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28 August 2026
State of Illinois Must Answer United States’ Complaint Seeking to Invalidate Sanctuary State Policies Enacted to Regulate Federal Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – United States Attorney Weinhoeft announced today that the United States’ lawsuit against the State of Illinois, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul for the State’s sanctuary policies regulating federal law enforcement officers will continue.
“The Court rightfully denied the Governor’s motion to dismiss our lawsuit,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Illinois continues to advance unconstitutional policies designed to undermine federal law. The state should work with us to target criminals rather than spend tax dollars targeting law enforcement officers.”
In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois filed a complaint in federal court against the State of Illinois to invalidate Illinois Public Act 104-0440 (formerly HB 1312) which enacted the Illinois Bivens Act and Illinois Courts Access, Safety, and Participation Act (“CASPA”). The Illinois Bivens Act purports to subject federal immigration officers to civil liability and punitive damages for discharging their federal duties. CASPA implements a ban on “civil arrest” on Illinois state courthouse grounds and within 1,000 feet of a state courthouse. Together, these policies prevent federal law enforcement officers from carrying out their duties in public spaces and expose federal law enforcement officials to liability and punitive damages for doing their jobs.
The State of Illinois filed a motion to dismiss the federal complaint in February 2026. The Court heard oral arguments on June 23, 2026. On August 19, the Court entered its order denying the State’s motion. The order further directed Defendants to answer the United States’ complaint within 14 days of the order.
The case was brought by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
St. Clair County tax preparer sentenced to 37-month imprisonment and ordered to pay over $700,000 in restitution for filing hundreds of false tax returnsRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A federal district judge sentenced a St. Clair County tax preparer to 37 months’ imprisonment after she admitted to filing false tax returns and falsifying her personal income and clients’ business expenses.
Dormeshia A. Haire, 38, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of false statements on tax return, one count of wire fraud, and three counts of aiding and abetting in submitting false and fraudulent returns. Haire was indicted in April 2024 but continued filing hundreds of false tax returns while on bond. Haire took actions to conceal her conduct by filing tax returns under other individuals’ names. Since 2019, Haire profited more than one million dollars in tax return fees from clients.
“Combating violent crime and stopping fraud against taxpayer funds are the two highest criminal priorities for the Department of Justice,” said United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Dormeshia Haire filed hundreds of false tax returns, kept filing them after she was charged, and hid the scheme under other people’s names. That conduct demands prison time and full restitution for the losses she caused.”
In April 2026, a federal district judge revoked Haire’s bond and ordered Haire detained for bond violations. According to court documents, Haire admitted to filing hundreds of false returns for hundreds of clients. In the tax returns, Haire falsely represented that her clients had businesses they did not own and inflated clients’ business losses. Due to these false records, Haire’s clients received tax refunds to which they were not entitled. Haire’s under reporting of income for her and her clients resulted in an outstanding tax obligation owed to the Internal Revenue Service of more than $600,000 with an additional $48,000 owed to the State of Illinois.
“The sentence reflects the seriousness of this case. Dormeshia Haire profited by filing hundreds of fraudulent tax returns for clients for a fee," said IRS Criminal Investigation Kansas City Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “She is directly responsible for more than $600,000 stolen from the U.S. Treasury through her fraud. Now through the investigative expertise of IRS-CI’s special agents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Haire is out of business.”
Following imprisonment, Haire will serve 3 years of supervised release. The judge also ordered Haire to pay $716,406 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and Illinois Department of Revenue. Haire agreed to pay interest on her restitution.
IRS Criminal Investigation led this investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
South African national charged with yearslong identity theft and credit card fraud scheme targeting gym patrons across North TexasRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a South African national with a long history of fraud and identity related offenses was charged in a federal criminal complaint Aug. 25 with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft following an extensive multi agency investigation.
Craig George McLachlan, who has used numerous aliases including “Craig Pritchard,” “Clive Morgan Pritchard,” “Jeffrey Moore,” “Joseph Robert Almond,” “John Paul Loisel,” and “Francis Castanho,” is alleged to have carried out a yearslong scheme involving thefts from gym patrons across Texas.
“McLachlan didn’t just steal wallets, he stalked gyms across North Texas for years, hunting for victims and hijacking their identities with the confidence of someone who thought he could never be caught,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “His long trail of aliases and deceit shows a deliberate attack on hard working Americans just going about their daily lives. These charges make clear that those who treat fraud as a way of life will face swift federal consequences.”
“Identity theft is not a victimless crime. As alleged, this defendant preyed on everyday people across North Texas, stealing from gym patrons and using their identities to fuel a years-long fraud scheme,” said HSI Dallas Deputy Special Agent in Charge Antwoine Jones. “HSI Dallas and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue criminals who exploit stolen identities, drain victims’ accounts, and hide behind aliases to evade accountability.”
According to the complaint, McLachlan entered gyms, stole wallets and credit cards and used those stolen cards to make thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases across the Dallas–Fort Worth region.
Homeland Security Investigations, Southlake Police Department, Coppell Police Department, Plano Police Department, University Park Police Department, Richardson Police Department, Grapevine Police Department, Flower Mound Police Department, Austin Police Department and other agencies traced reports dating back as far as February 2018. Each case involved the same modus operandi: McLachlan allegedly stole credit cards from unlocked gym lockers or unattended bags, then purchased electronics, restaurant meals, groceries and other goods.
Law enforcement connected McLachlan to alleged thefts at gyms including YMCA locations, Texas Family Fitness, Summit Climbing Gym, Lifetime Fitness, Impact Fitness, and Club 4 Fitness, and fraudulent financial transactions at Whole Foods, Best Buy, REI, St. Bernards, Trader Joe’s, Spec’s, Central Market, Home Depot and other retailers.
The complaint also alleges that on Jan. 10, McLachlan used an alias “Jeffrey Tims” to obtain a day pass at Club 4 Fitness in Grapevine. He then stole a victim’s Chase Sapphire and AAdvantage MasterCard credit cards, charging more than $1,500 at stores and restaurants across North Texas. Surveillance images from Central Market and The Home Depot show McLachlan using the victim’s stolen card. Because the victim’s AAdvantage MasterCard transactions were routed through interstate servers in Texas, Georgia, Nebraska, and Arizona, the conduct constitutes wire communications in interstate commerce.
McLachlan was taken into custody on Feb. 5, after Grapevine Police located him driving a black 2020 Ford F 150 in Dallas. He has prior federal convictions for illegal reentry, firearms offenses, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft, and he remains illegally present in the United States with an outstanding deportation order.
Homeland Security Investigations – Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with support from multiple partner law enforcement agencies throughout Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen from the Fort Worth Division is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that RUDOLPH GIRDHARI, 36, of Norwalk, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 123 months of imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release for possessing child sex abuse material.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2012, Girdhari was convicted in state court of possession of child pornography in the second degree, and was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, execution suspended after two years, and 20 years of probation. In 2022 and 2023, an FBI investigation of individuals trading child sex abuse images and videos on Wickr, an encrypted communication service, determined that an email address connected to Girdhari was being used to access two child pornography trading networks on Wickr.
On May 2, 2024, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Girdhari’s residence and seized numerous electronic devices including phones, tablets, computers, hard drives, and thumb drives. Analysis of the seized devices revealed more than 2,000 images and videos of child sex abuse.
Girdhari has been detained since May 16, 2024, when he was arrested for violating his state probation. On December 3, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Office of Adult Probation and the Norwalk Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Russian National Living in Florida Convicted for Scheme to Illegally Export Aircraft Parts from the United States to RussiaRead the Press Release
A Florida resident and Russian national, Alexander Mamonov, 62, was convicted on all charges yesterday following a jury trial related to a scheme to illegally export aircraft parts from the United States to Russia and the state-owned Russian airline, PJSC Aeroflot.
“This guilty verdict – on all counts – shows the United States government’s resolute commitment to upholding our export-control laws and to prosecuting those who violate them,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and our U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement partners will continue to safeguard U.S.-controlled items from being exported unlawfully.”
“Mamonov illegally exported nearly one million dollars of aviation parts to Russia by lying to U.S. suppliers about their destination, and this conviction on all counts holds him accountable,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI and its partners will continue to prioritize the enforcement of export laws and sanctions to defend the homeland. Let this verdict serve as a warning to anyone considering smuggling U.S. technology to our adversaries.”
“Russia cannot evade American sanctions and export controls by routing its purchases through South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “You cannot put a fake destination on a shipping label and make American export laws disappear. This defendant conspired to secretly funnel nearly $1 million in American aircraft parts to Russia and Aeroflot, then used false destinations and financial transactions to conceal what he was doing. Yesterday, a federal jury held him accountable on every count. We will continue to aggressively pursue those who use our district, our financial system, or American businesses to undermine U.S. national security.”
Mamonov was convicted in the Southern District of Florida of 12 counts related to that scheme, including conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), illegal export of items subject to ECRA, conspiracy to commit smuggling, smuggling of goods, submitting false or misleading export information, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20.
The defendant was charged by indictment in April 2025, alongside Ignat Vakorin of Russia. Vakorin remains a fugitive in wanted status.
Following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce increased restrictions on exports to Russia and issued a temporary denial order barring Aeroflot from receiving U.S.-origin goods. According to court documents and testimony, Mamonov is a former Aeroflot employee who relocated from Russia to South Florida. After the U.S. Department of Commerce increased restrictions on Russian exports, Mamonov conspired with Vakorin to acquire and illegally ship over $900,000 in aircraft parts to Russia and to Aeroflot. Mamonov and Vakorin misled U.S. suppliers into believing the parts were being sent to other destinations, such as the United Arab Emirates and China.
This case was investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office with assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Paul Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Brett Ruff of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Russian National Living in Florida Convicted for Scheme to Illegally Export Aircraft Parts from the US to RussiaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Florida resident and Russian national, Alexander Mamonov, 62, was convicted on all charges yesterday following a jury trial related to a scheme to illegally export aircraft parts from the U.S. to Russia and the state-owned Russian airline, PJSC Aeroflot.
“This guilty verdict – on all counts – shows the United States government’s resolute commitment to upholding our export-control laws and to prosecuting those who violate them,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and our U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement partners will continue to safeguard U.S.-controlled items from being exported unlawfully.”
“Russia cannot evade American sanctions and export controls by routing its purchases through South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “You cannot put a fake destination on a shipping label and make American export laws disappear. This defendant conspired to secretly funnel nearly $1 million in American aircraft parts to Russia and Aeroflot, then used false destinations and financial transactions to conceal what he was doing. Yesterday, a federal jury held him accountable on every count. We will continue to aggressively pursue those who use our district, our financial system, or American businesses to undermine U.S. national security.”
“Mamonov illegally exported nearly one million dollars of aviation parts to Russia by lying to U.S. suppliers about their destination, and this conviction on all counts holds him accountable,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI and its partners will continue to prioritize the enforcement of export laws and sanctions to defend the homeland. Let this verdict serve as a warning to anyone considering smuggling U.S. technology to our adversaries.”
Mamonov was convicted of 12 counts related to that scheme, including conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), illegal export of items subject to ECRA, conspiracy to commit smuggling, smuggling of goods, submitting false or misleading export information, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams for the Southern District of Florida scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20.
The defendant was charged by indictment in April 2025, alongside Ignat Vakorin of Russia. Vakorin remains a fugitive in wanted status.
Following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce increased restrictions on exports to Russia and issued a temporary denial order barring Aeroflot from receiving U.S.-origin goods. According to court documents and testimony, Mamonov is a former Aeroflot employee who relocated from Russia to South Florida. After the U.S. Department of Commerce increased restrictions on Russian exports, Mamonov conspired with Vakorin to acquire and illegally ship over $900,000 in aircraft parts to Russia and to Aeroflot. Mamonov and Vakorin misled U.S. suppliers into believing the parts were being sent to other destinations, such as the United Arab Emirates and China.
This case was investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office with assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Brett Ruff of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
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 numbers 25-cr-20174.
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Romanian Illegal Alien Charged with Wire Fraud in Scheme to Defraud WalmartRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An illegal alien from Romania has been charged by a federal grand jury with one count of wire fraud involving a scheme to defraud Walmart of thousands of dollars.
Hozu Rostas, 25, of Romania, was charged in an indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Aug. 28, 2026. The federal indictment charges Rostas with one count of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, between February 2025 and June 2026, Rostas would carry out a confidence scheme at Walmart stores throughout the United States, including a Walmart in Columbia, Mo. Rostas would use a sleight of hand technique to shortchange Walmart cashiers of money. Specifically, Rostas would select merchandise and then count out the money in separate piles. After the cashier counted the money, Rostas would take it back, quietly remove a portion, and then return the reduced amount without being detected. After the cashier put the money into the teller, Rostas would leave with the merchandise. Rostas would then go to another Walmart store and return the merchandise for the full amount. According to the indictment, Rostas obtained more than $150,000 during this scheme.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
Rocklin Man Implicated in Plot to Attack White House UFC Event Indicted for Firearms Possession and Destroying Records in a Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher M. Perry, 38, of Rocklin, was indicted Thursday for possessing firearms and destroying records in a federal investigation, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Perry came to the attention of law enforcement because of an investigation into a plot to carry out attacks against federal property and officials, including an attack at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the South Lawn of the White House, which took place on June 14, 2026. Perry participated in a Signal chat group that was devoted to planning the attack. Perry additionally discussed related attacks in California against AI datacenters, satellite communication facilities, and a California-based technology company. Perry also referred to himself as a career criminal and stated that he was armed, even though he is prohibited from possession guns.
On June 12, 2026, law enforcement contacted Perry at his home and asked about his Signal account. After the agents departed, Perry immediately attempted to destroy evidence by taking steps to remove himself from the Signal chat group, delete his Signal account, and remove the Signal application and associated data from his phone.
The FBI subsequently executed several search warrants, and recovered multiple firearms that Perry owned, as well as more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition. On top of one of the ammunition containers was written “WWIII,” which is short for World War III. And on Perry’s phone were several pictures and videos of firearms and of Perry holding firearms.
Perry is a felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Perry’s prior felony convictions include a conviction for attempting to bring drugs into a jail or prison and for possessing or purchasing drugs for sale.
Perry is currently in federal custody and is scheduled to appear for arraignment on Aug. 31, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean C. Riordan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Perry faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 20 years in prison for destroying records in a federal investigation. Both charges also carry a maximum fine of $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Registered Sex Offender/Parolee Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A registered sex offender has been charged in federal court for child pornography charges committed while he was on state parole for similar crimes.
Michael D. Shimon, 43 of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a criminal complaint on Aug. 28, 2026. Shimon had his initial appearance this afternoon.
The federal complaint charges Shimon with one count each of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, both charged as a prior sex offender.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Dropbox, Inc. submitted a cyber tip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a video uploaded to the Dropbox application by Shimon’s account. Weeks later, an acquaintance of Shimon reported to authorities that he had observed images of possible child pornography in Shimon’s home on one of Shimon’s electronic devices. Based on this information, investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigations served a federal search warrant upon Shimon’s residence on Aug. 27, 2026. During their contact with Shimon at his home, investigators seized multiple electronic devices from his person. An analysis of Shimon’s electronic devices located thousands of images of child pornography.
Shimon was previously convicted in Phelps County, Missouri with one count of promoting child pornography in the first degree and two counts of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced on all three counts to 12 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections in February 2017. Shimon was released from incarceration and placed on parole in 2021 and is currently a registered sex offender in the State of Missouri.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Luna and Mitchell Widener. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to two counts of distributing crack cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court records, Tasheem Carter, 41, sold more than 28 grams of crack cocaine and more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an FBI informant on three occasions in June and July 2025. On July 29, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Carter’s residence and recovered drugs and more than $25,000 in cash.
At the time Carter distributed the crack cocaine and fentanyl, he was on supervised release following a 2016 federal conviction for conspiring to distribute controlled substances. In addition to pleading guilty, he also admitted that his new criminal conduct violated the terms of his supervised release.
Carter faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and up to life imprisonment; up to an $8 million fine; and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Portland Police Department investigated the case.
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Pair Plead Guilty in CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Virginia residents pled guilty recently to filing false claims for pandemic unemployment benefits authorized by the CARES Act. The CARES Act is a federal law, enacted in March of 2020, that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Martha Sue Buffy Davis, 50, of Glade Spring, Va., and Robert Walter Neely, 47, both pled guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and commit an offense against the United States by filing fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits as authorized by federal law. Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing on December 18, 2026.
According to court documents, from July 2020 through May 2021, Davis, Neely, and others, conspired to file false and fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits. It was part of the conspiracy that Neely provided personal identifying information (PII) to Davis, who filed and recertified the false claims with the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
To perpetuate the scheme, Davis listed a non-existent business, “Buff-N-Shine Cleaning,” that she invented for the purpose of filing the fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits with the VEC. In addition, Davis obtained PII and assisted other co-conspirators in filing and recertifying fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits. First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Labor, and the Virginia Employment Commission investigated the case.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Office of the Attorney General Senior Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Outlaw hunting guide guilty of illegally baiting pondRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 55-year-old Conroe resident has admitted to operating an illegal waterfowl guiding operation.
Richard Lee Bowers admitted he invited members of the public to duck hunt on his property in Walker County, known as the Pull Two Ranch, where he illegally baited a pond with corn. Bowers had his paying clients hunt over the bait where they harvested various species of ducks.
Ducks are covered by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and may not be legally hunted with the aid of bait.
On Nov. 18, 2023, authorities conducted surveillance at Pull Two Ranch and observed duck blinds near the pond which had freshly spread corn clearly visible in the water. The next morning, they confronted Bowers and a group who was hunting over the corn. Bowers falsely claimed the corn was for hogs, even though all the corn was underwater.
The investigation revealed several hunters who had paid to hunt at Pull Two Ranch reported that baiting the pond with corn was standard procedure. One had questioned Bowers about the illegal baiting, and Bowers responded with “that’s how we get all the ducks.”
Bowers is a taxidermist by trade with a long history of state fish and game violations.
Judge George C. Hanks Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for Nov. 9. At that time, Bowers faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Johnson is prosecuting the case.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Business Email Compromise ScamRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Nigerian national learned that he is headed to federal prison for eight years, today, after he executed a business email compromise scam to steal millions from two charitable organizations.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sentenced Olusegun Adejorin, 32, to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. In August 2024, the FBI extradited Adejorin from Ghana to stand trial for this case. In December 2025, after a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Adejorin of all charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
According to the evidence presented at trial, between June and August 2020, Adejorin perpetrated a scheme to defraud Victim 1, a charitable organization located in Maryland, that provided investment services to other organizations. Additionally, through the scheme, Adejorin defrauded Victim 2, a charitable organization located in New York, by gaining access to employee email accounts and impersonating employees to induce financial transactions.
Among the acts in furtherance of the fraud scheme, Adejorin registered spoofed domain names, which he used to pose as employees of Victim 2 to request withdrawals of Victim 2’s funds from Victim 1. Adejorin also fraudulently obtained access to email accounts of Victim 1, which he used to send emails falsely confirming the fraudulent requests made in Victim 2’s name. He ultimately caused more than $7.5 million of Victim 2’s funds to be sent, pursuant to the fraudulent withdrawal requests, from Victim 1 to bank accounts that were not Victim 2’s bank accounts.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its work in the investigation along with the FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, Ghana, Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, Republic of Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Police Services – INTERPOL, and National Intelligence Bureau, for their valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the International Cooperation Unit of the Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana to secure Adejorin‘s extradition to the United States. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Darren Gardner, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Nigerian National Sentenced for Laundering $3.1M in Scam ProceedsRead the Press Release
A Nigerian national was sentenced yesterday to 95 months in prison for his role in a money laundering conspiracy involving millions of dollars tied to various fraud schemes — including business email compromise, romance, and unemployment insurance fraud scams — perpetrated against U.S. citizens.
According to court documents, Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 40, of Houston, Texas, led a conspiracy that laundered over $3.1 million in proceeds of various fraud schemes by purchasing used cars with illicit proceeds and then shipping those cars to West Africa. Between approximately May 2020 and October 2021, Baiyewu worked with at least six other co-conspirators in the United States and Nigeria. Using encrypted messaging applications, such as WhatsApp, Baiyewu and his co-conspirators coordinated the receipt and use of illicit money to purchase salvaged cars and then ship them to Nigeria.
In one instance, Baiyewu conspired to launder funds obtained from a business email compromise scheme perpetrated against a Puerto Rican renewable energy company, which was tricked into sending approximately $280,000 by wire to bank accounts controlled by fraudsters and money launderers. Baiyewu then worked with his co-conspirators to launder the Puerto Rican company’s money by paying toward the purchase of cars located in the United States that he arranged to export and ship to Nigeria to benefit the co-conspirators. A federal jury convicted Baiyewu in August 2025 of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, through its Cyber-Enabled Scam Initiative (CSI), works to disrupt and stop cyber-enabled criminal networks that prey on Americans. CSI brings together expert prosecutors from across the Division to accelerate the prosecution of cyber-enabled financial crimes, including investment and crypto scams, government imposter schemes, romance and inheritance scams, financially motivated sextortion, lottery and sweepstakes scams, and other predatory schemes. With nationwide jurisdiction and global reach, CSI leverages every available tool to dismantle criminal operations, pursue bad actors, recover criminal proceeds, and obtain justice for victims. The Criminal Division partners with U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country and is a founding member of the Scam Center Strike Force launched in November 2025 by Jeanine Ferris Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and FBI San Juan Cyber Task Force investigated the case, with assistance from the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force supporting the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force teams.
Trial Attorneys Emily Powers and Richard Greene of the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Linet Olinghouse for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case.
Nigerian Man Extradited to U.S. in Connection with the Financially Motivated Sextortion of Two Victims and Death of a North Carolina TeenagerRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Dan Bishop and FBI Charlotte SAC Reid Davis announced the extradition of Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, age 24, from Nigeria to the United States to face federal charges related to the financially motivated sextortion of two victims and death of a teenager in the Middle District of North Carolina.
Olawale was charged by indictment in August 2023, with offenses relating to sexual exploitation of minors, coercion and enticement of minors, distribution of child pornography, and interstate threatening communications. He appeared in federal court in Greensboro before U.S. Magistrate Judge L. Patrick Auld today.
Olawale was arrested in Nigeria on August 9, 2023, as part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists targeting minors in the United States. He was extradited to the United States on Thursday, August 27, 2026, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Abuja, and FBI Charlotte agents from the Greensboro Resident Agency, who traveled to Nigeria and took him into U.S. custody. The support and assistance of Nigerian security authorities was essential to this effort, notably that of Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“Today’s announcement makes clear that we will not rest in our pursuit of justice for victims of sextortion: Three years after indictment, and almost five years since the offense conduct occurred, the defendant will finally appear in a U.S. court to face the charges against him,” said United States Attorney Bishop. “We are grateful to all the agents, attorneys, and others whose tenacity and steadfast pursuit of justice contributed to the defendant’s extradition.”
“Financially motivated sextortion inflicts lasting harm on victims and their families. These schemes often begin with threats and manipulation, but their impact extends far deeper—causing emotional and psychological devastation. The extradition of this suspect proves the FBI’s commitment to pursue those who exploit vulnerable individuals, wherever they may be, and ensures they are held accountable for the profound and lasting damage they cause,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
This case is being investigated by FBI Charlotte’s Greensboro Resident Agency and the Surry County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann Nee.
This case is a result of Operation Artemis, the FBI’s surge against financially motivated sextortion rings operating from Nigeria. In coordination with domestic and international law enforcement partners, the FBI deployed agents, analysts, and forensic experts to Nigeria to confront perpetrators of these deadly schemes—which have been directly linked to dozens of American teen deaths by suicide.
This same focused, multi-agency approach now drives a broader national effort to dismantle the foreign criminal networks behind sextortion and other predatory schemes. The US Government’s Financially Motivated Sextortion Campaign Team coordinates across agencies, prioritizes victims, and brings every available tool to bear in its fight to bring to justice those who prey on American families.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Nigerian Extradited to the U.S. after being Indicted for Financially-Motivated Sextortion Scheme that Caused Death of a Mississippi TeenagerRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26 years old, of Lagos, Nigeria, has been extradited to the United States from Nigeria to face prosecution in an unsealed indictment for the financially-motivated sextortion of a Mississippi minor, which lead to the victim’s death.
The three-count federal indictment charges Adekunle with the sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, the production of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate threats with intent to extort. He appeared in federal court in Oxford, Mississippi for an initial appearance on August 28, 2026.
Adekunle was arrested in Nigeria in August of 2023, as part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists targeting minors in the United States. He was extradited to the United States on Thursday, August 27, 2026, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Abuja, and FBI agents from the Jackson Resident Agency, who traveled to Nigeria and took him into U.S. custody. The support and assistance of Nigerian security authorities was essential to this effort, notably that of Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Adekunle faces up to life in prison, and mandatory minimum prison sentences on at least two charges. The child exploitation resulting in death count carries a mandatory 30-year prison sentence, if found guilty of that charge.
United States Attorney Scott Leary stated, “Several weeks ago we announced an undercover operation dealing with child exploitation, which resulted in 70 arrests. Unfortunately, here we are again in an unrelated child victimization case. This time a child died. The dedication involved in this case cannot be overstated. This tragedy was immediately investigated by the Mississippi Attorney General, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Starkville Police Department and the FBI. The evidence led agents to Nigeria. Undeterred, the FBI worked with DOJ’s Office of International Affairs for years, and eventually the defendant was extradited from Nigeria to face justice in the United States. We are thankful for the hard work of Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice. Working together, state, federal and international agencies brought us here today.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff stated, “Sextortion is a serious crime with devastating consequences. Its impact on victims and their families is profound and long‑lasting. The extradition of Adekunle sends a clear and unmistakable message: crossing state lines does not erase criminal charges, and international borders do not shield individuals from accountability.”
“Walker Montgomery should be here with us today,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “He should be moving into his dormitory, meeting up with friends, and running to class. That he is not is a tragedy. And it is because of the criminal acts of someone halfway around the world – someone who has been brought back to the United States now to stand trial for his actions. This trial cannot bring back Walker and the Montgomery family will always hurt. But I hope that today they get some closure, and assurances that Walker will get justice.”
The case is being investigated by the FBI Jackson Field Office, the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Section and International Operations Division, and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King.
These cases are a result of Operation Artemis, the FBI’s surge against financially motivated sextortion rings operating from Nigeria. In coordination with domestic and international law for enforcement partners, the FBI deployed agents, analysts, and forensic experts to Nigeria to confront perpetrators of these deadly schemes—directly linked to dozens of American teen deaths by suicide.
This same focused, multi-agency approach now drives a broader national effort to dismantle the foreign criminal networks behind sextortion and other predatory schemes. The US Government's Financially Motivated Sextortion Campaign Team coordinates across agencies, prioritizes victims, and brings every available tool to bear in its fight to bring to justice those who prey on American families.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If someone you know is being victimized by sextortion, please report to local law enforcement and to the FBI. Learn more about sextortion and find resources for parents, caregivers, and teachers.
New York Woman Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Luxury Watches Imported from ChinaRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that SI MAN LAM, 43, of Brooklyn, New York, has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging her with offenses related to her trafficking counterfeit luxury and designer brand watches imported from China.
As alleged in court documents, between April 2020 to July 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 74 parcels addressed to the Waterbury residence of Izedin Kimca, or his aliases, that contained counterfeit luxury watches, including counterfeit Rolex, Audemars, and Panerai watches, having a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $16 million had the watches been authentic. In addition, between February 2021 to April 2022, CBP seized approximately 22 parcels addressed to the Worcester, Massachusetts residence of Denis and Klevis Nako that contained counterfeit luxury watches, including counterfeit Rolex and Cartier watches, having a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $3 million had the watches been authentic. Between February and June 2021, CBP seized seven packages that were addressed to Lam’s New York residences and contained approximately 378 counterfeit Rolex, Cartier, and other luxury watches having a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of approximately $6.4 million.
It is further alleged that Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako operated various websites, Instagram pages, and Facebook pages through which they advertised and sold counterfeit luxury watches that they had imported from China. During the investigation, law enforcement made multiple undercover transactions in which they purchased counterfeit Rolex watches from several of the Instagram accounts for approximately $200 to $300 per watch. The proceeds of the sales were deposited into bank accounts belonging to or connected to Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako. Between January 2021 and April 2024, more than $800,000 in funds were transferred from these accounts to Lam. Investigators identified Lam as the individual who was responsible for shipping the watches that were purchased over Instagram, including several of the watches purchased during the undercover investigation.
Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako were arrested on April 3, 2024. It is alleged that, on April 5, 2024, law enforcement agents interviewed Lam at JFK Airport after she arrived from a trip to Hong Kong. Lam claimed that she worked as a home health care aid and denied having knowledge of the importation and sale of counterfeit goods. Working with others, Lam continued to sell and ship numerous counterfeit watches until approximately May 2026. Analysis of bank accounts associated with Lam revealed that between December 2020 and October 2025, she made more than $2.7 million in payments to freight forwarding companies.
Lam was arrested on August 26, 2026. On that date, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of her residence and seized approximately $900,000 in cash. She subsequently appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
The complaint charges Lam with trafficking in and conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods and services, offenses that carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako pleaded guilty to related charges. Klevis Nako has been sentenced, and Kimca and Denis Nako await sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New Haven Police Department, the Watertown Police Department, and the New York Police Department have assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Shan Patel.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 360 Months for Engaging in Nationwide “Sextortion” Scheme That Victimized Children as Young as Seven Years OldRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that COLE DIGGS (a/k/a Kevon Godson) (“DIGGS”), age 32, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on August 27, 2026, to 360 months of imprisonment by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe after previously pleading guilty to producing files depicting the sexual exploitation of children, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2251(a). Judge Ashe also sentenced DIGGS to a 15-year period of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, registration as a sex offender, and the payment of restitution to all of his victims.
According to court documents, on numerous instances between November 2021 and December 2022, DIGGS engaged in a scheme to obtain sexually explicit depictions of at least six minors he met via a multimedia instant messaging application that allowed users to exchange pictures and videos. The identified victims varied between the ages of seven years old and fifteen years old. In each case, DIGGS sought and obtained the sexually explicit depictions of minors by utilizing a “sextortion” scheme. In this scheme, DIGGS claimed to be a minor, sent minor victims sexually explicit depictions of adults, engaged in sexually charged communications, directed the minors on how to pose and perform when taking sexually explicit depictions, and, when the minors expressed reluctance to continue sending sexually explicit depictions, DIGGS extorted the minors to comply with his demands. Additionally, DIGGS offered to purchase, and did in fact purchase, offered to trade, and did in fact trade, sexually explicit depictions of minors, including some of those he received via his extortionate scheme, on multiple occasions.
“Today’s sentence removes a dangerous, anti-social predator from our community,” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. “DIGGS’ cruelly manipulative crimes against children, as young as seven years old, deserved this significant sentence. The youthful innocence, forever stolen from these children, breaks our hearts and triggers our society’s worst fears. Nevertheless, strengthened by the single-minded commitment of both our office, and FBI - New Orleans, to identify, locate, and bring to justice those who prey on our children, we hope to bring security, peace and closure to these victims and their families.”
“Mr. Digg's disgusting actions impacted families across this country,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office.” “The sentence imposed today should serve as a warning for anybody who thinks they are going to coerce and abuse children and get away with it. The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office stand ready to find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Muskego Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 26, 2026, Justin D. Kagerbauer (age 47) of Muskego, Wisconsin, was sentenced to a total of eight years in federal prison.
Kagerbauer pled guilty to two federal felonies: (1) attempted interstate or foreign travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b); and (2) distribution of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A).
According to court documents, from March 2025 through late November 2025, Kagerbauer communicated with an individual in the United Kingdom (“UK”), expressing an intent to travel to the UK to sexually assault a nine-year-old female child. During his online communications, Kagerbauer also distributed a video depicting CSAM (child sexual abuse material). Unbeknownst to Kagerbauer, the individual with whom he was communicating was actually an undercover law enforcement agent.
Following his term of imprisonment, Kagerbauer will also spend five years on supervised release.
“We are blessed that there are highly skilled and tenacious law enforcement agents and prosecutors who work to catch child sex offenders, sometimes, as in this case, before they get their hands on a child,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Schimel. “We have no higher priority than protecting children, and I’m proud of our law enforcement who work tirelessly to catch and convict these dangerous predators.”
“This case demonstrates exactly why HSI aggressively pursues child predators across international borders and online platforms,” said Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “Kagerbauer believed he was making arrangements to sexually assault a nine-year-old child, but instead he was exposed by skilled law enforcement work and brought to justice. Today’s outcome underscores HSI’s commitment to target predators and protect vulnerable children.”
This case was investigated by law enforcement in the United Kingdom and Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Morris County Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing and Storing Explosives and Explosive MaterialsRead the Press Release
Newark, N.J. – A Morris County man was charged with unlawfully possessing and storing explosives and explosive materials in Morris County, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Joseph Rizos, 37, of Denville, New Jersey is charged by complaint with one count of unlawful receipt of explosive materials; one count of unlawful storage of explosive material; and one count of unlawful possession of plastic explosives without a detection agent. Rizos had an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on August 26, 2026, and was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between in or around April 2020 through in or around June 2026, Rizos purchased and received various explosive materials and other items, including fuels, fuses, precursor chemicals, and laboratory equipment from various online retailers which he illegally stored at his personal residence located in Denville, New Jersey.
Further, on or about June 24, 2026, law enforcement searched Rizos’s residence and recovered from his bedroom, basement and garage a sophisticated home laboratory and laboratory equipment, numerous detailed receipts to manufacture multiple types of explosives, and a wide variety of suspected industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals that can be utilized to manufacture explosives. Additionally, law enforcement also recovered from Rizos’s bedroom various containers of suspected explosives.
Counts 1 and 3 of the Complaint each carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Count 2 of the Complaint carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 1 year, and a maximum fine of $100,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Joint Terrorism Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle; the Morris County Sherrif’s Office, under the direction of James M. Gannon; and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Smith and Vincent D. Romano of the Office’s National Security Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Brian J. Neary, Esq.
Monroe Duck Hunter Convicted by Federal Jury of Assaulting Federal Fish and Wildlife AgentsRead the Press Release
MONROE – On August 26, 2026, following a three-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty, a federal jury found Carson McKoin, 23, of Monroe, guilty of assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal wildlife agents. McKoin faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2026.
“Louisiana, long known as ‘Sportsman’s Paradise,’ is blessed with one of the richest outdoor traditions in the country,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “But that tradition only succeeds when hunters exercise due care and responsibility with firearms. Reckless actions put lives at risk and are taken very seriously.”
According to evidence presented at trial, McKoin was hunting with a group of young men on January 19, 2024, when he believed other hunters were encroaching on the duck hole his group claimed. Hearing a boat approaching, McKoin fired a shot toward what he thought were incoming hunters. The individuals approaching were actually federal fish and wildlife agents performing their official duties. When confronted, McKoin admitted firing the shot but claimed it was simply a “signal shot,” a statement at odds with the agents’ belief that he had intentionally fired at them.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Division of Refuge Law Enforcement (USFWS-DRLE), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Vermaelen, William Gaskins, and Robert Moody, with assistance from Legal Assistant Stephanie Stewart.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 25-cr-00025.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs: USALAW-News@usdoj.gov
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
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(337) 262-6704Modesto Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury on Thursday returned an indictment against Luis Antonio Perez Sigala, 29, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in August 2026, Sigala possessed a black Makarov handgun and 10 rounds of .380-caliber ammunition. Sigala is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office and the Stanislaus County Probation Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Langston is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Sigala faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is also part of the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney program, a partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local District Attorney’s Offices. These attorneys remain employed by the District Attorney’s Offices but work on federal investigations and can prosecute cases in both state and federal court, strengthening efforts to combat transnational organized crime and violent crime in the region. Currently, the District Attorney’s Offices of Fresno, Sacramento, Stanislaus, and Yolo Counties are participating. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Langston serves as a Deputy District Attorney in Stanislaus County.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Mobile County Man Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Horatio Tremaine Washington was sentenced on August 18, 2026, by United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer to 60 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl.
Court documents show that on September 9, 2022, Mobile Police Department officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Mobile. The search warrant resulted in the seizure of items to include a large quantity of Marijuana, Fentanyl pills, Oxycodone pills, THC gummies, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, two digital scales, packaging for drugs, $7,493 in US currency, a money counter, three firearms and a pill press. Following his term of incarceration, Washington will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mobile Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys George F. May and Justin D. Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and other federal and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Midlands Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Role in a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. - William Larry Javis, Jr., 46, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Evidence gathered during the investigation showed that, beginning in 2023, members of the organization distributed kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and marijuana throughout the Columbia and Lexington County areas. Investigators identified Javis as one of the organization’s leaders. He managed two stash houses, as well as hotel rooms on occasion, to store and distribute narcotics.
The investigation further revealed that Javis, despite being a convicted felon, possessed multiple firearms and facilitated their sale. At sentencing, he was held responsible for distributing more than 19,000 grams of methamphetamine, 8,000 grams of cocaine, 172 grams of marijuana, and 34 grams of fentanyl between September 2023 and January 2025.
Javis has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base. He also has previous convictions for failure to stop for blue lights, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. At the time of the conspiracy, Javis was on probation for a prior drug conviction.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Javis to 240 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 10-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the City of Columbia Police Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.###
Members of Great Falls meth trafficking ring sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Four defendants involved in a widespread methamphetamine trafficking operation were sentenced to prison this week, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
The four were linked to an organization run out of Great Falls by Dan Wakeford, Melissa Barone, and Mike Wakeford. In 2024, investigators arrested Barone and the Wakefords for trafficking, and seized over 100 pounds of meth and an illegal firearm in an Arizona storage unit.
In 2025, Dan Wakeford and Barone were sentenced to 20 years in prison, and Mike Wakeford was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Sentenced this week after pleading guilty to trafficking charges were:
- Jonathan James Henderson, seven years and 10 months
- Levi Jerome Dabler, three years and eight months
- Patrick James Wright, two years and six months
- Stephanie Lee Hurd, three years and six months
Earlier this year, Travis Edward Dabler was sentenced to four years and 10 months, and Charles Nichols Williams was sentenced to three years and seven months.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
“This announcement underscores the ongoing threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that continue to move significant quantities of illicit drugs into Montana,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Cesar Avila. “Through coordinated investigations and interagency partnerships, law enforcement has disrupted these networks and seized substantial amounts of methamphetamine intended for distribution in our communities. We remain committed to protecting Montanans by targeting the organizations responsible and reducing the flow of these dangerous drugs into our state.”
The government alleged in court documents that during the Wakeford investigation in 2024, Henderson was identified as an associate of the trafficking organization. Agents used an informant to purchase meth from him and then used a similar setup on Levi Dabler. Agents also sent an informant to buy meth from Hurd. Henderson and Dabler pleaded guilty in March 2026 to meth trafficking charges. Hurd pleaded guilty to a meth distribution charge in February 2026.
Around the same time law enforcement learned that Wright had purchased meth and had connected at least one person with a supplier. He was pulled over in March 2025 and officers found meth and drug paraphernalia in his car. He pleaded guilty in February 2026 to possession with intent to distribute.
“The defendants brought methamphetamine into our tribal communities, putting lives at risk, fueling violence, and causing lasting harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “The sentencings are about accountability, but our work does not stop here. The FBI will continue working side-by-side with our tribal, federal, state and local partners to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect the communities we serve.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Russell Country Drug Task Force.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Montana comprises agents and officers from the DEA, FBI, ATF, HSI, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, the Great Falls Police Department, and the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
Man Sentenced for Role in Conspiracy with Annandale-Based Doctor to Illegally Distribute Promethazine-CodeineRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – An Alabama man, who conspired with Dr. Rotimi Adegoke Illuyomade and others to illegally distribute promethazine-codeine solution, was sentenced today to one year of probation.
Cameron Zackery Brown pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a Schedule V controlled substance, promethazine-codeine solution, also known as “lean” and “purple drank.”
“Doctors who violate their professional duty and betray the public trust to illegally distribute controlled substances will be held accountable in the Western District of Virginia,” First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “I with to thank The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Virginia State Police, Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Salisbury, Maryland Police Department, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Police, HHS-OIG, and the Food and Drug Administration for their assistance on this case.”
According to court documents, between 2023 and 2024, Brown, Dr. Illuyomade, Raymono Russell, Yared Tesfaye, Kenechukwu Okwara, Cameron Lewis, Zion Adeduwon, and others, conspired to acquire and distribute promethazine-codeine solution by fraud.
Specifically, Brown served as a driver for co-conspirators Okwara and Lewis, whom he knew from high school. Brown drove Okwara and Lewis to Dr. Illuyomade’s office, Crossover Medical Center in Annandale, Virginia, and to pharmacies in multiple states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, for the purpose of filling illegal promethazine-codeine solution prescriptions. In exchange for driving, Brown received cash payments and/or CashApp, Apple Pay, or Zelle money transfers.
The investigation began on September 2, 2023, when co-conspirator Raymono Russell attempted to pick up a fraudulent promethazine-codeine solution prescription transmitted by Dr. Illuyomade at a pharmacy in Honaker, Virginia. Russell was arrested and a search of his vehicle revealed multiple controlled substance prescription bottles in various ‘patient’ names, all from Dr. Iluyomade, filled at pharmacies in Roanoke, Radford, Tazewell, and Floyd, Virginia.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Virginia State Police, Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Salisbury, Maryland Police Department, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Police, HHS-OIG, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena Busscher and Randy Ramseyer are prosecuting the case.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci, Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge DEA Washington Division, and Darren B. Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
Lorain County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse Related Charges, Including Driving Out of State to Sexually Exploit a MinorRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 47-year-old man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of sending, receiving, and possessing Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM), and to coercing a 13-year-old girl to meet him for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Michael Neville, of Elyria, Ohio, pleaded guilty to five counts in a superseding indictment, those being:
- Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
- Possession of Child Pornography
- Interstate Travel to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct
- Sexual Exploitation of Children
- Receipt of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
District Judge Charles Esque Fleming accepted Neville’s plea Aug. 26.
According to court documents and evidence presented to the judge, from about Jan. 23, 2024, to Sept. 21, 2025, Neville sent numerous sexually explicit communications to an undercover agent purporting to be the father of a 9-year-old girl, using a social media messaging application. The messages were largely focused on the defendant’s sexual interest in children. Federal agents executed a search warrant and seized Neville’s electronic devices. Forensic analysis of Neville’s devices found that they contained CSAM of pre-pubescent children, and that he sent CSAM material involving the sadistic abuse of an infant to others.
During the investigation, agents also discovered that Neville was communicating with a 13-year-old girl online for about a year. They learned that in August 2021, Neville drove more than 700 miles from Ohio to Massachusetts to meet with the 13-year-old he was messaging online. Once there, he met with the girl and took her to a hotel where he proceeded to coerce her to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Investigators also learned that Neville solicited sexually explicit images from a second minor victim.
Neville is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 10, 2026. He faces maximum prison sentences of 20 years for counts 1, 2, and 5, and a maximum of 30 years for counts 3 and 4.
A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Kane for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Lawrence County meth dealer sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced a Lawrence County man to a total of 210 months of federal imprisonment for possessing and distributing methamphetamine in Lawrence and Richland Counties and unlawfully possessing several firearms.
David Royse, 47, of Sumner, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Royse’s federal sentence will run concurrent with any term of imprisonment ordered in Royse’s pending state cases in Lawrence County and Richland County. Following imprisonment, he will serve ten years of supervised release.
“Armed drug dealers face a certain future in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “FBI data show 2025 produced the largest year-to-year drop in the violent crime rate since national estimates began in 1936. That is no coincidence. Aggressive enforcement works.”
According to court documents, Royse possessed at least 50 grams of meth in February 2023 and sold meth on three occasions in March, May, and October 2025. During this time, Royse possessed multiple firearms despite having a prior felony conviction for methamphetamine production. Royse consented to the forfeiture of the firearms.
Royse was arrested in November 2025 and will remain in custody. The judge also ordered Royse to pay a $500 fine.
Bridgeport Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Olney Police Department, Illinois State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
Law Enforcement Officers Honored for Investigations Related to Foreign Acts of Violence and Deadly Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, recognized the recipients of the 2026 Guardian of Justice Award, which honored several local and federal law enforcement officers for their work on significant investigations within the district.
The award recipients were honored during the 24th Annual Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee Training Seminar in Springfield, Mo. The prestigious law enforcement award is presented annually by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee.
“I commend the agents and law enforcement officers whose dedication and investigative efforts helped bring many dangerous individuals to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Price. “Their work has made our communities safer and serves as an important reminder that collaboration and cooperation are critical to our shared mission of protecting the communities we serve.”
Material Support to Cameroon Separatists CaseSpecial Agent Jake Green with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kansas City Field Office, received this year’s Guardian of Justice Award for his exemplary work in helping the Western District of Missouri obtain its first ever trial conviction for providing material support to commit various acts of violence abroad.
Green’s work resulted in the successful conviction of three men who provided material support to separatists in Cameroon. Francis Chenyi, Sr., 52, of Saint Paul, Minn. and Lah Nestor Langmi, 49, of Buffalo, N.Y., both citizens of Cameroon, were sentenced to 180 months each in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Claude Ngenevu Chi, 43, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to 63 months, followed by three years of supervised release. All three men were involved in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to kill, kidnap, and maim persons and use weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in a foreign country. The defendants conspired to provide funds and equipment to separatist fighters in Cameroon to allow them to construct and use IEDs against various targets in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
SA Green provided countless hours of diligent, professional, and useful collaboration with the trial team. For example, SA Green worked with the Assistant U.S. Attorneys on the case by traveling out of state to speak with the victims prior to trial about the possibility of testifying. SA Green also worked with the AUSAs for months to identify useful electronic evidence, which was both voluminous and difficult to sift through due to the older document management system in which it was previously uploaded.
Tiger Draggoo Fentanyl Distribution Case
The second Guardian of Justice Award was presented to the law enforcement and legal team responsible for the successful conviction of drug distributor Tiger Draggoo, who was responsible for three fentanyl overdose deaths in the district.
The recipients were:
Detective Jennifer Maynard, Jackson County Drug Task Force/Lee’s Summit Police Department; Detective Mike Murphy, Grandview, Missouri Police Department/formerly Jackson County Drug Task Force; Detective Jeff Richardson, Belton, Missouri Police Department; Corporal Tony Sterner, Cass County Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Tim Phipps, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Special Agent Tim Flohrschutz, Federal Bureau of Investigation Kansas City Field Office; and Scott Hamann, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri, Financial Investigator.
Tiger Draggoo, 26, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to 40 years in prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and three counts of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The victims were ages 17, 18, and 21. In addition, the Court ordered the forfeiture of $146,066 that was seized at the time of his arrest, imposition of a money judgment in the amount of $611,698, and restitution to the victims’ families in the total amount of $65,937.20. At his guilty plea, Draggoo admitted to distributing or possessing with intent to distribute at least 22,364 fentanyl pills. Law enforcement seized 23 firearms from Draggoo, which included two machineguns and one short-barreled shotgun. In addition to Draggoo, seven other defendants pleaded guilty to this conspiracy.
2026 Enoch B. Morelock Award
Detective Steve Cook of the Independence, Missouri Police Department was the recipient of the 2026 Enoch B. Morelock Award, which celebrates outstanding moral character as well as service to law enforcement and the community.
Detective Cook has been employed with the Independence Missouri Police Department since 1993 and has more than 30 years of criminal investigations experience to include assignments at the Jackson County Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration’s Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Gang Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force. In these capacities, Detective Cook has been a leading force in the prosecution of over 1000 defendants at the state and federal level.
In 1999, Detective Cook’s initiation into federal prosecution requiring jury determination was in the matter of United States v. Mark P. Clayton, a clandestine laboratory methamphetamine manufacturing case which resulted in the defendant receiving a 241-month sentence.
Detective Cook also prepared and presented more than 40 of the approximately 180 cases for federal prosecution involving the illegal use/possession of firearms, the distribution of controlled substances and the victimization of women and children during the Western District of Missouri’s, Operation Red Card, which commenced just before the FIFA World Cup Soccer Games in Kansas City, Mo.
Additionally, Detective Cook is considered a subject matter expert in the area of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMG) and provides OMG training to law enforcement around the world.Guardian of Justice Award
The annual Guardian of Justice Award recognizes a state or local officer as well as a federal agent for investigative excellence, selfless collaboration, tireless trial support, commendable diligence and professionalism, and noteworthy assistance to prosecution. The prestigious law enforcement award is presented by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee each year during the law enforcement training seminar.
Kentucky Woman Indicted on Two Counts for Vandalizing National Mall’s World War II Memorial in D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was returned yesterday charging Melissa Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with two federal counts related to vandalizing the World War II Memorial on the National Mall on August 13, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“The World War II Memorial stands as a lasting tribute to the courage of 16 million Americans who served during World War II and the ultimate sacrifice of the 405,399 who gave their lives defending our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. Defacing it is an affront to their service and sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We will use every tool available under federal law to ensure this conduct is met with justice.”
On August 27, 2026, a grand jury in U.S. District Court returned an indictment charging Farris with one count of Destruction of Veterans’ Memorial and one count of Destruction of Government Property. A court hearing is scheduled for September 3, 2026.
According to the criminal complaint filed on August 14, U.S. Park Police were called about 2 p.m. on August 13 for a report of a disorderly person. A witness told officers that they had observed a woman spray painting graffiti on portions of the Atlantic Theatre Pavilion of the World War II Memorial at the eastern end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
A United States Park Ranger arrived at the scene and observed foam in the fountain area of the Atlantic pavilion. Multiple people were gathered around the balcony watching a woman shooting video of herself. The woman fled when she became aware of the Ranger’s presence.
Orange-colored paint had been sprayed onto the wall with the words: “Clean Hands Dirty $.” Additionally, green-colored paint was also sprayed onto the wall just under the orange spray paint, and pink-colored paint was splattered on the ground. In a trash can near the north entrance of the balcony, law enforcement recovered a white sign with painted letters. The paint used on the sign appeared to match the paint that was used to vandalize the northern entrance balcony.
A witness had taken a photo of the woman defacing the Memorial. One U.S. Park Police officer recognized her as someone police had arrested on August 10 for unlawfully camping on federal property near 18th Street NW and Virginia Ave. NW, just a few blocks away from the World War II Memorial.
On August 10, as she was being arrested by Park Police, she live streamed the event over her Facebook and Instagram social media accounts on which she identified herself as “Melissa Lovewell.”
In a review of Farris’s public social media accounts, investigators discovered that she had recorded multiple livestream videos on August 13. In one recorded video, she allegedly admitted to damaging the World War II Memorial.
Before Farris defaced the World War II Memorial, she had allegedly recorded and posted a video in which she stated, “I am cognitively aware and executively (sic) of the choices I am making and I am doing so to push my whistleblower case into the courtroom . . . someone has to make choices that are different and I am accountable for my actions. I am going to make these choices today and I will step foot into the courtroom, and I will wait to be arrested . . . I am accountable for the things that I do and the choices that I make and our government needs to be accountable for their choices too.”
The Memorial honors the 16 million American service members who served during World War II, the millions more who supported the war effort from the home front, and the 405,399 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war. The Memorial contains two main pavilions, the Atlantic and Pacific pavilions, named for the two main theaters of the war. Over four million tourists pay their respect at the memorial annually.
Charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Justice Department Files a Statement of Interest in Support of the Primary Aluminum Smelter Project in Inola, OklahomaRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) filed a statement of interest in a lawsuit brought by the Oklahoma Attorney General, expressing support for the construction of a primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma.
ENRD’s filing concerns a case where the Oklahoma Attorney General has sued Century Aluminum Company and Aluminum Oklahoma, alleging environmental violations under state nuisance laws. Plaintiff’s allegations concern the federal Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, which require environmental permits for the construction and operation of the primary aluminum smelter. Instead of allowing review of these environmental permits in the first instances, the Oklahoma Attorney General seeks to enjoin construction through this premature lawsuit, threatening vital materials critical to our nation’s defense.
“This project advances national and economic security by reducing the country’s reliance on foreign sources of materials critical to the national defense,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “The Department of Justice is committed to supporting military readiness and opposing litigation that subverts environmental regulatory processes established by Congress.”
President Donald J. Trump’s recently issued executive order Further Strengthening Actions Taken to Adjust Imports of Aluminum into the United States, recognizing that the quantities of aluminum imported into the United States threaten to impair our national security. Domestic production and supply of primary aluminum is imperative in producing an irreplaceable strategic material that is indispensable to our modern defense manufacturing. The Department of War requires primary aluminum for aerospace and air dominance, ground combat vehicles, naval systems, missiles, and space programs. However, the United States now represents less than 1 percent of the global primary aluminum production. As a result, China, the leading global producer of primary aluminum, has sought to leverage its position in primary aluminum production to gain advantage over the United States.
As outlined in ENRD’s statement of interest, the primary aluminum smelter in Inola is the nearest-term solution in combating this national security risk. Once completed, the smelter would be the first constructed in the United States in over 40 years and would rank as the largest primary aluminum production facility in the United States, more than doubling the nation’s output. The Department of Energy recently awarded $500 million in support of this project, recognizing its importance in increasing domestic production of primary aluminum while avoiding an estimated 75 percent of emissions from a traditional smelter. A delay in construction would place the United States at risk of foreign reliance and severely limits our ability to produce the armor, aircraft, and munitions required for national defense.
The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act provide the appropriate mechanism to address environmental concerns raised by the Oklahoma Attorney General. In its filing, ENRD asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma to dismiss the lawsuit, which would otherwise stop construction of the primary aluminum smelter and threaten America’s security by denying access to this critical material necessary for military readiness.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Defense Section are handling this matter.
International Shipping Companies Sentenced to Pay $1.75 Million Fine for Concealing Discharges of Oily Waste into OceanRead the Press Release
A vessel operating company pleaded guilty today in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to charges stemming from the discharge of oily waste into the sea. MSC Shipmanagement Limited, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) for conduct that occurred on the motor vessel MSC Samira III between June 2024 and January 2025. The vessel’s owner, Hong Kong Spirit Shipping and Trading Limited, also pleaded guilty to two counts of violating APPS. Both companies were sentenced to pay a combined fine of $1.75 million and serve four years of probation. Second Engineer Mikhail Tsurikov previously pleaded guilty to violating APPS and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10.
“Foreign vessels that enter the ports of the United States and present false documents undermine our efforts to preserve our environment and enforce the law,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We will vigorously protect the integrity of our port state control system against actors who put profit over compliance with the law.”
“These companies repeatedly cut corners and covered it up, befouling the marine environment,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Their violations evidence both a disdain for our country’s laws and a clear case of greed. Shippers who illegally discharge pollutants and doctor their records will be prosecuted and held accountable.”
“Deliberately concealing illegal discharges puts our marine environment at risk and undermines the domestic and international regulatory frameworks designed to keep our waterways safe,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Roberto Rivera, captain of the port and commander of Sector Delaware Bay. “The Coast Guard remains committed to working with our federal partners to hold operators accountable when they violate the laws that protect our oceans.”
“The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) possesses unique statutory authorities and specialized investigative capabilities purpose-built to address complex criminal conduct in the maritime environment,” said CGIS Assistant Special Agent in Charge Javiel Gonzalez. “When maritime operators engage in criminal deception, falsify official records, and attempt to circumvent federal oversight, CGIS special agents have the technical expertise and jurisdiction to uncover the truth and hold perpetrators accountable. This case underscores our unwavering commitment to maintaining the integrity of our waterways and enforcing the rule of law across the maritime domain.”
Between June and September 2024, senior officers in the engine department of the MSC Samira III instructed lower-level crew members to pump oily bilge water from the vessel’s bilge holding tank to the sewage holding tank using portable pumps and hoses. The crew members then discharged the oily bilge water into the sea using the sewage holding tank’s overboard discharge valve. In doing so, they bypassed the oil water separator, a piece of pollution prevention equipment that is designed to prevent the discharge of oily bilge water containing more than 15 parts per million of oil into the sea.
Such exceptional discharges of oil are required by U.S. and international law to be recorded in a ship’s oil record book, but the officers in charge of these operations failed to do so. In addition to these discharges of oily waste from the vessel’s sewage holding tank, on several occasions between September 2024 and January 2025, senior engine department crew members also tricked the oil water separator by running fresh water instead of oily bilge water through the equipment’s oil content monitor. Doing so allowed them to discharge oily bilge water directly into the sea through the oil water separator. These discharges were also not accurately recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law.
In January 2025, the MSC Samira III made two separate calls in the Port of Philadelphia, where its crew presented the false oil record book to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Lauren Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angella Middleton and Anthony Scicchitano for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.
International Shipping Companies Sentenced to Pay $1.75 Million Fine for Concealing Discharges of Oily Waste into OceanRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA — United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that a vessel operating company pleaded guilty today to charges stemming from the discharge of oily waste into the sea. MSC Shipmanagement Limited, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (“APPS”) for conduct that occurred on the motor vessel MSC Samira III between June 2024 and January 2025. The vessel’s owner, Hong Kong Spirit Shipping and Trading Limited, also pleaded guilty to two counts of violating APPS. Both companies were sentenced to pay a combined fine of $1.75 million and serve four years of probation. Second Engineer Mikhail Tsurikov previously pleaded guilty to violating APPS and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10.
“These companies repeatedly cut corners and covered it up, befouling the marine environment,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Their violations evidence both a disdain for our country’s laws and a clear case of greed. Shippers who illegally discharge pollutants and doctor their records will be prosecuted and held accountable.”
“Foreign vessels that enter the ports of the United States and present false documents undermine our efforts to preserve our environment and enforce the law,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (“ENRD”). “We will vigorously protect the integrity of our port state control system against actors who put profit over compliance with the law.”
“Deliberately concealing illegal discharges puts our marine environment at risk and undermines the domestic and international regulatory frameworks designed to keep our waterways safe,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Roberto Rivera, captain of the port and commander of Sector Delaware Bay. “The Coast Guard remains committed to working with our federal partners to hold operators accountable when they violate the laws that protect our oceans.”
“The Coast Guard Investigative Service (“CGIS”) possesses unique statutory authorities and specialized investigative capabilities purpose-built to address complex criminal conduct in the maritime environment,” said CGIS Assistant Special Agent in Charge Javiel Gonzalez. “When maritime operators engage in criminal deception, falsify official records, and attempt to circumvent federal oversight, CGIS special agents have the technical expertise and jurisdiction to uncover the truth and hold perpetrators accountable. This case underscores our unwavering commitment to maintaining the integrity of our waterways and enforcing the rule of law across the maritime domain.”
Between June and September 2024, senior officers in the engine department of the MSC Samira III instructed lower-level crew members to pump oily bilge water from the vessel’s bilge holding tank to the sewage holding tank using portable pumps and hoses. The crew members then discharged the oily bilge water into the sea using the sewage holding tank’s overboard discharge valve. In doing so, they bypassed the oil water separator, a piece of pollution prevention equipment that is designed to prevent the discharge of oily bilge water containing more than 15 parts per million of oil into the sea.
Such exceptional discharges of oil are required by U.S. and international law to be recorded in a ship’s oil record book, but the officers in charge of these operations failed to do so. In addition to these discharges of oily waste from the vessel’s sewage holding tank, on several occasions between September 2024 and January 2025, senior engine department crew members also tricked the oil water separator by running fresh water instead of oily bilge water through the equipment’s oil content monitor. Doing so allowed them to discharge oily bilge water directly into the sea through the oil water separator. These discharges were also not accurately recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law.
In January 2025, the MSC Samira III made two separate calls in the Port of Philadelphia, where its crew presented the false oil record book to the U.S. Coast Guard.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Angella Middleton and Anthony Scicchitano and Trial Attorney Lauren Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section.
Indiana Man Charged with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Child Following Undercover InvestigationRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 25, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Christopher L. Guinn (age 50), of South Bend, Indiana, with attempted sexual exploitation of a child.
According to the indictment and the underlying criminal complaint, Guinn engaged in online communications with an undercover law enforcement officer whom he believed to be a 12-year-old girl. During these communications, Guinn sent the undercover officer multiple sexually explicit videos and solicited sexually explicit images and videos in return. The investigation further determined that Guinn possessed child sexual abuse material and has attempted to sexually exploit multiple minors across the United States.
Guinn was arrested in South Bend on August 5, 2026, and was ordered detained by a Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of Indiana. He is currently being transported to the Eastern District of Wisconsin to face the federal charge. The offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Green Bay Resident Office, the Wisconsin Department of Justice ICAC Task Force, the St. Joseph’s County Sheriff’s Office, the Indiana State Police ICAC Task Force, the United States Marshals Service – Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Illegal aliens plead guilty to having fake Green CardsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two illegal aliens pleaded guilty to having federal immigration documents that were forgeries with information assigned to other people.
According to court documents, Santos Ramirez-Ramirez, 38, of Guatemala pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
Yolanda Mendoza-Emiliano, 32, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
On May 28, 2026, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal criminal search warrant at a house on South 16th Street in Kansas City, Kansas. Although agents repeatedly gave lawful orders in Spanish for the occupants to come out of the house, no one exited until agents went in through the back door.
Agents arrested Ramirez-Ramirez and Mendoza-Emiliano after finding counterfeit Lawful Permanent Resident cards, also known as Green Cards, and falsified Social Security cards.
Photos Source: Homeland Security InvestigationsThey had Green Cards with their names and photos, but with alien file numbers that belong to other people. The falsified Social Security cards had numbers that are invalid.
“Falsified federal documents often include information that belongs to an actual person,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Victims can have their lives turned upside down with the IRS, creditors, and other entities seeking money they don’t actually owe but are asked to pay because criminals are securing jobs, renting homes, and opening lines of credit using their information.”
“Counterfeit immigration documents are not harmless pieces of paper. They are tools used to undermine the integrity of our immigration system, conceal identities, and enable individuals to remain in the United States unlawfully,” said Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini. “HSI will aggressively investigate document fraud and work relentlessly with our federal partners to hold offenders accountable.”
Records show in April 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents in Arizona arrested Mendoza-Emiliano four separate times in a 10-day period for illegally entering the country. The first time she was detained, she was fingerprinted. In that instance, and each subsequent time she was allowed to voluntarily return to Mexico.
A third defendant was indicted in connection with this case for allegedly having false documentation, and those charges are still pending.
Agents arrested three other defendants at the house who were indicted for unlawful reentry after deportation. Returning to the U.S. without permission after deportation is a federal criminal offense.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the cases.
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Illegal alien living in Irving sentenced to federal prison as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An illegal alien has been sentenced to federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose Guadalupe Lopez-Arana, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and aiding and abetting and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on August 27, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in 2023, Lopez-Arana, a Mexican national illegally living in Irving, was identified during an investigation into activities associated with a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Lopez-Arana was specifically responsible for receiving and delivering proceeds from the drug trafficking organization to conceal the illegal activity. Lopez-Arana laundered between $150,000 and $250,000 in U.S. currency.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Wes Wynne.
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Illegal alien accused of having forged immigration documentsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN.– A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging an illegal alien from Nicaragua for having forged government documents.
According to court documents, Rolando Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 33, was indicted on one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
Gonzalez-Gonzalez is accused of having a counterfeit permanent resident card that allegedly had his name and an invalid alien file number.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Alonzo Jerome Boyd Jr, 24, of Topeka was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Edwin Josue Franco-Amaya, 30, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Jose M. Patricio, 29, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Illegal Aliens Face Federal Drug Trafficking Charges After Union City Meth Lab BustRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - David Miranda Gomez and Robert Gomez Garcia, both illegal aliens from Mexico, face federal drug distribution charges after a search of their Union City home resulted in the discovery of a methamphetamine laboratory and seizure of over 240 pounds of solid and liquid methamphetamine.
“These illegal aliens were allegedly concocting massive amounts of methamphetamine in the cul-de-sac of a neighborhood and intended to distribute their deadly drugs in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to the unwavering work of our law enforcement partner, Gomez and Garcia are in custody, their meth lab has been shut down, and the public is safer.”
“This case demonstrates the lengths drug traffickers will go to conceal their criminal activity and evade law enforcement,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The defendants used a different method of concealment in an effort to thwart detection, but our investigators remained persistent and uncovered the operation. We will continue to pursue those who manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and hold them accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On August 25, 2026, after previously observing Garcia allegedly sell nearly four and a half pounds of methamphetamine in the parking lot of a shopping plaza, DEA agents executed a search warrant at a Union City, Georgia residence occupied by Gomez and Garcia. Upon entry, agents discovered that multiple rooms of the home had been equipped with propane burners, large pots, electric fans, plastic sheeting, resealable bags, and other items used to convert and manufacture methamphetamine. Agents found large amounts of liquid and crystal methamphetamine on both floors and various painted trinkets, which allegedly contained liquid methamphetamine. In total, agents seized approximately 240 pounds of crystal and liquid methamphetamine, thousands of dollars of cash, and an AR-style pistol.
David Miranda Gomez, 34, and Robert Gomez Garcia, 33, both of Mexico, appeared in federal court yesterday on a criminal complaint charging them with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both men were ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint contains only charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney James Hwang is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Illegal Alien Found Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry into the United States After a Two-Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal jury in Del Rio convicted an illegal alien from Nicaragua for illegal re-entry on Wednesday, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Darwing Alberto Varela, was arrested in December 2025 after being rescued out of the water on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande River. During an immigration inspection with U.S. Border Patrol agents, Varela admitted that he swam across the river from Mexico to enter the U.S., that he was a citizen of Nicaragua, and that he had been previously deported from the U.S.
Concluding a two-day trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez, the federal jury returned a guilty verdict in just four minutes.
“The Western District of Texas has the largest caseload in the nation, and, as here, we handle those cases with excellence,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “I am proud of our entire prosecution team for their work on this open-and-shut case and coming to work every day committed to doing the next right thing.”
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carli Tuttle and Steven Shilling are prosecuting the case.
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Honduran National Living in San Fernando Valley Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint Charging Him with Fraudulently Registering to VoteRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Honduran national and lawful permanent resident living in the San Fernando Valley was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with fraudulently registering to vote in United States elections.
Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores, 30, of Winnetka, is charged with two felonies: false claim to U.S. citizenship and fraudulent voter registration.
Rivera was arrested this morning and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Noncitizens who commit fraud so they can vote in American elections do so in violation of federal law and should expect to be prosecuted,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Let this criminal complaint serve as a reminder that the Justice Department stands ready to enforce the laws Congress enacted to ensure only American citizens vote in federal elections.”
“Today’s arrest is the first of many to come,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Unfortunately, because states like California allow non-citizens to easily register to vote and receive a ballot by mail, there’s no telling how many non-citizens are currently registered to vote. We again renew our request that California immediately comply with our requests to audit their voter rolls so that all voters can have confidence in our elections.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Rivera was born in Honduras, entered the United States in 2002, and is present in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident (commonly known as “green card” holder). He is not a U.S. citizen.
In February 2026, Rivera physically disrupted immigration law enforcement operations at the federal building in Camarillo, was issued a misdemeanor citation to which he pleaded guilty and was placed on one year of probation.
In April 2026, Rivera sent a federal agent a series of text messages, which read in part, “Your not the good guy I can’t wait until the mid terms you dont have qualified immunity then we can start and indict all you guys one bye one.” Rivera continued texting the federal agent until July 2026.
Law enforcement investigated and discovered an online voter registration record in the name of “Darwin Rivera” associated with Rivera’s Winnetka address. Law enforcement also obtained a certified voter registration application number, a voter registration receipt, and a signature image from the California Secretary of State, Elections Division.
The voter registration name was listed as “Darwin J Rivera” and listed Rivera’s address in Winnetka. Under the application question of “Did someone help you fill out this form” the answer “no” was checked, and a check mark was provided next to the application wording “I am a U.S. citizen.”
Following a declaration under penalty of perjury warning, the voter registration application deadline was dated November 4, 2025.
Additional records from California Secretary of State and the County of Los Angeles, the birthplace listed under Rivera’s name was “United States of America.”
There is no record of Rivera seeking or obtaining U.S. citizenship. Rivera also has not voted in an election.
A criminal complaint contains merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Rivera would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison on each charge.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael G. Wheat of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
Honduran Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Violating the Travel ActRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Honduran national, Wilson Garcia Hernandez, 29, who overstayed his visa and has lived illegally in the United States since October 2024, pled guilty today to violating the Travel Act.
The Travel Act prohibits, among other things, using facilities in interstate commerce, such as cellphones and computers, to carry on unlawful activities, including prostitution.
According to court documents, in April 2026, an agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), acting in an undercover capacity began exchanging emails with Hernandez, after the defendant responded to an advertisement for commercial sex dates. The undercover officer was posing as a “female escort” online.
As the two began messaging each other, the undercover officer quickly told Hernandez that she was in fact 16 years old. Hernadez acknowledged her age and indicated that was not a problem for him and continued messaging with her.
Eventually, Hernandez arranged to meet the undercover officer, whom he believed was a 16-year-old girl, at a public park in the Harrisonburg, Virginia area and to pay $170 to have sex with for one-hour.
When Hernandez arrived, officers arrested him and found he was in possession of approximately $200 in cash and a condom.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan is prosecuting the case.
Former postmaster pleads guilty to fraudRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A former Kansas postmaster pleaded guilty to falsifying money orders in order to embezzle from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
According to court documents, Sierra Werth, 32, of Quinter pleaded guilty to one count of misappropriation of postal funds.
In January 2025, the U.S, Postal Service determined the post office in Quinter, Kansas, had a significant shortfall. The deficit was in missing deposits, deposit short in cash, errors on bank deposits, and money orders issued and voided on the same day but negotiated after being voided.
An investigation revealed Werth issued and voided at least 10 money orders on the same day. She issued seven money orders under her employee ID and included her name and address in the remitter section. There were three money orders issued under a different postal employee’s ID, but they had her name and address in the remitter section. Also, the name of someone associated with Werth was in the “pay to” section of the all the money orders. The records show the money orders were issued, voided, and cashed without USPS receiving payment, and that Werth had engaged in this activity since approximately October 2024. Law enforcement found an additional invoice the Werth created.
As part of her plea agreement, Werth must pay approximately $26,700 in restitution.
“As postmaster, it was Ms. Werth’s role to display good leadership qualities like sound judgment and moral character to the rest of the staff, but instead she abused her authority for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
“This guilty plea represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working alongside our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges in this mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees and those external subjects who collude with them.”
The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.
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Former police officer pleads guilty to federal charges in relation to raid that killed two and injured othersRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Former Houston Police Department officer Gerald M. Goines, 62, admitted he made materially false statements in an affidavit to obtain a search warrant that led to the botched Harding Street raid in 2019, resulting in a shootout that killed two and injured four HPD officers.
To obtain the warrant, Goines falsely claimed a confidential informant had purchased heroin from a resident at the home and provided it to him. Goines later admitted he knew the information was false.
He also made other false statements in the affidavit, including claims that others had purchased drugs from residents of the home in the approximately three weeks leading up to the warrant.
“Good policing is hard, and good cops always want to accomplish their mission to keep our communities safe and bring justice to bad guys,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “But ends don't justify the means. Here, Goines broke public trust, repeatedly lied, and his deceit bore evil fruit: people got hurt and killed. I support our local, state, and federal law enforcement, but none of us get to commit crooked acts and avoid accountability.”
“Gerald Goines was a senior narcotics police officer who knowingly violated departmental policy and the law. He held a position of trust within this community, and he violated that trust by abusing his authority and lying to evade accountability for his actions. In this case, Goines’ actions cost the lives of two innocent people,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Color of law violations are some of the hardest to prove, but they are crucial to maintaining public trust in law enforcement. We hope today’s outcome serves as justice for his victims and a reminder that law enforcement officers are not above the law.”
U.S. District Court Judge George Hanks accepted the plea and will impose sentencing Nov. 9. At that time, Goines faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum possible fine.
Goines has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. He was previously convicted in Harris County on first degree murder charges and is serving a 60-year prison sentence.
Former HPD officer Steven O. Bryant, 53, and Patricia Ann Garcia, 60, both of Houston, previously pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and providing false information, respectively.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.
Former non profit CFO sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $2 millionRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a former chief financial officer of a Dallas‑based charity has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for embezzling more than $2 million from the organization.
Jeffrey Scott Keehn, the 55-year-old former CFO of the Child and Family Guidance Center from Imperial Beach, California, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud after admitting he stole $2,109,786.56 from the non-profit over a period of approximately seven years. At Wednesday’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade sentenced Keehn to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay full restitution in the amount of $2,109,786.56.
“Stealing from a charity that serves families in crisis is unconscionable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Mr. Keehn’s fraud didn’t just drain the charity’s finances; it forced them to divert time and resources away from their mission. This prison sentence and the restitution he now owes demonstrate that the Justice Department will pursue accountability for those who exploit nonprofits and divert funds meant to support critical community services.”
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions, which included embezzling charitable funds meant to help those in need of mental health services,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI will continue to investigate those responsible for defrauding organizations that provide critical services to members of our communities.”
According to court documents, Keehn abused his position as CFO by secretly accessing the charity’s checkbook, forging signatures and depositing fraudulent checks into his personal accounts. He also falsified QuickBooks entries and misrepresented the charity’s available cash to conceal the scheme.
As part of the investigation and forfeiture proceedings, the government successfully seized approximately $800,000 in assets, including multiple bank accounts, precious metals, a vehicle and his interest in a condominium in Oceanside, California.
At sentencing, two representatives of the Child and Family Guidance Center addressed the Court, describing the organization’s mission of providing mental health services to the indigent population. They emphasized not only the financial harm caused by Keehn’s actions but also the significant operational burden the fraud imposed, including extensive forensic audits and the challenge of rebuilding after years of concealed losses.
The FBI – Dallas Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.
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Five men indicted for laundering fraud proceeds tied to ‘tech support,’ government, and financial institution imposter scamsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Five men have been indicted in the Western District of Washington in connection with a nationwide fraud scheme taking funds from elderly victims, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Four of the five men have appeared on the indictment and three remain detained. The indictment alleges the men were part of a conspiracy to launder the fraud proceeds, whereby the defendants sent the fraudulently obtained funds to bank accounts in China and Hong Kong. Trial is scheduled for November 9, 2026.
“These scam groups operate like a business – some people convince the victims they must send money to “protect” their money or repair their computer. Other schemers willingly take that money and launder it through bank accounts to the benefit of the entire conspiracy,” said First U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “These five are the men who allegedly laundered those victim funds through some 21 different shell companies and 44 bank accounts. Charging them disrupts the network and, is the first step in uncovering the rest of the conspiracy.”
“In 2025 alone elder fraud cost more than a million older Americans about $2 billion,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “In this case alone, we estimate about $11 million may have been lost by our vulnerable seniors, and the associated money laundering impacts our country’s financial institutions. HSI will continue to investigate cases like these and work to keep our seniors and country safe from financial predators.”
According to the indictment, between October 2024 and March 2026, the men registered 21 different shell companies in Washington State and used fake identities to open some 44 different bank accounts tied to the shell companies. They also rented mailboxes at commercial entities tied to the shell companies. Using tech support scams, or by impersonating government or bank officials, the scammers convinced victims to send cashiers’ checks, money orders, or other monetary instruments to the rented mailboxes. The five men indicted in Western Washington then deposited the funds in the 44 different bank accounts and then rapidly moved the money through wire transfers to accounts held in the names of business entities based in Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China. In all, the defendants collectively received and laundered more than $7.4 million in fraud proceeds from at least 77 victims.
The five defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, ten counts of money laundering by concealment, and ten counts of money laundering by spending.
Those indicted include:
Hung Chieh Kuo, 27, of Bellevue, WA, detained pending a hearing 8/31/26
Tung Wei Yeh, 31, of Bellevue, WA, detained pending trial
Hsin Chien, 31, of Bothell, WA, released pending trial
You Wei Liew, 26, of Seattle, being sought by law enforcement
Chengpeng Zhang, 40, of Seattle, detained pending a hearing 9/2/26
Conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering concealment are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the property involved. Money laundering by spending is punishable by up to ten years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the value of the criminally derived property.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung.
kuo_et_al_indictment.pdfFentanyl Distributor Caught with Nearly 600 Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Ricketta Ann Twitty, 35, of Bostic, N.C. was sentenced to 10 years in prison yesterday for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl after she was caught with nearly 600 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Twitty was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completing her prison sentence.
“I have spent the last week going around the district educating people that a single counterfeit pill can contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Such education is important, but we also are aggressively prosecuting people like Ms. Twitty who peddle such pills in the community,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Ms. Twitty unnecessarily put a lot of lives at risk, at times distributing 2,000 pills per day.”
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, officers with the Forest City Police Department responded to a call for service at a Walmart involving Twitty. Officers located Twitty, near a vehicle where she was arrested. The officers then searched Twitty’s vehicle and seized $7,297 in cash and more than 590 counterfeit pills in a prescription bottle. The counterfeit pills were imprinted with “T/189,” a marker for the prescription drug Oxycodone Hydrochloride. The seized counterfeit pills were determined to contain fentanyl. During the investigation, Twitty told the investigators that she received the counterfeit pills from suppliers based in Charlotte, and that she distributed approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills a day during a two to three-week period.
Twitty is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Forest City Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Felons, illegal aliens, smugglers, and more charged in 245 SDTX cases as part of recent border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 248 people have been charged, including 227 illegal aliens, in 245 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from Aug. 21-27.
A total of 172 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 43 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. In addition, 26 people have been charged with human smuggling which includes 12 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining seven cases relate to other immigration crimes.
One of the charged illegal aliens is a Guatemalan male with a prior conviction for sexual assault of a child, according to the allegations. Law enforcement allegedly discovered Cesar Augusto Sanchez-Cristales near Roma, despite the fact he had been removed from the country in 2017. Four others, all Mexican nationals, were also allegedly found in the McAllen area. Eduardo Hernandez-Sanchez, Wilber Torres-Herrera, Agustin Yanez-Reynaga, and Francisco Giovanni Garcia-Hernandez had also been previously removed and have prior convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine or other controlled substances, multiple driving while intoxicated convictions, or burglary, according to the new criminal complaints against them.
If convicted of the new felony illegal reentry into the United States, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
In addition to the new cases, a Laredo woman was sentenced in a failed attempt to smuggler a toddler into the United States. Anahi Rosas tried to use her own child’s Texas birth certificate and falsely claimed the unknown three-year-old boy was her son. At secondary inspection, the boy told authorities Rosas was not his mother and that he did not know where his parents were. At the sentencing hearing, the court heard that Rosas planned to leave the toddler with an unknown smuggler without knowing where the child would be taken. She was ordered to serve 36 months in federal prison.
In Brownsville, a 36-year-old illegal alien from Matamoros, Mexico, received a 63-month sentence for unlawfully being in the United States after prior deportation. Omar Navarro-Hinojosa had been the passenger in a vehicle that was traveling at a high rate of speed. He attempted to flee on foot after the driver stopped the vehicle when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. Authorities quickly took him into custody. Navarro-Hinojosa admitted he paid $3,000 to be smuggled into the United States. While awaiting sentencing, he was also involved in physical altercation with another inmate which resulted in medical treatment for both men. Because of this incident, he did not receive credit for acceptance of responsibility for the illegal reentry conviction at the time of sentencing, which resulted in the over five-year prison sentence.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Felon Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A felon who was previously convicted of drug distribution charges was sentenced August 26, 2028, to 92 months in federal prison for possessing a gun.
Donta Racine Euells, age 45, from Freeport, Illinois, received the prison term after a January 12, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a felon.
On August 9, 2025, Dubuque police responded to a 911 call. Victims reported that Euells, Davion Trawick (who has previously been sentenced), and another man forced their way into the home. At the time, Trawick possessed a large capacity firearm and Euells possessed what later was determined to be a BB-gun. However, law enforcement officers found a gun in Euell’s car that he had driven to the residence. Euells was prohibited from possessing firearms because of numerous prior felony convictions.
Euells was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Euells was sentenced to 92 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Euells is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1042-2.
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Federal Jury Finds Jefferson County Business Owner Guilty of Large-Scale Pandemic Relief Loan FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After four hours of deliberation, on August 26, 2026, a federal jury in Pittsburgh found Jason Youngdahl guilty of two counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and one count of theft of government money, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Youngdahl, 44, of Brockway, Pennsylvania, was tried before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
The evidence presented during the two-day trial established that Youngdahl fraudulently obtained more than $540,000 from the United States Small Business Administration in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which were funds intended to provide small businesses with relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. Youngdahl fraudulently obtained loan funds on five different occasions, each time representing that he would use the money for the small business he operated when, in fact, he planned to and did use the funds for personal purchases, including a personal vehicle and residence.
“Jason Youngdahl’s conduct demonstrates a complete disregard for the law and is exactly the type of fraud that the Department of Justice is committed to combating through its national efforts,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “This verdict recognizes and holds Youngdahl accountable for his greed and egregious criminal activity. Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute opportunistic fraudsters who seek to enrich themselves through taxpayer-funded programs.”
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for January 26, 2027. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain from the offense, or both for each of the wire fraud counts, and up to 10 years in prison and a fine on each of the money laundering and theft of government money counts. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Morgan A. Camerlo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Youngdahl.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon with Two Firearms Guilty of Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Marcus Jamal Shankle, 36, of Charlotte, for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso presided over the two-day trial.
According to trial evidence, in October 2024, officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) were investigating Shankle for illegal firearm possession. Shankle had prior federal convictions for distribution of cocaine base and for violating the terms of his supervised release. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. On October 3, 2024, CMPD officers approached Shankle as he was exiting a restaurant in Charlotte. Shankle was walking to his vehicle when he saw the officers approaching. He walked toward his front passenger side door, then attempted to draw a handgun from his waistband. The officers were able to disarm Shankle, but then Shankle grabbed a second firearm hidden in his waistband. The officers attempted to remove this second firearm from Shankle’s grip. Shankle was shot in the course of Shankle’s armed struggle with the officers. Shankle had been in possession of a Ruger, Model P94, 40 caliber semiautomatic pistol and a stolen Keltec, Model P3AT, .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol.
The jury found Shankle guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a statutory sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.