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23 December 2025
TIGO Guatemala Paid over $118M to Resolve Foreign Bribery InvestigationRead the Press Release
MIAMI – In November 2025, Comunicaciones Celulares S.A., doing business as TIGO Guatemala, a mobile and fixed telecommunications service provider in Guatemala, paid over $118 million to resolve an investigation by the Justice Department into a long-running scheme to bribe government officials in Guatemala. TIGO Guatemala is a wholly owned subsidiary of Millicom International Cellular, S.A. (“Millicom”), an international telecommunications company incorporated and headquartered in Luxembourg that has its principal place of business in the United States.
TIGO Guatemala entered into a two-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information filed in the Southern District of Florida charging the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
“This case exposes how corruption undermines democratic institutions and fair markets,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “For years, TIGO Guatemala bought political influence through a systematic bribery scheme using illicit cash, including proceeds tied to narcotrafficking. That conduct is not a cost of doing business—it is a crime. As a result, the company was made to pay a $60 million criminal penalty and forfeit nearly another $60 million in ill-gotten profits. This resolution reflects the seriousness of the offense and reinforces that real accountability and compliance are the price of operating under the rule of law.”
According to court documents, between 2012 and 2018, TIGO Guatemala engaged in a widespread and systematic bribery scheme orchestrated by its then-Guatemalan shareholder and other then-senior personnel. The scheme featured monthly bribe payments, usually paid in cash, to numerous Guatemalan members of Congress or members of their security teams, in exchange for, among other things, their support for legislation that benefited TIGO Guatemala. Some of the cash that TIGO Guatemala used to pay bribes were the laundered proceeds of narcotrafficking.
As part of the DPA, TIGO Guatemala agreed to pay a $60 million criminal penalty and $58,198,343 in administrative forfeiture. Pursuant to the DPA, TIGO Guatemala and its corporate parent, Millicom, agreed, among other things, to continue cooperating with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida in any ongoing or future criminal investigation arising during the term of the DPA. TIGO Guatemala and Millicom also agreed to enhance TIGO Guatemala’s compliance program and to periodically report to the department on remediation and implementation of compliance measures throughout the term of the DPA.
The department reached this resolution with TIGO Guatemala based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. In determining the appropriate disposition of this matter, the department gave significant weight to Millicom’s initial voluntary and timely self-disclosure to the Criminal Division in 2015. During the ensuing investigation, however, TIGO Guatemala’s then-Guatemalan shareholder used its operational control to prevent Millicom from accessing critical information, and to prevent Millicom from requiring TIGO Guatemala personnel to cooperate and take remedial actions. The Fraud Section closed its initial investigation in 2018. Two years later, in 2020, the department obtained and proactively developed new evidence from sources other than TIGO Guatemala and Millicom regarding TIGO Guatemala’s conduct and reopened its investigation on that basis. The new evidence revealed the scope of TIGO Guatemala’s conduct, including that the criminal conduct continued during and after the department’s closure of the first phase of the investigation and involved narcotrafficking proceeds that were used to generate cash for some of the bribe payments. Accordingly, TIGO Guatemala did not meet the requirements for a resolution pursuant to Part I or Part II of the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy.
However, TIGO Guatemala received credit for its affirmative acceptance of responsibility and substantial cooperation with the second phase of the department’s investigation, which included: (i) Millicom’s self-reporting of conduct that forms, in part, the basis for the DPA; (ii) promptly collecting, analyzing and organizing voluminous information, including complex financial information; (iii) gathering evidence and performing forensic data collections in the countries covered by the department’s investigation; (iv) providing information obtained through its internal investigation, particularly during the second phase of the department’s investigation, which allowed the department to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation; (v) facilitating interviews with employees, including making foreign-based employees available for interviews in the United States; (vi) making detailed factual presentations to the department; and (vii) proactively disclosing evidence about which the department was previously unaware and identifying key documents in materials produced, including Spanish translations.
TIGO Guatemala also engaged in extensive timely remedial measures after the exit of Millicom’s prior joint venture partner and Millicom’s acquisition of full ownership and control of TIGO Guatemala in 2021, including: (i) undertaking a root cause analysis of the misconduct at TIGO Guatemala and risk assessment of the company’s operations; (ii) terminating personnel involved in the bribery scheme; (iii) introducing new and experienced management and compliance personnel to change the local operation’s culture of compliance; (iv) enhancing third-party onboarding and transaction monitoring, including by centralizing and linking the oversight functions under Millicom, incorporating data analytics and automated continuous monitoring across operations and periodically testing relevant controls for effectiveness (including testing of more than 250 transactions); (v) developing an ephemeral messaging policy, which employees are required to acknowledge they have read as part of annual training, and incorporating a system to preserve and analyze TIGO Guatemala employees’ ephemeral messages; (vi) launching an extensive training campaign covering anti-corruption and compliance risks; (vii) quickly incorporating key compliance policies and procedures, and creating a direct reporting line from TIGO Guatemala’s compliance function to Millicom; and (viii) over the last 10 years, significantly restructuring, expanding and resourcing Millicom’s global compliance program, including enhancing its compliance risk assessment process, growing the dedicated compliance headcount by 800% and engaging in continuous monitoring, testing and updating of Millicom’s global compliance program.
In light of these considerations, the criminal penalty reflects a 50% reduction from the bottom of the applicable guidelines range, and the term of the DPA is for a period of two years.
The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida and the Southern District of California previously charged four individuals connected to this scheme.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Natalie R. Kanerva and Assistant Chief Katherine Raut of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli S. Rubin for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20476
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Pair Accused of Sexually Abusing 13-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two Missouri men have been indicted and accused of the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy who they met online.
The cases against Brent L. Stephens and Yashpreet, who does not use a first name, are among the 293 arrests nationwide during Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown also resulted in over 205 child victims being located. The operation was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country. A total of six cases were charged in the Eastern District of Missouri, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Wednesday.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“We are honored to participate in Operation Relentless Justice – it is a sign of our commitment to protect Missouri’s children,” said U.S. Attorney Albus.
Yashpreet, 22, of St. Ann, Missouri, and Stephens, 44, of St. Charles County, Missouri, were each indicted separately in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on December 17 on one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Stephens was also indicted on one count of receiving child pornography. The indictments accuse them of using internet and cellular-based communications between June 17, 2025, and Sept. 24, 2025, to coerce the victim into engaging in sexual activity. Stephens’ indictment also accuses him of receiving child pornography during the same time but featuring different children. Yashpreet is also known as Yashpreet Ramamandi.
Greyson S. Ashenbremer, 31, of Troy, Missouri, was also indicted December 17 on one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. The indictment accuses him of coercing a minor into sexually explicit activity for the purpose of recording it between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. It also accuses him of receiving child pornography via the internet.
All three men appeared in court and pleaded not guilty; Stephens on Monday and Yashpreet and Ashenbremer Tuesday. In court Monday and in a motion seeking Stephens’ detention, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said Stephens, an accountant, groomed the victim online and then coordinated with Yashpreet to bring the boy to Stephens’ office in St. Charles.
The coercion charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to life in prison. The receiving child pornography carries a potential penalty of five to 20 years in prison. Production of child pornography carries a penalty of 15 to 30 years in prison.
The FBI, the St. Charles Police Department and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the Stephens and Yashpreet cases. The FBI, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the Ashenbremer case.
This effort follows two other successful operations, Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New York Residents Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Use of False Passports. Defendants Forfeited $261,647.47 in Cash, $43,685.07 in Checks, Counterfeit Credit Cards, and Device Making EquipmentRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi announced the sentencing of four individuals last week in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi for their involvement in an identity theft and bank fraud conspiracy scheme.
Jaivon Davon Taylor, Jadin Winfield, Dennis James Swint, and Nicolas Beltre, all residents of New York state, conspired with each other to use false passports in a scheme to fraudulently obtain money from banks in the Jackson, Mississippi area. These defendants used individuals’ stolen identities to create counterfeit passport cards and credit cards which were then presented to banks to make fraudulent withdrawals. Investigators have linked the stolen identities to mail stolen by another criminal group in Mississippi who have pled guilty to state charges in the Circuit Court of Madson County, Mississippi.
The scheme unraveled when a bank employee noticed attempted bank withdrawal irregularities and notified the Madison County Police Department, who arrested Taylor, Winfield and Swint in a rental vehicle. Beltre was later arrested in New York on a federal warrant from Mississippi.
Taylor was sentenced to 70 months in prison, Winfield was sentenced to 57 months in prison, Beltre was sentenced to 54 months in prison, and Swint was sentenced to 79 months in prison.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David H. Fulcher and Kabah S. Ealy prosecuted the case.
New Port Richey Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Threats to Kill Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Benjamin Rubin (79, New Port Richey) has pleaded guilty to interstate transmission of threats to kill multiple federal officials. Rubin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, during the month of February 2025, Rubin began posting about his frustrations on social media. The tenor of his postings became increasingly violent and he began threatening to injure and kill United States officials and political figures.
On February 20, 2025, Rubin posted that the head of a federal law enforcement agency “will be assassinated.” Two days later, Rubin posted “I shot my TV when [U.S. Cabinet Member] appeared in an ad on illegals. Next time I see her in person the shots will be for her.”
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
New Federal Charges in Killing of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and Shooting of Guardsman Andrew WolfeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who resided in Bellingham, Washington, was charged today in a complaint in U.S. District Court with federal counts in connection with the ambush-style shooting on November 26 that killed National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.”
Lakanwal was charged today with transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, and with transporting a stolen firearm in interstate commerce.
Lakanwal remains charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of the D.C. Code.
According to court documents, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from Bellingham, Washington, to the District of Columbia, while in possession of a stolen firearm. On Wednesday, November 26, at about 2:13 p.m., Lakanwal opened fire without provocation at 17th and I Streets, NW, near the Farragut West Metro Station, shooting Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head. Two Majors in the National Guard who were nearby subdued the suspect.
At the scene, investigators recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle, Washington, in 2023.
Ms. Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving, November 27. National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured in the ambush.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
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lakanwal_12-23-2025_25mj289_criminal_complaint.pdfMultiple Mexican nationals indicted for federal immigration violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – Multiple Mexican nationals have been indicted for federal immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Leonardo Chalchi, 50, was arrested on October 16, 2025, in Smith County for evading arrest. It was then determined that Chalchi is a citizen of Mexico and allegedly in the United States illegally after having been previously deported to Mexico in 2021 and 2022. This case is being investigated by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Francisco Velazquez-Castro, 46, was stopped for a traffic violation on November 14, 2025, in Smith County. It was then determined Velazquez-Castro is a citizen of Mexico and allegedly in the United States illegally after having been previously deported to Mexico in 2017 and 2022. This case is being investigated by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Pablo Hernandez Rodriguez, 41, was arrested in Smith County on November 30, 2025. It was then determined Hernandez Rodriguez is a citizen of Mexico and allegedly in the United States illegally after having been previously deported to Mexico in 2020. This case is being investigated by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Aurelio Saucedo-Alba, 57, was arrested on December 4, 2025, on a federal warrant. Immigration records indicate Saucedo-Alba is a citizen of Mexico and allegedly in the United States illegally after having been deported to Mexico in 2019. This case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Francisco Ubaldo Acosta-Sanchez, 39, was arrested on October 16, 2025, following a traffic stop in Smith County. During the stop, law enforcement officers found alleged counterfeit Legal Permanent Resident Cards and Social Security Cards in Acosta’s vehicle with various iterations of his name appearing on them. This case is being investigated by Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble and part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Men indicted for posing as FBI agents to commit fraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging two Indian nationals with allegedly defrauding a victim while posing as federal law enforcement officials.
According to court documents, Venkateswara Reddy Chagamreddy, 27, of San Antonio, Texas, and Sai Praveen Kommana, 29, of Frisco, Texas, were indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of interference with commerce by threat.
From May 2025 through September 2025, Chagamreddy and Kommana are accused of conspiring with others to defraud a victim in Kansas. The members of this conspiracy posed as agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They allegedly convinced the individual to purchase $255,287 in gold and give it to them, falsely thinking it was going to a government agency for safekeeping.
The members of this conspiracy, including the indicted men, allegedly primarily target elderly retired individuals, falsely asserting they are with a government agency and telling victims that their identity has been compromised in ways that could result in jail time and major financial loss for victims. Prosecutors accuse the members of this conspiracy of convincing victims to transfer their assets, primarily in gold, to the federal government to protect themselves against further crimes.
The FBI will never call, email or otherwise contact private citizens to demand payment, threaten arrest, or request personal or sensitive information. Fraud can be reported via tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI. The FBI encourages people who have been victims of internet crimes and/or financial fraud and schemes to report via ic3.gov.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Mexican Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Teodoro Rodriguez-Alvarez, 34, of the country of Mexico, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office has zero tolerance for criminal illegal aliens who brazenly violate our nation’s laws and threaten the safety of our community. We will continue to back up the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners who catch these criminals, and will enforce our laws to the fullest extent with aggressive prosecutions followed by swift deportations to keep these dangerous illegal aliens off of our streets and out of our country.”
On July 15, 2025, a Gulf Breeze Police Department officer responded to the Pensacola Bay Bridge in reference to a pickup truck stopped in the emergency lane. The officer arrived at the scene and identified the sole vehicle occupant as Teodoro Rodriguez-Alvarez by his Mexican passport. After speaking with the defendant, law enforcement arrested him for multiple driving offenses. A vehicle inventory was conducted before the truck was towed. During the inventory, a pistol was found in a bag near the driver’s seat. The defendant is a citizen of Mexico and was illegally in the United States.
“Criminal illegal aliens who arm themselves and break our laws endanger the public and show a complete disrespect for the laws of the United States,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Federal immigration and firearms laws exist to protect the public. HSI is making our neighborhoods safer for everyone and will not stop identifying, investigating, and prosecuting anyone who violate these laws.”
The case involved an investigation by the Gulf Breeze Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
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 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.
Justice Department Reaches Proposed Consent Decree with LivCor, One of America’s Largest Landlords, to Resolve Information Sharing and Algorithmic Coordination ClaimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed consent decree today to resolve the United States’ claims against LivCor, LLC, a Blackstone portfolio company, as part of its ongoing enforcement action in the Middle District of North Carolina against algorithmic coordination and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country. Today’s proposed decree builds on the Justice Department’s success in obtaining proposed consent decrees in the same enforcement action against RealPage, Inc. and two other large landlords, Cortland Management, LLC and Greystar Management Services, LLC.
On January 7, 2025, the United States, together with its state co-plaintiffs, filed a complaint alleging that LivCor, along with five other landlords, actively participated in a scheme to set their rents using each other’s competitively sensitive information through common pricing algorithms. As alleged in Plaintiffs’ complaint, LivCor and other landlords, including five codefendants, shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned their pricing. In addition, LivCor and other landlords discussed competitively sensitive topics—including pricing strategies, rents, and selected parameters for RealPage’s software—directly with each other.
“The Trump-Vance Administration is committed to an economy that works for all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Landlords across America are on notice that the competition laws protect renters from the harms caused by competitors sharing competitively sensitive information or aligning prices, whether through an algorithm or otherwise.”
If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree would require LivCor to:
- Refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithm that generates pricing recommendations using its competitors’ competitively sensitive data or that incorporates certain anticompetitive features;
- Refrain from sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors;
- Accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified pursuant to the terms of the consent decree;
- Refrain from attending or participating in RealPage-hosted meetings of competing landlords; and
- Cooperate with the United States’ claims against other defendants.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“Protecting children from sexual predators is one of our office’s highest priorities. We will use all legal tools available to pursue, arrest, and aggressively prosecute anyone who seeks to exploit or harm a child,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We are grateful to the FBI Cleveland Division for their incredible work to find those who perpetuate these atrocious behaviors.”
“There is no place in our communities for those who prey on children. Through close collaboration with the USAO and our law enforcement partners, we are committed to protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring sexual predators are brought to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Manganaro of the FBI Cleveland Division.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has announced that federal grand juries returned indictments charging the following individuals with offenses against minors:
- Jeremy J. Miller, 34, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was charged with Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, Possession of Child Pornography, and Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children. At least one image involved in the offense involved a prepubescent minor under age 12.
- Tevon J. Hunter, 30, of Lorain, Ohio, was charged with Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Transportation of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
- Anthony C. Hayes Jr., 44, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was charged with Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Possession of Child Pornography. At least one image involved in the offense involved a prepubescent minor under age 12.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office at 216-522-1400.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
205 Child Victims Located and 293 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown, Including the Middle District of Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“The men and women of FBI Philadelphia work every day to protect and support children across the communities we serve,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Operation Relentless Justice underscores our unwavering commitment to combatting child exploitation, one of the most heinous offenses we investigate. Alongside our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to pursue those who prey on our most vulnerable and bring them to justice."
Joseph Anthony Domino, Jr., age 63, of Lords Valley, Pennsylvania, has been charged in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on December 16, 2025, for engaging in online communications with who he believed to be the mother of a 13-year-old female child, who the purported mother was offering for sex. Domino, Jr., expressed his desire to engage in various forms of sexual intercourse with the child and ultimately traveled to the Middle District of Pennsylvania to meet the child for sex.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Justice Department Announces Completion of Civil Rights Reform Agreement with Orange County District AttorneyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Justice Department announced the successful completion of the Justice Department’s January 14, 2025 Agreement for the Sustainability of Custodial Informant Reforms with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) in California. Under the Agreement, OCDA sustained reforms to its policies, training, information systems, and auditing procedures regarding the use of confidential informants.
This agreement addressed the Justice Department’s findings that OCDA had used custodial informants to elicit incriminating statements from people who had been arrested and charged with a crime, in violation of the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution, and failing to disclose evidence about those custodial informants to criminal defendants, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
“The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has implemented and sustained extensive reforms that demonstrate an enduring commitment to protecting the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment rights of those in its jurisdiction,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend the District Attorney and his staff for their hard work that will ensure the integrity of criminal prosecutions in Orange County and public trust in the criminal justice system.”
To read the original press release announcing the findings of the investigation, click here. To read the report of the investigation, click here. To read the OCDA Settlement Agreement, click here. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Investment Manager Extradited Back to the United States to Face Securities Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced that MATTHEW MELTON was extradited from the United Kingdom to face securities fraud and wire fraud charges. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by MELTON to raise millions of dollars in investor money by falsely representing that his investment fund, “Price Physics,” was investing in futures contracts using a proprietary trading algorithm. In fact, MELTON was operating a Ponzi scheme in which he used investor money to fund his luxury lifestyle and make payments to earlier investors. MELTON arrived in the United States on December 19, 2025, and was presented on December 20, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Gary Stein. MELTON’s case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian.
“As alleged, Matthew Melton told investors he was using groundbreaking technology and cutting-edge trading techniques to generate record returns,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “In reality, Melton was allegedly operating one of the oldest scams around, taking new investors’ money to pay old investors and pocketing funds for himself along the way. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, our Office will continue to aggressively prosecute financial fraud and protect our markets.”
“This alleged scheme victimized many and caused millions of dollars in victim losses,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “FBI New York is committed to eradicating all unlawful schemes fueling an unearned life of luxury by those who prey on others. We remain focused on disrupting financial fraud operations and will continue to fiercely pursue those who seek to defraud others.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and bail hearing:[1]
MELTON promoted an investment vehicle he called “Price Physics,” which purported to invest in futures contracts using a proprietary trading algorithm. He promised investors guaranteed returns of up to twelve percent per month, of which he said he would keep only two percent as compensation. In reality, there was no proprietary trading algorithm, and MELTON invested almost none of the millions of dollars he raised. The few times that MELTON did make trades, it was not in futures contracts, and the trading was generally unprofitable. For the most part, instead of trading, MELTON used his investors’ money to pay his own personal expenses—including mortgage payments and sailing excursions—and to pay earlier investors in Ponzi-like fashion.
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MELTON, 61, of Boulder, Colorado, was charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI and thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which previously filed a separate civil action against MELTON.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Adam S. Hobson is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Harrisburg Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Marijuana and Cocaine Through A Local BusinessRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Kuduk, age 38, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson on December 19, 2025, to 240 months for drug trafficking and hiring gunmen to protect his illegal activities.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, at sentencing Kuduk was found responsible for trafficking over 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of marijuana from his used car dealership. He also trafficked over five kilograms of cocaine. Kuduk previously pled guilty to drug trafficking charges and a fraud charge.
Between October 2018 and May 2020, Kuduk and his codefendants operated a marijuana smuggling operation out of Fastlane Auto Sales, a used car lot located on Paxton Street in Harrisburg. Kuduk and his codefendants arranged to have his drug source in California mail hundreds of parcels full of marijuana to Harrisburg through the U.S. Mail. In the same way, they regularly mailed tens of thousands of dollars in cash back to the California source. Kuduk and his codefendants used a sophisticated system of GPS tracking devices, which they placed in their parcels, to keep track of their drugs and money. Through this the scheme, over 9,000 thousand pounds of suspected marijuana parcels, worth millions of dollars, were brought to the Harrisburg area. Kuduk and his codefendants used guns, robbery, and kidnapping as tools to keep their criminal operation running. When imposing sentence, Judge Wilson found that Kuduk engaged in dangerous and violent conduct that endangered the community. When thieves stole marijuana from his drug trafficking operation, Kuduk and his fellow traffickers used gunman to try and stop the thefts. Judge Wilson relied upon the evidence introduced in the case, specifically the jury trial for one of Kuduk’s co-defendants.
Kuduk was also sentenced for committing pandemic related unemployment fraud. While he was released awaiting trial for the drug trafficking case, Kuduk submitted a fraudulent application for pandemic relief. He got over $20,000 in pandemic unemployment relief. He was charged with wire fraud for that episode and later pled guilty. When imposing sentence for drug trafficking, weapons, and violence offenses, Judge Wilson also imposed a 10-year sentence for defrauding the United States. Judge Wilson noted as an aggravating factor that Kuduk committed this fraud with his co-defendants in the drug trafficking case while out on release awaiting trial.
One codefendant, Christopher Texidor, was convicted of drug trafficking and violence offenses after a six-day jury trial. Texidor was sentenced to 292 months in prison (just over 24 years). Kuduk’s other codefendants -- Jamie Valenzuela, William Kuduk, Jonathan Cobaugh, Justin Laboy, Jose Laboy, and Julio Arellano -- pled guilty. Codefendant Jamie Valenzuela was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to traffic drugs. Codefendant Jose Laboy was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment on marijuana trafficking and weapons offenses. Codefendant Jonathan Cobaugh was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment for marijuana trafficking and pandemic fraud. Codefendant Julio Arellano was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment for weapons offenses and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking. Codefendant Justin Laboy was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Scott Ford prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Homestead Man Sent to Federal Prison for Possession of MacHinegun by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Vinson Tavaris Brown, 33, of Homestead, Florida, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machinegun. The sentence announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding work by our state and federal law enforcement partners, this dangerous felon has been taken off our streets and sent to federal prison. The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenses to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent criminals.”
Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Brown was a passenger after it made an illegal U-Turn leaving Zingales Sports Bar. Three of the occupants of the vehicle complied with officers, but the defendant attempted to reach under his seat and then fled from officers on foot. Officers caught the defendant and detained him, then discovered a Glock 27 equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine under the seat that the defendant attempted to reach.
Brown had previous felony convictions for child abuse (two counts), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and three separate incidents of fleeing or attempting to elude police.
Brown’s three-year prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
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.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
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.
Grand Jury Charges Four Members of Anti-Government Group with Terrorism Felonies Stemming from New Year’s Eve Bombing PlotRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today returned a six-count indictment against four members of a far-left, anti-capitalist, and anti-government group that allegedly plotted to set off bombs in Southern California on New Year’s Eve, charging them with additional, terrorism-related felonies.
Each of the following defendants is charged with one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and one count of possession of unregistered firearms:
- Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, a.k.a. “Asiginaak,” and “Black Moon,” of South Los Angeles;
- Zachary Aaron Page, 32, a.k.a. “AK,” “Ash Kerrigan,” and “Cthulu’s Daughter,” of Torrance;
- Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24, a.k.a. “Nomad,” of South Los Angeles; and
- Tina Lai, 41, a.k.a. “Kickwhere,” of Glendale.
Carroll and Page also are charged with one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.
All four defendants are in federal custody without bond. Lai’s arraignment is scheduled for January 2, 2026. Carroll and Page are scheduled to be arraigned on January 5, 2026. Gaffield’s arraignment is scheduled for January 20, 2026. All the defendants will be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“The charges a federal grand jury returned today reflect the seriousness of the conduct: a planned terrorist attack on American soil on New Year’s Eve,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If convicted, this group of self-professed left-wing radicals will face decades in federal prison. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all terror groups and bring them to justice.”
According to the indictment, the defendants are part of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-capitalist and anti-government group. They also are members of what Carroll characterized as a “radical” TILF faction that communicated using an encrypted messaging group called “Order of the Black Lotus.”
In November 2025, Carroll drafted an eight-page, handwritten document titled, “Operation Midnight Sun” that described a bombing plot targeting U.S. businesses across Southern California this upcoming New Year’s Eve.
Among other things, the plot included details on the co-conspirators’ “marks” (intended targets), instructions on how to manufacture the bombs and source the bomb-making materials, and guidance for the co-conspirators to avoid leaving evidence behind that could be traced to them.
The New Year’s Eve bombing plot was designed to “completely pulverize” the targets, which included technology and logistics companies with offices across Southern California. After drafting the bombing plot, Carroll recruited others – including Page, Gaffield, and Lai – to join the attack plan.
On November 29, 2025, Page used an encrypted messaging application to send the following message to co-conspirators, including Carroll and Gaffield: “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-coloniasm [sic].” In response to Page’s message, Carroll stated, “Death to them all, burn it all down [three emojis of a burning heart].”
Throughout early December 2025, the defendants procured bomb-making materials to build and test explosive devices in the Mojave Desert on December 12, 2025, including by obtaining bomb-making materials such as potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, and pipes.
Carroll and Page also described plans for after the New Year’s Eve bombings, including targeting United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and vehicles with firearms and pipe bombs to “take some of them out and scare the rest of them,” according to the indictment.
On December 12, 2025, the defendants traveled to the Mojave Desert to build and test explosives that they planned to use as part of the New Year’s Eve plot. The FBI arrested them at the scene before the co-conspirators could make functional explosive devices.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Carroll and Page would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, and Gaffield and Lai would face a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and the Palm Springs Police Department. FBI field offices in Boston, Buffalo, and New Orleans are also providing assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Amanda B. Elbogen of the National Security Division and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Justice Department Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section.
Gainesville Felon Charged with Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Christopher Eugene Thompson, 49, of Gainesville, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act weapon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Thompson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry on September 30, 2025, in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for February 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Thompson faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment for the drug trafficking crime, up to 15 years for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and up to 10 years for possession of an unregistered NFA weapon. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a consecutive five-year term with a maximum of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
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 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Fourth Defendant Sentenced to More than a Decade in Prison in Connection with Gang-Related Kidnapping and MurderRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Delaware – Yesterday, a fourth defendant was sentenced in connection with a kidnapping and murder committed by members of the Shotgun Crips gang, announced Benjamin L. Wallace, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware. Rodney Chambers, 34, who served as a lookout at both the site of the kidnapping in Wilmington, Delaware, and the site of the murder in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Chief District Judge Colm F. Connolly pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Shotgun Crips targeted the victim, a 35-year-old Wilmington resident, after he and gang member Kimon Burton-Roberson became embroiled in a dispute. Shortly after midnight on July 21, 2021, members of the gang—including Burton-Roberson, Jamil Salahuddin, and Josiah Rivera—invaded the victim’s home, while Chambers stayed outside to monitor for police. The men inside the home beat the victim with a tire iron and a pry bar, bound his hands behind his back with zip ties, and forced him into Burton-Roberson’s Jeep, which was being driven by Stephanie Bultes-Ramirez. The gang then drove the victim to Philadelphia, continuing to beat him on the drive. In Philadelphia, they picked up gang higher-up Dwayne Alexander, who directed the gang to an industrial park in Yeadon. There, Burton-Roberson executed the still-bound victim by shooting him in the head with an assault rifle. Chambers also monitored for police during the murder at the industrial park. After the murder, the gang tried to cover its tracks by, among other things, scrubbing the Jeep for forensic evidence and terminating service on the cell-phone numbers they had been using that night.
Three other defendants were sentenced earlier this month—Kimon Burton-Roberson to life in prison, Jamil Salahuddin to 17.5 years in prison, and Stephanie Bultes-Ramirez to 10 years in prison. Dwayne Alexander is awaiting sentencing in federal court. Josiah Rivera is awaiting sentencing in the Superior Court for the State of Delaware. Rivera was not charged federally because he was a minor at the time of the crime.
“Rodney Chambers had a hand in an atrocious crime that took a beloved son, brother, and uncle from his family,” said U.S. Attorney Wallace. “We thank our law enforcement partners for the tireless work that resulted in a fourth just sentence of at least a decade in this case. We will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to stamp out gang violence here in Delaware.”
“His sentencing is the final step towards holding Rodney Chambers accountable for the life he took,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners to bring to justice those who use violence to harm and intimidate our community.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force, the Wilmington Police Department, the Yeadon Borough Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and Delaware Probation and Parole. U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Morgan (now with the Eastern District of Pennsylvania) handled the third superseding indictment, the trial, and the sentencings of all defendants. Others involved in the investigation and prosecution include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce, Ruth Mandelbaum (now with the Eastern District of Pennsylvania), and Maureen McCartney (also now with the Eastern District of Pennsylvania), as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli H. Klein.
A copy of this press release can be located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 22-CR-17-CFC.
Four defendants arrested, charged with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that four defendants were charged in separate criminal complaints with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Named in the complaints are:
- Eleo Francisco Lemus-Moreno, 40, a native and citizen of Honduras
- Douglas Noel Barahona-Martinez, 37, a native and citizen of El Salvador
- Diego Ignacio Sohom Tambriz a/k/a Hector Torres-Enriques, 40, a native and citizen of Guatemala
- Jose Mardoqueo Guevara-Pereira, 38, a native and citizen of El Salvador
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the cases, stated that according to the complaints, on December 4, 2025, law enforcement encountered defendant Lemus-Moreno in Williamsville, NY. When questioned about his immigration status he admitted that he was in the United States illegally with no valid immigration status and was taken into custody. Subsequent investigation determined that Lemus-Moreno was physically removed from the United States in May 2010, and March 2020.
On December 3, 2025, law enforcement encountered Barahona-Martinez during a traffic stop of a vehicle he was riding in in Lancaster, NY. Barahona-Martinez admitted to being illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents. He was taken into custody. Further investigation determined that he is a native and citizen of El Salvador and was physically removed from the United States in August 2014.
On December 3, 2025, law enforcement encountered Sohom Tambriz in Cheektowaga, NY. He stated that admitted to being illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents. Sohom Tambriz was taken into custody. Further investigation determined that he is a native and citizen of Guatemala and was physically removed from the United States in May 2008, and June 2018.
On December 2, 2025, law enforcement encountered Guevara-Pereira during a traffic stop in Amherst, NY. Guevara-Pereira stated that he was illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents. Further investigation determined that he is a native and citizen of El Salvador and was physically removed from the United States in July 2014.
All four defendants made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were detained.
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 complaints are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Former Bank Executive, Edward Gene Smith, Charged with Committing Multiple Sex Crimes, Child Pornography Offenses, and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today the filing of a Superseding Indictment charging EDWARD GENE SMITH with drugging a female victim (“Victim-1”) with the intent to rape her, sex trafficking another female victim (“Victim-2”), enticing Victim-2 to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity, receipt and possession of child pornography, and obstruction of justice. SMITH is detained, awaiting trial before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer. Trial is scheduled to begin on February 23, 2026.
“As alleged, Edward Gene Smith systematically preyed on vulnerable young women,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He allegedly sexually assaulted young women, drugging and raping them, often recording his abuse in photographs and videos. Smith also allegedly possessed horrific images and videos of child sexual abuse and, when the investigation closed in, attempted to obstruct justice by paying one of his victims to sign a false document. New Yorkers want those who exploit and abuse vulnerable victims brought to justice and we are committed to doing so. We encourage any additional victims to come forward by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
“Smith targeted and abused vulnerable young women by drugging, raping, and sexually assaulting them before exploiting their image on an encrypted messaging platform, as alleged,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Our investigation also revealed alleged possession of child pornography and an attempt by Smith to obstruct justice. As demonstrated today, the FBI remains relentless in our pursuit to root out those who prey on vulnerable victims and predators who defile the likeness of children through these heinous acts.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment and in other public statements and filings:[1]
From at least in or about 2019 to at least in or about April 2023, SMITH, a senior finance executive of a major U.S. bank, targeted young women on the Internet and enticed them to meet with him at his Central Park South residence and other locations. On multiple occasions, SMITH drugged his victims without their consent or knowledge, sexually abused them while they were incapacitated or unconscious, and photographed or recorded his abuse.
At least on or about April 23, 2023, SMITH drugged and raped Victim-1 in his Central Park South residence. SMITH then shared a video of himself digitally penetrating Victim-1, who was nude and incapacitated or unconscious, with others via an encrypted messaging platform, on a channel that was dedicated to sharing depictions of incapacitated or unconscious women in sexually exploitative positions.
Previously, in or about 2020, SMITH persuaded Victim-2, who SMITH had met a few months prior when Victim-2 was a college student, to relocate to New York City. SMITH controlled her finances, social life, and activities, and repeatedly drugged and sexually assaulted her over the course of several months.
From at least in or about 2019 to at least in or about June 2024, SMITH also possessed and/or received a large volume of images and videos of children being sexually abused on his personal devices.
Finally, in or about August 2024, after a search warrant was executed at his residence, revealing that SMITH possessed child pornography on his electronic devices, SMITH paid a victim thousands of dollars to sign a false document in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.
If you have been victimized by the EDWARD GENE SMITH in any way or have any additional information about his alleged illegal behavior, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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SMITH, 50, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance with intent to commit rape, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of enticement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Remy Grosbard, Rita Maxwell, Daniel Richenthal, and Joe Zabel are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Five Defendants Indicted on Federal Firearm Charges for Allegedly Trafficking Firearms in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Five defendants have been indicted on federal firearm charges for allegedly trafficking firearms in Chicago this year.
The cases in Chicago are part of a larger, multi-district investigation that previously resulted in charges in the District of Colorado (click here to read a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado).
The defendants in the Northern District of Illinois were charged in separate indictments with conspiring to deal firearms without a license:
U.S. v. Salas-Ferrer, et al., 25 CR 421
LUIS SALAS-FERRER, 29, of Chicago, allegedly sold three handguns in Chicago in May and June of this year. The indictment accuses JOSE VARGAS-RON, 29, of Chicago, of selling a handgun in the city in May of this year. Salas-Ferrer and Vargas-Ron have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They have been ordered to remain detained in federal custody pending trial.
U.S. v. Romero-Sanchez, et al., 25 CR 424
ADRIAN ANDRES ROMERO-SANCHEZ, 24, MIGUEL ALEJANDRO CASTILLO-CEBALLOS, 26, and DAVID ANDRES HERMOSO-MAYOR, 23, all of Chicago, allegedly sold three semiautomatic rifles, a shotgun, and a handgun in May and June of this year. Castillo-Ceballos and Hermoso-Mayor also sold two semiautomatic rifles and three semiautomatic handguns in May of this year, the charges allege. In addition to the firearm sales, the indictment accuses Romero-Sanchez and Hermoso-Mayor of distributing ketamine and MDMA in Chicago this year. The three defendants are currently being held in law enforcement custody. Hermoso-Mayor has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Romero-Sanchez and Castillo-Ceballos have not yet been arraigned.
The indictments were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, LaFonda Sutton-Burke, Director of the Chicago Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and John R. Morris, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Detroit Border Patrol Sector. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Merin and Paul Schied.
“Our federal gun laws do not exempt foreign nationals or anyone else from being held accountable for illegally trafficking in firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “We will work hand-and-glove with our law enforcement partners to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates our firearm laws, even if that requires us to track down and apprehend defendants from out of state. When we say accountability to the full extent of the law, we mean it.”
The public is reminded that indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
salas-ferrer_et_al_indictment.pdf romero-sanchez_et_al_indictment.pdfFederal Grand Jury Charges Four with Illegal Reentry in Northwestern OhioRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal grand jury returned indictments on Dec. 17 charging four individuals with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. They were found in the Northern District of Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission. These are separate cases and not related.
- Anastacio Escobar-Roblero, 33, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Sept. 24, 2013. He was found in Huron (Erie County) on Dec. 5.
- Nixion Lopez-Peralta, 28, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Feb. 10, 2020. He was found in Toledo (Lucas County) on Dec. 1.
- Wilson Lux-Solis, aka Jose Roberto Lemus-Solis, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Oct. 2, 2019. He was found in Upper Sandusky (Wyandot County) on Dec. 10.
- Manuel Lux-Tum, 51, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being March 9, 2016. He was found in Upper Sandusky (Wyandot County) on Dec. 10.
The investigations in these cases were conducted by U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Simko and Frank Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
District of Arizona Charges over 1,100 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct during the Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the weeks of enforcement operations from September 27, 2025, through November 7, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 1,196 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 697 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 411 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 78 cases against 85 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged 3 defendants for assaulting a Border Patrol agent during this period.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Matters of interest during this shutdown period include:
United States v. Carlos Moreno-Contreras: On Sept. 28, 2025, Moreno-Contreras was arrested and charged with transporting illegal aliens for profit. Around 10:30 p.m. that night, Border Patrol agents initiated a stop of Moreno-Contreras' truck based on suspicion of alien smuggling. Moreno-Contreras failed to yield for several miles. Ultimately, Border Patrol deployed a vehicle immobilization device, which punctured two of his tires. As the tires were deflating and falling apart, Moreno-Contreras drove another five miles before coming to a stop. Agents took Moreno-Contreras and two illegal aliens he was transporting into custody. 25-MJ-3178.
United States v. Fermin Abel Verdugo-Poqui: On Oct. 9, 2025, Verdugo-Poqui, was charged by complaint with Bringing an Alien into the United States Unlawfully in violation of 8 USC 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii). The day prior, a Border Patrol Agent driving a fully marked Border Patrol vehicle observed one person standing in the median of Interstate I-8 waving at traffic in a remote area of the Wellton Area of Operations. The BPA approached and observed a second person hiding in nearby bush. The BPA determined both individuals were citizens of Mexico without lawful authority to be in the United States. Verdugo-Poqui was determined to be the foot guide who led four illegal aliens from Mexico through the desert and into the United States on or about October 3, 2025, expecting $1,000 per illegal alien successfully crossed into the United States. 25-MJ-02011.
United States v. Placida Ignacio: On Oct. 14, 2025, Ignacio was charged with transporting illegal aliens for profit. Border Patrol agents observed a truck travel down to the border in a remote area outside the village of Cowlic on the Tohono O'odham Indian Nation and then, shortly after, turnaround and travel out of the area. Agents followed and determined the truck was stolen. When law enforcement interacted with the driver at a gas station, they discovered 4 illegal aliens in the truck. Ignacio was previously convicted for transporting illegal aliens resulting in death and was sentenced to 96 months in custody in CR-08-00957-JGZ-MSA. 25-MJ-12144-JEM.
United States v. Edgar Loya-Loya: On Oct. 20, 2025, Loya-Loya was charged by complaint with Bringing Aliens to the United States for Profit, Aiding and Assisting Certain Aliens to Enter the United States, and Illegal Reentry of a Removed Alien. Border Patrol agents apprehended Loya-Loya, a citizen of Mexico, and six other aliens near Dateland, Arizona on October 16, 2025. Agents determined Loya-Loya guided the group through the desert after crossing through a breach in the border fence. One of the individuals he guided, Jesus Saul Quintero, was previously convicted of an aggravated felony and is inadmissible to the United States. Loya-Loya had also been removed previously in June 2024. 25-2032MJ.
United States v. Aldrick De La Torre-Jupamea: On Oct. 29, 2025, De La Torre-Jupamea was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. De La Torre-Jupamea was pulled over by a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputy for suspected violations of Arizona law. The deputy observed two males sitting in the rear passenger seat. The deputy escorted the driver to the deputy’s patrol vehicle. The two passengers fled the vehicle on foot. The deputy apprehended one of them, but the other was not located. The deputy suspected a human smuggling event and contacted U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection. De La Torre-Jupamea was determined to be a United States citizen. De La Torre-Jupamea was on federal supervised release for Attempted Smuggling of Goods from the United States, a felony, at the time of his arrest. The passenger that was apprehended was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. 25-MJ-08524.
United States v. Bryan Efrain Aleman: On November 6, 2025, Aleman was charged with transportation of illegal aliens for profit. When Border Patrol attempted to stop Aleman’s Chevrolet Silverado, he pulled over briefly before abruptly fleeing. He then drove erratically, swerving into oncoming traffic, and, ultimately, breaking through a fence on the side of the road before coming to a stop in a cloud of dust. Aleman and the other subjects in the truck ran from it. Agents were able to apprehend four illegal aliens from the truck and Aleman, who was later determined to being the driver. 25-MJ-06995-MSA.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-179_Shut-down Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Chinese national sentenced to prison for trafficking reptilesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY — Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York announced today that Wei Qiang Lin, of Brooklyn, NY, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo for falsely labeling live turtles, snakes, and lizards as fake toys prior to exporting them in delivery boxes destined to Hong Kong. Lin was also fined $2,339, which is how much U.S. currency he had on him when he was arrested.
According to court filings, between August 2023 and November 2024, Lin exported to Hong Kong approximately 222 parcels containing around 850 turtles, but he labeled the boxes as containing “plastic animal toys,” among other things, in violation of the Lacey Act. The approximate market value of the turtles was $1.4 million. Law enforcement intercepted the turtles during customs inspections and observed them bound and taped inside knotted socks within the shipping boxes.
Lin also attempted to export protected Abronia lizards and venomous green tree vipers and palm pit vipers. The wildlife was protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers also intercepted packages shipped by Lin that contained rare Cora mud turtles. The Buffalo Zoo used the seized turtles to set up the first-ever assurance colony for the species, which can be used to repopulate them if the wild population becomes unsustainable.
Lin was investigated and charged as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Operation Terrapene, which is an ongoing operation coordinated with other federal and local law enforcement agencies to detect turtle smugglers and dismantle highly-organized syndicates. Federal agencies include Customs and Border Protection, Postal Inspections Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Trial Attorney Rachel Roberts and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango for the Western District of New York prosecuted the case.
Chicago Woman Who Threw Incendiary Device onto Neighbors’ Porch Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison on Federal Hate Crime ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago woman who threw an incendiary device onto her neighbors’ porch has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison on a federal hate crime charge.
On March 16, 2024, ANA M. HERNANDEZ threw a glass bottle containing oil and a washcloth—a device commonly known as a “Molotov cocktail”—onto her neighbor’s back porch in Chicago. The incendiary device started a fire on the wooden porch, but no one was injured. Hernandez admitted in a plea agreement that she threw the device onto the porch because the victims who resided there were of Venezuelan origin, and she wanted to convince them to leave the residence.
Later that day, Hernandez placed a handwritten note on the car of the victims’ landlord, who owned and resided in the building. Among other things, the note stated, “We do not want you in the neighborhood. Go back to your country. You can go the easy way or the hard way.”
Hernandez, 70, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal hate crime charge of unlawfully interfering with housing rights. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins sentenced Hernandez to two years and nine months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih.
Burtonsville Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Unemployment Insurance Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Vanessa Valdez, 42, of Burtonsville, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also authorized increased UI benefits.
According to public documents, beginning in at least May 2020, and continuing through at least September 2021, Valdez, and other co-conspirators, engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud and obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, in connection with an UI fraud scheme.
Specifically, Valdez and her co-conspirators used personal identifiable information (PII) of others to submit false and fraudulent claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) for UI benefits. Valdez, along with her co-conspirators, then used the UI benefits, which were designated to assist unemployed or underemployed persons due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal enrichment.
As a part of her guilty plea, Valdez also admitted to fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds.
Established by the CARES Act, the PPP — administered through the Small Business Administration — along with the EIDL, helped businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance does not have to be repaid, and small businesses can receive an advance, even if they are not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount is $10,000.
Valdez faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison, including and a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for aggravated identity theft. A sentencing date is forthcoming.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and HSI Maryland for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Motsay who prosecuted the case.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. Strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts that use prosecutor-led and data-analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach
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Brevard County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Demetric Antwan Swinton (39, Cocoa) to 15 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Swinton pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025.
According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office used a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of more than a pound of methamphetamine each from Swinton after he was identified as a methamphetamine source operating in Brevard County. A search warrant was then executed at Swinton’s residence resulting in the seizure of additional methamphetamine, cocaine, and drug processing materials. In total, Swinton was responsible for over 1,750 grams of pure methamphetamine and over 50 grams of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Loan and Check FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and stealing both a U.S. Treasury tax refund check and a check from a New York law firm.
Lonnie Smith-Matthews, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud; one count of theft of government funds; two counts of bank fraud; and two counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2026. In June 2025, Smith-Matthews was arrested and charged by criminal complaint as part of a federal crackdown on stolen U.S. Treasury checks. He was later indicted in September 2025.
In 2021, Smith-Matthews fraudulently obtained two PPP loans by falsely claiming business income of $128,000, when he made less than half that amount and did not actually have a business. Additionally, in 2024, Smith-Matthews obtained and deposited a U.S. Treasury tax refund check for $150,000 that had been altered and forged to be payable to a defunct clothing company that Smith-Matthews owned. In fact, the U.S. Treasury check had been issued to a married couple in North Carolina as a refund on their 2023 income taxes. After depositing the check, Smith-Matthews laundered the proceeds using cashier’s checks made payable to a purported roofing company. In 2024, Smith-Matthews obtained and deposited a $232,000 check stolen from a New York firm. Like the U.S. Treasury check, the law firm check had been altered and forged to be payable to Smith-Matthews’ defunct company.
The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. 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; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Christopher J. Gust, Assistant Special Agent in charge of the U.S. Dept. of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.Auburn, Washington, man pleads guilty to hate crime for assault on Metro bus passengerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 24-year-old Auburn, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to committing a hate crime involving bodily injury and a dangerous weapon for his attack on a Black bus rider, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Adan C. Hernandez-Mayoral is scheduled for sentencing in front of Judge James L. Robart on March 17, 2026.
According to records filed in the case, on March 7, 2024, Hernandez-Mayoral made derogatory comments about Black people while he was riding a King County Metro bus. When a Black woman on the bus looked to see who was making racist comments, he yelled at her not to look at him and made more comments, including referring to the woman as “Rosa Parks” and asking her to move to the back of the bus. The woman walked to the front of the bus to call the police and Hernandez-Mayoral followed.
When the bus stopped, Hernandez-Mayoral pushed the woman off the bus and assaulted her. He pulled out a knife that he thrust at the woman’s abdomen numerous times before running away. Fortunately, the woman was wearing a heavy coat that prevented the knife from reaching her skin. Nevertheless, the assault caused bodily injury.
As Kent Police searched for the suspect in the attack, a neighbor called police reporting a man hiding in their yard. The clothing matched that of the assailant shown on the Metro surveillance video. Hernandez-Mayoral was arrested hiding under a car a short distance from the scene of the assault.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 57 months to be served concurrently with any sentence imposed in the King County Superior and District court cases involving Hernandez-Mayoral. Judge Robart is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
The case was investigated by the Kent Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance and worked closely with federal prosecutors on this case to hold Hernandez-Mayoral accountable for his conduct.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Manca for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Tenette R. Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Ms. Manca leads the criminal civil rights investigations for the Western District of Washington.
22 December 2025
Waterbury Woman Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Violent Carjacking, StalkingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EMILY RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Emy,” 30, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a violent carjacking and stalking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 18, 2023, two all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) were stolen from Rodriguez’s Waterbury residence. At the time, Rodriguez was living with Ricardo Verdejo. After the theft, Rodriguez, Verdejo, and others posted messages on Facebook seeking to identify the individuals responsible for the theft and offering money for information about the location of the stolen vehicles. Rodriguez, Verdejo, Michael McCann-Ortiz and, Luis Cruz, then mistakenly identified an individual (“Victim 1”), who they incorrectly believed was involved in the theft.
Later that night, Victim 1’s friend, (“Victim 2”), picked up Victim 1 from work and drove him home. As they arrived at Victim 1’s residence, three vehicles followed them and surrounded the victims. Verdejo, who carried an assault-style rifle, McCann-Ortiz, Cruz, and others exited the vehicles and approached the victims while Rodriguez watched. Verdejo and his associates demanded the return of the stolen ATVs, threatened to kill the victims, and physically assaulted them. Verdejo smacked one victim in the head and then used the barrel of the rifle to strike both victims in the face. McCann-Ortiz repeatedly threatened to kill the victims, and punched and kicked one victim, causing serious bodily injury. Cruz, who was recovering from a leg injury, used a crutch to repeatedly strike one of the victims.
Rodriguez, Verdejo, McCann-Ortiz, and Cruz then stole Victim 2’s vehicle, which was owned by Victim 2’s relative, and other items and cash belonging to the victims. In the following days, Rodriguez, Verdejo, and their associates continued to harass and threaten the victims via Facebook and by using Victim 2’s phone, to which they had obtained the passcode.
Rodriguez was arrested on March 21, 2024, and has been detained since April 18, 2024. On May 27, 2025, she pleaded guilty to stalking resulting in serious bodily injury or involving the use of a dangerous weapon.
Verdejo, McCann-Ortiz, and Cruz also pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
This investigation was led by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force, and the Waterbury Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and David T. Huang.
United States Files Complaint Against Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. Alleging Delay in Reporting Hazardous Utility Bars and Miter SawsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, together with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), today announced the filing of a civil enforcement action against Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (Black & Decker) for alleged violations of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA).
Black & Decker is a global provider of hand tools, power tools, outdoor products and related accessories. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, alleges that Black & Decker knowingly failed to immediately report to CPSC information about potential hazardous defects or unreasonable safety risks associated with certain of its utility bars and miter saws.
As to the utility bars, which are multi-functional tools used for ripping, prying and wrecking, the complaint alleges that soon after Black & Decker began manufacturing the utility bars in December 2015, it began receiving numerous reports directly from consumers and through a national retailer that the bars had broken unexpectedly during use, snapping back at the users and in some cases causing serious injuries. Despite notice of these incidents, Black & Decker failed to report this information to CPSC until May 2019.
As to the miter saws, which are power tools designed to cut various materials, the complaint alleges that, between 2019 and 2022, Black & Decker received hundreds of reports of its miter saws’ rear protective guards and plastic deflectors breaking, including reports of injuries such as lacerations to consumers’ faces and fingers. Despite notice of these incidents, Black & Decker failed to report this information to CPSC until June 2022.
The complaint, filed by the Justice Department, seeks monetary civil penalties and injunctive relief to prohibit the company from engaging in future violations of the CPSA.
The CPSA requires manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of consumer products to report “immediately” to CPSC information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard or that it creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. Black & Decker has previously resolved other government allegations of failure to timely report to CPSC, including through a stipulated order entered by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in 2015.
“The Justice Department, together with CPSC, is committed to enforcing consumer protection statutes protecting Americans from hazardous products,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Companies must report safety issues in consumer products immediately, as the law requires, to prevent unnecessary injury or death.”
“Companies must not put consumers in harm’s way by failing to immediately report a defective product to the proper authorities,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We’re committed to holding accountable those who fail to properly comply with safety laws that ultimately protect consumers.”
“This coordinated federal action will protect consumers,” said Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman of CPSC. “We will not hesitate to use the full weight of our authorities, especially when dealing with repeat offenders.”
This matter is handled by Assistant Director Zachary Dietert, Senior Trial Attorney Joshua Fowkes, and Trial Attorneys Paulina Stamatelos and Nicole Frazer of the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Koch of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, in coordination with CPSC staff.
The claims made in a complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
Undocumented Immigrant Admits Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – An undocumented immigrant living in St. Charles County, Missouri has admitted being caught in possession of child sexual abuse material when he was arrested for another offense, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Monday.
Francisco J. Ocana-Talamantes, 47, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted that after he was arrested on March 8, 2024, for abusing a child for years, a court-approved search of his phone uncovered 338 images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Ocana-Talamantes is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2026. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Ocana-Talamantes will be deported after his release from prison, as he is in the United States illegally.
The FBI, the St. Charles Police Department and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
USDA Employee Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Food Stamp Fraud and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Sean S. Buckley, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced today that ARLASA DAVIS was sentenced to twenty-four months in prison for her role in a sprawling fraud and bribery scheme that generated over $66 million in unauthorized transactions under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”)—colloquially known as food stamps. DAVIS, a longtime employee of the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”), abused her position within the division responsible for identifying SNAP fraud to sell confidential government information to criminals. DAVIS previously pled guilty to bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Arlasa Davis exploited her role as a government employee to enrich herself while undermining a program designed to help New York families in need,” said Attorney for the United States Sean S. Buckley. “This conviction and sentence send a clear message that exploitation of funds intended for families will result in serious consequences.”
According to the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings and filings:
DAVIS worked within the USDA division responsible for identifying SNAP fraud. She abused her privileged access to federal systems to sell hundreds of Electronic Benefits Transfer (“EBT”) license numbers to co-conspirators. DAVIS photographed handwritten lists of license numbers intended for qualifying stores with her personal cellphone and funneled them to an intermediary who sold them to co-conspirators, who in turn used those license numbers to fraudulently obtain EBT terminals for stores that were not authorized by the USDA to process SNAP transactions. In return, DAVIS received substantial bribes that were disguised in communications as, among other things, “birthday gifts” and “flowers.”
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In addition to her prison term, DAVIS, 56, of Gardiner, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. DAVIS was also ordered to forfeit $48,470 and pay restitution of $36 million.
Mr. Buckley praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the USDA Office of Inspector General and the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgia V. Kostopoulos and Joe Zabel are in charge of the prosecution.
USAO Announces Guilty Pleas, Sentencing for Immigration ViolationsRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced immigration enforcement actions in the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division. These are separate cases and not related.
The following individuals have pleaded guilty to illegal reentry (Title 8 U.S. Code 1326), after being found in the Northern District of Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission.
- Ruben Luis-Garcia, 40, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Oct. 6, 2017. He was found in Sandusky (Erie County) on Oct. 30, 2025. Sentencing is set for Feb. 5, 2026.
- Ismael Ruiz-Sebastian, 34, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being March 26, 2010. He was found in Sandusky (Erie County) Ohio on Oct. 30, 2025. Sentencing is set for Jan. 27, 2026.
- Erick Ventura-Castellanos, 35, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being June 5, 2018. He was found in Danbury Township (Ottawa County) on Oct. 29, 2025. Sentencing is set for Jan. 27, 2026.
Additionally, Bersain Alvarez-Lopez, 37, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to possession of fraudulent identification documents, misuse of a social security number, and illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least three occasions with the most recent being Jan. 15, 2019. He remains in federal custody pending deportation.
The investigations in these cases leading to the indictments were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gene Crawford, Tracey Tangeman and Ava Rotell Dustin for the Northern District of Ohio.
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, and to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
U.S. Files Complaint Against Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. Alleging Delay in Reporting Hazardous Utility Bars and Miter SawsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The Justice Department, together with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced today, they filed a civil enforcement action against Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (Black & Decker) for alleged violations of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA).
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the complaint with Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, Department of Justice, Civil Division, and Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman, CPSC.
Black & Decker is a global provider of hand tools, power tools, outdoor products and related
accessories. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, alleges that Black & Decker knowingly failed to immediately report to CPSC information about potential hazardous defects or unreasonable safety risks associated with some of its utility bars and miter saws.
The complaint alleges soon after Black & Decker began manufacturing the utility bars in December 2015, it began receiving numerous reports directly from consumers and through a national retailer. Customers stated that bars broke unexpectedly during use, snapping back at the users, and in some cases, causing serious injuries. Despite notice of these incidents, Black & Decker failed to report this information to CPSC until May 2019. Utility bars are multi-functional tools used for ripping, prying and wrecking.
Additionally, the complaint alleges, between 2019 and 2022, Black & Decker received hundreds of reports of its miter saws’ rear protective guards and plastic deflectors breaking, including reports of injuries such as lacerations to consumers’ faces and fingers. Despite notice of these incidents, Black & Decker failed to report this information to CPSC until June 2022. Miter saws are power tools designed to cut various materials.
The complaint, filed by the Justice Department, seeks monetary civil penalties and injunctive relief to prohibit the company from engaging in future violations of the CPSA.
The CPSA requires manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of consumer products to report “immediately” to CPSC information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard or that it creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. Black & Decker previously resolved other government allegations of failure to timely report to CPSC, including through a stipulated order entered by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in 2015.
“Companies must not put consumers in harm’s way by failing to immediately report a defective product to the proper authorities,” Hayes said. “We’re committed to holding accountable those who fail to properly comply with safety laws that ultimately protect consumers.”
“The Justice Department, together with CPSC, is committed to enforcing consumer protection statutes protecting Americans from hazardous products,” Shumate said. “Companies must report safety issues in consumer products immediately, as the law requires, to prevent unnecessary injury or death.”
“This coordinated federal action will protect consumers,” Feldman said. “We will not hesitate to use the full weight of our authorities, especially when dealing with repeat offenders.”
U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Koch along with Assistant Director Zachary Dietert, Senior Trial Attorney Joshua Fowkes, and Trial Attorneys Paulina Stamatelos and Nicole Frazer, DOJ Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, who are handling this matter in coordination with CPSC staff.
The claims made in a complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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U.S. Attorney Announces $6.8 Million Settlement with New York-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital for Paying Kickbacks to A Westchester Oncology Practice in Order to Obtain ReferralsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), Naomi D. Gruchacz, announced today that the United States has filed and settled a healthcare fraud lawsuit against NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN HUDSON VALLEY HOSPITAL (“NYPHV”), which, prior to 2015, was known as Hudson Valley Hospital Center (“Hudson Valley”). The settlement resolves allegations that NYPHV improperly paid millions of dollars to a Westchester-based oncology practice (the “Oncology Practice”) to induce patient referrals to the hospital, which NYPHV then billed to Medicare and Medicaid.
Specifically, the Complaint alleges that in 2011 and 2012, NYPHV entered into three contracts with the Oncology Practice. Together, those contracts provided that NYPHV would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to the Oncology Practice in exchange for, among other things, work on a proposed melanoma center (the “Melanoma Center”), work on a proposed breast cancer center (the “Breast Center”), and the development and management of an intraoperative radiation therapy service line (the “IORT Service Line” and, collectively, with the agreements concerning the Melanoma Center and the Breast Center, the “Agreements”). After entering into the Agreements, Hudson Valley and NYPHV subsequently made millions of dollars in payments to the Oncology Practice. But in reality, many of these payments were not made in exchange for the services identified in the Agreements. Instead, the Oncology Practice frequently failed to perform or document the central services identified in the Agreements. All the while, NYPHV continued to receive referrals from the Oncology Practice that generated millions of dollars in reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid.
Under the settlement approved today by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román, NYPHV agreed to pay a total sum of $6,836,764.30 plus interest, with $6,469,410.32 to be paid to the United States and the remainder to be paid to New York State. As part of the settlement, NYPHV also admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the Government in its complaint, including that NYPHV paid the Oncology Practice over $4 million pursuant to the Agreements for work that was either not performed or not performed as called for in the Agreements, or for which NYPHV lacks any time records.
“Hospitals and physicians are expected to make medical decisions based on the needs of their patients, not improper financial arrangements,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “When hospitals provide improper payments to induce patient referrals, they compromise the integrity of federal healthcare programs that serve New Yorkers. We cannot afford corruption in our healthcare industry.”
“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, like those alleged in this case, can improperly influence referral decisions and undermine the integrity of federal health care programs,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz. “HHS-OIG is committed to safeguarding the integrity of federal health care programs and ensuring that provider decisions are not compromised by inducements.”
As alleged in the Government’s Complaint:
In 2011 and 2012, NYPHV entered into the three Agreements with the Oncology Practice. The Agreements provided, respectively, that NYPHV would pay the Oncology Practice an annual fee in exchange for, among other things: one of the Oncology Practice’s physician principals (“Physician A”) serving as the Medical Director of a proposed Melanoma Center at the hospital (the “Melanoma Directorship Agreement”); the Oncology Practice’s other physician principal (“Physician B”) serving as the Medical Director of a proposed Breast Center at the hospital (the “Breast Center Directorship Agreement”); and the Oncology Practice developing, managing, marketing, and integrating the IORT Service Line as part of the hospital’s Department of Radiation Oncology (the “IORT Management Services Agreement”). Each of the three Agreements expired in 2016.
By October 2016 at the latest, NYPHV was, or at minimum should have been, aware that the Oncology Practice was performing only a portion of the work called for under the IORT Management Services Agreement and was not performing the majority of the work being called for under the Melanoma Directorship Agreement. In addition, despite the fact that all of the Agreements expired in 2016, NYPHV continued to pay the Oncology Practice the fees in the Agreements through 2019.
All told, between January 2011 and December 2019 (the “Covered Period”), NYPHV paid over $4 million in fees to the Oncology Practice in connection with the Agreements—including payments for work that was not performed—to induce the Oncology Practice to refer its patients to NYPHV for oncology-related medical services in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. As a result of this conduct, NYPHV submitted false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid for services provided to these patients in violation of the False Claims Act.
Under the settlement, NYPHV admitted, among other things, that:
- Between 2011 and 2019, Hudson Valley and NYPHV together paid the Oncology Practice over $4 million pursuant to the Agreements for work that was either not performed, not performed as called for in the Agreements, or for which NYPHV lacks any time records. The Oncology Practice was required to submit these records to Hudson Valley, and later NYPHV, under the Melanoma and Breast Center Directorship Agreements.
- By October 2016, NYPHV was, or at minimum should have been, aware that the Oncology Practice was performing only a portion of the work called for under the IORT Management Services Agreement and was not performing the majority of the work being called for under the Melanoma Directorship Agreement. Nevertheless, NYPHV continued paying the Oncology Practice its fees under each of these agreements for another three years.
- The Oncology Practice and Physician A never developed or established the Melanoma Center as envisioned by the Melanoma Directorship Agreement and, accordingly, Physician A did not perform the primary duties of a Medical Director as envisioned by the Melanoma Directorship Agreement. Further, at least by 2012, Physician A did not provide 50 hours of work per month toward developing or establishing the Melanoma Center and NYPHV was unable to identify any time records from the Covered Period documenting Physician A’s or their designee’s work related to the Melanoma Directorship Agreement.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had previously been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HHS-OIG.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Bergman is in charge of the case.
Two Plead Guilty and Executive of Maryland IT Companies Charged for Conspiracy to Defraud the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
On Dec. 17, a federal grand jury in Baltimore returned a superseding indictment charging Victor Marquez, a Maryland resident and owner of two IT companies, with a scheme to defraud the federal government that included rigging bids for IT contracts and receiving kickbacks in exchange for influence over IT procurements. The superseding indictment charges Marquez with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and major fraud.
“As the superseding indictment shows, defendant Victor Marquez and his co-conspirators broke trust with our military and stole millions of dollars from an agency that defends our homeland,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Two of the defendant’s co-conspirators have already pled guilty, and the Antitrust Division will not rest until Marquez is imprisoned.”
“These bad actors attempted to enrich themselves by using privileged inside access to defraud the federal government,” said U.S Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “This kind of corruption distorts the competitive process, wastes taxpayer dollars, and undermines public trust in government contracting. This office, along with our law-enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption while holding those accountable who dare to try to steal from our government.”
“The charges announced today should stand as a reminder that those who defraud the Department of Defense will be held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the DoD Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the DoD procurement process and will pursue all available remedies to root out fraud.”
“The defendants leveraged personal relationships to make corrupt, under the table deals that enriched themselves at the taxpayers' expense,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will follow every investigative lead to ensure all those cheating the system are brought to justice.”
“Ensuring the integrity of federal contracting is critical for an efficient and effective government,” said Deputy Inspector General Kevin Gerrity of the National Security Agency. “I commend our team, our law enforcement partners, and the Justice Department for their dedication and collaboration.”
As alleged in the superseding indictment, Marquez and his co-conspirators used his access to sensitive procurement information to rig bids for procurements for large U.S. government IT contracts. Marquez and his co-conspirators concealed Marquez’s role in the scheme to ensure his continued access to sensitive procurement information, and Marquez received compensation in form of kickbacks for steering procurements to his co-conspirators, who referred to the payments to Marquez as the “Vic tax.” As a result of the scheme, Marquez obtained over $3.8 million in funds that were built into the government’s purchase price.
James Briar, an IT sales representative, and Robert Fay, an IT sales executive, pleaded guilty in related cases. On Aug. 11, Briar pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks. On Oct. 1, Fay pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks and to violating the Anti-Kickback Act. Sentencing hearings will be set at a later date. Briar faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and Fay faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
If convicted, Marquez faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each conspiracy and wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for the major fraud charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DoD Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI Baltimore Field Office, and NSA Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Elizabeth French, Anna Wang, and Ronald Fiorillo for the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean M. Delaney and Darren Gardner for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
Two Men Sentenced after Shooting Near the Eagle Food Mart in DurhamRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – In April 2025, JAVONNTE LAMHN PATTERSON, of Burlington, North Carolina, and JERMAL ZAMONT MOYE, of Durham, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of ammunition in relation to a shooting incident that occurred in broad daylight outside the Eagle Food Mart on the corner of Fayetteville Street and Linwood Avenue in Durham, North Carolina in April 2024. Sources say the store has since closed due to gun violence.
PATTERSON, age 32, was sentenced on November 10, 2025, to 180 months’ imprisonment, plus 3 years of supervised release.
MOYE, age 22, was sentenced today to 78 months’ imprisonment to run consecutive to a 25-42 month state probation revocation sentence he is currently serving, plus 3 years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Both sentencing hearings were held in Greensboro, North Carolina, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2024, at approximately 5:15 p.m., officers responded to a report of someone suffering from a gunshot wound in the vicinity of Fayetteville Street and Linwood Avenue. When officers arrived, they did not see anyone suffering from a gunshot wound; however, they observed blood splatter on the ground and parking lot of the Eagle Food Mart and recovered approximately 38 cartridges and several projectile fragments. During the investigation, officers spoke with someone who lives across the street from the Eagle Food Mart whose home was shot into by a stray bullet. Officers also spoke with a witness whose car was shot into by a stray bullet. No guns were located on scene.
Video surveillance from the time of the incident showed PATTERSON and an unidentified male walking down the sidewalk on Fayetteville Street before PATTERSON turned and opened fire into a crowded parking lot on the side of the building, which led to a shootout between PATTERSON, MOYE, and several unidentified males. PATTERSON, MOYE, and another male were locally treated for gunshot wounds related to the incident. Review of video and ballistics evidence determined that eleven of the casings were ejected from the firearm used by PATTERSON and five of the casings were ejected from the firearm used by MOYE.
PATTERSON was previously convicted of at least two crimes of violence or controlled substance offenses and MOYE was previously convicted of one crime of violence or controlled substance offense.
The Durham County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham.
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Two Members of the Neighborhood Bloods Street Gang in Jersey Convicted of Murdering Pregnant Woman and Two OthersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of the Neighborhood Bloods street gang, which operated in Jersey City, New Jersey, were convicted of multiple charges stemming from the January 16, 2017, murder of three Jersey City residents, including a twenty-five-year-old pregnant woman, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
“These convictions hold accountable violent gang members who carried out a calculated, execution-style triple homicide, including the murder of a young pregnant woman. The defendants planned these killings with chilling deliberation and then attempted to silence their own associate to avoid justice. Today’s verdicts make clear that this level of brutality will be met with the full force of federal prosecution, and that those who terrorize our communities will face severe consequences.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
“Through the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative, the full force of NJ Law enforcement is called upon in the aftermath of heinous crimes such as this triple homicide,” said FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. “This show of force will make clear to anyone contemplating gang-related or other violent crimes: do not expect to walk free in New Jersey.”
Following a month-long jury trial, Markell Brown, a/k/a “Sayboy,” 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and three counts of causing death through use of a firearm. Terence Shaw, a/k/a “Sweet Meat,” 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of causing death through use of a firearm. With respect to Shaw, the jury could not come to a unanimous verdict as to one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of causing death through use of a firearm
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On January 16, 2017, Brown and Shaw murdered a rival gang member with whom they had been feuding, along with the rival gang member’s pregnant girlfriend. Brown then murdered one of Brown and Shaw’s own associates, who had accompanied them to commit the murders. Brown and Shaw planned the murders through, among other things, orchestrating the use of a stolen U-Haul truck and purchasing two-way walkie-talkie radios to use during the murders. Brown and Shaw then used their associate to obtain access to the rival gang member’s apartment. After entering that residence on Fulton Avenue in Jersey City shortly before 10:00 p.m., Brown and Shaw executed the rival gang member, shooting him in the back of the head, the left arm, and the right shoulder. They also executed the twenty-five-year-old woman, shooting her in the back of the head and the chest. As Brown left the Fulton Avenue apartment, he shot his and Shaw’s associate in the chest to eliminate the possibility that he would provide information to law enforcement.
The conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Brown and Shaw face mandatory life sentences for each count of murder in aid of racketeering. For each count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, they face mandatory consecutive sentences of ten years’ imprisonment. The counts charging Brown and Shaw with causing death through use of a firearm carry maximum life sentences. Sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Wayne Mello, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea, as well as special agents of the FBI, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph and Senior Trial Counsel Robert Frazer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Graham of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Brown - Stephen Turano, Esq. New York, and Thomas Ambrosio, Esq.
Shaw - Brooke Barnett, Esq. and Henry Klingeman, Esq.
brown_shaw.indictment.pdfTwo Absecon Men Admit to Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Absecon men admitted to conspiring with each other to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by filing false tax returns that concealed their motels’ cash payroll, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Dhruvesh Patel, 37, and Mayank Ray, 36, both of Absecon, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to informations charging each with one count of conspiring to defraud the IRS.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Patel and Ray operated two motels in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Their motels generated substantial gross receipts from customers who paid for their motel rooms in cash. As part of the conspiracy, Patel and Ray used a large portion of the cash to pay employees in cash and kept some of the resulting cash for personal use. Patel and Ray caused to be prepared and filed with the IRS false employment tax returns that concealed the cash wages and false individual income tax returns that underreported the income they earned from the motels. Patel admitted that the conspiracy and his relevant conduct caused a loss greater than $250,000, and Ray admitted that the conspiracy and his relevant conduct caused a loss of approximately $129,512.
The count of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing for both Patel and Ray are scheduled for May 11, 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
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 for Patel: Jed Silversmith, Esq., Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
Defense counsel for Ray: Ira Slovin, Esq., Haddon Heights, New Jersey
patel.information.pdf ray.information.pdfThompson Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Trafficking in Stolen Human RemainsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeremy Pauley, age 43, of Thompson, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 22, 2025, to 72 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Chief Judge Brann also ordered Pauley to pay a $2000 fine and serve three years on supervised release following his sentence.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Pauley admitted to his role in a nationwide network of individuals who bought and sold human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary. Pauley purchased human remains from multiple individuals knowing that those remains were stolen. Pauley also sold many of the stolen remains to others, at least one of whom also knew they had been stolen.
Previously, other individuals were also indicted on charges of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen property as part of the same investigation. From 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education before their scheduled cremations. Lodge at times allegedly transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, Joshua Taylor, and others, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media websites. At times, Cedric Lodge allowed Maclean and Taylor to enter the morgue at Harvard Medical School and examine cadavers to choose what to purchase. On some occasions, Taylor transported stolen remains back to Pennsylvania. On other occasions, the Lodges shipped stolen remains to Taylor and others out of state.
Maclean and Taylor sold the stolen remains for profit, including to Jeremy Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Jeremy Pauley also purchased stolen human remains from Candace Chapman Scott, who stole remains from her employer, a Little Rock, Arkansas mortuary and crematorium. Scott stole parts of cadavers she was supposed to have cremated, many of which had been donated to and used for research and educational purposes by an area medical school, as well as the corpses of two stillborn babies who were supposed to be cremated and returned as cremains to their families. Scott sold the stolen remains to Pauley and shipped them to Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Pauley sold many of the stolen remains he purchased to other individuals, including Matthew Lampi. Lampi and Pauley bought and sold from each other over an extended period and exchanged over $100,000 in online payments.
“The trafficking of stolen human remains through the US Mail is a disturbing act that victimizes already grieving families while also creating a potentially hazardous situation for Postal employees and customers,” said Christopher Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “I hope our efforts, and these sentencings, bring some amount of closure to those affected by this terrible crime.”
“Today’s sentencing is another step forward in ensuring those who orchestrated and executed this heinous crime are brought to justice” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank our partners at the Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts in this case.”
Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, Katrina Maclean, Cedric and Denise Lodge, and Angelo Pereyra. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison; Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months in prison; Ensanian was sentenced to six months in prison; Denise and Cedric Lodge were sentenced to 12 months and a day and 96 months in prison. Joshua Taylor and Katrina Maclean are awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the East Pennsboro Township Police Department, and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case.
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Texas resident imprisoned for attempting to smuggle weapons into MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 21-year-old San Antonio man has been sentenced for smuggling a stolen weapon and other firearms out of the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Ivan Alexys Oseguera Vara pleaded guilty Aug. 19.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Vara to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. He must also pay a $2,100 fine. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described how Vara had previously purchased seven firearms in his name, and their whereabouts are now unknown. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that smuggling firearms into Mexico is not a victimless crime.
On June 3, Vara drove a gray Honda Civic to the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. He claimed to not have any firearms, ammunition or large amounts cash and was just traveling from his San Antonio home to Mexico.
During a secondary inspection, law enforcement uncovered multiple bundles wrapped in plastic and hidden within the rear bumper, undercarriage and center console. A K-9 also alerted to the vehicle.
Authorities ultimately discovered 59 rounds of ammunition, eight magazines and six firearms – three rifles and three pistols. The investigation further revealed none of the weapons were registered to Vara, and one of the handguns had been reported stolen.
Vara has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
Texas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter in Connection with Fatal CrashRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Kamel Hay, 26, of Houston, Texas, to two years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for involuntary manslaughter. The sentence is in connection with a fatal car crash on the Baltimore-Washington (BW) Parkway, resulting in the death of a 33-year-old man.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Chief Scott Brecht, United States Park Police (USPP).
On February 5, 2022, Hay was driving his vehicle northbound on the BW Parkway at a high rate of speed as he wove through traffic. Eventually, Hay lost control of his car, striking two other vehicles, before his car left the roadway and struck a tree. His front-seat passenger (Victim 1), who was wearing a seatbelt, died after Hay’s car stuck the tree. An autopsy performed by Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Victim 1’s cause of death was multiple injuries sustained in the crash.
First responders transported Hay to Capital Region Medical Center, where he told an USPP officer that he was drinking at the Cuba Libre night club in Washington, D.C. After taking Hay’s blood sample, the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner analyzed it and determined it was positive for an alcohol level of 0.12 milligrams; Hay was therefore under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, so it was unsafe for him to operate a motor vehicle.
USPP subsequently examined the car’s event data recorder, which revealed that Hay traveled 117 mph in a 55-mph zone shortly before the crash, with almost no use of the vehicle’s brakes.U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPP for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen Nazmy and Joshua Rosenthal who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Sioux City Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
Omar Barrientos, 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on December 19, 2025, to over 17 years’ imprisonment. Barrientos pled guilty August 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence in the case showed that on June 20, 2024, law enforcement responded to remove an individual sleeping in a vehicle in the Thompson Electric parking lot in Sioux City. Law enforcement arrived and knocked on the driver’s window eventually waking up Barrientos. Barrientos was the sole occupant of the vehicle and exhibited strange behavior and signs of impairment. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found a bag under the driver’s seat containing just under a pound of methamphetamine. Barrientos admitted that he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
Barrientos had previously been convicted of willful injury and criminal gang participation in 2009, and in 2016 he was again convicted of willful injury along with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Barrientos was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of ten years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Barrientos remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4065. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Seven Farmers and a Tobacco Warehouse Manager Sentenced for Crop Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Cave City, Ky., farmer, Larry Walden, 69, was sentenced to 52 months’ incarceration by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering, by committing crop insurance fraud.
According to his plea agreement, Walden owned and rented farmland in Barren County, on which he grew burley tobacco, among other crops. He maintained insurance coverage over his tobacco crop from at least 2014 to 2023. For Crop Years 2014 through 2019, Walden used services offered at Farmers Tobacco Warehouse in Boyle County, to obtain false documentation to support false claims of loss on his crop insurance.
As part of the conspiracy, Walden wrote checks to Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, to make it appear as though the tobacco he raised and sold was actually purchased from Farmers Tobacco Warehouse. Conspiring with Thomas Kirkpatrick, manager at Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, Walden also received fake receipts in further attempts to conceal the scheme. Walden presented copies of these cancelled checks along with fake purchase receipts to his insurance adjuster. His insurance adjuster used this paperwork to justify deflating Walden’s production reports, thereby increasing his indemnity payment. With his proceeds, Walden paid off lines of credit and purchased new assets.
Walden also admitted to running the same fraud scheme through Greensburg Tobacco Market and Fair Deal Tobacco, located in Greensburg, Ky., and Littleton, North Carolina, respectively. He further sold tobacco under the names of neighbors and relatives without reporting that production on his insurance claims. In total, Walden’s fraud caused $9,960,817.19 in loss to crop insurers. Upon his release, Walden will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. In addition to his prison sentence, Walden was ordered to pay $9,960,817.19 in restitution.
Other farmers have also been sentenced for their role in the same conspiracy to commit crop insurance fraud and have been sentenced as followed.
- Thomas Kirkpatrick, 67, of Stanford, Ky., the former manager of Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $16,156,345 in restitution.
- David Hunt, 63, of Campbellsville, Ky., a farmer who obtained fake documentation from Kirkpatrick in order to support fraudulent claims to indemnity payments under an organic tobacco insurance coverage policy, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $5,427,365 in restitution.
- Terry Wilson, 67, an Edmonton, Ky, farmer who used Farmer Tobacco Warehouse to facilitate his fraud conspiracy, was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $667,679.00 in restitution.
- Christopher Wilson, 50, Terry Wilson’s son, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $669,447 in restitution.
- David Wisdom, 69, a Glasglow, Ky., farmer who used Farmer Tobacco Warehouse to facilitate his fraud conspiracy, was sentenced to 48 months, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,941,007 in restitution.
- Robert D. Birge, Jr., 51, a Summer Shade, Ky., farmer, was sentenced to 6 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,114,519 in restitution.
Additionally, earlier this month, Harlan Ray Highfield, 63, of Brooksville, Ky., was sentenced to 42 months’ incarceration, stemming from his crop insurance fraud scheme that involved obtaining crop insurance policies in nominee names, among other offenses. He was sentenced to three years’ supervised release and was ordered to pay $1,060,460 in restitution.
Under federal law, these defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences.
“These defendants fleeced programs intended to protect agricultural producers,” said Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “While the vast majority of farmers conduct themselves with great integrity, the sentences imposed in these cases should serve as a warning to any producers or warehouse operators considering similar crop insurance fraud.”
“There is no place in our society for opportunists who choose to defraud public programs at the expense of honest, hard-working American farmers,” stated Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “This case is a prime example of law enforcement partners collaborating over a number of years to ensure the conspirators are identified and penalized appropriately, while simultaneously working to protect one of our nation’s most vital industries.”
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) appreciates the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors in this case. USDA OIG is committed to investigating individuals who engage in crop insurance fraud in order to preserve the integrity of USDA programs,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Miles Davis. “We thank the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Kentucky Department of Insurance and Department of Justice, Eastern District of Kentucky for their partnership with us on this impactful investigation.”
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Miles Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office; and Karen Wingerd , Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Dieruf and Andrea Mattingly Williams.
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Senior Vice President of Atlanta Housing Authority Charged with Housing Assistance Fraud and Pandemic Relief FraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Tracy Denise Jones, a Senior Vice President at the Atlanta Housing Authority, has been charged with engaging in a scheme to fraudulently collect Section 8 housing assistance payments for her own rental property and family members. She was also charged with making fraudulent applications to collect pandemic relief funds and committing mortgage fraud when refinancing her rental property.
“A long-time senior executive of one of the largest housing authorities in the nation, Jones was entrusted to deliver vast sums of government assistance to our community’s neediest members,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “But Jones allegedly exploited a variety of assistance programs and chose to line her own pockets using an alternate identity, multiple business entities, a false affidavit, and a cadre of associates willing to lie on her behalf.”
“Tracy Jones’s alleged actions not only showed a blatant disrespect for the law and multiple federal programs, but also jeopardized the availability of HUD-assisted housing for those in our most vulnerable communities who rely on housing assistance programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Since April 2017, Jones has served as Senior Vice President over the Housing Choice Voucher Program at the Atlanta Housing Authority, overseeing one of the largest Section 8 programs in the country. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds Section 8 programs, including rental assistance payments to landlords on behalf of low-income families and individuals. Section 8 funds are limited, and there is often a long waiting list of low-income families seeking acceptance into the program. Housing authority staff are generally prohibited from receiving Section 8 payments for their own properties, and Section 8 landlords are typically prohibited from leasing to their own family members.
Instead of upholding the integrity of the housing assistance program, Jones allegedly defrauded the program by using a series of falsified forms to have her family members admitted to the Section 8 program and then to receive Section 8 payments for them to live in her own rental house. To conceal her identity, Jones allegedly used a fake name and a shell business entity to execute housing authority documents. As a result, she improperly obtained more than $36,000 of Section 8 funds. Jones then allegedly obstructed subsequent investigations by submitting a false affidavit and convincing friends to lie and present false documents on her behalf.
At the same time, Jones allegedly used her shell business and another business to collect more than $27,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 pandemic relief programs, falsely claiming that the businesses were functioning, had multiple employees, and received over $56,000 of gross revenues in 2019. When the SBA denied one of Jones’s applications, she allegedly appealed the denial, pleading for the SBA to approve her request, stating:
- “I am truly a[n] honest business owner[.]”
- “I hear the stories how people abused the PPP loans to establish a lavish lif[e] style. That is not me. My business is small and is growing, but I [am] one of the legitimate and honest business that can use all the help I can.”
- “I also serve a community of low income families in my business, renting one of my three homes to a low income family as well as serve other owners of low income rental properties.”
Jones also allegedly committed mortgage fraud when she refinanced her Section 8 rental property, falsely claiming on her application for a $219,780 loan that the property was her primary residence, that the residence was not a rental property, and that she did not own any other property.
On December 19, 2025, Tracy Denise Jones, 61, of Atlanta, Georgia, was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III on a criminal information containing federal charges of conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, wire fraud, and credit application fraud.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Garrett L. Bradford is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Schuyler Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Anselmo Ramirez-Magana, 37, of Schuyler, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Ramirez-Magana to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On November 19, 2024, officers with the Schuyler PD conducted a traffic stop of Tiffany Gallardo and Ramirez-Magana. During the traffic stop, a second officer arrived and deployed a K-9 which indicated to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search resulted in the seizure of 158 grams of pure methamphetamine. When Ramirez-Magana was being arrested, he stated that the drugs were his.
This case was investigated by the Schuyler Police Department.
Racially Motivated Violent Extremist Charged for Possessing an Unregistered Firearm and Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Lucas Alexander Temple (20, Sarasota) for possessing an unregistered firearm, possession of a firearm with a removed serial number, and receipt of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Temple was previously arrested on a criminal complaint.
According to the indictment and criminal complaint, while executing the search warrant at Temple’s home in Sarasota on November 20, 2025, federal agents recovered a shotgun with sawed-off barrel that was not registered to Temple. Federal law prohibits the possession of shotguns with barrels fewer than 18 inches in length without registration in National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Agents also found evidence that Temple had been plotting a racially motivated act of violence, including pipe bombs, multiple firearms, ammunition, a pressure cooker, literature on how to manufacture explosives, and a written plan as to his intentions:
Temple also possessed a variety of Nazi and mass shooting propaganda materials, including the Journals of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, and a large flag bearing the Atomwaffen Division symbol:
The Atomwaffen Division (AWD) is a US-based racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist group. The group’s targets have included racial minorities, the Jewish community, the LGBTQ community, the United States Government, journalists, and critical infrastructure. AWD’s ideology largely focused on accelerationism, meaning the goal was to push society into armed conflict in an effort to create a radical social transformation.
As part of its investigation, federal agents learned that Temple had been communicating with other ideologically aligned individuals online about conducting violence against minorities and providing instructions on how to manufacture explosives.
Agents also discovered that, on at least two occasions, Temple received images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with assistance from the Sarasota County’s Sheriff’s Office and the Sarasota Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stoia and Risha Asokan.
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).
Pueblo Man Sentenced to 248 Months for Drug and Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that David Wayne Watkins, 46, of Pueblo, Colorado, was sentenced to 248 months in prison after being convicted by a federal jury last year on five counts, including possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
According to the facts established at trial, Watkins was stopped by Pueblo Police in December of 2023 for a forged temporary license plate tag. During the stop, Watkins briefly ran from officers before his arrest. During his arrest, police recovered a loaded handgun from his waistband and a bag and wallet together containing $52,000 in cash, 378 fentanyl pills, and 25 grams of pure methamphetamine. When officers searched his car, they found one additional handgun, numerous firearm magazines and ammunition, clear baggies, and a bag with an additional 375 fentanyl pills. A search of his hotel room resulted in the recovery of a short-barreled rifle and additional ammunition.
“We are committed to making Pueblo safer, and putting Mr. Watkins behind bars for the next 20 years advances that goal,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I am grateful to both our federal and local partners for the excellent work they did to get him and his illegal guns and drugs off the streets.”
“Any community is safer when we can take illegal drugs and guns off the streets,” said Marvin Massey, Acting Special Agent in Charge for FBI Denver. “In this case, the strong FBI partnership with the Pueblo Police Department resulted in a repeat offender heading to prison and the community being in a better situation as a result.”
“I want to commend the hard work and collaboration of our task force officers, special investigations detectives, and federal partners including ATF, DEA, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Chris Noeller, Chief of Police, Pueblo Police Department. “Their commitment to this lengthy investigation shows what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies work together to bring a dangerous offender to justice. We remain committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to hold offenders accountable and to ensure our community remains a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.”
United States District Judge S. Kato Crews presided over the sentencing. The Pueblo Police Department and the FBI Denver Field Office handled the investigation. The Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado handled the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.Case Number: 1:24-cr-00058-SKC
Previously Deported Aliens Sentenced and Transferred to Immigration Officials for Deportation ProceedingsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – on December 18, 2025 Julio Cesar Chavez-Rizo, 30, of Mexico, was sentenced in federal court for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. This case was prosecuted as 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.
According to court documents, on October 19, 2025, Chavez-Rizo was arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication by the Saraland Police Department. The Saraland Police Department requested assistance from the United States Border Patrol (USBP) for immigration records checks. The USBP confirmed Chavez-Rizo had been deported from the United States two times. Chavez-Rizo had been previously convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and endangering a person in violation of Indiana state law in 2021. USBP placed an immigration detainer on Chavez-Rizo. Chavez-Rizo went straight into federal custody upon meeting bond on his state-related charges. Chavez-Rizo was sentenced to time-served in prison since his arrest. Chavez-Rizo had been in custody since his arrest by the Saraland Police Department. Chavez-Rizo was ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon his release from prison.
Additional defendants were recently prosecuted and charged with illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported as part of Operation Take Back America’s ongoing collaboration between federal agencies with the assistance of state and local law enforcement and sentenced in federal court.On December 18, 2025, Marvin Alexander Santos-Carballo, 30, of Honduras, was sentenced for illegal reentry. On October 20, 2025, the Creola Police Department had encountered Santos-Carballo during a traffic stop. The Creola Police Department requested assistance from USBP for records checks. USBP determined that Santos-Carballo was a previously deported alien. USBP responded and arrested Santos-Carballo. Santos-Carballo was sentenced to time-served in prison since his USBP arrest and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon his release.
On September 29, 2025, Ezequiel Vega-Solano, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced for illegal reentry. On August 1, 2025, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) encountered Vega-Solano during a traffic stop. BCSO reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) for records confirmation. ICE/ERO confirmed that Vega-Solano was a previously removed alien with prior felony convictions for illegal alien transportation in violation of federal law in 2020. ICE/ERO responded and arrested Vega-Solano for his illegal presence in the United States. Vega-Solano remained in federal custody through his sentencing. Vega-Solano was sentenced to time-served and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
On September 16, 2025, Roberto Ulin-Ajin, 40, of Guatemala, was sentenced for illegal reentry in federal court. According to court documents, Ulin-Ajin was encountered during a worksite enforcement action by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in May 2025. HSI agents determined that Ulin-Ajin had been previously deported and was unlawfully in the United States. Ulin-Ajin had also been previously convicted under an alias name for public intoxication and driving under the influence in violation of Alabama state law. HSI arrested Ulin-Ajin during the worksite enforcement action. Ulin-Ajin remained in federal custody through his sentencing. Ulin-Ajin was sentenced to time-served and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
These defendants had been in custody since their respective arrests on federal charges. All defendants were ordered to pay $100.00 each in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), investigated the cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including the Saraland Police Department, Creola Police Department, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, Operation Take Back America aim includes the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.