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12 January 2026
Elizabeth Man Pleads Guilty to Making Antisemitic Threat to Injure Local Public Official and Making False Statements to FBIRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to making a threat to injure a local public official and making false statements to government agents, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Edward Arthur Owens Jr., 30, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 20, 2025, Owens knowingly and willfully transmitted via a social media messaging app the following threat to injure a local public official: “We’re coming for you [emoji of person raising right hand] [German flag emoji] be afraid. Go back to Israel or better yet, exterminate yourself and save us the trouble. 109 countries for a reason. We will not stop until your kind is nonexistent.” The Court was advised that the reference to “109 countries” is an antisemitic assertion that Jews have been expelled from 109 different countries; it is used by antisemites to call for the expulsion of Jews from other countries and otherwise to promote hatred. The recipient of the message is a local official who regularly engages with the public.
The Court was further advised that, on or about May 30, 2025, Owens made false statements to special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, telling the agents that his firearms—which included a .22 LR caliber rifle, an AR-15 style rifle, and a 9mm caliber Smith & Wesson pistol—were all in the custody of his mother, that he did not know where the firearms were, and that he did not have access to any of them. Those statements were false in that Owens did, in fact, know that his 9mm caliber Smith & Wesson pistol was still in his custody and control (located inside of the vehicle Owens drove immediately prior to making his false statements to the FBI agents), that he still had access to this pistol, and that the pistol was not in his mother’s custody.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for April 13, 2026. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both per count. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court ordered that Owens remain detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Owens.
Department of Justice and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Withdraw Joint Statement on Fair Lending and Credit Opportunities for Noncitizen BorrowersRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (together, the “agencies”) announced today that they have withdrawn a joint statement regarding the implications of a creditor’s consideration of an individual’s immigration status under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).
On Oct. 12, 2023, the agencies published a joint statement cautioning that creditor policies related to an applicant’s immigration or citizenship status could, in certain circumstances, run afoul of ECOA’s and Regulation B’s prohibition of discrimination on the basis of protected classes, including race and national origin. The agencies withdrew the joint statement to avoid any conflict with the express language of ECOA and its implementing regulation, Regulation B.
“The federal government is committed to avoiding statements that could confuse the law or imply compliance standards for civil rights laws that lack any statutory or regulatory basis,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This administration is restoring alignment with established federal civil rights law rather than continuing the prior administration’s ideologically-driven departures.”
“For decades, ECOA regulations have permitted lenders to consider a borrower’s lawful residence status and other information necessary to protect their rights and remedies with respect to repayment,” said Acting Director Russell Vought at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We are correcting the last administration’s attempt to ignore these well-accepted and common-sense principles of our nation’s fair lending laws.”
ECOA and Regulation B respectively permit creditors to consider pertinent elements of credit-worthiness and information necessary to protect creditor rights and remedies, including a borrower’s immigration or citizenship status. The agencies also believe withdrawal is appropriate to avoid any confusion that lenders may legitimately consider immigration status under several circumstances, including when necessary to avoid financial risks and to comply with other laws. In addition, withdrawal is appropriate to address any misimpression that the joint statement interprets 42 U.S.C. § 1981 to confer any liability under the statute that has not already been recognized by courts. Finally, the agencies believe withdrawal is appropriate to avoid any unnecessary burdens from new or increased compliance efforts.
Read the Withdrawal of Joint Statement on the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Noncitizen Borrowers
DOJ and Seattle-based FidaLab, LLC settle allegations it inflated bills to government health care programsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Seattle medical testing laboratory will pay the government $2 million to resolve allegations that it illegally overbilled government health care programs, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) revealed that FidaLab improperly billed Medicare when they requested permission to bill a series of Urinary Tract Infection tests as a panel, had their request denied, and then billed the tests under multiple billing codes instead of a single code. While not admitting fault, the $2 million payment resolves the matter.
“We all have a stake in keeping healthcare costs under control,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Manipulating billing codes to overcharge for tests is an obvious area where we need to root out fraud. This case should be a warning to other companies to make sure they are billing for healthcare services appropriately.”
“Laboratories entrusted with taxpayer-funded health care programs must submit truthful and accurate claims,” said Robb R. Breeden, Acting Special Agent in Charge with HHS-OIG. “Submitting false laboratory testing claims wastes critical resources and undermines trust in our health care system. HHS-OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to ensure taxpayer dollars are used as intended—to provide care for the American people.”
FidaLab agrees not to seek payment for the unallowed costs from any of the patients involved in these health care billings.
The case was investigated by the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
The settlement was negotiated by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Waldrop with substantial assistance from investigative analyst Ryan Hardy.
Career offender admits to drug traffickingRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 52-year-old Laredo resident has admitted to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to do so, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
In August 2024, Pio Alejandro Campos engaged in a series of cellphone and WhatsApp communications involving the potential sale of cocaine. During the course of the undercover operation, he sought to meet in person to discuss specifics rather than communicating via phone.
Campos agreed to supply cocaine and discussed pricing based on delivery location, including San Antonio, Houston and New Orleans. On May 3, 2025, he delivered one kilogram of cocaine in San Antonio for $14,000.
Campos has multiple prior convictions in various jurisdictions. As such, he faces a potential enhanced penalty and could receive up to life in prison. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will set a sentencing date at a later time. At the hearing, Campos could also be ordered to pay a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Lou Castillo is prosecuting the case.
Camden County Felon Sentenced to 133 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 133 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Rasheed Amin, 47, of Voorhees, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On multiple occasions in 2024, Amin flew from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to various cities in the western United States to obtain cocaine for further distribution. Amin then mailed parcels containing the cocaine to his Voorhees residence and other addresses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. On October 29, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Amin’s Voorhees residence and recovered several kilograms of cocaine, as well as a loaded firearm. Amin—a previously-convicted felon—admitted to possessing the cocaine and the firearm recovered from his residence.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited inspectors and task force officers of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also credited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez, and the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Ostermueller, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Ikram Ally, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender.
Calhoun County Man Sentenced to More than 3 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Calhoun County man has been sentenced for illegal possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Austin Heath Church, 38, of Anniston, Alabama, to 39 months in prison. Church pleaded guilty in September 2025 to two counts of possession of a machine gun.
According to the plea agreement, on February 8, 2025, Jacksonville Police officers were investigating an alleged violation of a Protection from Abuse Order in Jacksonville, Alabama. Officers searched the area and located Church in a business parking lot in Jacksonville. As Church got out of his vehicle, officers approached him. While speaking with Church, officers noticed a magazine pouch on Church’s hip. Officers found three loaded Glock magazines inside the pouch. Officers also recovered a Glock 9mm pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” from Church’s waistband. During the execution of a search warrant that officers obtained for Church’s vehicle, officers recovered seven additional firearms and a machinegun conversion device for an AR-type rifle (drop-in auto scar).
ATF investigated the case along with the Jacksonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler prosecuted the case.
Cottondale Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Mark David Swearingen, 32, of Cottondale, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess and transportation of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners are unified in their commitment to root out and eliminate the threats posed by predators who sexually exploit and victimize children, and this investigation and successful prosecution is another step toward achieving that goal. The possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material has the effect of re-victimizing the sexually exploited children each and every time those horrific images and videos are shared, and this abhorrent crime deserves the most severe punishment. My office will not hesitate to pursue maximum justice in these cases to keep our kids safe.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant came under investigation in 2025 when law enforcement received information indicating the defendant had been using a Google account to access child pornography. Law enforcement sought a search warrant and discovered the defendant possessed hundreds of images of minors being sexually abused by adults on several electronic devices.
Swearingen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and up to twenty years’ imprisonment, and a lifetime of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement with assistance from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2026, at 3:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
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.
Baxter Springs man indicted for child pornography productionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with producing child sexual abuse materials.
According to court documents, Garrett Gayoso, 25, of Baxter Springs was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography.
Gayoso allegedly enticed and coerced a minor under 16 years of age to engage in sexually explicit activity for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.
After his initial appearance, Gayoso went before a federal judge for a detention hearing and was ordered to be remanded into custody until his trial which will take place in Wichita.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.OTHER INDICTMENTS
Jesus Meraz-Leyva, 44, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Attorney Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Benjamin Crawford (47, Brandon) to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for distributing child sexual abuse material. Crawford pleaded guilty in June 2025. The court also ordered Crawford to forfeit a cellphone and laptop, which were used in the commission of the offense. Crawford is also required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Crawford distributed child sexual abuse material over a social media application and accessed with the intent to view child sexual abuse material on his cellphone and laptop. Crawford also obstructed law enforcement’s investigation by deleting various applications from his cellphone before law enforcement conducted a search related to his criminal activity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Tampa and Tennessee. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was 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 victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anniston Gang Member Sentenced to More than Two Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Calhoun County man has been sentenced for illegal possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Justus Ramone Edmonson, 25, of Anniston, Alabama, to 32 months in prison. In August 2025, Edmonson pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun.
According to the plea agreement, on April 29, 2024, officers with the Anniston Police Department were dispatched to Edmonson’s residence in Anniston to a report of shots fired and multiple gunshot victims. A group gathered on the front porch came under gunfire. Responding officers located a woman and three-year-old child who sustained gunshot wounds after being caught in the crossfire. Following the execution of a search warrant at the residence, officers recovered a Glock 9mm pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” that belonged to Edmonson. Doorbell camera footage revealed that Edmonson fired the machinegun during the shooting, and a further search of the residence uncovered evidence that Edmonson and others had been using the residence to sell controlled substances. Evidence was also presented at sentencing that Edmonson is a member of a local gang called “Cutthroat Mafia.”
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
ATF investigated the case along with the Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett prosecuted the case.
Alamogordo Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the Federal Government of More Than Half a Million DollarsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Alamogordo man pleaded guilty to orchestrating an extensive scheme to defraud the federal government and financial institutions by obtaining fraudulent Covid-19 pandemic loans of more than half a million dollars through the use of fabricated businesses and falsified records and using these stolen funds to purchase two houses.
According to court documents, between at least April 2020 and December 2021, Scott A. Spiro, 63, devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the federal government and federally insured financial institutions by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications under the CARES Act.
As part of the scheme, Spiro created several shell companies that were not legitimate businesses, had no employees, and paid no wages, including Scott A. Spiro JD, LLC, Pacifica Law Clinic, LLC, Spiro Enterprises of NM, LLC, Pacifica Funding Corporation, and Accounting Advisors. Using these entities, Spiro submitted multiple fraudulent loan and loan forgiveness applications to lenders and the Small Business Administration. He admitted to making material misrepresentations about the companies’ establishment dates, number of employees, payroll expenses, and revenues, and to submitting falsified IRS forms, payroll records, bank statements, and New Mexico Secretary of State filings to support the applications.
As a result of these misrepresentations, Spiro obtained more than $650,000 in PPP and EIDL funds. Rather than using the proceeds for permissible business purposes, Spiro admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained funds for personal expenses and debts. He further admitted to engaging in money laundering by completing at least two monetary transactions exceeding $10,000 using criminally derived funds, including the purchase of residential properties in Alamogordo and Ruidoso, New Mexico.
Spiro pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, three counts of making false statements to a financial institution and two counts of money laundering. At sentencing Spiro faces up to 30 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory of IRS Criminal Investigation's Phoenix Field Office, made the announcement today.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Social Security Administration. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
10 January 2026
D.C. Man Arrested and Charged with Second-Degree Murder in Pedestrian’s Death near the White HouseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Santana Matthews, 20, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed for the death of 26-year-old Aaron Marckell Williams that occurred on January 7, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Matthews made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Dorsey G. Jones, on January 8, 2026, where Judge Jones found probable cause that Matthews committed the offense of second-degree murder while armed and ordered that Matthews be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 27, 2026.
At approximately 3:49 p.m., a Chevrolet Malibu was operating at a high rate of speed southbound in the 1100 block of 16th Street, Northwest, when he entered the intersection with L Street against a red light. The Malibu collided with a Toyota Corolla that was traveling eastbound on L Street with a green light. The collision caused the Malibu to strike Mr. Williams walking eastbound in the crosswalk with the right-of-way, across 16th Street. Three additional vehicles stopped at the red light northbound on 16th Street were also damaged in the collision. Matthews was the operator and sole occupant of the Malibu and he attempted to flee the scene on foot but was apprehended by responding officers. DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene and after all lifesaving efforts failed, Mr. Williams was pronounced dead. The suspect and two additional victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Joining 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. Attorney Jamie Carter.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
D.C. Man Arrested and Charged with Murder for the Death of MPD Officer Terry BennettRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerrold Lonnell Coates, 47, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed for the vehicular death of Officer Terry Bennett on January 7, 2026 resulting from a crash on December 23, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Coates made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Philip A. Medley, on January 10, 2026, where Judge Medley found probable cause that Coates committed the offense of second-degree murder while armed and ordered that Coates be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing which is scheduled for February 2, 2026 before Judge Rainey Brandt.
According to court documents, on December 23, 2025 at approximately 10:09 p.m., Officer Bennett was behind a vehicle that had been involved in a different traffic crash with his cruiser lights activated and road flares deployed to protect that driver from traffic on eastbound I-695 just after the merger with 3rd Street tunnel.
Suddenly, a Silver 2007 Volvo XC90 was driven at a high rate of speed through the otherwise slowed traffic, swerved over, and struck Officer Bennett while he was standing outside of his marked cruiser. Officer Bennett was thrown into the air by the impact and suffered blunt force trauma injuries as a result of the collision. He was taken to Washington Hospital Center, where doctors advised he had sustained a traumatic brain injury and a possible spinal injury. On January 7, 2026, after all life-saving efforts were made, Officer Bennett was pronounced dead.
Joining 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. Attorney Jamie Carter.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
9 January 2026
York County Man Sentenced to 72 Months’ Imprisonment for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Carbaugh, age 39, of York County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary to 72 months’ imprisonment for distribution of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Carbaugh pleaded guilty to distributing over 1,800 images of child pornography between October 1 and November 7, 2023. Law enforcement had made direct connections with devices that were sharing child pornography via the BitTorrent network during that time. Those devices belonged to Carbaugh and were using a Comcast IP address that was registered to him.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
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Women sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking in the Billings areaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Two women who trafficked methamphetamine were sentenced this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jenny Olivia Denny, 43, of Dodson, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She was sentenced to 48 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Mona Bonita Gonzalez, 44, of Billings, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She was sentenced to 60 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that beginning in approximately 2023, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking ring based out of Mexico that was sourcing illegal narcotics to Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana, including Billings.
On August 2, 2023, law enforcement officers served a search warrant at a Billings hotel room rented by Gonzalez. Law enforcement seized approximately 2.77 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement determined in addition to the 2.77 pounds found, there were additional amounts of methamphetamine given to individuals in Billings for redistribution, including two pounds to Jenny Denny.
On August 3, 2023, agents served a search warrant at a home where Denny and two other women lived. Agents seized eight ounces of meth and $2,660 in cash.
Both defendants' phones were analyzed by law enforcement. Messages between Denny and a co-conspirator/supplier of meth, who is located in Mexico, were reviewed. In one message Denny’s supplier asked her if she was ready for another pound yet, and Denny responded that she was still waiting on money. Other messages indicate Denny was distributing meth in the Billings area. Gonzalez’s two phones showed messages between Gonzales and a co-conspirator/supplier of meth who is located in Mexico where Gonzales asked about more drugs and the supplier indicated the drugs were on the way.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Western District of Texas Prosecutors File More Than 730 New Immigration Cases over 3 WeeksRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 735 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Dec. 19, 2025 to Jan. 8, 2026. Charges were brought against illegal aliens with past convictions for violent crimes and DWIs, as well as alleged human smugglers and aliens with multiple prior removals.
Among the cases, U.S. citizen Kenya Rodriguez-Marcial was arrested on Christmas Eve and charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges Rodriguez-Marcial attempted to enter the U.S. via pedestrian lanes at the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry, claiming she was going to pick up items for Christmas dinner. Upon inspection of her purse, the Customs and Border Protection Officer allegedly observed a stack of $100 U.S. Dollar bills and $500 Mexican Peso bills folded in half with a rubber band. According to the complaint, further inspection revealed the currency totaled $1,300 USD and 11,500 MXN. Rodriguez-Marcial allegedly confessed that the money was proceeds from her involvement in alien smuggling, and that she was enroute to care for and feed two illegal alien children in El Paso. On her phone, CBPOs allegedly found a “proof of life” video recording of a female child stating she was in El Paso on Dec. 23, 2025, along with multiple text conversations between Rodriguez-Marcial and another individual, one relating to smuggling a girl on Dec. 23.
In a separate smuggling incident, U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted a vehicle stop on Interstate-10 west of Sierra Blanca after allegedly observing several individuals load into the vehicle in the westbound lane of the highway. A criminal complaint alleges that, when a USBP agent approved the vehicle during the stop, the agent observed two front passengers and several other subjects lying in the cargo area of the vehicle. The driver, Alexis Antillon-Rey, allegedly opened his car door and attempted to exit. Antillon-Rey, who is a Mexican national and allegedly a pickup driver for an Alien Smuggling Organization, was determined to be in the U.S. illegally—as were the six other individuals in his vehicle who were bound for El Paso. One of the passengers, Ecuadoran national Manuel Leonardo Caiza-Deleg, allegedly served as the group’s guide and communicated with Antillon-Rey to coordinate the smuggling scheme. Both Antillon-Rey and Caiza-Deleg are charged with alien smuggling.
Mexican national and felon Miguel Angel Martinez-Ruiz was arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry after being removed to Mexico on Oct. 31 through San Ysidro, California. Martinez-Ruiz was convicted in 2022 for assault with a deadly weapon causing brain injury and paralysis, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was also convicted three times for driving without a license.
Marcio Steven Izaguirre, who is a Honduran national and convicted child molester, was arrested near Maverick for being in the U.S. illegally. Izaguirre has been deported from the U.S. three times. He was also convicted for contributing to the delinquency of a minor as well as illegal re-entry after an aggravated felony conviction.
Milton Edgardo Hernandez-Flores, also a Honduran national, was charged with illegal re-entry after being arrested by USBP agents near Maverick. Hernandez-Flores has been granted four voluntary returns and has been deported three times, the last one being on Sept. 15, 2025. Prior felony convictions include possession of a narcotic controlled substance, robbery/conspiracy/threats, and assault with a deadly weapon.
Honduran national Juan Fernando Lara-Saavedra was arrested in Buda and charged with illegal re-entry. Lara-Saavedra was previously removed from the U.S. to Honduras in 2014 following a conviction for aggravated battery in Louisiana.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Jose Antonio Calderon, a Salvadoran national, in Kyle. Calderon was previously convicted for aggravated assault against a public servant and resisting arrest. He was removed from the U.S. twice in 2010 and is now charged with illegal re-entry.
Mexican national Alejandro Martinez Jaimes was found in the Travis County Jail on Jan. 1, after being arrested for failing to identify. He was taken into ICE custody and charged with illegal re-entry. In 2022, Martinez Jaimes was convicted for alien smuggling and sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. He was removed from the U.S. in Nov. 2023.
Reynaldo Rofino-Octaviano, a Mexican national with three prior DWI convictions, was found in El Paso approximately a quarter mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. He has been previously removed from the U.S. three times, the last one being to Mexico in November. Rofino-Octaviano’s other prior convictions include driving with a suspended license and a felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Walpole Man Convicted of Smuggling Gold Out of Colombia and Laundering Related FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Walpole man was convicted yesterday by federal jury in Boston for his role in a 2018 scheme to smuggle gold, platinum and other precious metals into the United States from Colombia and to launder money.
Thomas Cataloni, 46, was convicted of one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States and one count of international money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2026. The defendant was charged in November 2022.
In 2018, Cataloni and his co-conspirators sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to bank accounts in Colombia to pay for gold and platinum to be smuggled into the United States without being declared at U.S. customs. To facilitate the smuggling, the gold and platinum were melted in Colombia and formed to look like crude, unfinished jewelry such as chains, keychains and purse straps. The supposed jewelry was then worn by individuals who flew from Colombia into the United States without declaring the gold and platinum.
Two of Cataloni’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
The charges of money laundering conspiracy and international money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs & Border Protection; Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; and the Canton and Walpole Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Sullivan and Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
Venezuelan national charged with laundering approximately a billion dollars in illicit fundsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Venezuelan national has been charged by criminal complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia with conspiracy to launder money.
“This case involves the alleged laundering approximately a billion dollars - a scale of criminal conduct that poses a profound threat to financial systems and public safety,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Money laundering at this level enables transnational criminal organizations to operate, expand, and inflict real-world harm. Those who move illicit funds in the billions should expect to be identified, disrupted, and held fully accountable under federal law.”
"The FBI has identified approximately a billion dollars' worth of cryptocurrency that was passed through crypto wallets utilized by Figueira and his laundering operation to individuals and businesses throughout the world," said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. “By enlisting subordinates and conducting scores of transfers, Figueira sought to conceal the nature of the funds, potentially facilitating criminal activity in numerous countries."
According to court documents, the laundering network of Jorge Figueira, 59, allegedly used various bank accounts, cryptocurrency exchange accounts, private cryptocurrency wallets, and shell companies to launder voluminous amounts of illicit money into and out of the United States. Figueira allegedly used a series of steps, including the conversion of money to cryptocurrency that was directed to a series of digital wallets. Figueira allegedly would send the funds to liquidity providers to exchange the cryptocurrency for dollars, then transfer the dollars to Figueira's bank accounts and ultimately to the intended recipient. These transactions allegedly were performed to conceal the nature of the funds from law enforcement authorities.
As alleged in the complaint, more than a billion dollars moved through the identified cryptocurrency wallet and various financial accounts. Within Figueira’s financial accounts, the majority of the inbound funds were received from cryptocurrency trading platforms. The majority of outbound funds were sent to various businesses and individuals located in the United States and overseas, including high risk jurisdictions such as Colombia, China, Panamá, and Mexico.
If convicted, Figueira faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Rosenberg is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-mj-730.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Utah Child Predator Sentenced to 180 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Austin Riley Jensen, 33, of Hurricane, Utah, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for producing and receiving child sexual abuse material involving a 15-year-old victim. Jensen was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Jensen admitted on August 25, 2025, to the production and receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents and admissions made at Jensen’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, law enforcement found communications between Jensen and an individual on federal supervised release in Las Vegas, Nevada, which occurred between October 2022 and December 2022, containing images of child sexual abuse material and conversations about sexual interactions with a 15-year-old victim. Jensen admitted he coerced the minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which he recorded and that he had received images of child sexual abuse material from the federal supervisee in Las Vegas. Pursuant to a federal search warrant executed on Jensen’s residence, FBI agents seized multiple electronic devices belonging to Jensen, that stored multiple images of child sexual abuse material.
“The safety of our community, especially child victims, is a priority of this administration and my office,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Anyone who preys on the most vulnerable among us will be investigated by our federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners and aggressively prosecuted.”
“While no courtroom can undo the past, the sentence honors the courage and stolen innocence of the child impacted by this heinous crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "The FBI remains unwavering in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us and will never stop pursuing justice for our children."
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency and FBI Las Vegas, Nevada, Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Union Grove Man Indicted for Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 6, 2026, a two-count federal indictment was returned that charged Hector L. Duarte (age 35) of Union Grove, Wisconsin, with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1) and 1591(b)(1), and interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2421(a).
According to the indictment, Duarte is alleged to have used force, threats of force, and fraud to cause an adult victim to engage in commercial sex acts between approximately May 31, 2025, and June 25, 2025, in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Northern District of Illinois.
If convicted of sex trafficking, Duarte faces a mandatory minimum 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment. If convicted of interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution, he faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment. He may also be fined up to $250,000 on each count.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Milwaukee Field Office and the Cudahy Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 53 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 53 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On January 5, Jesus Fernando Alfaro Ramirez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 151 packages containing 153 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the defendant’s vehicle as he tried to enter the U.S. through the Tecate Port of Entry.
- On January 5, Noe Gastelum-Ruelas and Noe Talamante Patron, citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a stranded panga style boat off the coast of Point Loma. The defendants are the alleged captains of the boat that was transporting seven undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Romania and China.
- On January 6, Antonio Cueto-Parra was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, the defendant was apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol agent near Dulzura after a brief foot chase. He was previously deported in April 2020.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the two-week period ending January 9, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 85 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 5 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 96 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 28 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for burglary, narcotics possession, DUI, assault, fraud, and prior immigration offenses.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Waterman Meets with Attorney General Pamela Bondi at U.S. Attorneys’ OrientationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa David C. Waterman met with Attorney General Pamela Bondi on January 7, 2026, in Washington, D.C., during the U.S. Attorneys’ Orientation.
The orientation brought together newly appointed and returning U.S. Attorneys from across the country to address Department of Justice enforcement priorities, inter-district coordination, and the Department’s ongoing commitment to public safety and the rule of law. During the program, U.S. Attorney Waterman reaffirmed the Southern District of Iowa’s commitment to advancing the Department’s mission and to serving Iowans with integrity, fairness, and professionalism.
“It was an honor to meet with Attorney General Bondi and to participate in discussions focused on strengthening public safety and upholding the rule of law nationwide,” said U.S. Attorney Waterman. “The Southern District of Iowa remains fully committed to enforcing federal law fairly, effectively, and in partnership with our law enforcement colleagues and communities.”
U.S. Attorney Waterman previously met with Attorney General Bondi during her tenure as Florida’s Attorney General, while he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Florida from 2016 to 2020. That shared professional experience reflects their longstanding commitment to public service and prosecutorial excellence.
Three photos of the Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa meeting on January 7, 2026.
Texas Couple Who Operated an Illegal Pyramid Scheme Are Convicted of Conspiracy, Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Sherman, Texas convicted a married couple on Thursday for operating a multi-million-dollar pyramid scheme during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
“While many Americans struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, LaShonda and Marlon Moore orchestrated a lucrative pyramid scheme with the sole aim of enriching themselves,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through lies and deceit, the defendants recruited vulnerable people and defrauded them of millions of dollars. The Criminal Division is committed to prosecuting fraudsters who inflict substantial harm on every day Americans trying to make a living.”
“The defendants, through their operation of the Blessings in No Time (BINT) pyramid scheme, defrauded over 10,000 individuals of more than $25 million, using false promises and misleading statements to recruit participants,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs of the Eastern District of Texas. “The defendants' actions were a betrayal of trust, and the Justice Department will continue to work tirelessly to hold those accountable who engage in such schemes. I commend the efforts of our investigative partners and the team who worked to bring about a “win” for the victims who suffered great losses at the hands of these defendants.”
“The harm caused by greed-driven, deceptive investments promising returns too good to be true cannot be overstated,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “The mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service continues, to aggressively investigate such schemes and hold fraudsters fully accountable.”
“The Moores used a polished image and even a reality TV appearance to build trust, but behind the scenes, they orchestrated a multi-million-dollar pyramid scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. “This scheme deliberately targeted the African American community, exploiting cultural trust and community ties. Today’s conviction sends a clear message: if you abuse trust and exploit communities for personal gain, you will face justice.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, LaShonda Moore, 38, and Marlon Moore, 39, of Frisco, Texas, co-founded and ran BINT, known as “Blessings in No Time,” an illegal chain-referral pyramid scheme that targeted victims during the COVID‑19 pandemic from June 2020 to June 2021. BINT targeted and recruited victims with false and misleading promises through weekly live-stream video broadcasts to thousands of participants across the United States during the COVID-19 shutdown. Victims were falsely promised that participants would earn 800% returns on each $1,400 investment and were guaranteed a refund if the participant was unsatisfied with BINT. The Moores falsely presented BINT as a means for new participants to help other members of their own community by paying “blessings” of at least $1,400 to participants who had already joined. The Moores falsely promised that new participants’ “blessing” payments would be paid back eight fold within a few weeks. BINT was falsely presented as an altruistic invitation-only community to help others during the economic downturn from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The defendants structured BINT to operate on “playing boards” that had positions for participants on four levels: eight Fires, four Winds, two Earths, and one Water. Once eight new participants were recruited to fill all eight Fire positions on the playing board, each Fire was directed to “bless” or pay at least $1,400 to the participant in the Water position. A Water participant then received eight payments totaling more than $11,000. After a Water participant received his or her payment, other participants at lower levels would move up one level on the playing board and then be required to recruit new participants into the Fire positions to perpetuate the scheme. To profit from the investment scheme, the defendants placed themselves in positions on the playing boards, so that they received the ultimate payments, and they otherwise diverted substantial money to themselves that were paid by the participants. The defendants’ pyramid scheme victimized more than 10,000 people across the country and inflicted more than $25 million in victim losses.
LaShonda and Marlon Moore were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering. Their sentencings have not been set. Each face a maximum penalty of 20 years on each of the conspiracy and wire fraud counts and 10 years on each money laundering count.
USPIS, the United States Secret Service, and IRS-CI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Theodore Kneller and Adam Stempel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov. To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas.
Tallahassee Man Charged with Transportation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Cedrick Campbell, 35, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession/access with intent to view child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Campbell appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick on January 5, 2026, for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is scheduled for March 2, 2026, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
If convicted, Campbell, faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
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 public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Sutter County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Thomas Davis, 40, of Yuba City, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins to 15 years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between May 2023 and January 2024, Davis used the BitTorrent network to download child pornography. During this period Davis built a collection of more than 400 videos and 200 images containing child sexual abuse material, including some which depicted the sexual abuse of toddlers.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Yuba City Police Department, and the California Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Learn more at Justice.gov/PSC.
Seminole County Resident Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Duane Stone, age 48, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that on April 2, 2025, Stone assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole Lighthorse Police.
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.
Stone remains on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Richmond man indicted for distribution of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging a Richmond man with distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, on May 22, 2025, Randon Alexander Sprinkle, 30, allegedly used a dating app to contact another user who purportedly was the father of a nine-year-old son, but in actuality was an undercover FBI agent. Sprinkle immediately invited the user to communicate via the Telegram app. After alluding to a sexual interest in minors, Sprinkle allegedly sent a video depicting two adults sexually abusing a minor. Sprinkle then allegedly expressed his interest in travelling to Washington, D.C., to meet the other user and sexually abuse his purported nine-year-old son.
“The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing and reflect a serious abuse of trust,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “When someone who has held a professional role in public or political life engages in the sexual exploitation of children, it underscores why no position, title, or resume can shield an offender from accountability. This office will pursue full accountability for those who exploit children, regardless of their background, job, or perceived status.”
“One of the most important things FBI Richmond does is protecting children around the world from predators seeking to harm them,” said Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “I’m grateful our team and partners intervened to remove Mr. Sprinkle from the streets and ensure he was brought to justice.”
On Oct. 16, 2025, FBI agents searched Sprinkle’s residence in Richmond and seized two laptop computers and a cellphone. Sprinkle’s cellphone allegedly contained 42 CSAM files and one of the laptops contained two additional files. The files included depictions of the abuse of toddlers and an infant.
An arraignment is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 12, in Richmond. If convicted, Sprinkle faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen H. Theisen and Heather H. Mansfield are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-2.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Rapper Torrence Ivy Hatch aka “Boosie Badazz” Sentenced for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Torrence Ivy HATCH (aka “Boosie”, aka “Lil Boosie”, aka “Boosie Badazz”) was sentenced in federal court today for violating Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1), Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. District Court Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo sentenced HATCH to 3-years’ supervised release, 300-hours of community service, and a $50,000 fine.
According to a plea agreement, on or about May 6, 2023, within the Southern District of California, HATCH, knowing his status as a convicted felon, did knowingly possess a firearm, a Glock-19 pistol, that traveled in and affected interstate commerce. The firearm was loaded with ten 9-millimeter caliber rounds of ammunition; in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
On or about May 6, 2023, San Diego Police identified HATCH while watching the Instagram Live of a known member of the “Neighborhood Crip” street gang. HATCH was seen in the Instagram Live with a gun tucked in his waistband as he appeared to be filming a music video.
Officers determined where the video was being recorded and conducted a traffic stop on HATCH and who he sated was his security detail. When asked by officers, HATCH denied having any weapons, but his security detail turned over a bag containing a 9-millimeter Springfield “Hellcat,” loaded with seven rounds of ammunition and not registered in California. All occupants were removed from the vehicle, and during a search of the vehicle, officers located a 9-millimeter Glock 19 pistol in the backseat of the car, where HATCH had been seated. Following the search, officers placed HATCH, whose prior criminal convictions include a 2011 felony drug trafficking conviction, under arrest for felon in possession of a firearm.
Following his arrest and while at the police station, officers observed HATCH threatening his security detail including threatening to put “10K” on their head and put them in a “body bag.” HATCH told agents all the firearms had been in the possession of his security detail the entire time.
Agents later determined that the gun found in the back seat of the vehicle was the same firearm HATCH had in his waistband during the filming of the music video, that HATCH’s DNA was found on both firearms, and that the firearms were purchased by HATCH’s girlfriend in Georgia, and not his security detail. HATCH ultimately admitted the 9-millimeter Glock 19 pistol found on the seat where he was sitting was the same firearm he possessed in the video.
“Our office remains committed to enforcing federal firearm laws to protect public safety and ensure that prohibited individuals are held accountable when they violate those laws,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24CR1508-CAB
Torrence Ivy Hatch Age: 43 Palmetto, GA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Felon in Possession of a firearm, 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1)
Maximum penalties: 10 years custody $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release; Mandatory Special Assessment of $100; Forfeiture
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
San Diego Police Department
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 5, 2026.
Joshua Munyan, 41, was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Munyan was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 29, 2025.
The charges stem from an incident in which Munyan was pulled over while driving by an officer with the Rapid City Police Department who later discovered Munyan possessed a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver. Munyan is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of a felony drug offense in Pennington 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Munyan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rankin County Woman Pleads Guilty to Misappropriation by a VA FiduciaryRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Rankin County woman pleaded guilty in federal court to misusing Veteran’s Administration money intended to benefit her son, a disabled Army Veteran.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Darla Storey, 57, began serving as a fiduciary on March 18, 2016, and was responsible for managing the financial affairs of her adult son who was permanently disabled and wheelchair-bound due to service-connected disabilities. As part of her fiduciary duties, Darla Storey was required to use funds entrusted to her solely for her son’s benefit, to file regular accountings, and to never commingle the funds.
During her five years as a fiduciary, Darla Storey misappropriated the VA funds and instead used them for her own benefit by transferring the money to her personal bank account, purchasing a vehicle the beneficiary never used, paying bills, and taking trips even when the beneficiary was not living with her. She routinely failed to file proper accountings and used more than $100,000 dollars entrusted to her by the VA for her personal benefit.
Darla Storey is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
The Veteran’s Administration - Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham is prosecuting the case.
Previously Convicted Felon from Maine Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Maine man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Kirk Wilson, 46, of Maine, was sentenced on Jan. 7, 2026 by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Indira Talwani to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2025, Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Wilson was charged in March 2024.
Shortly after 1 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2023, Wilson was found unconscious inside a vehicle that was stopped on the side of a road in Littleton. During a subsequent search of the vehicle and his person, Wilson was found with a Taurus International 22-caliber handgun with eight rounds of ammunition in a magazine inside his pocket. Wilson is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions which include: a 2008 conviction for assaulting a pregnant person; a 2018 conviction for trafficking fentanyl powder and/or methamphetamine and alprazolam; and a 2023 conviction for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and unlawful possession of fentanyl powder.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Littleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced in Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Floyd Clark, 22, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months in federal prison in connection with his illegal possession of a Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol that had been outfitted with a “switch” so it could fire as a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Clark pleaded guilty on Sept. 24, 2025, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to an Information charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to the 48-month prison sentence, Judge Kelly ordered Clark to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Field Division and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, on March 1, 2025, at 3:23 p.m., MPD officers responded to the 300 block of 50 Street NE, in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood for a report of 14 rounds of automatic gunfire. At the scene, officers recovered 14 shell casings. Police did not find any shooting victims. Surveillance video footage revealed that two shooters had fired from a black Infiniti Q50 sedan bearing a Maryland license plate. Immediately after the firing of the 14 rounds, the Infiniti fled the scene.
On March 8, 2025, about 6:10 p.m. police were patrolling near the intersection of 60th Street and Eads Street, NE, when they spotted an Infiniti Q50 matching the description of the vehicle used in the previous week’s shooting. Officers followed the car.
Clark, who was driving the Infiniti, stopped the vehicle. Then Clark and an unidentified passenger jumped out of the car and ran away from the police officers. Police arrest Clark after a brief foot chase and then recovered a loaded Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun from the car. The firearm was outfitted with a machine gun conversion device. Investigators linked the Glock to the March 1 discharge of 14 rounds in Lincoln Heights.
Clark previously pled guilty in April 2023 of attempted carrying a pistol without a license and of carrying a pistol without a license in October 2023 in D.C. Superior Court.
This case was investigated by the MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Svetoslavov.
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Portland Woman Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland woman pleaded guilty yesterday for engaging in sexual contact of an unaccompanied minor under the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Teresa Valdovinos-Godinez, 34, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact.
According to court documents, between September 12, 2023, and October 8, 2023, Valdovinos-Godinez engaged in abusive sexual contact with an individual in federal custody while she was working as a counselor at Morrison Mi Futuro, a residential facility for unaccompanied minors in Portland.
On August 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Valdovinos-Godinez with abusive sexual contact.
Valdovinos-Godinez faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. She will be sentenced on April 2, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Valdovinos-Godinez has agreed to pay restitution in full to the victim.
The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Rochat and Pamela Paaso are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Placer County Doctor Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Khursheed Haider, 50, of Roseville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins to nine years in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“Today’s sentence holds Khursheed Haider accountable for his proliferation of child sexual abuse material, each instance of which retraumatizes the victims shown in such material,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “My office is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who traffic in this abusive material, including those in positions of trust like Haider.”
“Khursheed Haider was known to many as a trusted physician and family man,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “However, he was a predator behind that facade who actively shared material depicting the horrific sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. The FBI works tirelessly to identify and apprehend individuals who consume and distribute child sexual abuse material to stop the ongoing victimization of our nation’s most vulnerable and innocent victims.”
According to court documents, Haider, a Sacramento Area pulmonologist, used an application called Wire to post, distribute, and request videos and images of prepubescent boys and girls being sexually abused. After a search warrant was executed, agents discovered more than 600 images and videos of prepubescent child sexual abuse material on Haider’s electronic devices. Haider pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Philadelphia Men Charged by Superseding Indictment with Robberies Targeting Armored TrucksRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Dante Shackleford, 26, and Mujahid Davis, 24, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by superseding indictment in connection with multiple robberies and attempted robberies last year that targeted armored trucks.
Both defendants have been charged with four counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery). Davis is also charged with two counts, and Shackleford with one count, of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The superseding indictment alleges that they participated in the following crimes:
- the July 2, 2025, robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
(Davis and others) - the July 15, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
(Shackleford, Davis, and others) - the July 22, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Elkins Park, Pa.
(Shackleford and others) - the August 12, 2025, robbery of a Brinks truck in Elkins Park, Pa.
(Shackleford, Davis, and others) - the October 3, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
(Shackleford, Davis, and others)
If convicted, the defendants face maximum possible sentences of life imprisonment. Davis also faces a fine of $1,500,000 and Shackleford a fine of $1,250,000.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Eckert and Kwambina Coker.
The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
- the July 2, 2025, robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
Pekin, Illinois Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Pekin, Illinois man, Joshua Dunn, 33, formerly of South Second Street, was sentenced on January 6, 2026, to 144 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and 60 months for a felon in possession of a firearm charge. The sentence is to be served concurrently in the Bureau of Prisons.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, uncontested evidence established that Dunn, a convicted felon, who was unable to lawfully possess a firearm, possessed methamphetamine, cocaine and multiple firearms at his Pekin residence. The drugs and firearms were seized on January 30, 2025, during the execution of two residential search warrants.
Approximately 16 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, multiple baggies containing approximately 170 grams of methamphetamine, scales, packaging material indicative of drug trafficking, and 11 firearms were found in the residence.
Dunn, who has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since he was arrested following a federal indictment in February 2025, entered a guilty plea in November 2025.
Dunn committed these offenses while on supervised release for a prior conviction of felon in possession of a firearm. Dunn’s supervised release was revoked, and a sentence of 24 months imprisonment was imposed, to be served concurrently with his current prison term.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Springfield Residence Office, Pekin Police Department, Peoria Metropolitan Enforcement Group (P-MEG), and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) also participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
Pain Clinic Owner Sentenced, L5 Medical Holdings to Pay Nearly $5 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – John Gregory “Greg” Barnes—a former mortgage broker who, seeking a “recession proof” business model, purchased pain clinics throughout the Western District of Virginia (including in Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Christiansburg, and Woodlawn)—was sentenced today to 45 months in federal prison for healthcare fraud and illegal prescription drug conspiracies Additionally, Barnes and L5 Medical Holdings, the business entity he controlled, jointly agreed to pay 4,888,426.11 in restitution to Medicare and Virginia Medicaid and to forfeit $250,000 to the United States.
Barnes was the last defendant awaiting sentencing as part of Operation Mountain Highlands—an investigation that resulted in convictions and years of prison time for a half-dozen medical professionals and businesspeople associated with the L5 pain clinics. As part of their plea agreements, two doctors and a nurse also permanently surrendered their medical licenses, and Barnes and L5’s Chief Operating Officer, Jennifer Adams, agreed never to do business in the Western District of Virginia again.
Barnes, 59, of South Carolina, pled guilty in July 2023 to conspiring to commit healthcare fraud, distribute Suboxone (buprenorphine) without a legitimate medical purpose, and use DEA registration numbers of other people to distribute controlled substances. Barnes’s company, L5, also pled guilty to the same crimes, as well as conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine without a legitimate medical purpose.
“This office will seek clear accountability against those who masquerade as medical professionals to line their pockets at the expense of patients and taxpayers,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said.
“Those posing as good citizens and healthcare providers must be held accountable. Everyone deserves care and protection from those entrusted with their well-being. Unfortunately, this group, including Barnes, took advantage of the healthcare system for their own gain. We are committed to ensuring justice for those harming our communities and will work tirelessly to hold these individuals responsible,” said Christopher Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division.
“By defrauding both insurance companies and patients, criminals make health care more expensive for working class Virginians,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “I am pleased that the courts have rendered an appropriate verdict against those who put profit over patient care.”
According to court documents, in 2014, with no medical training, Barnes bought a medical practice through his company, L5 Medical Holdings. L5 operated pain management clinics, which involved the prescribing of prescription opioids and opioid addiction treatment medications, including Suboxone. Barnes conducted a feasibility study that identified Lynchburg, Virginia, as a prime location for an initial pain management clinic.
After Barnes began operating his pain clinics, they became more focused on prescribing Suboxone and opioids, with less focus on interventional treatments. Barnes and L5 operated the clinics in a manner that prioritized revenue maximization over patient care. Providers were encouraged to limit patient visits to 15 minutes and to see as many as 30 patients per day.
At Barnes’s direction, medical providers with L5 followed the opinion of non-medical professionals in making medical decisions, including whether a patient should be treated for opioid addiction or for pain management, whether a patient should receive a prescription, and what type of drug should be prescribed.
Patient interactions with non-medical professionals were improperly billed to Virginia Medicaid and Medicare, including by billing under providers who had not seen the patient. On some occasions, L5 employees billed insurance for patient visits under the name of doctors who were not even in the same city or state as the patient.
With Barnes in charge, L5 implemented a urine drug testing policy principally based on insurance reimbursements rather than patient care—specifically, to order the maximum amount of drug tests that insurance policies would pay for, regardless of medical need. To avoid losing millions of dollars in revenue that resulted from charging Medicare and Virginia Medicaid under that bill-to-the-max policy, Barnes and L5 refused to implement a random drug testing policy, even when advised by medical professionals to do so.
Employees stated one L5 doctor, Wendell Randall, was a “train wreck,” “quack,” and “shitshow.” Despite being aware of such concerns, and even acknowledging Randall failed to show up for work and had made “major mistakes” that were “enough for him to lose his [medical] license,” Barnes continued to employ Randall.
Other convictions and sentences as a result of Operation Mountain Highlands include:
- Duane Dixon, a former doctor at L5, who pled guilty to concealing healthcare fraud and conspiring to illegally prescribed highly addictive opioid painkillers to at-risk patients, was sentenced to 40 months in prison in June 2025, and ordered to pay over $1,000,000 in fines and restitution.
- Jennifer Adams, L5’s former chief operating officer, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for her role in concealing and assisting with L5’s schemes. Adams was also ordered to pay over $3,000,000 in restitution.
- Charles Wilson Adams (no relation to Jennifer Adams), who was falsely held out as a medical doctor and made treatment recommendations for L5 patients, received a 24-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $30,000 in fines and forfeiture.
- Wendell Randall, a former doctor who rented out his credentials to others at L5 so they could prescribe Suboxone but was himself rarely physically present at L5 clinics, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in March 2024.
- Debra Shaffer, a nurse practitioner with L5, was sentenced to jail time and a $5,000 fine in October 2023.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Cagle Juhan, Jason Scheff, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Janine M. Myatt, Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
Owyhee Man Sentenced for Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
RENO – An Owyhee man was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum to time served. The government recommended a sentence of 18 months incarceration.
Yesterday’s sentence follows R.C. Crutcher’s conviction in November after a four-day jury trial for tampering with a witness. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from March 22, 2025, to March 16, 2025, Crutcher attempted to persuade a victim from testifying against him at a federal proceeding. In addition to time served, Judge Traum sentenced Crutcher to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs with assistance from the Owyhee Tribal Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Penelope Brady and Andrew Keenan prosecuted the case.
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Operator of Sober Homes Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Fraud Schemes Involving Sober Home Client, Sober Homes Mortgages, Mass Save Program and COVID-19 Business LoansRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The operator of numerous sober homes in Massachusetts, who also operated insulation companies receiving funds through the Mass Save Program, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his involvement in four different fraud schemes involving sober homes in the Greater Boston area, the Mass Save Program, mortgage lenders and a federal loan program that assisted businesses during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Daniel Cleggett, 39, of Kingston, formerly of Braintree and Quincy, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Cleggett was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,856,329 and forfeit $1,544,185. In December 2024, Cleggett pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud conspiracy; one count of conspiracy to make false statements to a mortgage lending business (mortgage fraud conspiracy); 25 counts of wire fraud; six counts of unlawful monetary transactions (money laundering); and three counts of making false statements to a mortgage lending business. Cleggett was arrested and charged in March 2023 along with co-conspirator Nicholas Espinosa.
Espinosa pleaded guilty to his role in the fraud schemes on Oct. 3, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2026.
Cleggett was the founder of the sober home business A Vision From God LLC (AVFG). Established in November 2016, AVFG owned and operated sober homes in Boston, Wakefield, Quincy and Weymouth under trade names including Brady’s Place, Lakeshore Retreat and Lambert House. Espinosa managed the day-to-day affairs of Cleggett’s sober home business.
Cleggett, Espinosa and a sober home client entered into a conspiracy to defraud a New York-based family trust that was paying for the client’s room and board at Brady’s Place, located in Quincy. Specifically, Cleggett and Espinosa overcharged the family trust for room and board by up to $12,500 per month by submitting false and fraudulent invoices to the family trust. Cleggett and Espinosa would then issue “refund” checks to the client in furtherance of the fraud scheme.
From approximately October 2019 to December 2021, Cleggett personally, and through straw purchasers including Espinosa, purchased the three residential properties in Weymouth and Boston to use as sober homes. Cleggett, Espinosa and others submitted false information and fraudulent documentation including falsely representing that the three properties were intended to be purchased as primary residences when in reality, each was intended to be a sober home.
In addition to the sober home business, Cleggett operated numerous insulation contracting companies that participated in the Mass Save Program: Green Save Energy Corporation; Environmental Construction Objective Inc. (ECO); Green Giants, LLC; and Insulation Situation, LLC.
Mass Save is a Massachusetts public/private partnership sponsored by gas and electric utility companies that fund energy conservation projects and improvements via energy efficiency funds charged to Massachusetts residents’ utility bills.
Specifically, Green Save and ECO received millions of dollars for residential insulation work from a lead vendor company under the Mass Save program. From 2018 through mid-2021, Green Save and ECO fraudulently billed the vendor company for required permits that were not actually obtained. Green Save and ECO were ultimately terminated from participating in the lead vendor company’s program in June 2021, and Cleggett was banned from participating in the Mass Save program. In response to this, Cleggett, Espinosa and other co-conspirators formed Insulation Situation and Green Giants to enter as new lead vendors with the same company under straw owners. As a result, Cleggett obtained a total of $945,473 in payments from the company to Green Giants and Insulation Situation, despite him being banned from participating in the Mass Save program.
Additionally, on April 1, 2020, Cleggett submitted three Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to the Small Business Administration for AVFG, the Daniel Cleggett Sole Proprietorship and Green Save. Cleggett obtained a total of $792,106 in EIDL loans and advances. In the applications, Cleggett falsely denied involvement in illegal activity despite his involvement in the sober home wire fraud scheme and the mortgage fraud scheme involving one of his Weymouth sober homes. Cleggett’s Sole Proprietorship EIDL application was false because the Daniel Cleggett Sole Proprietorship did not exist. Despite certifying that EIDL proceeds would only be used for “working capital” for the entity seeking the loan, Cleggett used tens of thousands of dollars from the funds to pay for personal expenses including EZ-Pass bills, gym membership fees, pet expenses, airline tickets, car rentals, vacation trips to Yellowstone, Montana and Aruba and thousands of dollars in hotel resort stays for Cleggett and his girlfriend – which included spa fees as well as a wine and caviar dinner, among other expenses. Cleggett also used Green Save EIDL funds for $37,997 in wedding expenses.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Kingston, Randolph and Quincy Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys and John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.Ohio Man Sentenced for Bankruptcy-Related FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Wayne Robert Rummel, 41, of Crown City, Ohio, was sentenced on Monday, January 5, 2026, to three years of federal probation for falsifying recorded information relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor in bankruptcy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2023, Rummel filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. While the bankruptcy case was still pending, Rummel sought to obtain financing to purchase a 2022 Nissan Altima for $24,758.50. Rummel knew he needed the permission of the Bankruptcy Court obtain a post-bankruptcy petition loan.
On February 26, 2025, Rummel emailed the lender a fake order from the Bankruptcy Court, which purported to provide approval for him to finance the vehicle purchase through the lender. As part of his guilty plea, Rummel admitted that he knew the Bankruptcy Court order was fake because he created it, and that the Court had not given him permission to obtain the loan.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage 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-138.
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North Little Rock Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Chauncey Slay, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 130 months in federal prison after conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.
On October 9, 2024, Slay, 46, of North Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. On June 30, 2025, Slay pleaded guilty to the indictment. Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Slay to five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 6, 2024, Lonoke County Sherrif’s Office and Arkansas State Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Slay was a passenger. During the traffic stop, officers learned Slay, who was behaving nervously, was on parole with a search waiver on file. The driver and Slay were asked to exit the vehicle. When Slay was asked to place his hands behind his back, he began to argue with the officers. During the arrest, one of the officers shook Slay’s pant leg, causing a small baggie of a crystal-like substance to fall to the ground. Slay was placed in a patrol unit and transported to the Lonoke County jail. While en route to the jail, Slay informed deputies that he had drugs in his pants. Deputies pulled over and removed another baggie of crystal-like substance from Slay’s other pant leg. The suspected narcotics were sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratory where it was determined to be more than 120 grams of methamphetamine with a 98% purity level.
Slay’s criminal history includes several felony drug convictions for possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, delivery of methamphetamine, possession of heroin with purpose to deliver, and possession of fentanyl.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA with assistance from the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
North Little Rock Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—J. Frederick Braswell, III, who had been convicted in February 2024, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, will spend the next 120 months in federal prison after again being convicted for illegally possessing a gun. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. Today’s federal sentence marks the third time Braswell has been convicted for possessing a gun after becoming a felon.
On December 3, 2024, Braswell, 26, of North Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a three-count Indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On August 15, 2025, Braswell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Braswell to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that on August 25, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Braswell for speeding. Braswell attempted to flee from officers, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour. After a tactical vehicle intervention disabled his car, Braswell then fled on foot, jumping a privacy fence and entering someone’s residence. Officers followed Braswell, locating him inside the residence and in possession of a backpack containing multiple bags of marijuana, Xanax, a scale, money, and a Glock 29, 10mm firearm with an extended magazine. For his previous conviction in February 2024 for possession of a firearm by a felon, Braswell received a 60-month suspended imposition of sentence, despite it being his second such conviction at the time.
Braswell’s criminal history includes felony drug convictions for possession of oxycodone and possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, as well as two convictions for possession of firearms by certain person, theft by receiving, and fleeing.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Arkansas State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacy Williams.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
New year, same commitment to border enforcement: Southern District charges 201 individualsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The first full week of 2026 has resulted in 200 filed cases related to immigration and border security, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
From Jan. 2-8, a total of 117 people have been charged with felony reentry after removal, and another 70 face allegations of illegal entry. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, various immigration crimes and more. The filed cases also include nine individuals accused of human smuggling, while the remaining matters involve firearms and other immigration-related crimes.
One of those charged is Mexican national Daniel Enrique Rangel-Quezada. According to the criminal complaint, authorities discovered him near Garciasville in possession of a firearm and with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Not a U.S. citizen, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Other criminal complaints allege several illegal aliens unlawfully reentered the United States in the past week. Two of those men - Mexican nationals Juan Dimas-Sosa and Audelio Rios-Castillo – had been removed from the country in August 2024 and June 2025, respectively. However, law enforcement allegedly encountered both in the McAllen area. Rios-Castillo has a prior conviction for illegal reentry, while Dimas-Sosa had been convicted of human smuggling, according to the allegations. They could receive up to 20 years in prison if convicted of felony reentry after removal.
In addition to the new cases, a Laredo felon has been ordered to federal prison for 10 years in a cartel-linked conspiracy to smuggle hundreds of illegal aliens into the country. At the sentencing hearing, the court heard additional evidence as to the prolific scope of Danny Nunez’s leadership of the large-scale human smuggling organization that served as a “one-stop shop” for all the necessary actions to harbor and smuggle illegal aliens on the United States side of the border. Nunez worked directly with Cartel del Noreste to smuggle over 1,900 aliens which resulted in a substantial amount of illicit profits for both the CDN and Nunez. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the sophistication of the operation, commenting that this was the largest number of aliens smuggled and the most prolific smuggler she had seen.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
New Britain Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that VICTORIA KATES, 35, of New Britain, sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to three months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One program created by the CARES Act was a temporary federal unemployment insurance program for pandemic unemployment assistance (“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance”). Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provided unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits for employed individuals who were not eligible for other types of UI due to their employment status. The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”) that provided additional weekly benefits to those eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or regular UI. The Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) administers UI benefits for residents of Connecticut.
From March 2020 through May 2021, Kates defrauded the CT-DOL of $217,056 by filing fraudulent unemployment applications with the CT-DOL on behalf of her family, acquaintances, and others. Kates prepared and submitted the original applications and, in certain instances, submitted required weekly recertifications of the applicant’s purported continued unemployment status. Kates took a portion of the payouts as a fee.
As an example, in August 2020, Kates submitted an online unemployment application to the CT-DOL for a friend that made several false representations, including that the applicant was a self-employed driver who worked 40 hours per week when, in fact, the applicant was neither self-employed nor worked the hours represented. Kates also used her home address as the applicant’s address. Based on the original application and weekly certifications, the CT-DOL made $27,993 in payments, with Kates taking at least $1,000 to $1,500 as a fee. When the CT-DOL demanded proof of legal wages and proof of address, Kates created and provided to the CT-DOL a fraudulent IRS form showing the applicant’s purported gross wages for 2019 and a cropped photograph of a business envelope to make it appear that the applicant had lived at the represented address.
Another source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive unsecured loans at an interest rate of 1% to be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent the proceeds on these expenses within a certain period of time of receipt and used at least a certain percentage of the amount to be forgiven for payroll.
The PPP was overseen by the Small Business Administration, which has authority over all PPP loans. Individual PPP loans, however, were issued by private approved lenders, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
In 2021, Kates applied for and received $16,250 through the PPP loan program by making false representations, including overstating her yearly gross income. Kates also provided a false IRS filing to support the income figure on the application. She subsequently provided additional fraudulent information to obtain forgiveness of the loan.
Judge Nagala ordered Kates to pay $233,306 in restitution.
On April 2, 2025, Kates pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud.
Kates, who is released on a $40,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 10.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Multi-State ATM “Jackpotting” Ring Busted in Middle District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A group of Venezuelan nationals involved in a series of ATM “jackpotting” thefts across Georgia and additional states have pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Hector Alejandro Alvarado Alvarez, 22, of Venezuela, and Cesar Augusto Gil Sanchez, 22, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on Jan. 7 and face a maximum of 30 years in prison. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.
Co-defendants Javier Alejandro Suarez-Godoy, 20, of Venezuela, was sentenced to time served on Jan. 7, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on Sept. 24, 2025; David Josfrangel Suarez-Sanchez, 24, of Venezuela, was sentenced to serve ten months in prison on Sept. 24, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and Giobriel Alexander Valera-Astudillo, 26, of Venezuela, was sentenced to serve ten months in prison on June 5, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Alvarado Alvarez, Gil Sanchez, Suarez-Godoy, Suarez-Sanchez and Valera-Astudillo are subject to immediate deportation byImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after serving their prison sentences. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Law enforcement agencies nationwide are increasingly encountering jackpotting schemes that have ties to major criminal organizations,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We appreciate the strong collaboration between numerous police departments and the FBI, whose efforts led to the apprehension of this group. These individuals now face ICE detainers for immediate deportation.”
“This group exploited sophisticated malware and traveled across state lines to target financial institutions, demonstrating the evolving and organized nature of modern ATM jackpotting schemes,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners nationwide to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal networks that threaten the security of our banking system and our communities.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the FBI began investigating ATM “jackpotting” thefts that occurred between Sept. 14 and Sept. 16, 2024, at Peoples South Bank ATMs in Macon, Americus and Albany, Georgia, with failed attempts to steal money from Citizens Community Bank ATMs in Banbridge, Georgia, and Tallahassee, Florida. In all, $24,000 was stolen from Peoples South Bank ATMs.
“Jackpotting” exploits ATM vulnerabilities, causing machines to dispense cash. Criminals gather ATM details, then either use malware-infected devices or “supervisor mode” to trigger cash withdrawals. Malware was used in these thefts.
Surveillance video from the ATM thefts showed the ringleader, Alvarado Alvarez, along with other co-conspirators, participating in the thefts and attempted thefts. Law enforcement also recovered Alvarado Alvarez’s fingerprints on the ATM machines in Albany and Bainbridge.
On Oct. 20, 2024, Alvarado Alvarez, Suarez-Sanchez and Varela-Astudillo accessed or attempted to access the ATM machines belonging to Commercial Banking Co. and Citizens Community Bank in Hahira, Morven, and Valdosta, Georgia. The group took $33,000 from the ATM in Morven and $18,000 from the ATM in Valdosta. They failed to steal money from the Haihara ATM machine.
The next day, on Oct. 21, 2024, a Morven Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop of a car driven by Suarez-Sanchez and Varela-Astudillo. The same officer was called to the ATM theft at the Citizens Community Bank on Main Street in Morven. The officer immediately recognized the vehicle in the surveillance footage as the same vehicle he had stopped earlier, being driven by Suarez-Sanchez and Varela-Astudillo. The officer immediately initiated a BOLO (be on the lookout) for the vehicle. The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) stopped the car on Interstate 75 in Tift County, Georgia. Varela-Astudillo and Suarez-Sanchez were placed into custody and taken to Valdosta Police Department. During the arrest, law enforcement discovered stacks of cash inside a black bag located in the passenger seat. Officers also found computer equipment used in the ATM thefts; 40 fingerprints were obtained and matched prints on file for Suarez-Godoy and Alvarado Alverez, along with other co-conspirators.
On November 26, 2024, the Hazard Police Department in Kentucky received a burglary alarm at a Peoples Bank ATM. Alvarado Alvarez was recorded on the security camera tampering with the ATM; other banks in Perry County, Kentucky, had reported similar suspicious activities at their ATMs. Officers quickly tracked down the car seen on the security footage. Alvarado Alvarez, who was driving the car, had no proof of identification, and officers saw a large sum of cash in plain sight. Alvarado Alvarez was taken into custody possessing $67,153.00, an ATM key and several electronic devices used in the ATM thefts. A search warrant executed at Alvarado Alvarez’s motel room recovered an additional $65,600.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Albany, Georgia, Police Department (APD); the Bainbridge, Georgia Police Department (BPD); the Valdosta, Georgia Police Department (VPD); the Hahira, Georgia, Police Department (HPD); the Jasper, Georgia, Police Department; the Morven, Georgia, Police Department (MPD); the Hazard, Kentucky, Police Department (HPD); and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).
Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Morristown Woman Pleads Guilty in the Deaths of Multiple Overdose VictimsRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On January 6, 2026, Ashlyn Jade Henry, 25 currently of Morristown, TN entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) before the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Sentencing has been set before Judge Corker on May 13, 2026, at 11:00a.m., in United States District Court at Greeneville.
Henry faces a minimum of 20 years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, a maximum $1,000,000 fine, minimum 3 years and up to life on supervised release, and a $100 assessment.
According to filed court documents, in January 2024, Henry purchased a quantity of cocaine base from her supplier in the Knoxville area for the purpose of reselling it to people in Morristown, Tennessee. This cocaine base was laced with fentanyl. Over the course of several days, Henry then sold the laced drugs to numerous victims. At least three victims were found deceased in their homes after using the drugs. Two victims overdosed and survived after being resuscitated. Both victims who survived positively identified Henry as the person that sold them the fentanyl laced cocaine base.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The prosecution was the result of a joint investigation in by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office and Morristown Police Department.
Meghan L. Gomez, Assistant United States Attorney represented the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting Tribal Police OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on January 6, 2026.
Everett Joseph Menard, age 29, was sentenced to one year and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Menard was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 1, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident in March 2025 in the jurisdiction of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation following Menard’s arrest by tribal officers after they responded to a call. During the arrest, Menard became combative, struck a Tribal Police Officer in the face, and attempted to flee.
“Assaults on law enforcement officers will be prosecuted and the perpetrators punished,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave, dedicated, and professional officers of the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Police seeking to protect the security and safety of the communities they serve every day.”
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Menard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Shooting at Another ManRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on January 6, 2026.
Richard Joseph One Feather, age 56, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
One Feather was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 1, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on July 20, 2024, in the Winner Housing area of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. One Feather confronted the victim, an adult male, with a handgun and fired the gun in his direction, narrowly missing him.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
One Feather was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican National Admits to Cocaine Distribution and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mexican national admitted to distribution of controlled substances and illegal firearm possession, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.
Hector Riano-Corcuera, 33, a citizen and national of Mexico and most recently of East Brunswick, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to a two-count Information charging him with distribution of controlled substances and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Riano-Corcuera had been previously charged by complaint with these offenses on June 27, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about June 26, 2025, law enforcement officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Riano-Corcuera after he sold approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine to another individual. Prior to the arrest, Riano-Corcuera fled on foot from the officers before being caught. Once apprehended, officers recovered a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm firearm from a bag that Riano-Corcuera had been wearing. Law enforcement then executed a search of Riano-Corcuera’s residence, where they recovered additional quantities of cocaine, two semiautomatic rifles, three handguns, and a variety of firearm ammunition.
The cocaine distribution charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda Thorne-James in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Linda Estremera, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Bradley D. Billhimer, the Asbury Park Police Department, under the direction of Deputy Chief of Police Guy Thompson, the East Brunswick Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Frank LoSacco, the Lakewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Gregory H. Meyer, the Manchester Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Antonio Ellis, the Middletown Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police R. Craig Weber, the Neptune Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Anthony Gualario, the Ocean Gate Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Kuchta, and the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Philip Corbisiero, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea Aldana, Esq., Federal Public Defenders.
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