Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
13 January 2026
Shown White Sentenced to over 24 Years for CarjackingRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On January 13, 2026, Shown White, 45, of Clinton, TN, was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, he will be on supervised release for five years and Judge Varlan ordered him to pay $442,636.13 in restitution to the victims.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, White agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119.
According to the filed plea agreement, White flagged down a waste collection truck for help after he crashed the vehicle he was driving in the vicinity of 549 Henley Street in Knoxville on August 7, 2023. The driver of the waste collection truck stopped in the roadway to assist. Almost immediately, White jumped into the passenger side of the vehicle, held a knife to the driver’s throat, and instructed the driver to head south on Chapman Highway. While the driver was attempting to comply with White’s demands, a struggle ensued which led the driver to jump from the moving vehicle. White took control of the vehicle and continued driving into Sevier County until ultimately crashing the garbage truck into a business located on Dolly Parton Parkway.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Nashville Field Office, made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI, Knoxville Police Department, Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, Sevierville Police Department, and Tennessee Highway Patrol. This investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Wesley Leatham.
Assistant United States Attorney Miriam Johnson represented the United States.
This case is part of the Take Back America Task Force, led by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Sex Offender Living Near School Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A sex offender living near a school in Tulsa was sentenced today for failing to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Mark Joseph Vossler, 53, to 27 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Upon his release, he will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in 1994, Vossler was convicted of sexual battery after he forced a 19-year-old woman to have sex with him while he held the victim down. After pleading guilty, Vossler was sentenced to a five-year deferred sentence and ordered to complete 80 hours of community service. After violating the conditions of probation, Vossler was ordered to serve five years in the Department of Corrections.
In a second sexual assault incident in 2013, Vossler grabbed the victim by the hair while he was driving. He told the victim he had a gun, was a member of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood, and said that he would blow the victim's head off if she did not have sex with him. Vossler pulled the vehicle over and sexually assaulted the victim. He pled guilty to sexual battery in 2015, was ordered to serve five years, and was required to register as a sex offender.
Court records show that Vossler was previously convicted in 2006, 2016, 2020, and 2023 for failing to register as a sex offender. He was federally indicted in August 2025 for failing to register as a sex offender from March through July 2025. Records obtained by the U.S. Marshals show that Vossler was using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and reported that he was homeless. However, after further investigation, marshals located Vossler living in a prohibited apartment in Tulsa near a school.
Vossler will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard prosecuted the case.
St. Amant Man Charged with Interstate Transmission of Extortionate Communication, Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Production of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a five-count indictment charging Dakota Hudson, age 20, of St. Amant, Louisiana, with interstate transmission of extortionate communication, coercion and enticement of a minor, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Hudson pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the Indictment, on or about January 15, 2024, Hudson knowingly, with the intent to extort from another person anything of value, communicated a threat to injure Minor Victim 1.
The Indictment also alleges that from July 1, 2024, and continuing to an exact date unknown, but at least until about May 12, 2025, Hudson knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced Minor Victim 2 to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense. On two different occasions in August and September 2024, Hudson knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced Minor Victim 2 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Lastly, the Indictment alleges that Hudson knowingly possessed material that contained images of child pornography on or about June 20, 2025.
If convicted, Hudson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the interstate transmission of extortionate communication charge, a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each charge of production of child pornography, and a maximum penalty of life in prison on the coercion and enticement of a minor charge. Hudson also faces mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in prison on the coercion and enticement of a minor charge and 15 years in prison on each charge of production of child pornography. Each offense also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and significant periods of supervised release.
"This case is just the latest example of the FBI’s efforts to root out predators who prey on our nation’s children through gaming apps and social media,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI encourages parents to closely monitor the online activity of their children and be aware of warning signs of potentially sinister activity.”
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Anderson.
The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes.”
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
Those arrested as part of Operation Relentless Justice are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI’s Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD’s mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids, https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250306
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Roanoke Man to Serve 165 Months for Role in Drug Robbery, ShootingRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who robbed his one-time roommate for drugs and drug proceeds and later shot and killed someone who attempted to rob him, was sentenced yesterday to 165 months in federal prison.
Damon Tyler Mills, 29, pled guilty in April 2025 to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Those who use firearms to advance the drug trade and commit acts of violence in the Western District of Virginia will face swift and certain accountability in federal court,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci.
“ATF is not only committed to protecting the public from violent criminals like Damon Mills, but also holding others like him fully accountable for their violent criminal acts,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “We are ready- and fully capable- of pursuing anyone who believes that illegally possessing firearms, committing robberies, and taking lives is acceptable behavior in our communities.”
According to court documents, on February 24, 2019, law enforcement responded to an apartment in Roanoke County, Virginia regarding a disturbance involving firearms. Officers arrived on the scene and located victim FC deceased with gunshot wounds to their head and chest. Officers investigated and determined Mills was the shooter.
However, these events began years earlier. Mills was a known drug dealer in Roanoke, distributing marijuana from various locations from at least 2016 through 2019. For several months in early 2018, A.W. and Mills were friends. The two lived together and distributed marijuana together.
In November 2018, A.W. was living in his father’s home after a falling out with Mills. It was nighttime and A.W. was playing video games and waiting for his pregnant girlfriend, D.T. to arrive home from work. Mills and an unidentified accomplice entered the home wearing ski masks and brandishing AR-style firearms and pistols. They beat and bound A.W. and demanded he tell them where his drugs and drug proceeds were. A.W. refused. Mills and his accomplice eventually found $1,300 and an AK-47.
When D.T. arrived home, they threw her on the bed and demanded to know where the drugs and money were located. When she couldn’t provide a sufficient answer, Mills and the second robber took her phone and $100.
Four months later, on February 24, 2019, Mills was hanging out with his friend at his girlfriend’s apartment. Mills had been living there for several months and sold marijuana out of the apartment. Taylor Miles, a marijuana customer of Mills, knocked on the door. Miles came to the door because her boyfriend, F.C. had planned to rob Mills.
F.C. had no personal relationship with the defendant but knew he was likely to have cash and drugs and arranged his girlfriend to set-up the meeting.
Miles knocked on the door, Mills approached the door, armed with a firearm, he opened the door and spoke to Miles. Suddenly, F.C. appeared, racked his pistol, and pointed it at Mills. Mills drew his pistol and fired one shot that struck F.C. in the chest.
F.C. fell to the ground.
Mills stood above him and while F.C. was still moving, Mills shot F.C. in the head, killing him.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roanoke County Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day and Special Assistant United States Attorney John Beamer, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case for the United States.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing over Six Kilograms of Methamphetamine Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced on Jan. 7, 2026 in federal court in Boston for drug possession and distribution charges.
Star Sirikhom, 39, of R.I., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2025, Sirikhom pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 along with five alleged co-conspirators.
In 2019, an investigation began into a Colombia-based money laundering organization that was laundering drug proceeds on behalf of multiple drug trafficking organizations. During surveillance of a residence identified as a possible drug stash location, multiple people were observed entering the location with weighted bags or boxes and exiting with large trash bags, weighted bags, and five-gallon buckets which were placed in vehicles before departing the residence.
In June 2021, Sirikhom was observed entering the stash house carrying a black backpack and exiting six minutes later with the same black backpack, which appeared to be weighted. During a subsequent traffic stop of Sirikhom’s vehicle, the backpack was seized from the trunk and found to contain over six kilograms of orange pills containing methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Repeat offender sentenced to 60 months for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 42-year-old Mexican man has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Gabriel Rodriguez-Martinez pleaded guilty March 28, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Rodriguez-Martinez to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Rodriguez-Martinez has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as multiple driving while intoxicated offenses. He was first removed from the United States in September 2014 and returned illegally again.
Rodriguez-Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Huntsville, Ala. – A Limestone County man has been sentenced for committing child sexual exploitation crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Judge Harold D. Mooty, III, sentenced Clayton Sawyer, Jr., 67, of Athens, Alabama, to 180 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. As part of his sentence, Sawyer was ordered to pay a $3,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. In December 2025, Sawyer pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, on February 4, 2025, United States Probation Officers searched Sawyer’s residence and found a Samsung smartphone hidden inside of a box of “Breakfast Essentials.” A forensic analysis of the device revealed 18 images of child pornography. Possession of an electronic communication device without prior approval was a violation of the provisions of Sawyer’s supervised release.
At the time of the search, Sawyer was serving a life term of supervised release following federal convictions in the Northen District of Alabama for receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
The FBI Birmingham – Huntsville RA investigated the case along with the United States Probation Office. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Rapper ‘Taliban Glizzy’ Sentenced to 219 Months in Robberies of East Coast Jewelers That Netted His Crew MillionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Trevor Jonathan Wright, 34, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 219 months in federal prison for leading a series violent armed robberies of South Asian jewelry stores that netted millions of dollars in cash and gold for his 15-member crew, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Wright, the D. C. rapper known as “Taliban Glizzy,” pleaded guilty Sept. 16, 2025, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act Robbery); brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and unlawful possession of a firearm.
In his plea agreement, Wright accepted responsibility for his roles in the June 10, 2022, armed robbery of Virani Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey for $1.2 million in gold jewelry; the Oct. 25, 2022, armed robbery of Paradise Jewelry in Paterson, New Jersey, for $1.93 million in gold jewelry; and the Dec. 6, 2022, armed robbery of Kishek Jewelers in Jacksonville, Florida, for $700,000. He also accepted responsibility for unlawful possession of a machine gun in Miami, Florida on May 27, 2021.
“Trevor Wright and his crew terrorized victims from Northern New Jersey to South Florida. His crew left behind a wake of destruction and great financial loss for family-owned businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They smashed glass display cases and shoveled the gold into laundry bags. After one armed robbery of nearly $2 million, Wright spent proceeds to purchase a Rolex. He sure won’t need a luxury watch to measure the more than 18 years he’ll now spend in prison.”
In addition to the 219-month prison term, Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Wright to serve four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, during the course of 18 months, Wright and his co-conspirators schemed to rob multiple South Asian jewelry stores of heavy gold jewelry of high purity. The conspiracy began in January 2022 and continued until August 2023.
Each robbery was coordinated in advance. The crew selected their targets after careful research. To evade law enforcement detection, some of the suspect vehicles were rented, stolen, or outfitted with stolen tags. At least one of the vehicles was carjacked by the crew at gunpoint.
The crew cased the stores in advance. They shattered the doors and windows with sledgehammers They employed a show of force to gain compliance from their victims. At least one co-conspirator was armed with a firearm during each robbery.
The crew fenced the stolen jewelry in Miami or melted down the gold into bars which they later sold for cash.
On Dec. 12, 2022, Wright was arrested on an outstanding warrant issued by the Southern District of Florida as he and his entourage departed the St. Yves nightclub in a Cadillac Escalade. Police recovered, among other things, more than $17,300 in cash, which investigators linked to proceeds from the Kishek robbery.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony A. Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office; FBI Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy of the Newark Field Office; Director Gadyaces Serralta of the United States Marshals Service; and Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case was investigated by the ATF, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI’s Newark, Jacksonville, and Washington Field Offices. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi.
23cr137
Trevor Wright, aka Taliban Glizzy, in a portrait.An AR-15 recovered on July 17, 2022, from the backseat of a rideshare vehicle in which Trevor Wright and other crew members had traveled.
Surveillance screen shot from the October 25, 2022, of a co-defendant during the armed robbery of Paradise Jewelry in Paterson, New Jersey, from which the crew netted $1.93 million in gold jewelry.
DEFENDANTAKAHOMECHARGES/SENTENCETrevor Wright, 34Taliban GlizzyWashington DCSentenced Dec. 16, 2025, to 219 months after pleading guilty Sept. 16, 2025, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act robbery); brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence aiding and abetting; and unlawful possession of a firearm.William Hunter, 30Ill Will, BroskiWashington DCSentenced to 228 months on Dec. 11, 2024, after pleading guilty to interfering with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act robbery); and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Avery Fuller, 31Deavry Cordell Fuller, Fully AceWashington DCPending sentencing after pleading guilty in the Middle District of Florida to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Franklin Hunter, 31GinoWashington DCPleaded guilty on Dec. 30, 2024, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery) and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Davon Johnson, 32YBWashington DCSentenced to 111 months on Nov. 20, 2024, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Decarlos Hill, 31LosMarylandSentenced to 57 months on November 6, 2024, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.Lamont Marable, 29 Washington DCSentenced to 93 months on Nov. 11, 2024, for interfering with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery); and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Keith McDuffie, 28 CaliforniaInterfering with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act robbery); conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Jameise Vaughn Christian, 35Safety, Safe PlayWashington DCPending sentencing after pleading guilty in the Middle District of Florida to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Andrew Smith, 32Drewso, DrewMarylandSentenced to 138 months in prison on Oct. 17, 2024, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Robert Sheffield, 35Real LifaaWashington DCSentenced to 156 months on July 2, 2025, for conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act robbery); possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Jaylaun Brown, 23Lil LaunyWashington DCSentenced to 102 months on May 1, 2025, for conspiracy to interfere with Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.Timothy Conrad, 34TwinWashington DCSentenced to 168 months on Oct. 1, 2024, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and for possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.Antonio Tate, 22T-MotionWashington DCSentenced to 120 months for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.Delonte Martin, 27 Washington DCSentenced to 108 months for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.Rancho Cordova Man Pleads Guilty to Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Daragh Finbar Hayes, 44, of Rancho Cordova, pleaded guilty on Jan. 9 to three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between June 25, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2024, Hayes knowingly used a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Hayes kept images of the sex abuse in a “hidden” folder on his personal electronic device and distributed images of the sex abuse to at least one other person over the internet.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny is prosecuting the case.
Hayes is in custody and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins at a later date. For each of the three counts of production of child sexual abuse material, Hayes faces a mandatory statutory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. For the count of distribution of child sexual abuse material, he faces a mandatory statutory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. 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.
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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – John Thompson, 49, of White Oak, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 18, 2024, Thompson oversaw the sale of approximately 205 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,500. As part of his guilty plea, Thompson admitted that he arranged the transaction after meeting with the confidential informant and that co-defendant Sharee Woodson conducted it. Thompson further admitted that he sold quantities of methamphetamine on February 28, 2024, and March 1, 2024, and quantities of fentanyl on March 4, 2024, and March 13, 2024, each time to the confidential informant.
Thompson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
Woodson, 45, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on October 29, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, 2026.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-116.
###
Prison time for healthcare employees in multimillion dollar adult daycare fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A doctor and clinic employee have been sentenced following their convictions for receiving illegal kickbacks after ordering unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A federal jury found Dr. Osama Nahas, 70, McAllen, and Isabel Pruneda, 54, Edinburg, guilty March 1, 2024, of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute following a two-week trial. Pruneda was also convicted for aggravated identity theft.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 120-month-term of imprisonment for Nahas, while Pruneda received 97 months. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. At the hearing, the court characterized Nahas and Pruneda as “predators” who exploited elderly, disabled and otherwise vulnerable patients at adult day care centers. Both were also ordered to pay over $3.1 million in restitution to Medicare.
“Medical professionals have a solemn obligation to heal the sick and infirm, not to subject them to unnecessary treatments solely for the sake of making a quick buck,” said Ganjei. “The defendants here abused their unique position of trust and shamelessly took advantage of particularly vulnerable victims. Now they will have several years in prison to reflect on their actions.”
Nahas, the owner and physician at Crosspoint Medical Clinic in Edinburg, traveled to adult day care centers across the Rio Grande Valley ordering unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions on behalf of elderly and vulnerable clients. Pruneda, a medical assistant at Crosspoint, helped carry out the scheme by fording patient signatures on consent forms and misappropriating expensive medications, including pain creams.
Pruneda would strip patient information and packaging from the creams to hand them out as “goodie bags” in an effort to encourage patients to agree to testing. From January 2016 through December 2017, Nahas and Pruneda ordered unnecessary prescriptions and lab work, resulting in millions in losses. They directed those prescriptions and tests to specific companies in exchange for kickbacks.
In June 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crosspoint and seized hundreds of thousands in stolen medications. Nahas and Pruneda also paid bribes-disguised as “rent” payments-to adult day care owners to gain access to their facilities. Witnesses testified that both accepted kickbacks for referrals, often labeling them as “rent” agreements.
Evidence also revealed that both received tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from January 2016 to December 2017.
Nahas was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender, while Pruneda will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Texas Health and Human Services - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Brad Gray prosecuted the case.
Previously Deported Man Sentenced for Misuse of a Social Security Number and Selling a Fraudulent California Driver’s LicenseRead the Press Release
Javier Aguilera Rosas, 43, of Los Angeles, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 15 months in prison for transfer of a false identity document, misuse of a social security number, and illegal reentry by a previously removed alien, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, from August 2020 through December 2023, Rosas transferred at least 20 false identification documents to multiple buyers in the Eastern District of California. On multiple occasions, buyers submitted orders to Rosas through text messages asking for fraudulent passports, driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards. After obtaining the fraudulent IDs as specified by the particular buyer, Rosas mailed the false IDs to the buyer. On at least four occasions, he provided IDs containing the true name, birthdate, and Social Security number of identity theft victims.
At least one buyer used the false IDs Rosas provided to sell marijuana out of state, rent Airbnbs, and travel, including passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints. Rosas pleaded guilty on Aug. 25, 2025.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody prosecuted the case.
Plymouth Man Charged with Sexually Exploiting Minors in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Plymouth, Mass. man has been arrested and charged with allegedly sexually exploiting two minor victims from the Philippines.
Robert Meserve, 38, is charged by criminal complaint with two counts of sexual exploitation of children. Meserve was arrested this morning in New Jersey and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to charging documents, in June 2025, law enforcement in Bergen County, New Jersey were notified of an individual – allegedly later identified as Meserve – engaging in communications, negotiating payment and directing the sexual abuse of children by their trusted adults on live streams, which Meserve screen recorded. It is alleged that an initial forensic examination of Meserve’s devices revealed files consistent with child sexual abuse material and numerous communications and corresponding payments, which detail the sexual abuse of these two minors in the Philippines – ages six and eight – including a non-verbal minor with disabilities.
The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Newark, NJ, the United States Marshals Service, the Bergen County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Plymouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, of the Major Crimes Unit and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of distributing and possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Marissa Lynn Segal, 31, pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026, to two counts before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on July 14, 2025, Segal distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor—including photographs and videos of infant victims and victims engaged in acts of bestiality—via a mobile application. Additionally, Segal possessed child sexual abuse material including images and videos depicting prepubescent minors.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for April 27, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court ordered Segal detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Segal.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Two Counts of Distributing “Ice” MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Christopher William Crawford, 32, of the 1400 block of West Covington Court, was sentenced on January 7, 2026, to 120 months imprisonment on each of two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual). The sentences will be served concurrently, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Crawford must also pay a $200 special assessment fee. The Court ordered Crawford’s sentence to be served concurrent to any term of imprisonment imposed in Peoria County Circuit Court.
At the sentencing hearing, uncontroverted evidence showed that in September 2024, Crawford sold controlled substances on two occasions in the Peoria area. On both occasions, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms found the drugs tested as “ice” methamphetamine. In total, Crawford was responsible for the distribution of at least 174.2 grams of ice methamphetamine.
Crawford was indicted and arrested in October 2024. He entered a guilty plea in March 2025.
The statutory penalties for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) are 10 years to life, followed by up to 5 years of supervised release.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
North Carolina Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to Register Under SORNARead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Joseph Rimero Rutherford, 34, of North Carolina, was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failing to register as a sex offender in Virginia, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), after he began living in Bristol, Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about 2020 through in or about July 2022, Rutherford habitually resided in an apartment in Bristol, Virginia. Rutherford failed to register in Virginia or update his registration in North Carolina as required by SORNA. Rutherford is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his 2015 federal convictions for the possession and distribution of child pornography out of the District Court for the District of Columbia.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
The United States Marshals Service and the Bristol, Virginia Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Macon prosecuted the case.
Newly Released Felon Sentenced in Possession of a GlockRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dion Zellars, 37, a previously convicted felon from Capitol Heights, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison for illegally possessing a Glock 29 pistol only one week following his release to a halfway house, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Zellars, aka “Thomas Good,” pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. The case marks his fifth firearms conviction. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Zellars to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, at about 4:25 p.m., four MPD officers were patrolling the 4200 block Southern Avenue SE, when they observed several individuals congregating on the sidewalk. One member of the group—later identified as Zellars—immediately attempted to hide behind a parked silver SUV, which drew the attention of the officers.
As additional police arrived in an unmarked car, Zellars took off running down the sidewalk while clutching his waistband. Multiple officers chased Zellars. At one point, Zellars held up a black firearm with his left hand. Officers yelled at Zellars to drop the gun.
As Zellars ran along the side of a house and into its back yard, he dropped the gun. He hopped a fence, ran down an alley, then tripped on the steps leading into another yard. Police caught and handcuffed him. Zellars initially identified himself to officers as Thomas Anthony Good, with Zellars’ same date of birth.
Officers recovered cell phones and a Glock 29 10mm pistol with a laser attachment, with one round in the chamber, and a 15-round magazine containing 14 rounds.
Zellars consented to the search of his phone. The phone contained text messages, photos, and videos from the same day documenting the Glock that Zellars dropped. Specifically, Zellars sent a text message to “Boo” about 1:19 p.m., with multiple photos of the gun, asking “Yu like this joint?” In response, “Boo” warned Zellars not to touch the gun: “asking me about a gun when u just did 10 years ! u shouldn’t even be touching that.”
Zellars had been released to a halfway house on March 12, 2025—about a week before this incident—and was on supervision for sentences for two different gun convictions.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by Washington Field Division of the ATF and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Barclay for the District of Columbia.
Still image from body-worn camera showing Zellars (red) fleeing police
Still images of the gun from Zellars’ phone
25cr122
Michigan Man Who Caused Plane to Make Emergency Landing in Cedar Rapids Sentenced to over a Year in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was flying from Omaha to Detroit who disrupted the flight, causing the plane to divert to Cedar Rapids and make an emergency landing, was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.
Mario Nikprelaj, age 24, from Shelby Township, Michigan, received the prison term after a September 23, 2025, guilty plea to one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.
Information at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on July 17, 2025, Nikprelaj boarded a plane in Omaha, Nebraska, bound for Detroit, Michigan. Even before the plane left the gate, Nikprelaj began making disruptive and rude statements to passengers and flight crew. Nikprelaj refused to put his seatbelt on, but a flight attendant eventually convinced him to do so and the plane took off.
Once in the air, Nikprelaj began disrupting the flight and interfering with the flight crew’s performance of their duties. He repeatedly took off his seat belt and had to be told to put it back on. He flipped off the flight attendant telling him to put his seat belt on and stood up repeatedly while the plane was ascending. Eventually, Nikprelaj poked the flight attendant in the chest. The flight attendant told Nikprelaj that the flight attendant would report him to law enforcement. Nikprelaj threatened to kill the flight attendant.
Eventually, Nikprelaj appeared to have fallen asleep in his seat. The two flight attendants began service for the passengers. However, several passengers pressed their emergency call buttons when Nikprelaj began manipulating the emergency exit door near his seat. Passengers believed he was trying to open the door. The flight attendant Nikprelaj had threated, who was 80 years old, approached him again to stop him. Nikprelaj pushed the flight attendant away, swore at the flight attendant, and continued to threaten to kill him.
After this incident was reported to him, the captain of the plane decided to make an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As the plane was descending, Nikprelaj again stood up, took his shirt off, and began walking up and down the aisle. The flight crew asked for help from the passengers. Three passengers approached Nikprelaj, and he became belligerent with them. Nikprelaj took a swing at them. He eventually returned to his seat. While the plane was landing, Nikprelaj continued to flip off the flight attendant and other passengers.
Officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department were waiting for the plane to land. After it landed, they boarded the plane and took Nikprelaj into custody. When officers searched him, they found a prescription bottle containing 41 pills of purported Xanax. The prescription on the bottle was not in Nikprelaj’s name.
Nikprelaj has a criminal history including a conviction for assaulting, resisting, or obstructing a police officer. In that situation, Nikprelaj ran from, resisted even when tasered, and fought with law enforcement officers. He also has convictions for domestic violence, disorderly conduct, breaking and entering, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Nikprelaj was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Nikprelaj was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Eastern Iowa Airport Public Safety Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-61.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Merrillville Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay $883,166.92 in RestitutionRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – On January 13, 2026, Armon A. Hill, 46 years old, of Merrillville, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Hill was sentenced to 30 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $883,166.92 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, between April 2020 and May 2022, Hill submitted a series of fraudulent loan applications under the Covid-19 Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury and Disaster Loan programs. Hill’s applications contained false information and forged tax documents purporting to show that Hill operated a successful business with multiple employees, when in fact Hill had no such business and had no employees. Based on Hill’s fraudulent representations, he received a total of approximately $840,000 in Covid-19 grant and loan funding to which he was not entitled. Hill spent the funds on personal expenses unrelated to any legitimate business activity, including on international travel and high-end retail shopping.
“Armon Hill took advantage of government programs designed to help small businesses survive the Covid-19 pandemic, using hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to fund his own lavish lifestyle,” said United States Attorney Mildred. “As this case demonstrates, fraud and abuse of government programs are not tolerated in the Northern District of Indiana.”
“At a time when struggling small businesses were depending on emergency relief to survive the economic fallout of COVID-19, Armon Hill chose to exploit a national crisis for personal gain,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “By submitting fraudulent applications to the SBA, he diverted critical taxpayer-funded resources away from legitimate business owners who played by the rules. Pandemic relief funds were not a windfall—they were a lifeline—and abusing them is a federal crime with serious consequences.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.
Maryland Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Leading Scheme in Which Doctors Were Impersonated to Obtain NarcoticsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 65 months in federal prison for leading a long-running scheme in which dozens of medical doctors’ personal information was stolen and then used to create fraudulent e-prescribing accounts, which his accomplices then used to issue thousands of fraudulent prescriptions of controlled substances.
Benjamin Jamal Washington, 25, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu.
Washington pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
From September 2020 to May 2023, Washington and his co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information (PII) belonging to dozens of doctors, including their names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, National Provider Identification number, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Registration Numbers.
After obtaining this information, the co-conspirators impersonated the victims by obtaining fake drivers’ licenses in their names. They also paid corrupt telephone company employees to perform illegal subscriber identity module (SIM) swaps – fraudulently inducing a phone carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber to a phone controlled by the co-conspirators – to gain access to the physicians’ phone numbers.
Washington and his co-conspirators then used the fraudulent drivers’ licenses and the stolen phone numbers to open fraudulent e-prescribing accounts in the physicians’ names. At least one co-conspirator spoke with a pharmacy technician to understand the patterns and practices of physicians submitting e-prescriptions so Washington and his co-conspirators could avoid detection and issue more fraudulent prescriptions.
Once the co-conspirators opened the fraudulent e-prescribing accounts, Washington and others used the accounts to submit at least 5,600 fraudulent prescriptions of controlled substances, including illegal prescriptions of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine.
The co-conspirators then traveled to pharmacies across the United States, including pharmacies within the Los Angeles area, to pick up the illegally prescribed controlled substances, which they sold for a significant profit.
During the same period, in May 2022, Washington stole mail from two mailboxes in Bethesda, Maryland, and unlawfully possessed a United States Postal Service arrow key – a master key that allows access to mail for hundreds of boxes in an area. At the first mailbox, Washington stole at least 30 checks.
Washington pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of mail theft and one count of unlawful possession of Postal Service keys. That case was transferred from the District of Maryland to the Central District of California.
Micah Robert Lee, 26, of Washington, D.C., who is another co-conspirator in the fraudulent e-prescription scheme, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lee is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, at which time he will face up to 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI and the DEA investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello of the National Security Division, Elizabeth S.P. Douglas of the Major Frauds Section, and Matthew J. Tako of the Transnational Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to over Seven Years for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm and Violating Terms of Federal SupervisionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Francesco Anglin, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on January 9, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 63 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, and an additional 24 months in federal prison for violating the terms of his federal supervision for a previous federal firearm conviction. Anglin pleaded guilty to the felon in possession offense on October 24, 2025.
On March 15, 2025, a Maple Bluff police officer attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. The vehicle fled and ultimately crashed in downtown Madison with the two occupants running from the scene. Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded 9mm handgun. They also found Anglin’s cell phone with a lock screen photo of him pointing a black firearm at the camera.
On April 24, 2025, a Madison police officer stopped Anglin’s vehicle and located a loaded privately made firearm in the glovebox. Anglin had previously posted photos to his Facebook account showing him in possession of that privately made firearm.
Anglin was on federal supervised release at the time of these offenses, after serving 43 months for a prior felon in possession conviction. In that case, Anglin asked a female to purchase a handgun for him. At the time, he was already convicted of a felony offense and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. While on supervised release, for that offense, Anglin escaped from a prison facility, was charged, convicted, and sentenced to eight months in prison.
At sentencing the government argued that Anglin was a significant danger to the community and was not deterred by previous prison sentences. The government also noted the many images that Anglin posted on Facebook showing him in possession of firearms and making threatening comments.
At sentencing Judge Peterson found that Anglin had been a failure on supervised release and that he presented a significant danger to the community. Judge Peterson said that Anglin was resistant to intervention by federal probation officers who were tasked with helping him, and that carrying a gun presented an extreme risk to those officers. Judge Peterson noted that there was strong evidence that Anglin was always armed, and that he was intent on intimidating others and inciting violence by his social media posts. Judge Peterson concluded that Anglin needed to be removed from the community and sent a significant message that his gun crimes would not be tolerated.
The charge against Anglin was the result of an investigation conducted by the Maple Bluff and Madison Police Departments, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal criminal cases involving firearms are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the U.S. Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Madison Man Sentenced to Five Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jevon Smith, 31, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 60 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Smith pleaded guilty to this charge on October 22, 2025.
On June 15, 2025, Fitchburg police officers found Smith sleeping in a car in the parking lot of McKee Farms Park. Officers searched Smith’s car and found a loaded Glock 29 10mm handgun with a machinegun conversion device attached to it. In 2019, Smith was convicted of heroin trafficking, eluding an officer, and recklessly endangering safety. As a convicted felon, Smith is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
A machinegun conversion device is an illegal device that can be attached to handguns to allow them to fire fully automatic. Machinegun conversion devices are also known as “switches” and pose an extreme risk to the community.
At sentencing Judge Peterson considered Smith’s past convictions and said that he was on a bad trajectory. Judge Peterson also noted that Smith was on bond for a pending drug trafficking case at the time he committed the current federal offense. Judge Peterson ordered Smith to serve three years of supervision following his release from prison.
The charge against Smith was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.Federal criminal cases involving firearms are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the U.S. Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Noe Zamudio Hernandez, 43, of Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court to attempted enticement of a minor and illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, in close collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, this previously deported illegal alien was stopped before he could sexually victimize a child. My office will continue to back up this great work by our law enforcement partners with successful prosecutions, and this criminal alien sexual predator will find himself in federal prison before being swiftly deported from this country.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant came under investigation in 2024 during an operation aimed at identifying individuals targeting children for sexual exploitation. During the operation, the defendant communicated with an individual he believed was a minor to arrange for a sexual transaction. When the defendant was arrested, law enforcement learned he was unlawfully present in the United States and had been previously removed to Mexico.
Zamudio Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment up to life in prison.
The case involved a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
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.
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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Louisburg Man Sentenced to over 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Louisburg man to over 17 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). William Justin Lewis, age 55, pleaded guilty on August 19, 2025.
“Innocent children require all of us to protect them. If deviant criminal predators harm children in our District, they can expect the FBI and other partners in law enforcement to find them, prosecute them, and lock them away from our children for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boye. “On behalf of families all across North Carolina, we thank Judge Dever for this appropriately lengthy prison sentence to punish this coward’s truly abhorrent behavior.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, undercover agents with the FBI investigated online distributors and traders of CSAM when agents located a chat room where a user, later identified as Lewis, uploaded numerous disturbing images and videos of CSAM. Agents traced the IP address back to the Louisburg residence where Lewis lived. The FBI, with the assistance of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant on Lewis’s residence and seized numerous digital devices that contained hundreds of disgusting CSAM videos and images. At the time of the crimes, Lewis worked at a Wal-Mart in Louisburg as a personal shopper.
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 partners federal, state, and local resources 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.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Dodson and Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on USAO EDNC 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-00094-D-KS.
Local man sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for exploiting childRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Loveland, Ohio, man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 262 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sexually exploiting an 11-year-old.
Jonathan Travis Mackey, 46, of Loveland, exploited a child victim in person while employed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). As part of his guilty plea in August 2025, Mackey immediately resigned from the FDIC.
According to his court documents, in May 2024, Mackey sexually exploited an 11-year-old and created photos of the abuse. For example, the defendant created a digital photo that depicted Mackey directly engaged in sexual conduct with the victim.
Mackey was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Matthew Stentz, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Jason J. Scalzo, Special Agent in Charge of the FDIC Office of Inspector General Electronic Crimes Unit; and officials with the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Danielle E. Margeaux are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Liberty Man Sentenced to 15 years for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Liberty, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his involvement in a fentanyl drug conspiracy.
Dakota Thomas Morris, also known as “DMO,” 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 15 years’ imprisonment without parole. Morris previously pleaded to guilty one count of conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, between Oct. 27, 2020, and Jan. 24, 2023, in the Western District of Missouri.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Grundy County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office; Trenton, Missouri, Police Department; Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Buchanan County, Missouri Drug Strike Force; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Mercer County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office; and the Internal Revenue Service.
Homeland Security Task Force
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Drug Enforcement with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Ledyard Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASON GIBSON, 45, of Ledyard, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2020, Gibson was convicted in state court of possession of child pornography and sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, suspended after 30 months, and 10 years of probation. He was released from state custody in January 2021. In April 2023, Gibson’s probation was revoked for violating the conditions of his release and he was sentenced to 90 months of incarceration, suspended after six months, and 94 months of probation. He was released from state custody in August 2023.
On March 6, 2024, state probation officers made a routine home visit to Gibson’s residence and seized an unapproved cellphone that also contained a dark web application. Subsequent analysis of the phone revealed more than 200 child sex abuse images and videos, and numerous text messages with links to access child pornography on the dark web. On April 2, 2025, probation officers made another home visit to Gibson’s residence and seized an external hard drive. Analysis of the hard drive revealed more than 18,000 images and 1,400 videos depicting child sex abuse. Gibson has been detained since that date.
Gibson pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced because of Gibson’s prior state convictions. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the Town of Groton Police Department, the Watertown Police Department, the Westport Police Department, and the Connecticut Court Support Services Division – Adult Probation Services.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Leader of Inland Empire Street Gang Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Ordering 2023 Kidnapping in RiversideRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A leader of a Riverside County-based street gang was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for ordering – while behind bars in a different criminal case – the 2023 kidnapping of a woman in Riverside as punishment for losing the gang’s extortion proceeds when law enforcement seized them.
Luis Ramirez, 49, formerly of Jurupa Valley, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr who ordered him to serve the sentence consecutive to his current life sentence in state prison.
Ramirez pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR). He has been in federal custody since June 2024.
According to his plea agreement and other court documents, Ramirez was a leader of Westside Riva (WSR), a Jurupa Valley-based street gang. The gang engaged in a variety of racketeering activities, including extorting local businesses for the payment of “taxes” for permission to operate within areas the gang claimed as its territory.
Westside Riva also conducted, managed, and supervised an illegal gambling business within its territory. It required other gambling businesses operating within its territory to pay a portion of revenue for the gang’s permission to operate.
To maintain his status as a gang leader, Ramirez – who was serving a sentence in California state prison for attempted murder – ordered the kidnapping of a victim identified in court documents as “Person 1.” On September 27, 2023, co-defendants Jose Jonathan Rubalcaba Alarcon, 23, and Gilbert Rey Martinez, 22, both of Jurupa Valley, kidnapped the victim and ultimately held the victim at a gang-controlled clothing store in Riverside. Once inside the store, Rubalcaba and Martinez forced the victim inside a locked bathroom. The victim was held inside the store for several days. The victim ultimately escaped on October 1, 2023, after being left alone inside the store.
“At [Ramirez’s] direction, [Rubalcaba and Martinez] kidnapped and confined Person 1 in a WSR-controlled store, without regular access to food, for four to five days,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Person 1 was malnourished, did not have access to necessary medication, suffered physical abuse at the hands of…Martinez, suffered emotional distress, and was ultimately admitted to a hospital following her escape.”
Rubalcaba and Martinez have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges in this case. Martinez is serving a 46-month prison sentence and Rubalcaba is serving a 41-month prison sentence.
The FBI and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Peter H. Dahlquist and Erin C. Kiss of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Recording His Sexual Abuse of Two MinorsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone on Tuesday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual abuse of two girls to 35 years in prison.
One victim told authorities that Benjamin F. Sexton Jr., of Jefferson County, Missouri, sexually abused her between the ages of 7 and 14 and recorded the abuse. She said he restrained her at times and supplied her with methamphetamine. The second victim said Sexton abused her when she was 15. Investigators found child sexual abuse material that documented the abuse of both girls.
In 2023, the grandfather of one victim discovered explicit communications between that victim and Sexton and notified authorities.
Sexton, now 49, pleaded guilty in August to one count of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receipt of child pornography.
As part of his plea agreement, Sexton agreed to forfeit items that had been seized by law enforcement, including computers, cameras and other electronic devices, two handguns, cell phones, night vision goggles and fraudulent $100 bills.
The St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Individual Indicted and Arrested for CarjackingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On January 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jeremy Ruiz-Rosario, 22 years of age, of Trujillo Alto, with two carjackings, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Both carjackings were conducted at the same time, in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Ruiz-Rosario and others, brandishing firearms, carjacked two adult females. On January 12, 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Ruiz-Rosario.
According to the Government’s allegations, on August 30, 2021, in the District of Puerto Rico, Jeremy Ruiz-Rosario, while carrying and brandishing a firearm, did take a motor vehicle, to wit: a white, 2020 Toyota RAV4 that had been transported, shipped or received in interstate or foreign commerce, from the presence of an adult female, by force, violence and intimidation. On that same date, Ruiz-Rosario is also charged with the armed carjacking of a white 2011 Nissan Rogue from an adult female by force, violence and intimidation.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian N. Radzinschi of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to fifteen years in prison for the carjackings and up to life in prison for the firearms charges.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking Multiple Kilos of Meth into North MississippiRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN, MS– Arturo Bonilla, 48, of Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court to ten years in prison for drug trafficking.
According to documents and evidence presented in court, in 2021, officers with the Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol conducted traffic stops of Bonilla and found him in possession of methamphetamine. Agents with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating Bonilla’s role in drug distribution and determined he was responsible for the trafficking of at least six kilograms into the State of Mississippi.
HSI also determined that Bonilla was illegally present in the United States.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Bonilla to 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release in the event that he remains in the country.
However, officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement have placed an immigration detainer on the defendant, to result in his removal from the United States following the conclusion of his federal sentence.
“The defendant in this case, who never should have been in this country to commit these crimes in the first place, imported poison into our community and has now been held to account for that conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary. “Our law enforcement partners did incredible work on this case and provided the level of cooperation that our citizens should expect.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic dangerous drugs into our communities will be held accountable. Homeland Security Investigations remains committed to dismantling transnational criminal organizations and protecting the citizens of Mississippi,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright. “We will continue to work with our state and local partners to pursue those who threaten our communities with illegal narcotics and ensure they face justice.”
This case was investigated by HSI, with assistance from the Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Office and Mississippi Highway Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Maurice Kelly Johnson, also known as “Reese,” 58, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 22, 2025, Johnson provided a Smith & Wesson model M&P Shield M2.0 9mm pistol that was sold to a confidential informant in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted to possessing the firearm and to providing it to co-defendant Earl Michael Myers, who conducted the transaction.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Johnson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base on November 23, 1999, and conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on September 4, 1992, both in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Johnson and Myers are among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they conspired to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area from at least in and around March 2025 to in and around August 2025.
Myers, also known as “Mike,” 45, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026, to distribution of cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2026. Co-defendant Erin Leigh Keeney, 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on December 15, 2025, to distribution of carfentanil and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30, 2026. Two other individuals were indicted separately as a result of the same investigation including Donovan Dewayne Pauley, 20, of Huntington, who pleaded guilty on October 27, 2025, to possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2026.
The charges again the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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.
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-161.
###
Honduran Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that OSCAR FRANCISCO AVILA-NORALES (“NORALES”), age 45, was indicted on January 9, 2026, for illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, NORALES was found in the United States on December 10, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on September 30, 2011.
If convicted, NORALES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick Veters, Jr., of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
* * *
Honduran Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that DARWIN NECTALI MORADEL-VELASQUEZ (“VELASQUEZ”), age 40, was indicted on January 9, 2026, for illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, VELASQUEZ was found in the United States on December 31, 2025, having reentered the United States, without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on October 11, 2016.
If convicted, VELASQUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick Veters, Jr., of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
* * *
Hays woman pleads guilty to assault on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Hays woman accused of an assault on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Alta Rose Chandler, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chandler faces up to 10 years in prison, a $100,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for May 14, 2026. Chandler was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on the evening of September 29, 2023, Chandler and Heavenlee Sears were driving around on the Fort Belknap reservation and drinking beer. Late in the night, the two went to a bar to buy more alcohol before driving to John Doe’s home.
When Chandler and Sears arrived at Doe’s house, they were highly intoxicated, and they beat him. Sears hit Doe multiple times on the head with a peppermint schnapps bottle. Chandler hit Doe with her fists after he had fallen to the ground.
Around 6:00 a.m. on September 30, Sears called a family member to say something was wrong with Doe. Family arrived and found Chandler trying to clean up blood on the floor. According to the witness, Chandler rubbed some of the blood on her arm and said, “I did this. I mean, my dad did this.” Witnesses saw a glass peppermint schnapps bottle at the scene.
Doe was taken to Fort Belknap Indian Health Services. He was unresponsive and breathing erratically. After he was intubated, Doe was life flighted to a higher level of care. On October 18, 2023, Doe was admitted to the Long-Term Care Hospital in Billings, Montana. He was diagnosed with traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Doe was largely unresponsive to stimuli and completely nonverbal due to his traumatic brain injury. Doe died on December 11, 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
XXX
Guatemalan National Charged with Reentry of Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that LUCAS TINOCO-TIERES ("TINOCO-TIERES"), age 33, a native of Guatemala, was charged via bill of information on December 23, 2025, with reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, TINOCO-TIERES was apprehended in Orleans Parish on December 3, 2025. The defendant, an illegal alien, has no legal authorization to reside in the United States. Immigration records show TINOCO-TIERES was previously removed by federal authorities on March 2, 2002.
If convicted, TINOCO-TIERES faces up to two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Customs Enforcement Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
* * *
Greenbrier County Woman Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Avanibahen Patel, 44, of Ronceverte, was sentenced today to six months of federal probation for unlawful employment of aliens.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2020 through at least September 2024, Aakash Prakash Makwana, 30, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, was employed at a Fairlea business owned and operated by Patel and her husband. Makwana assisted with running the daily business during the time period. Patel admitted that she and her husband agreed to hire Makwana knowing that he was living in the United States illegally after his immigration visa expired.
Patel’s husband, Rajesh N. Patel, 51, of Ronceverte, was sentenced on January 9, 2025, to three years of federal probation and fined $10,000 after pleading guilty to knowingly transporting an illegal alien.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted 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-137.
###
Great Falls man sentenced to over 18 years in prison on methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced today to 220 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Michael Lee Wakeford, 62, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned defendant Mike Wakeford was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in Great Falls and elsewhere between approximately late 2019 or early 2020 through at least January 2021. Wakeford obtained methamphetamine from a source of supply in Arizona for redistribution in Montana. In approximately late 2021 or early 2022, Wakeford introduced his brother, Daniel Wakeford, to his source of supply in Arizona. During this trip, the Wakefords acquired between five and 10 pounds of methamphetamine that they later transported to and sold in Montana.
Law enforcement spoke with numerous individuals who received methamphetamine from Mike Wakeford between approximately 2020 and 2021. In November 2024, an informant disclosed that he/she met Wakeford at a pre-release center in Great Falls in 2020 and began to work with him to distribute methamphetamine. The informant said Wakeford would provide the informant methamphetamine to re-sell and to use. The first time, Wakeford gave the informant approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, but it eventually evolved to Wakeford providing the informant pound-quantities of methamphetamine. This informant stated Wakeford made numerous trips to Arizona to resupply.
In January 2021, a second informant disclosed he/she met Wakeford when they were in prison together in 2020. Upon release, the informant received methamphetamine from Wakeford for use and resale on approximately eight occasions. The informant estimated he/she received approximately two pounds of methamphetamine from Wakeford.
Wakeford has several prior convictions for drug offenses, including a conviction in the United States District Court for the District of Montana for Aiding and Abetting Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
In January 2024, Wakeford purchased a car through an intermediary from a car dealer in Great Falls for $10,099 in cash. The funds used to purchase the car were proceeds from the crime of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The Russell Country Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
XXX
Goose Creek Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Thefts from Vulnerable Nursing Home ResidentsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Courtney Jeanine Brown, 49, of Goose Creek, has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison for thefts from nursing home residents.
Brown worked as the business office manager for Riverside Health and Rehabilitation, a nursing home in North Charleston. Over more than three years, Brown stole approximately $146,000 from 132 residents in that facility, most of whom were physically and/or mentally incapacitated. Brown exploited her position of private trust by writing checks to cash from personal funds that belonged to the residents. Brown then deposited the checks into her personal account and used the funds for personal expenses.
United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendrickssentenced Brown to 33 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court ordered Brown to pay $160,300.69.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse prosecuted the case.
###
Four charged in connection with drug distribution scheme involving cocaine and firearmsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Four people are charged federally for a drug trafficking conspiracy involving more than 20 pounds of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Lead defendant, Luis Donaldo Galeana Garcia, 29, a Mexican citizen residing in Marysville, was ordered detained late yesterday when the magistrate judge found him both a flight risk and a danger to the community.
The defendants in this case were identified last summer as possible members of a drug trafficking conspiracy. Initially, HSI agents identified Galeana Garcia as a major drug distributor in the western region of Washington State. By late September 2025, law enforcement obtained information pertaining to Galeana Garcia’s intentions of exchanging approximately 20 pounds of cocaine for 15 pounds of methamphetamine and $155,000. Three others were involved in the drug exchange: Juan Carlos Garnica Pacheco, 33, of Everett, Lorena Esquivel,35, and Dustin Ray Binion,27, both of Bellingham.
Law enforcement intervened in the drug exchange. Galeana Garcia and Garnica Pacheco abandoned the car they were driving. Various vehicles were seized by law enforcement and court authorized search warrants resulted in the seizure of more than 10
kilograms of cocaine and a 9mm firearm in the center console of one of the vehicles. After law enforcement had identified and located the various defendants they executed search warrants on their residences last week. Galeana-Garcia and Garnica Pacheco both had a significant number of firearms and ammunition for semiautomatic weapons. That evidence as to Galeana Garcia was presented to Magistrate Judge Kate Vaughan who ordered him detained.
Due to the significant amount of narcotics involved in this case the defendants face a mandatory minimum ten years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through 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. The HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. The DEA, FBI and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office provided key assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent T. Lombardi.
Four Bay Area Residents Charged in Fremont Jewelry Store HeistRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has indicted four defendants, Afatupetaiki Faasisila, 20, of San Bruno, Jose Herrada-Aragon, 20, of Concord, Andres Palestino, 19, of Concord, and Tom Parker Donegan, 19, of Fairfield, in connection with the June 18, 2025, robbery of a jewelry store in Fremont. Faasisila and Palestino were arrested yesterday and made their initial appearances in district court today. Herrada-Aragon and Donegan are currently in state custody on other charges and will be transferred to federal custody.
Faasisila, Herrada-Aragon, Palestino, and Donegan were initially charged by complaint on December 8, 2025, and subsequently indicted on December 18, 2025. The indictment, unsealed today, charges each defendant with one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce. According to the criminal complaint and other court documents, on June 18, 2025, over two dozen masked individuals conducted a takeover-style robbery of a jewelry store located on Mowry Avenue in Fremont. Surveillance video captured a gray Honda ramming into the store’s front façade to force entry. One individual brandished a firearm at the store’s security guard, while another held the guard’s arms and forced him to the ground. Dozens of masked individuals, including Faasisila, Herrada-Aragon and Palestino, allegedly stormed the business, which was occupied at the time. Once inside, the robbers used hammers and other tools to smash display cases and grab the jewelry contained within, resulting in an estimated loss of approximately $1.7 million dollars’ worth of jewelry. After ransacking the store, the robbers left with the stolen goods and got into waiting vehicles to flee.
The complaint alleges that Donegan drove one of the getaway vehicles, leading responding police officers on a vehicle pursuit before eventually crashing the car in another part of Fremont. There, the four defendants exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, only to be apprehended by officers. Several pieces of stolen jewelry were recovered in the defendants’ flight path and the abandoned vehicle, which had also been reported stolen.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Palestino is next scheduled to appear in federal court in Oakland for an arraignment on January 14, 2026, and Faasisila is next scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on January 16, 2026.
A complaint or indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of robbery affecting interstate commerce in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sloan Heffron and Wendy Garbers of the Violent Crime Strike Force are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lakisha Holliman and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the FBI and the Fremont Police Department.
Anyone who has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at (415) 553-7400 or tips.fbi.gov.
Founder of Casa Ruby Sentenced to 33 Months, Ordered to Repay $956,215 to SBA for Diversion of Covid-Relief FundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ruby Jade Corado, 56, the founder of Casa Ruby, Inc., a Washington D.C.-based non-profit that provided services to the LGBTQ+ community, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison in connection with diverting at least $150,000 in taxpayer-backed emergency Covid-relief funds to private offshore bank accounts for personal use, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Corado, aka “Vladimir Orlando Artiga Corado,” pleaded guilty July 17, 2024, to wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. In addition to the 33-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Corado to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $956,215 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.
“Corado received more than $1.3 million from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for the non-profit Casa Ruby,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Instead of using the funds as promised, Corado stole over $950,000, transferred at least $150,000 to bank accounts in El Salvador, and hid it from the IRS.”
According to court documents, in 2022, when financial irregularities at Casa Ruby became public, Corado sold her home in Prince Georges County, Maryland, and fled to El Salvador. FBI agents arrested Corado on March 5, 2024, at a hotel in Laurel, Maryland, when she unexpectedly returned to the United States.
Casa Ruby had claimed to provide housing services for homeless LGBTQ+ youth including transitional housing. The organization also claimed to assist LGBTQ+ immigrants by providing social services such as case management and therapeutic mental health support for survivors of violence, and to assist with a wide array of services such as assisting with passport applications and certain visa applications. The non-profit’s website stated that Casa Ruby employed over 50 people and provided more than 30,000 social and human services to more than 6,000 people each year. Casa Ruby operated multiple shelters in Washington, D.C., that provided transitional housing.
Casa Ruby effectively ceased operations in July 2022 when it shuttered its transitional housing, failed to pay its employees, and faced eviction from multiple properties for failure to pay rent.
Joining in the announcement of the sentencing were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Borchert and former U.S. Attorneys Madhu Chugh and Kathryn Rakoczy.
24cr266
Former School Employee Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a StudentRead the Press Release
Former School Employee Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Student
CONCORD – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Jesus Moore, 36, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante to 121 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. Moore previously pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, on March 7, 2022, Moore, a basketball coach at Lawrence High School, ordered a rideshare to transport a Lawrence High School student to the Super 8 Motel in Manchester, New Hampshire. Moore also traveled from Massachusetts to the Super 8 Motel. Moore provided the student with alcohol and then engaged in sexual conduct with the student when the student was incapable of consenting.
“Moore abused his position of trust as a teacher and coach to victimize a student,” said United States Attorney Creegan. “Today’s sentence reflects the severity of Moore’s conduct. Our office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains dedicated to identifying and prosecuting those who exploit children.”
“Moore grievously abused his position of trust. He transported a child to a motel across state lines, supplied them with alcohol, and committed assault. His actions were calculated and aimed at harming the very students he was entrusted to protect. We work every day with our law enforcement partners to protect children and bring predators like Moore to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England.
“This successful investigation and prosecution reflects the critical teamwork between our law enforcement partners and a unified commitment to protecting children, said Chief of Police Peter Marr, Manchester Police Department. “We take crimes involving the exploitation of minors seriously and will pursue accountability at every level.”
The Department of Homeland Security, the Lawrence Police Department, and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski prosecuted the case.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former New York City Official Charged with Bribery and FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Jocelyn E. Strauber, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANTHONY HERBERT—the former Citywide Public Housing Liaison at the New York City Mayor’s Office—with committing bribery, kickback, and fraud offenses. HERBERT was arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
“New Yorkers deserve honest and competent public officials,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, at a time when Anthony Herbert was serving as City Hall’s liaison to the City’s public housing residents, he engaged in blatant pay-to-play schemes to enrich himself. The women and men of the Southern District of New York are committed to holding accountable government officials who abuse their positions of trust to benefit themselves.”
“It’s alleged Anthony Herbert used his position in the NYC Mayor’s Office to create a side hustle of bribery and fraud,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “He allegedly took advantage of his role to line his pockets by offering unfair advantages to certain businesses. Today’s indictment is the result of the incredible partnership between IRS-CI special agents and SDNY investigators, and now Herbert will face justice for his alleged criminal acts.”
“This former Mayor’s Office official was responsible for engaging with members of the community on behalf of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, first as the Brooklyn Borough Director and then as the liaison between residents and leadership of public housing, and City Hall,” said DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber. “He allegedly exploited this position of trust and influence to enrich himself, accepting $16,000 in bribes and kickbacks in return for favors, including pressuring other government officials to give City contracts to one company, and steering publicly-funded financial assistance payments to a second business, according to the indictment. As charged, he allegedly filed false financial disclosures with the City omitting the payments he received to conceal his criminal conduct. I thank the IRS and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their partnership on this investigation and for their commitment to hold accountable City employees who abuse their position for their own gain.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
From in or about February 2022 through in or about September 2025, HERBERT worked for the Office of the New York City Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (“Community Affairs”) within City Hall. In that capacity, HERBERT first functioned as the Brooklyn Borough Director for Community Affairs from in or about February 2022 through in or about February 2023, and then as the Citywide Public Housing Liaison until in or about September 2025. In the latter role, HERBERT was responsible for engaging with residents and leadership of the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) on behalf of City Hall.
HERBERT abused his position repeatedly and flagrantly by soliciting and receiving bribes and kickbacks in exchange for HERBERT’s agreement to advise and pressure other City officials to take actions benefiting those who paid HERBERT bribes and kickbacks, in two distinct schemes.
In the first scheme, HERBERT solicited and received from a particular individual (the “Security Company Executive”) thousands of dollars in cash payments in exchange for HERBERT advising and pressuring other City officials to award the Security Company Executive’s security guard company with City contracts, including for providing services at NYCHA developments.
In the second scheme, HERBERT advised, pressured, and fraudulently induced other City officials to approve payments to a director of a particular funeral home (the “Funeral Home Director”) under a financial assistance program for burial services for low-income families, in exchange for thousands of dollars in kickbacks from the proceeds of those reimbursement payments from the Funeral Home Director.
Finally, in or about April 2021, HERBERT submitted a fraudulent loan application—on behalf of a fictitious baked goods company he claimed to operate—to induce a bank to issue HERBERT a $20,418 loan pursuant to the federal Paycheck Protection Program that was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* * *
HERBERT, 61, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with two counts of bribery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of federal program fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI, DOI, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine Ghosh and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Nevada resident Sentenced for possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RENO – Kurtis Lee Solomon, formerly of Fernley, Nevada, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum to time served followed by 10 years of supervised release. Solomon had served approximately three days in custody. The government recommended a sentence of 97 months incarceration with lifetime supervision to follow.
Yesterday’s sentence follows Solomon’s conviction in December 2024 after a six-day jury trial for Possession of Child Pornography. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning on a date unknown and continuing up to and including September 9, 2021, Solomon knowingly and repeatedly accessed child pornography websites over the internet and viewed child sexual abuse material that included preteens and babies. Solomon had admitted to having websites containing child pornography saved to his internet browser’s “Favorites.” Solomon was arrested on April 17, 2022, and remained in custody until April 19, 2022.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Sparks Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Keenan prosecuted the case.
###
Former Bastrop Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A former Bastrop federal correctional officer made his initial appearance in a federal court in Austin today and pleaded guilty to one count of bribery.
According to court documents, Waldemar Perez, 49, worked as a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Bastrop from approximately May 23, 2021, to May 11, 2023. While employed there as a public official, he developed a business and practice of smuggling prohibited items into FCI Bastrop and providing them to prisoners in return for bribes. Perez would receive prohibited items from the prisoners’ friends and relatives outside the facility, secretly transport the items into the prison, hide them in various locations, and notify the prisoners where to find them.
During the two years that Perez engaged in the bribery scheme, he received tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from prisoners or others paying on their behalf. In one instance, on May 3, 2023, Perez received an electronic transfer of $300 as a bribe to smuggle prohibited items such as cigarettes and electronic cigarettes into FCI Bastrop and provide them to one inmate.
Perez faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI and Department of Justice Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case.
###
Federal Jury finds Memphis Man Guilty of Four Armed Robberies of United States Postal Carriers and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – On January 9, 2026, a federal jury delivered a guilty verdict in the case of Marshun Lewis, 25, who was charged with committing a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers in August 2023 and October, November, and December of 2024 in the Western District of Tennessee. Lewis faces a mandatory statutory minimum sentence of 28 years in federal prison based upon brandishing a firearm during each of the robberies. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.
According to information presented in court, Lewis conducted a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers as a masked gunman for the purpose of obtaining keys to unlock blue collection mailboxes throughout the city of Memphis. He used the keys to steal checks and money orders from the mail for use in committing bank fraud. He would alter the payee information on the checks and money orders for deposit into third party accounts for withdrawal. Investigators located his vehicle on surveillance video at the scene of the robberies. Postal Inspectors served a search warrant at his home and located stolen mail and the keychain for one of the stolen keys. Text messages located on his phone linked him to each of the robberies and several co-conspirators in the bank fraud scheme. Inspectors determined the total amount of stolen checks and money orders exceeded $940,000.
After a four-day trial, Lewis was convicted as charged of four counts of robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of possession of stolen mail. Sentencing is set on April 10, 2026, before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This office takes very seriously our duty to protect the safety of United States Postal Service employees and the sanctity and security of the U.S. Mail. Armed robberies are brazen and disturbing acts of violence that terrorize our community and must be met with significant consequences. This dangerous offender has sown violence and greed, and as a result of this guilty verdict, he will now reap the full measure of consequences for his criminal conduct."
“As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety of our employees,” said Atlanta Division Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “Make no mistake. We will use every resource available when our postal carriers are robbed. Postal carriers are an integral part of our communities, and the Inspection Service is committed to ensuring their safety, protecting the sanctity of the U.S. Mail, and safeguarding the public’s trust in the Postal Service by holding those that commit violent crimes and theft accountable for their actions. We extend our appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support in this case.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and William Bateman prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
###
For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Federal Authorities Seize Two Website Domains Used to Import Illegal Machine Gun Conversion Devices and Silencers from ChinaRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Federal authorities in Boston seized two internet domains and two cryptocurrency accounts that were allegedly used for the illegal importation of machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) from China. MCDs commonly known as “switches” or “sears” are parts designed to convert semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic machineguns. Possession of these items and their importation from certain countries, including China, are prohibited under the National Firearms Act (NFA). In addition, during the course of this investigation, 3,093 machine gun conversion devices (switches and auto sears) were seized along with 282 firearms; 124 silencers; and over 12,000 rounds of ammunition.
According to the court documents, beginning in 2023 and continuing through 2025, federal authorities began targeting multiple websites, businesses and individuals selling, offering for sale, importing and exporting machinegun conversion devices. Through undercover purchases from the website domains and MCD vendors promoting the sale of NFA-prohibited items – it was confirmed that the domains were being used to sell MCDs. Cryptocurrency accounts used by the MCD vendors to facilitate their sales were also later identified.
To conceal the alleged illegal importation, the contraband items sold from the domains were allegedly smuggled inside air cargo shipments from China to government-controlled mailboxes in the United States. The MCDs were packaged with other goods and were never properly declared with United States Customs.
It is further alleged that the website domains trafficked counterfeit goods and unlawfully used the Glock, Inc. trademark by offering purported “Glock” switches for sale. In reality however, Glock, Inc. has never manufactured switches.
Federal authorities ultimately established probable cause to seize for forfeiture the internet domains and funds within the cryptocurrency wallets which were used in connection with the scheme to import MCDs. Visitors to the websites will now be directed to a landing page indicating that the domain has been seized:
To date, the operation led by the District of Massachusetts targeting MCD vendors, has led to the seizure of approximately 360 internet domains and over 3,000 MCDs, 282 firearms, 124 silencers, over 12,000 rounds ammunition and approximately 125 investigative referrals.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Boston Field Office and National Targeting Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annapurna Balakrishna of the Asset Recovery Unit and Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit obtained the seizure warrants in this case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Falmouth Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, Ordered to Repay $590K to IRSRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Falmouth man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for tax evasion.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Jeffrey Riddle, 59, to three years of probation. Riddle was also ordered to pay $590,912 in restitution to the IRS. Riddle pleaded guilty on December 16, 2024.
According to court records, Riddle filed federal income tax returns for 2006 through 2014, reporting that he owed substantial federal tax. Despite reporting that he owed taxes, Riddle did not pay.
The IRS began trying to collect Riddle’s back taxes in 2010, filing notices of federal tax liens on property and levies on his bank account. In 2015, while still owing substantial back taxes, Riddle created a new business, Silica Marketing LLC, and entered into a lucrative consulting agreement with a large tire retailer. Riddle put the ownership of the company under his then-wife’s name despite the company’s sole revenue coming from his consulting work and using the proceeds to pay personal expenses. When meeting with the IRS revenue officer assigned to collect his back taxes, Riddle stated that he earned $6,000 a month in wages from Silica and provided the IRS with a falsified letter showing he would be paid a $3,000 bi-monthly salary. He failed to disclose that he had signed a consulting agreement as Silica’s president and CEO and that Silica was receiving substantial income from that contract. Riddle also failed to disclose that money paid to Silica was being used to pay his personal expenses. Among the expenses paid for with Silica funds was the down payment on a home on Great Diamond Island in 2016, purchased in Silica’s name.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
###
El Salvadoran National Sentenced for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EDGAR YOVANI PEREZ-GUTIERREZ (“PEREZ-Gutierrez”), 40, was sentenced on January 8, 2026, to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, after previously pleading guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on or about April 10, 2025, PEREZ-GUTIERREZ, an individual unlawfully present in the United States, was found in possession of a Glock handgun. He was arrested by the New Orleans Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations officers for violating immigration laws.
This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
* * *