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5 December 2025
Williamsburg man sentenced to five years in prison for sending a threatening email that included obscene material to a police officerRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Williamsburg man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for distribution of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents, on Feb. 14 and 15, a police officer contacted Xavier Joseph Stafford, 22, and asked Stafford to move his vehicle from private property in Williamsburg. On Feb. 18, Stafford sent an email to the officer threatening the officer’s child and indicating he knew the officer’s home address. Stafford then sent another message that included two animated images depicting the sexual abuse of a minor. The email also included a live photo repeatedly looping several frames of consecutive images of the officer’s home.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Therese O’Brien prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-40.
Wilkinsburg Resident Charged with Production and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of production and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Anton Reed Sr., 33, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about July 8, 2022, Reed produced visual depictions of the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment also charges Reed with possessing, from on or about December 10, 2022, until on or about September 8, 2025, videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent and under the age of 12 years.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, and Wilkinsburg Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
JULIAN SCOTT, also known as “Ju Sav,” 26, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to life in prison, and a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 30 years, for offenses related to his involvement in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Scott, Gabriel Pulliam, and 14 other 960 gang members with various offenses, including racketeering, murder, attempted murder and assault, firearm possession, narcotics trafficking, and obstruction of justice offenses.
According to the evidence presented during Scott and Pulliam’s trial:
- On October 6, 2018, in a drive-by shooting in the area of Bank Street and Porter Street, Scott and other gang members attempted to murder individuals believed to be members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to an innocent bystander.
- On October 11, 2018, in an effort to murder rival gang members in retaliation for the murder of a fellow 960 member, Scott, Pulliam, and other 960 members shot into a crowd of people and killed an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and paralyzed a second victim.
- On November 18, 2018, Scott and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting of rival gang members in the area of Bank Street and Porter Street, which resulted in gunshot wounds to two individuals.
To promote 960, Scott and other 960 members made rap videos that glorified gang violence, firearm possession, and drug dealing. Many of the rap lyrics were tied to criminal conduct committed by 960 members.
Scott has been detained since arrest on state charges on May 23, 2019. On May 10, 2024, a federal jury found Scott and Pulliam guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence, attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Pulliam was also found guilty of conspiracy to possess, with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.
On November 5, 2025, Pulliam was sentenced to life in prison and a mandatory 10-year consecutive term of imprisonment.
This investigation identified at least 10 violent acts committed by 960 members in 2017 and 2018. All 16 individuals charged have been convicted and sentenced. In addition to Scott and Pulliam, Zaekwon McDaniel, Tahjay Love, and Malik Bayon also received life sentences.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
Waimanalo Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography of His Minor Volleyball StudentRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Elias David, 37, of Waimanalo, Hawaii, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on December 3, 2025 with producing child pornography.
According to court documents, beginning in approximately February 2023, David began a sexual relationship with a minor female whom he had coached in volleyball. Investigators seized from the minor victim’s phone videos depicting the minor victim and David engaged in sexual conduct. In the videos, David is holding or positioning the phone just prior to, or right after, the sexual conduct.
If convicted of the charged offense, David faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment, along with potential fines and supervision after release from imprisonment.
The charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese.
Vian Resident Pleads Guilty to Child AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Grant Wes Morris, age 25, of Vian, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country, punishable by a term of up to life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
The Indictment alleged that on July 1, 2025, Morris willfully and maliciously harmed and threatened the health, safety, and welfare of a child under the age of 18, causing swelling and bruising. The crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sequoyah Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Morris will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
United States uses civil asset forfeiture to recover nearly $1.7M for victims of cryptocurrency investment scamRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has recovered and cleared title to 420,740.422314 USDT, also known as “Tether,” and 1,249,996.15 BUSD, also known as “Binance USD,” representing cryptocurrency investment fraud proceeds and property involved in money laundering, using civil asset forfeiture. Both USDT and BUSD are forms of cryptocurrency equivalent in value to the dollar. The United States is now in the process of returning that property to the victim.
According to court documents, the perpetrators of the fraud scheme contacted one victim by text message and the other victim through social media. These unsolicited contacts were purported to be accidental, but after the victims responded the perpetrators enticed the victims into continuing the communications and eventually convincing them to move to an encrypted chat application. The perpetrators then earned the victims’ trust before encouraging them to “invest” in cryptocurrency using a spoofed investment website. Although the website mimicked a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform, the spoofed site funneled the victims’ funds to the fraud perpetrators.
The site falsely represented that the victims’ “investments” were making sizeable gains. When the victims attempted to make any significant withdrawals, however, the perpetrators coerced the victims to send more money, using tactics such as claiming the victims owed taxes and fees on their “profits.” Ultimately, the perpetrators never let the victims withdraw anything more than trivial amounts and stole the victims’ money. After receiving the victims’ funds, the perpetrators laundered the victims’ funds by conducting a series of complicated transactions and making quick exchanges of one type of cryptocurrency to another in an attempt to hide the funds.
Agents with the United States Secret Service seized 420,740.422314 USDT and 1,249,996.15 BUSD from three cryptocurrency wallets. The United States began a civil forfeiture action against the seized funds by publicly filing a civil forfeiture complaint in U.S. District Court.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; William Mancino, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Criminal Investigative Division; and Meghan Dubea, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Raleigh Resident Office, made the announcement.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cv-713.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Files over 460 New Immigration Cases in 2 WeeksRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 468 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Nov. 21 to Dec. 4. Charges were brought against illegal aliens with past convictions for violent crimes, DWIs, manslaughter and attempted murder, as well as alleged human smugglers and aliens with prior removals.
On Nov. 22, two non-U.S. citizens were arrested and charged with alien smuggling in El Paso. U.S. Border Patrol agents observed the two individuals assisting three people out of a canal and into a pickup truck. USBP agents conducted a traffic stop on the truck, when the vehicle doors opened, and the five occupants ran away. The agents initially located and apprehended four of the subjects. A criminal complaint alleges that Denis Ruben Ampie-Ayerdis was identified as the front passenger who assisted the three illegal aliens out of the canal. Ampie-Ayerdis allegedly stated that he was in the U.S. legally under asylum. The driver of the vehicle, Jose Gregorio Rivera-Angarita, was detained by a Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Officer shortly after the other four. Rivera-Angarita stated he was in the U.S. illegally and that he knew the three individuals he picked up were illegal aliens. Rivera-Angarita also allegedly stated that he and his brother, Ampie-Ayerdis, were being paid a total of $800 to pick up and transport the aliens to a house in El Paso. The coordination of the scheme allegedly developed with someone Ampie-Ayerdis met on the social media app, TikTok.
On Nov. 27, a USBP agent stopped a vehicle that had allegedly been observed picking up multiple individuals half a mile north of the Rio Grande River on Texas Highway 20. A criminal complaint alleges the agent noticed four individuals tightly crammed in the back seat, unrestrained and attempting to conceal themselves. The complaint further alleges that fifth occupant was hiding on the floorboard of the front passenger seat, attempting to conceal herself with a jacket. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Nahum Alejandro Carrillo-Gallardo, who allegedly stated he was instructed to pick up and transport the five illegal aliens—foreign nationals from Guatemala and Mexico—to a location near Fort Bliss, where another person would take custody. Carrillo-Gallardo is charged with one count of alien smuggling.
A convicted felon from Mexico was arrested on Nov. 30. Jose Alejandro Urueta-Cabral allegedly approached the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry, telling the Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) that he was born in East Los Angeles, California, and had attended Garfield High School. Allegedly, he further stated that he had been in Chihuahua with a sick relative for months and his passport had been stolen. The criminal complaint alleges that the CBPO observed Urueta-Cabral as jumpy and avoiding eye contact, and referred him for further inspection, where Urueta-Cabral admitted he was born in Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico. Further investigation revealed Urueta-Cabral had been previously removed from the U.S. eight times, the last being on March 19 through Nogales, Arizona. Additionally, Urueta-Cabral, has a criminal record that includes multiple narcotics-related convictions, second-degree burglary, and second-degree robbery. He is now charged with illegal re-entry.
On Nov. 25, Cuban national Yusmany Santiesteban-Acosta allegedly presented a State of Texas Commercial Drivers License bearing his name, photograph and date of birth at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. A system alerted the CBPO of a previous manslaughter conviction, which had resulted in a 10-year prison sentence in December 2022. Santiesteban-Acosta served two days of the decade-long sentence. The criminal complaint further alleges that Santiesteban-Acosta stated he was a legal permanent resident. Immigration records indicate he was removed from the U.S. to Mexico on July 28.
Orlando Cuba-Trencilio, also a Cuban national, was arrested approximately seven miles west of the Tornillo Port of Entry near Clint. Cuba-Trencilio was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico on Oct. 1 and has multiple prior convictions including attempted murder in the second degree and aggravated battery.
Mexican national Primitivo Castro-Lopez was found in the Bastrop County Jail, where he had been detained following a DWI arrest. Castro-Lopez has been removed from the U.S. three times and has been previously convicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Mexican national Blas Bautista-Vences was found in the Travis County Jail, where he had also been booked on a DWI charge. Bautista-Vences has four prior DWI convictions and four prior removals, as well as past convictions for possession of a controlled substance, assault causing bodily injury, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Marcos Vasquez Matute, also a Mexican national, was found in the Williamson County Jail. Matute has been twice removed from the U.S. and has been convicted of five DWIs.
In Eagle Pass, USBP agents arrested Salvadoran national Jaime Bladmir Hernandez-Garcia, who has been removed from the U.S. twice, the most recent being on April 11. Hernandez-Garcia was convicted in January for his fifth DUI. In 2021, he was convicted for driving while his license was revoked. He is charged with illegal re-entry.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 115 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 115 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On November 29, Oscar Rene Redondo, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 25 packages containing 260 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the bed of the defendant’s truck when he attempted to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On December 2, Arturo Olazaba-Lopez was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, the defendant was hiding under a blanket in the back cargo area of a car that was being driven through the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Olasava-Lopez was previously removed from the United States on November 1, 2025, from the San Ysidro Port of Entry, and before that in 1996 from El Paso, Texas.
- On December 3, Joel Enrique Topete-Toparro and Aristeo Esteban Ceballos Lorea, citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged with Brining in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the defendants walking north of the U.S.-Mexico border, east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, and determined they were foot guides for other undocumented Mexican citizens.
Also recently, some defendants with criminal records were sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here’s an example:
- On December 5, 2024, Felipe Jesus Galindo, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale, Illegal Possession of an Assault Weapon, and Willful Discharge of a Firearm with Gross Negligence, was sentenced in federal court to 24 months in custody for again illegally entering the U.S.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a Deputy United States Marshal for a fatal shooting that occurred on June 12, 2025, and fatally injured a 42-year-old District resident at the intersection of 7th and L Streets, NW.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, crime-camera footage, Body Worn Camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, and reports from MPD.
According to the evidence, on June 12, 2025, a Deputy United States Marshal encountered Marco Mosley. Mr. Mosley was operating a black Tahoe and the deputy was operating a pickup truck. After Mr. Mosley pulled his vehicle to the side of the road, he and the deputy conversed briefly. At that point, Mr. Mosley retrieved a handgun from his waist area and began to point it at the deputy. The deputy immediately retrieved his service weapon and fired shots at Mr. Mosley. Mr. Mosley was struck in the head. Despite lifesaving efforts by law enforcement and an emergency medical team, Mr. Mosley succumbed to his injuries and died at the scene.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
Investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending December 5, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 58 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 1 individual was charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 89 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for rape, kidnapping, domestic violence, child endangerment, criminal damage to property, and DUI.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Two Thurston County men appear on federal charges involving brutal assault on JBLMRead the Press Release
Tacoma – Two Lacey, Washington, men – both former members of the military – will appear in federal court in Tacoma today at 1:30 PM on a criminal complaint filed in June following a brutal assault on Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Charles Ethan Fields, 27, and Levi Austin Frakes, 27, have been in custody in Thurston County since their arrest on June 2, 2025. The men are charged federally with robbery, assault, and theft of government property.
According to the criminal complaint, the men entered JBLM around 8PM on June 1, 2025. About an hour after that, a member of the Army discovered them in the Ranger compound. The men were masked and had Army property arrayed around them. When questioned, the men started fighting with the Army member and beat him on the head and torso with a hammer. The victim was able to gain control of the hammer, only to have one of the men pull a knife and brandish it at the victim. The men – later identified as Fields and Frakes, ran from the Ranger compound, and dropped some of the items they allegedly were trying to steal.
Investigators collected evidence at the scene of the thefts and assault and determined the men were trying to steal about $14,000 in government property.
The men were traced to an address in Lacey and law enforcement obtained a warrant to search the residence. Inside they found weapons and military property, including night vision devices, ballistic plates and plate carriers, and helmets; military munitions; and military explosives such as blasting caps, flashbangs, and smoke grenades. Some of the items are restricted and not allowed to be owned or stored in a private residence. Officers also recovered $24,000 in cash.
Assault and theft of government property are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Robbery is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marci L. Ellsworth.
Two Miami Men Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for $28 Million Scheme Involving Diverted PharmaceuticalsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Two men were each sentenced on Oct. 30 to 57 months in federal prison for their roles in two separate but related schemes involving the sale of diverted and misbranded pharmaceutical drugs, including medications used to treat HIV and cancer.
According to court documents, Boris Arencibia, 52, and Jose Armando Rivera Garcia, 45, both of Miami, purchased high-priced prescriptions medications from illicit street sources—including patients who sold their prescriptions instead of taking the drugs and individuals who obtained prescriptions through fraud. These medicines require carefully controlled storage conditions to remain effective, but the diverted drugs were stored without any safeguards.
“Diverted drugs put patients’ lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants pushed tainted and repackaged medications into pharmacies across the country, knowing full well the danger. Our Office will continue to work with FDA, HHS-OIG, and the FBI to protect patients and hold accountable anyone who turns the healthcare system into a criminal marketplace.”
After purchasing the drugs, members of the conspiracy repackaged them and falsified paperwork to make it appear as though the medicines were supplied directly by manufacturers or legitimate wholesalers. The conspirators marketed the drugs through fake pharmaceutical distribution companies and shipped them to pharmacies across the U.S., where unsuspecting patients purchased them. In some cases, bottles contained incorrect medications, vitamins, or even pebbles—endangering patients’ health.
The first case, indicted in 2019, involved a conspiracy of 20 defendants. All but one fugitive have now been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 30 months to 14 years. Arencibia was among those who procured large quantities of diverted drugs from street sources and sold them to other conspirators. Rivera Garcia established a corporation, LDD Distributors, which received the drugs from Arencibia and sold them to a wholesale distributor operated by another defendant. Arencibia and Rivera Garcia each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, for using financial transactions to conceal the source and ownership of proceeds from the misbranded drugs.
The second case, filed in 2025, charged Arencibia and Rivera Garcia with operating a pharmaceutical wholesale company that marketed diverted drugs to pharmacies nationwide using falsified documentation to conceal the medicines’ true origins and conditions. Arencibia and Rivera Garcia pleaded guilty to trafficking in medical products with falsified documentation.
In total, Arencibia and Rivera Garcia sold approximately $28 million worth of diverted pharmaceuticals between the two schemes.
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles sentenced Arencibia and Rivera Garcia to 57 months in prison in the 2019 case, to be served concurrently with the 43-month prison terms imposed in the 2025 case.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly McCoy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The 2019 case was investigated by FDA-OCI and FBI Miami, and the 2025 case was investigated by HHS-OIG.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Tamen prosecuted the 2019 case, and Trial Attorney Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section prosecuted the 2025 case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
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 19-cr-20674 and 25-cr-20154.
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Three Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people have been sentenced this week for drug trafficking in North Central West Virginia, United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Jacob Wilson, 29, of Beverly, West Virginia, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine. Wilson was selling methamphetamine from his home.
Lawrence Lower, 36, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 14 months for methamphetamine distribution. Lower was selling methamphetamine in Grant County, West Virginia.
Michael Wayne Miller, 55, of Wardensville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for selling methamphetamine in Hardy County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Thibodaux Resident Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft, Providing False Statement to Firearms Dealer, and Providing False Statement to Federal AgencyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRETT GABRIEL, age 32, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, was sentenced on November 19, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.
According to court documents, BRETT GABRIEL used stolen identity information to purchase a firearm and to obtain fraudulent paycheck protection program loan proceeds administered by the federal government.
The defendant was sentenced to twenty-seven months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of three hundred dollars.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Secret Service, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Texas Businessman Convicted for Scheme to Bribe Mexican Government OfficialsRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Houston convicted a local businessman today for his role in a scheme to bribe Mexican government officials at Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary.
“Alexandro Rovirosa orchestrated a scheme to bribe Mexican officials to benefit himself and his companies,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Bribery of government officials to win business undermines fair competition and unjustly enriches bad actors. In prosecuting this case, the Department has sent a clear message that we will not tolerate bribery and corruption schemes run out of the United States, whether the bribes are paid here or abroad.”
“Most individuals applying for American citizenship treat our laws and customs with respect,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Alexandro Rovirosa instead violated U.S. laws through a network of corruption and deceit. Rovirosa believed his residence in Houston protected him from the consequences of bribing foreign officials. However, as today’s verdict demonstrates, his scheme not only cost him a luxurious Texas lifestyle, but also his freedom.”
“The conviction in this case holds the defendant accountable for participating in a scheme to bribe Mexican government officials for the benefit of the defendant and the companies associated with him,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate financial crimes, including those involving bribery and corruption.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez (Rovirosa), a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, 46, of The Woodlands, Texas, paid more than $150,000 in bribes to officials at PEP to retain contracts and payments from PEMEX and PEP and obtain other improper advantages in business with PEMEX and PEP, for the benefit of companies associated with Rovirosa. The trial evidence showed that between approximately 2019 and 2021, Rovirosa and his co-conspirators, including Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga, 61, of Spring, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, offered to pay and paid bribes in the form of cash payments, luxury goods and other valuable items to at least three PEMEX and PEP officials in exchange for those officials taking certain actions to help companies associated with Rovirosa obtain and retain business with PEMEX and PEP. Those improper advantages assisted companies associated with Rovirosa in obtaining contracts with PEMEX and PEP worth at least $2.5 million.
The jury convicted Rovirosa of one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and two counts of violating the FCPA. It found him not guilty of a fourth count of violating the FCPA. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rovirosa’s co-conspirator, Mario Avila, is a fugitive.
HSI Houston, FBI Houston and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Carson, Samad Pardesi and Paul Ream of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Terrebonne Parish Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILLIAM ARTHUR BRYANT, JR., (“BRYANT”), age 31, a resident of Terrebonne Parish, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to six counts in an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, use of a communication facility, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. BRYANT was sentenced to 200 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $600 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, BRYANT conspired to distribute methamphetamine throughout Terrebonne Parish, and the surrounding areas, for over a year.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, and the Houma Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Terrebonne Parish Man Guilty of Illegal Drug and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on November 18, 2025, QUINCEY MCKINLEY, age 46 of Terrebonne Parish, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Judge Africk scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2026.
According to court records, after the execution of multiple search warrants, large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, along with numerous firearms, were located in two residences maintained and used by MCKINLEY. MCKINLEY is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction.
At sentencing, as to the drug charge, MCKINLEY faces up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the gun charge, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Both counts also carry a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Tallahassee Man Charged Federally with Communicating Threats to Injure ChildrenRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Demetrius Alpha Omega Murray, 33, has been indicted in federal court in a six-count Indictment for interstate communication of threats to injure children. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Murray appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his arraignment in federal court on December 4, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is set for February 2, 2026, before United States District Judge Robert Hinkle.
If convicted, Murray faces a maximum of five years imprisonment on each threat count.
The case was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Strangulation in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Derrick Earl Scott, age 35, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that on February 28, 2025, Scott strangled a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Scott will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
St. Charles Parish Woman Convicted of Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ASHLEY HYMEL (“HYMEL”) age 42, a resident of Ama, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 19, 2025 to wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
According to court documents, HYMEL used a company credit card to embezzle funds from her employer, Company 1, where she was an executive assistant. In total, HYMEL embezzled at least $130,663.92. Under the terms of a plea agreement, HYMEL agreed to pay the entire amount back to Company 1.
Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for February 25, 2025. At sentencing, HYMEL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, followed by up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator and member of the Financial Crimes Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
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Southern District of Texas charges more than 318 people for immigration and border security offenses this weekRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 316 cases have been filed in matters related to further securing the southern border from Nov. 28 – Dec. 4, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A total of 84 people face charges of illegal entry, while another 204 face charges of felony reentry after removal. Most have convictions for narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The filed cases also include 28 individuals accused of engaging in human smuggling and the remaining two charges involve firearms offenses and other immigration-related crimes.
As part of the new cases, criminal complaints allege three individuals attempted to unlawfully reenter the country within five months of their most recent removals. Mexican nationals Jesus Hernandez-Gomez and Jose Martinez-Arrevalo were previously removed Aug. 28 and Oct. 24, respectively, according to court documents. Law enforcement removed Mexican national Ascencion Avellaneda-Rodriguez Sept. 10. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions for illegal reentry. Charges allege law enforcement found all three in the United States without legal authorization.
Additional complaints allege several previous felons had also illegally reentered the country. Mexican nationals Diana Aurora Bueno-Zuniga and Julio Guerra-Silva had both been previously removed on various dates between 2007-2019, according to their respective charges. However, both were allegedly found in the McAllen area this week. Bueno-Zuniga has a previous conviction for harboring an alien for financial gain, while Guerra-Silva was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute nearly 20 kilograms of marijuana.
If convicted, all face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Also announced this week was the conviction of Carlos Alberto Garcia-Guajardo on all 12 counts as charged. A Laredo federal jury found he had sold cocaine and multiple firearms, including machine guns, during a month-long undercover investigation. He and Fernando Patino used the sale of cocaine and firearms to negotiate future deals. They not only sold firearms but fired them indiscriminately in their neighborhood. A search warrant revealed scales, cash in various denominations, multiple firearms and crack cocaine stored near items belonging to young children. Garcia-Guajardo had been removed from the country on two occasions. He now faces up to life in prison.
In Brownsville, Mexican national Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza was ordered to federal prison for five years for transporting and bringing an alien into the United States, illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm. While conducting surveillance near the Rio Grande, authorities heard a boat approaching and observed a vehicle arrive as several individuals ran from the brush and climbed into the truck bed. Ramirez-Carranza acted as the river guide and worked with others to transport and smuggle the aliens. One said Ramirez-Carranza brought him across by boat and that relatives were paying for his smuggling.
In McAllen, Mario Alberto Almanzan-Mata received a 72-month sentence for illegally reentering the country for a third time. He was removed most recently May 27, and authorities discovered him again July 7 in Mission. At the hearing, the court heard about a pattern of behavior that places members of the community in significant danger.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Slidell Man Guilty of Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JONATHAN SUAREZ (“SUAREZ”), age 29, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on December 2, 2025 before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter, to receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2).
According to the court documents, beginning in early 2024, Special Agents with the FBI conducted an investigation concerning the purchase of files depicting the sexual exploitation of children over the internet. The investigation revealed one such individual, determined to be SUAREZ, sent and attempted to send money via CashApp to accounts known to be used for the primary purpose of receiving funds in exchange for the transmission of CSAM on at least six occasions between February 2023 and August 2023. On April 10, 2025, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at SUAREZ’s residence, at which time they seized his Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max. A forensic review of the phone identified at least 186 images and 853 videos, some as long as over 49 minutes, depicting the sexual victimization of children. The review also determined that SUAREZ downloaded, saved, and maintained his collection of CSAM on multiple dates between February 2023 and April 2025. SUAREZ saved the files in approximately 145 custom-made file folders with representative names describing the content. Some of the child victims depicted in the materials SUAREZ received were of children as young as approximately two years old.
SUAREZ faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years. SUAREZ also faces at least five years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. He may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Vitter has been scheduled for February 26, 2025.
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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
Sex offender sentenced to 35 years in federal prison on new crimes against childrenRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a registered sex offender to 35 years’ imprisonment after he admitted to distributing child pornography and obscene material to a minor.
Edward J. Bates, 57, most recently of Olney, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of distribution of child pornography, two counts of attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, and one count of offense by a registered sex offender. Following imprisonment, Bates will be on supervised release for the rest of his life.
“The only thing worse than child sex offenses is an armed repeat offender,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This 35-year sentence underscores our commitment to seeking the most significant sentences possible for those who endanger kids.”
According to court documents, Bates distributed child pornography in Richland County on January 26, 2022. In April 2023, he transferred sexually explicit material to a 10-year-old minor. On June 4, 2024, Bates was found in possession of two firearms and ammunition as a felon.
Bates was previously convicted of two separate child pornography offenses and was therefore required to register as a sex offender. The Government seized a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a .38 caliber revolver and ammunition.
The Richland County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
Rosebud Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Rosebud, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2025.
Lavern David Luxon, Jr., age 34, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Luxon was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 3, 2025.
Luxon was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in 2017. Consequently, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three days of relocation or changing employment or student status. In June 2023, Luxon began a period of supervised release living in Rapid City, South Dakota, and appropriately registered as a sex offender with local law enforcement. In September 2024, however, Luxon moved from his registered address and absconded from supervision. His whereabouts were unknown until July 2, 2025, when he was found and arrested in Rosebud.
This case was brought as a 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 the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Luxon was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Roanoke Rapids Police Officer Arrested and Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The FBI arrested a Halifax County man yesterday on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement with child sexual abuse material (CSAM). At the time of his arrest, Isaac Nielsen, age 31, was employed by the Roanoke Rapids Police Department.
According to the complaint, in May 2025, an undercover officer engaged in a chat with a user on a website known for promoting user-generated sexual content. During those conversations, Nielsen allegedly distributed child pornography to the undercover officer and discussed his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. The undercover officer’s agency determined that the user was located in North Carolina and notified the FBI. On December 1, 2025, the FBI identified Nielsen as the user, obtained an arrest warrant, and arrested him.
Nielsen is charged with the distribution and possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. A complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel is prosecuting the case, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Raleigh Durham Child Exploitation Task Force is investigating the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearm, AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Jeffrey Boston, 43, of Washington D.C., to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Baltimore Field Division, and Chief David Morris, Cheverly Police Department.
According to the plea agreement, on May 22, 2024, a Cheverly police officer responded to a 911 welfare-check call at a Cheverly, Maryland, intersection. Upon arrival to the scene, the officer approached Boston who was laying on his back on the grass near a bench. The officer tapped on Boston’s chest a few times, then took Boston’s arm and shook it, before asking him if he could hear him. Boston responded by lightly groaning, so the officer called in an ambulance to police dispatch.
Then the officer asked Boston if his chest hurt and again Boston grumbled in the affirmative. The officer then reached down and began repositioning Boston on his side to help him with his breathing. As the officer moved Boston, he discovered a black firearm partially visible in Boston’s waistband on his right hip. The officer removed the handgun and eight rounds of ammunition. Additionally, the firearm had a chambered round. Boston, who has at least one prior felony conviction, is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and Cheverly Police Department for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Oki who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Portland Man Faces Federal Charges for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A Portland, Oregon, man appeared in federal court today after being charged and arrested for sex trafficking of a child.
Tyler Matthew Mandera, 25, made his initial appearance in court today after being charged by a federal grand jury for sex trafficking of a child. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on February 3, 2026.
According to court documents, from October 11, 2025, until October 14, 2025, Mandera recruited and enticed a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts.
If convicted, Mandera faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, a life-term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from Tigard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
Pensacola Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Interstate Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Charlie N. Steans, 58, of Pensacola, Florida, and of Texas City, Texas, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine between Texas and Escambia County, Florida. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent collaborative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to stop this individual from continuing to flood our streets with deadly drugs. My office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions and substantial prison sentences for drug traffickers, like this defendant, as part of the Homeland Security Task Force’s whole-of-government approach to eliminating and eradicating organized criminal enterprises that threaten the safety of our communities.”
Court documents reflect that Steans was caught at a Greyhound Bus Station in Houston, Texas, with approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of cocaine hidden in his luggage in early 2023. He was able to bond out of a Texas state jail after being caught only to be arrested again in late-2024, this time on a Greyhound Bus in Mississippi heading toward Pensacola, Florida, with nearly 4 kilograms of cocaine in his possession. At that point, law enforcement from multiple jurisdictions connected Steans to being an interstate transporter of large amounts of drugs between Texas and Florida with the drugs destined for Pensacola. Steans was then taken into federal custody based on charges out of the Northern District of Florida.
“Our agents and law enforcement partners will continue to fight those trafficking poisons into our Florida communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Whether by bus, tractor trailer, plane, or boat, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Pensacola Police Department; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case
was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton.
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 comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Own Every Dollar Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that HUGO RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Juice,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken to 15 years in prison for his role as “Duarte,” or leader, of the violent gang Own Every Dollar (“OED”).
“Too many New York neighborhoods are plagued by gang violence and drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers deserve better. The women and men of our Office will continue to target gun violence and drug trafficking.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
RODRIGUEZ served as the “Duarte” of OED, a subset of the Trinitarios gang based in and around the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. The prosecution in this case has involved the convictions of 22 members of OED for five murders, more than 10 attempted murders, multiple robberies, and the control and operation of an extensive drug trafficking network that sold large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine.
RODRIGUEZ served time for New York state convictions involving a shooting and the possession of dangerous contraband while in jail. While on parole after his release, he attempted to murder a gang rival in broad daylight in Washington Heights on August 12, 2021. He also engaged in a gunpoint robbery on February 14, 2022, in Washington Heights, in which a victim was pistol-whipped, and trafficked narcotics, including heroin, while on parole.
Since his August 1, 2022, arrest in this case, he has been detained pretrial in federal prison. During that time, he has been sanctioned for fighting, testing positive for methamphetamine, and possessing an 11-inch shiv. He has also been separately prosecuted and convicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for a jail assault.
For much of his time in OED, RODRIGUEZ held the role of “Duarte,” which is the highest leadership role in the gang.
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In addition to the prison term, RODRIGUEZ, 29, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, the New York State Police, and the NYPD Task Force Officers assigned to this Office for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexandra Messiter are in charge of the prosecution.
North Miami Man Convicted of Kidnapping and Firearm Offenses Following Violent Home InvasionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted a man on Oct. 2 of kidnapping and multiple firearm offenses stemming from a violent home invasion.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on July 11, 2023, at approximately 6 a.m., Alphonso Gainer, 37, of North Miami, broke into the victim’s North Miami residence and opened fire inside the home, nearly killing the victim. A 911 call placed by the victim captured the sound of Gainer firing three additional rounds as the victim sought cover.
“This victim endured unimaginable fear and terror in his own home,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Thanks to the courage of the victim and the swift work of law enforcement, justice was delivered. We will never relent in pursuing those who use guns to threaten, harm, or intimidate others.”
Responding officers arrived within minutes, but Gainer fled before law enforcement could locate him. Hours later, after officers had completed their initial investigation and left the scene, Gainer returned to the residence, kidnapped the victim at gunpoint, and forced the victim into his rental vehicle. The victim managed to escape unharmed but photographed the vehicle’s license plate, which law enforcement traced back to Gainer. Ballistics evidence introduced at trial linked a firearm recovered from Gainer’s residence to shell casings found at the scene of the shooting.
The jury convicted Gainer of one count of kidnapping and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Gainer faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the kidnapping count and up to 15 years in prison for each of the three firearm possession counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding A. Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF Miami Field Office is investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Mikulic and Altanese P. Phenelus are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20226.
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North Dakota Company Sentenced on Clean Air Act ViolationRead the Press Release
BISMARCK –United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced today, pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement, U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor sentenced Targa Badlands LLC, a company which does business in North Dakota, to: 1) three years of probation; 2) 500 hours of community services to the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation; 3) payment of a $500,000 fine on a National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (“NESHAP”) Clean Air Act violation; and 4) $400.00 in special assessments. Targa Badlands LLC pleaded guilty to this offense on February 18, 2025.
As stated in the criminal information and plea agreement, Targa Badlands LLC operates six natural gas compressor stations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Between 2018 and 2022, Targa Badlands LLC operated the Johnson Compressor Station, located in Dunn County, North Dakota, but failed to timely install continuous parameter monitoring systems on two Johnson Compressor Station engines when required to do so under NESHAP. Continuous parameter monitoring systems monitor and collect data on temperature and pressure for engine operations to ensure the catalyst is being utilized properly, thus ensuring the engine not producing excess emissions. Failure to timely install a required continuous parameter monitoring system can lead to increased hazardous air pollutants being released into the environment.
Additionally, as described in the plea agreement, on two prior occasions, in 2019 and 2021, Targa Badlands LLC had previously agreed to pay civil penalties to the United States—and entered into Consent Agreement and Final Order’s with the EPA—for separate NESHAP violations pertaining to natural gas compressor stations it operates on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
Finally, as noted in the plea agreement, Targa Badlands LLC self-identified, self-reported, and corrected the failure to timely install continuous parameter monitoring systems at the Johnson Compressor Station and has since adopted an implemented policy and procedural best practices to improve its environmental permit review and implementation requirements.
“Today’s sentence underscores the importance of enforcing our environmental laws, which protect the land, water, and communities,” said US Attorney Chase. “At the same time, we recognize that Targa Badlands LLC took responsibility for its actions and self-reported the violation. Natural gas production is vital to our state’s economy, and it must be done responsibly. This case demonstrates that we can support strong energy production while holding companies accountable when they fall short of their legal obligations.”
This case was investigated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek.
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Norfolk man sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
“Antonio Saunders has learned that kilogram-level cocaine shipments will not enter the Commonwealth of Virginia without swift and certain consequences," said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Our vigilance is unwavering, and we will hold drug traffickers accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents, in September 2021, law enforcement became aware of two parcels suspected of containing narcotics in transit from Texas to Virginia. Investigators interdicted the parcels and located 2.44 pounds of cocaine in the first package. They allowed the second parcel to continue to its intended address in Norfolk.
On Sept. 9, 2021, after the parcel was delivered to the addressed residence and left on the front porch, Antonio Deshaka Saunders, 43, retrieved the parcel, placed it in a vehicle, and attempted to leave. Investigators conducted a traffic stop and recovered the package, which contained one kilogram of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Halligan; Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-72.
New York Woman Charged with Smuggling Aliens from Canada for ProfitRead the Press Release
Stacey Taylor, 42, of Plattsburgh, New York, appeared for an arraignment Monday after a federal grand jury in Albany returned an indictment on Oct. 2 charging her for her role in an international alien smuggling conspiracy that brought aliens primarily from India into the United States across the northern border.
According to court records, U.S. Border Patrol agents interdicted the defendant’s vehicle near Churubusco, New York, in the early morning hours of Jan. 20. Upon encountering the defendant, U.S. Border Patrol located four foreign nationals inside her vehicle. Agents then determined the four men, three Indian nationals and one Canadian national, had just crossed the U.S.-Canadian border illegally, without inspection, in the freezing cold. When law enforcement later examined the defendant’s cellphone, they observed text messages that indicated that the defendant had been involved in multiple other smuggling ventures in the days prior. Since her January 2025 arrest, the defendant was subsequently stopped in a suspected alien smuggling venture in August 2025, and was implicated in alien smuggling as recently as September 2025.
According to the indictment, Taylor is charged with conspiring with others to engage in alien smuggling, and four counts of alien smuggling for profit, with three counts being second or subsequent offenses. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison per count of alien smuggling for profit, and additional time for second and subsequent offenses.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York made the announcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rouse’s Point and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol Champlain Station are investigating the case. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington D.C. and CBP’s International Interdiction Task Force provided significant assistance.
The investigation is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating within the Americas that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, the Northern District of New York, the District of Vermont, and the Southern District of Florida. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
New York Woman Charged with Smuggling Aliens from Canada for ProfitRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Stacey Taylor, 42, of Plattsburgh, New York, appeared for an arraignment Monday after a federal grand jury in Albany returned an indictment on Oct. 2 charging her for her role in an international alien smuggling conspiracy that brought aliens primarily from India into the United States across the northern border.
According to court records, U.S. Border Patrol agents interdicted the defendant’s vehicle near Churubusco, New York, in the early morning hours of Jan. 20. Upon encountering the defendant, U.S. Border Patrol located four foreign nationals inside her vehicle. Agents then determined the four men, three Indian nationals and one Canadian national, had just crossed the U.S.-Canadian border illegally, without inspection, in the freezing cold. When law enforcement later examined the defendant’s cellphone, they observed text messages that indicated that the defendant had been involved in multiple other smuggling ventures in the days prior. Since her January 2025 arrest, the defendant was subsequently stopped in a suspected alien smuggling venture in August 2025, and was implicated in alien smuggling as recently as September 2025.
According to the indictment, Taylor is charged with conspiring with others to engage in alien smuggling, and four counts of alien smuggling for profit, with three counts being second or subsequent offenses. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison per count of alien smuggling for profit, and additional time for second and subsequent offenses.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York made the announcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rouse’s Point and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol Champlain Station are investigating the case. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington D.C. and CBP’s International Interdiction Task Force provided significant assistance.
The investigation is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating within the Americas that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, the Northern District of New York, the District of Vermont, and the Southern District of Florida. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Robbery of A Postal Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Tajmir Wyles (New Jersey, 31) has pleaded guilty to robbery of a postal mail carrier and receipt, possession or concealment of stolen property of the United States. Wyles faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, on May 15, 2023, Wyles robbed a postal letter carrier of his master keys while he was delivering mail at a shopping center. After a physical altercation over the keys, Wyles successfully fled the scene with the keys. In July 2023, Wyles was arrested in Dallas, Texas. Wyles was found with a binder of checks, stolen from the Middle District of Florida, as well as the master keys stolen in May 2023.
This case was investigated by the Unites States Postal Inspection Service in Tampa, Florida, and Fort Worth, Texas, the Tampa Police Department, and the Dallas Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
Mexican Man Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RODOLFO AVILES-REYES a/k/a “Omar,” (“AVILES-REYES”), age 38, a resident of Mexico, pled guilty on November 19, 2025, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a three-count superseding indictment. Count One charged AVILES-REYES with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, and four hundred grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A). Count Two charged AVILES-REYES with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(2)(A) and 1956(h). Count Four charged AVILES-REYES with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1952(a)(3).
According to court documents, AVILES-REYES, and other co-conspirators, distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, AVILES-REYES, and other co-conspirators, traveled between New Orleans, and other states, in order to transport U.S. Currency and narcotics on behalf of a Drug Trafficking Organization, from Louisiana to Mexico.
As to Count One, AVILES-REYES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. As to Count Two, AVILES-REYES faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. As to Count Four, AVILES-REYES faces up to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Marion County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jason Shane Ejmali (51, Silver Springs) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Ejmali faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, from July 24-26, 2025, Ejmali messaged an individual whom he believed was willing to provide their 13 to 14-year-old foster child to engage in sexual activity. That individual was actually an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent. Ejmali discussed the type of sexual activity he wanted have with the minor and agreed to meet for that purpose at a location in Marion County. Once Ejmali arrived at that location, law enforcement placed him under arrest.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Marion County Man Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and indictment of Phillip Washington III, a/k/a “Lil Phil” (32, Belleview) charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Washington faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Washington is currently detained pending the resolution of the case.
According to the indictment, on May 13, 2024, Washington possessed with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. He also possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Manassas fentanyl trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Jan. 30, 2024, law enforcement searched the residence of Jeffrey Martinez, 21, and recovered 29,490 dark-blue fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 4.13 kilograms, and 20,114 light-blue fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 2.22 kilograms. The pills were marked “M-30” to mimic Oxycodone. Also from the residence, investigators also recovered approximately $4,980, 2.18 kilograms of marijuana, 107 grams of cocaine, a scale, and four firearms.
“By trafficking tens of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into Northern Virginia communities while unlawfully possessing firearms, Jeffrey Martinez put our citizens at grave risk," said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "This substantial sentence underscores the seriousness of such crimes and the consequences of endangering our community. We remain steadfast in our commitment to eradicating the threat posed by armed drug traffickers.”
The same day, law enforcement conducted a stop of a vehicle Martinez was traveling in and arrested him. From Martinez and the vehicle, investigators recovered approximately $1,600, a handgun and approximately 1,200 fentanyl pills marked “M-30.”
U.S. Attorney Halligan and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Amzallag and Ryan Bredemeier prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-248.
Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dominik Israel Lopez, 24, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on November 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Krissa Lanham to 108 months of prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Lopez pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl, with death resulting.
In March 2020, a man, was found deceased in his apartment in Gilbert, Arizona. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity. Law enforcement investigators were able to learn that the victim had contacted Lopez using a messaging app called Whisper. The victim obtained four fentanyl pills from Lopez for $40. The victim used just one of those pills, overdosed, and died.“At the end of every drug overdose death are countless victims,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “There are the dead, taken too early, families who lose loved ones, and communities slowly being torn apart. This sentence shows that the Department of Justice will pursue harsh penalties for all drug dealers. I am proud to stand alongside the victim’s family and our law enforcement partners in holding this defendant accountable.”
“Drug traffickers who deal deadly drugs and destroy lives will face justice,” said DEA Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “The DEA, alongside our dedicated partners, remains steadfast in our mission to save lives and achieve a Fentanyl-Free America.”
“The Gilbert Police Department works in close partnership with law enforcement agencies in the ongoing fight against illegal drugs, including holding accountable those whose actions result in death through drug distribution,” said Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg. “We remain steadfast in our relentless pursuit of those who victimize our community.”
Fentanyl is a man-made opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. Fake pills laced with fentanyl are often sold on social media. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose and poisoning is the leading cause of death for Americans 18-45 years of age.
Legitimate pharmaceutical pills cannot be bought on social media. The only safe medications are ones prescribed directly to you by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. For additional information and resources, including a Caregivers Fact Sheet, visit DEA.gov/onepill.
United States Drug Enforcement Administration and The Gilbert Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Brandon Brown and Jason Crowley, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-01093-PHX-KML
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-170_Lopez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Man Charged with Setting Fire to Train with Victim InsideRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), Bryan DiGirolamo, Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”), Robert S. Tucker, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the filing of a Complaint charging HIRAM CARRERO with arson resulting in injury to another person in connection with a December 1, 2025, incident in Midtown Manhattan. CARRERO was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.
“As alleged, Hiram Carrero committed a horrific arson, starting a fire inside of a New York City subway car where a victim was sleeping,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As a result of that arson, the victim has suffered severe injuries. The New York City subway is the heart of our City, with millions of people who live and work here relying on it every day. New Yorkers have the right to be safe and feel safe when they ride the subway, and our Office is committed to that result.”
“The swift arrest in this case demonstrates what is possible when our agencies work as one,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “ATF New York Special Agents, the NYPD Detectives, and FDNY Fire Marshals brought their unique strengths to bear to identify and locate the suspect responsible for this violent act. The ATF NY Arson and Explosives Task Force is dedicated to protecting this city, and we will continue working with our partners to bring justice to those who threaten public safety. Our partnership with the Southern District of New York remains central to seeking justice.”
“This alleged outrageous and senseless attack received an immediate response from our elite joint task force,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker. “Our Fire Marshals worked side by side with our partners in the NYPD and ATF to identify and apprehend this suspect quickly. Their work has removed a dangerous individual from the streets of New York City and the FDNY will continue to work closely with our public safety partners to keep New Yorkers safe.”
“Hiram Carrero showed a complete disregard for human life when he allegedly set a sleeping New Yorker on fire inside a subway car,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This attack is among the most serious acts of violence a person can commit, and it has no place in our city—above or below ground. This case also reflects the exceptional work of the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, whose investigators worked closely with our federal partners to identify the individual responsible. And it comes at a time when the last five months have been the safest for subway riders in recorded history. I am grateful to our detectives, our responding officers, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their swift and coordinated work on this case.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint and statements made in open Court:
At approximately 3:03 a.m., CARRERO entered a northbound train at the 34th Street – Penn Station subway stop. He picked up a piece of paper from the subway car (depicted in the screenshot below), lit it on fire near where the victim was sleeping, and jumped out of the car just as the doors were closing.
Video from inside the train car shows that as the train traveled north towards the 42nd Street – Times Square subway stop, the fire flared up, engulfing the victim’s legs and a portion of the train car in flames. When the train arrived at 42nd Street – Times Square, the victim emerged, burning from the train (depicted in a screenshot below).
Law enforcement partners on the platform responded to the victim immediately and extinguished the fire. The victim was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
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CARRERO, 18, is charged with arson resulting in injury to another person, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
The maximum and minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and NYPD, and the FDNY Fire Marshals. Mr. Clayton also thanked the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in this case.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Molis is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Kyle Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 years in Federal Prison for Causing Fatal Car Crash While IntoxicatedRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on December 1, 2025.
Kevin Hunter, 33, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hunter was indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 2, 2025.
On May 15, 2024, near Kyle, South Dakota, Hunter drove his pickup while under the influence of alcohol, reaching speeds over 80 miles per hour. He crossed into the oncoming lane and struck a van, killing the passenger inside. Instead of calling 911 or seeking help, Hunter immediately fled the scene and then lied to investigators about his whereabouts that night. In sentencing him to the top of his Sentencing Guidelines range, Judge Theeler noted that Hunter had a history of previous DUI convictions, concluding such a sentence was necessary to protect the public.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes committed in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Hunter was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kingsford Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Dalton Wayne Braun, 36, of Kingsford, was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by 120 months of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of a child. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker noted that the case involved “truly egregious facts.”
Braun admitted when pleading guilty that he had recorded a video of himself sexually abusing a minor child in July 2024. Braun also admitted that he then distributed that video over the internet.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Dalton Braun repeatedly abused a small child, who was not even old enough to voice the abuse he was suffering. No one should tolerate such abuse and my office certainly will not. I commend my staff and our law enforcement partners for their diligence.”
“Crimes committed against children are some of the most unforgivable and those who commit them deserve severe and lasting consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The maximum sentence imposed on Dalton Braun demonstrates the gravity of his depraved actions and the severe impact it had on children across the United States. I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of FBI Detroit’s Marquette Resident Agency, FBI Milwaukee’s Green Bay Resident Agency, the Michigan State Police, the Kingsford Department of Public Safety, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for protecting the most vulnerable members in our communities by stopping Mr. Braun before he could commit another heinous offense.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led by the Marquette Resident Agency, Michigan State Police, Kingsford Department of Public Safety, and Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Information obtained as part of this investigation has thus far led to six additional child victims being recovered from abusive situations; five additional federal indictments; and two state or local arrests.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/PSC.
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Justice Department Requires Divestitures to Proceed with Constellation’s Proposed $26.6 Billion Acquisition of CalpineRead the Press Release
Note: View proposed settlement here.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with the Attorney General of Texas, announced today that it will require divestiture of six power plants in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Texas to resolve antitrust concerns arising from Constellation Energy Corporation, Inc.’s $26.6 billion acquisition of Calpine Corporation.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed acquisition. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.
“The price of electricity is a pocketbook issue to American consumers working hard to afford their monthly utility bills. When it comes to their electricity bills, Americans deserve the benefit of robust competition among electricity generators,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This settlement includes a six-plant divestiture to an acquisition that risked harming tens of millions of electricity consumers in the mid-Atlantic and Texas. I am appreciative of the partnership with our co-plaintiff, the State of Texas, to secure relief for consumers.”
As detailed in the complaint, the acquisition would create the largest wholesale power generator in the United States and increase the likelihood that the combined firm would profitably withhold electricity from one or more of its plants. The result would be higher electricity prices for customers in Texas, where the electricity grid is operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), and in New Jersey, Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, and the eastern shores of Maryland and Virginia, where the electricity grid is operated by PJM Interconnection LLC (PJM).
The divestitures resolve the Division’s concerns that the acquisition would harm competition and lead to higher prices on consumers reliant on the ERCOT and PJM electricity grids. Specifically, the settlement requires the companies to divest their ownership interests in four electricity plants serving PJM and two electricity plants serving ERCOT. The divested plants are:
- Bethlehem Energy Center, a natural gas combined cycle plant, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania;
- York Energy Center (York 1 and York 2), a dual-fuel combined cycle plant, located southeast of the city of York, Pennsylvania;
- Hay Road Energy Center, a dual-fuel combined cycle plant, located in Wilmington, Delaware;
- Edge Moor Energy Center, a simple cycle natural gas plant, located in Wilmington, Delaware;
- Jack A. Fusco Energy Center, a natural gas combined cycle plant, located southwest of Houston, Texas; and
- Gregory Power Plant, a natural gas combined cycle plant, located northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas.
This is the first settlement consent decree that the Division has filed in an electricity merger in 14 years.
Constellation is a publicly traded Pennsylvania corporation headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. It is one of the largest owners of electric generation assets in the United States. In 2024, the company earned $23.6 billion in revenue. It currently controls more than 20,000 megawatts of generating capacity in PJM and approximately 5,000 megawatts in ERCOT.
Calpine is a privately held Delaware corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas. Calpine is the largest generator of electricity from natural gas and geothermal in the United States. The company controls approximately 9,000 megawatts of generating capacity in ERCOT and 5,000 megawatts in PJM.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Patricia Corcoran, Acting Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Constellation Calpine Complaint.pdf Constellation Calpine PFJ.pdfIllinois Precision Machining Company Agrees to Pay $421,234 to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Note: View settlement here.
Swiss Automation Inc. has agreed to pay $421,234 to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to its failure to provide adequate cybersecurity for certain drawings of parts that the company machined and supplied to Department of Defense (DoD) prime contractors. Swiss Automation is an Illinois precision machining business that supplies alloy and metal parts to commercial and government customers in many industries, including DoD prime contractors and subcontractors.
The settlement resolves allegations that Swiss Automation caused the submission of false claims by not providing adequate cybersecurity to safeguard certain drawings of parts that the company machined and supplied to DoD prime contractors. Swiss Automation allegedly knew that the requirement to provide adequate security by implementing certain cybersecurity controls applied not only to DoD prime contractors, but also to subcontractors and suppliers to the prime contractors. The obligation to implement security controls specified in National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-171 (NIST SP 800-171) to protect certain DoD information has applied to DoD contracts, subcontracts, and similar contractual instruments since 2017 and will continue under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program that DoD recently finalized.
“As cyber threats continue to evolve, suppliers to defense contractors must be vigilant and take the steps required to protect sensitive government information from bad actors,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue our efforts to hold defense contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers accountable when they fail to honor their DoD cybersecurity commitments.”
“Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting government contractors to steal sensitive and valuable information in their possession,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Defense contractors in particular must maintain robust safeguards against these threats through stringent compliance with federal cybersecurity regulations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and agency partners to ensure that government contractors protect sensitive information and critical infrastructure in compliance with federal laws and regulations.”
“Protecting our nation’s security includes protecting its data. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, defense contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers must do their part to safeguard sensitive government information,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jason Sargenski, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “We will hold contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers accountable when they fall short of their cybersecurity obligations to the Department of Defense.”
The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when a defendant has submitted or caused to be submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Jaime Gomez, a former quality-control manager at Swiss Automation, to receive $65,291 as his share of the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Gomez v. Swiss Automation Inc., No. 1:22-cv-4328 (N.D. Ill.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, with assistance from DCIS, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Gregory Pearson of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Kelly for the Northern District of Illinois.
The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Swiss Automation Settlement.pdfIllinois Men Face Additional Charges for Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Two Illinois brothers were indicted yesterday in a superseding indictment on charges related to a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and private health care insurers and for participating in a money laundering conspiracy with the fraud proceeds.
“These defendants are charged with a brazen scheme to steal nearly $300 million from vital health care programs by taking advantage of the fear and panic of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These charges make clear that the Criminal Division will never rest in its pursuit of those who try to exploit the most vulnerable members of our society, the elderly and the disabled, for their own personal gain."
“The defendants chose to enrich themselves and deprive the most vulnerable members of society from much needed assistance designed by the U.S. Government to provide critical relief efforts,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “Health care fraud affects everyone — it costs taxpayers millions of dollars, contributes to rising health insurance premiums, and depletes resources from our vital health care system. The FBI is committed to working with all our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that anyone who dares to exploit government programs intended to assist the American people will be held fully accountable under federal law.”
“Allegedly billing almost $300 million dollars to taxpayer-funded and private health care programs for services that were never provided is a staggering abuse of resources,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “These charges demonstrate HHS-OIG’s unwavering resolve to hold accountable those who exploit federal health care programs and betray the public trust.”
According to court documents, Minhaj Feroz Muhammad, 37, and Sufyan Feroze, 35, both of Naperville, owned and controlled, sometimes through straw owners, four clinical laboratories located in Illinois and California. Their scheme allegedly sought to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers by submitting fraudulent claims of over $293 million for COVID-19 laboratory testing services that were never provided, for which insurers paid at least approximately $65 million in reimbursements.
Additionally, as alleged in the superseding indictment, the defendants participated in a money laundering conspiracy by transferring fraud proceeds between laboratories and other businesses controlled by the defendants, ultimately using the funds to purchase real estate, including luxury developments overseas, gold bars, luxury watches and luxury vehicles.
Each defendant has been charged with six counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Feroze has also been charged with one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property in excess of $10,000.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each health care fraud charge and 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge. If convicted, Feroze faces an additional 10 years in prison on the engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kelly M. Warner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Harrison County Woman Admits to Theft of Public MoneyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Christina Nolte, 42, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, has admitted to the theft of public money, United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
According to filed documents and statements made in court, Nolte falsified medical records to receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Nolte fraudulently used her disability to have her federal student loans in the amount of $242,528 discharged.
As a part of the plea agreement, Nolte has agreed to the forfeiture and a money judgement in amount of $360,466.38.
Nolte faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer T. Conklin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government, and the matter was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Department of Education.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Marlon Jefferson Fajardo-Paiz (33, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien. Fajardo-Paiz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the CSAM offense and 2 years on the immigration charge. Fajardo-Paiz is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.
According to the plea agreement, Fajardo-Paiz is a citizen and national of Guatemala. He was previously removed from the United States on July 20, 2018, and has never received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States. On April 24, 2025, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Fajardo-Paiz during an investigation of a Cybertip relating to the upload of CSAM. Fajardo-Paiz told investigators he had participated in viewing, downloading, and transmitting CSAM. A subsequent search of Fajardo-Paiz’s phone revealed at least 20 items of CSAM.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 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 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Grand jury indicts Jamestown man on multiple sex trafficking, kidnapping and drug chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Edward E. Leeper, Jr. aka Edward E. Barnes, Jr., 47, of Jamestown, NY, attempted sex trafficking, sex trafficking, kidnapping, aiding and abetting, distribution of fentanyl, and maintaining a drug involved premises, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 90 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between 2019 and 2024, Leeper is accused of sex trafficking or attempting to sex traffic and kidnapping a total of eight victims, using force and threats of force. In addition, Leeper used a Broadhead avenue residence for his drug trafficking activities, including fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Leeper is also charged in a separate federal case with narcotics trafficking. He is accused of conspiring with Joseph S. Zaso and others, to sell heroin and fentanyl in the Jamestown area between 2018, and May 26, 2022.
If you have been victimized by Edward Leeper, Jr. in any way or have any additional information regarding his alleged illegal behavior, please call Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kimani Brennen Fletcher (26, Covington, GA) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Fletcher faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, between April 15, 2024, and April 22, 2024, co-conspirators of Fletcher placed telephone calls to victims in which they falsely and fraudulently identified themselves as members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The victims were told they had outstanding warrants and needed to pay money to avoid arrest. Fletcher posed as a bail bondsman and picked up money from these victims in the Middle District of Florida. Once Fletcher received the fraud proceeds, he provided the money to his co-conspirators. In total, Fletcher obtained approximately $40,800 in fraud proceeds.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hillsborough County Sherrif office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.