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20 January 2026
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Almost Three Years for Returning to North CarolinaRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Mexican Illegal alien to nearly 3 years in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction. On January 23, 2025, Adelfo Bahena-Rojel pleaded guilty to the crimes.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Bahena-Rojel entered the United States illegally from Mexico in the late 1990s. Over the past twenty-five years, Bahena-Rojel has amassed a long history of run-ins with local law enforcement ICE which deported him three times.
“This Mexican illegal alien rapes young girls and repeatedly sneaks back into North Carolina. We don’t need illegal alien child rapists in North Carolina. He better stay this time. Thank you to the law enforcement officers who found him, arrested him, and will deport him as soon as his prison term ends.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
In 2023, after Bahena-Rojel illegally entered the United States for a fourth time, he engaged in sexual acts with a child under 13 years old, and state prosecutors in Harnett County convicted him for these crimes. Based on that conviction, the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted Bahena-Rojel for Illegal Reentry of a Previously Removed Alien. After he served his prison sentences, ICE removed Bahena-Rojel to Mexico again in August 2024. By November 2024, law enforcement determined Bahena-Rojel had returned to North Carolina for a fifth time. They arrested him.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, and ICE investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-31-M-RJ.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cesar Briseno Mauricio, age 26, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Love County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Mauricio, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on March 18, 2020.
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 Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Mauricio will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kristopher D. Osborne, 48, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2025, a law enforcement officer encountered Osborne riding a bicycle in the area of Third Street in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Osborne admitted that he tried to flee when the officer attempted to make contact with him and wrecked the bicycle. Osborne further admitted that he told officers who approached him after the wreck that he had a firearm and that he was a felon. Officers seized a loaded Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol from Osborne’s waistband.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Osborne knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for grand larceny, attempted possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit a felony in Raleigh County Circuit Court on August 30, 2022.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-43.
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Hugo Resident Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered Firearms and Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Chayse Anthony Beard, age 24, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, and 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Durant Police Department.
On March 20, 2025, Beard pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on July 17, 2024, law enforcement discovered Beard in possession of two short-barreled firearms, neither of which were registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Beard also possessed over 400 visual depictions of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cell phone.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Beard will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Satter and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Houston Man Indicted in Fayetteville for Selling Designer Drugs Around the WorldRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury indicted Miqual Antwan Dysheen Spivey for the crimes of selling the designer drug MDMB-4en-PINACA, conspiring with others to possess and sell the drug, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Spivey, 27, owned and operated Bummy Legion, a Texas company that sells liquids intended for use in electronic vaporizers (often called “vape juices”). The indictment alleges that Spivey sold Bummy Legion’s vape juices through the company’s website and shipped them from post offices in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Although Bummy Legion’s website marketed the vape juices as derived from “organic blue lotus and valerian root,” the indictment alleges that the true active ingredient was the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA. PINACA is a dangerous Schedule I controlled substance which, according to the DEA, “has been associated with numerous reports of emergency [room visits], severe intoxication, and death.”
The indictment also charges Spivey with ten separate violations of the money-laundering statutes, each representing a separate transaction of over $10,000 with the proceeds of his allegedly illicit sales. As alleged in the indictment, those transactions ranged in value from $11,324.75 to $233,779.84. Other information presented in court indicates that Spivey made nearly $5 million through online sales of Bummy Legion vape juices in the two years since PINACA was placed on Schedule I.
“This defendant took dangerous and unregulated vaping products and falsely marketed them as safe to use, putting children and unknowing vape users at risk of severe intoxication and death,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The distribution of illicit vaping products is a national security and public health issue that this Department of Justice will continue to prioritize, combat, and eradicate.”
“Families need to know that a vape product is not safe just because strangers sell it online or in a store front,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “These products can effectively rot your lungs from the inside out. Unregulated manufacturers can sell dangerous vape products with zero quality control or regulation. Our office will continue to focus on preventing children from using dangerous products.”
According to information presented at Spivey’s detention hearing, law enforcement executed five search warrants on January 13, 2026, three in Houston, Texas, and two in in Fayetteville, North Carolina. These search warrants resulted in the seizure of four guns, 715 gallons of suspected liquid PINACA, and approximately $40,000 US currency.
“Illegal vape products frequently target young and vulnerable consumers through online sales and misleading marketing,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “As part of DEA Fentanyl Free America Initiative, this indictment reflects our commitment to protecting our communities and preventing unlawful products from reaching our communities.”
The federal grand jury charged Spivey with conspiracy to sell and possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance, seven counts of selling a Schedule I controlled substance, and ten counts of engaging in monetary transactions of a value over $10,000 with the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each drug offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each money-laundering offense.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of the Army, Criminal Investigation Division, Fayetteville Police Department, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons supervised the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cogburn is prosecuting the case.
This is an ongoing investigation. If you have information regarding purchases from Bummy Legion, possible adverse side effects, or other useful information, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip or Army CID at www.cid.army.mil/tips.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran National illegally residing the Springfield, Missouri, area, was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien after subsequently being convicted of a prior felony crime.
Rubin Arturo Pinot-Banegas, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 10 months imprisonment without parole followed by one year of supervised release.
On June 27, 2025, Nixa Police Department officers responded to a traffic accident involving a two-car collision. Officers contacted five Honduran nationals, who had been involved in the traffic collision. The defendant, Pinot-Banegas, provided local officers with his name. Identity documents were then obtained by law enforcement, and it was determined that Pinot-Banegas had a Honduran passport, but did not have documents showing that he was legally within the United States. Department of Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE) Agents responded and determined that Pinot-Banegas was illegally in the United States after having been removed four time before – once in 2007, once in 2009, once in 2015, and once in 2017.
Pinot-Banegas had been convicted of domestic battery, as well as a misdemeanor conviction for illegally entering the United States in 2015, and a felony conviction for illegally entering the United States after being previously deported in 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Nixa, 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.
Honduran Citizen Residing Illegally in Greenbrier County Pleads Guilty to Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jorge Elpidio Erazo-Jimenez, 35, a Honduran citizen living illegally in Lewisburg, pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Erazo-Jimenez and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2025, law enforcement officers filed an ICE detainer for Erazo-Jimenez following his incarceration at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver on state-level criminal charges. Erazo-Jimenez later pleaded guilty to domestic battery in Greenbrier County Circuit Court. ICE agents confirmed that Erazo-Jimenez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States twice, on December 19, 2011, after he was found near Sarita, Texas, and on December 9, 2016, after he was found near Roma, Texas.
Erazo-Jimenez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Erazo-Jimenez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
Erazo-Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and up to one year of supervised release. Erazo-Jimenez will be subject to deportation proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-180.
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Hickory Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Hickory man was sentenced today in federal court after pleading guilty to carjacking and aiding and abetting, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso ordered Marcus Mayfield, 32, to serve 100 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents and court proceedings, on January 11, 2023, Mayfield and his co-conspirator, Kaionta Dabney, were driving together when they began to follow a Dodge Hellcat driven by R.P., who owned the vehicle. When R.P. parked and exited his vehicle, Dabney and Mayfield approached the victim on foot. Mayfield brandished a firearm and held R.P. at gunpoint, while Dabney took the victim’s car key. While Mayfield continued to hold R.P. at gunpoint, Dabney got in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Mayfield then got into the passenger seat and the two drove away. Court records show that Mayfield later recorded videos of himself posing with the stolen vehicle.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Orso ordered Mayfield’s federal sentence to be served in addition to a 14-year state term of imprisonment for Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the ATF and CMPD for the investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Health Care Executive Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme in VermontRead the Press Release
A Florida businesswoman pleaded guilty today to an information in the District of Vermont for participating in a conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks.
According to court documents, Evelyn Herrera, 62, of Loxahatchee, Florida, owned a durable medical equipment company called Merida Medical Supplies Inc. (Merida). After obtaining the identities of individuals residing in Vermont, across New England, and elsewhere in the United States, Herrera, using Merida, submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for wrist, knee, and back braces that were never requested or received by patients. In total, Merida fraudulently billed Medicare approximately $6.5 million, and Medicare paid Merida approximately $2.8 million based on those claims.
As part of the scheme, Herrera tried to hide the source of the funds generated fraudulently by Merida. For example, she transferred more than $300,000 in fraud proceeds to a cryptocurrency exchange and sent another $125,000 of illicit funds via international wire transactions for the purchase of a property in Tulum, Mexico. After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a payment suspension letter to Merida for suspected fraud, Herrera withdrew large amounts of cash from a bank and transferred some of the funds to benefit herself and members of her family.
Herrera is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the Department of Health and Human Services, Officer of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah Rocha, Thomas Campbell, and Tiffany Wynn of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Family Hostage Taking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Guatemalan national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 360 months in prison for alien smuggling and hostage taking.
According to court documents, Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo aka “Waches,” 23, was arrested, along with co-conspirator Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya, at an apartment in Austin where nine illegal aliens had been held as part of a human smuggling scheme. Three of the illegal aliens being held were a family consisting of a man, pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child. The day prior to their discovery in Austin, the Eagle Pass Police Department received a report that the family was being held involuntarily and that an alien smuggling organization was demanding a $21,000 payment for the family’s release.
Barrientos-Mateo was named in a six-count indictment on April 24, 2024, and was arrested on May 15, 2024. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking on Nov. 4, 2024.
Castro-Zelaya was sentenced in November 2025 to 180 months in federal prison. All other co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
“Alien smuggling organizations care nothing about the hopes and dreams of those they smuggle,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “When they look at an illegal alien, all they see is a dollar sign. Do not trust them with your life because the only life they really care about is their own.”
Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the Eagle Pass Police Department, Austin Police Department, Houston Police Department and the Comal County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Georgetown Man Arrested for Threatening to “Shoot up” S.C. Airports, Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — According to an arrest warrant unsealed today, Ahmad Z’yiem Guilford, 21, of Georgetown, has been charged with making threats toward numerous aviation-related businesses across South Carolina, and with lying to federal agents about making the threats.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning around November 2025 several local law enforcement authorities began receiving complaints from flight schools and aviation businesses located at airports in Charleston, Georgetown, and Florence. The complainants stated that a caller was utilizing different phone numbers to make violent and graphic threats to both the airports and to the individuals who answered the phone calls. The complainants provided authorities with several recorded calls which demonstrate the threats being made. For example, on or about Nov. 14, 2025, the caller stated that he was going to rape a female employee of a Charleston area flight school who answered his phone call, threatened to “shoot up” the Charleston and Georgetown airports, and taunted authorities stating, “you can’t find me!” Additionally, on or about Dec. 18, 2025, the same individual called a business at the Florence airport and stated that he was going to “shoot that *** up.” He stated that “y’all can’t find me … because I’m making different numbers…” He further stated, “I’m never going to stop doing that ***. I’m going to flood y’alls ***. Watch.”
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force became involved and determined that the threats to all three of the airports were coming from one individual that they identified as Guilford. Investigators learned that he was using websites to generate fictitious cell phone numbers that were used when making the threatening phone calls.
On Dec. 23, 2025, agents went to Guilford’s house, which was located near the Georgetown airport, to interview him. According to the complaint, Guilford admitted to having an issue with the noise created by airplanes flying over his residence and stated that he travelled to the Georgetown airport and revved his engine in retaliation for the noise, but he denied making the threatening phone calls. Agents recognized, however, that his voice and speech patterns appeared to match the recorded calls, and he admitted that it sounded like his voice on the phone.
Guilford is currently charged with making interstate threats and making false statements to a federal agent. He made an initial appearance in federal court in Florence on Jan. 20 and is currently detained pending further proceedings in this matter. A detention hearing has been set for Jan. 23 at 10:30 a.m. He faces up to five years in federal prison as to each violation if he is convicted.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with support from Georgetown Country Sheriff’s Office, Georgetown Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, Florence Regional Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Gas Pipeline Operator Settles Federal Allegations of Regulatory Violations Leading to Employee Death for $1.4 MillionRead the Press Release
A gas pipeline operator has agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve allegations that its violations of federal pipeline safety regulations resulted in the death of a company employee, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
In April 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties under the Pipeline Safety Act against Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co., LP (“PEPL”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Texas-based Energy Transfer, LP. In its complaint, the United States alleged that PEPL violated pipeline safety regulations requiring it to follow its manual of written procedures for conducting operations and maintenance activities in four areas in connection with a fatal incident at the company’s Borchers Station near Meade, Kansas in March 2020. As alleged in the complaint, PEPL’s violations caused a pipeline cleaning pig to be ejected from a partially-pressurized receiver barrel during maintenance activities at the station, which struck and ultimately killed a PEPL employee. A pipeline cleaning pig is an industry term for a cylindrical object that travels through the pipeline, removing deposits and contaminants like scale or rust.
“This settlement reflects our commitment to impose accountability in regulatory matters,” said United States Attorney Ryan Raybould. “The outcome here illustrates the importance and necessity of compliance and appropriate enforcement actions to prevent and address tragic circumstances such as those alleged in this case.”“Safety and enforcement go hand in hand,” said PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti. “The complaint alleged that the company’s failure to follow the rules led to an employee’s death. We will not let operators escape accountability in cases like this one and will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure our nation’s energy infrastructure is safe.”
Per the terms of a civil settlement executed with the Department of Justice on December 31, 2025, PEPL agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve the allegations in the complaint. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination or admission of liability.This pipeline safety enforcement case was investigated and handled by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration before it was referred to the Department of Justice for resolution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurabh Sharad of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas handled this matter on behalf of the Department of Justice.
Four Hudson County Pharmacies Pay $4.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Billing for Drugs Not DispensedRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four pharmacies located in West New York, Bayonne, Union City, and Jersey City have agreed to pay $4,325,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing federal health care programs for medications never dispensed, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.
According to the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreements, inventory records showed that the below pharmacies did not purchase enough medications from wholesalers to fill the prescriptions billed to the federal health care programs.
- Pan American Inc. agreed to pay $3,100,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 25, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs Pan American never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- St. Mina and St. Moses Pharmacy d/b/a Well Care Pharmacy agreed to pay $490,000 to resolve allegations that from May 31, 2016 through March 1, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs the pharmacies never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- Farmacia Latina Corp. agreed to pay $375,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 24, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs Farmacia Latina never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- Perfect Care Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $360,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 25, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs Perfect Care never dispensed to beneficiaries.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kruti Dharia and Robert Toll of the Health Care Fraud & Opioids Enforcement Unit.
The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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farmacialatina.agreement.pdf panamerican.agreement.pdf perfectcare.agreement.pdf wellcare.agreement.pdfFormer Wisconsin Prison Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit BriberyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 15, 2026, Luz Naranjo (age: 46) of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal programs bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 666(a)(1)(B).
According to court documents, Naranjo, a former correctional officer at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), received two bribe payments of $3,000 for smuggling contraband—including tobacco, cellular phones, and controlled substances—into WCI for an inmate.
Naranjo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary J. Corey and Kevin C. Knight for the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen, of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, substantially contributed to the investigation.
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Former State Employee Sentenced for Providing K2-Laced Papers to a Federal Prison InmateRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bridgewater, Mass. woman was sentenced on Jan. 16, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for providing a controlled substance in the form of a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” to an inmate at the federal prison FMC Devens. The inmate was granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025, reducing his 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution.
Tasha Hammock, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to three years of probation. The government recommended a sentence of 12 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2025, Hammock pleaded guilty to providing contraband to a federal prison inmate, Raymond Gaines. In March 2025, Hammock and Gaines were charged by criminal complaint. Gaines, an inmate at FMC Devens, was indicted by a federal grand jury with possessing contraband by a prison inmate.
In February 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time Gaines committed the alleged offenses charged, he was on federal supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. In both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston.
On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his federal sentence to five years in prison.
Hammock admitted that on Aug. 18, 2024, while visiting Gaines in prison, she surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he allegedly pocketed. At the time, Hammock was employed with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
As described in court documents, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; and Ryan Geach, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Regional Office of DOJ-OIG, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Special Investigative Services Unit at FMC Devens. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Former Madera County Welfare Benefits Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Identities and Benefits in Years-Long SchemeRead the Press Release
Former Madera County benefits eligibility worker Leticia Mariscal, 55, of Madera, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft for stealing identities and fraudulently obtaining CalFresh benefits in their names, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.
CalFresh, formerly known as a “food stamp” program, provides qualifying California residents with monetary benefits to help them purchase food. The benefits are funded by the federal government, while the administrative costs for running the program are shared among federal, state, and local governments.
According to court records, between July 2022 and June 2025, Mariscal improperly used county databases to which she had access through her job to obtain identifying information for individuals who either were not United States citizens, were elderly, or were deceased. She then secretly approved these individuals to receive or continue receiving CalFresh benefits, printed EBT cards in their names with the benefits deposited thereon and spent the money on herself and her family members.
For example, for the individuals who were not United States citizens, Mariscal would obtain their identifying information, contact them, and falsely inform them that they had to provide the county with certain immigration records to continue receiving benefits. She took these steps so that these individuals would fear suffering immigration consequences if they tried to continue receiving benefits and would stop using them. She would then take the benefits for herself.
Altogether, Mariscal stole more than $40,000 from more than 15 people.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Madera County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Arelis Clemente are prosecuting the case.
Mariscal is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Mariscal faces a statutorily required sentence of two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Former Executive of Defunct Satellite Start-Up Pleads Guilty in $250 Million Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Fargnoli, 61, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a multi-year scheme to defraud investors and lenders out of approximately $250 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Fargnoli is one of five former principals of the now-defunct Theia Group, a DC-based aerospace start-up company. He pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud before Judge Royce C. Lamberth.
Fargnoli, who served as Theia Group’s Chief Technology Officer, is the first defendant to plead guilty in the case. The four additional Theia Group defendants include executives Erlend Olson, John Gallagher, Stephen Buscher, and Jamil Swati, who each face similar charges. Olson is additionally charged with evading more than $3.9 million in personal federal income taxes.
According to court documents, Theia planned to launch 112 satellites starting in 2022 at a cost of $10 billion to $15 billion. Theia’s principals originally planned to raise the requisite funds from various nation-states by promising perpetual data and analytics for an upfront cost of $2 billion. However, from Theia’s founding in 2015 through its placement into receivership in 2021, Theia was unsuccessful in obtaining any funding from nation-states. Instead, Theia obtained approximately $250 million in loans and investments that Theia’s principals induced by fraud.
The fraud scheme allegedly included materially false statements about revenue from non-existent government contracts, provision of multiple false financial statements, including a fake $6 billion escrow account statement, and false representations about Theia’s technical capabilities.
This case is being investigated by the Justice Department’s Tax Division, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca G. Ross and Jolie F. Zimmerman and Trial Attorney Alexis Hughes of the Tax Division.
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Former Church Intern Sentenced for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Sand Springs man was sentenced for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Terence Kern sentenced Austin Ryder Sewell, 25, to 174 months imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Upon his release, Sewell will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Kern further ordered
Sewell to pay $15,500 in restitution. That money goes directly to the victims identified in the child sexual abuse material that Sewell possessed.Court records show that between March and July 2025, the social media application, Kik, submitted more than 10 cyber tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The reports indicated that Sewell was sharing videos that contained the sexual abuse of children. The investigation showed that Sewell had multiple Kik accounts and had been encouraging others to join chat groups focused on exchanging child pornography. During the investigation, law enforcement found that Sewell’s Facebook profile identified him as an intern at a church in Tulsa.
Law enforcement found several chats on Kik where Sewell discussed sexual interest in children with other users.
Among those chats, they found more than 98 videos and 24 images showing children, infants, and toddlers being sexually abused. The child sexual abuse material found was sent to NCMEC’s Child Victim Identification Program. They helped identify at least five known victims.Sewell will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert 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.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Croix Man of Maintaining A Drug-Involved PremiseRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that on January 14, 2026, a federal jury convicted Mikey Luke, 52, of St. Croix, of maintaining a drug-involved premise.
At trial, federal and local law enforcement officers testified that, on September 28, 2021, officers with the Virgin Islands Police Department were dispatched to Anna’s Hope, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands. While responding to the call, officers observed marijuana plants outside of the residence. A subsequent search of the residence revealed marijuana plants throughout a studio apartment. The studio was outfitted with multiple fans, air conditioning vents, strings, and lights to aid in the cultivation of the plants. Additional marijuana plants were located throughout the property. Plants were observed at various stages of growth, from seedlings to mature plants. The residence was also equipped with pots, soil, and gardening equipment. A total of 138 plants were seized.
During an interview with law enforcement officers, Luke admitted that he owned the residence and that the marijuana plants belonged to him. Luke also admitted that he had been growing marijuana plants for over 10 years.
The offense of maintaining a drug-involved premise carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Baker prosecuted the case.Fifteen-Year Sentence for Marianna Man in Methamphetamine Distribution and Prison Contraband ConvictionsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Bertram Jerrell Williams, 50, of Marianna, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on April 16, 2025, and pleading guilty to possession of contraband by a federal prisoner on November 13, 2025. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I commend the outstanding work by our federal law enforcement partners to stop this offender from flooding our communities with deadly poison, and his subsequent attempt to smuggle drugs into federal prison. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have made a promise through Operation Take Back America to deploy the full power of the Department of Justice to incapacitate the drug traffickers flooding our streets with poison, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this to fulfill that promise.”
According to court records, on March 7, 2024, the defendant sold over 80 grams of methamphetamine during an undercover law enforcement operation. The defendant was taken into federal custody for that offense in July 2024. While he was held at the Federal Detention Center in Tallahassee, Florida, the defendant was caught attempting to smuggle drug contraband into the facility after a visitation session he had on April 13, 2025. Bureau of Prison (BOP) staff searched the defendant’s left boot, where they discovered two, cylinder shaped plastic tubes that were found to contain marijuana and synthetic marijuana.
“Not only does methamphetamine destroy an individual’s health, it destroys families and communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt. “We’ve made numerous seizures of this poison—particularly in the Pan Handle region of Florida. We will not stop until these criminals are brought to justice.”
The convictions and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Welch and Jessica Etherton.
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, human and drug trafficking.
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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Duquesne Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of imprisonment following his conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Gerald Ford III, 25, on January 15, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, officers from the Munhall Police Department encountered Ford in a convenience store on July 19, 2024, at which time, Ford was the subject of an active arrest warrant on charges related to trafficking fentanyl. When officers took Ford into custody pursuant to that warrant, the officers discovered a Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine tucked into the waistband of Ford’s pants.
Ford has previously been convicted of several felonies, including having pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute heroin in September of 2019, for which he was sentenced in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas to a term of probation. He also unlawfully possessed a firearm in that case. Additionally, on the same date, Ford pleaded guilty in a separate case to possessing heroin, fentanyl, and tramadol (an opioid analgesic), and similarly received a sentence of probation in that matter. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
During Ford’s sentencing hearing, the Court also was informed that the firearm that Ford unlawfully possessed on July 19, 2024, was test-fired by the Allegheny County Crime Lab and that ballistic examination established that the weapon had been used in a homicide that occurred on May 17, 2024. The Court also received evidence establishing that the defendant had been involved in a shooting on June 3, 2024, in which Ford again illegally possessed a gun and fired it while walking near Maple Street and 18th Avenue in Munhall.
Assistant United States Attorney Barbara K. Doolittle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and the Munhall Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ford.
District of Arizona Charges 136 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Jan.10 through Jan. 16, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 136 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 76 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 39 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 19 cases against 21 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Elias Alfonso Diaz-Martinez. Diaz-Martinez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, Jan. 12, 2026. A deputy with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office observed a car traveling 85 mph in a 75-mph speed zone westbound on I-10 and initiated a traffic stop for speeding, failure to maintain a lane, and an unsecured license plate. The deputy requested identification from the driver, later identified as Diaz-Martinez, and the front seat passenger. The deputy noticed dirt and grass covered the passenger’s floorboard, indicating a potential human smuggling event. Immigration checks confirmed that Diaz-Martinez is a citizen of Venezuela, and the passenger is a citizen of Mexico, both unlawfully present in the United States. 26-8001MJ – Phoenix.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-005_January 20 Immigration Enforcement
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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.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine from MexicoRead the Press Release
A Dallas man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine he received from Mexico, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
“Ejecting transnational drug traffickers from our streets is critical to protecting North Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This criminal spilled poison into our communities in exchange for money. All credit for the conviction and 40-year prison sentence goes to our heroes in law enforcement and our line prosecutor, who worked in close collaboration with the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force.”
“The sentence of Mr. Mejia-Mendoza sends clear message to drug traffickers that they will be held accountable for the distribution of poisonous drugs and violence in North Texas,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Division. “This investigation demonstrates what coordinated, intelligence-driven, law enforcement can accomplish. The men and women of DEA and our partners remain committed to pursuing and dismantling foreign terrorist organizations that endanger Americans.”
“This lengthy sentence is another success for the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force. Our collective effort resulted in a member of a transnational criminal organization being held accountable for trafficking narcotics into the Dallas area,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
Orlando Gerardo Mejia-Mendoza, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty in June 2025, to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, in 2023, Mejia-Mendoza was receiving shipments of liquid methamphetamine from Mexico. Some of the shipments involved as much as 20 to 25 kilograms of methamphetamine at a time, for which Mejia-Mendoza paid $1,800 per kilogram. Court documents reflect that one Dallas apartment used by Mejia-Mendoza contained an active methamphetamine conversion laboratory used to convert methamphetamine from its liquid form to crystal methamphetamine. Agents found methamphetamine in various stages of conversion scattered about the apartment. In another apartment used by Meji-Mendoza, agents found multiple guns and cash.
On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown sentenced Mejia-Mendoza to 480 months in federal prison.This case 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.
Dallas HSTF comprises agents from FBI, DEA, and HSI, who were assisted in this investigation by the Dallas Police Department, Coppell Police Department, and the Grand Prairie Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Four Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced Billy Keith Hamilton, 42, of Midfield, Alabama, to 24 months in prison on a supervised release revocation. Hamilton was also sentenced to a consecutive 27 months in prison based on his guilty plea to charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm, resulting in a total of 51 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
According to the plea agreement, on July 13, 2024, a state trooper with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency initiated a traffic stop of Hamilton. The state trooper informed Hamilton that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and asked him to exit the vehicle. Hamilton initially complied, then fled the scene with his minor children in the vehicle. After a chase through several cities, Hamilton arrived at his own neighborhood, abandoned his children and vehicle, and fled on foot into the woods while wearing a backpack. After a short pursuit, Hamilton was apprehended. The state trooper recovered a stolen Springfield XD .45 caliber pistol from Hamilton’s backpack.
ATF investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Keown, Sr. prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joshua Steven Hicks, 43, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 25, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hicks in Hurricane. Hicks admitted that he possessed a Taurus model 709 Slim 9mm pistol that was seized during the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hicks knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of counterfeit obligations of the United States, both in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 29, 2018.
At the time of his current offense, Hicks was on supervised release for his November 29, 2018, convictions. On September 12, 2024, Hicks was sentenced to one year in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hurricane Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-54.
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Canadian Man Charged with Wire Fraud After Falsely Posing as a Commercial Airline PilotRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Dallas Pokornik, 33, of Toronto, Canada, was indicted on October 2, 2025, for wire fraud. Pokornik was arrested in Panama and extradited to the United States.
According to court records, over the course of four years, Pokornik falsely claimed he was an airline pilot and presented a fictitious employee identification card to obtain hundreds of flights at no cost on three different airlines. During the fraudulent scheme, Pokornik requested a jump seat in the cockpit of the aircraft, even though Pokornik was not a pilot and did not have an airman’s certificate.
If convicted, Pokornik faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, plus a term of supervised release.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar is prosecuting the case.
Cambridge Man Charged with Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cambridge man has been arrested on state charges and a federal complaint has issued, charging him with forcing a woman to engage in commercial sex throughout multiple states including Massachusetts, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine.
Daniel Rodriguez, 36, is charged with one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Rodriguez is currently held in state custody and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document Rodriguez allegedly forced a 27-year-old female to engage in commercial sex throughout Massachusetts as well as in Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine. The charging document also alleges that Rodriguez has trafficked multiple women, including one minor, from 2017 until 2026.
It is alleged that Rodriguez began trafficking the victim in 2025. When the victim attempted to leave Rodriguez in early January 2026, Rodriguez allegedly posed as a sex buyer in an attempt to locate her and then required her to return to Boston with him. On Jan. 13, 2026, Rodriguez was allegedly transporting the victim from one hotel to another to engage in commercial sex. After allegedly committing a traffic violation, Rodriguez’s car was stopped by law enforcement. It is alleged that as law enforcement approached the vehicle, Rodriguez sped away. He yelled at the victim, blaming her for the traffic stop and led police on a high-speed pursuit, travelling at over 100 mph. Rodriguez crashed the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving his victim behind and injured. Rodriguez is alleged to have sent an accomplice to pick the victim up from the hospital and advertised her for commercial sex within hours of her hospital discharge. Rodriguez was ultimately arrested in Middleboro, Mass. on a state arrest warrant issued out of the Quincy District Court on Jan. 14, 2026.
The federal complaint alleges that Rodriguez trafficked at least three other women, one of them a minor, in 2017, 2018, and 2023. Rodriguez is alleged to have used violence and threats and made good on his promises to track his victims down if they attempted to leave him.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion carries with it a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five 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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigations; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Riley and Craig Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
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 Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI - United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Shaheel Singh, 25, of California, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III on January 15, 2025, to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were inspecting all checked bags on American Airlines flight 2211 from Miami, FL to St. Croix. During the x-ray examination of one bag, officers noticed images consistent with smuggling narcotics. The defendant’s name was on the baggage tag. CBP officers placed the baggage on the carousel and monitored to see who would retrieve it. The defendant retrieved the baggage, and CBP officers escorted him to an area for further inspection. A physical search of the baggage revealed vacuum-sealed bags containing a green leafy substance. The substance tested positive for marijuana with a total weight of approximately 10.6 kilograms.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.Brookhaven Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Brookhaven man was sentenced on January 13, 2026, to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay $928,500 in restitution for defrauding investors.
According to court documents, David Tiler Castillo, 23, falsely represented to investors that he was in the business of making investments in marketable securities, such as stocks, on behalf of others and obtained $928,500 from those investors. However, Castillo invested only about $3,000 of investors' money and used the remainder for his personal benefit, including the purchase of vehicles.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, and Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service, Mississippi Secretary of State Securities Division, and Mississippi Attorney General's Office Cyber Crime Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Fulcher prosecuted the case.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARQUES ISIAH LINDSAY, 37, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 17, 2023, Bridgeport Police attempted to stop a vehicle in which Lindsay was a passenger in the area of Washington Terrace in Bridgeport. When the vehicle pulled over, Lindsay exited from the back seat and attempted to flee on foot. Lindsay was quickly apprehended and a search of his person revealed a loaded Glock 26 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, another extended magazine, and $420 in cash.
Lindsay’s criminal history spans approximately 20 years and includes felony convictions in state court for drug, robbery, larceny, and other offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Lindsay has been detained since his arrest. On October 1, 2025, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
Brevard County Woman Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Jaime Pelletier (39, Melbourne) has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Pelletier pleaded guilty on October 16, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office used a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of drugs from Pelletier at her home, totaling over 420 grams of pure methamphetamine. A search warrant was then executed at Pelletier’s residence. Upon the arrival of law enforcement, Pelletier began flushing methamphetamine down the toilet. The search warrant resulted in the seizure of additional methamphetamine, digital scales, cutting agents, and other drug processing materials.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Beverly Hills man pleads guilty to over $2 million in pandemic fraud schemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Beverly Hills man pleaded guilty today to an extensive pandemic fraud scheme,
United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr announced.
Jabari Long, 45, entered a guilty plea before Judge Brandy McMillion to wire fraud affecting a financial institution.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations-Detroit and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Detroit Field Office.
According to court records, Long submitted fraudulent loan applications to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for businesses that did not exist. Specifically, Long received $2,187,000 in federal loans for Priceless Preservations Construction, a company that Long claimed had 50 employees and an average monthly payroll of $875,000. In truth, Priceless Preservations Construction had few, if any, employees and little to no payroll expenses.
Long will be sentenced by Judge McMillion on July 28, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment.
The case was investigated by HSI and IRS and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara D. Woodward.
Albany County Felon Sentenced for Receiving Firearms Stolen from Hudson Falls Gun Store and Using the Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kwahpreme Mitchell, age 34, of Watervliet, New York, was sentenced January 9, 2026, to 106 months in federal prison for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James; and Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Mitchell admitted to receiving firearms from Jonathon Combs and Martin Taft that they had stolen from Calamity Jane’s Firearms and Fine Shoes, a federally licensed firearms dealer, in Hudson Falls, New York, on October 21, 2022. In exchange for the stolen firearms, Mitchell agreed to provide Combs and Taft with 150 grams of cocaine, which they intended to distribute. Additionally, on or about October 15, 2022, Mitchell provided Combs with approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine base in exchange for a shotgun. Mitchell could not legally possess firearms, as he had been previously convicted of a New York State felony drug charge.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Mitchell has now been held accountable for his poisoning of our communities with drugs and stolen guns. We again express our appreciation for the collaboration between ATF NY Albany, the NYSP, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and this Office in combating violent crime and keeping our communities safe.”
Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, stated, “This sentence reflects the serious danger posed when stolen firearms are funneled into drug trafficking networks. Mitchell’s actions tied together two violent threats – stolen guns and illegal drugs – putting communities at risk. ATF NY, alongside our state and local partners, remains committed to disrupting firearms trafficking at every point, holding offenders accountable, and preventing stolen guns from being used to fuel further crime and violence.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James stated, “I applaud our law enforcement officials at all levels for their strong police work and dedication to intercepting the trafficking of cocaine and weapons within our communities. The sentencing of Mr. Mitchell sends a clear message that we will find the people responsible for putting illegal substances and firearms in the hands of others. We will remain vigilant alongside our law enforcement partners in keeping these criminals off our streets and to maintain the safety of all New Yorkers.”
Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy stated, “This sentencing sends a clear message—those who target businesses in our county will be held accountable. Through strong collaboration with our law enforcement partners, justice was served, and our commitment to the victims remains unwavering.”
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to begin after Mitchell is released from prison.
NYSP, ATF and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance provided by the Washington and Warren County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Vickey prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
19 January 2026
U.S. Attorney Andrew Benson Provides Statement Regarding Peaceful Protest vs. Unlawful ObstructionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Andrew Benson issued the following statement today:
“Every member of federal law enforcement swears to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. This oath guides the men and women of law enforcement as they fulfill their duty to enforce federal law, including the laws relating to illegal immigration.
The Constitution guarantees the right to peacefully assemble and to protest. These are fundamental rights that form the basis for a free society. What is not protected, however, are acts of violence against other individuals, destruction of property, or obstruction of lawful governmental activity.
In the coming days, if Maine citizens seek to exercise their rights to assemble and protest, it is vital that these protests remain peaceful. Anyone who forcibly assaults or impedes a federal law enforcement officer, willfully destroys government property, or unlawfully obstructs federal law enforcement activity commits a federal crime and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Finally, it is incumbent upon anyone with a public voice—whether that be an elected official, commentator or engaged citizen—to similarly urge peaceful protest and engagement. Divisive, bombastic public statements only inflame the situation and make violence more likely.
Force, intimidation and threats have no place in our public discourse and are contrary to our time-honored tradition in Maine of peaceful civic engagement.”
18 January 2026
Franklin Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding in the Preparation of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 16, 2026, Jahnell Easly, 29, of Franklin, Wisconsin, pled guilty to one count of Aiding in the Preparation of False Tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2).
According to the plea agreement filed in court, Easly worked as a tax preparer who prepared and filed federal tax returns for clients for a fee. For the 2020, 2021, and 2022 tax years, Easly electronically filed approximately 424 federal tax returns with the IRS. Of those, approximately 386 contained indicators and evidence of fraud. Most of the 1040 tax returns filed by Easly on behalf of her clients reported materially false income related to business income and losses, household employee wages, and/or ordinary dividends. They also reported a variety of materially false refundable credits and other payments including sick and family leave credits, child and dependent care credits, fuel tax credits, IRC Section 1341 credits, and/or false income tax withholdings. As a result of Easly’s material misrepresentations, her clients received larger refunds to which they were not entitled, which increased Easly’s commission well beyond what she was entitled to receive. Throughout the course of her scheme, Easly intended a loss to the IRS of approximately $3,499,253, and caused an actual tax loss, based on fraudulent refunds paid, of $1,397,947. As a result of her fraudulent conduct, Easly also obtained approximately $253,712.89 in fees and commissions to which she was not entitled.
Easly faces up to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be sentenced before federal Chief District Court Judge Pamela Pepper on May 21, 2026.
This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Bayside Man Charged with Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 16, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Bradley S. Rose, 41, of Bayside, Wisconsin, with two counts of cyberstalking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2261A, and one count of transmitting interstate threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). Rose appeared in court today for his initial appearance and arraignment.
According to the indictment, Rose used an electronic communication service and system of interstate commerce to engage in a course of conduct that placed two victims in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, and caused, and attempted to cause, substantial emotional distress to the victims. The indictment also alleges that Rose transmitted in interstate commerce a series of Apple iMessages containing a threat to injure one of the same victims.
If convicted, Rose faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Milwaukee Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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16 January 2026
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition.
Gilbert Morin, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for April 23, 2026. In September 2025, Morin was indicted by a federal grand jury.
On May 30, 2025, police responded to a report of a man with a firearm outside of a downtown nightclub. Upon not finding the individual at the scene, officers drove a short distance away and observed a man appearing to be concealing an item in his hand. When police attempted to stop the individual, later idented as Morin, he led police on a foot chase through the Worcester Common behind City Hall. Upon being apprehended, Morin was found to have possessed a Taurus pistol, loaded with ammunition. Morin was previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Morin was arrested and charged in state court on May 30, 2025 and has remained in custody since.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three 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 other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; and Paul Saucier, Chief of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Boston Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, 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.
Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Roland Bennett Rhodes, III, age 55, a resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, for receipt of child pornography.
According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on October 24, 2024, FBI agents served a federal search warrant at Rhodes’ residence in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Pursuant to the warrant, agents seized and later analyzed nineteen electronic devices, which included laptops, hard drives, thumb drives, and a cellular telephone. The forensic analysis uncovered approximately 554 images and 192 videos of child pornography on Rhodes’ devices and showed that he received images of child pornography on multiple occasions in 2024.
FBI – Philadelphia Division, Scranton conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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West Yarmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Funds from Labor UnionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Barnstable County employee pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to embezzling from a labor union.
Kenneth Mattoon, 67, of West Yarmouth, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of labor union assets. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2026.
Between May 2020 and May 2025, Mattoon embezzled funds from the Barnstable Massachusetts Department of Public Works Employees Local Number 3003 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. Mattoon was an officer of the labor union at the time.
The charge of embezzlement from a labor union provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chief Jean Challis, Barnstable Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
Virginia Beach man sentenced to 45 years in prison for auto loan scheme and identity theftRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for defrauding and exploiting numerous victims including romantic partners, credit unions, auto dealers, and even strangers.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dion Lamont Camp, 41, conned numerous women into romantic relationships and leveraged those relationships to obtain fraudulent loans and credit cards. He typically sought out women with good jobs and high credit scores, particularly enlisted U.S. Navy servicemembers. Camp caused six fraudulent loans to be issued from a national credit union in 2020 through 2022 for luxury cars that were never purchased or for which financing was obtained both from a credit union and the car dealership for the same car.
Evidence presented at trial and sentencing showed that his scheme to defraud involved coercing women through repeated sexual, physical, and mental abuse. He used the proceeds of the scheme to buy luxury goods, even though he was over $100,000 in default for child support judgments for his 22 children. His proceeds from the scheme exceeded $1.7 million.
On March 21, 2025, a federal jury convicted Camp on 19 charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false representation of a social security number.
“Dion Camp’s fraudulent scheme inflicted lasting harm on victims who entrusted him with their financial futures,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Victims of identity theft often spend years rebuilding their credit and restoring their financial stability. This sentence demonstrates the seriousness of these crimes and sends a clear message that financial exploitation carries substantial and lasting consequences.”
"Dion Camp preyed on women who were seeking connection and companionship, exploiting their trust to steal their identities and cause lasting financial and emotional harm,” said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “The victims in this case were manipulated through false relationships and left to rebuild their lives after being deceived. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes and affirms that those who abuse trust for personal gain will be held accountable. The FBI remains committed to standing with victims and aggressively pursuing those who commit romance scams and identity fraud.”
Camp obtained an American Express card using a victim’s personal identifying information without her knowledge. He also obtained supplemental American Express cards from the accounts of other victims using the Social Security number of an individual who had never met or had any relationship with Camp.
Camp applied for a property rental in Virginia Beach using a false Social Security number, a fake credit report with a highly inflated credit score, and a false IRS business tax filing that showed that his alleged house flipping business, Camp Investments LLC, made hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-63.
United States Attorney Heekin Praises 2025 AccomplishmentsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today a summary of significant accomplishments made by the Northern District of Florida in 2025. Highlighting the impact of his office’s work, U.S. Attorney Heekin emphasized his continued commitment to advance the priorities of the Department of Justice and protect our communities.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This past year was momentous for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida as we capably answered the calls to action by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi while fulfilling the vital mission of the Department of Justice. Through our work, we have demonstrated our unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the safety and wellbeing of our communities. Of course, we could not have succeeded without the close and lasting partnerships we have with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, which we will further strengthen in 2026 as we strive toward delivering safe streets for our residents.”
The federal case work performed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is divided across three divisions: Criminal, Civil, and Appellate. More information about the Northern District of Florida’s varied responsibilities can found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/usao-ndfl/what-we-do.
The Criminal Division answered the call to action by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi through Operation Take Back America, which marshaled 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, human and drug trafficking. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida made significant strides to deliver justice for our communities poisoned by illegal drugs and plagued by criminal violence, including the following in calendar year 2025:
- 391 criminal defendants charged;
- 293 guilty pleas entered;
- 35 criminal jury trials conducted;
- 984 direct contacts with crime victims, and 9,818 written notifications issued to victims of crime.
The Civil Division represents the interests of the United States in civil litigation, defending federal agencies and workers sued in their official capacity and pursuing affirmative lawsuits to recover monies improperly or fraudulently taken from the federal government. The Division’s Financial Litigation Program also works to enforce criminal and civil monetary judgments and recover restitution owed to ensure criminal defendants do not profit from their crimes. Notable work performed by the Civil Division in 2025 included:
- Zealous representation of federal partners in the 53 newly filed defensive matters;
- Recovery of $1.7 million lost to false claims submitted to the U.S. Government through three settlements of Affirmative Civil Enforcement matters;
- $6.4 million in criminal money judgments collected;
- Nearly $4 million applied toward victim restitution through asset forfeiture restoration;
- More than $1 million distributed to state and local law enforcement partners through the Equitable Sharing Program.
The Appellate Division represents the interests of the United States in appeals filed in criminal cases to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2025, the Appellate Division’s notable accomplishments included:
- 105 appeals filed, which included 93 criminal appeals and 12 civil appeals;
- 113 responses to post-conviction motions filed;
- 80 affirmances of District Court decisions in favor of the Government.
“The substantial accomplishments of 2025 are merely the foundation upon which we will build even greater achievements in 2026,” added U.S. Attorney Heekin. “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have set forth ambitious expectations for the United States Attorneys’ Offices nationwide to deliver safe streets for our residents and rein in fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. The Northern District of Florida is prepared to meet the urgency of the moment. In 2026, we will remain tireless in our pursuit of justice on behalf of our citizens and committed to making the Northern District of Florida the absolute best – and safest – place in America to live, work, and raise a family.”
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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 88 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 88 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On January 9, Alonso Marquez-Arreola, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, the defendant presented false documents to officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry pedestrian lanes. He was most recently removed from the United States on November 11, 2025 through Atlanta, Georgia.
- On January 11, Juan Vizcarra, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to a complaint, when Vizcarra applied for entry to the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection officers observed that he exhibited slurred speech and droopy eyes with an open beer bottle and a bottle of Fireball inside the vehicle. He was referred to secondary inspection. Officers then found a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic firearm with a Beretta magazine and three 9mm rounds in the center console of his vehicle. Vizcarra has several felony convictions, including burglary, vehicle theft and first-degree robbery.
- On January 11, Erick Alexander Becerra-Rocha, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found two undocumented Mexican immigrants in the trunk of the defendant’s car as he attempted to enter the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On January 12, Ernesto Carrillo Jr., a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 60 packages containing 61 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the gas tank of the defendant’s vehicle.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $9,093,573.60 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Dan Bishop announced today that the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) collected $9,093,573.60 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $5,692,558.56 was collected in criminal actions and $3,401,015.04 was collected in civil actions.
The MDNC also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,846,408.74 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $3,107.92 was collected in criminal actions and $1,843,300.82 was collected in civil actions.
In a noteworthy case, the MDNC recovered a total of $1,023,234.24 from Indra Lee Johnson in FY 2025. On April 23, 2025, Johnson was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of Willful Failure to Collect or Pay over Tax in the case of USA v. Johnson, 1:25CR25-1. Johnson was ordered to pay a special assessment of $100.00, restitution of $1,344,925.41, and a fine of $45,000.00. To date, a total of $1,354,876.00 has been collected in the case.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the MDNC, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $3,258,817 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and Department of Treasury Seized Assets Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending January 16, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 60 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 6 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 58 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 18 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for sexual assault, drug trafficking, and prior immigration offenses.
In one significant case, Denis Houston Puente-Rios was charged this week with illegally re-entering the United States and assaulting a female border patrol agent who attempted to arrest him. While the agent was trying to handcuff Defendant, he wrestled with her until they fell to the ground where Defendant pinned her arms to the ground. The agent eventually broke free and struck Defendant with a rock. Defendant has criminal history for a domestic disturbance.
Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border security. During Fiscal Year 2025, 88 El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents were assaulted, down from 103 assaults in Fiscal Year 2024. U.S. Border Patrol is collaborating closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office to ensure that those who assault federal officers are brought to justice. This interagency cooperation is crucial in protecting the men and women who serve on the frontlines of our nation's border security efforts and in deterring future attacks on law enforcement personnel.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller Commends the Confirmation and Swearing-In of Former Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook as District Court Judge for the Western District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE– Alexander C. Van Hook has been confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Western District of Louisiana. This confirmation comes after a long and impactful tenure as a prosecutor and supervisor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. After being sworn in by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter, Mr. Van Hook began his service on the bench on January 13, 2026.
“Alec’s impact on the Office as a manager was profound and lasting, but people will remember him most as a prosecutor’s prosecutor and a lawyer’s lawyer—as someone who exemplifies the qualities that our society demands of its leaders in the criminal justice system,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “I have no doubt that Alec will carry his deep experience and the wisdom he’s gained into this new role in public service, continuing the work of achieving justice for our Louisiana community.”
Mr. Van Hook served in a variety of leadership positions in his 26+ years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Those roles including his leading the office as Acting U.S. Attorney during three separate timespans: from March 2017 to April 2018, from August 2020 to December 2021, and finally from January 2025 through September 2025. Mr. Van Hook also served as the Office’s Deputy Criminal Chief, First Assistant United States Attorney, and Special Counsel to the United States Attorney, as well as a line prosecutor who prosecuted and tried cases for many years.
Mr. Van Hook graduated from Centenary College of Louisiana in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and from Louisiana State University Law School in 1997. After law school, Mr. Van Hook served as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge Tom Stagg in the Western District of Louisiana and then for Judge Henry A. Politz in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals before joining the Office in 1999.
Van Hook, 55, was nominated by President Trump on October 21, 2025, and the United States Senate confirmed his nomination on January 8, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
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CONTACT:
Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
USALAW-News@usdoj.gov
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Tennessee Man Pleads in Hacking U.S. Supreme Court, AmeriCorps, and VA Health SystemRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nicholas Moore, 24, of Springfield, Tennessee, pleaded guilty this morning in U.S. District Court in connection with hacking the electronic filing system of the U.S. Supreme Court at least 25 times and additionally hacking accounts at AmeriCorps and the Veterans Administration Health System, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Moore pleaded guilty to a one count information charging him with fraud activity in connection with computers, a Class A misdemeanor. Moore is eligible for up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 when he is sentenced by Judge Beryl A. Howell on April 17.
According to court documents, the electronic filing system was restricted to authorized users. Between Aug. 29, 2023, and Oct. 22, 2023, Moore accessed the filing system without authorization using the stolen credential of an authorized user over 25 days, sometimes returning to the site multiple times on the same day.
On three occasions, Moore posted screenshots to his Instagram account, @ihackedthegovernment, of his victim’s Supreme Court filing system details including the victim’s name and other information.
Moore also used the stolen credentials of an authorized user of MyAmeriCorps to access a second victim’s AmeriCorps account. Between Aug. 17, 2023, and Oct. 13, 2023, Moore obtained the second victim’s personal information from the AmeriCorps servers. On Oct. 17, 2023, Moore posted that victim’s personal information to the @ihackedthegovernment Instagram account.
Additionally, Moore used the stolen login credentials of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran to access the Department of Veterans Affairs “MyHealthEVet” platform on five days between Sept. 14, 2023, and Oct. 14, 2023. The hack allowed Moore to access the veteran’s private health information including prescribed medications and other intimate data. Moore then posted the veterans' health information to @ihackedthegovernment and boasted about gaining access to the VA’s servers.
This case was investigated by the Supreme Court of the United States Police - Protective Intelligence Unit and the FBI Washington Field Office with assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert and Rami Sibay for the District of Columbia.
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Taos Pueblo Man Sentenced for Killing Indigenous Artist DeAnna Autumn Leaf SuazoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Taos Pueblo man was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in federal prison for the November 2021 killing of his longtime girlfriend, DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, a Taos Pueblo woman, during a domestic-violence incident.
DeAnna’s pictures, paintings, and her book, as displayed in Court.There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, in the early morning hours of November 13, 2021, Santiago Martinez, 33, killed Suazo during an argument outside their shared home on the Taos Pueblo. The couple had been listening to music when DeAnna again expressed her long-stated desire to end their romantic relationship, which she had often done before.
The argument escalated into a physical altercation during which Martinez ripped DeAnna’s gauge earring from her ear and pushed DeAnna out of her car. Rather than disengage, Martinez entered the driver’s seat of DeAnna’s SUV, put her car in gear, and intentionally ran DeAnna over. Martinez then called his family, rather than alerting police, which diminished any chance that DeAnna could have survived. DeAnna died from mechanical asphyxia and blunt trauma caused by being run over.
Martinez later acknowledged that although he had consumed alcohol, he knew what he was doing and knew it was wrong.
DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo was a Diné and Taos Pueblo artist whose work celebrated Indigenous identity, strength, and resilience. Her paintings were exhibited nationwide, including at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. In 2022, the Institute of American Indian Arts established the DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo Memorial Fund to support Indigenous women artists, honoring her life, talent, and lasting impact.
David Gery Suazo David Gery SuazoOn March 28, 2025, Martinez pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary C. Jones and Nora Wilson prosecuted the case.
Southern District of Texas continues its relentless pursuit of border security, charging 319 people with new casesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 318 additional cases have been filed in immigration and border-related matters from Jan. 9-15, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Of those charged, 113 people face illegal entry charges, while another 180 face charges of felony reentry after removal. Many of those charged have prior felony convictions involving narcotics, violent crimes and immigration offenses. An additional 24 people are accused of engaging in human smuggling, while the remaining two face charges related to other immigration crimes.
Among those charged this week are Mexican nationals Carlos Ricardo Lucio-Lucio and Fernando Soto-Guerrero. Criminal complaints allege both men attempted to unlawfully reenter the United States within six months of their most recent removals. The complaints detail that Lucio-Lucio and Soto-Guerrero were previously removed Aug. 1, 2025, and Dec. 29, 2025, respectively. Both allegedly have prior felony convictions for transporting and harboring of illegal aliens. According to court documents, law enforcement discovered both aliens within the United States without any legal authorization.
Another illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Maclovio Esparza-Salas, whom law enforcement allegedly discovered unlawfully in the United States near Roma. According to court documents, he was previously removed Oct. 11, 2024, and has a prior conviction for possession of a weapon.
If convicted of felony illegal reentry after removal as charged, all three face up to 20 years in prison.
In addition to the newly filed cases, Honduran national Jose Castro Orellana received a 54-month federal prison sentence for illegally reentering the United States without authorization. He has prior convictions for domestic violence, evading arrest and illegal reentry. He was first removed in 2012 and illegally returned twice.
Two Mexican nationals in Brownsville and Corpus Christi also received prison sentences for illegal reentry after removal. Gabriel Rodriguez-Martinez received a 60-month federal prison sentence, while Jose de Jesus Galicia-Castillo received 41 months. Both have prior felony convictions for illegal reentry.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
South Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Wire Fraud Conspiracy that Defrauded Victim of Nearly $500,000Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Boston man pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield to participating in a scheme that defrauded a 75-year-old man from Berkshire County, Mass. of approximately $500,000.
Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Feb. 13, 2026. Patel was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 7, 2024 and indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
In early 2024, an elderly Berkshire County resident received a pop-up message on his computer claiming that his computer was frozen and directing him to call the number provided on the computer screen, purportedly associated with Microsoft. The victim’s call was routed to an individual who identified himself as a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Treasury Department and referred to himself “Sam Wilson.” Wilson told the victim that he was involved in a money laundering scheme and instructed the victim to take out the cash from his bank accounts and send the money to the Treasury Department for safekeeping. Wilson directed the victim to place the cash in a taped box with the victim’s own name and address written on it. Wilson then sent couriers to the victim’s home to collect the boxes of cash. Prior to each collection, Wilson had the victim describe the clothes he would be wearing and provided the victim with a “PIN” passcode the couriers were to recite upon pickup.
On or about Oct. 7, 2024, Patel drove from South Boston to North Adams, Mass., for the purpose of retrieving cash from the victim. On that date, Patel spoke with an individual he believed to be the victim and provided the prearranged passcode, before taking possession of the box of cash and driving away. Patel was immediately apprehended.
The investigation remains ongoing. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including elder fraud scams, cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311) Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm EST.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three 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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the North Adams Police Department and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Brown and Dan Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 57 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On January 16, 2026, Verrhontez L. Williams, 40 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Williams was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $168,744.00 in restitution to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
According to documents in the case, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, Williams used other people’s personal identifying information to apply for Indiana unemployment benefits and benefits provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The cash benefits were deposited onto pre-paid debit cards that were mailed to Williams’s house in South Bend. Williams used the debit cards to withdraw cash at banks throughout the city. During the course of Williams’s scheme, at least 23 people’s names were used to apply for benefits totaling $168,744.00.
This case was investigated by the Department of Labor OIG, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.