Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
13 January 2026
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Desean Lamar Briscoe, 35, also known as “G,” of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2025, Briscoe sold approximately 3 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $225 in Huntington. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the substance contained 3 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Briscoe admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand. Briscoe also admitted that he sold suspected heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $50 in Huntington on March 11, 2025. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the substance contained a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
At the time of the current offense, Briscoe was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for possession with the intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 18, 2020.
Biscoe is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:25-cr-183.
###
Denver Man Convicted on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Juan Sertuche, age 43, of Denver, Colorado, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 8, 2026.
“We may never know the true depths of the devastation, suffering, and loss inflicted on our communities by the methamphetamine, fentanyl, and automatic weapons trafficked and sold by this defendant,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “But we will do our best to hold this profiteer of misery fully accountable and ensure he receives a federal prison sentence that will put him out of that business for a long time.”
The two charges for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance each carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment, a $10 million dollar fine, at least five years up to life supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The charge for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum of five years up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sertuche was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024.
Between 2002 and September 2023, Juan Sertuche led a drug distribution conspiracy and provided hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to multiple sub-distributors to be further distributed in the Rapid City and Pine Ridge areas of South Dakota. On one occasion, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of couriers who Sertuche had directed to travel from Denver to the Rapid City area. During the traffic stop, law enforcement discovered 19 pounds of methamphetamine intended to be further distributed in the Rapid City area. In September 2023, Sertuche was arrested following a traffic stop in Jackson County where he was found to be in possession of approximately 1500 fentanyl pills that he intended to be further distributed.
Following his arrest, Sertuche, continued to try to get others he was conspiring with to continue the drug distribution efforts, including by collecting money and making trips to Denver to pick up methamphetamine and fentanyl. Sertuche also directed another person on several occasions to collect numerous firearms that were part of his drug dealing to Denver to be traded for methamphetamine. Law enforcement was able to recover those firearms, including two fully automatic machine guns, before they could be taken and used as currency for drugs.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and the North Metro Denver Drug Task Force. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation will be ordered, and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Cuban Man Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YAIDEL PLACIDO SALVADOR, (“PLACIDO”) age 39, a New Orleans resident, pled guilty on January 7, 2026, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to two counts of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine (Count 1), and possession with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine (Count 3), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, PLACIDO, and other co-conspirators, distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
As to both counts individually, PLACIDO faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to a maximum term of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, at least five years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Court of Appeals affirms 40-year prison sentence for convicted sex traffickerRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II announced today that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the 40-year prison sentence imposed against a Cincinnati man convicted at trial of sex trafficking and exploiting two teenagers.
Following a six-day jury trial, Kelly Richards, 44, was found guilty on all five counts of sex trafficking minors, sexually exploiting children and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Richards was sentenced in October 2024 to 480 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.
Richards drugged, raped, abused, photographed and sold two teenage girls. He held them for days in a one-bedroom apartment the appeals court called “a house of horrors.” Richards provided the minors with cocaine before sexually assaulting them and forcing them to have sex with other men.
On appeal, Richards challenged his convictions and argued that his sentence was substantively unreasonable. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions and sentence, noting his “horrific crimes against multiple victims” and failure to show “a scintilla of remorse for his actions.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis J. Zouhary represented the United States on appeal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle J. Healey and was investigated by the FBI and other members of the FBI’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force.
# # #
Cleveland Man to Spend 19 Years in Federal Prison for Armored Vehicle RobberiesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 24-year-old Cleveland man has been sentenced to prison for his role in two robberies of armored car vehicles in Cleveland.
Christion Yarnell Sims, 24, was sentenced to 228 months (19 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan after pleading guilty to the following charges:
- Interference with Commerce by Robbery
- Carjacking
- Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
Sims was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $336,120 in restitution.
According to court documents, Sims and several other assailants robbed armored car vehicles on two separate occasions. The robberies occurred July 29, 2024, and Sept. 23, 2024.
On both dates, employees with Vantage Technical Services (VTS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Brinks, were servicing an ATM at each retail establishment. As employees exited the stores and attempted to enter their armored vehicles, they were threatened at gunpoint. In both instances, the assailants took several bags filled with cash before speeding away in getaway vehicles.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of OhioDuring the investigation, agents discovered photographs of Sims holding a large sum of banded and unbanded cash. They also found a video of a car dealership employee counting stacks of cash during a transaction in which Sims bought a black BMW after the first robbery.
In total, more than $300,000 in cash was stolen from VTS armored vehicles by Sims and other perpetrators.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and the Cleveland Division of Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Trevell Marcelus Nurse, 27, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nurse admitted to selling an approximate total of 27.3 grams of a substance containing fentanyl over the course of five transactions between April 9, 2024, and September 6, 2024, each time in the Charleston area. Nurse further admitted that he arranged the sale of 14.58 grams of a substance containing fentanyl on September 3, 2024, and directed a co-defendant to deliver the controlled substance. Nurse also admitted that he possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P 40 M2.0 .40-caliber pistol and a quantity of a substance containing fentanyl for his personal use in the Charleston area on September 20, 2024.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-55.
###
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Isaiah Markeis Sims, 23, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Operation Take Back America continues to deliver on the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi that our communities would be made safer by unleashing the full power of the Department of Justice to crack down on the perpetrators of violent crime. I am very proud of the excellent work by Sheriff Chip Simmons and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, to remove this dangerous felon from our streets, and my office will continue to back up their efforts with successful prosecutions.”
Court documents reflect that on August 25, 2025, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle, and the defendant was a passenger in the vehicle. The defendant fled on foot from the deputies and when he fell to the ground, deputies located a loaded Glock handgun beside him on the ground. The defendant is a convicted felon.
Sims faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2026, at 10:00am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit 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.
Buffalo felon going to prison on new gun chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that William Morrison, Jr., 27, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison by U.S. District judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that late in the evening of July 19, 2024, Buffalo Police responded to the area of Ashley and Mohr Streets for a report of a man with a gun. The caller indicated the suspect, later identified as Morrison, was wearing an ankle bracelet and was waiving a black pistol around. The caller then reported that the suspect was inside an Ashley Street residence, which was referred to as a “dope house.” When officers arrived, they observed Morrison running from the rear of the residence. Morrison was quickly apprehended. Officers searched the area of the yard where Morrison had fled and recovered a loaded 9mm handgun. In November 2019, Morrison was convicted of a felony gun charge in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Interim Commissioner Craig Macy, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo.
# # # #
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JIMMY ARCE, also known as “Boe,” “Slim,” and “Jimbo,” 42, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl in southwestern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Arce as a distributor of fentanyl in southwestern Connecticut. During the investigation, investigators regularly observed Arce supplying Omar Parra with fentanyl for redistribution, and made controlled purchases of the drug from Parra.
Arce was arrested on May 14, 2024. Related searches of Arce’s residence and vehicle revealed a quantity of fentanyl, scales with narcotics residue, and a bulletproof vest.
On October 21, 2025, Arce pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Arce, who is released on a $200,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 12.
Parra, also known as “D” and “Dee,” of Stamford, has pleaded guilty and is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone.
Blawnox Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and is Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Blawnox, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor and has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years of prison, to be followed by lifetime supervised release, on his conviction, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on James Muir, 60, who pleaded guilty to two counts.
According to information presented to the Court, on or around October 19, 2022, Muir induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing videos and still images of such conduct. Muir then distributed the child sexual abuse material to another individual via text message.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Pittsburgh’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, including the Allegheny County Police Department and Blawnox Borough Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Muir.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Atlantic Biologicals Corporation Enters into Deferred Prosecution Agreement in Opioid Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
Atlantic Biologicals Corporation, a pharmaceutical wholesaler based in Miami, has entered into a two-year deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department in connection with a criminal information filed in the Southern District of Florida charging it with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances. As part of the deferred prosecution agreement, Atlantic Biologicals admitted that its business unit National Apothecary Solutions (NAS), through its employees and agents, sold opioid pills to certain Houston area pill mill pharmacies, knowing and intending that the pharmacies would dispense the pills outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. NAS will commence cessation of operations in or about January 2026, after selling over 14 million doses of opioids and opioid potentiators to pill mill pharmacies in the diversion “hot zone” of Houston, Texas.
“Atlantic Biologicals abused its trusted position in the pharmaceutical supply chain when it supplied Houston-area pill mill pharmacies with powerful, addictive opioids and other commonly abused controlled substances solely for its own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Yesterday’s resolution demonstrates the Criminal Division’s longstanding commitment to holding corporations accountable when they fuel the opioid crisis. This resolution sends a clear message that the Criminal Division will not stop at prosecuting individuals but will also hold to account corporate criminal actors.”
“Atlantic Biologicals did not make a mistake, it made a choice,” said Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division. “A choice to put millions of opioid pills into the hands of Houston-area pill mills, knowing full well those drugs would be diverted, abused, and used to exploit vulnerable communities. When companies inside the pharmaceutical supply chain abandon their duty and chase profit over patients, they become part of the opioid crisis, not a cure for it. This case makes one point absolutely clear: if you knowingly fuel addiction and criminal diversion, no boardroom, badge, or business model will shield you from accountability. DEA will hold every registrant to the standards of the law — and the standards the American people deserve. "
“Atlantic Biologicals helped flood communities with addictive opioids, ignoring safeguards meant to protect patients and federal health care programs,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “To the companies fueling the opioid crisis: we will find you, we will expose you, and we will hold you accountable.”
Joshua Weinstein, the former president of NAS, Atlantic Biologicals’ business unit that sold pharmaceutical opioids, other controlled and non-controlled drugs, and medical goods to independent pharmacies; Derrick Chad Atkinson, a former independent sales representative contracted by NAS; and Jason Smith, the former owner of Proven Rx Sales LLC (Proven), a consulting company that worked with NAS, each previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances. Joseph Pesserillo and Cassandra Rivera, former employes of Proven, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use a communications facility to further commission of a felony controlled substance offense.
According to court documents and admissions, from 2017 through May 2023, NAS sold Houston-area pill mill pharmacies millions of highly-addictive opioids, specifically oxycodone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone pills (“Commonly Abused Opioids”), as well as other controlled substances such as carisoprodol and alprazolam (known as “potentiators”) that are used to enhance the high users sought from the opioids (collectively, “Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs”). The pill mills diverted the drugs into the black market in the Houston area. As part of the deferred prosecution agreement, Atlantic Biologicals acknowledged its responsibility for the conspiracy and admitted that NAS realized gross proceeds of at least $2,508,735. 85 from sales to certain specifically-identified Houston area pill mill pharmacies, knowing and intending that the pharmacies would dispense the pills outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly or intentionally manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance, “except as authorized”. Manufacturers, distributors, and other individuals appropriately licensed and registered with the DEA — commonly called registrants — are authorized under the CSA to conduct controlled-substance transactions within the legitimate distribution chain. However, it is unlawful for a registrant to distribute opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone when the registrant knows or intends they are being sought for an illegitimate purpose. Pharmacies operate legitimately only when they dispense these drugs pursuant to valid prescriptions issued for a legitimate medical purpose by a doctor or other practitioner acting in the usual course of professional practice.
According to court documents and admissions, NAS sold the Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs to pill mill pharmacies at a large markup. NAS also employed purported compliance measures that were circumvented in order to further the unlawful sales, such as requiring pharmacies to order controlled drugs in a specific ratio to their non-controlled purchases and setting monthly ordering quantities for pharmacies’controlled drug purchases. Many of NAS’s pharmacy customers exhibited red flags for diversion that included rarely ordering any controlled drug, in any strength, other than the Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs; almost always ordering as many of these drugs as NAS would sell them per month; expressing strong preferences for certain pill colors and shapes; ordering non-controlled drugs in suspicious patterns, including almost always ordering large quantities and limited varieties in exactly the quantities necessary to meet their NAS-imposed ordering ratio; a willingness to pay well-over-market prices to acquire both the Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs and the non-controlled drugs required to meet NAS’s ratio; maintaining hours of operation inconsistent with those of a legitimate pharmacy; and submitting photos as part of NAS’s due diligence process that depicted locations in strip malls with bars on the windows and doors and nothing for sale in customer areas.
The deferred prosecution agreement requires Atlantic Biologicals to, among other obligations, provide ongoing cooperation with and disclosures to the Justice Department, implement a compliance and ethics program to prevent violations of the CSA, and report to the Justice Department regarding remediation and implementation of these compliance measures. As part of the agreement, Atlantic Biologicals agreed to pay a criminal penalty of $450,000. This penalty has been adjusted based on Atlantic Biologicals’ ability to pay.
The government reached this resolution with Atlantic Biologicals based on a number of factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offense conduct, and that the company in May 2023 voluntarily ceased selling controlled substances to independently-owned pharmacies and later voluntarily agreed to close the NAS business line responsible for the offense conduct. Atlantic Biologicals did not voluntarily and timely self-disclose the conduct to the Justice Department but did receive credit for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation, which included providing factual presentations to the government, collecting and organizing voluminous evidence and information, including financial information, and working with the government to expeditiously review potentially privileged documents seized pursuant to a search warrant and identify non-privileged documents for release to the government.
The criminal case is being investigated by DEA, the FBI, HHS-OIG, and the Texas Office of the Attorney General-Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Trial Attorneys Miriam L. Glaser Dauermann and Drew Pennebaker of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Alupress to pay $2.2 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to improper receipt of PPP loansRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alupress LLC, a manufacturer of automotive die casting components, agreed to pay approximately $2.2 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of improperly obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for which the manufacturer was not eligible to receive.
In March 2020, Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program to provide emergency financial assistance to American small businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the program, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA provided they met various eligibility requirements. One such requirement limited the total number of employees an applicant company could employ, which included employees associated with the applicant company’s foreign affiliates.
The United States contends, in 2021, that Alupress obtained a forgiven loan that it was not eligible for because it exceeded the size requirement. When Alupress obtained the loan, it was a wholly owned subsidiary of Alupress Group, which in turn was wholly owned by Technicon, a company based in Italy with multiple subsidiaries worldwide. Technicon and its affiliates, including Alupress Group and Alupress LLC, had over 300 employees at the time Alupress applied for the loan, thereby exceeding the total number of employees the company could have.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to support small business during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This office continues to work tirelessly to recover taxpayer dollars that were improperly obtained when large companies, like Alupress, received loans by skirting the eligibility rules.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell and USAO Investigator Margaret McFarland, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations involving fraud, waste and abuse associated with COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
# # # #
12 January 2026
Wakulla County Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Richard Lynn Simmons, Jr. (36, Sopchoppy) has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Simmons faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Pursuant to his appearance in federal court on January 9, 2026, Simmons was detained pending further proceedings in this case.
According to court documents, between November 8, 2025, and January 6, 2026, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville conducted an undercover operation using an online social media application (“app”) to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. During this time period, UC was posing as the parent of an underage child. UC and app user “snowwis89” exchanged several private online messages on the app and by text messaging. After UC advised app user “snowwis89” that UC had access to an 11-year-old child, app user “snowwis89” stated that he was into “kinky stuff” and that he liked “young.” When asked if “is 11 too young for u,” app user “snowwis89” responded, “Na it’s not … would she be ok with it?” Later, app user “snowwis89,” who was subsequently identified as Simmons, described by text the specific sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child.” After more text messages and several telephone conversations discussing his travel plans and his desire to meet UC and the “child,” on January 6, 2026, Simmons drove from the Tallahassee area to Jacksonville where he was arrested by FBI agents.
A criminal complaint is an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Department of Justice Launches Outreach Initiative Breaking the Cycle to Combat Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Puerto Rico, in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, have been working arduously in the prevention and education efforts to raise public awareness to combat human trafficking, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Breaking the Cycle is a comprehensive educational outreach program designed to dismantle the roots of violence within Puerto Rican society. Operated under the U.S. Department of Justice, the program serves as a proactive intervention, shifting the focus from reactive enforcement to preventative education. By educating citizens with the cognitive tools to recognize and reject harmful behaviors, Breaking the Cycle aims to foster a sustainable island-wide culture rooted in safety, dignity, and mutual respect.
The program is inclusive and multi-generational, recognizing that safety is a collective responsibility. Our outreach specifically targets:
- The Educational Ecosystem: K-12 students, university cohorts, and faculty.
- The Family Unit: Parents and caregivers seeking to create safe domestic environments.
- Vulnerable Populations: Specialized sessions for the elderly and at-risk youth.
- Community Leadership: Local organizations and civic groups.
“Human traffickers, particularly those who prey on children, exploit the most vulnerable segments of our society,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “We value the relationships we have with local law enforcement partners to help identify and investigate cases of human trafficking. Together, we strive to educate our communities to detect signs of this illegal activity and report it.”
“Education, supported by strong values and access to adequate resources, constitutes the most effective tool to prevent and eradicate risky behaviors. Educating citizens who are aware of their rights, committed to their duties, and engaged in the well-being of their communities is a collective responsibility. Recognizing that human trafficking is a harm that concerns us all, we join the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this important prevention initiative, confident that by educating the public to recognize and reject harmful behaviors, we contribute to the building of a society grounded in safety, dignity, and mutual respect,” said PR Secretary of Justice, Lourdes L. Gómez Torres.
Breaking the Cycle is available upon request to any institution or community group in Puerto Rico. We facilitate these essential conversations at no cost to the requesting party. To coordinate a presentation or for more information, please contact:
Public Affairs and Community Engagement Division (PACE)
U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Puerto Rico
Email: USAPR.Outreach@usdoj.gov
###
United States Attorney’s Office Files Civil Forfeiture Action to Recover Proceeds of Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover 200,000.039646 USDT (Tether), alleged to be proceeds of an online investment fraud scheme. The cryptocurrency currently has an estimated value of approximately $200,000.
In April 2025, an investigation began into a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme that targeted a Massachusetts resident. In such fraud schemes, often called “pig-butchering” schemes, scammers obtain funds from victims using manipulative tactics. The scammer establishes a level of trust with a victim in online communications and then entices the victim into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Often the victim is enticed to make additional payments before realizing they are a victim of fraud. The victim’s funds are stolen by the criminal, or criminals, ultimately causing the victim financial and emotional harm. Perpetrators behind these cryptocurrency investment schemes are often located overseas.
As alleged in court documents, a Massachusetts resident matched with an individual on Tinder who went by the name “Nino Martin.” Martin suggested they leave Tinder and communicate via WhatsApp. He told the victim that he was a financial advisor and could help the victim make money by trading cryptocurrency. The victim then followed instructions to create an account and transfer funds to a trading platform that law enforcement believes was fraudulent. Individuals from the suspected fraudulent trading platform then contacted the victim with instructions on how to evade restrictions on the legitimate account from which the victim had transferred funds, as the prior transfers had been flagged as suspicious. The victim then continued to transfer funds to the suspected fraudulent trading platform. The victim transferred approximately $504,353 to the suspected fraudulent trading platform prior to contacting law enforcement.
Some victim funds were then traced to a cryptocurrency account, which was seized in June 2025.
It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. It is also a violation of federal law to conduct a financial transaction knowing that the transaction is designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of criminal proceeds. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims.
This is one of several civil forfeiture actions the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture action.
The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint and criminal charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Navy Sailor Sentenced to More Than 16 Years for Spying for ChinaRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Jinchao Wei, a former U.S. Navy sailor who was convicted of espionage by a federal jury in August 2025, was sentenced in federal court today to 200 months in prison.
Wei, 25, also known as Patrick Wei, was arrested in August 2023 on espionage charges as he arrived for work on the amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Essex at Naval Base San Diego, the homeport of the Pacific Fleet. He was indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of selling national defense information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China for $12,000.
Following a five-day trial and one day of deliberation, the jury convicted Wei of six crimes, including conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and unlawful export of, and conspiracy to export, technical data related to defense articles in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. He was found not guilty of one count of naturalization fraud.
“Members of the United States military swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This active-duty U.S. Navy sailor betrayed his country and compromised the national security of the United States. The Justice Department will not tolerate this behavior. We stand ready to investigate, defend, and protect the interests of the American people.”
“Wei swore loyalty to the United States when he joined the Navy and reaffirmed that oath when he became a citizen,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “He then accepted the solemn responsibility of protecting this Nation’s secrets when the United States entrusted him with sensitive Navy information. He made a mockery of these commitments when he chose to endanger our Nation and our servicemembers by selling U.S. military secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer for personal profit. Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to ensuring those who sell our Nation’s secrets pay a very high price for their betrayal.”
“He betrayed his oath, his shipmates, the United States Navy, and the American people — a level of disloyalty that strikes at the heart of our national security and demanded this powerful sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“By sharing thousands of documents, operating manuals, and export-controlled and sensitive information with a Chinese intelligence officer, Petty Officer Wei knowingly betrayed his fellow service members and the American people,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “Today’s outcome demonstrates the shared commitment of NCIS, FBI, the Department of Justice and our Intelligence partners to aggressively pursue and hold accountable those who would put the lethality and readiness of our Naval fleet, as well as our national security, at risk. NCIS remains steadfast in its mission to protect U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces and warfighting capabilities by neutralizing counterintelligence threats ashore, afloat and in cyberspace.”
“Today’s sentence marks the conclusion of a first-of-its-kind espionage investigation in the district and reflects the seriousness of Wei’s egregious actions against his own country,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis, of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI will aggressively defend our homeland from anyone threatening our national security, including those on the inside betraying their sworn duty to the United States. We remain steadfast in protecting the American people and will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to successfully carry out this mission.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Wei, in his role as a machinist’s mate, held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense information about the ship’s weapons, propulsion and desalination systems. Amphibious assault ships like the Essex resemble small aircraft carriers and allow the U.S. military to project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities.
On February 14, 2022, Wei was recruited by a Chinese intelligence officer via social media who at first portrayed himself as a naval enthusiast who worked for the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The evidence showed that even during the early days of his espionage career, Wei strongly suspected the intelligence officer’s true identity and motive.
On February 22, 2022, Wei told a friend who was also in the U.S. Navy that he thought he was “on the radar of a China intelligence organization,” as he was in contact with an individual who was “extremely suspicious,” “interested in the maintenance cycle of naval ships,” and wanted him to “walk the pier” to “see which ships are docked” on a “daily basis.” Wei said that this person would pay him $500. Wei told his friend that he is “no idiot” and that “this is quite obviously fucking espionage.”
Wei’s friend suggested that Wei delete the contact. Instead of heeding his friend’s advice, the next day Wei transitioned his communications with the intelligence officer to a different encrypted messaging application that he believed was more secure and began spying for the intelligence officer.
The evidence showed that between March 2022 and when he was arrested in August 2023, Wei, at the request of the intelligence officer, sent photographs and videos of the Essex, advised the officer of the location of various Navy ships, and described the defensive weapons of the Essex. He also described problems with his ship and other ships based at Naval Base San Diego and elsewhere. And, he sent the intelligence officer thousands of pages of technical and operational information about U.S. Navy surface warfare ships like the Essex that he took from restricted U.S. Navy computer systems.
In exchange for this information, the officer paid Wei more than $12,000 over 18 months. In one of his larger thefts of U.S. Navy data, Wei sold the intelligence officer at least 30 technical and operating manuals about U.S. Navy systems. These manuals contained export control warnings and detailed the operations of multiple systems aboard the Essex and similar ships, including power, steering, weapons control, aircraft and deck elevators, as well as damage and casualty controls. In total, Wei sold the intelligence officer approximately 60 technical and operating manuals about U.S. Navy ships, as well as dozens of photographs and papers about the U.S. Navy and Wei’s assignments on the Essex. Many of the manuals contained conspicuous export-control warnings on their cover pages.
During the trial, the government presented evidence including phone conversations, electronic messages, and audio messages that Wei exchanged with his Chinese handler. These messages showed how they communicated, what they spoke about, the need for secrecy, the efforts they made to cover their tracks, the tasks issued by his case handler, and how Wei was paid for his work via an online payment method.
As their relationship developed, Wei called his handler “Big Brother Andy” and obliged requests to keep their relationship secret by using multiple encrypted apps; deleting messages and accounts; using digital “dead drops” that disappear in 72 hours; and using a new computer and phone provided by his handler.
The government told the jury that the evidence showed Wei was aware that what he was doing was wrong. He had received recent training from the Navy regarding how to detect recruitment efforts from foreign governments; he attempted to conceal his activity; and he searched the internet about another case in which a U.S. Navy sailor was convicted of espionage, even reading a Department of Justice press release about that case.
Much of the evidence showed the evolution of Wei’s relationship with his handler - Wei’s increasing willingness to collect more and more sensitive information, and the intelligence officer’s employment of intelligence tradecraft to keep developing Wei as a spy and to conceal their relationship and activities from U.S. authorities. For example, the jury saw photographs of the hand-written receipts that Wei created and sent to his handler to be paid and conversations that Wei and his handler had regarding the handler’s increasingly generous offers to Wei, such as a trip for Wei and his mother to travel to China. Moreover, the jury was presented with documents and records obtained from electronic accounts demonstrating the intelligence officer’s identity as a PRC intelligence officer, including photographs and identification documents.
During his post-arrest interview Wei admitted that he gave the intelligence officer thousands of pages of technical and operating manuals and export-controlled data about U.S. Navy surface warfare ships, and that the intelligence officer paid him thousands of dollars for these materials. He also admitted that he knew that his actions were wrong and that he had tried to hide his activities. When the interviewing agents asked Wei how he would describe what he had been doing with the intelligence officer, Wei responded, “espionage.”
Wei, during his post-arrest interview with FBI and NCIS: “I’m screwed.”
FBI: “What makes you say that?”
Wei: “That I’m sharing the unclassified document to—I mean document with, uhm, him . . . I’m not supposed to do that.”
The crime of espionage under U.S. Code Section 794 has never been charged in this district. The statute is reserved for the most serious circumstances involving the passage of national defense information intended to harm the United States or for the benefit of a foreign power.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parmley from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and Adam Barry, former Trial Attorney from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section who is currently Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Columbia.
The U.S. Department of State, the Transportation Security Administration and Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable assistance.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23CR01471-H
Jinchao Wei Age: 25 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Espionage – Title 18, United States Code, Section 794(c)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison, $250,000 fine
Count 1 - GUILTY
Espionage – Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 794(a)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $250,000
Count 2 - GUILTY
Conspiracy to Export Defense Articles without a License -- Title 22, U.S.C., Sec. 2778(b)(2) and (c) and Title 22, C.F.R., Secs. 121.1, 127.1 and 127.3
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
Count 3 - GUILTY
Exporting Defense Articles without a License -- Title 22, U.S.C., Sec. 2778(b)(2) and (c) and
Title 22, C.F.R., Secs. 121.1, 127.1 and 127.3
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
Counts 4, 5 and 6 - GUILTY
Naturalization Fraud – Title 18, United States Code, Section 1425 (a)
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison, $250,000 fine, and order of denaturalization
Count 7 – NOT GUILTY
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Assignment of Five Department of War Legal Personnel to Las Cruces OfficeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison announced today that five Department of War personnel have been assigned to the Las Cruces Office of the District of New Mexico. The detailees include three Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) and two Senior Paralegal Specialists and will operate under the supervision of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. These SAUSAs will focus on prosecuting federal offenses arising along New Mexico’s section of the U.S./Mexico border, including immigration, narcotics, firearms, and human smuggling crimes.
This assignment strengthens the District of New Mexico’s partnership with the U.S. Military and supports ongoing national efforts to deploy additional Department of War and Department of Justice personnel to the southern border. It also represents an important step toward the administration’s stated objective of achieving 100 percent operational control of the southern border by increasing prosecutorial capacity in a key border district.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Trucker Who Sexually Abused His Minor Relative Sentenced to over 27 Years for the Transportation, Receipt, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David Morrison, an out-of-state truck driver, was sentenced on January 8, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware for his crimes of transporting, receiving, and possessing child sexual abuse material (or CSAM). U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika imposed the sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, the investigation into Morrison began after law enforcement received thirteen cyber tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reporting that Morrison had uploaded (or attempted to upload) CSAM to his various digital accounts. Law enforcement learned that Morrison—a long-haul trucker—was in Smyrna, Delaware for work, and executed a federal search warrant of his truck. Following a search of Morrison’s phone, law enforcement located approximately 164 media files (25 videos and 139 pictures) containing CSAM, including files depicting the sexual exploitation of infants and toddlers. In those files, law enforcement identified images of a girl who appeared to be Morrison’s minor relative. That relative was subsequently interviewed and disclosed to law enforcement that Morrison sexually abused her on multiple occasions between the ages of 6 and 11. She also confirmed that she was the child pictured in several of Morrison’s photographs.
Morrison was sentenced to 327 months of imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release from prison, Morrison will be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Wallace stated, “There are no victims more vulnerable than children—and there are no victims for whom my Office will fight harder. This just sentence reflects the profound harm that David Morrison caused to his many victims, most especially his minor relative who Morrison repeatedly sexually abused. I thank our partners at HSI, whose excellent investigative work across multiple jurisdictions led to the arrest and conviction of this dangerous child predator.”
“David Morrison’s conduct was calculated, predatory, and caused profound harm to a vulnerable child. Homeland Security Investigations will never stop pursuing those who exploit children, whether they hide online or operate in plain sight,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia, Eric D. McLoughlin. “This sentence underscores the strength of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, whose prosecutors worked tirelessly alongside our agents to ensure justice was served. Together, we remain committed to identifying these predators, removing them from our communities, and seeking justice for survivors.”
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-77.
###
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jory Lynn Poafpybitty, a/k/a Jory Len Poafpybitty, age 39, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Poafpybitty with knowingly possessing 25 rounds of .38spl ammunition and 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition on March 27, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tahlequah Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Poafpybitty will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Spouse of Convicted Narcotics Dealer Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Island Thi Truong (40, Orlando) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court also ordered Truong to forfeit two real properties and two luxury watches, all of which were purchased with proceeds of drug distribution activities and were used to conceal the origin of those funds. Truong pleaded guilty in August 2025.
According to the plea agreement, Truong conspired with her husband, George Pherai-Bogeajis, to launder the proceeds of his drug distribution activities. Pherai-Bogeajis was separately convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams of methamphetamine, for which he was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months’ imprisonment. Truong helped Pherai-Bogeajis conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars of illicit drug proceeds by making extensive cash deposits, using a fake tax services company through which drug proceeds were laundered, and using third-party nominees to write checks in exchange for cash. In turn, Truong used the concealed proceeds to fund luxury vacations and purchase expensive jewelry, including an 18-karat yellow gold Rolex wristwatch for approximately $44,000. In total, Truong laundered more than $750,000 in drug proceeds.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Money Laundering Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dana Hill and Risha Asokan. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Rohnert Park Man Indicted on Charges of Manufacturing and Selling Firearms to Gang MembersRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Jose Alfredo Perez on charges of unlicensed manufacturing and dealing of firearms as well as firearms trafficking. Perez was arrested and made his initial appearance in federal district court on January 9, 2026.
According to the indictment unsealed last week and other court documents, Perez, 41, of Rohnert Park, is alleged to have built and supplied more than 20 AR-style assault weapons and ammunition to members of the Angelino Heights Sureño street gang in Santa Rosa, who were legally prohibited from possessing those weapons and ammunition as convicted felons.
As part of the scheme, Perez allegedly had firearms parts that could not be legally shipped to California delivered to an out-of-state address provided by one of the gang members he was working with, who then coordinated having those parts transported to California for Perez to use in building untraceable and unserialized firearms. In April 2025, while executing a search warrant at Perez’s residence, law enforcement discovered a makeshift firearms manufacturing workshop in Perez’s tool shed and garage, which contained numerous kits for building AR-style rifles along with tools and machinery for assembling the weapons.
In January 2025, officers recovered 11 unserialized assault weapons, depicted below, that were allegedly built and supplied by Perez:
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Perez is currently in federal custody. He is next scheduled to appear in federal court on January 14, 2026, for an arraignment and detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the count of unlicensed manufacturing and dealing of firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A), and a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of firearms trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 933(a)(1). 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.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case was investigated by HSTF Core Region 2 - San Francisco, which comprises agents and officers from the FBI, California Highway Patrol, and Santa Rosa Police Department, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Buszin is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lakisha Holliman and Yenni Weinberg.
Non-Profit Executive Convicted of Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that ZOE MARIE FRANCIS (“FRANCIS”), age 47, of New Orleans, pled guilty on January 7, 2026, to theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A).
According to court documents, FRANCIS was the chief operating officer of the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (“IWES”), a non-profit organization based in New Orleans that received grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other federal funds. In that role, FRANCIS embezzled funds for the benefit of herself and family members, including unauthorized expenditures for personal events and Amazon purchases. Using her authority with IWES, FRANCIS used falsified contracts to hide these expenses and invoices, and she granted herself unauthorized pay increases. Under the terms of FRANCIS’s plea agreement, FRANCIS agreed to pay over $100,000 in restitution to IWES, and she also agreed to forfeit at least $150,000 in IWES funds that she spent on unauthorized expenses.
United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for April 8, 2026. At sentencing, the maximum penalty FRANCIS faces is ten years of imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Trial Attorney Gary Crosby, of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Fraud Coordinator, are in charge of the prosecution.
New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Maintaining an Illegal Marijuana Grow HouseRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New York woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to maintaining a marijuana-involved premises.
According to court records, Jiamin Liao, 30, of New York City, purchased a residence in Madison for the purposes of manufacturing and distributing marijuana. In March 2024, Somerset County Sheriff’s Office personnel executed a state search warrant at Liao’s property in Madison, as well as at a related property she owned in Norridgewock. Investigators found 551 marijuana plants at the Madison property, along with chemicals (including Eagle 20 EW) and a variety of grow equipment. Liao was located at her property in Norridgewock, where she was found with approximately 30 pounds of processed marijuana. When interviewed by law enforcement, Liao admitted that she grew the processed marijuana at the Madison property. She further admitted to packaging the marijuana into one-pound bags and storing the product at the property in Norridgewock.
Liao faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Neither Liao nor her property was licensed through the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy.
The FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Maine HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; HSI; DEA; IRS-Criminal Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Border Patrol; Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.
###
Monroe County Man Convicted of Drug Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dimitris Smith, Jr., age 48, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted on January 9, 2026, of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death and four counts of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine following a five-day jury trial before United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Smith distributed a deadly dose of fentanyl on December 11, 2023, in East Stroudsburg, Monroe County. A 38 year old female died after ingesting the fentanyl. Between March 14, 2024, and April 1, 2024, Smith also distributed fentanyl and cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer. During this time period Smith was on federal supervised release from a prior drug trafficking conviction.
During the five-day trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented testimony of 32 witnesses, including experts in forensic pathology, forensic toxicology, serology DNA profiling, forensic chemistry and historical cell site data. Witness testimony, the victim’s cell phone data and text messages, DNA evidence seized at the crime scene, and CashApp payment records were among the evidence presented that proved Smith was the dealer who supplied the fentanyl that killed the victim. The jury also found Smith guilty of distributing drugs on four separate occasions after the death of the victim.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Patrick Bannon prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
# # #
Mississippi and Texas Men Sentenced for Machinegun-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two men from Mississippi and Texas were sentenced for participating in a machinegun-trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Jothan Lee Shepherd, 36, of Lucedale, Mississippi, and Braxton Allen Hissong, 37, of Austin, Texas, conspired to ship an illegal machinegun across state lines. On June 20, 2024, police in Saraland, Alabama were dispatched to a restaurant regarding a suspicious package addressed to the business. The restaurant’s manager had opened the package, which contained three firearms tightly packed in trash bags and spray foam. The firearms included an illegal, unregistered machinegun. Hissong had sent the package via registered mail from a post office in Lakeway, Texas, and addressed the package to Shepherd at the restaurant in Saraland. Shepherd came to the restaurant asking for the package and left the manager his phone number.
An undercover police detective called Shepherd and told him he could retrieve the package from the post office in Saraland. Shepherd came to the post office, briefly took possession of the package, inspected the outside of the box, and then told an undercover U.S. Postal Inspector that he wanted to refuse the package. Agents then seized Shepherd’s cell phone and searched it pursuant to a warrant. The phone contained several text messages between Shepherd and Hissong negotiating the sale and illicit shipment of the machinegun from Texas to Alabama. Shepherd and Hissong exchanged numerous messages about needing to retrieve the package from the post office in Saraland because it contained both of their names.
A firearms expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) examined and test fired the machinegun that Hissong illegally shipped to Shepherd. The firearm operated as a fully automatic machinegun. Neither Shepherd nor Hissong had registered the machinegun in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Shepherd to three months’ imprisonment and Hissong to time served with a $2,000 fine. Judge DuBose ordered Shepherd to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which he must perform 300 hours of community service at Habitat for Humanity. Hissong must also serve a three-year term of supervised release, during which he must perform 300 hours of community service in the housing industry. The court did not impose a fine on Shepherd, but the court ordered the defendants to pay a total of $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Saraland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mississippi Man Arrested for Arson of Beth Israel and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish LifeRead the Press Release
A Mississippi man was arrested Saturday evening for charges related to his alleged arson of Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life building. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
“This disgusting act of anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country, and unlike the prior administration, this Department of Justice will not let anti-Semitism fester and flourish,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I have directed my prosecutors to seek severe penalties for this heinous act and remain deeply committed to protecting Jewish Americans from hatred.”
“Every American has a fundamental right to live and worship free from violence and fear,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI will never waver in our mission to protect Jewish communities from targeted anti-Semitic attacks and will work to hold accountable anyone who engages in these types of violent acts.”
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi said, “This hateful, anti-Semitic attack on the Beth Israel Congregation is disturbing and unacceptable. Mississippians may rest assured that my office will not stand idly by when violence and intimidation threaten our community. We will seek the most serious charges warranted by the evidence and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. We remain fully committed to standing with Jewish Americans and protecting our communities from hatred and harm.”
Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office said, "Houses of worship are sacred. Citizens of Mississippi of all faiths and backgrounds have the right to worship free of violence and intimidation. The heinous actions of Stephen Spencer Pittman, which allegedly sought to destroy the Beth Israel synagogue, will not be tolerated. While Mr. Pittman acted alone, FBI Jackson will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to hold accountable those who seek to infringe on the rights of Americans. The FBI is committed to protecting all places of worship and delivering justice for our communities. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities that could represent a threat to public safety."
According to court documents, Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison, Mississippi, used gasoline to set fire to the religious building in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 10, 2026. The fire resulted in extensive damage to a significant portion of the building and rendered it inoperable for an indefinite period time, as can be seen in these photographs:
Arson Damaged Building Arson Damaged BuildingCCTV footage showed the fire was started by a hooded individual who can be seen walking in the interior of the building pouring contents from what appeared to be a gas container, as seen in this photograph:
CCTV FootageAs a result of his crime, Pittman received burns to parts of his body.
According to its website, the Beth Israel Congregation was founded in 1860, and it has operated in its present location since 1967. On September 18, 1967, the then-new temple on Old Canton Road was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life provides services to Jewish communities in 14 states and comprehensive religious school programs to 70 Jewish congregations and offers traveling rabbinical services.
Pittman appeared in court today to face charges contained in a criminal complaint filed against him for violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), which prohibits arson of property used in interstate commerce or used in an activity affecting interstate commerce. If convicted, Pittman faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Jackson Police Department, and Jackson Fire Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Machine Gun Device Amid NBA Finals CrowdsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A’Jon Hall, 20, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a machine gun.
According to court documents, on the evening of June 22, 2025, large crowds gathered in downtown Indianapolis to watch Game Seven of the NBA Finals. At approximately 10:52 p.m., Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers were alerted by a member of the public that an armed male dressed in all black and carrying a backpack had been seen displaying multiple firearms near a major hotel on Georgia Street.
As officers approached the area, they observed a large crowd running in panic from a nearby street. Officers moved toward the commotion and located the individual, later identified as Hall, who was wearing a black sweatshirt, a black face mask, and carrying a backpack. When officers attempted to detain him, Hall repeatedly ignored commands to stop and fled into a parking garage stairwell.
During the pursuit, officers heard a loud bang consistent with Hall discarding the backpack. Hall attempted to hide between the third and fourth floors of the garage but, after multiple verbal commands, ultimately surrendered and was taken into custody.
On June 24, 2025, IMPD officers, with the assistance of the Indianapolis Fire Department, located the discarded backpack. Next to it, officers recovered a Glock 23 .40-caliber handgun equipped with a Glock switch—also known as a machine gun conversion device—and a 50‑round drum magazine.
Machinegun conversion devices sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to possess or sell.
“Machine gun conversion devices are among the most dangerous illegal weapons circulating in our communities. A single switch can turn a handgun into a fully automatic weapon capable of firing dozens of rounds in seconds, putting innocent people at extraordinary risk,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “As Indianapolis continues to host major events that draw large crowds from across the country, our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure this city remains a safe place to live, work, and gather.”
“We are grateful to the responding IMPD officers for their bravery in confronting an extremely dangerous individual armed with an illegal machine gun in a highly volatile situation,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jorge Rosendo. “While we may never know Hall’s true intent that evening, this successful prosecution ensures he will be unable to commit further acts of violence while incarcerated.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Walter, who prosecuted this case. SAUSA Walter is prosecuting violent crime cases as a part of the partnership with the City of Indianapolis to identify, investigate, and federally prosecute violent crimes taking place in Marion County.
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.
###
Madison Man Arrested for Arson of Beth Israel and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish LifeRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Madison man was arrested Saturday evening for charges related to his alleged arson of Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life building. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
“This disgusting act of anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country, and unlike the prior administration, this Department of Justice will not let anti-Semitism fester and flourish,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I have directed my prosecutors to seek severe penalties for this heinous act and remain deeply committed to protecting Jewish Americans from hatred.”
“Every American has a fundamental right to live and worship free from violence and fear,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI will never waver in our mission to protect Jewish communities from targeted anti-Semitic attacks and will work to hold accountable anyone who engages in these types of violent acts.”
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi said, “This hateful, anti-Semitic attack on the Beth Israel Congregation is disturbing and unacceptable. Mississippians may rest assured that my office will not stand idly by when violence and intimidation threaten our community. We will seek the most serious charges warranted by the evidence and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. We remain fully committed to standing with Jewish Americans and protecting our communities from hatred and harm.”
Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office: "Houses of worship are sacred. Citizens of Mississippi of all faiths and backgrounds have the right to worship free of violence and intimidation. The heinous actions of Stephen Spencer Pittman, which allegedly sought to destroy the Beth Israel synagogue, will not be tolerated. While Mr. Pittman acted alone, FBI Jackson will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to hold accountable those who seek to infringe on the rights of Americans. The FBI is committed to protecting all places of worship and delivering justice for our communities. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities that could represent a threat to public safety."
According to court documents, Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison, Mississippi, used gasoline to set fire to the religious building in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 10, 2026. The fire resulted in extensive damage to a significant portion of the building and rendered it inoperable for an indefinite period time, as can be seen in these photographs:
Arson Damage
Arson Damage
CCTV footage showed the fire was started by a hooded individual who can be seen walking in the interior of the building pouring contents from what appeared to be a gas container, as seen in this photograph:
CCTV Footage
As a result of his crime, Pittman received burns to parts of his body.
According to its website, the Beth Israel Congregation was founded in 1860, and it has operated in its present location since 1967. On September 18, 1967, the then-new temple on Old Canton Road was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life provides services to Jewish communities in 14 states and comprehensive religious school programs to 70 Jewish congregations and offers traveling rabbinical services.
Pittman appeared in court today to face charges contained in a criminal complaint filed against him for violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), which prohibits arson of property used in interstate commerce or used in an activity affecting interstate commerce. If convicted, Pittman faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Jackson Police Department, and Jackson Fire Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting 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).
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Madison County Sex Offender Indicted for Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Tavaris Andre Donaldson, 30, of Madison, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today.
Donaldson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for February 23, 2026, before District Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Donaldson faces up to ten years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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 available 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.
Large-Scale, Politically-Connected Venezuelan Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to Life Plus 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced that Carlos Orense Azocar was sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related weapons charges. ORENSE AZOCAR was convicted after a two-week trial in December 2023 before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Carlos Orense Azocar is one of the most prolific cocaine traffickers ever sentenced in this courthouse, responsible for the distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Orense Azocar and his co-conspirators, including high-ranking government and military officials, inflicted incalculable damage on this community. Alongside our partners at the Bilateral Investigations Unit of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, we are committed to ending the exploitation of the American people by drug cartels and the governments who enable them.”
“Carlos Orense Azocar was a criminal kingpin who built an empire on deception, fraud, and bribery,” said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. “Orense Azocar’s close ties to the Venezuelan government provided resources to help him evade law enforcement and move massive shipments of cocaine across the Western Hemisphere. Today's sentence sends a clear message: DEA will relentlessly pursue and hold international drug traffickers accountable, no matter how far they run or how powerful they believe themselves to be.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial:
Beginning in or about 2003, ORENSE AZOCAR and his drug trafficking organization distributed tons of cocaine destined for importation into the United States. ORENSE AZOCAR helped transport, receive, and distribute loads of cocaine ranging from hundreds to thousands of kilograms, from Venezuela to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere, using air and maritime routes. ORENSE AZOCAR operated fincas, or ranches, in Venezuela, where he stored his cocaine in underground tanks, stored hundreds of deadly weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition, and which had clandestine landing strips from which he dispatched airplanes loaded with cocaine. ORENSE AZOCAR also loaded cocaine on “go-fast” boats that sped from the Venezuelan coastline to intermediate delivery points in the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic and close to Puerto Rico. To aid in his cocaine distribution, ORENSE AZOCAR worked with and paid bribes to high-ranking officials throughout the Venezuelan government, including military generals and army officials; national police commissioners; and high-ranking officials in the Venezuelan intelligence agencies. ORENSE AZOCAR’s corrupt Venezuelan government connections secured access to military-grade weaponry, protection from military and law enforcement raids, safe passage for ORENSE AZOCAR’s cocaine convoys through checkpoints, and fraudulent airplane transponder codes to permit ORENSE AZOCAR’s cocaine-laden aircraft to freely depart Venezuela en route to Central America and Mexico. ORENSE AZOCAR similarly partnered with armed guerrilla forces operating in Colombia and Venezuela to source cocaine and secure safe passage for his cocaine shipments. ORENSE AZOCAR distributed hundreds of tons of cocaine and made tens of millions of dollars through his narcotics trafficking.
To protect and expand his cocaine trafficking organization, ORENSE AZOCAR employed high-powered weaponry. He had armed security teams that guarded his finca; traveled in armored vehicles with armed security; and used armed security, military forces, and police to protect his convoys of cocaine. Among other weapons, ORENSE AZOCAR employed automatic rifles, submachine guns, handguns modified to operate as machine guns, and a 50-caliber mounted machine gun.
* * *
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, Rome Country Office, and Miami Field Division, as well as the SDNY Digital Forensics Unit and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing the arrest and June 2022 extradition from Italy of Orense Azocar. Mr. Clayton additionally thanked the Government of Italy for its assistance extraditing ORENSE AZOCAR to the United States.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky, Michael D. Lockard, and Kevin T. Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution.
Laredo pharmacist pays six figures to settle Controlled Substance Act violationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The owner of Martinez Pharmacy in Laredo has agreed to pay $750,000 to resolve allegations his pharmacy violated federal recordkeeping and dispensing requirements, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Antonio Martinez Jr., 67, is the operator and pharmacist-in-charge. The pharmacy registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration March 19, 2003, and is authorized to dispense Schedule II through IV controlled substances.
In February 2024, DEA conducted an on-site inspection of Martinez Pharmacy and found it failed to maintain required records and filled approximately 173 prescriptions for controlled substances that practitioners without a legitimate medical purpose allegedly issued. They were also written outside the usual course of professional practice. DEA regulations place a corresponding liability on pharmacists to dispense lawfully issued controlled substance prescriptions.
“Pharmacists must ensure controlled substances are dispensed safely and only for legitimate medical purposes,” said Ganjei. “These violations represent a serious breach of a pharmacist’s duty to protect the wellbeing and safety of our community. My office takes prescription drug diversion extremely seriously, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure full accountability when the facts warrant it.”
“When DEA Diversion investigators inspected Martinez Pharmacy in Laredo, they uncovered a troubling pattern of record-keeping violations, including more than 170 improperly dispensed prescriptions,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge of the San Antonio Division Miguel Madrigal. “This type of negligent behavior endangers the community, and this significant settlement demonstrates that pharmacies must take their responsibilities seriously or face hefty consequences.”
The Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations seek to deter, detect and eliminate the diversion of controlled substances and listed chemicals into the illicit market while ensuring that an adequate supply of controlled substances and listed chemicals is available for legitimate medical, scientific, research and industrial purposes.
The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill O. Venezia is handling the case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Kokomo Couple Receives Combined 50-Year Federal Sentence for Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Dashawn Brown, 25, and Emily Rouse, 24, both of Kokomo, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a fentanyl dealing operation that resulted in a fatal overdose.
Brown was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
Rouse was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
According to court documents, between the fall of 2022 and March 13, 2023, Rouse and Brown conspired to distribute fentanyl pills to customers. The pair lived together and stored controlled substances, drug proceeds, and firearms in their shared residence.
On March 7, 2023, police arrested Brown after a traffic stop, during which he was found in possession of approximately 60 fentanyl pills, a Glock 19 handgun, and a Glock 26 handgun. At the time, Brown had a prior Level 5 felony conviction for resisting law enforcement and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Brown was transported to the Howard County Jail and held pending trial on state charges. While he was incarcerated, Rouse assumed responsibility for supplying fentanyl to Brown’s customers. Brown and Rouse coordinated drug transactions through text messages and recorded phone calls on the jail’s communication system.
On March 10, 2023, Brown directed Rouse to contact B.S., one of his fentanyl customers, to collect money owed from a previous transaction. The following day, B.S. paid the outstanding debt, and Rouse sold her multiple fentanyl pills. That evening, B.S. ingested the pills and died from a fentanyl overdose.
On March 13, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at the defendants’ residence in Kokomo, recovering approximately 95 grams of fentanyl pills, 535 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, a Glock handgun, and roughly $3,015 in cash.
“Fentanyl dealers endanger every community they touch, and in this case their actions cost a woman her life,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities and ensure they are held accountable for the devastation they cause.”
“These two defendants preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our community while armed and legally prohibited from possessing firearms,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jorge Rosendo. “Their conduct was both despicable and deadly, and the sentences imposed are just and appropriate. We are grateful for the cooperation and diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners.”
The Kokomo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Massa, who prosecuted this case.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
###
Justice Department Secures $325,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Iowa Landlord and Property ManagerRead the Press Release
Note: View settlement here. The quote has also been updated slightly.
The Justice Department announced today that the owner and property manager of residential rental properties in Davenport, Iowa, have agreed to pay $325,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the property manager sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa in January 2025, alleges that for more than two decades, property manager Kurt Williams sexually harassed female tenants at various rental dwellings throughout Davenport. The suit alleges that Williams’ conduct included making unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances to female tenants, exposing his genitals to female tenants, requesting sex or sex acts from female tenants in exchange for tangible housing benefits like reductions in rent, and taking adverse housing actions, such as initiating evictions or refusing to make repairs, against female tenants who objected to or refused his sexual advances.
“A home should be a place of security and comfort, not fear,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold property managers and landlords accountable when they prey on vulnerable tenants by sexually harassing them.”
“Housing should not be a tool used for exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa. “Our office will vigorously uphold the Fair Housing Act to protect tenants’ dignity, safety, and equal access to housing.”
“Kurt Williams exploited his authority as a landlord for sexual gain, victimizing our most vulnerable community members,” said Special Agent in Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Sexual misconduct in housing is not a misunderstanding — it is an abuse of power that turns shelter into leverage, and nobody should ever have to trade their safety for a place to live. HUD OIG will continue to work with the US Attorney’s Office to hold housing providers accountable for this type of horrible conduct.”
The Justice Department’s lawsuit also names as a defendant Gearhead Properties LC, the owner of the rental dwellings where the sexual harassment occurred. The lawsuit alleges that this defendant is vicariously liable for the sexual harassment committed by their agent, Kurt Williams. HUD OIG participated in the investigation that uncovered the evidence leading to the lawsuit.
Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the defendants must pay $315,000 to tenants who were harmed by Williams’ harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The settlement agreement permanently bars Williams from contacting tenants harmed by his harassment and permanently bars Williams from managing residential rental properties.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims of such harassment.
Justice Department Announces Charges Against Illegal Alien, Known Tren de Aragua Associate, for Violent Attack on Border Patrol Agents in Portland, OregonRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against Luis Nino-Moncada, an illegal alien and known Tren de Aragua (TdA) associate living in the Portland, Oregon area for violently striking a federal law enforcement vehicle. During a targeted enforcement operation, Nin0-Moncada is alleged to have repeatedly struck a federal law enforcement vehicle, placing Border Patrol agents in harm’s way and resulting in significant damage to federal property. Nino-Moncada is in the country illegally, having previously been ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2024.
“Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This man — an illegal alien with ties to a foreign terrorist organization — should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again.”
Nino-Moncada has been charged with aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and depredation of federal property in excess of $1,000. Nino-Moncada is scheduled to make his Initial Appearance today at 1:30 PM PST.
According to the complaint, Border Patrol agents initiated a targeted immigration enforcement operation on a vehicle believed to belong to a female involved in a TdA prostitution ring. The female was sitting in the passenger-side seat of the vehicle at the time of the enforcement operation. This female had previously been arrested by Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas and later failed to report to immigration authorities. According to law enforcement reports, the female is believed to have been involved in a shooting stemming from a bad prostitution deal.
After commanding Nino-Moncada to exit the vehicle, Nino-Moncada is alleged to have placed his vehicle in reverse, colliding with an unoccupied Border Patrol vehicle with enough speed and force to cause significant damage. Nino-Moncada continued the forward and reverse maneuver multiple times, striking the Border Patrol vehicle multiple times. A Border Patrol agent interviewed by FBI special agents described being fearful that Nino-Moncada could strike them and other Border Patrol agents with the target vehicle. After the attack, Nino-Moncada and the female passenger fled the scene in the target vehicle.
Damage to the border patrol vehicle was significant. Serious damage was sustained to the front bumper, resulting in the bumper being torn from the vehicle, both headlights being destroyed, the front driver-side quarter panel being dented, including the fender liner being detached, and the driver side rear-passenger door and quarter panel being dented.
Damaged Border Patrol VehicleIn an interview following the incident, Nino-Moncada admitted to intentionally ramming the Border Patrol vehicle in an attempt to flee and stated that he knew it was an immigration enforcement vehicle.
Justice Department Announces Charges Against Illegal Alien, Known Tren de Aragua Associate, for Violent Attack on Border Patrol Agents in Portland, OregonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Today, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against Luis Nino-Moncada, an illegal alien and known Tren de Aragua (TdA) associate living in the Portland, Oregon area for violently striking a federal law enforcement vehicle. During a targeted enforcement operation, Nino-Moncada is alleged to have repeatedly struck a federal law enforcement vehicle, placing Border Patrol agents in harm’s way and resulting in significant damage to federal property. Nino-Moncada is in the country illegally, having previously been ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2024.
“Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This man — an illegal alien with ties to a foreign terrorist organization — should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again.”
Nino-Moncada has been charged with aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and depredation of federal property in excess of $1,000. Nino-Moncada is scheduled to make his Initial Appearance today at 1:30 PM PST.
According to the complaint, Border Patrol agents initiated a targeted immigration enforcement operation on a vehicle believed to belong to a female involved in a TdA prostitution ring. The female was sitting in the passenger-side seat of the vehicle at the time of the enforcement operation. This female had previously been arrested by Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas and later failed to report to immigration authorities. According to law enforcement reports, the female is believed to have been involved in a shooting stemming from a bad prostitution deal.
After commanding Nino-Moncada to exit the vehicle, Nino-Moncada is alleged to have placed his vehicle in reverse, colliding with an unoccupied Border Patrol vehicle with enough speed and force to cause significant damage. Nino-Moncada continued the forward and reverse maneuver multiple times, striking the Border Patrol vehicle multiple times. A Border Patrol agent interviewed by FBI special agents described being fearful that Nino-Moncada could strike them and other Border Patrol agents with the target vehicle. After the attack, Nino-Moncada and the female passenger fled the scene in the target vehicle.
Damage to the border patrol vehicle was significant. Serious damage was sustained to the front bumper, resulting in the bumper being torn from the vehicle, both headlights being destroyed, the front driver-side quarter panel being dented, including the fender liner being detached, and the driver side rear-passenger door and quarter panel being dented.
In an interview following the incident, Nino-Moncada admitted to intentionally ramming the Border Patrol vehicle in an attempt to flee and stated that he knew it was an immigration enforcement vehicle.
Jacksonville Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Materials over the Internet and Ordered to Pay $45,000 in Restitution to Child VictimsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Alexander James Koby (40, Jacksonville) to 15 years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) over the internet. Koby was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release and pay $45,000 in restitution to child victims. Koby pleaded guilty on August 15, 2025. Koby has been in federal custody since September 2024 when he was transported from state prison where he was serving a sentence for failing to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in 2014, Koby was convicted in federal court of possessing CSAM. After serving his federal prison sentence and being released in August 2019, Koby began serving a 25-year term of supervised release while living in Jacksonville.
On December 7, 2022, a search of Koby’s residence revealed that he possessed a computer, a cellphone, and an external hard drive in violation of the terms of his supervision, and these items were seized. During an interview, Koby admitted that he used a particular internet browser to search for photos and videos depicting children being sexually abused, and further that he masturbated when viewing these materials. When asked why he would continue to do this, Koby stated that he gets a high from “living dangerously.”
Forensic examination of the three devices seized from Koby’s residence revealed that they contained a total of 103 videos and 2,311 photos depicting the sadistic sexual abuse of young children. Koby had downloaded these contraband materials using the internet from March 11 through December 7, 2022.
“This predator’s repeated conviction for seeking out and downloading hundreds of videos and thousands of photos depicting the sadistic sexual abuse of children—to ‘live dangerously’—is in defiance of the law, and at the expense of perpetuating the lifetime victimhood of innocent children,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “These images and videos are not just pictures, but evidence of heinous crimes against real children. Every time this vile material is viewed or shared, the suffering of these young victims is renewed. HSI and the INTERCEPT Task Force partners will stop at nothing to find these predators and hold them accountable to their crimes.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – John Ladelle Puryear, 50, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Puryear’s apartment in Huntington and seized approximately 299 grams of cocaine, 10 grams of fentanyl and 8 grams of crack, a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol, a Colt MK IV Series 80 .45-caliber pistol, a Ruger LCF .380-caliber pistol, digital scales and approximately $6,487. As part of his guilty plea, Puryear, admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-125.
###
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Derrick Deshawn Bailey, 44, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2025, Bailey sold 110 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-124.
###
Huntington Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Darrelle Davon Boynton, also known as “D,” 40, of Huntington, was sentenced today to seven years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and violating supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 23, 2025, Boynton sold approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in a Huntington parking lot. As part of his guilty plea, Boynton admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Boynton also admitted to additional criminal conduct as part of his guilty plea. Boynton admitted that he sold approximately 57 grams of methamphetamine on April 29, 2025, and approximately 8.32 grams of heroin and fentanyl on May 8, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington.
At the time of this offense, Boynton was on supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of heroin and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 24, 2020. Today’s sentence includes one year and three months for committing a crime while on supervised release.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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-126.
###
Guilty Plea from Man Who Murdered His Prior Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Pernell Sims, 35, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to the shooting death of his prior romantic partner, Tyshida Williams, in Southwest D.C. on July 30, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Sims entered a guilty plea to second degree murder while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Todd Edelman on January 9, 2026.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled to occur before Judge Edelman on March 20, 2026. Judge Edelman ordered that Sims continue to be held without bond pending sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, Sims and the victim Tyshida Williams were in a romantic relationship on July 30, 2023. After returning to the apartment after 7:00 a.m., the defendant became angry about Williams’ phone. Sims and Williams then went to the lobby and parking garage area of Sims’ apartment building and argued for more than an hour. While in the parking garage, the defendant threw Williams to the ground and kicked her in the chest. After returning upstairs to Sims’ apartment where his child was present, he and Williams went into the bedroom and closed the door. Sims then shot Williams in the left side of her head. Williams died from her injuries later that morning. Sims confirmed that, in shooting Williams, he was acting voluntarily, and that he was not acting in self-defense.
The defendant was arrested in November 2023 and has been in custody ever since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Stephanie Dinan.
Former U.S. Navy Sailor Sentenced to 200 Months for Spying for ChinaRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced that Jinchao Wei, a former U.S. Navy sailor who was convicted of espionage by a federal jury in August 2025, was sentenced in federal court to 200 months in prison. Wei, 25, also known as Patrick Wei, was arrested in August 2023 on espionage charges as he arrived for work on the amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Essex at Naval Base San Diego, the homeport of the Pacific Fleet. He was indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of selling national defense information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China for $12,000.
“Members of the United States military swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This active-duty U.S. Navy sailor betrayed his country and compromised the national security of the United States. The Justice Department will not tolerate this behavior. We stand ready to investigate, defend, and protect the interests of the American people.”
“Wei swore loyalty to the United States when he joined the Navy and reaffirmed that oath when he became a citizen,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “He then accepted the solemn responsibility of protecting this Nation’s secrets when the United States entrusted him with sensitive Navy information. He made a mockery of these commitments when he chose to endanger our Nation and our servicemembers by selling U.S. military secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer for personal profit. Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to ensuring those who sell our Nation’s secrets pay a very high price for their betrayal.”
“Wei betrayed the trust placed in him as a member of the U.S. Navy by knowingly transmitting sensitive military information to a Chinese intelligence officer,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “While not everything the FBI does to protect the homeland from China’s intelligence services can be made public, this sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protect sensitive national defense information. It also serves as a reminder that those who choose to put personal gain above their oath and the safety of our nation will be brought to justice.”
“He betrayed his oath, his shipmates, the United States Navy, and the American people — a level of disloyalty that strikes at the heart of our national security and demanded this powerful sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“By sharing thousands of documents, operating manuals, and export-controlled and sensitive information with a Chinese intelligence officer, Petty Officer Wei knowingly betrayed his fellow service members and the American people,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “Today’s outcome demonstrates the shared commitment of NCIS, FBI, the Department of Justice and our Intelligence partners to aggressively pursue and hold accountable those who would put the lethality and readiness of our Naval fleet, as well as our national security, at risk. NCIS remains steadfast in its mission to protect U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces and warfighting capabilities by neutralizing counterintelligence threats ashore, afloat and in cyberspace.”
“Today’s sentence marks the conclusion of a first-of-its-kind espionage investigation in the district and reflects the seriousness of Wei’s egregious actions against his own country,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis, of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI will aggressively defend our homeland from anyone threatening our national security, including those on the inside betraying their sworn duty to the United States. We remain steadfast in protecting the American people and will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to successfully carry out this mission.”
Following a five-day trial and one day of deliberation, the jury convicted Wei of six crimes, including conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and unlawful export of, and conspiracy to export, technical data related to defense articles in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. He was found not guilty of one count of naturalization fraud.
According to evidence presented at trial, Wei, in his role as a machinist’s mate, held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense information about the ship’s weapons, propulsion and desalination systems. Amphibious assault ships like the Essex resemble small aircraft carriers and allow the U.S. military to project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities.
On February 14, 2022, Wei was recruited by a Chinese intelligence officer via social media who at first portrayed himself as a naval enthusiast who worked for the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The evidence showed that even during the early days of his espionage career, Wei strongly suspected the intelligence officer’s true identity and motive.
On February 22, 2022, Wei told a friend who was also in the U.S. Navy that he thought he was “on the radar of a China intelligence organization,” as he was in contact with an individual who was “extremely suspicious,” “interested in the maintenance cycle of naval ships,” and wanted him to “walk the pier” to “see which ships are docked” on a “daily basis.” Wei said that this person would pay him $500. Wei told his friend that he is “no idiot” and that “this is quite obviously fucking espionage.”
Wei’s friend suggested that Wei delete the contact. Instead of heeding his friend’s advice, the very next day Wei transitioned his communications with the intelligence officer to a different encrypted messaging application that he believed was more secure and began spying for the intelligence officer.
The evidence showed that between March 2022 and when he was arrested in August 2023, Wei, at the request of the intelligence officer, sent photographs and videos of the Essex, advised the officer of the location of various Navy ships, and described the defensive weapons of the Essex. He also described problems with his ship and other ships based at Naval Base San Diego and elsewhere. And, he sent the intelligence officer thousands of pages of technical and operational information about U.S. Navy surface warfare ships like the Essex that he took from restricted U.S. Navy computer systems.
In exchange for this information, the officer paid Wei more than $12,000 over 18 months. In one of his larger thefts of U.S. Navy data, Wei sold the intelligence officer at least 30 technical and operating manuals about U.S. Navy systems. These manuals contained export control warnings and detailed the operations of multiple systems aboard the Essex and similar ships, including power, steering, weapons control, aircraft and deck elevators, as well as damage and casualty controls. In total, Wei sold the intelligence officer approximately 60 technical and operating manuals about U.S. Navy ships, as well as dozens of photographs and papers about the U.S. Navy and Wei’s assignments on the Essex. Many of the manuals contained conspicuous export-control warnings on their cover pages.
During the trial, the government presented evidence including phone conversations, electronic messages, and audio messages that Wei exchanged with his Chinese handler. These messages showed how they communicated, what they spoke about, the need for secrecy, the efforts they made to cover their tracks, the tasks issued by his case handler, and how Wei was paid for his work via an online payment method.
As their relationship developed, Wei called his handler “Big Brother Andy” and obliged requests to keep their relationship secret by using multiple encrypted apps; deleting messages and accounts; using digital “dead drops” that disappear in 72 hours; and using a new computer and phone provided by his handler.
The government told the jury that the evidence showed Wei was aware that what he was doing was wrong. He had received recent training from the Navy regarding how to detect recruitment efforts from foreign governments; he attempted to conceal his activity; and he searched the internet about another case in which a U.S. Navy sailor was convicted of espionage, even reading a Department of Justice press release about that case.
Much of the evidence showed the evolution of Wei’s relationship with his handler - Wei’s increasing willingness to collect more and more sensitive information, and the intelligence officer’s employment of intelligence tradecraft to keep developing Wei as a spy and to conceal their relationship and activities from U.S. authorities. For example, the jury saw photographs of the hand-written receipts that Wei created and sent to his handler to be paid and conversations that Wei and his handler had regarding the handler’s increasingly generous offers to Wei, such as a trip for Wei and his mother to travel to China. Moreover, the jury was presented with documents and records obtained from electronic accounts demonstrating the intelligence officer’s identity as a PRC intelligence officer, including photographs and identification documents.
During his post-arrest interview Wei admitted that he gave the intelligence officer thousands of pages of technical and operating manuals and export-controlled data about U.S. Navy surface warfare ships, and that the intelligence officer paid him thousands of dollars for these materials. He also admitted that he knew that his actions were wrong and that he had tried to hide his activities. When the interviewing agents asked Wei how he would describe what he had been doing with the intelligence officer, Wei responded, “espionage.”
Wei, during his post-arrest interview with FBI: “I’m screwed.”
FBI: “What makes you say that?”
Wei: “That I’m sharing the unclassified document to—I mean document with, uhm, him . . . I’m not supposed to do that.”
The crime of espionage under U.S. Code Section 794 has never been charged in this district. The statute is reserved for the most serious circumstances involving the passage of national defense information intended to harm the United States or for the benefit of a foreign power.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parmley from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Adam Barry, former Trial Attorney from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, assisted in the prosecution.
The U.S. Department of State, the Transportation Security Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable assistance.
Former U.S. Navy SEAL Convicted of Transporting Explosives to Throw at Law Enforcement at California ProtestsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – After a five-day jury trial and approximately three hours of deliberation, a federal jury convicted Gregory Vandenberg, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, of intending to use explosives against law enforcement officers at the June 14, 2025, “No Kings Day” protests in California.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Thursday, June 12, 2025, Gregory Vandenberg, 49, was traveling from El Paso, Texas, to San Diego, California, to attend the “No Kings Day” protests, which were scheduled for Saturday, June 14, 2025. While in New Mexico, Vandenberg visited a travel center off Interstate 10 near Lordsburg and purchased six large mortar fireworks, which are designed to shoot high into the air and explode, and 72 M-150 firecrackers, which are designed to sound like gunfire. During this visit, he told the store clerk that he intended to throw fireworks at police officers at the upcoming protests. He asked detailed questions about the amount of gunpowder in the fireworks, their explosive impact, and their ability to harm others. He also discussed taping multiple fireworks together to increase their explosive impact. Vandenberg emphasized that he was not interested in the color or display of the fireworks—only in their ability to cause explosions and harm law enforcement.
Vandenberg at the travel center on June 12, 2025Vandenberg, who has no stable employment and lives primarily out of his car, also made several statements demonstrating his knowledge of explosives and past special forces experience. He encouraged the clerk to join him at the protests and repeatedly expressed a desire to throw fireworks at law enforcement officials at the protests in California. He also discussed handing out fireworks to others at the event and noted that he would not get hurt because he knew what he was doing. When purchasing the fireworks, he falsely told the cashier that he was not from this country when she asked for his I.D., and he asked if the store was going to track him. Employees, alarmed by his comments, recorded his license plate and contacted law enforcement.
Federal agents tracked Vandenberg to Tucson, Arizona, and arrested him the following morning while he was sleeping in his car at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Vandenberg initially claimed to be traveling for work and later falsely stated he was visiting friends in Phoenix that weekend, though he was unemployed at the time.
A search of his vehicle revealed the purchased fireworks, along with clothing displaying antisemitic, anti-Israel, and extremist symbols—including a t-shirt with an image of the Al-Qaeda flag and a t-shirt calling for the destruction of Judea. FBI agents also discovered that the home screen on Vandenberg’s phone consisted of an image of the Taliban flag. It was further discovered that Vandenberg wore a t-shirt into the store that stated “AMALEK” in large letters on the front—a t-shirt that Vandenberg had specially made and that he stated meant the “destroyer of Jews.”
Vandenberg wearing a t-shirt bearing the word ‘AMALEK,’ a term meaning ‘destroyer of Jews’ at the travel center on June 12, 2025 (Top left to right) T-shirt with a variation of the Black Sun, a neo-Nazi symbol; t-shirt with Caucasian Front flag; t-shirt with Al-Qaeda flag; t-shirt with reference to Israeli attack on the USS Liberty in 1967; and (Bottom) T-shirt with “Judea must be destroyed” in Latin Hat with Al-Qaeda flagA review of his phone showed violent and extremist content, including antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-U.S. materials, as well as messages discussing the upcoming protests. A review of his phone also showed messages suggesting Vandenberg was upset with the U.S. government, including President Trump, because he viewed the U.S. government as being controlled by Israel and the Jews.
“People in this country are free to hold their own beliefs and to express them peacefully,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “What they are not free to do is use explosives to threaten or terrorize others. Vandenberg intended to turn explosives into a tool of intimidation, and this verdict sends the message that attempts to substitute violence for expressing one’s opinion has no place in our communities and will be met with federal consequences.”
Vandenberg was convicted of transportation of explosives with intent to kill, injure or intimidate and attempted transportation of prohibited fireworks into California. Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Vandenberg remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Vandenberg faces 10 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Tucson Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office, Tucson Police Department, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Gardner, Richard Williams, and Joni Stahl are prosecuting the case.
Former SBA and IRS employee charged with using government positions to steal millions from COVID relief programsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Attallah Williams has been charged with a muti-year scheme to steal over $3.5 million from four separate COVID-19 emergency relief programs by obtaining employment at both the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and wrongfully approving fraudulent applications in exchange for bribes and kickbacks. She allegedly recruited participants into her scheme through advertisements and direct messages on Instagram that highlighted her insider access to the programs and by promising referral payments to conspirators who recruited additional people into the scheme.
“Williams allegedly exploited her federal employment, stole millions of dollars from generous government programs, and brazenly recruited other participants through social media advertisements,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This prosecution is yet another example of this office’s commitment to hold accountable those who abused their government positions or stole from pandemic relief programs.”
“Using a position of public trust as a means to fraudulently grant access to federal programs for personal gain will not be tolerated,” said SBA Office of the Inspector General’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “Our Office will remain relentless in the pursuit of fraudsters who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
“This defendant is accused of exploiting trusted positions inside the federal government to steal millions of dollars meant to keep struggling businesses afloat during a national crisis,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable anyone who abuses public trust and defrauds critical government programs for personal gain.”
“Attallah Williams allegedly obtained positions of trust for the purpose of defrauding the U.S. government of COVID-19 economic relief funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners continue initiating new investigations and forwarding for prosecution people who diverted COVID-19 relief money for their personal gain at the expense of businesses that needed those funds to keep workers employed.”
“The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office works diligently with its federal law enforcement partners to root out bad actors within the government in order to maintain public trust in our institutions,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. “Defendant Williams is accused of a bold scheme to embed herself in agencies responsible for the distribution of funds, steal millions of dollars from pandemic relief programs, and recruit others to participate in the deception. This violation of public trust and government funds will not be tolerated.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Williams allegedly orchestrated a three-year scheme to fraudulently obtain funds from four separate emergency pandemic relief programs:
First, Williams submitted fraudulent applications to the SBA to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) in the names of businesses that were not operational.
Second, Williams submitted a fraudulent application for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, guaranteed by the SBA, for a business that was not operational.
Third, Williams obtained a position as a loan officer with the SBA, enabling her to use her insider access to wrongly approve applications to the EIDL Advance grant program. Williams then advertised on Instagram to recruit accomplices who, under her instructions, submitted fraudulent applications using the names of nonexistent or ineligible businesses. Williams, using her position at the SBA, improperly approved those applications in exchange for a share of the proceeds. Williams then encouraged her conspirators to recruit additional participants, promising them referral fees for every person brought into the scheme.
Fourth, Williams left the SBA and obtained a position as a tax examining technician at the IRS. Williams again advertised on social media to recruit accomplices who, under her instructions and with her assistance, submitted fraudulent tax documents to the IRS to claim payments under the Employee Retention Tax Credit program with Williams receiving a fee for each application.
In total, Williams submitted false claims for more than $3.5 million of pandemic emergency assistance funds intended to help struggling businesses.
Attallah Williams, 32, of Hampton, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Elizabeth McBath on a criminal information containing a federal charge of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims. Members of the public are reminded that the criminal information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charge, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with valuable assistance from the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Operations Manager for Suburban Chicago Medical Center Indicted in Alleged $900,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former operations manager for a suburban Chicago medical center has been indicted in connection with an alleged $900,000 fraud scheme.
From 2021 to 2024, BRANDON GETZLOFF used procurement credit cards from the medical center to purchase gift cards for himself and pay his personal bills, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Getzloff concealed the fraud by causing the expenses to be falsely recorded as legitimate expenditures in the company’s enterprise management system, the indictment states.
Getzloff also engaged in fraud related to sports outings that he offered to arrange to luxury golf courses, college basketball and football games, and other events, the indictment states. Getzloff induced victims to pay for the outings by claiming to offer significantly discounted rates that had to be purchased by certain deadlines, sometimes more than a year in advance, the indictment states. Getzloff diverted most of the funds to his own use without purchasing tickets, but in some instances he used the victims’ funds as well as some of the gift cards from the procurement fraud to pay for earlier-scheduled sports outings, the success of which he used to attract funding from additional participants, the indictment states.
In total, the indictment accuses Getzloff of fraudulently obtaining more than $700,000 from the medical center and more than $200,000 from the sports outing participants.
Getzloff, 42, of Carol Stream, Ill., is charged with eight counts of wire fraud. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. A status hearing before U.S. District Judge Jeremy C. Daniel is set for Jan. 28, 2026.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Waukesha County, Wisc. Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Manschreck.
getzloff_indictment.pdfFormer Congressional Employee Arrested, Indicted in Theft of 240 Cell PhonesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Southerland, 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was arrested Friday and charged in a federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court for stealing approximately 240 government cell phones, valued at over $150,000, from the U.S. House of Representatives, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“As alleged, stealing 240 government-issued phones worth over $150,000 is a direct betrayal of the public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “That’s taxpayer money meant to serve Americans, not line someone’s pockets. Accountability matters – and no one is above the law.”
According to the government’s evidence, from approximately April 2020 until July 2023, Southerland worked as a system administrator for the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. As a system administrator, Southerland was authorized to order cell phones for Committee staff members.
From January 2023 through May 2023, Southerland allegedly used his position to cause 240 new government cell phones to be shipped directly to his home in Maryland. During that time, there were only approximately 80 staff members on the committee. Southerland then sold over 200 of the cell phones to a nearby pawn shop.
As part of the scheme, Southerland allegedly directed an employee at the pawn shop only to sell the phones “in parts” in order to bypass the House’s mobile device management software, which enables the House to remotely secure and monitor its phones. The scheme was first discovered when one of the phones that Southerland stole was sold whole on eBay to an uninvolved purchaser. When the purchaser first booted up the phone, the phone displayed a phone number for the House of Representatives Technology Service Desk. The purchaser called that number, and House employees soon discovered that several phones purchased by Southerland were unaccounted for.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Green for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sabena Auyeung and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Courtney.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
25cr379
Fifteen Previously Deported Illegal Aliens Indicted for Illegal Reentry in the Southern District of FloridaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones announced today that federal grand juries in the Southern District of Florida have separately indicted 15 previously deported illegal aliens on charges of illegally reentering the U.S.
According to the indictments, the following defendants allegedly reentered the U.S. unlawfully after prior removals and were later located in South Florida:
Santos Godinez-Jacinto, 46, of Guatemala, was found in Miami-Dade County in December 2025 after being deported in 2010 (Case No. 26-cr-20008);
Jose Francisco Cardenas-Meza, 42, of Honduras, was found in Miami-Dade County in December 2025 after being deported in 2006, 2011, and 2012 (Case No. 26-cr-20005);
Santos Alberto Cardenas-Meza, 44, of Honduras, was found in Miami-Dade County in December 2025 after being deported in 2012 and thrice in 2016 (Case No. 26-cr-20006);
Gaspar Mendoza-Lopez, 28, of Guatemala, was found in Miami-Dade County in December 2025 after being deported twice in 2016 (26-cr-20007);
Ariel Urrea-Diaz, 58, of Mexico, was found in Miami-Dade County in November 2025 after being deported in 1983 and twice in 2013 (Case No. 26-cr-20013);
Angel Anibal Garcia, 34, of Guatemala, was found in Miami-Dade County in November 2025 after being deported twice in 2012 and again in 2013 (Case No. 26-cr-20015);
Sergio Perdomo Pajan, 38, of Cuba, was found in Miami-Dade County in November 2025 after being deported in 2013 and again in 2022 (Case No. 26-cr-20014);
Waldemar Rosales-Teletor, 36, of Guatemala, was found in Monroe County in December 2025 after being deported in 2007, 2012, and 2013 (Case No. 26-cr-20011);
Elias Vicente Juarez, 30, of Guatemala, was found in Miami-Dade County in December 2025 after being deported in 2014 (Case No. 26-cr-20016);
Luis Fernando Mendoza-Romulo, 30, of Mexico, was found in St. Lucie County after being deported in 2023 (Case No. 26-cr-14001);
Anibal Vidal Bamaca-Bautista, 28, of Guatemala, was found in Okeechobee County after being deported in 2015 and 2020 (Case No. 26-cr-14004);
Virginia Vazquez-Rodriguez, 41, of Mexico, was found in Highlands County after being deported in 2019 (Case No. 26-cr-14002);
Udi Mejia, 40, of Mexico, was found in Highlands County after being deported in 2019 (Case No. 26-cr-14005);
Wilton Velasquez-Hernandez, 35, of Guatemala, was found in Highlands County after being deported twice in 2019 and again in 2020 (Case No. 26-cr-14007); and
Ivan Perez-Lopez, 43, of Mexico, was found in Martin County in December 2025 after being deported twice in 2004 and again in 2008 (Case No. 26-cr-14006).
Illegal reentry after deportation carries a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. Mendoza-Romulo faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison based on his prior convictions, qualifying him for an increased maximum sentence. Perdomo Pajan and Urrea-Diaz each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison based on allegations of a prior aggravated conviction, qualifying for an increased maximum sentence.
The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with assistance from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Fugate, Melissa Roca Shaw, Justin Hoover, Christopher Hudock, and Jessica Kahn Obenauf are prosecuting the cases.
The cases are being prosecuted by the newly formed Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section. BICE was created by U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones to strengthen South Florida’s border security posture, protect maritime and land points of entry, enforce federal immigration law, and dismantle transnational smuggling networks operating through the region. The Section brings together narcotics, immigration, fraud, and violent-crime expertise into a single coordinated unit focused on border-driven threats. Since its inception in November 2025, BICE has indicted over 40 illegal re-entry cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
###
Federal juries convict “Paper Gang Family” drug traffickers and associateRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Kory Keon Solomon, Antonio Pierre Ashmeade, and Rodrigus Dartez Williams have been convicted by federal juries for their roles in a drug trafficking operation based in Ellenwood, Georgia. On January 8, 2026, Solomon was found guilty of conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. On December 17, 2025, Ashmeade and Williams, who are members of the “Paper Gang Family,” were found guilty of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“These defendants set up their drug operation in metro-Atlanta, blatantly peddling their poison around students’ bus stops,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Due to a tenacious investigation and determined prosecution, they were convicted at trial and now face significant sentences in federal prison.”
“This case sends a clear message: violent drug traffickers who threaten public safety will be aggressively targeted, dismantled, and held accountable,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2019, a DEA investigation revealed that individuals associated with the “Paper Gang Family” (PGF), an ostensible rap music label, were distributing large quantities of narcotics in the metro-Atlanta area. During the investigation, agents observed PGF members openly conduct drug deals on the same streets where school buses dropped off children.
In addition:
- In July and August 2021, Williams sold methamphetamine to an individual in Ellenwood. After one drug deal, Williams posted a video to a social media website that depicted him flaunting the cash he had just received.
- In February 2022, agents observed Solomon meet with a suspected PGF member and known drug trafficker in Ellenwood. Agents followed Solomon to a gas station and observed him retrieve a bag from his trunk and conceal suspected narcotics inside. Shortly thereafter, a Georgia State Patrol trooper stopped Solomon traveling on Interstate 75, searched Solomon’s vehicle, and found two kilograms of cocaine and a 9mm handgun.
- In April 2023, agents observed Ashmeade give a plastic shopping bag to a drug customer in a southeast Atlanta restaurant parking lot. When a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop his vehicle, the drug customer fled and tossed the plastic shopping bag. Law enforcement recovered half a kilogram of methamphetamine from the bag and surrounding area.
On a date yet to be determined, U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. will sentence Antonio Ashmeade, 42, of Atlanta, Georgia, Rodrigus Dartez Williams, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Kory Solomon, 40, of Macon, Georgia. Ashmeade and Williams each face the possibility of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of 10 years. Solomon must be sentenced to at least five years of imprisonment and may be sentenced to up to 40 years.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer, C. Brock Brockington, Teresa Stolze, and Elizabeth M. Hathaway are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Federal Judge Sentences Robeson County Murder Suspect Who Shot and Ran over Two Sheriff’s Deputies to 45 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. –A Maxton man, Shawn Tobin Locklear, Jr., who was only 20 years old at the time, tried to kill two Robeson County Sheriff’s Deputies by shooting them and running them over with their own patrol car. Last year, he pleaded guilty to using a gun during a crime of violence and possessing a machine gun while selling drugs. A federal judge sentenced him to 45 years in federal prison for these crimes.
After officers arrested Locklear for armed robbery while using a gun, a state court judge released him in March 2022. A few months later in November 2022, while Locklear roamed free on bond despite his first gun crime, Robeson County Sheriff Deputies arrested him for murder and robbery charges. He allegedly used a gun to commit that murder. Shockingly, in May 2023, a state court judge released Locklear on bond while he awaited trial on those murder charges. A few months later in September of 2023, Locklear allegedly committed domestic violence crimes by choking his sister because he accused her of stealing one of his guns. When she called 911, he cut off his ankle monitor and fled the scene. While investigating those crimes, officers seized marijuana, cocaine, crack, and firearms, including machine guns, from Locklear’s car.
Two months after that latest crime spree, Robeson County Sheriff Deputies located Locklear, on November 7, 2023. As they attempted to arrest him, Locklear busted out his house and scurried into the woods. When two deputies located him on the other side of the woods, their bodycam footage showed him hiding behind a tree. As the deputies commanded him to show his hands and surrender, Locklear first showed his left hand on the left side of the tree. Suddenly, without warning, Locklear popped out on the right side of the tree with his gun drawn and unleashed a blaze of bullets. His barrage struck both deputies several times in the legs and gutshot. Wounded and shocked, the deputies crawled to cover behind their patrol car. As one deputy reloaded, Locklear sprinted up and dove into the driver’s seat of the patrol car. He gunned it in reverse, running over one deputy and almost crushing both. During the skirmish, the deputies shot Locklear. Locklear left the deputies to die, bleeding in the dirt.
The deputies called EMS to dispatch an ambulance to provide emergency care. Locklear intercepted the ambulance speeding to those deputies, stopping it in the middle of the road. He commandeered the ambulance for himself and absconded to the hospital. Thankfully, other Robeson County deputies responded, loaded their wounded brothers into the bed of a pickup truck, and rushed them to the same hospital. They arrested Locklear in the hospital.
“Every day our law enforcement heroes steady themselves in the mirror, suit up in uniform, leave anxious families behind, and walk out of their homes to valiantly stand between our law-abiding citizens and the violent, anti-social scoundrels who care only about feeding their greed and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This demon should not have walked freely in our community after his first crimes in March 2022, and certainly not after the 2023 crimes. He is not fit for society, and our families don’t need to worry about him shooting more victims for the next 45 years. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the brave, steadfast public servants who put their lives on the line to remove this scourge from our community. Make no mistake, threats of violence and actual attacks on our law enforcement officers will not be tolerated in North Carolina, whether the weapon is a gun or a two-thousand-pound vehicle. As always, our thanks extend to the dedicated and professional deputies in this case, literally heroes who faced down death, and the other law enforcement partners who collaborated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to force this villain to spend his next 45 years surrounded by concrete and steel. We also applaud Judge Flanagan’s appropriate sentence, which will keep the citizens and children in our community safe for decades.”
“Today’s sentence brings accountability for a violent and deliberate attack on law enforcement. By the grace of God, the two deputies who were shot and ran over with a stolen patrol car survived, and we remain deeply grateful for their courage, resilience, and recovery. This outcome sends a clear message that violence against those who serve and protect our communities daily will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held fully accountable,” said Sheriff Burnis Wilkins.
“The safety of our communities is strongly supported by the brave men and women in law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “An attack on an officer is an attack on the community, and ATF will continue to deliver every resource we can to prevent this type of violence against our law enforcement partners.”
“The Robeson County District Attorney’s Office is grateful to the Eastern District of North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts on this case and look forward to partnering in the future to have a robust federal presence to promote safety in our community,” said Robeson County District Attorney Matt Scott. “One exciting example of this partnership is the imminent hiring of a Special AUSA from Robeson County District Attorney’s Office to further pursue state and federal criminal convictions focused on keeping our community safe.”
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case, and AUSAs Ashley Foxx and Robert Dodson prosecuted the case. Locklear still faces state charges for attempted murder and other crimes in Robeson County.
A copy of this press release is located on the EDNC USAO website. Related court documents and information can be found on the EDNC USAO website or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-33-FL-BM.
Fairhope Felon Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Fairhope man was sentenced to 138 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl, illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and violating federal supervised release conditions.
According to court documents, Christopher Lynn Barnwell, 36, sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to confidential informants on four occasions between November 2023 and January 2024. Barnwell was on federal supervised release conditions at the time. On January 22, 2024, in conjunction with the U.S. Probation Office, narcotics agents executed a search warrant at Barnwell’s trailer in Fairhope. Agents seized several baggies containing 188.6 grams of 96% pure methamphetamine and 18.46 grams of fentanyl from a safe to which Barnwell provided access. Barnwell admitted the drugs were his. Agents also found a Ruger 9mm pistol underneath an air vent in the floor of the bedroom nearby the safe containing the drugs.
Barnwell escorted agents to an outside shed, where agents found additional drug paraphernalia and a cutting agent, mannitol, that is commonly used to “cut” methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other powder substances. While agents searched the shed, Barnwell said he knew the repercussions of him being in possession of the pistol found under the vent cover given his multiple prior felony convictions. Barnwell’s prior convictions included several theft and drug-trafficking convictions in both state and federal courts, which rendered his possession of the pistol illegal under federal law.
Agents also seized and searched Barnwell’s cell phone, which contained numerous text messages that he sent regarding drug deals. In one such message, Barnwell told a drug customer that he was at his federal probation officer’s office and would meet up with the customer afterwards. The phone also contained several photos and videos of methamphetamine, cash, and drug paraphernalia.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Barnwell to serve 108 months in prison on the drug and firearms charges, and 30 months consecutively for violating his supervised release, for a total of 138 months in prison. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Moorer ordered Barnwell to serve a ten-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Barnwell to pay a total of $300 in special assessments and forfeited the 9mm pistol to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and various state and local law enforcement partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Former Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Gabriel Michael Stoelzel, 26, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to entice or persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity, distribution of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography after previously pleading guilty in federal court. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “It is one of our highest duties to protect our children from the predations of sex offenders like this defendant, so I applaud the outstanding investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify and catch this offender. My office will continue to prosecute these sick individuals with the full force of the law and seek maximum punishment for their disgusting crimes to keep our children safe, both online and in our communities.”
Court documents reflect that in 2024, the Tallahassee Police Department received CyberTips that were generated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children based on information provided by online social media platforms. Records show that while living in Tallahassee the defendant uploaded child pornography to social media servers while he sent the files to other users. An investigation revealed that the defendant had been communicating with other users, some of whom said that they were as young as 14 years of age, to convince them to meet for sex. Additionally, law enforcement searched the defendant’s Tallahassee residence and uncovered evidence that the defendant sent and received child pornography through an online application.
“Protecting children from exploitation is one of the most critical responsibilities of law enforcement,” said Chief Lawrence Revell. “This sentence reflects the gravity of the harm inflicted on victims and the unwavering commitment of our investigators to identify offenders, work in close partnership with our federal counterparts, and ensure those who prey on children are held fully accountable. The Tallahassee Police Department will continue to use every investigative tool available to protect children and uphold the safety of our community.”
“There is no safe haven for anyone who preys on children,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate these crimes, which inflict irreparable harm and lasting trauma to the victims. This case highlights the critical partnership between our agents and state law enforcement partners and ensures there is one less predator victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.”
Stoelzel’s imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face additional prison time.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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.