Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
4 September 2026
Minnesota Pool Contractor Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Defrauding 21 CustomersRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Charles Ray Workman, 41, of Scott County, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for wire fraud. He was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis on September 3, 2026.
Workman was arrested on March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, and pleaded guilty on September 16, 2025.
According to court documents, from in or about 2021 through 2022, the defendant defrauded 21 customers who hired Minnesota Crete Pools, LLC, a swimming pool construction company that Workman owned. He marketed swimming pools and installation services and had customers provide down payments, while knowing that the swimming pools he sold were unlikely to be completed.
Through his fraudulent scheme, Workman stole at least $820,000 from his customers and he was ordered to pay $1.15 million in restitution.
“Workman defrauded hardworking Minnesotans and used those funds to enrich himself. Today’s sentence ensures that he is held accountable for his actions,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Today’s sentence shows there are real consequences for betraying the trust of Minnesotans investing in and improving their homes,” said FBI Minneapolis Criminal Branch Assistant Special Agent in Charge Benni Jonsson. “Consumers should be able to hire a contractor who will put in the work promised. This outcome is also an opportunity to remind homeowners to carefully research contractors before handing over their hard-earned money. The FBI will continue to stand up for American consumers and hold accountable anyone who would seek to deceive and take advantage of them.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Note: Previous press release on the indictment here.
Mexican national sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison for being a deported alien found in the United StatesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jorge Arellano Torres, 33, residing illegally in Modesto, pleaded guilty today to being a deported alien found in the United States and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to four years and nine months in prison to be served consecutively to his state prison term, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 11, 2025, Arellano Torres was found by immigration officers in the Eastern District of California after he had illegally re-entered the United States. Arellano Torres is a citizen and national of Mexico and had been deported in 2017. Prior to his deportation, Arellano Torres had been convicted in state court of possession for sale of methamphetamine and heroin in 2015.
After Arellano Torres re-entered the United States, he was convicted in state court and is serving a state prison sentence.
The Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Harman prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Laundering More than $4M in Drug Trafficking ProceedsRead the Press Release
A Mexican national, Carlos Erick Vazquez Gonzalez, 48, pleaded guilty today for his role in the laundering of approximately $4 million in drug trafficking proceeds in the United States and the return of those proceeds via cryptocurrency to Mexico as part of a money laundering conspiracy.
According to court documents, Vazquez Gonzalez worked with “money brokers” who arranged for the collection of drug profits in cities throughout the United States, which he then laundered and returned through cryptocurrency to Mexico. Vazquez Gonzalez accepted the deposit of approximately $4 million of these narcotic proceeds into a cryptocurrency wallet that he controlled. Vazquez Gonzalez then quickly moved the money to conceal or obfuscate its origins. He also sold the cryptocurrency for U.S. dollars in Mexico and returned the bulk cash to the “money broker” who arranged the pick-up of drug proceeds in the United States. Vazquez Gonzalez received an estimated $40,000 in commission for his participation.
Vazquez Gonzalez pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
The DEA Lexington Resident Office investigated the case, working closely with the Detroit Field Division and Rocky Mountain Field Division and assisted by DEA offices in Mexico, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Birmingham, Chicago, Cincinnati, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Baltimore, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Portland, Columbia, and Rapid City, with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation.
Deputy Chief Elizabeth R. Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Deputy Chief Todd Bradbury for the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
This prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Alien Smuggling Conspiracy Using an Underground TunnelRead the Press Release
A Mexican national, Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 29, pleaded guilty today in El Paso, Texas, to conspiracy to bring in aliens to the United States. According to court documents, Davalos-Lopez conspired with others to smuggle migrants through an underground tunnel from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas.
“This defendant demonstrated a total disregard for our nation’s laws by conspiring to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States through a tunnel that ran from Mexico under the U.S. border into Texas,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This shows that smugglers will stop at nothing to move illegal aliens into the United States for profit. The Department of Justice is sending a clear message that those who undermine the integrity of our borders will be investigated and prosecuted.”
“The defendants in this case were key figures in a criminal enterprise that has had a heavy, detrimental impact on both sides of the border, smuggling drugs and illegal aliens into the U.S. while also trafficking firearms into Mexico, firearms which were then used to further facilitate the movement of drugs and illegal aliens into this country,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The convictions secured in this case are just another nail in the coffin for these transnational criminal organizations and foreign terrorist organizations. With the full force of the Homeland Security Task Force and Joint Task Force Alpha behind us, we will accomplish our mission of eradicating these groups and ending their reign of terror.”
“Davalos-Lopez and his co-conspirators thought they could exploit the United States southern border utilizing a secret tunnel which was constructed by the foreign terrorist organization, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion to facilitate their illegal activities in smuggling of humans, drugs, and firearms,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Coult W. Markovsky of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “The discovery of this tunnel and the subsequent convictions related to those who were part of this operation underscores the FBI’s and our partners’ never-ending commitment to dismantle trafficking by the foreign terrorist organization, CJNG.”
“Criminals who traffic human beings and firearms are exactly the individuals ATF works every day to stop,” said ATF Director Rob Cekada. “Our focus is squarely on violent offenders and the criminal networks that threaten public safety. If you fuel cartel violence or exploit our communities, we will find you and hold you accountable.”
“Today’s guilty plea reflects the relentless work of law enforcement to dismantle foreign terrorist organizations like CJNG,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert “Eric” Castañeda of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “No matter the concealment tactics, smuggling methods, or illicit finance networks used, DEA will track down those responsible and ensure they face justice.”
“Members of foreign terrorist organizations, such as the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, pose a serious threat to the safety and security of our communities and our nation,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon. “Exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit while facilitating movement of weapons, drugs or resources to terrorist organizations will not be tolerated. HSI will aggressively pursue those who enable these criminal networks and hold them accountable for the grave consequences of their actions. There is no place in our communities for individuals who profit from human suffering or knowingly strengthen terrorist organizations.”
Photo of tunnel discovered between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, TexasIn January 2025, federal law enforcement located a sophisticated tunnel between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso. Intercepted phone calls between Davalos-Lopez and other individuals revealed conversations regarding the smuggling of aliens through the tunnel and included references to charging aliens upwards of $30,000 to utilize the tunnel for purposes of entering the United States unlawfully and without inspection. In several of these intercepted phone calls, Davalos-Lopez specifically referred to a tunnel that exists between Juarez and El Paso and discussed how many migrants cross through the tunnel and how much is charged to use the tunnel. Davalos-Lopez and his co-defendants were indicted in April 2025. The Government of Mexico, pursuant to its National Security Law, subsequently transferred Davalos-Lopez to the United States.
Davalos-Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring in aliens to the United States. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Davalos-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Davalos-Lopez’s co-defendant, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 40, of Mexico, previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 27 to conspiring with others to provide material support to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) by trafficking firearms from the United States to Mexico, for the express purpose of delivering those firearms to members of CJNG. Gustavo Castro-Medina, 29, of Mexico, also previously pleaded guilty to serving as an intermediary to facilitate the interstate and foreign transfer of $3,000 in U.S. currency via wire to an undercover agent to purchase firearms for subsequent unlawful transport.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF legal attachés in Mexico City and Mexico’s Fiscalía General de la República Organized Crime Unit (FGR-FEMDO) provided substantial assistance. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force also provided assistance with the investigation. The Justice Department’s (DOJ) Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory McDonald for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the DOJ’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 DOJ 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. Attorneys 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 HSI and Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 482 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 433 U.S. convictions; and more than 369 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Voting in the 2022 ElectionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Beloit, Wisconsin, was charged on September 2, with illegally voting as an alien in the November 2022 election.
According to the criminal Information, on November 8, 2022, Jurado Garcia, knowing he was not a United States citizen, illegally voted in an election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the offices of Member of the Senate and Member of the House of Representatives.
“Protecting the integrity of federal elections is a fundamental responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “The charge against this defendant reflects our commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring that every vote cast complies fully with federal requirements. No one is above these obligations, and my office will continue to pursue cases where unlawful voting occurs.”
If convicted, Jurado Garcia faces up to one year in prison. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
A criminal Information merely contains accusations. Jurado Garcia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Metro Pair Plead Guilty in Fatal Synthetic Opioid Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – COLLIN SHANE KIRBY, 21, of Oklahoma City, and SHANE MICHAEL BURGESS, 24, of Mustang, Oklahoma, have both pleaded guilty to distributing a controlled substance analogue, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on December 12, 2025, Kirby sold pills to Burgess that contained N-Propionitrile Chlorphine, a synthetic opioid known as cychlorphine. That same day, Burgess resold the pills he bought from Kirby to another individual. Court records show the individual died as a result of using the cychlorphine distributed by Burgess and Kirby.
In July and August, Kirby and Burgess were charged by separate superseding informations with distribution of a controlled substance analogue. Both have since pleaded guilty and admitted their roles in distributing the cychlorphine that ultimately resulted in at least one individual’s death. Kirby also specifically admitted to distributing cychlorphine to another individual, a minor, on February 7, 2026.
At sentencing, Burgess and Kirby each face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $1,000,000.
These cases are the result of investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes is prosecuting the cases.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Med Spa Owner Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Performing Thousands of Counterfeit Botox and Filler InjectionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts woman has been sentenced in federal court in Boston to nearly four years in prison for performing thousands of cosmetic injection procedures using counterfeit Botox and dermal fillers imported from China and Brazil. The defendant, who was not licensed to perform injections and falsely represented herself as a nurse, received more than $1 million in payments from more than 900 clients for these procedures. Defendant owned and operated Skin Beaute Med Spa, with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Mass.
Rebecca Fadanelli, 40, of Stoughton, Mass. was sentenced on Sept. 2, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 46 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Fadanelli was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture each in the amount of $1,001,562. In April 2026, Fadanelli pleaded guilty to four counts of importing merchandise contrary to law, two counts of selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug and two counts of selling or dispensing a counterfeit device. She was arrested and charged in November 2024.
“This was not a mistake or a one-time lapse in judgment. Rebecca Fadanelli built a business on deception and repeatedly put profit ahead of the health and safety of the people who trusted her,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “She lied about being a nurse, injected counterfeit products into hundreds of clients even after federal authorities seized her shipments, searched her businesses and ultimately arrested her. Her victims were left with infections, facial paralysis, vision problems, scars and the lasting fear of not knowing what was injected into their bodies. As cosmetic injections and med spas continue to grow in popularity, this case underscores a serious and growing public health threat: counterfeit products and unlicensed providers can cause devastating harm. Those who knowingly put consumers at risk for profit will be held accountable.”
“FDA requirements are designed to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs and devices distributed to American consumers. Administering counterfeit products for profit puts consumers at serious risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that the FDA will continue to hold accountable those who endanger public health.”
Beginning in at least March 2021, Fadanelli owned and operated Skin Beaute Med Spa, with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Mass. Although Fadanelli was an aesthetician who was never licensed to perform injections or otherwise dispense or administer prescription drugs or devices, she offered botulinum toxin and dermal filler injections to clients and falsely represented to clients and employees that she was a licensed nurse. Fadanelli also misrepresented the identity and safety of the substances she was injecting, telling clients that she was using authentic Botox and FDA-approved dermal fillers such as Sculptra, Restylane and Juvéderm. In reality she was using counterfeit versions of these products, many of which she imported from China and Brazil. There is no record that Fadanelli ever purchased authentic prescription drugs or devices directly from the manufacturers of those FDA-approved products.
Business records show that between approximately March 2021 and June 2024 alone, Fadanelli performed more than 2,700 botulinum toxin and dermal filler injection procedures using counterfeit prescription drugs and devices. More than 900 clients paid a combined total of more than $1 million for the procedures.
Fadanelli continued operating her med spa illegally despite repeated warnings and law enforcement intervention. After federal authorities began seizing international shipments of counterfeit prescription drugs and devices addressed to Fadanelli’s home and business – and notified her that the products were misbranded and unapproved – Fadanelli took steps to conceal her continuing activity. Among other things, she directed suppliers to use different delivery addresses and other individuals’ names as recipients in an effort to avoid additional seizures.
On June 28, 2024, during searches at both Skin Beaute locations, products labeled as Botox, Sculptra, Restylane and Juvéderm that the product manufacturers subsequently identified as counterfeit, were recovered. Bacteriostatic water, used to dilute Botox that laboratory testing found contained methylobacterium, a bacteria that can cause infection, was also found.
Fadanelli continued offering and performing injection procedures until her arrest on Nov. 1, 2024. However, in May 2025 while on pretrial release following her arrest, Fadanelli performed an injection procedure at her home using an unknown substance that the client reportedly believed to be Sculptra. Her pretrial release was later revoked, and she has remained in custody since November 2025.
Numerous clients suffered adverse health effects as a result of injections performed by Fadanelli, including severe swelling, infections, drooping or paralysis of the face and eyes, double vision, impaired eyesight and hard lumps or nodules. Multiple clients were hospitalized, and many required follow-up treatment from licensed medical professionals.
For example, one client spent weeks hospitalized after developing severe facial swelling, headaches, weakness and fever-like symptoms following botulinum toxin injections. Another victim was hospitalized for four days after experiencing facial drooping and paralysis, double vision and headaches; another client suffered impaired vision for approximately three months; and a separate client ultimately underwent corrective surgery to remove a hard lump beneath her skin and was left with scarring.
When clients reported adverse reactions, Fadanelli often dismissed their concerns or provided misleading assurances, in some cases falsely claiming that she had used authentic FDA-approved products for the clients’ injection procedures. Fadanelli told some of these clients to return to Skin Beaute for additional treatments.
U.S. Attorney Foley, FDA-CI SAC McMillan; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The Medicaid Fraud Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Stoughton and Randolph Police Departments also provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Sarah Hoefle of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
McLennan County man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for supplying fentanyl-laced pills responsible for an overdose in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Hewitt man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a drug trafficking violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Thomas James Hurtt, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on September 4, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on February 21, 2024, law enforcement officers with the Cross Roads Police Department responded to a report of an overdose victim in Denton County. The victim was treated with Naloxone and transported to the hospital where they eventually recovered. Further investigation revealed Hurtt as the supplier of the counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
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 was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cross Roads Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
###
Man Sentenced to 76 Years in Prison for Violently Robbing or Attempting to Rob Four Banks in Chicago While on Parole for Prior Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to 76 years in prison for violently robbing or attempting to rob four banks in downtown Chicago while on supervised release for prior bank robbery convictions.
JOSEPH DONELSON, JR., 68, of Chicago, committed four robberies or attempted robberies in a two-month period in 2023. Donelson struck a bank teller in the face in one of the robberies and leapt onto the counter to take money in another one.
The robberies were as follows:
Oct. 11, 2023: Attempted robbery of Citibank, 180 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood.
Nov. 7, 2023: Robbery of Citibank, 180 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood.
Dec. 8, 2023: Robbery of Citibank, 539 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.
Dec. 19, 2023: Attempted robbery of Citibank, 100 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood.
Donelson committed the robberies and attempted robberies while he was on court-supervised release following a period of imprisonment for robbing two other banks in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood in 2007.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year convicted Donelson of the four robberies and attempted robberies from 2023. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Donelson to 76 years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department.
“Defendant’s actions terrorized multiple bank employees, causing injury to one and lasting psychological trauma to another,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Minje Shin argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His crimes demonstrated utter disrespect for the law, and a severe sentence is necessary as just punishment.”
Little Rock Man Returns to Federal Prison for Fourth Time to Serve a 10-Year Sentence for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Tyjuan Townsend, a multi-convicted felon who has previously served time in federal prison three separate times, was sentenced to serve 120 months’ incarceration for being a felon in possession of multiple firearms. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Thursday, September 3, 2026, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
On August 3, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Townsend, 47, of Little Rock, in a five-count Indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On April 28, 2026, Townsend pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and received the 10-year sentence in federal prison, which included enhancements for the drug possession. In addition, Judge Miller also sentenced Townsend to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In late 2022, Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) detectives learned from multiple sources that Townsend was selling pound-levels of methamphetamine and carried firearms. On July 27, 2023, officers with LRPD conducted a controlled buy of methamphetamine from Townsend using a confidential informant. Officers then obtained a search warrant for Townsend’s residence.
Upon execution of the search warrant, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and LRPD officers located four firearms in Townsend’s bedroom, including a Glock .40 caliber firearm, a HI-Point 9mm firearm with a defaced serial number, a Ruger .40 caliber firearm, and a Smith & Wesson, 9mm firearm. During a search of the kitchen, agents and officers located approximately 219 grams of methamphetamine, 89 grams of fentanyl, and 228 grams of cocaine.
Townsend’s criminal history includes a 2009 federal conviction out of the Eastern District of Arkansas for cocaine possession after multiple drug felonies. His second Eastern District of Arkansas federal conviction was for conspiracy to tamper with a witness. Townsend also has three separate felony convictions for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, a felony conviction for possession of cocaine, two misdemeanor convictions for third-degree domestic battery, and a felony conviction for criminal attempt-furnishing, possessing, or using prohibited articles during his incarceration at the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility. Townsend’s third federal conviction originated out of the Eastern District of Texas for being an inmate in possession of a prohibited object – weapon or knife.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Darell Farmer, 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two counts from a Western District of Missouri indictment charging him with drug trafficking and possessing firearms in furtherance of that trafficking activity, and one count from a case transferred from the Eastern District of Missouri charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 5, 2025, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers located a vehicle outside a local hospital and recovered multiple firearms, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Farmer, who had driven the vehicle to the hospital, was taken into custody after officers observed a handgun in plain view and confirmed he had prior felony convictions. After he was indicted in the Western District of Missouri, Farmer later fled from law enforcement in Dunklin County, Mo., in August 2025. Officers recovered another firearm following his arrest.
Under federal statutes, Farmer is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime, and additional penalties of up to 20 years for the drug‑distribution offense and up to 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Maximum statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided for informational purposes; sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick from the Western District of Missouri and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Koester from the Eastern District of Missouri. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Mount Sinai to End Pediatric “Gender-Affirming Care”Read the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced an agreement with Mount Sinai Health System (“Mount Sinai”) that resolves an investigation into potential violations of federal law arising from its provision of sex-rejecting procedures on children—often described as “gender-affirming care.” Under the agreement, Mount Sinai, one of the largest health care providers in the state of New York, will cease providing these interventions to minors, including by administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and performing surgical procedures. Mt. Sinai will also pay a monetary penalty and dedicate $2 million to providing free medical care to individuals suffering harmful consequences of “gender affirming care” they received as children.
This announcement follows similar agreements with Texas Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and Connecticut Children’s Hospital. In working towards this resolution, the United States acknowledged that Mount Sinai took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperation with the Department in its investigation. At all times during the investigation, Mount Sinai remained cooperative, proactive, and solution-driven, as evidenced by its multimillion-dollar commitment to detransition care.
“The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable medical providers that violate federal law and endanger children through so-called gender-affirming care,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This agreement puts an end to these practices at Mount Sinai and provides meaningful relief for individuals who have already suffered harm.”
“A growing number of hospitals, like Mount Sinai, have recognized the medical scandal of sex-rejecting procedures,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Civil Division. “While we are grateful when we secure resolutions to end this discredited practice and protect children, we must not and will not rest in our pursuit of justice for the victims it has left behind.”
“The Northern District of Texas remains committed to holding medical providers, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies accountable for unsound medical practices and procedures that put our kids at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “This settlement is a step in the right direction, and we will continue to use all of our civil and criminal tools to hold these actors and entities accountable when they violate federal law when providing this so-called care.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch and the Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
In January 2025, President Trump issued an order "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation," directing the Department of Justice to prioritize investigations and enforcement actions involving violations of federal law in the provision of so-called “gender-affirming care” to children. In April 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memorandum on "Preventing the Mutilation of American Children."
Acting on these directives, the Civil Division launched a nationwide investigation into the child gender-transition industry. The investigation examines potential violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the False Claims Act, and other federal health care laws, including fraudulent billing practices such as the use of false diagnosis codes to obtain payment from federal health care programs and private insurers. These schemes compound the harm inflicted on vulnerable children by fraudulently shifting the cost of potentially unlawful medical interventions to taxpayers and insurers.
Today’s agreement is one result of that nationwide investigation. The Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and Commercial Litigation Branch will continue to pursue these cases across the country, stop unlawful conduct, recover funds obtained through fraud, and hold accountable those who profit by violating federal law at children’s expense.
The claims resolved by the United States in the agreements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Mount Sinai has denied all allegations.
Justice Department Reaches Proposed Consent Decree with Pinnacle, One of America’s Largest Landlords, to Resolve Information Sharing and Algorithmic Coordination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed consent decree today to resolve the United States’ claims against Pinnacle Property Management Services LLC, as part of its ongoing enforcement action in the Middle District of North Carolina against algorithmic coordination, the use of competitors’ competitively sensitive data, and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country that artificially increase housing costs for the American people. Today’s proposed decree builds on the Justice Department’s success in obtaining settlements in the same enforcement action against RealPage Inc. and four other large landlords, Cortland Management LLC, Greystar Management Services LLC, LivCor LLC, and Willow Bridge Property Company LLC.
“This administration will not tolerate illegal actions by corporate landlords that inflate housing prices for Americans,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The Department of Justice will fight for every American who is being taken advantage of by corporate greed.”
“The Antitrust Division is diligent in our work of protecting consumers in housing markets, including by putting an end to practices by corporate landlords that illegally prevent honest competition that benefits renters,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This consent decree is an important step in achieving affordable housing for Americans.”
The United States, along with state co-plaintiffs, filed a complaint on Jan. 7, 2025, alleging that Pinnacle, with five other co-defendant landlords, actively participated in a scheme to set their rents using each other’s competitively sensitive information through pricing algorithms. Pinnacle and other landlords shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned pricing. Pinnacle and other landlords also conferred on competitively sensitive topics, such as pricing strategies, rents, and selected parameters for RealPage’s software.
If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree would require Pinnacle to:
- Refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithm that generates pricing recommendations using its competitors’ competitively sensitive data or that incorporates certain anticompetitive features;
- Refrain from sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors;
- Accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified pursuant to the terms of the consent decree;
- Refrain from attending or participating in RealPage-hosted meetings of competing landlords; and
- Cooperate with the United States’ claims against other defendants.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Pinnacle is a residential property manager headquartered in Frisco, Texas.
Note: Read the Proposed Final Judgement here, the Stipulation and Order here, the Explanation of Procedures here, and the Competitive Impact Statement here.
Jefferson County man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for a drug trafficking violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Joskin Love, 50, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 3, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on March 19, 2025, Love was stopped for a traffic violation. Officers smelled marijuana during the stop. A search was conducted resulting in the discovery of methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced pills.
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 was investigated by the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
###
Jefferson County man sentenced for bank fraud related to an altered U.S. Treasury checkRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a bank fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Byron Demetrius Franklin, 61, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 3, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in January of 2025, Franklin attempted to deposit a U.S. Treasury check in the amount of $1,197,149.98 at a Walmart ATM in Houston to a U.S. Automobile Association federal banking account (USAA). Franklin called USAA and spoke with a bank financial investigator to complain that the check amount was read incorrectly by the ATM and only deposited $119,714.99. USAA credited Franklin’s account a difference of $1,077,434.99 for the reported error, but gave Franklin access to the $119,714.99, while they verified the check’s authenticity. Between January 18, 2025, to January 20, 2025, Franklin withdrew a total of $5,507.90 from the account via JP Morgan Chase and 5Point Credit Union ATMs in Beaumont before USAA closed Franklin’s account because the check was found to have been altered.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Automobile Association and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
###
Jamaican Citizen Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kenroy Watt, 50, a native and citizen of Jamaica, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported.
According to U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Watt illegally reentered the United States without proper authorization and was found in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, on December 10, 2025. Watt was previously removed from the United States through Miami, Florida, on July 28, 2016, after a conviction for an aggravated felony.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Illegal Alien from Georgia Charged for Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of $1.3B Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts returned an indictment yesterday charging Erekle Gugava, 33, an illegal alien from Georgia, with conspiracy for laundering proceeds in connection with a $1.3 billion health care fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Gugava was a money launderer for the transnational criminal organization (the Organization) responsible for the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, as uncovered by Operation Gold Rush. The Organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit, and steal from Medicare and other health insurers
“Fraud networks cannot function without people willing to launder and transmit their proceeds — and deterring those facilitators is essential to safeguarding taxpayer resources,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “As alleged in this indictment, Gugava allegedly helped facilitate a massive fraud on the American people by moving stolen proceeds through domestic and international financial channels. This indictment reflects our resolve to hold all participants in fraud networks accountable for their conduct.”
As alleged in charging documents, Gugava purportedly owned ND Medical Solutions LLC (ND Medical), a durable medical equipment (DME) company located in Pennsylvania, between February and July 2025. During the limited five-month span of Gugava’s purported ownership, ND Medical submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent DME claims to Medicare, private health insurance companies that contracted to provide Medicare supplemental insurance policies, private employer-sponsored plans, and other insurers. These insurers paid ND Medical approximately $6.5 million.
As part of the scheme, Gugava facilitated the deposit and transfer of fraud proceeds. Among other things, he opened several bank accounts in the name of ND Medical — for which he was the sole signatory — and deposited checks from Medicare supplemental insurers and other health insurers into the ND Medical bank accounts. The funds were then ultimately transferred to various overseas bank accounts for the benefit of the Organization.
As alleged in charging documents, the fraudulent claims relied, in part, on the stolen identities of citizens from Massachusetts, across New England, and throughout the United States to justify the fraudulent billings. Many of these individuals, including elderly and disabled Americans, reported their concerns to Medicare and its contractors after receiving explanation of benefit forms that reflected them purportedly receiving DME that they did not in fact receive, that was purportedly prescribed by doctors whom they had never visited, and purportedly delivered from ND Medical — a DME company with which they were unfamiliar.
As further alleged, the Organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources — Medicare and established private insurance carriers — giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy.
Banking Surveillance Image of Gugava on Feb. 24, 2025, Related to ND Medical Bank Account Opening Banking Surveillance Image of Gugava on June 9, 2025Gugava is charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello; FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Boston Division Acting Inspector in Charge Justin Page; IRS Criminal Investigations Special Agent in Charge Thomas E. Demeo; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Grimming of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England; and U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) Regional Director Kelly M. Lawson made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, USPIS, IRS, HSI, and DOL-EBSA are investigating the case.
Deputy Chief Kevin Lowell, Assistant Deputy Chief Jim Hayes, and Trial Attorneys Tiffany Wynn and Sarah Rocha of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien from Brazil Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the US After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Brazilian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to reentering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, on August 15, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Franklin County observed a car registered to an alien who had been ordered to be removed from the United States. During a subsequent roadside immigration inspection, agents determined that the car’s three occupants were, in fact, illegal aliens without lawful authority to be in the country. They were transported for processing to the Rangeley Border Patrol Station, where agents determined that Jose Carlos Ferreira, 50, had been ordered removed in 2005, and subsequently removed from the U.S. twice in 2010.
Ferreira faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Border Patrol 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.
###
Illegal Alien from Mexico Charged with Alien VotingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Katya Rodriguez, 30, from Mexico living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Rodriguez illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Specifically, Rodriguez was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote, fraudulent registration, and voting as an alien.
“The integrity of our elections, which are fundamental to democracy, should be of utmost importance to every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a cherished right for eligible American citizens, and only eligible American citizens, to vote for their representatives in government. Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such.”
“The crime of illegal voting undermines the integrity of our elections and harms citizens by stealing the power of our votes. Illegal voting is not a victimless crime but a serious affront to the principles of our democratic republic,” said U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller. “This office will prosecute to the full extent of the law those who illegally vote in federal elections as well as those who facilitate illegal voting.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable. As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 11 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Husband and Wife Sentenced in International Property Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan and his wife, Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez, Mexican nationals who entered the U.S. on tourist visas, were sentenced to 27 months and 10 months in custody, respectively, for participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently sell homes they did not own and launder approximately $1 million in proceeds.
According to the June plea agreement, conspirators posed as legitimate property owners and used fraudulent documents to sell real estate they did not own to unsuspecting buyers. They then routed the proceeds from the illegal sales through bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
“It is difficult to imagine a more brazen betrayal of trust than pretending to own someone else’s home and selling it for your own gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Real estate fraud and money laundering schemes like this can devastate victims and undermine confidence in legitimate financial transactions,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “HSI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify transnational criminal networks, follow the money, and hold accountable those who exploit our financial systems for personal profit.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message: Those who engage in fraud will be held accountable,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendants employed sophisticated tactics to exploit the trust of innocent real estate buyers and undermine the integrity of our financial system. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to following the money, uncovering the truth, and collaborating with our law enforcement partners to protect victims and ensure justice is served.”
According to the plea agreement, to carry out the scheme, the defendants’ co-conspirators created email addresses that closely resembled those of the legitimate property owners and used them to market properties they did not own to unsuspecting buyers. By conducting transactions entirely through email, they avoided meeting buyers in person and concealed their identities.
Once a sale was arranged, the defendants’ co-conspirators used forged property transfer documents that falsely appeared to bear the property owner’s signature, allowing ownership of the property to be fraudulently transferred to the unwitting buyer. Villalobos and Montoya admitted they opened bank accounts using business names similar to those of the legitimate property owners and used those accounts to receive the illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sales before transferring the money abroad.
Specifically, Villalobos and Montoya admitted they lied to open bank accounts to facilitate the illegal sales of homes at 3873 36th Street and 555 Hollister Street in San Diego. The plea agreement said the defendants received:
- $400,748 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 3873 36th Street. In April 2023, Montoya transmitted nearly the entire amount of money to bank accounts in Mexico.
- $561,463 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 555 Hollister Street. Upon receipt, Villalobos withdrew all the money by international wire transfers to accounts in Mexico and Jordan, and in cash withdrawals.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Beeler and David Kete.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-CR-4686-DMS
Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan Age: 48 Mexico
Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez Age: 48 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
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.
Husband and Wife Charged with Alien VotingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas Holtzman, 68, and his wife Marisol Guzman, 50, both of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Guzman illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Holtzman was charged with aiding and abetting a false statement of citizenship in order to vote and fraudulent registration. Guzman was charged with voting as an alien.
“The integrity of our elections, which are fundamental to democracy, should be of utmost importance to every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a cherished right for eligible American citizens, and only eligible American citizens, to vote for their representatives in government. Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such.”
“The crime of illegal voting undermines the integrity of our elections and harms citizens by stealing the power of our votes. Illegal voting is not a victimless crime but a serious affront to the principles of our democratic republic,” said U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller. “This office will prosecute to the full extent of the law those who illegally vote in federal elections as well as those who facilitate illegal voting.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable. As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
If convicted, Holtzman faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. If convicted, Guzman faces a maximum sentence of 1 year in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Homeland Security Task Force Arrests Owner of Southwest Detroit Business, “La Posada,” on Charges of International Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Juan Romo-Padilla, 58, owner of La Posada – a Mexican restaurant, convenience store, and money remitter business located in Southwest, Detroit – was arrested on September 3, 2026, following a joint investigation by DEA-Detroit and IRS-CI, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. Romo-Padilla faces federal charges for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, international money laundering, laundering of represented drug proceeds, and violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division, and Todd Strom, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation.
According to the federal criminal complaint, agents from DEA and IRS-CI have been investigating Romo-Padilla since September 2024 for illegally sending structured cash transfers of drug proceeds to Mexico through La Posada. Between 2022 and 2026, Romo-Padilla conducted over 100,000 wire transfers totaling over $140 million to Mexico. Nearly all of the funds were sent to Mexican states associated with major drug cartels, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), La Familia Michoacana, and the Sinaloa Cartel.
“To fight the Mexican cartels, we have to stop the flow of drug money back to Mexico,” said Gorgon.
“Money laundering is not a victimless crime, it is the financial engine that allows drug traffickers to turn illicit profits into the resources that fuel addiction, violence, and death in cities across America,” said Special Agent in Charge Dixon. “We will follow the money, expose the networks behind these operations, and dismantle the financial infrastructure that allows them to thrive. We are moving with a renewed sense of urgency and will not stop until these criminal networks are destroyed.”
“The arrest of Juan Romo-Padilla for his role in transmitting funds from illegal drug transactions in and out of the United States is a victory for the American public and a defeat to drug traffickers everywhere. The special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation continue in their mission to disrupt the flow of ill-gotten gains that is the lifeblood for these criminals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Todd Strom, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to be relentless in our mission to dismantle these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”
If convicted of these money laundering offenses, Romo-Padilla faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Detroit comprises agents and officers from numerous agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
This case is being investigated by the DEA and IRS-Criminal Investigations with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin Casey and Rajesh Prasad.
Georgian National Charged for Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of $1.3 Billion Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Georgian national has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly conspiring to launder the proceeds of a $1.3 billion health care fraud scheme while he was illegally in the United States.
Erekle Gugava, 33, a Georgian national, was indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy. Gugava fled the United States in July 2025, after the alleged conduct.
According to court documents, Gugava was a money launderer for the foreign-based organization that spearheaded the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, dubbed Operation Gold Rush. The organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit and steal from Medicare and other health insurers.
As alleged in the charging documents, Gugava purportedly owned ND Medical Solutions, LLC (ND Medical), a durable medical equipment company located in Pennsylvania, between February 2025 and July 2025. During the limited five-month span of Gugava’s purported ownership, ND Medical submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent DME claims to Medicare, private health insurance companies that contracted to provide Medicare supplemental insurance policies, private employer-sponsored plans and union health plans. These insurers paid ND Medical approximately $6.5 million.
As part of the scheme, Gugava allegedly facilitated the deposit and transfer of fraud proceeds. Among other things, he allegedly opened several bank accounts in the name of ND Medical – for which he was the sole signatory – and deposited checks from Medicare Supplemental Insurers and other health insurers into the ND Medical bank accounts. The funds were then ultimately transferred to various overseas bank accounts for the benefit of the organization.
As alleged in charging documents, the fraudulent claims relied, in part, on the stolen identities of citizens from Massachusetts, across New England, and throughout the United States to justify the fraudulent billings. Many of these individuals, including elderly and disabled Americans, reported their concerns to Medicare and its contractors after receiving explanation of benefit forms that reflected them purportedly receiving DME that they did not in fact receive, that was purportedly prescribed by doctors whom they had never visited and purportedly delivered from ND Medical—a DME company with which they were unfamiliar.
As further alleged, the organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources. Medicare and established private insurance carriers, giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia Division; Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case alongside Deputy Chief Kevin Lowell, Assistant Deputy Chief Jim Hayes, and Trial Attorneys Tiffany Wynn and Sarah Rocha of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section.
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.
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.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Galloway car dealership owner pleads guilty to importing counterfeit air bagsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – John Bojorquez, 35, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking in counterfeit goods by importing counterfeit airbags from China – claiming they were Honda airbags – for vehicles he sold at his auto dealership JB Ohio Auto Sale, LLC.
According to court documents, in August 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Chicago O’Hare International Airport seized 20 counterfeit Honda airbags that were sent from China. The boxes were falsely described as containing “desktop night lights” and were addressed to Bojorquez at JB Ohio Auto Sale in Galloway.
The same shipper in China sent four similar additional shipments of counterfeit Honda airbags in August 2024, each labeled as “desktop night lights” or “blue desktop nightlights.”
When law enforcement executed a search warrant at JB Ohio Auto Sale in May 2025, they seized multiple counterfeit airbags, some of which were piled in a clothes hamper and covered by a towel.
Bojorquez admitted to intentionally trafficking in at least 44 counterfeit airbags from August 2024 until May 2025.
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime punishable by up to ten years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and officials with the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued consumer safety advisories to alert vehicle owners and repair professionals to the dangers of counterfeit airbags, including consistent malfunctioning ranging from non-deployment of the airbag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment.
If you own a vehicle purchased from JB Auto Sale with a suspected counterfeit airbag, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by calling 888-529-2820.
# # #
Fugitive Who Stole Dead Man’s Identity SentencedRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A fugitive who lived for more than 40 years under the stolen identity of a deceased Arkansas man was sentenced to 81 months in prison for federal identity theft, passport fraud, and firearms offenses.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, became a fugitive after being accused in 1982 of attempting to murder his estranged wife’s boyfriend by planting a homemade explosive device at his home. The device detonated when Campbell’s estranged wife opened the package, causing severe lacerations and the loss of one of her fingers. The explosion also started a fire that spread to a second apartment unit. A 1983 warrant remains outstanding in Wyoming for Campbell’s failure to appear on the original charge of Attempted First-Degree Murder.
After becoming a fugitive, Campbell went to lengths to conceal his true identity. He stole and assumed the identity of his deceased former classmate, Walter Lee Coffman, who died in 1975 at the age of 22, just months after graduating from the University of Arkansas with an engineering degree. Campbell first applied for a U.S. passport in Coffman’s name in 1984, submitting his own photograph and current address. He later used the stolen identity to obtain a replacement Social Security card, multiple passports and a New Mexico driver’s license, and to purchase property in Weed, New Mexico. Campbell continued using Coffman’s identity for decades, including presenting a fraudulent passport to a New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division employee in 2019 to renew a driver’s license in Coffman’s name.
Using Coffman’s identity, Campbell also fraudulently obtained over $138,000 in Social Security Retirement Insurance Benefits beginning in 2015.
The decades-long scheme finally unraveled after Campbell presented fraudulent documents to renew his driver's license at a New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department in Cloudcroft in September 2019. Following the renewal, agents from the National Passport Center's Fraud Prevention Unit discovered Coffman's 1975 death and alerted federal authorities to the ongoing identity fraud, sparking the joint FBI and Social Security Administration OIG investigation that uncovered Campbell's true identity as a long-time violent fugitive.
On February 19, 2025, FBI SWAT teams from Albuquerque and El Paso, supported by aerial assets, approached Campbell’s property to execute an arrest warrant and search warrant. Air surveillance observed Campbell leave the back of his home and enter the wood line. Wearing camouflage, Campbell remained in the wooded area despite commands from agents. After flash bangs were deployed and agents issued additional commands, Campbell emerged and surrendered. A loaded rifle equipped with a scope and a 20-round magazine was recovered from the wood line. A search of the property recovered a total of 57 firearms, along with large quantities of ammunition and firearm magazines.
Campbell pleaded guilty to misuse of a passport, possession of false papers to defraud U.S., aggravated identity theft, and being a fugitive from justice in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Campbell will be subject to three years of supervised release. Campbell was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge of the SSA OIG Corwin Rattler made the announcement today.
This case was co-investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. It was originally initiated by the United States State Department Diplomatic Security Service’s El Paso Resident Office and the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit. Enforcement assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, as well as the Otero County Sheriff's Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clara Nevarez Cobos.
Franklin Towne Charter High School and Its Former CEO Agree to Pay Nearly $4 Million to Resolve Claim of Racial Discrimination in Admissions ProcessRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced today that Franklin Towne Charter High School (“Franklin Towne”), a public charter high school in Philadelphia, and its former CEO Joseph Venditti have separately agreed to pay a total of $3,914,328.77 to resolve claims that they violated the False Claims Act by discriminating against black applicants during a January 2023 admissions lottery.
“Racial discrimination has no place in school admissions,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Selecting or excluding students because of their race is illegal and violates the agreements schools sign when they accept federal grant money.”
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and United States Department of Education regulations prohibit any school that receives federal financial assistance from discriminating based on race, color, or national origin during the admissions process or otherwise.
The United States contends that, in January 2023, Franklin Towne, acting through or at the behest of Venditti, manipulated what should have been a random admissions lottery to reduce the chances of black applicants being admitted. At the time of the lottery, Franklin Towne was funded in part by grants that were provided by the United States Department of Education and administered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania pursuant to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.
The settlement amounts with both defendants were based on analyses of their abilities to pay. Franklin Towne will pay $3,639,328.77 as part of its settlement agreement and Venditti will pay $275,000.00 as part of his settlement agreement.
As part of the settlement agreement with Franklin Towne, the United States acknowledges, pursuant to the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters (Justice Manual § 4.4.112), that the school has made significant governance changes, including replacing the Chief Executive Officer and hiring an independent third party to conduct all future admissions lotteries at the school.
“I am proud of the work of OIG staff, and our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners whose efforts brought about this settlement,” said Jamila Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office. “The OIG will continue to pursue allegations of violations of the False Claims Act in carrying out our important public service.”
This matter was handled in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter Carr and Fernando I. Rivera, with assistance from litigative consultant Denis Cooke.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Four Convicted Felons Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking at Memphis Nuisance HotelRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Four convicted felons have been sentenced to federal prison for selling firearms at a local hotel and to undercover federal agents. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today.
The individuals involved in the firearms trafficking and sentenced to prison were:
- Fred Buford, 33, of Memphis, TN
- Courtney Hibler, 41, of Memphis, TN
- Frederick Munn, 38, of Memphis, TN
- Larry Smith, aka “Killa” 39, of Houston, TX
As part of Operation “Back to Business”, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) determined that Buford, Hibler, Munn, and Smith regularly possessed firearms at the Economy Hotel located at 3869 Lamar Avenue and sold firearms in the hotel's parking lot.
In November of 2024, the hotel was shut down by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit as a public nuisance following complaints of drug sales, homicides, and gang activity.
According to information presented in court, in June of 2025, the ATF received information that “Killa”, later identified as Larry Smith, a multiple convicted felon with a prior criminal history of Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Burglary, had fentanyl and firearms for sale. Between July and August of 2025, Smith facilitated 11 firearms deals in which Smith, Buford, Hibler, and Munn provided the firearms, including one stolen gun.
Additionally, Smith facilitated a transaction where Hibler sold fentanyl. Munn has a prior criminal history that includes felony convictions for Aggravated Assault, Auto Burglary, and Reckless Endangerment with a Deadly Weapon. Hibler has a prior criminal history that includes felony convictions for Theft of Property and False Reporting.
Photo of firearms seized.
In September of 2025, Buford, Hibler, Munn, and Smith were indicted for their roles in both the firearms trafficking and fentanyl distribution. All defendants pled guilty and were sentenced to federal prison by the Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman, Chief United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee.
- On July 30, 2026, Buford pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On September 2, 2026, the Court determined that Buford qualified as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC) offender based on his three prior violent felony convictions for Attempted Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Burglary (x2) and Auto Burglary, and sentenced Buford to 180 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
- On February 20, 2026, Smith pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. On June 16, 2026, Smith was sentenced to 76 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
- On February 17, 2026, Munn pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. On May 29, 2026, Munn was sentenced to 94 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
- On February 12, 2026, Hibler pled guilty to distributing fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On May 28, 2026, Hibler was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Killa" and his crew posed an immediate and ongoing threat to the public by their repeated illegal gun sales which flooded the streets of Memphis with instruments of death. Thanks to the great work of ATF and our federal and local law enforcement partners, this group of felons is out of business and Memphis is safer.”
"This case involved an organized group of individuals who conspired to distribute illegal firearms and deadly narcotics on our Memphis streets," said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville. "The ATF, alongside our local, state and federal partners, remains steadfast in our mission to hold firearm and narcotic traffickers accountable and protect the community."
This case was investigated by the ATF and assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD) Multi-agency Gang Unit.
Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Allen and Gregory A. Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###
For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for $34.8M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
Two 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, Florida, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 43, of Miramar, Florida, 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 in prison, and Gomez was sentenced to 24 months of in prison.
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.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Five Charged in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin with Illegally Voting, Fraudulent Registration in 2022 or 2024 ElectionRead the Press Release
Five individuals living in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin were charged this week related to illegal voting in the 2022 or 2024 election.
“The integrity of our elections, which are fundamental to democracy, should be of utmost importance to every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a cherished right for eligible American citizens, and only eligible American citizens, to vote for their representatives in government. Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such.”
“As alleged, these five individuals in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, including two illegal aliens, stole votes from American citizens when they decided to break the law and undermine our elections,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Protecting election integrity for the American people is one of the top priorities for this FBI. Every American citizen has a right to free and fair elections, and we will not hesitate to use all available resources to investigate every credible allegation of election fraud and illegal voting.”
“The crime of illegal voting undermines the integrity of our elections and harms citizens by stealing the power of our votes,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Illegal voting is not a victimless crime but a serious affront to the principles of our democratic republic. This office will prosecute to the full extent of the law those who illegally vote in federal elections as well as those who facilitate illegal voting.”
“Government has a responsibility to the people to safeguard elections,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Even one illegal vote is one too many. Here in New Jersey, the federal government is taking this responsibility seriously and violations of federal election law will be investigated and prosecuted to preserve the integrity of our democracy and ensure that no citizens’ votes are diluted.”
“Protecting the integrity of federal elections is a fundamental responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma for the Western District of Wisconsin. “The charge against this defendant reflects our commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring that every vote cast complies fully with federal requirements. No one is above these obligations, and my office will continue to pursue cases where unlawful voting occurs.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable. As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”
Middle District of Pennsylvania
Thomas Holtzman, 68, and his wife Marisol Guzman, 50, both of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Guzman illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Guzman was charged with voting as an alien. Holtzman, a U.S. citizen, was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote and aiding and abetting and fraudulent registration and aiding and abetting.
Katya Rodriguez, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Specifically, Rodriguez was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote, fraudulent registration, and voting as an alien.
If convicted, Holtzman faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Guzman faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
HSI investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting the cases.
District of New Jersey
Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso of Union County, New Jersey, was charged with voting by an alien in a federal election. According to the complaint, Cardoso was a non-citizen when she registered online via the New Jersey Division of Elections Online Voter Registration System. On her voter registration form she falsely certified and attested that she was a U.S. citizen, which is required to register to vote and vote in federal elections.
Cardoso allegedly cast a ballot in the June 2024 primary election, which included candidates who were vying for election for the office of President and Vice President of the United States. At the time she cast her ballot, Cardoso, who entered the United States from Ecuador on a B-2 visa, was not a U.S. citizen and was therefore not authorized to vote in federal elections.
If convicted of voting by an illegal alien, Cardoso faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison. She is scheduled to have an initial appearance on Sept. 8.
The FBI, HSI, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren for the District of New Jersey is prosecuting the case.
Western District of Wisconsin
Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Beloit, Wisconsin, was charged on Sept. 2, with illegally voting as an alien in the November 2022 election.
According to a criminal information, on Nov. 8, 2022, Jurado Garcia, knowing he was not a U.S. citizen, illegally voted in an election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the offices of Member of the Senate and Member of the House of Representatives.
If convicted, Jurado Garcia faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
A complaint, indictment, and information merely contain accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Felon Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cordell Simms, 32, a convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced yesterday to 37 months in prison for carrying a loaded semiautomatic pistol in a backpack while he was serving a period of supervised release and prohibited from possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Simms pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2025, before Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 37-month sentence, Judge Sullivan ordered Simms to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Sept. 10, 2025, about 4:45 p.m. a Metropolitan Police officer responded to a report of a person with a gun in their waistband near 2nd and Farragut Streets NW. The officer canvassed the neighborhood in his marked cruiser and observed a man with a backpack – later identified as Simms.
Simms spotted the police officer and handed his backpack to a minor child. The child immediately began walking toward the front door of a nearby home. The officer intercepted the child and told her to drop the backpack. Simms began to run and led police on a lengthy foot chase.
Police caught and detained Simms and inspected the backpack. Inside the bag police recovered a Ruger SR40, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an obliterated serial number that was fitted with a laser sight. The Ruger was loaded with one round in the chamber and 11 rounds in the magazine.
Simms did not have a license to carry a firearm in the District. A criminal history check revealed he had been convicted of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, had been sentenced to 18 months in prison, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm of any sort. At the time of his arrest in this case, Simms also was on supervised release following convictions of simple assault, second degree theft, and two counts of contempt.
This case was investigated by the MPD with valuable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George Eliopoulos of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.
Simms spotted the police officer and handed his backpack to a minor child. The officer intercepted the child and told her to drop the backpack.
Inside Simms’ bag, police recovered a Ruger SR40, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol that was fitted with a laser sight.
25cr321
Follow us on X, Instagram, and YouTube
Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc
Federal authorities charge ex USCIS official and associate in sweeping corruption scheme involving unlawful approval and expedited processing of immigration applicationsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on federal charges for their roles in an alleged multi‑year scheme to receive illegal gratuities in exchange for manipulating and expediting immigration applications.
A federal criminal complaint filed Aug. 31, charges the duo with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official. Federal agents arrested both on Sept. 2.
“Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “When a federal official puts a price tag on lawful status, we will intervene immediately. Public corruption will never be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas.”
“The alleged manipulation of immigration decisions for personal gain undermines the integrity of a process essential to our national security,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to holding accountable anyone who abuses their position of trust.”
According to the complaint, from December 2019 through March 2026, Ganiyu used his official position to approve immigration applications—including Forms I‑130: Petition for Alien Relative; I‑485: Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status; I‑751: Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence; and N‑400: Application for Naturalization—in exchange for money. Investigators allege that Ganiyu bypassed required interviews, supervisory review, jurisdictional limitations, background checks and standard USCIS processing protocols to unlawfully expedite approvals for applicants, many of whom were not eligible under federal law.
The complaint alleges that Ganiyu and Somoye together collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from applicants, several of which correspond directly with immigration approvals issued by Ganiyu.
Investigators also identified extensive WhatsApp communications between Ganiyu, Somoye and numerous applicants whose immigration cases they handled, including thousands of messages and hundreds of calls during the charged period.
Their initial court appearances were held on Sept. 2 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Each defendant faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
USCIS Office of Investigations, DHS Office of Inspector General and the FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham from the Fraud section is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Federal Jury Convicts Two Defendants of Conspiring to Retaliate Against Individuals Who Cooperated with Law Enforcement in Chicago Gang InvestigationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted two defendants of conspiring to retaliate against individuals who provided information to law enforcement during an investigation of a violent Chicago street gang.
MARKEEVES BROOKS knowingly conspired to retaliate against an individual and DONNITA BRYANT knowingly conspired to retaliate against two individuals who cooperated with law enforcement in a federal investigation of the Faceworld street gang. Bryant’s son, DIONTAE HARPER, was a member of Faceworld and a subject of the investigation and prosecution. The two cooperating individuals provided information against Harper in a murder case in which he was charged and were providing additional information in a related investigation into the Faceworld gang. From January to September 2025, Brooks and Bryant publicly disseminated a video of a law enforcement interview with one of the cooperators and discussed publicizing a sworn grand jury statement by the other cooperator. Harper had received the video and the grand jury statement during the discovery and sentencing phases of his murder case. The discovery materials were subject to a protective order and were legally prohibited from being shared with others.
After an eight-day trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the jury on Wednesday convicted Brooks, 28, of Chicago and Dubuque, Iowa, and Bryant, 47, of Chicago, of conspiracy to commit witness retaliation. Brooks was also convicted of a substantive offense of witness retaliation. The jury acquitted Bryant of the same substantive offense, and also acquitted a third defendant, MICHAELA RICHARD, 26, of Chicago, of the sole conspiracy count against her. U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin has not yet set sentencing dates for Brooks and Bryant.
Harper, 26, of Chicago, pleaded guilty prior to trial to a witness retaliation charge. Harper’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
The verdicts were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Fred Waller, Interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia K. Schwartz, Sushma Raju, John “L.J.” Pavletic, and Jessica Ecker.
In May 2025, Harper was convicted in the murder case and subsequently sentenced to 34 years in federal prison. The murder occurred in 2020 in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Harper admitted in a plea agreement that he fatally shot a man so that Harper could maintain and increase his position in Faceworld, whose members engaged in violent crimes and trafficked narcotics.
Federal Fraud Charges Filed Against Former Indianapolis Daycare OperatorRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Sharon Jackson, 60, of Pendleton, Indiana, has been charged by federal Information with one count of wire fraud and one count of failure to file an individual income tax return. The charges were brought as part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. Jackson has agreed to plead guilty to both charges, though she has not yet formally entered her plea in federal court.
According to court documents, between 2017 and 2024, Jackson operated three childcare facilities in Indianapolis at various times: Precious Hearts of Solid Rock, Greater St. Mark Five Star Ministry, and Little Angels of Precious Hearts. During this period, Jackson allegedly devised and executed a scheme to enrich herself by fraudulently obtaining funds through two government programs: the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
The CCDF program provides vouchers to low‑income families to help cover childcare costs while parents work, attend training, or pursue education. The CACFP program reimburses participating childcare providers for eligible food expenses for enrolled children.
To obtain CCDF funds, Jackson falsely reported that children attended the Little Angels facility on dates and times when she knew they were not present. She recorded fraudulent attendance by using Hoosier Works Child Care cards assigned to parents to swipe children in and out of the building, despite the children not being there. Jackson also submitted false attendance records through a phone system, entering family‑specific information including CCDF voucher numbers, zip codes, and attendance details. CCDF providers are not permitted to possess HWCC cards or any other information that would allow them to record a child’s attendance.
Jackson and several parents allegedly agreed that she would falsely claim their children attended Little Angels. In return, Jackson paid the parents a portion of the CCDF funds as kickbacks, distributing payments through Cash App or by leaving cash in the gutters at the facility for pickup.
As a result of this scheme, Jackson allegedly obtained approximately $359,083.60 in CCDF funds to which she was not entitled.
Jackson also defrauded the CACFP by claiming reimbursement for meals that were never provided. She allegedly created fraudulent invoices from food vendors, claiming she had purchased and served food that was never provided to children at her childcare facilities. Jackson received additional CACFP funds based on these false claims.
Further, Jackson failed to file federal income tax returns for 2018 and for 2020 through 2023. As of the date of this filing, she has not submitted individual income tax returns for 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023. As a result, Jackson owed approximately $287,381.79 in taxes for those years.
The United States Department of Agriculture—Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration are investigating this case. Jackson is scheduled to make her initial appearance on September 10, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Eakman and Meredith Wood, who are prosecuting this case.
On April 7, 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.
An Information contains merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Federal Court Sentences Former Substitute Teacher to 40 Years in Prison for the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Timothy Higle, 34, of Clawson, Michigan and former substitute teacher, was sentenced this week to 40 years in federal prison after having pleaded guilty in April 2026 to charges that he sexually exploited minors and received child pornography, announced Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.
According to court records, Higle solicited nude images and sexually explicit videos from over a dozen minors between ages 14 and 17 over Snapchat, targeting victims over the course of 12 years. Higle used money, drugs, alcohol, and extortion to get what he wanted from his victims. In exchange for producing the images and videos, Higle paid the minor victims using Cashapp and Venmo, and in some instances, he provided or offered marijuana and alcohol. As part of his tactics, Higle befriended his victims, knew their ages, and learned intimate details about their lives and family circumstances. For many, he became a trusted adult as he groomed them only to later exploit that knowledge and trust for his sexual gain. Higle inflicted countless mental and emotional harms on his victims without regard to their wellbeing.
Through grooming, Higle sexualized his young victims and commented on his preference for younger bodies over developed women. Higle directed his victims in graphic detail on what types of photos or videos he wanted to see such as specific poses and body parts. Higle also propositioned victims for sex, offering to pay victims as much as $500 to $1,000 for sex acts. When some victims attempted to cut contact or refused to send images, Higle threatened to post their photos online and he continued to harass them across other social media platforms. Law enforcement became aware of Higle’s conduct after one of the victims contacted the Michigan State Police in August 2024.
“This former teacher is a scheming pervert who hurt children for more than a decade. Now he has a 40-year sentence because law enforcement caught him,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“This sentence makes one thing clear: those who choose to exploit children will face serious consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “This defendant’s actions were a betrayal of public trust, and today’s outcome reflects our commitment to protecting vulnerable victims and holding offenders accountable. I commend the diligent investigative work of our FBI Oakland County Resident Agency, in partnership with the Michigan State Police, for bringing this predator to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Michigan State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean King of the Trafficking and Exploitation of Children Unit.
Fairbanks man sentenced to 30 years for carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crimeRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison for carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in early 2025, the Fairbanks Police Department conducted eTraces on firearms recovered at multiple crime scenes. Several firearms were linked to Mason Lanon, 23.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) ran a query in the ATF National Tracing Center (NTC) for Lanon. They determined that between September 2024 and March 2025, Lanon purchased 20 firearms from licensed firearms dealers. Five of the firearms purchased by Lanon were recovered and linked to crimes in the local area.
ATF contacted FFLs in the Fairbanks area for records of Lanon’s firearm purchases. Between the NTC and FFL records, Lanon was associated with over 70 firearms in a one-year period.
As part of the investigation, on May 26, 2025, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase for one firearm from Lanon. On Aug. 7, 2025, law enforcement conducted another controlled purchase of one firearm with a suspected machinegun conversion device (MCD) installed and over 14 grams of cocaine from Lanon. During this purchase, Lanon was in possession of a second firearm with an MCD installed.
Investigators concluded that Lanon is the leader of a local gang known as the Soul Reaper Gang and built a reputation as the “go to guy” for gangs in Fairbanks to obtain firearms and some drugs.
On Nov. 20, 2025, Lanon was indicted by a federal grand jury with one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, one count of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime. On June 2, Lanon pleaded guilty to one count of carrying a machine gun in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
“Mr. Lanon’s illegal firearm and drug dealing directly fueled violence and crimes throughout the Fairbanks community, including within his gang affiliations,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “This sentence should serve as a reminder that the act of carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime will result in decades behind bars. I commend our law enforcement partners for uncovering the extent of Mr. Lanon’s trafficking and ceasing his ability to continue his reign of chaos.”
“I cannot overstate the dangerousness of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), especially in the hands of violent criminals,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “The illegal trafficking of these devices, particularly alongside firearms and narcotics, represents a direct and serious threat to our communities. Offenders like Mr. Lanon should take note: ATF will leverage every investigative tool and partnership available to take these illegal devices off the streets to prevent them from being used to fuel violent crime.”
“Mr. Lanon’s actions put firearms directly into the hands of individuals committing violent crimes in Fairbanks,” said Fairbanks Police Department Chief of Police Ron Dupee. “FPD's firearm tracing and investigative assistance played a key role in stopping that pipeline. We will not tolerate gun traffickers operating in our city threatening our way of life.”
The ATF Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and Fairbanks Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the DEA Anchorage Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
###
Eustis Man Who Shot at Law Enforcement Drone Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – Justin Tyler Kress (34, Eustis) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 15 months in federal prison for the attempted destruction of an aircraft (law enforcement drone). The court also ordered Kress to pay $8,200 in restitution. Kress pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregroy W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on March 4, 2025, Kress shot and damaged a drone belonging to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies had been using the drone to conduct physical surveillance of Kress on his rural, multi-acre property as they attempted to arrest him on a warrant for felony criminal mischief. Kress had told his neighbors earlier that he would shoot at law enforcement officers if they tried to arrest him for damaging nearby fences. After taking Kress into custody, deputies obtained a search warrant and located 20-gauge shotgun shells in the area where Kress had been shooting at the drone. Inside the residence, they found three firearms—a 20-gauge shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. 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.
Dog Fighting Investigation Results in Largest Single Property Dog Seizure in South Carolina History, 7 Men ChargedRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence, returned a nine-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging seven individuals from Chesterfield County for conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act, possession of pit bull-type dogs for animal fighting ventures, and unlawful possession of firearms.
The indictment alleges that from September 2019 to July 2026, the defendants maintained properties where they bred, housed, and trained pit bull-type dogs intended for dog fighting. They are also alleged to have used training equipment and paraphernalia in their operations, including treadmills, bite sticks, heavy metal chains, and breeding stands. The defendants also allegedly shared images and videos of dogs fighting and injured dogs.
According to allegations in the indictment, law enforcement seized over 100 dogs and dog fighting paraphernalia from the defendants between April 2026 to July 2026:- On or about April 26, 2026, Lonnie Shane Gaskins, 28,a former Chesterfield County Sheriff’s deputy, possessed seven pit bull-type dogs, as well as dog fighting paraphernalia, including but not limited to a hanging scale, weighted collars and chains, and a carpet containing canine blood.
- On or about April 26, 2026, Terry James Gaskins, 49, possessed approximately 27 pit bull-type dogs, as well as dog fighting paraphernalia, including but not limited to a hanging scale, heavy chains, treadmill, and pedigrees.
- On or about June 9, 2026, Shamar O'Ryan Sutton, 32, possessed approximately eight pit bull-type dogs, as well as dog fighting paraphernalia, including but not limited to a heavy collar and chains, pedigrees, and a treadmill.
- On or about June 9, 2026, Avery Robinson, 36, possessed approximately 77 pit bull-type dogs, as well as dog fighting paraphernalia, including but not limited to a break/bite sticks, slat mill, pedigrees, and heavy chains. This is the largest single property dog seizure in South Carolina history.
- On or about July 22, 2026, Derwayne Terry Miller, Sr., A/K/A “Fuzz,” 46, and Derwayne Terry Miller, Jr., a/k/a “DJ,” 26, possessed approximately eight pit bull-type dogs, as well as dog fighting paraphernalia, including but not limited to a heavy collar and chains, animal medications, and animal wound treatment spray.
- On or about July 22, 2026, Kevin Knotts, 46, possessed seven pit bull-type dogs, as well as dog fighting paraphernalia, including but not limited to a pit, breeding stand, and animal medications.
“Dog fighting turns suffering into entertainment and violence into a business,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We’ll continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate animal cruelty and speak for these defenseless dogs, who cannot speak for themselves.”
“USDA OIG will not tolerate the violent and inhuman practice of dog fighting,” said Inspector General John Walk. “I commend our law enforcement agents for rescuing more than 100 dogs from this heinous cruelty and bringing the defendants to face justice.”
“This is yet another case that illustrates a criminal enterprise built on malicious cruelty. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, or what you do for a living, if you decide to fight dogs in this state, we will find you and you will be held accountable,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “SLED is proud to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement, as well as with animal services organizations, to rid our state of this horrific crime. Together, we are sending a clear message: Dogfighting will not be tolerated in South Carolina.”The defendants face a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment for the animal welfare offenses. Miller Jr. and Terry Gaskins face up to 15 years for the firearm offenses.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Holly Brown are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
District of Arizona Charges 265 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Aug. 29 through Sep. 4, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 265 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 128 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 12 cases against 13 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Andrew Lee Esquivel. On August 29, 2026, Andrew Lee Esquivel was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On August 28, 2026, a Pinal County deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Trax on I-10. As the deputy approached the Trax, he saw the passenger lying on the floorboard of the car. The car also contained a camouflage backpack, camouflage clothing, and carpet shoes in the back seat. When the deputy returned to his vehicle, the passenger fled on foot and ran across both lanes of traffic. The passenger was located 2 hours later, several miles away from the original stop. Border Patrol agents confirmed the passenger is a citizen of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [26-MJ-6362]
United States v. Julian Beltran-Montoya. On September 3, 2026, Julian Beltran-Montoya, was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Beltran-Montoya had been previously removed from the United States in 2020. In 2012, he was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in the United States District Court, District of Wyoming. Beltran-Montoya was sentenced to 120 in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release in that case. [26-MJ-3322]
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-152_September 4, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Dillon man sentenced to 18 months for unlawfully possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Dillon man who unlawfully kept a cache of firearms in his home was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a fine of $10,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Cameron Duane Haworth, 50, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to unlawfully possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Haworth was a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms. When law enforcement served a search warrant on Haworth’s home on Aug. 13, 2025, agents found six firearms with ammunition. In an interview following the search, Haworth admitted to law enforcement that he knew the guns were there.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack prosecuted the case. The ATF conducted the investigation.
Dent County Caregiver Admits Stealing from ClientRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A caregiver from Dent County, Missouri on Friday admitted stealing at least $321,000 from a client.
Loretta Pyeatt, 52, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of fraud in connection with access devices. She admitted that she worked for the victim from roughly July 2023 to September 2025. At the time she started, the victim had at least $232,026 and was receiving Social Security Administration retirement benefits and Veteran’s Affairs benefits monthly. He gave Pyeatt his debit cards so she could buy groceries for him. Pyeatt, however, used the card to make cash withdrawals and additional unauthorized purchases. Before Pyeatt started working for the victim, he had 20 to 30 debit transactions per month. That ballooned to as many as 330 transactions per month. By July 2025, the victim’s account balance had declined to less than $5,600.
Pyeatt is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolene Taaffe is prosecuting the case.
Dallas man sentenced to 720 months for sexual exploitation of a minor and offenses committed while a registered sex offenderRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a Dallas man was sentenced yesterday to 60 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor and committing that offense while required to register as a sex offender.
Eduardo Brito Leaton pleaded guilty May 14 to sexual exploitation of a child and to committing that felony offense while required to register as a sex offender.
“Eduardo Leaton’s actions inflicted profound and lasting harm on a vulnerable child, and today’s lengthy sentence underscores this office’s unwavering commitment to protecting the most innocent among us,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “In this district, those who target minors will face the full measure of federal justice. We will use every lawful tool at our disposal to ensure offenders are removed from our communities and held fully accountable.”
“Predators who target children, whether across the street or across international borders, will be held accountable,” said HSI Dallas Deputy Special Agent in Charge Antwoine Jones. “This 60-year sentence reflects the seriousness of Leaton’s crimes and the unwavering commitment of our HSI special agents, and all our law enforcement partners in the fight to protect children and pursue justice for victims.”
According to court documents, on June 15, 2024, Leaton used an internet‑connected cellular telephone to induce a 13‑year‑old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual media, which were transmitted via the Internet, a means of interstate and foreign commerce. Investigators later traced the communications to Leaton, who was residing at the Dallas Transitional Housing Center. His cellular telephone was seized during a parole‑related contact, and a search warrant revealed digital evidence supporting the offense.
Court documents revealed that Leaton was required to register as a sex offender due to multiple prior convictions, including three Dallas County convictions from 2021 for possession or promotion of child pornography, which require lifetime registration under Texas law, and several convictions from Los Angeles County, California, for sexual offenses involving minors. While under those registration requirements, he committed the June 2024 offense involving the minor victim.
Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor sentenced Leaton to 600 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and 120 months for committing a felony offense against a minor victim while being required to register as a sex offender. The sentences will run consecutively for a total of 720 months.
Homeland Security Investigations Dallas; Waterloo, Canada Regional Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety; Dallas Police Department and Dallas County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade from the Violent Crimes section prosecuted the case.
###
D.C. Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Strangling His Pregnant Girlfriend in Front of His MotherRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Davon Willis, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison, in D.C. Superior Court for charges related to strangling his pregnant girlfriend in August 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Willis was found guilty of one count attempted strangulation and one count of simple assault on June 23, 2026. The Honorable Carmen McLean ordered Willis to the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 4, 2025, Willis and his pregnant girlfriend were having a verbal argument, when the defendant put his hands around his pregnant girlfriend’s neck after pushing her on to the bed. The defendant did this in front of his own mother, who ultimately called the police. Unfortunately, this was not a unique incident – the defendant had strangled the victim just a few months prior, which went unreported until a later date.
Willis was arrested on August 5, 2025, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Fultz, who prosecuted the case.
2025 FD3 009005
Co-Defendants Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy That Resulted in the Deaths of Three PeopleRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two co-defendants, James P. Cullen, V., age 32, and Michelle Lindsay Ferranti, age 33, both of Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, were sentenced on September 3, 2026, by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, for a drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in death. The Court imposed a sentence of 25 years in prison, as to Cullen, and 20 years in prison, as to Ferranti. Supervised release will follow the prison sentences of both defendants.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, co-defendants Cullen and Ferranti participated in a conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl wherein the drug distribution resulted in the deaths of three individuals. The co-defendants each previously pled guilty to the charges.
“Cullen and Ferranti used the dark web, cryptocurrency and the U.S. mail to distribute deadly fentanyl into communities across the country, and three people lost their lives as a result,” said HSI Philadelphia acting Special Agent in Charge Nathan Abel. “Today’s sentences reflect the seriousness of their crimes and the strength of HSI Philadelphia’s partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. HSI will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to identify and dismantle drug trafficking networks wherever they operate, online or off, and to seek justice for the victims and families devastated by these crimes.”
“These sentences reflect the seriousness of using the U.S. Mail to distribute deadly narcotics.” Stated Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The Postal Inspection Service remains committed to identifying and dismantling criminal networks that misuse the mail and holding those responsible accountable. We thank our partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for their exceptional work in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”
This case was the result of a joint investigation between Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) into a darknet vendor who was engaged in the sale of opioids over the internet. The opioids were sold in exchange for cryptocurrency and then distributed via the United States Mail. The various parcels containing drugs were sent from locations in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Beginning in October of 2022, undercover agents conducted various purchases from the darknet vendor which were seized and later searched and found to contain fentanyl. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that the darknet vendor profile was being run by co-defendants Cullen and Ferranti. In February of 2023, undercover agents executed a search warrant at the Cullen/Ferranti residence and recovered United States Currency, various electronic devices, drug ledgers consistent with narcotics distribution, cryptocurrency cold storage wallets, and controlled substances themselves. Law enforcement identified almost 1,000 entries in the drug ledgers, dating back to the summer of 2021, mailed to 49 states and various countries overseas. Upon seizing Cullen and Ferranti’s drug ledgers, law enforcement was able to further their investigation to connect shipments that were mailed out to three different people in three different states who ultimately died as a result of overdosing on the drugs that Cullen and Ferranti distributed.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.
# # #
Co-Conspirators Sentenced for Directing Fentanyl Distribution While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Leundro Childs (42, Tampa) and Edilberto Mojica (41, Polk County) have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Childs was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months and Mojica was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison. Both previously pleaded guilty. The court also ordered Childs to forfeit a HiPoint rifle, magazines, and assorted ammunition, assets used to facilitate the commission of the offenses. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Mojica, while serving a sentence in the Florida Department of Corrections, instructed Childs and another co-conspirator to travel to Georgia to purchase large quantities of fentanyl and bring it back for distribution in the Middle District of Florida. Childs, after being arrested on unrelated narcotics possession charges, directed the continued movement and distribution of the fentanyl. Following an undercover purchase from co-conspirators, investigators recovered more than 1,500 grams of fentanyl, two firearms, and materials used to package narcotics for sale.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael A. Peterson and Candace Garcia Rich.
Clewiston Career Offender Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Johnny Lewis Hunter (53, Clewiston) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek to 19 years and 2 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. He pleaded guilty on June 3, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that Hunter was distributing fentanyl in Moore Haven and Clewiston. Between January 6 and February 5, 2026, an undercover agent purchased a total of 139 grams of fentanyl from Hunter in Moore Haven. On March 26, 2026, the DEA executed an arrest warrant on Hunter and located an additional 81.4 grams of fentanyl in his possession.
Hunter was sentenced as a career offender due to his two prior federal drug trafficking convictions. At the time of arrest, Hunter was under supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime out of the Western District of Virginia (5:14-cr-02) for which he previously served 10 years in federal prison. He also had a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base out of the Middle District of Florida (5:00-cr-38) for which he served 13 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Redavid.
Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota announced that on Sept. 2, a federal grand jury indicted Christian Jeremiah Castro, 52, of Texas, on six counts of making materially false statements to the FBI, during an interview on Jan. 14. DOJ continues to evaluate all facts and evidence in this case and has not ruled out additional charges.
Castro made an initial appearance on these charges before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Texas today. If found guilty, Castro faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count.
According to the indictment, on Jan. 14, Castro and his partner, while working as Deportation Officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Person 1, a then-26-year-old citizen of Venezuela. Person 1 continued driving, and Castro pursued Person 1 both by vehicle and on foot. Castro attempted to apprehend Person 1 in the front yard of a north Minneapolis duplex. As Person 1 and Castro struggled on the ground, Person 2, a then-24-year-old resident of Venezuela, who also lived in the duplex residence, attempted to assist Person 1. The physical interaction between Castro, Person 1, and Person 2 lasted approximately 11 seconds.
After Person 1 freed himself from Castro’s grasp, both Person 1 and Person 2 ran into the duplex residence through the front door. As Person 1 and Person 2 entered the residence and began to close the front door, Castro stood up, drew his service weapon, and fired a single shot through the front door. Person 2 was struck in the leg, and the fired bullet continued through the entryway, and lodged in the wall of the downstairs apartment of the duplex residence.
When Castro fired the bullet, multiple persons were inside the duplex residence, including minor children.
Later that same night, an FBI Special Agent interviewed Castro as part of an FBI investigation. During the interview, Castro told the FBI Special Agent that as Castro attempted to handcuff Person 1, an unknown man grabbed a red broom from the front porch of the residence and started hitting Castro with the broom. As Castro was scuffling on the ground, Castro said that a third unknown man came out of the house, grabbed a black snow shovel from the front porch, and began hitting Castro with the shovel. Castro stated that Person 1 wiggled out of his sweater, stood up, and started hitting Castro with the broom, while Castro was still on the ground. Castro said that he tried to block strikes from the broom with his hand. Castro said the two men dropped the broom and snow shovel and started running towards the house after Castro reached for his gun. Castro said that he lifted his back off the ground and fired one round from his gun in the general direction of the men at the same time they started running. Castro said he believed he was on the ground fighting with the man he tried to apprehend for approximately three minutes.
Castro was indicted on six counts of knowingly and willfully making materially false statements to the FBI during the interview on or about Jan. 14.
This case was the result of an investigation by the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI with assistance from other law enforcement partners.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: View indictment here.
Chattanooga Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Exploitation of A MinorRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On September 3, 2026, Michael Ray Buckley, 34, currently of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 300 months by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following his imprisonment, he will be on supervised release for 20 years and he will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Buckley agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of exploitation of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e).
According to court filed documents, Buckley admitted that through his Instagram account of “candy_cams,” and other social media accounts using the internet, he solicited and recruited minor females to produce child pornography, paying the minors for produced images and videos through CashApp, and distributing child pornography to buyers online. To facilitate his communications with minor victims, Buckley falsely represented his identity, age (11-13), and gender. By exploiting these false identities, Buckley persuaded and induced the minor victims to create and transmit sexually explicit images of themselves. Buckley’s conduct reflected a deliberate and sustained pattern of predatory behavior directed toward children, intended to manipulate and entice minor victims into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and producing sexually explicit images for his personal financial gain and sexual gratification of his clients.
U. S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge, Terrence G. Riley, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office, and the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This investigation was led by FBI Chattanooga Resident Agency Special Agent Samuel K. Moore.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles D. Minor represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
###
Bozeman men sentenced to prison for trafficking meth from Las VegasRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – Two Bozeman men who brought meth up from Las Vegas into Montana were sentenced to prison this week, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Billy Eugene Dodson, 54, who pleaded guilty in May 2026 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Jamie Demetrius Williams, 38, who pleaded guilty in May 2026 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, was sentenced this week to seven years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Dodson and Williams trafficked methamphetamine from Las Vegas to Montana in the summer of 2025. Williams had come to the attention of law enforcement in early June when he sold meth to an informant. A couple weeks later, investigators learned Williams and Dodson were planning to travel to Las Vegas to purchase meth.
Using a warrant, law enforcement tracked Williams’s vehicle from Las Vegas to Montana, and pulled the pair over in Silver Bow County. Investigators searched the car and found a handgun, a small amount of meth, and drug paraphernalia. Dodson admitted to owning the gun. Williams admitted they had travelled to Las Vegas to buy a pound of meth but “ran out of money.”
Law enforcement pulled over Dodson again on Aug. 10, 2025, as he returned from Las Vegas, finding just under a pound of meth in the glove compartment. Dodson admitted to making several trips to Las Vegas during the previous eight months, picking up pounds of meth each time to sell in Gallatin County.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force and the FBI conducted the investigation.
Atlanta Man with Criminal Past Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A metro Atlanta resident with a lengthy criminal past, including aggravated assault and obstructing a police officer, was sentenced to serve more than eight years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm in the Middle District of Georgia.
“Convicted felons with violent histories who are caught illegally possessing firearms will face federal prosecution in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. "I appreciate the dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to bring repeat offenders to justice and keep our communities safe."
“The Butts County Sheriff's Office is grateful to the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia, and United States Attorney William Keyes, for their partnership and commitment to prosecuting violent offenders,” said Butts County Sheriff Gary Long. “Through continued collaboration with our federal partners, we remain steadfast in our mission to ensure violent criminals are held accountable.”
La'Qyale Emmanuel Fortson, 35, of Riverdale, Georgia, and of Butts County, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Sept. 3, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on May 19. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, a deputy with the Butts County Sheriff’s Office stopped Fortson’s vehicle for following a tractor-trailer too closely on Interstate 75. The deputy approached the vehicle and detected an odor of marijuana when Fortson rolled down his window. Fortson denied the odor and advised he did not smoke marijuana. The deputy deployed a narcotics detection dog who performed a free air sniff of the vehicle. After the dog showed odor responses in two areas, the deputy advised he would be searching the vehicle. Fortson then admitted that he had marijuana in the center console. The search yielded a small quantity of suspected marijuana in the center console; an open tequila bottle behind the passenger seat; and an unloaded Glock pistol underneath the driver’s seat. The pistol was confirmed as stolen out of East Point, Georgia, and he said he purchased it from one of his “weed buddies.” Fortson admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing the pistol because he was a convicted felon. Fortson has a lengthy criminal history, to include prior convictions for aggravated assault, obstructing a peace officer, and battery.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The Butts County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Armed Waterbury Drug Dealer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that FELIX NARVAEZ, 55, of Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for a firearm possession offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September and November 2024, Waterbury Police made multiple controlled purchases of cocaine from Narvaez. Narvaez was arrested on state charges on November 7, 2024. On that date, investigators searched his residence and vehicle and seized a loaded Ruger P90 .45 A.C.P handgun. cocaine that Narvaez intended to distribute, nearly $3,000 in cash, and other items.
Narvaez’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm, assault, and controlled substances offenses.
Narvaez has been detained since his arrest. On April 9, 2026, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Waterbury Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Mary G. Vitale.