male from Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, on criminal charges for child exploitation, announced Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
On August 20, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Ortiz-García on six charges of production, receipt, transportation, and possession of child exploitation material.
According to court documents, from in or about November 2025, to July 2026, defendant Ortiz-García possessed and knowingly accessed with intent to view child pornography. Ortiz-García, using his cellular telephone and other electronic devices, which had internet capabilities, possessed images and videos of child pornography including images of toddlers, prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
From or about January 9, 2026, to on or about January 12, 2026, Ortiz-García knowingly induced, enticed, and coerced a minor, or attempted to do so, that is a 3-year-old male minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. The defendant is also charged with two more counts of production of child pornography in February and April 2026, for enticing and coercing a prepubescent male minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. Ortiz-García is also facing one count of receipt and one count of transportation of child pornography.
“Those who prey on children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez-Carbó of the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”
“Behind every child exploitation case is a child who has been harmed, and this arrest is another urgent reminder that predators do not fit one profile, and victims do not fit one gender,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “HSI San Juan has seen a troubling pattern of adult males seeking to exploit male minors, and we will continue to call attention to that reality without minimizing the risk to any child. Our message is clear: child exploitation is not limited by stereotypes, and neither is our enforcement response. HSI San Juan will follow the evidence, identify victims, and pursue those accused of targeting children with the full weight of our investigative authorities.”
Assistant U.S. Daynelle Álvarez-Lora from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation.
If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) production of child pornography – minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison; (2) receipt of child exploitation material – five to 20 years in prison; (2) transportation of child exploitation material – five to 20 years in prison; and (3) possession of child pornography – a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after the term of imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
5 September 2026
It’s a New Day in Fort Worth: Federal operation aims to remove violent offenders from the communityRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that federal prosecutors, in coordination with federal and local law enforcement partners, launched Operation New Day, a public safety initiative aimed at ridding the Fort Worth community of dangerous criminal offenders in advance of the upcoming holiday season.
Formally launched on Aug. 24, this 90-day operation focuses on prosecuting narcotics traffickers, dangerous illegal aliens and other violent offenders. By removing these threats from the community, U.S. Attorney Raybould aims to help ensure a safer and more family‑friendly holiday season.
Less than two weeks since its inception, Operation New Day has resulted in 23 new federal cases being filed by the Fort Worth Division.
“Those who break our laws, flood our streets with drugs and commit violent acts in our community should understand that they are not welcome in Fort Worth,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “North Texas will not serve as a refuge for individuals who persist in violating federal law, nor will it provide a respite for those who believe they can evade justice.”
Since launching Operation New Day, the Fort Worth Division has seized more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with distribution quantities of crack cocaine, and powder cocaine. Additional charges have been filed against multiple individuals for offenses including possession of a machine gun, escape from detention, narcotics distribution and illegal reentry into the United States.
Fort Worth is the 10th‑largest city in the nation and Operation New Day represents a significant step toward making Fort Worth the safest big city in the nation.
4 September 2026
U.S. Attorney’s Office Committed to Protecting Children in the Digital AgeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia is proud to share two new online safety flyers designed to help parents, caregivers, educators, and community leaders safeguard children in an increasingly digital world.
“Protecting children in today’s digital world requires vigilance, teamwork, and a shared commitment to their well‑being,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “By empowering families and communities with clear, practical information, we strengthen our ability to keep every child safe online.”
As technology continues to evolve, so do the risks facing our youth. These handouts provide practical guidance to help adults understand online dangers, recognize warning signs, and take proactive steps to keep children safe on smartphones, the internet, and social media platforms.
We encourage schools, community organizations, and families across West Virginia to use these resources and share them widely. By spreading this information, we strengthen our collective ability to protect children and support safe online habits.
Together, we can help make the digital world a safer place for our most vulnerable.
Thank you to all our partners for your continued commitment to child safety.
View and download the online safety flyers here:
www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/media/1460206/dl?inline
www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/media/1460211/dl?inline
Tampa Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 30 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Javontez Daniels (31, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to more than 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of 400 grams or more of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, and possession of ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Daniels to forfeit ammunition, an instrumentality of the offense. A federal jury found Daniels guilty on April 22, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to evidence and testimony introduced at trial, Daniels and a co-defendant maintained a premises to process fentanyl, which they distributed in the Middle District of Florida. Daniels had more than 250 grams of fentanyl mixtures in the stash location when it was searched in December 2024. Agents also recovered blenders with fentanyl residue, a kilo press, a mask, a vacuum sealer, and cutting agents. Daniels was apprehended by federal agents after he fled in the parking garage of his apartment complex. Daniels failed to stop his car, ultimately crashing into an agent’s vehicle, and attempting to flee on foot.
During the investigation, agents learned that Daniels had conspired to deliver fentanyl to at least four individuals in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. He also discussed an overdose with his co-conspirator before arranging to deliver more fentanyl to her for distribution. Daniels also transported fentanyl for distribution to gas stations in Pasco County, where he sat to solicit customers.
Daniels was held accountable for conspiring to distribute more than two kilograms of fentanyl between October and December 2024. He was previously convicted of cocaine sales in Pinellas County and served more than four years’ imprisonment before committing these offenses.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bradenton Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.
South Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for $34.8M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Two South Florida men were sentenced to multiple years in prison for their roles in a $34.8 million health care fraud conspiracy billing Medicare for thousands of orthotic braces sent to Medicare beneficiaries who did not need them.
“These fraudsters billed Medicare $34.8 million for braces that patients didn’t need and didn’t request — and now they’re paying the price,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “They paid kickbacks for fake doctors’ orders, shuffled billing among several companies to dodge payment suspensions, and pocketed millions that belonged to American taxpayers. Their prison sentences make clear: if you steal from Medicare, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will be held accountable.”
“Medicare is not a blank check for fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants built a $34.8 million scheme around medically unnecessary braces, fraudulent doctors’ orders, and illegal kickbacks, all to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. Today’s sentences reinforce a simple message: if you steal from our health care programs, we will find you, prosecute you, and hold you accountable.”
According to court documents, Kenneth Charles Kessler, III, 43, of Miami, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 43, of Miramar, owned and operated seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida. Through these DME companies, they submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Kessler and Gomez also paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain fraudulent signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces, and then claimed payment for those braces from Medicare. Kessler and Gomez used their multiple DME companies to evade Medicare payment suspensions by shifting their fraudulent billing between their DME companies.
Kessler profited more than $1.4 million, and Gomez profited more than $2.3 million from the fraudulent scheme.
Kessler was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment, and Gomez was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.
In May 2026, Kessler and Gomez each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Aisha Schafer Hylton and Owen Dunn of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 25-cr-60188.
###
Shiprock Man Convicted of Federal Sexual Abuse and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – After a four-day trial and approximately three hours of deliberation, a federal jury convicted Keanu Lee of sexually abusing two minor victims and kidnapping and seriously injuring one of them.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between June 2024 and February 2025, Lee, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, kidnapped minor Jane Doe 1, sexually abused her, and assaulted her, causing serious bodily injury.
The evidence further established that on two occasions between 2012 and 2014, Lee sexually abused a second minor victim, identified as Jane Doe 2.
For these actions, jurors found Lee guilty of three counts of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, kidnapping, and assault resulting serious bodily injury. At sentencing, Lee faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Patrick E. Cordova are prosecuting the case as 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.
Seventeen Charged in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation of Fentanyl Trafficking Network in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Two complaints were unsealed in federal court this week charging 17 alleged members of a San Diego-based fentanyl trafficking organization with distributing large quantities of fentanyl throughout San Diego.
In a coordinated takedown Thursday, more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested 13 defendants and executed a search warrant in San Diego; two defendants were arrested earlier in the week; and two are fugitives.
Including seizures this week and throughout this 10-month Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation, authorities have seized more than 27 kilograms of fentanyl; preventing more than 13 million potentially lethal doses from being distributed in San Diego. Additionally, agents seized more than 14.5 kilograms of cocaine, .6 kilograms of heroin, .8 kilograms of methamphetamine, and $49,000 in cash.
“Fentanyl is still out there—but so are we, and we’re coming for those who traffic it,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), HSI San Diego and our federal, state, and local partners are bringing the full weight of a unified law enforcement effort against the criminal organizations pushing deadly fentanyl into our neighborhoods,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “This investigation reflects the strength of that partnership, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and illicit proceeds. Together, we will continue working to disrupt and dismantle the networks that threaten public safety across our community.”
“As the Sheriff, I stand committed to working with local, state, and federal law enforcement to keep our communities safe,” said San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez. “This investigation exemplifies the resources and level of law enforcement cooperation necessary to bring those responsible for distributing deadly narcotics to justice. These cases are time- and labor-intensive. The dedication of local, state, and federal law enforcement, analysts, and prosecutors is what makes it happen. I am extremely proud of everyone involved in this investigation and particularly the members of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.”
According to court documents, in November 2025, HSI San Diego and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, as part of the Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST), initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) supplying fentanyl to multiple street-level dealers throughout San Diego, California. On November 25, 2025, agents seized 4.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 0.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, $10,042, and arrested Fabian Iniguez Ontiveros. A subsequent search of Iniguez’s cell phone revealed dozens of different fentanyl sub-distributors working for this DTO.
Through multiple investigative methods agents identified the leader of this DTO responsible for coordinating the smuggling and distribution of the fentanyl. Investigators also seized drug ledgers showing the organization routinely sells an ounce of fentanyl for $600 to $700, including making up to $20,000 in one night of deliveries. AfterIniguez was arrested, agents identified the new principal fentanyl distributor in the United States as Maricielo Ibarra Barrera.
From April to May 2026, investigators infiltrated the organization, conducting multiple fentanyl purchases coordinated by the organization and delivered by Ibarra. Investigators utilized months of surveillance operations to observe hundreds of instances where Ibarra drove from her residence to various locations around San Diego making multiple short stops consistent with drug distribution.
Beginning in June 2026 and continuing through August 2026, investigators obtained federal wiretaps targeting cellular telephones used by DTO. During these periods of interceptions, investigators intercepted dozens of calls and text messages between members of the organization located in the United States and Mexico. These wiretaps led directly to multiple seizures of fentanyl.
Evidence gathered indicated that Ibarra received as much as $50,000 per week for trafficking fentanyl on behalf of the DTO. On August 17, 2026, agents arrested Ibarra and executed a search warrant at Ibarra’s residence, where investigators discovered approximately 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 0.6 kilograms of heroin and $15,568.
On September 1, 2026, agents arrested two more members of the organization, Richard Alexander Arias Cruz and Juan Manuel Godinez and seized 14.52 kgs (32.01 lbs.) of cocaine and 20.28 kgs (44.71 lbs.) of fentanyl.
Special agents and task force officers with HSI San Diego’s Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST) led this investigation.
HSI San Diego’s FAST is a multiagency task force comprising state, local, and federal partners and was first established in August 2022 focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26mj5181
*Redacted
Travis Faircloth Age: 42 Lemon Grove, CA
Diego La Madrid Age: 68 San Diego, CA
Leonardo Monteleone Age: 50 San Diego, CA
Andrew Reva Age: 51 Encinitas, CA
Garret Hutter Age: 56 Spring Valley, CA
Renee Trujillo Age: 55 San Diego, CA
Robert Clark Age: 61 San Diego, CA
Joseph Egan Age: 51 San Diego, CA
Nicole Lines Age: 37 Spring Valley, CA
Jeremy Jarrell Age: 39 Lakeside, CA
Erika Price Age: 39 Lakeside, CA
Stan Szumilas Age: 43 El Cajon , CA
Christopher Curll Age: 54 San Diego, CA
*Redacted
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl - Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Felony)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26mj5173
Richard Alexander Arias Cruz Age: 26 El Cajon, CA
Juan Manuel Godinez Age: 22 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine - Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Felony)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
San Diego Police Department
California Department of Justice
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Drug Enforcement Administration
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
U.S. Marshals Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
California National Guard - Counterdrug Task Force
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
San Diego County Man Federally Charged with Mailing to Temecula Mosque Letter Threatening to Perpetrate Mass Murder of MuslimsRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A San Diego County man has been federally charged with mailing to a mosque in Riverside County a letter that included threats of perpetrating a mass killing of Muslims, the Justice Department announced today.
Louis White, 60, of Warner Springs, was charged Thursday in a federal criminal complaint with mailing threatening communications. White is in state custody but is expected to be transferred to federal custody in the coming weeks.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on August 26, the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley, a mosque in Temecula, reported to law enforcement that it had received a threatening letter that read, in part, “I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE DAY TO KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU, IT CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH!”
Under the text was a hand drawing of crosshairs containing a bearded face with X’s for eyes and wearing a hat stating, “[expletive] Allah.”
Law enforcement investigated and traced the letter to White. During a search of White’s residence on August 29, law enforcement seized several firearms, including one believed to be an AR15-style short-barreled rifle with no serial number – commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.”
White was arrested and is currently in state custody in a Riverside County jail.
A criminal complaint contains merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, White would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. The Temecula Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Barr Benyamin of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Romanian fugitive apprehended in Washington state after fleeing prosecution in GeorgiaRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: An illegal alien on the run has been arrested in the Western District of Washington near Seattle.
Bogdan Alexandru Gherghevici, a/k/a “Victor Zema, 27, originally indicted in August 2025 in a 16-count indictment charging him with federal Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft charges, has been apprehended and is set to be transferred back to the Southern District of Georgia. Gherghevici was illegally in the United States and fled when the investigation began. Gherghevici is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Gherghevici’s co-defendant, Viorel Cristea, 33, a Romanian citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $679,100 in March 2026.
The investigation began in May 2025 when a victim contacted the Pierce County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office regarding suspicious activity from a farm equipment dealer purported to be in Blackshear, in the Southern District of Georgia. Sheriff’s Office investigators and Homeland Security Investigations agents determined the company was fraudulent, and HSI agents identified Cristea and Gherghevici as conspirators.
According to the indictment, it was alleged that at least as early as March 2025, and up to and including May 2025, both defendants participated in an extensive scheme falsely claiming to sell used farm equipment. This fraudulent scheme victimized more than a dozen prospective purchasers across the country, many of them elderly, and resulted in a total loss of more than $600,000.
The capture, and subsequent extradition of Gherghevici has been ordered by Western District of Washington Magistrate Judge Brian A. Tsuchida, ensures the Southern District of Georgia can proceed with the prosecution of the case.
“We commend our law enforcement partners no matter where they may be, and the team effort across the country will now send this defendant back to answer for the conduct alleged in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We look forward to bringing this case to a resolution and assisting the victims with closure.”
“Fleeing prosecution does not erase the harm caused to victims or stop HSI from pursuing justice,” said Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “This arrest reflects the strength of our partnerships with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement partners in Washington state. HSI will continue working across jurisdictions to identify, locate, and bring alleged fraudsters before the courts.”
The case was investigated by HSI Savannah Field Office, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Bondura, Olivia Brame, and L. Alexander Hamner.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for His Ninth Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Esau Chucky Sago, 36, was sentenced to 240 months in prison and five years of supervised release for being an armed career criminal in possession of ammunition. He was indicted on February 26, 2025, convicted on November 18, 2025, after a two-day jury trial, and was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on September 3, 2026.
According to court documents, on or about October 10, 2024, the defendant knowingly possessed ammunition despite having prior felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing ammunition or a firearm. Sago’s prior felony offenses include two convictions for domestic assault and one conviction for domestic assault-strangulation, which qualified him as an armed career criminal. Armed career criminals who possess firearms or ammunition are subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. Sago had other felony convictions for fleeing police in a motor vehicle, threats of violence-reckless disregard of risk, and vehicle theft.
On October 10, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., officers with the New Hope Police Department saw a white SUV with an obstructed or no front license plate and an obstructed rear license plate. It also appeared to have had a rushed paint job intended to make the vehicle appear white, which was consistent with the SUV being stolen. Given the suspicious nature of the vehicle’s paint job and the license plate offenses, the officers decided to stop the SUV. However, the SUV, which Sago was driving, sped away.
Sago led police from the Crystal and Robbinsdale Police Departments on a high-speed chase that lasted for miles, with speeds exceeding 70 miles per hour through residential areas. The pursuit ended when an officer with the Crystal Police Department performed a PIT maneuver, a technique used to force a fleeing vehicle to spin out and stop.
Sago’s SUV spun out and landed in a yard in Minneapolis. The SUV knocked over a fence and came to a rest on top of it. Officers quickly arrested Sago, who was the only person in the SUV. After the SUV was towed away, an officer found a loaded handgun with no serial number—commonly called a “ghost gun”—on top of the fence that the SUV knocked down. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension forensic laboratory found Sago’s DNA on the grip of the pistol, the base of the magazine, a round in the magazine, and the round in the chamber.
“The defendant is a danger to not only the community, but his conduct also placed law enforcement officers’ lives at risk. Today’s sentence protects public safety and ensures he is held accountable for his actions,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Mr. Sago had an extensive history of violence well before the police pursuit that ultimately led to his conviction, and today’s significant sentence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Olson, of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “His repeated violent conduct has demonstrated that he poses a serious threat to public safety. I appreciate the dedicated work of BCA, the New Hope, Crystal, and Robbinsdale police departments for their work on this case, as well as the diligent efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in securing a successful prosecution and holding this armed career criminal accountable.”
“The Crystal Police Department is committed to protecting our communities through arresting dangerous individuals like this defendant and is appreciative of the partnership with the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in aggressively pursuing charges against these individuals,” said Crystal Chief of Police Brian Hubbard. “In this case, our officer facilitated the arrest of an individual with an extensive criminal history, in possession of a firearm and drugs, and driving a stolen car with stolen license plates while endangering the public in his attempt to evade being taken into custody.”
This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; the New Hope Police Department; the Crystal Police Department; and the Robbinsdale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.
Raleigh Drug Ringleader Convicted at Federal Guns and Drugs TrialRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man after three days of trial on nine counts for fentanyl and five counts for possessing a firearm stemming from his role directing a major fentanyl‑trafficking operation.
“This thug had a long history of pushing venomous poison and despite being locked up in the past, he immediately went back to his dirty work, orchestrating a violent drug‑peddling enterprise from right here in Raleigh, pumping our community full of deadly fentanyl, all while using illegal guns,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Working with a collaboration of men and women from local, state, and federal law enforcement, we dismantled his operation, seized his poison and guns, and removed him off our streets. This verdict delivers a clear message: Drugs destroy lives, and prison awaits—choose the right path.”
Isiah Naaquan Weeks ran a drug‑trafficking operation that pushed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills from California and Arizona into Eastern North Carolina. He and his crew crisscrossed the country to grab massive loads of fentanyl, shipped those pills into Wake County, and flooded Raleigh with them. Investigators uncovered high‑volume deliveries, coordinated communications, and nonstop dealing from 2022 until Weeks’ arrest in 2024. Weeks constantly carried guns to assist his drug dealing and kept selling even as his associates were arrested with thousands of pills. When an associate was caught with one hundred thousand fentanyl pills tied to him, Weeks panicked and googled ‘Best place to live for Americans in Mexico’ and ‘no extradition countries’ just days before his arrest.
“Holding a drug dealer accountable for his dangerous and careless crimes sends a powerful message to anyone that threatens our public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will use every resource we have available to pull the plug on violent criminal networks.”
“The Raleigh Police Department extends its sincere gratitude to the exceptional public safety partners whose dedication, professionalism, and commitment throughout this case exemplify the very best of collaboration in modern law enforcement. Alongside our officers and detectives, their teamwork, coordination, and shared expertise were instrumental in advancing this investigation and furthering our collective mission to protect and serve our community. We are especially grateful for the strong partnership between the Raleigh Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The coordination and teamwork demonstrated throughout this investigation reflect the shared commitment of local, state, and federal agencies to working together to uphold justice and keep our community safe.”
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.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the jury’s verdict. The ATF, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation and Raleigh Police Department collaborated on this multi-year investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-200-D.
Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Nathaniel Wilburn, 35, of Ghent, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilburn’s residence and found a Hi-Point JCP .40-caliber pistol, a Charles Daily 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger EC9 9mm pistol, and a Taurus 12-gauge shotgun. As part of his guilty plea, Wilburn admitted to possessing the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wilburn knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for breaking and entering in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 15, 2023.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-67.
###
Ponchatoula Woman Guilty of Theft from an Organization Receiving Federal FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RACHEL CRAWFORD, a/k/a “Rachel Davenport,” a/k/a “Rachel Monjure,” a/k/a “Rachel Haygood” (“CRAWFORD”), age 47, of Ponchatoula, pleaded guilty to Theft from an Organization Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to plea documents, CRAWFORD was the Chief Financial Officer of an organization that received federal funds. Beginning on or about May 14, 2021, and continuing until or about May 8, 2025, CRAWFORD withdrew approximately $162,209.61 in cash from the organization’s checking account for personal use. CRAWFORD then altered bank statements to conceal her withdrawals. In addition, CRAWFORD made $9,254.81 of unauthorized purchases for personal items, including airplane tickets and a cosmetic dermatologist, using the organization’s credit card. When interviewed by federal agents, CRAWFORD admitted to the scheme.
CRAWFORD faces up to ten (10) years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years, and a fine of up to $250,000. A mandatory $100 special assessment fee is also applicable.
U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry set sentencing for December 16, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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.
Panga Boat Pilot Sentenced in Human Smuggling Event that Killed FiveRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – David Alfonso Barrera Nunes, pilot of a smuggling boat that capsized off Imperial Beach in rough surf last year, resulting in the deaths of five undocumented immigrants, was sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in prison.
On November 14, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents were notified of a small vessel crossing north from Mexico, heading towards Imperial Beach. Attempts to intercept the vessel were unsuccessful because dense fog significantly limited visibility. About an hour later, agents saw a small boat in the water, with several people emerging from the area. The boat soon capsized.
Shortly after people were seen emerging from the water near the boat, an agent saw an adult male run inland from the beach and climb over a jagged rock separating the beach from houses nearby. That person, later identified as Barrera, entered an enclosed backyard area. Barrera never attempted to rescue his passengers.
Law enforcement scoured the area for survivors and decedents. Ultimately, they found four bodies in the surf. A fifth decedent washed up in the surf several days later and was identified as a co-pilot of the vessel.
According to court documents, the defendant had agreed to pilot the boat in exchange for a reduced smuggling rate for himself.
“This case is a reminder that there is no harmless way to participate in human smuggling: If you choose to play a role, you will be held accountable for your actions,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Transnational criminal organizations routinely place profit over human life, and this tragic case shows the devastating consequences of that callous disregard,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “As part of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI’s Marine Task force and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who exploit vulnerable people, endanger our coastal communities, and contribute to deadly smuggling ventures.”
“The loss of life in this incident is a tragic and entirely avoidable consequence of human smuggling,” said Acting Chief Border Patrol agent RJay Rippel. “Smugglers prioritize profit over life, often placing people in dangerous life-threatening conditions with no regard for their safety. This sentencing serves as a clear message that those who facilitate illegal border crossings and endanger lives will be held accountable for their actions. Our agents remain committed to disrupting these criminal networks and preventing such senseless tragedies.”
According to his April 2026 plea agreement, Barrera admitted that he was the pilot of the panga with nine undocumented aliens on board; that its single outboard motor repeatedly had engine trouble; and that there weren’t enough life jackets. He also admitted that as the vessel approached the United States shoreline near Imperial Beach, the motor failed again, causing the vessel to rotate and capsize in the surf about 200 yards from the coast, throwing everyone into the water.
Bartolo Baltazar Baltazar, Luis Humberto Mazariegos De Leon, Hector Gomez Lopez, and Margarita Espinosa Castellanos drowned while attempting to reach shore safely. A week later, on November 21 , 2025, a body was found on the shoreline near the Naval Base Coronado Silver Strand Training Complex in Imperial Beach, later identified as Jose Angel Vera- Romero. Vera- Romero had similarly been on the boat piloted by the defendant.
Passengers told harrowing stories about their ordeal.
One man, who had been trapped inside the cabin below deck when the boat overturned, found a pocket of air and was able to breathe while the boat was submerged with him and several others inside. He was able to exit the cabin after Border Patrol agents flipped the boat over. He said he didn’t know how to swim and believed that he was going to drown. Somehow, he said, he was able to reach the shore where he was aided by Border Patrol agents.
A complaint quoted several passengers who said the boat experienced engine problems, leading to an argument between the captain and passengers who urged him to return to Mexico. The captain refused and attempted to reach shore despite having no engine power, causing the vessel to rotate in the waves and capsize.
One passenger told agents he was reluctantly accompanying his granddaughter on the voyage. He said that before the vessel capsized, the captain ordered everyone to jump into the water. The vessel then capsized; the grandfather and granddaughter were trapped inside the vessel. As it rolled, the grandfather was able to pull his granddaughter out, but he remained trapped. He said a piece of metal penetrated his leg, causing a severe injury. He believed he was going to die, he said, but when the vessel came to a stop, he was pulled out and rescued.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco Nagel and Sean Van Demark.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr4550-TWR
David Alfonso Barrera Nunes Age: 38 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bringing in Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Sections 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or Life in Prison and $250,000 fine
Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison with a three-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
United States Coast Guard
Imperial Beach Fire-Rescue Department
Imperial Beach Marine Safety - Lifeguards
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA is the Justice Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
Panama City Beach Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun & Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Joseph Primus Gainer, 44, of Panama City Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Keeping this serial felon off our streets and locked away behind bars is going to have a meaningful impact on the public safety of our communities. I applaud the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to help bring this repeat offender to justice, and commit that my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, drug-free streets the citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve.”
Court records reflect that pursuant to a joint law enforcement investigation of the defendant, a search warrant was served on the defendant’s Panama City residence. During the search, law enforcement located and seized fentanyl tablets, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Taurus 9-millimeter handgun. The defendant has multiple prior felony convictions dating back to 2005 including felon in possession of a firearm and possession of controlled substances.
Gainer faces enhanced penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the drug count due to a prior drug trafficking conviction and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm count. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2026, at 1:00pm before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.
The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Panama City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Owner of Tax Prep Business Found Guilty of Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Manoach Chayaud, 43, of Carmel, Indiana, was convicted today at trial of a years-long conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, arising from a scheme that ran from approximately November 2013 through February 2022, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
As proven at trial, Chayaud recruited two individuals to assist him in a scheme to file false tax returns on behalf of clients of his tax preparation business, setting up an office in Indiana, where he lived, and an office in Philadelphia, where the two co-conspirators lived.
Chayaud taught the two co-conspirators how to prepare tax returns to increase client refunds by, among other things, filing false Schedules C claiming large losses for businesses that the client did not have, fraudulently claiming education credits, and fraudulently claiming Schedule A deductions.
As a result, the defendant and his co-conspirators were able to increase the refunds for their clients and charge additional tax preparation fees. Chayaud and one of the co-conspirators split the proceeds of the business; the other co-conspirator was paid a percentage of the fees the business charged.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15 and faces a maximum possible term of five years in prison, a fine, or both.
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.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Rice and David Ignall.
Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death CaseRead the Press Release
An Ohio corporation pleaded guilty this week in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of negligent endangerment. The criminal charge is related to an explosion that resulted in the death of one employee and injuries to several more.
Yenkin Majestic Paint Corporation operated a coatings and resin manufacturing facility in Columbus. As part of the resin manufacturing process, Yenkin would heat ingredients in large steel vessels known as “kettles.” In 2020 Yenkin decided to fabricate and install a new door, known as a “manway” on the top of Kettle 3. Working in conjunction with a local fabrication company, Yenkin installed the new manway in December 2020. Despite several examples of Kettle 3 seeing high pressure spikes, Yenkin never pressure tested the new manway before placing it back in service. Once installed, it immediately began leaking. Nevertheless, Yenkin continued to utilize Kettle #3, opting instead to add a thicker gasket, which Yenkin erroneously believed to be made of Teflon (but was actually silicone).
On April 8, 2021, Yenkin was in the process of producing a resin in Kettle #3. Unbeknownst to the operator, the agitator inside Kettle 3 had stopped, likely due to electrical work Yenkin was conducting at the time. Around midnight, the operator turned the agitator back on, causing the contents to vaporize and increasing the pressure inside the kettle. Moments later, Kettle 3’s closed manway and gasket could no longer contain the pressure and began to release a mixture of hot resin liquid and flammable solvent vapor into the resin plant and then into adjacent operating areas of the plant.
Multiple flammable gas detectors inside the facility started detecting an increasing concentration of flammable vapors during the release. However, the flammable gas detectors were not configured to sound an audible alarm. At 12:04 a.m., the released flammable vapors found an ignition source and exploded, which led to the death of one employee and severe injuries to several others. The explosion also damaged the resin plant and nearby structures.
“When safety protocols aren’t followed, pressurized equipment can cause terrible accidents like the tragedy at Yenkin in 2021,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The company is pleading guilty to negligent endangerment, because their actions, or inactions, created a manufacturing environment that resulted in death and severe injury. Our hope in highlighting this case is that other manufacturers will vigilantly protect the safety of their workers and properly operate their equipment.”
“Companies that use hazardous chemicals have a responsibility to prevent releases that put people in danger of death and serious bodily injury,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The resulting incident caused a tragic loss of life, injuries, and property damage. EPA will continue to hold companies accountable when they put workers and the public at risk by ignoring basic safety and emergency procedures.”
“Employees deserve to be protected from danger in the workplace – and we will hold companies accountable to that obligation,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “This tragic circumstance serves as a stark reminder to all manufacturers that safety requirements must be followed.”
“Companies have an obligation to protect their workers,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. “Yenkin failed to keep its employees safe, and as a result, one person died and several others were injured. This guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for Yenkin’s failures.”
“This devastating incident underscores the serious consequences of why environmental safeguards and proper operating procedures matter,” said Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director John Logue. “Ohio EPA remains committed to protecting Ohio’s communities and natural resources and holding regulated facilities accountable for meeting their environmental obligations.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Special Investigations Unit, with support from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Senior Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman for ENRD and the Southern District of Ohio and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Twombly for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Receiving Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JAKE ALEXANDER GRZELKA (“GRZELKA”), age 40, of New Orleans, pled guilty on September 3, 2026, to Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
GRZELKA faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court records, beginning at an unknown time and until on or about July 31, 2025, GRZELKA received, and attempted to receive, images and videos of pre-pubescent child pornography. GRZELKA’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and federal agents on July 31, 2025. GRZELKA was arrested during the execution of the search warrant by agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, after finding him in possession of electronic devices and media containing the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Through a partnership between state and federal authorities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopted the state charges and is now prosecuting GRZELKA in federal court. GRZELKA is currently being held without bail in federal custody.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2026 before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
* * *
Montgomery Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Today, United States Attorney Thomas Govan announced that a Montgomery man has been sentenced to federal prison following his guilty plea to possessing firearms as a convicted felon and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On September 2, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Ryan Deleon Johnson, 48, of Montgomery, Alabama, to 106 months in federal prison. Following his term of imprisonment, Johnson will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Johnson’s plea agreement and other court records, on June 13, 2025, agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Johnson, who had outstanding arrest warrants dating back to December 2024. As agents approached the vehicle, Johnson fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit.
During the pursuit, Johnson ran numerous stop signs and repeatedly swerved into oncoming traffic, including driving directly towards pursuing patrol vehicles, in an effort to evade capture. Johnson eventually drove onto Interstate 65 North, where he continued driving erratically and struck a patrol vehicle. He subsequently lost control of his vehicle, left the interstate, and came to a stop on the shoulder, where agents took him into custody.
A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of two firearms, ammunition, cocaine, and marijuana. During his May 11, 2026, plea hearing, Johnson admitted that he possessed the cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute them and that he knowingly possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Because Johnson had previously been convicted of a felony, federal law prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) investigated this case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Christine Levi prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.