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3 September 2026
Iowa Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Three Iowa men were sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine and firearms-related offenses.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, three men engaged in distribution of methamphetamine across the Quad Cities area. The men were responsible for providing approximately 25 pounds of methamphetamine for distribution in the Quad Cities.
On March 17, 2026, Jacob Daniel Sheley, 27, of Clinton, also known as “Chili,” was sentenced to a 25-year prison term, followed by a ten-year term of supervised release. Sheley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. During a February 2025 search warrant at Sheley’s Clinton residence, law enforcement found methamphetamine, cocaine, a loaded firearm, and more than $6000 in drug proceeds. In 2020, Sheley was convicted of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in the Iowa District Court for Clinton County.
On June 16, 2026, Jacob Daniel Timmsen, 35, of Durant, was sentenced to 284 months, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Timmsen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking, and possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing fentanyl.
On September 1, 2026, Cody Scott Sheese, 27, of Davenport, also known as “Cody Tuttle” and “Nugget,” was sentenced to a 20-year prison term, followed by a ten-year term of supervised release. Sheese pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Sheese was on supervised release at the time of this offense. Sheese’s supervised release was revoked and was sentenced to 33 months imprisonment to run consecutive to the 20-year prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Bettendorf Police Department, Clinton Police Department, Muscatine County Drug Task Force, Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, Muscatine Police Department, Davenport Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles:
- rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders;
- strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and
- accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies.
These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Inside job thwarted: Federal agents interrupt employee’s alleged armed robbery plot targeting Golden ChickRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a Grand Prairie woman was indicted Sept. 1 for attempting to interfere with commerce by robbery after allegedly planning an armed robbery of the Golden Chick restaurant where she worked.
According to the criminal complaint, Laura Gonzalez, 44, engaged in a series of communications between Aug. 3 and Aug. 6 with an individual she believed could assist her in committing a robbery. Unbeknownst to Gonzalez, the individual was working undercover with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who connected her with a special agent. Gonzalez allegedly sought their help to rob the Golden Chick restaurant located at 3051 East Mayfield Road in Grand Prairie, Texas.
“Thanks to the ATF’s swift action and thorough investigation, a dangerous scheme was stopped before anyone was harmed,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Our priority is keeping the public safe, and when someone plots violence in this district, even before a single shot is fired or a door is breached, they should expect to face serious federal consequences.”
“An employee entrusted with access to a business attempted to use that position to orchestrate an armed robbery, putting her co-workers and the public at risk,” said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner. “This investigation demonstrates the importance of proactive investigative work in stopping violent crimes before they occur. ATF will continue to work to identify and disrupt those who use firearms or threaten violence to further criminal activity.”
The complaint alleges that Gonzalez provided detailed information to facilitate the planned robbery, including employee schedules, the location and status of the safe, camera placement, expected cash on hand and instructions on how to enter through an unlocked rear door. She also allegedly produced a hand‑drawn sketch of the interior layout and repeatedly encouraged that the robbery take place in the early morning hours while employees were present.
Gonzalez allegedly discussed the use of firearms, stated she would be present at the restaurant during the robbery to reduce suspicion and sought a share of the anticipated proceeds, estimated at $3,000 to $4,000. On Aug. 6, she allegedly sent a video from inside the restaurant showing the route to the safe and Digital Video Recorder camera unit.
ATF agents arrested Gonzalez Aug. 6 before any robbery occurred. According to the affidavit, Golden Chick is a multistate restaurant chain that operates along major travel corridors and relies on interstate supply chains and internet‑based services; therefore, the conduct described would have affected interstate commerce.
If convicted, Gonzalez faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years post-release supervision.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Violent Crime section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Indian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Illegal Gambling RingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Indian national pleaded guilty in federal court for his involvement in a multi-million-dollar illegal gambling conspiracy occurring at six locations in southwest Missouri.
Sunilkumar N. Patel, 53, a resident of the state of New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
Patel admitted that he and his co-conspirators, in aggregate, obtained approximately $9,362,114 in gross proceeds from their wire fraud scheme and their illegal gambling businesses and then conducted various financial transactions for the purpose of laundering the proceeds.
On May 14, 2025, Patel was charged, along with eight other individuals, in a 72-count superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. The indictment charges all nine defendants with one count each of participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, and operating illegal gambling businesses from July 1, 2022, to May 13, 2025. In addition to the conspiracy counts, all nine defendants were charged with at least one count of wire fraud, and eight defendants were charged with money laundering.
Through Patel’s guilty plea, he admitted that he and his co-conspirators ran illegal gambling businesses under the guise of internet amusement arcade games, skill game arcades, and adult arcades. Patel and his co-conspirators hired local employees to work in their businesses, which operated contests of chance, gambling devices, and slot machines in violation of Missouri and Federal law. There were four locations that operated in Springfield.: Big Win Arcade #1 at 1928 S. Glenstone Ave., Big Win Arcade #2 at 1135 E. Commercial St., Spin Hitters at 838-840 S. Glenstone Ave., and Vegas Arcade at 615 S. Scenic. They also opened Spin Zone at 2331 E. 7th St. in Joplin, Mo., and Vegas City Arcade at 16585 Missouri Highway 13, Branson West.
Under federal statutes, Patel is subject to a sentence of up to 20, 20, five, 20, and 20 years in federal prison without parole, respectively, for each count to which he pleaded guilty. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Springfield, Missouri Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Joplin, Missouri Police Department, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the Missouri National Guard Counter Drug Unit, the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center, the Greene County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney, the Jasper County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney, and the Johnson County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Illegal Alien from India Charged with Wholesale Drug Distribution from a Round Table Pizza Restaurant in Tulare CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury today returned an indictment against Kawal Preet Singh, 50, an Indian national unlawfully present in the United States, charging him with distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Singh sold wholesale quantities of methamphetamine from a Round Table Pizza restaurant he operated in Dinuba, while armed with illegal firearms.
According to court documents, an investigation into Indian Organized Crime in the Central Valley identified Singh as a subject of the investigation. On Aug. 18, 2026, federal agents searched Singh’s home and business and seized more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine as well as three firearms and more than $10,000 in cash.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman‑Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Singh faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, for drug trafficking and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison consecutive to any other sentence up to life in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the
full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Central Valley HSTF is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Honduran national, illegally living in the Kansas City, Mo. area, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison for violating immigration laws.
On April 21, 2026, Orlin Rafael Cerrato-Avilez, 32, was found guilty by a federal trial jury of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported.
On March 4, 2026, officers with the Independence, Missouri Police Department arrested Cerrato-Avilez for giving false information during a traffic stop when he would not provide complete information about his date of birth. After using fingerprints to confirm Cerrato-Avilez’s identity, officers learned he had previously been removed from the United States.
The Independence Police Department contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, who took custody of Cerrato-Avilez. In conjunction with ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, it was determined that Cerrato-Avilez had illegally entered the United States in April of 2013 and was removed to Honduras later that same month.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Nichols and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations divisions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Illegal Alien with Two Prior Deportations and Felony Convictions Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed from the country on two prior occasions. The government recommended a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment.
“When individuals knowingly disregard our nation's laws, repeatedly reenter the country unlawfully after being formally deported, and engage in felony criminal activity, they will face serious legal consequences,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This 18-month sentence reflects the gravity of the defendant's persistent violations and underscores that we will prioritize the prosecution of repeat offenders who compromise public safety."
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on January 21, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Fugitive Operations Team arrested Victor Alfonso Cabada-Landeros in a targeted operation.
Cabada-Landeros has prior felony convictions for Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Controlled Substances Act and for illegally returning to the United States after a removal. This is his second conviction for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Cabada-Landeros was previously deported to Mexico on or about February 18, 2015, and again on or about November 9, 2019.
Cabada-Landeros pleaded guilty to one count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. After serving his prison sentence, he will be deported to Mexico for a 3rd time.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for SNAP and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Boston was sentenced yesterday for stealing SNAP benefits and unlawfully using a U.S. citizen’s Social Security number.
Victor Suazo Reynoso, 69, was sentenced by Chief Judge Denise J. Casper to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Reynoso was also ordered to pay $18,434 in restitution to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance and $54,931 to MassHealth. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2026, the defendant pleaded guilty to illegal acquisition of supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits and false representation of a Social Security number. Reynoso was charged and arrested in March 2026.
Reynoso used the name, birthdate and Social Security number of a United States citizen to apply for and receive a Massachusetts driver’s license and more than $18,000 in SNAP benefits and $54,000 in MassHealth benefits. SNAP is a federal program administered by the states that provides funds for low-income individuals and families to purchase food. MassHealth is a federal and state program that provides medical benefits to low-income individuals.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Selling Firearm and Fentanyl to Undercover Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An illegal alien from the Dominican Republic, who is an associate of the D Street Projects gang in the South Boston area, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to selling a firearm and fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement agent.
Junior Martinez-Perello, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2027. In July 2025, Martinez-Perello was arrested and charged.
In May 2025, Martinez-Perello communicated with undercover law enforcement about selling 100 grams of fentanyl and a firearm. On May 30, 2025, Martinez-Perello agreed to meet in Boston for a drug and gun deal. Martinez-Perello informed the undercover agent that he would always have firearms available and not to be concerned about purchasing firearms from him, and that he would be able to obtain and distribute half-kilogram quantities of fentanyl in the near future.
During the controlled purchase, Martinez-Perello explained how the safety feature worked on the firearm. At one point during the sale, Martinez-Perello pointed the loaded firearm towards the ground, manipulated the firearm in a fashion that was consistent with rendering the firearm safe and attempting to remove the live ammunition from the firearm. During this process, Martinez-Perello disengaged the safety mechanism on the firearm and fired one round into the floor.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Illegal Alien Gang Member Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute in Fresno CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury today returned an indictment against Joaquin “Rascal” Aranda, 40, a Mexican national illegally residing in Sanger, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in October 2025, an investigation began into the Sureño criminal street gang operating in Fresno County. Investigators identified Aranda as a high-ranking Reedley Sureño gang member and conducted three undercover purchases of methamphetamine from him between January and May 2026. On May 28, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at Aranda’s residence and recovered more methamphetamine along with digital scales, spoons, and baggies. In total, Aranda was found with 297.52 grams of methamphetamine throughout the investigation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman‑Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Aranda faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Central Valley HSTF is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Kleider Enrique Garcia Ochoa, age 31, of Venezuela, who is present in the United States without authorization, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall. U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson further sentenced Ochoa to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completion of his sentence.
According to admissions made during his plea, Ochoa used social media applications and the name “Conociendo” to convince someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy in Denham Springs, Louisiana, to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. Ochoa agreed to travel to Denham Springs, Louisiana, to pick up the supposed 15-year-old boy to engage in sexual acts. An undercover law enforcement officer posed as the 15-year-old boy and officers arrested Ochoa when he arrived at the location. During his conduct, Ochoa sent the undercover officer a picture of himself and his genitals and requested that the supposed 15-year-old boy send him sexually explicit images of himself. Ochoa also asked for the undercover officer’s location and expressed his desire to engage in illegal sex acts in person.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen L. Ross leads the prosecution.
“This was excellent work by our prosecutors and law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Wall. “Anyone who attempts to sexually exploit our children in the Middle District of Louisiana needs to know that they will be held accountable. We will continue to pursue these predators relentlessly.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Hooksett Man Indicted for Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material and Obscene MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Hookset man Derald Solomon, 51, has been indicted by a federal grand jury, charged with one count of possessing child sex abuse materials (CSAM), commonly known as child pornography, and one count of possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct that is obscene, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Solomon was arrested on August 5, 2026 by criminal complaint and will be arraigned in federal court on the indictment at a later date.
According to the charging documents and the public record, in May 2025, the FBI searched Solomon’s home in Hookset after determining that a computer with an IP Address registered at that address was sharing CSAM through a peer-to-peer file sharing program. During the search, law enforcement seized Solomon’s electronic devices for further forensic analysis. That analysis revealed that, in Solomon’s browser history, he visited websites known to contain child pornography. Some of the web addresses contained words like “12yo,” “PREteen,” and “Child%20porno.” Investigators also found multiple CSAM images of real children, including some of a minor relative, as well as other visual depictions of apparent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement found these and other files in a folder directory with the file path “Picture Backups\Derald’s Photo Library.”
The charges of possession of child pornography and possession of obscene material each carry a maximum prison term of 20 years. 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case with valuable assistance from the Hooksett and Derry Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Hunter and Christopher Mignanelli are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Homeland Security Task Force Yields 30 Year Prison Sentence for Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization LeaderRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Celso Navarro Diaz (65, Colombia) has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to traffic more than five kilograms of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States. A federal jury found Navarro Diaz guilty on January 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented during the five-day trial, Navarro Diaz was the head of an organization in Colombia that transported cocaine and marijuana from the Pacific coast of Colombia to Costa Rica. Over a two-year period, Panamanian, Colombian, and U.S. Coast Guard authorities interdicted four of his organization’s vessels. The investigation revealed that Navarro Diaz discussed the smuggling operations in heavily coded language and had talked about the seizures in coded language after three of the events. The cocaine was intended to be smuggled from Costa Rica through Central America and Mexico prior to importation into the United States. Navarro Diaz was previously convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and pleaded guilty to that offense in 2010, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Colombian National Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and September 2024 extradition from Colombia of Navarro Diaz. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Hanapepe Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison Following Jury Conviction for Producing, Receiving, and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Roger Biggs, 40, of Hanapepe, Hawaii, was sentenced on September 3, 2026, by Chief United States District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 540 months in federal prison for the production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, followed by 20 years of supervised release. Biggs was also required to pay $123,300 in fines, assessments, and restitution. Biggs was previously convicted in a federal jury trial in May 2026.
Following an extensive FBI investigation, evidence presented at his trial proved Biggs was a serial, self-described “groomer” who targeted children, many of whom were mentally vulnerable. Biggs contacted these children through direct message communications on social media platforms, sending thousands of messages to his victims. In one such message, he admitted to his victim: “i [sic] prey on vulnerable children.” Biggs groomed the children by sending them photographs of himself, gifts, and money and by engaging in sexually explicit communications with them. He then convinced at least one child to produce and send him images and videos of the child involved in sexually explicit conduct.
Among his many victims were two 14-year-olds on the U.S. mainland, one of whom Biggs traveled to meet in person. Biggs was also convicted of possessing child pornography on his cellular phone, including at least one image of a prepubescent minor under the age of 12.
At sentencing, Chief Judge Watson characterized Biggs’s conduct as abhorrent, disgusting, and criminal. Before issuing his 45-year sentence, Chief Judge Watson also highlighted Biggs’s inappropriate post-trial communication with a minor victim while incarcerated and awaiting sentencing, as well as his complete lack of remorse for his criminal activity.
“Roger Biggs earned every year of today’s 45-year sentence with his repugnant, sick, and depraved conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “As we have repeatedly said, we will never waver in our commitment to protect Hawaii’s children. Our message remains simple and clear: we will doggedly pursue child predators like Biggs, and they will face the full force of a federal prosecution and a punishing sentence for preying upon our young and most vulnerable citizens.”
“Mr. Biggs spent years grooming and exploiting children, and not even a conviction stopped him from continuing to harass his victims,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Today’s outcome is a testament to the tireless work of our special agents and federal partners. Let this serve as a message to those who exploit our children: the FBI will find you, and we will use every resource available to bring justice to your doorstep.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret C. Nammar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Hampton Man Indicted for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Hampton man Jamie Melendez, age 37, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury this week on one count of failure to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Melendez will appear in federal court in Concord on a later date.
According to the charging documents, Melendez was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Despite this, he traveled from Massachusetts to New Hampshire and knowingly failed to register as a sex offender in the State of New Hampshire as required by SORNA.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 10 years. 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The United States Marshals Service is investigating this case with valuable assistance provided by the Hampton Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather M. Anderson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Guyanese National Sentenced in Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Kenneth Blair (54, Clermont) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to 30 months in federal prison for bank fraud. Blair pleaded guilty on May 15, 2024. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $15,475, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, from as early as August 2020, and continuing through July 2021, in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, Blair and others devised a scheme to defraud financial institutions by making materially false and fraudulent representations. Blair’s role in the bank fraud scheme included preparing and submitting fictitious and fraudulent paystubs for his clients in the names of companies to show fabricated income from employers as well as altered bank statements showing vastly overstated account balances. This caused the mortgage lenders to approve and fund mortgage loans for otherwise unqualified borrowers in exchange for undisclosed payments to Blair from his clients. The fraudulent mortgage loans were subsequently purchased and guaranteed by government-sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the Federal Housing Administration.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Blain Goff.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Guilty Pleas Entered for Pensacola-Area Gun & Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Andre Darrell Perry, 37, of Pensacola, Florida, and Loredana Alessandra Bassolino, 38, of Navarre, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine. Perry also pleaded guilty to additional charges of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The pleas were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This pair of repeat offenders has demonstrated an outright refusal to lead law-abiding lives, and the only way we can guarantee the safety of our community is by ensuring they are kept off our streets and behind federal bars where they belong. My office will continue to back up the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners with aggressive prosecutions like this to deliver the safe, drug-free streets our citizens deserve.”
Court documents reflect that on January 14, 2026, federal agents executed an arrest warrant on Perry at a hotel in Pensacola, Florida. When law enforcement made entry into Perry’s hotel room to effectuate the arrest, they observed drug paraphernalia littered throughout the room, along with a “speed loader” tool to quickly load ammunition into firearm magazines. Bassolino, another occupant of the hotel room, admitted that narcotics were present and gave consent to search the room. During their search, law enforcement discovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, and a loaded firearm. Both Bassolino and Perry are convicted felons who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, with Perry most recently being convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl in July 2025.
Due to a prior serious drug felony conviction, Perry faces a minimum mandatory sentence of ten years’ imprisonment up to a maximum of life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine count. Perry also faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’ imprisonment up to a maximum of life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence given in this case, for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense count and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession by a convicted felon count.
Bassolino faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’ imprisonment up to a maximum of forty years’ imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine count.
Bassolino and Perry are scheduled for sentencing on November 3, 2026, at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm respectively, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Pensacola, Florida.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Grand jury indicts former community school superintendent, business partner in $8 million fraud schemeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted the former superintendent and operator of a local community school and a business partner with wire fraud and other crimes related to an $8 million fraud and kickback scheme.
Leondo Ramone Davenport, 50, of Cincinnati, and Jonathan Larry Ballew, 62, of Phoenix, Arizona, were arrested this morning by federal agents.
“We’re putting an end to fraudsters exploiting public trust and profiting off of the American taxpayer,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Offenders should know that my Office will work hard to ensure that those responsible for fraud end up paying the price and come to understand that the juice is not worth the squeeze.”
“This indictment alleges a brazen scheme that stole from both taxpayers and students,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Education dollars exist to support the learning and development of American children—not to fund the lifestyles of unscrupulous school officials. The Fraud Division commends the work of our federal and state partners whose efforts were essential in bringing these charges and ensuring that those who abuse positions of trust are held accountable.”
“Fraud against the government is fraud against every taxpayer and we are all victims of these schemes,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie. “The FBI and Department of Justice are committed to rooting out fraud and holding accountable those who conduct illegal activities.”
“This was an egregious kickback scheme by individuals using taxpayer resources to enrich themselves,” Auditor Faber said. “Thanks to the good work of the U.S. Attorney, the FBI and our other partners in law enforcement for pursuing justice in this case. Our investigation also continues, and we look forward to working alongside the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office to ensure everyone involved in these crimes is held accountable for their actions.”
Davenport served as the superintendent of Dohn Community High School from 2015 to 2019. Through an LLC he incorporated, Dohn served as the operator of the school from 2019 until 2024.
Dohn was incorporated in Ohio as a not-for-profit organization around 1999 to serve as an addiction recovery program for high school students. It operated as a community school under Ohio law from approximately 2001 until 2025. In Ohio, a community school created under state law is a public school, independent of any school district.
Ballew incorporated at least four entities allegedly purporting to provide educational services, training, technology, staffing, and school construction and remodeling services to Dohn.
The eight-count indictment alleges that, from 2021 to 2024, Davenport and Ballew participated in a kickback scheme to defraud the school. Ballew allegedly submitted false and fraudulent invoices to Dohn on behalf of the entities he controlled. Davenport allegedly authorized Dohn to pay the invoices and received a kickback in return. In total, during this time, Davenport allegedly authorized Dohn to pay over $8 million to Ballew and Ballew correspondingly paid over $4 million back to Davenport.
The charging document details that the defendants allegedly spent the money on luxury automobiles and rental properties. For example, in October 2023, Davenport and Ballew both signed a two-year rental agreement for a luxury vacation property near Miami, Florida, for $30,000 per month.
Davenport and Ballew are each charged with wire fraud, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity, which carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer is representing the United States in this case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is 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 indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Georgia Sisters Plead Guilty to Roles in $2M Pandemic Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Two Georgia women have pleaded guilty to their roles in a scheme to defraud the federal government by causing pandemic unemployment benefit funds to be paid on ineligible claims that had been held or denied for suspected fraud.
Sisters Joirean Creel, 35, of Duluth, and Adriane Creel, 24, of Stone Mountain, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Honest Services Wire Fraud. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan D. Greenberg accepted their guilty pleas Aug. 31.
According to allegations in court documents, the defendants were both hired to work as remote teleservices representatives through a subcontractor for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). The agency administered Ohio’s unemployment insurance program, which included federally funded unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of their jobs, the defendants were given access to an online system to process and manage unemployment benefits for the claimants. They were supposed to use the system only for their job providing customer service to claimants by phone. Instead, the two women abused their positions and system access to solicit and accept bribes and kickbacks that caused $1.96 million in benefits to be paid. However, the claims paid had been previously flagged as suspected of being fraudulent. The defendants used their system access to nullify and void the suspected fraudulent claims even though they were not authorized to do so. They also fraudulently obtained additional unemployment benefits for themselves by submitting applications in their own names. The defendants submitted their applications to other states including New York, Pennsylvania, and Nevada, despite being employed to help ODJFS administer the unemployment insurance system. In addition, investigators discovered that Joirean Creel was also employed by the U.S. Postal Service while claiming to be unemployed.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized and forfeited a Mercedes Benz GL450. In total, ODJFS lost more than $2 million as a result of the conspiracy.
This investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the FBI Cleveland Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Pittsburgh Division-Cleveland Field Office.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Assistant United States Attorneys Elliot Morrison and Erica Barnhill for the Northern District of Ohio lead the prosecution.
Government Considers Appeal of Sentence of Albany Man Sentenced to 92 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Nearly 4,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
Devonte Skinner, age 34, of Albany, Louisiana, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall. U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick further sentenced Skinner to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on February 21, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a controlled purchase of 3,792 pills pressed to resemble 30 mg oxycodone and containing 539.2 grams of fentanyl from Skinner and another individual using a confidential source (CS). The CS met Skinner in a restaurant parking lot on O’Neal Lane in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Skinner was in the front passenger seat of a vehicle and exchanged the pills and money with the CS.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese led the prosecution.
“I am very pleased with the dedicated work of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Wall. “Fentanyl continues to pose a grave threat to communities throughout Louisiana and distributing this substance in such quantities risks devastating harm. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account the criminal act and the defendant’s prior criminal history, called for a sentencing range of 262 to 327 months. Although we respect the Court’s role in sentencing, we have concerns that a sentence far below the guidelines range sends a harmful message. Unfortunately, our district has experienced hundreds of fentanyl overdoses over the past few years. Recently, we are beginning to see a reduction in those numbers, which gives us some optimism that the message of the dangerousness of fentanyl is finally gaining traction. The defendant’s conduct has to be viewed in the same light as if he had fired 3,972 rounds of ammunition on our public streets. A 92-month sentence is insufficient, and our office is reviewing the judgment closely and considering all options, including appeal.”
“Fentanyl traffickers endanger our communities with every pill they put on the street,” said HSI New Orleans Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright. “This investigation and conviction reflect HSI’s continued commitment to working with our federal, state, and local partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who distribute deadly narcotics in Louisiana. Through the Homeland Security Task Force, we will continue using every lawful tool available to disrupt criminal networks and protect the public from the devastation caused by fentanyl.”
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the U.S. Coast Guard, Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (CBP OFO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol (CBP BP) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for Middle District of Louisiana.
Forsyth County Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years After Kidnapping Store Clerk in the Course of a RobberyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Winston-Salem, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Greensboro to more than 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
DEANGELO SHAMOND TOOMER, aged 41, was sentenced to 293 months imprisonment plus 5 years post release supervision on the kidnapping charge by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, Senior/Chief United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. Judge Eagles also sentenced TOOMER to 180 months imprisonment plus 3 years post release supervision on the firearm charge, to run concurrently.
According to court records, on January 8, 2025, at approximately 12:28 a.m., TOOMER entered the Speedway Gas Station located at 2700 University Parkway in Winston-Salem, armed with a gun. TOOMER approached the store clerk at gunpoint and demanded money from her cash register and Newport cigarettes. TOOMER then forced the clerk to write a sign to hang on the front door stating the store was closed for restocking and then led her at gunpoint to her car where he told her they were both leaving and she was driving. Law enforcement was alerted to the scene after receiving a 911 call for a wellness check when customers noticed the gas station was unattended.
Officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department were able to obtain real time tracking data from the clerk’s vehicle. At approximately 5:57 a.m., members of the Winston-Salem Police Department observed the clerk’s vehicle to be in Unicoi County, Tennessee. With the assistance of the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement located the vehicle. Deputies with the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office activated their lights and sirens to pull the vehicle over, but TOOMER, who was driving, fled, resulting in a vehicle pursuit. Deputies with the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office had to forcibly bring the vehicle to a stop. The clerk was found with her hands and ankles bound by shoelaces in the backseat. A gun that TOOMER tossed out the window during his flight was also recovered. The gun was loaded and had one round in the chamber.
TOOMER, who is originally from Charleston, South Carolina, has a criminal record that dates back to 2001, and includes several felony convictions, including Felony Assault and Battery with Intent to Kill, Felony Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature, Felony Strong Arm Robbery, Felony Burglary, Felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Felony Fraud against a Financial Institution, and Felony Possession of Contraband.
The case was investigated by the Winston-Salem Police Department, Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office (TN), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from Ford Motor Company-Global Security and Vehicle Telematics, the Unicoi Police Department (TN), Erwin Police Department (TN), and Green County Sheriff’s Office (TN). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham.
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Former SBA and IRS Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Taking Bribes in $3.5 Million COVID Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Attallah Williams, a former U.S. Small Business Administration and Internal Revenue Service employee, has been sentenced to federal prison for taking bribes to submit and approve more than $3.5 million in fraudulent pandemic relief payments.
“Williams misused her public office to steal taxpayer money intended to promote employment during a national crisis, and she deepened her fraud by recruiting accomplices through Instagram,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We will continue to work tirelessly to uncover and hold accountable those who violate the public’s trust and loot the treasury.”
“Williams turned positions of public trust into an opportunity to enrich herself, using her federal access and social media to recruit others and funnel millions of dollars in fraudulent pandemic relief into her scheme,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to pursue those who exploit their positions for personal gain and steal money meant to support the American people.”
“Attallah Williams used her positions at the SBA and IRS to steal millions from COVID-19 relief programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Those who defrauded these programs may believe they escaped detection, but this case proves that IRS Criminal Investigation and its federal law enforcement partners will continue holding those responsible for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs accountable.”
“The Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney is proud to work with our federal law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who misuse taxpayer dollars for their own gain, especially government employees,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. “Defendant Williams was convicted of abusing her positions within the federal government to take money earmarked to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This sentence should send a strong message to anyone who steals public funds that they will be punished accordingly.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Williams orchestrated a three-year scheme to fraudulently obtain funds from four separate emergency pandemic relief programs:
First, Williams submitted fraudulent applications to the SBA to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) in the names of businesses that were not operational.
Second, Williams submitted a fraudulent application for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, guaranteed by the SBA, for a business that was not operational.
Third, Williams obtained a position as an SBA loan officer, enabling her to use her insider access to approve fraudulent applications to the EIDL Advance grant program. Williams advertised on Instagram to recruit accomplices who, under her guidance, submitted applications using the names of nonexistent or ineligible businesses. Williams then used her position to improperly approve those applications in exchange for a share of the proceeds. Williams also encouraged her conspirators to recruit additional participants, promising them referral fees for every person brought into the scheme.
Fourth, Williams left the SBA and obtained a position as an IRS tax examining technician. Williams again advertised on social media to recruit accomplices who, under her instructions and with her assistance, submitted fraudulent tax documents to the IRS to claim payments under the Employee Retention Tax Credit program, with Williams receiving a fee for each application.
In total, Williams submitted false claims for more than $3.5 million of pandemic emergency assistance funds intended to help struggling businesses, resulting in $3,272,000 being distributed before the scheme was disrupted.
On September 1, 2026, Attallah Williams, 33, of Hampton, Georgia, was sentenced to six years, six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,272,000 in restitution. She pled guilty on February 11, 2026, to conspiracy to defraud the United States through fraudulent claims.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with valuable assistance from the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted Pandemic Program fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the SBA Office of the Inspector General Complaint Submission at: https://sbax.sba.gov/oigcss.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Barrington Christian Academy Teacher Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury has returned a five-count indictment charging former Barrington Christian Academy teacher and athletics coach Sean Cassidy, 53, of Pawtucket, with coercion and enticement of a minor; falsely presenting as a federal employee; two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor; and possession of child pornography.
The indictment, returned on September 2, 2026, includes two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor stemming from alleged conduct in 2011 and a charge of possession of child pornography. These charges are in addition to charges of coercion and enticement of a minor and falsely presenting as a federal employee, which were initially charged by federal criminal complaint following Cassidy’s arrest on federal charges in August.
According to the federal criminal complaint previously filed in the matter, Cassidy allegedly used his position as a teacher and athletics coach to develop a relationship with a minor student and falsely represented himself as an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He also used multiple online platforms—email, messaging services, and encrypted accounts—to communicate with the minor under various fictitious identities. Cassidy allegedly directed the minor to engage in acts, including taking partially nude photographs of herself, claiming they were part of an FBI “training program.”
“Children should never have to fear the adults entrusted with their safety and education. The allegations in this indictment are abhorrent and represent a profound betrayal of that trust,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “We will relentlessly pursue those who prey upon children and use every available resource to hold them accountable.”
“Cassidy stands accused of a litany of crimes against children who were entrusted to his care. This is every parent’s nightmare – a trusted coach, teacher, and trainer allegedly using his trust and access to children to manipulate and eventually exploit kids,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “This case came to HSI’s attention through a tip from a vigilant parent through our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force partners. HSI works around the clock with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes against children, but we can only do this work with the help of the parents, friends, teachers, and members of the public who are ready to come forward when they see something they know is wrong.”
The indictment further alleges that Cassidy sexually exploited a minor on two occasions in 2011 for the purpose of producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. Cassidy is also charged with knowingly possessing or accessing, with intent to view, child pornography through approximately June 1, 2026.
Cassidy is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
Coercion and enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Each count of sexual exploitation of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and a maximum sentence of thirty years. Possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of twenty years, and falsely presenting as a federal employee carries a maximum sentence of three years.
Cassidy was previously arrested on June 1 and July 17, 2026, on related Rhode Island state charges. The federal investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are continuing to review evidence and evaluate reports of Cassidy’s contacts with additional minors.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise Barton.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from local law enforcement partners.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Florence County Men Plead Guilty to Stealing Firearms from Florence ArmoryRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Benjamin Lee Mercer, Sr., 54, of Florence, has pleaded guilty to stealing firearms from a dealer and illegally possessing firearms.
Mercer’s co-defendant and son, Benjamin Lee Mercer, Jr., 31, of Florence, previously pleaded guilty to stealing firearms from a dealer and brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that around 2:52 a.m. on May 12, 2024, two men—later identified as Mercer, Sr. and Mercer, Jr.—burglarized the Palmetto State Armory, a federal firearms licensee in Florence. They stole 152 firearms. On May 22, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a trailer in Darlington associated with Mercer, Sr. and Mercer, Jr. and found 15 firearms, all of which were stolen from the Palmetto State Armory. Shortly before executing the search warrant, law enforcement saw Mercer, Sr. get into a truck and leave the trailer. Law enforcement followed Mercer, Sr., but he fled and evaded law enforcement. During the pursuit, Mercer, Sr. was captured on video discarding a firearm. Law enforcement recovered the firearm and confirmed it was stolen from the Palmetto State Armory.
On June 17, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to arrange a controlled purchase of 21 firearms from Mercer, Jr. at the Darlington trailer. During the buy, Mercer, Jr. pulled out a handgun, pistol whipped the informant, and threatened to kill the informant. Ultimately, the informant threw their car keys and the buy money on the ground, which Mercer, Jr. took and then left in the informant’s car. Law enforcement caught up to Mercer, Jr., and a high-speed chase ensued through Darlington and Florence counties. During the chase, Mercer, Jr. pointed a firearm out of the driver’s side window and repeatedly fired at law enforcement. Mercer, Jr. fled to an apartment in Florence, where he barricaded himself inside but ultimately surrendered to law enforcement. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the apartment, where they found a loaded handgun along with the buy money taken from the informant.
Mercer, Jr. faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Mercer, Sr. faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence both defendants after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Florence Police Department, and the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.###
Final Defendants Convicted in Macon’s Operation Mobile Order SentencedRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The final two defendants involved in an armed drug trafficking network affiliated with a criminal street gang were sentenced to federal prison because of Operation Mobile Order, an investigation led by the FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, which resulted in the seizure of dozens of firearms, including a machine gun.
“This heavily armed drug trafficking organization was a major threat in Macon, and our region is now safer because every member has been brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Targeting dangerous criminal organizations like those dismantled in Operation Mobile Order remains a top priority for our office and law enforcement partners at every level. These offenders have been held accountable for the harm they caused to our community.”
“Operation Mobile Order dismantled a violent drug trafficking organization that treated a Macon neighborhood like a retail storefront for cocaine, backed by an arsenal of firearms,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This investigation shows the FBI’s commitment to targeting criminal networks that fuel addiction, violence, and fear in our communities. We will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to make Central Georgia a safer place to live.”
“Operation Mobile Order represents the best in local and federal law enforcement partnerships,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “Together, FBI agents and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigators worked tirelessly to bring this cadre of criminals to justice. Our community is much better off with these peddlers of poison off our streets.”
The following defendants were sentenced today, on September 3:
Eddie Reese, 54, of Atlanta, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 18, 2025.
Alton Oliver, aka “Alo,” aka “Lo,” 43, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Jan. 8.
The following defendant was sentenced on August 10:
Tanya Card, 51, of Macon, was sentenced to serve six months in prison after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on Dec. 2, 2025.
The following defendant was sentenced on June 4:
Roddreckious Williams, 33, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 151 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base and one count of distribution of cocaine on Jan. 21.
The following defendants were sentenced on May 19:
Roosevelt Cole, aka “Froball,” 52, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 170 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6.
Marvin Huff, aka “Black,” 50, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 125 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8.
Trayvon Simmons, aka “Abo,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6.
The following defendant was sentenced to prison on April 2:
Antonyo Daniels, aka “Tony,” 31, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 250 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8.
The following defendants were sentenced to prison on March 2:
Devonta Jackson, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 155 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025.
Laderion Jacobs, aka “Johnny,” aka “Johnny Cain,” 30, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025.
Ladarrious King, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025.
The following defendant was sentenced to prison on Feb. 5:
Leroy Mintz, aka “Booman,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Nov. 20, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, in 2022 and 2023, the FBI conducted Operation Mobile Order, a Macon-centered investigation targeting an armed drug trafficking organization led by Reese. Many members of the organization are validated Blue Band Gang (BBG) members who affiliate with the Crips criminal organization. During the investigation, the FBI ran nine controlled purchases of cocaine and crack cocaine and intercepted phone calls and text messages, detailing transactions involving kilograms of cocaine from an Atlanta supplier.
The main drug distribution site, also known as a trap house, was located on Richard Street in Macon. This busy location functioned similarly to a restaurant, with members of the organization assigned shifts to distribute drugs. Recorded calls captured Reese discussing drug overdoses in the community, claiming that if the drugs causing those overdoses had come from his Richard Street operation, “everyone in Macon would be dead.”
The FBI executed 11 federal search warrants in Macon, Warner Robins, and Atlanta on Nov. 20, 2023, including at the Richard Street trap house, seizing cocaine, 26 firearms, a ballistic vest, and $93,247. One of the locations searched included Oliver’s home on Williamson Road in Macon. There, agents found a machine gun plus five firearms. In addition, agents found quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine at Oliver’s. The ballistic vest belonged to Daniels.
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 FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government.
Federal prison sentences handed down for firearm-related chargesRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Georgia: Three men have been sentenced to prison following firearms related plea agreements.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:
- Jordan Williams-Carswell, 26, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machinegun. Court documents and testimony show that in January 2024, Williams-Carswell was illegally in possession of a Glock Model 20, 10 mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD). A MCD allows a firearm to fire multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger, converting a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machinegun.
- Jordan James Perkins, 24, of Sardis, Georgia, was sentenced to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In June 2025, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop and Perkins fled. While eluding law enforcement, Perkins discarded a Glock, Model 29, 10 mm pistol from the vehicle, which deputies later discovered during a search of the area.
- Pierre Horton, 36, of Augusta, was sentenced to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In November 2025, Horton was found in possession of a Smith & Wesson, SD40, .40 caliber pistol during a traffic stop by Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
There is no parole in the federal system. Under federal law, it is prohibited for previously convicted felons to possess firearms or ammunition.
“These sentences demonstrate the commitment this office and our law enforcement partners take to safeguard our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Illegally possessed and modified guns are a threat to neighborhoods far and wide; and those who endanger the public will face the consequences for their crimes.”
“These cases send a clear message: illegally possessing or modifying firearms carries serious consequences,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Graves. “The strong partnership among ATF, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was essential to holding these defendants accountable and protecting the citizens of the Augusta area.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of these cases. These cases were prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr. and Joshua Kyle Davis.
Federal jury convicts prior felon on new child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal jury convicted John Richard Wade, 51, of Hornell, NY, of receipt and possession of child pornography, which carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
Wade was previously convicted in 2011 on federal charges of possession of child pornography and was on supervised release for those offenses when he committed these newest offenses. On April 11, 2024, probation officers searched Wade’s residence, seizing multiple unmonitored devices, including four laptops and a hard drive, suspected marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. An initial review recovered multiple videos of suspected child pornography on the seized hard drive, which was found hidden under some clothes in a laundry bin. A subsequent examination recovered over 40,000 images and videos of child pornography on the hard drive. Investigators also located the web browser Tore on the hard drive. Tore is frequently used by individuals in possession of child pornography to receive and distribute child pornography from the internet.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas M. Testani and Melissa M. Marangola. The verdict is the result of an investigation by the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II and the U.S Probation Office, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Clifford Jackson.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., who presided over the trial of the case.
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Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty Plea to Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Christopher Carl Brown (43, of Mississippi) has pleaded guilty to possession of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Brown faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, in 2025, Brown was an inmate in the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (“FCC Coleman”) where he was serving a sentence for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. On July 3, 2025, a Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officer discovered Brown in possession of a sock containing a pill bottle. Inside the bottle were four plastic bags containing over 10 grams of methamphetamine. These drugs were intended for distribution inside FCC Coleman.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Watson and Angela Palacios.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Chinese National for Voter Fraud in MassachusettsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal grand jury has indicted a Chinese national residing in Andover, Mass., on charges stemming from an alleged scheme to use another Chinese national’s identity to register to vote and cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election. The defendant was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in August.
Yupeng Sun, 33, was indicted on one count of fraudulent voter registration and one count of fraudulent voting. Sun was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 19, 2026 and subsequently released on conditions. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to court filings, on Oct. 10, 2024, Sun submitted an online voter registration through the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website impersonating another Chinese national residing in Massachusetts with legal permanent resident (LPR) status. On Oct. 31, 2024, Sun allegedly continued to impersonate the other Chinese national and submitted an early voting ballot at Malden City Hall for the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
After registering to vote and voting, Sun allegedly submitted several anonymous tips in April and May 2026 to Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stating that the victim “illegally voted in the 2024 U.S. presidential election” and noting that “[h]e is not a U.S. citizen but a permanent resident.” It is further alleged that Sun impersonated the same Chinese national and his Chinese national wife in fraudulent forms submitted to USCIS in April 2024 requesting to abandon their LPR status. When the couple returned from an international trip in June 2024, they were subjected to secondary inspection at Logan Airport in Boston, had their Green Cards confiscated, and were placed into removal proceedings allegedly as a result of Sun’s submission of fraudulent forms.
The charges of fraudulent registration and fraudulent voting each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Lexington Police Department and the Andover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Court Dismisses Another Attempt to Stymie Sable Offshore Corporation’s Oil and Gas OperationsRead the Press Release
Note, a press release posted earlier today, Sept. 3, was mistakenly a reprint of an Aug. 21 press release about a related decision. Below is the correct press release regarding a decision issued on Monday, Aug. 31, in this matter.
On Monday, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California dismissed with prejudice the complaint in Center for Biological Diversity v. Burgum — one of several cases challenging Sable Offshore Corp.’s oil and gas operations at the Santa Ynez Unit in the Santa Barbara Channel. This ruling follows another, related ruling issued last month.
“States cannot stop the Executive Branch from acting pursuant to Congress’s authorization, especially when it comes to ensuring American energy dominance,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The Department is pleased with the court’s decision. This Department of Justice will never allow California or ideological groups to undermine our Nation’s national security and economic prosperity interests in ensuring availability of this critical resource for Americans.”
“This is another victory for American energy independence,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Two weeks ago, this same court affirmed the federal government’s authority to protect energy security from state overreach through a Defense Production Act order restarting this critical domestic source of oil. This week’s decision protects this critical resource against special interest groups who sought to stymie that same oil production through a lawsuit alleging violations of federal law. We are committed to unleashing American energy, as President Donald J. Trump has directed the Department of Justice and all federal agencies to do.”
Following a decade of inactivity, Sable last year sought to restart offshore oil and gas production on Platform Harmony in the Santa Ynez Unit. Plaintiff environmental groups sued, challenging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)’s April 2025 decision not to require revision of the development and production plan for Platform Harmony related to Sable’s restart plans. In its decision dismissing the case for lack of standing, the court held that the plaintiffs have not alleged a procedural injury and their theory of causation is “far too hypothetical and attenuated” and “not fairly traceable to BOEM and Sable.”
The court instead explained that plaintiffs’ asserted injuries stem from offshore oil and gas operations generally, not from BOEM’s decision. The court further held that the plaintiffs’ injuries are not redressable because BOEM has substantial discretion in deciding whether to require revision of the plan.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled this matter.
Federal Court Again Protects National Energy Security and Rejects Dangerous State Efforts to Obstruct Sable Offshore Corporation’s Operation of the Santa Ynez PipelineRead the Press Release
In a significant victory for President Trump’s efforts to unleash American energy, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California earlier this week affirmed the federal government’s authority to protect national energy security under the Defense Production Act. The ruling ensures that domestically produced oil can reliably reach California refineries and safeguards the continued operation of critical pipeline infrastructure on the California coast.
In a comprehensive decision, the court rejected the State of California’s radical attempt to shut down the Santa Ynez Pipeline and dismissed efforts by California and environmental groups to impose state‑level barriers designed to obstruct federally mandated operations during a declared national energy emergency. The court’s decision ensures that sound federal energy policy — not California’s disruptive anti-energy measures — governs operation of this critical infrastructure.
“States cannot stop the Executive Branch from acting pursuant to Congress’s authorization, especially when it comes to ensuring American energy dominance,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The Department is pleased with the court’s decision to affirm this commonsense principle, upholding the Department of Energy’s lawful and constitutional order under the Defense Production Act. This Department of Justice will never allow California or ideological groups to undermine our Nation’s national security and economic prosperity interests in ensuring availability of this critical resource for Americans.”
“This ruling upholds decisive federal action to protect national security by restarting the flow of 50 million gallons of oil per day when the stability of America’s energy supply is threatened,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The Department of Justice, together with our parters at the Energy, Interior, and Transportation Departments will not allow California or environmental groups to undercut American energy.”
This ruling comes at a time when state and local energy policies on the West Coast continue to destabilize regional supply and threaten broader national energy resilience. The Santa Ynez Pipeline transports more than one million barrels of domestically produced crude oil per month from offshore wells into California — providing a reliable domestic supply to offset foreign imports and reinforcing the America’s energy independence. Its continued operation is also essential to maintaining stable fuel supplies for more than 32 U.S. military installations across the West Coast, supporting operational readiness and ensuring these facilities can meet critical national defense requirements.
The court confirmed that a Defense Production Act order — issued by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright under delegated authority from the President — lawfully preempts state actions aimed at blocking or delaying Sable Offshore Corporation (Sable)’s operations of the Santa Ynez Pipeline. The court held that the only agency with authority to oversee the safety of the pipeline is the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and California’s efforts to shut down the pipeline amounted to an attempt to override federal authority and undercut essential national energy priorities.
Key components of the court’s rulings include:
- Denial of California’s motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to suspend Energy Secretary Wright’s Defense Production Act order requiring operation of the pipeline. The court held that California failed to demonstrate any likelihood of success on the merits of its challenge because the Order is lawful and constitutional.
- Recognition of the Defense Production Act order’s preemptive force, declaring that federal law bars California’s Department of Parks and Recreation from pursuing legal actions — such as trespass claims — that would impede pipeline operations mandated by federal authority.
- Clarification that state courts may not enforce injunctions that conflict with federal directives, as the court addressed efforts by environmental groups to sustain a state‑court injunction.
- Modification of the existing federal consent decree to consolidate oversight of pipeline safety and compliance under PHMSA, replacing California’s Office of the State Fire Marshal to prevent further state‑level interference with federally directed operations.
The decision makes clear that attempts by California and environmental groups to impose new obstacles to critical energy infrastructure — despite clear federal findings of urgent national security needs — cannot override federal law.
The Department of Justice remains committed to enforcing federal law, defending national energy security, and ensuring that vital infrastructure remains free of unlawful state‑imposed barriers. This case was litigated by ENRD.
Fayette County Man Previously Convicted of Violating Clean Water Act Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Graves, 70, of Charlton Heights, was sentenced today to six months in prison and ordered to pay $266,053 in restitution for filing a false tax return. Graves admitted to causing tax losses totaling $266,053 by underreporting his income.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2021, Graves filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return for tax year 2016 that falsely listed his income as $816. Graves’ actual tax income for 2016 was approximately $427,256, and his false tax return resulted in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $125,285.
As part of his guilty plea, Graves admitted to filing the false tax return for 2016. Graves further admitted that he falsely listed his annual income as $816 on tax returns for years 2017 to 2020, that the total amount of income he failed to report on his returns from 2016 to 2020 was approximately $1,035,419, and that the total tax liability that he wrongly withheld from the U.S. Treasury Department from 2016 through 2020 was approximately $266,053.
During the time period, Graves owned and operated West Virginia Environmental Services, Inc. (WVES). Graves and WVES were paid over $9.8 million from 2006 to 2020 to accept industrial waste at a Fayette County landfill and treat the resulting contaminated liquid or leachate. On February 22, 2023, Graves pleaded guilty as an individual and on behalf of WVES to violating the Clean Water Act, admitting they failed to maintain the landfill’s leachate collection for several years beginning in at least 2016. This failure by Graves and WVES caused the discharge of toxic pollutants including arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and selenium into Jarrett Branch, a tributary that flows into the Kanawha River near Alloy. On December 21, 2023, Graves was sentenced to one year of incarceration, to be served on home confinement as part of a five-year term of federal probation, and fined $10,000. WVES was fined $500,000 and placed on corporate probation for three years.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The Criminal Investigative Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection investigated the Clean Water Act violations, which brought the false tax returns to light.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-31.
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Father and Son Convicted for Their Roles in the Murder of a USPS Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Today, a federal jury convicted a father and son for their roles in the pre-meditated murder of an on-duty United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier in March of 2024.
After a nearly two-week-long trial in front of U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent, Kaprise Sledge, 24, of Warren, and Thomas Sledge, 44 of Youngstown, were found guilty of:
- Murder of an Officer and Employee of the United States
- Using, Carrying, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
According to evidence presented to the jury, on March 2, 2024, the two men aided and abetted one another in the premeditated killing of Jont’e Davis, age 33. At the time of his murder, Davis was carrying out his official duties as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, in Warren, Ohio, when he was struck by gunfire coming from a gray Dodge Ram truck that drove up next to his parked mail truck. An eyewitness called 911 and identified the vehicle involved in the shooting. Investigators were able to confirm that the truck was registered to Kaprise Sledge. Through video surveillance footage and telephone records, investigators were able to establish that Kaprise Sledge and his father, Thomas, stalked Davis along his delivery route for approximately an hour and a half before shooting and killing him. Additionally, during the execution of a search warrant at Kaprise Sledge’s residence, agents located evidence of drug trafficking.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026. Both Sledge’s face a term of up to life imprisonment on the murder charge, and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to life imprisonment on the firearms charges. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Postal Inspection Service Cleveland Office and the Warren Police Department investigated the case. The Trumbull County Action Group Drug Task Force, FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, and Trumbull County Emergency Management also assisted in this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carol Skutnik, Peter Daly, Brett Hammond, and Samuel Lioi for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
To report mail theft or other crimes committed through, or towards, the United States Postal Service, call the USPIS at 1-877-876-2455 or visit https://www.uspis.gov/report.
Dover Airman Arrested for Transporting 15-Year-Old from Pennsylvania to Delaware for Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Dover airman made his initial appearance in federal court on September 3, 2026, on charges of coercion and enticement, transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and travel with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to court documents, Dylan Williams, 27, exchanged text messages with a 15-year-old victim and engaged in sexually charged conversations. Through conversations, Williams learned the victim’s age and acknowledged her youth. Nevertheless, Williams arranged to drive several hours to pick up the minor from her home in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, and take her back to Dover, Delaware, where he had sex with her.
Williams is charged in a criminal complaint with coercion and enticement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a); and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b). If convicted, Williams faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace made the announcement. The FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case with assistance from Falls Township Police Department, Dover Police Department, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 26-mj-448.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dominican Republic Citizen Extradited to the United States from the Dominican Republic to Face Drug Trafficking Charges Following a Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Dominican authorities extradited Fidel Antonio Knight-Cerda to the United States to face drug trafficking and money laundering charges filed in the District of Puerto Rico, announced Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The defendant was arrested in the Dominican Republic on July 8, 2026, and extradited to Puerto Rico on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
“This extradition is another important step towards the total elimination of international drug cartels and demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners, and the cooperation of the Dominican authorities, to work together to bring international drug traffickers to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ramírez-Carbó. “We will continue to maximize our multi-agency efforts to disrupt and dismantle international drug cartels that poison our streets and communities with dangerous drugs by smuggling these into Puerto Rico and the continental United States.”
“Today’s action underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing transnational criminal actors wherever they operate. Working alongside our partners, we will continue to dismantle networks that threaten the safety and stability of our communities,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “This extradition demonstrates that no distance, no alliance, and no criminal infrastructure will shield individuals from accountability. We will remain relentless until every member of these organizations faces justice.”
On September 7, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Knight-Cerda with international conspiracy to distribute cocaine, international distribution of cocaine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering derived from specified unlawful activity – drug trafficking. Knight-Cerda facilitated drug trafficking and money laundering activity between La Romana, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, through cryptocurrency.
According to the superseding indictment, since at least February of 2022, Knight-Cerda conspired to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine intending, knowing, and having reasonable cause to believe that it would be imported into the United States. The indictment also charges that Knight- Cerda conspired to commit money laundering derived from drug trafficking since no later than March 17, 2021.
Specifically, the indictment states that on or about March 17, 2021, Knight-Cerda and another co-conspirator directed the delivery of approximately $400,000 in U.S. currency – the product of drug trafficking -- to an individual in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who converted the drug proceeds to cryptocurrency. On or about March 24, 2021, Knight-Cerda and another co-conspirator directed the delivery of approximately $2,000,000 in U.S. currency / drug proceeds to an individual in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who converted the drug proceeds to cryptocurrency.
On September 2, 2026, Knight-Cerda was extradited from the Dominican Republic to San Juan, Puerto Rico following an initiative by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Region 22, located in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI Legal Attaché in Santo Domingo and law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition to the United States of Cerda. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service collaborated during the investigation and arrest of Knight-Cerda.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio L. Pérez-Alonso under the supervision of Chief María L. Montañez-Concepción from the Transnational Organized Crime Section.
If convicted, Knight-Cerda faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug trafficking charges and a sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment for the money laundering charge.
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 San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Creswell Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal Officer and Damaging Federal PropertyRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging a Creswell, Oregon, man after allegedly assaulting a federal officer and damaging the federal building in Eugene, Oregon, last January.
Trenton Alexander Van Zoeren, 19, has been charged with assault of a federal officer involving physical contact, aggravated assault on a federal employee causing bodily injury, and willfully injuring or committing any depredation against property of the United States.
According to court documents, on January 14 and 21, 2026, Van Zoeren damaged a window at the Eugene federal building. On January 28, 2026, Van Zoeren assaulted a Federal Protective Service officer.
Van Zoeren made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. magistrate judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on December 7, 2026.
If convicted, Van Zoeren faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The FBI and Federal Protective Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Harper is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Drug Dealer Arrested for Selling Fentanyl While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Randolph, Mass. man has been arrested for distribution of fentanyl while on supervised release for a prior federal drug conviction.
Christian Collins, 24, was charged by criminal complaint with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The defendant remains in federal custody following a detention hearing that took place this afternoon.
According to the charging documents, Collins allegedly sold fentanyl to a cooperating witness six times between July and August 2026. Collins is currently on supervised release for a prior federal drug trafficking conviction involving fentanyl, for which Collins was sentenced to in 2021 to five years in prison and four years of supervised release.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Randolph, Holbrook, East Bridgewater, Taunton, Fall River, Acushnet, Rochester, Brockton, Boston, Stoughton, Quincy, Ashland and Abington Police Departments; Plymouth County and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments; and Massachusetts Department of Correction. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
City Man Sentenced to Nine and a Half Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking in Southwest PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Nasir Warlow, 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 114 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for committing a gunpoint carjacking in 2024.
The defendant was charged by indictment in March 2025 and pleaded guilty this February to one count of carjacking and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on September 3, 2024, at approximately 5:08 a.m., Warlow and two accomplices, all wearing masks and dressed in black, approached a man parking his silver 2017 Nissan Sentra on the 6700 block of Woodland Avenue.
Warlow came up to the driver’s side, pointed a firearm at the victim, and ordered him out of the car, as the two accomplices approached from the passenger side. The three carjackers then entered the vehicle and fled northbound on 68th Street.
Police officers saw the men traveling in the stolen Nissan near Cobbs Creek Parkway and Baltimore Avenue and initiated a pursuit. The chase ended when Warlow crashed into the front porch of a residence on the 300 block of Horton Street, causing significant damage to both the home and the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.
Cincinnati Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dondre Hudson, 28, of Cincinnati, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 22, 2025, Hudson picked up a package containing methamphetamine in Dunbar, West Virginia, and delivered it to a location in St. Albans. As part of his guilty plea, Hudson admitted that he knew the package contained a controlled substance, that he communicated by cell phone with another individual who directed him where to deliver it, and that the individual was a co-conspirator in a methamphetamine trafficking scheme.
Hudson further admitted that he became aware of and knowingly and intentionally participated in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy prior to August 2025. Hudson assisted the conspiracy by delivering tens of thousands of dollars to a methamphetamine supplier on multiple occasions. Hudson used his cell phone to facilitate drug trafficking offenses during the conspiracy, coordinating with the co-conspirator and the supplier to facilitate the money deliveries.
Hudson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-77.
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Chichester Man Indicted for Operating a $25 Million HawalaRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Ramzi Al-Shawafi, 47, a Chichester resident, was indicted for Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business that moved over $25 million, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Al-Shawafi will appear in federal court on September 16, 2026.
According to the indictment, for several years Al-Shawafi operated a “hawala” and worked with individuals in Yemen to coordinate the transfer of money between the United States and Yemen. A hawala is a type of informal money transfer system that uses a network of agents to transfer money across international borders without using the banking system, typically to circumvent banking laws and regulations.
Al-Shawafi operated dozens of bank accounts across many financial institutions over the last few years. The bank accounts were in the names of businesses he directly or indirectly controlled, including but not limited to Razl Trading, RA Broker, and several convenience stores. Al-Shawafi used these accounts to move over $25 million to Yemen.
The charge of Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business provides a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigations are leading the investigation. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Indicted and Detained for Multi-Million Dollar Covid-19 Loan and Commercial Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Monday, Rodney Rosenstein, 58, of Huntington Beach, California, was ordered detained pending trial for his involvement in multiple fraud schemes. Earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Rosenstein for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit False Statements to Influence a Financial Institution.
The indictment alleges that Rosenstein and other co-conspirators obtained approximately $2.9 million from 15 fraudulent loans under the Paycheck Protection Program’s Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act. Rosenstein and his co-conspirators obtained such loans using fake employment tax and W-2 forms. The co-conspirators also submitted fraudulent payroll documentation and other false statements to receive loan forgiveness. According to the indictment, Rosenstein and his co-conspirators obtained another $35 million in loans by using fake “rent roll” documents and other false statements in a commercial loan fraud scheme.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit False Statement to Influence a Financial Institution carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-04213-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-151_Rosenstein# # #
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.Burlington Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington, Iowa man was sentenced on September 1, 2026, to 78 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, between August 2025, and November 2025, Stone Thomas Graham, 26, possessed at least three firearms. Graham is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result of a conviction stemming from an incident in November 2019, during which he discharged at firearm at other people, including police officers. Graham was granted parole for the state offense in May 2024 and discharged from that parole in August 2025, days before he possessed firearms. One of the firearms Graham possessed in 2025 was the same pump-action shotgun he possessed in November 2019.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Graham will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles:
- rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders;
- strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and
- accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies.
These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Buffalo man going to prison for defrauding SSA out of tens of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John Vincent Ridgeway, 76, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of failure to disclose an event impacting eligibility for supplemental security income benefits, was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
In January 1974, Ridgeway began receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), based upon his representation that he is disabled and does not own countable resources exceeding $2,000 in value. In January 2004, Ridgeway purchased property on Langmeyer Avenue in Buffalo, jointly with his wife. The value of the property at the time exceeded $2,000, which made him ineligible to continue collecting SSI payments. Ridgeway owned the property until March 2017.
Subsequently, in October 2004, Ridgeway purchased property on LaSalle Avenue in Buffalo, using the identity of J.J.R. The value of the property at time of purchase exceeded $2,000, which again made him ineligible to continue collecting SSI payments. Ridgeway owned the property until September 2011. In February 2005, Ridgeway purchased two properties on Northumberland Avenue in Buffalo, the value of which exceeded $2,000. He owned the properties until October 2020, once again making him ineligible to continue collecting SSI payments. In May 2010, Ridgeway purchased a property on Marigold Street in Buffalo, using the identity of his deceased mother. Once again, the value of the property exceeded $2,000. He owned the property until October 2023.
Ridgeway failed to disclose ownership of any of these the properties to the SSA, with the intent to continue fraudulently collecting SSI payments. In June 2021, Ridgeway completed an SSI redetermination with the SSA. On the redetermination form, he stated that he did not own any property and signed it under the following statement: “I understand that anyone who knowingly lies or misrepresents the truth or arranges for someone to knowingly lie or misrepresent the truth is committing a crime which can be punished under Federal law, State law, or both. Everything on this document is the truth as best I know it.” The SSA determined that Ridgeway’s concealment of his resources resulted in an SSI overpayment of $179,276 between February 2004, and October 2023.
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 case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is of the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly, Boston New York Field Division, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice, and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Brian Wood.
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Box Elder man sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl on Rocky BoyRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man who trafficked significant amounts of fentanyl into Montana was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Leonard Allen Parisian, 63, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Parisian was part of a group trafficking fentanyl on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation between 2023 and 2025.
Law enforcement first learned of Parisian’s involvement with the group in spring 2024. An informant told officers that starting in 2020 he supplied fentanyl pills to Parisian’s son, “Little Al.” When Little Al was sent to prison in 2023, the informant began supplying pills to Parisian, known as “Big Al,” who purchased between 3,000 and 6,000 fentanyl pills at a time. Big Al regularly sent couriers out of state to pick up the fentanyl from the informant. In all, the informant estimated that Big Al purchased between 15,000 and 20,000 fentanyl pills for redistribution in Montana.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case. The FBI and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Billings woman sentenced to more than 10 years for trafficking methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings woman who trafficked meth as part of a larger drug ring was sentenced today to 10 years and six months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jamie Lynn Strosky, 46, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Strosky was trafficking meth in Billings as part of the Ray Best drug trafficking ring. Fellow traffickers had identified Strosky in interviews, leading law enforcement to place surveillance on Strosky’s residence in January 2025. For a week they saw other traffickers come and go from the house. During the same time, an additional source identified Strosky as the person supplying their methamphetamine.
Using a warrant, law enforcement searched Strosky’s home on Jan. 22, 2025, and found methamphetamine, plastic baggies, and a scale.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, represented by AUSA Thomas Godfrey, prosecuted the case. The DEA, EMHIDTA, Billings Police Department, and Montana DCI conducted the investigation.
Big Timber man sentenced to 12 years for trafficking methRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Big Timber man who was trafficking meth in western Montana was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jason Karl Smart, 53, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Smart was trafficking large amounts of meth in Montana. Following a tip, law enforcement conducted a search of Smart’s Big Timber home in November 2025. He told agents he had a couple ounces of meth there; investigators found four pounds. He then admitted he had been trafficking over 25 pounds of meth in western Montana.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
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.
Baraboo Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Deandre Dwayne Templeton, 42, Baraboo, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 9 years in federal prison for possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 7 years of supervised release. Templeton pleaded guilty to this charge on June 9, 2026.
In the spring and summer of 2025, the Sauk County Drug Task Force identified Templeton as a leader of a group selling heroin and fentanyl in Sauk County. From April through June 2025, investigators purchased quantities of heroin and/or fentanyl from Templeton and his associates on many occasions. On July 30, 2025, Templeton drove to Chicago, Illinois, to pick up additional heroin/fentanyl for distribution. When Templeton returned to his apartment in Baraboo, law enforcement officers placed him under arrest and searched his vehicle. Inside, officers found 174 grams of heroin/fentanyl in a backpack.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that Templeton was involved in significant drug trafficking and played a leadership role in the group. In determining an appropriate sentence, Judge Peterson highlighted that Templeton had a fairly aggravated criminal history, which included convictions for drug trafficking, weapons, and some violence.
The charge against Templeton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Sauk County Drug Task Force; the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office; the Baraboo, Lake Delton, and Reedsburg Police Departments; the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Sauk County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Remington and Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Armed Drug Trafficker with Machinegun Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Michael Devante Curry (31, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to 60 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and two counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. A federal jury found Curry guilty on May 29, 2026. The court also ordered Curry to forfeit the firearms and assorted rounds of ammunition used in the commission of the offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from at least January through June 2025, Curry conspired with others to possess methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana. On June 1, 2025, officers from the Tampa Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence and found Curry hiding in a kitchen cabinet with fentanyl in his pocket and more than $3,000 in cash. Ultimately, officers located nine firearms, including one equipped with a machinegun conversion device that rendered it a fully automatic weapon. They also seized methamphetamine, crack cocaine, oxycodone pills, an assortment of ammunition, a bullet proof vest, and firearm accessories, including drum magazines.
Agents seized multiple cellphones attributed to Curry and later obtained warrants to search these devices and Curry’s iCloud account. Contained within these records were extensive messages in which Curry discussed distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana within the Tampa area from January through June 2025. In addition, Curry was documented in photographs and videos possessing multiple firearms, some of which were equipped with machinegun conversion devices.
Prior to the offense, Curry had an extensive criminal history, including felony convictions for possession of cocaine, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christian Adkins, James C. Preston, and Jeff Chang.
This case is part of 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.
Arizona man sentenced to a decade in prison after he attempted to coerce a teenage girl into sexRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Arizona man who made numerous sexual advances to a teenage girl was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Manuel Flores, 72, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Flores tried to coerce a 15-year-old Montana girl into a sexual relationship while she was living in his house in Arizona and after she returned home. The girl was the daughter of a family friend; Flores had known her for several years. In June 2024, he arranged for the girl to travel from Montana to his home in Arizona to spend the summer.
While in his home, Flores texted the girl regarding his sexual interest in her. The girl rejected Flores’ advances and returned to Montana at the end of the summer. However, Flores continued to text the girl, with many of these messages repeating and furthering the sexual advances he had sent over the summer. At times, he encouraged the girl to return to Arizona so that they could be together romantically.
The girl told her mother about Flores’s behavior and the mom contacted law enforcement. Agents took over the girl’s account and posed as the girl in further communication with Flores, who continued to message. In a string of texts, Flores requested in graphic detail nude photos of the girl and told her he would fly to Montana and not return to Arizona until he had her with him. Flores flew to Montana on Aug. 18, 2025, and was arrested by law enforcement when he landed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Aneth Woman Indicted for Physically Abusing Her Twin BabiesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging the mother of twin three-month-old babies with child abuse charges after they were flown to Primary Children’s Hospital (PCH) from Blanding for severe injuries including a broken arm, multiple fractures and a severe brain hemorrhage, all allegedly caused by their mother who was their full-time caretaker.
Fayette Whitehorse, 27, of Aneth, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on August 26, 2026.
According to court documents, on August 24, 2026, the victims, who are twin siblings born May 18, 2026, were life-flighted from Blue Mountain Hospital located in Blanding, Utah, to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. The parents of the victims went to the hospital because one of the babies had a limp arm that caused her to cry out in pain. An x-ray was conducted on the baby’s arm, and she was diagnosed with a broken humerus. In the same x-ray, medical providers also noticed a fractured rib. Later testing showed that the baby girl also had a fractured knee. Based on her injuries, her twin brother was also screened and tested for injuries and a CT scan revealed a significant brain hemorrhage along with a fracture in his radius bone and fractures in different stages of healing on three of his ribs.
Whitehorse is charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse while within Indian Country. A jury trial is scheduled for November 10, 2026, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Monticello Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tanner Zumwalt and Sam Pead are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alien smuggler lands decades in prison for conspiracy spanning 15 months that left three deadRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to prison for his role in a long-term alien smuggling scheme that involved several high-speed pursuits.
Jose Manuel Silva-Lopez pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered him to serve 360 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also imposed a $10,000 special assessment. At the hearing, the court heard that Silva-Lopez created a risk of death or serious bodily injury by recruiting teenage drivers and instructing them to engage in high-speed pursuits from law enforcement. The court also heard that Silva-Lopez showed no remorse after the fatality event that claimed the life of three, including the minor driver, because he continued to recruit juvenile drivers and instructed them to flee from law enforcement. In handing down the sentence, Judge Tipton noted the risk of vehicular pursuits in alien smuggling events and the role Silva-Lopez played in the three deaths.
The investigation revealed Silva-Lopez had been operating an alien smuggling ring in the Rio Grande Valley as far back as June 2023. He had utilized various social media platforms to recruit drivers, including juveniles as young as 14 years of age.
Silva-Lopez would track the location of the drivers, direct them to pick up points to retrieve aliens who had just crossed the Rio Grande River, and take them to various stash houses across the Rio Grande Valley. During the smuggling events, Silva-Lopez instructed drivers to flee from law enforcement. On two occasions, the load vehicles fled from authorities in high-speed pursuits and ultimately caught on fire. A third pursuit resulted in speeds of over 120 miles per hour.
On Jan. 17, 2024, Silva-Lopez coordinated another smuggling event with a juvenile driver. Authorities observed the driver pick up two aliens from the river and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver fled. Several minutes later, they discovered a crash nearby. The vehicle had lost control around a sharp turn and struck a parked trailer. The driver and two passengers ultimately succumbed to their injuries. During the event, the driver had been on the phone with Silva-Lopez.
Law enforcement determined Silva-Lopez had coordinated at least 21 separate alien smuggling events from June 2023 through September 2024.
To date, a total of 20 drivers have been prosecuted and sentenced.
Silva-Lopez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case.