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5 December 2025
Former Senior DEA Official Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to A Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation ("IRS-CI"), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging PAUL CAMPO and ROBERT SENSI with narcoterrorism, terrorism, narcotics distribution, and money laundering charges. CAMPO and SENSI were arrested yesterday afternoon in New York. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
“As alleged, Paul Campo and Robert Sensi conspired to assist CJNG, one of the most notorious Mexican cartels that is responsible for countless deaths through violence and drug trafficking in the United States and Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As part of that support, the defendants laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars they believed to be CJNG drug proceeds, agreed to launder millions more, and even agreed to use their financial expertise to facilitate cocaine trafficking right here in New York City. By participating in this scheme, Campo betrayed the mission he was entrusted with pursuing for his 25-year career with the DEA. CJNG is a violent and corrupting criminal enterprise that New Yorkers want broken. I commend the extraordinary efforts of the DEA in aggressively pursuing CJNG and those who support their deadly and corrupt efforts, no matter who they may be.”
“The indictment of former Special Agent Paul Campo sends a powerful message: those who betray the public trust—past or present—will be held to account to the fullest extent of the law,” said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. “The alleged conduct occurred after he left DEA and was unrelated to his official duties here, but any former agent who chooses to engage in criminal activity dishonors the men and women who serve with integrity and undermines the public’s confidence in law enforcement. We will not look the other way simply because someone once wore this badge. There is no tolerance and no excuse for this kind of betrayal.”
“It’s alleged Campo betrayed the public’s trust in support of a violent organization like CJNG, but today's indictment demonstrates that criminals who traffic in narcotics and launder illegitimate profits can't evade detection from IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “This is a significant step towards holding the Campo and his coconspirator accountable for their role in conspiring to hide millions of dollars gained from narcotics distribution.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
CJNG is a Mexico-based transnational criminal group overseen by Nemesio Ruben “El Mencho” Oseguera-Cervantes that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade. CJNG illicitly transports cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other controlled substances into the United States. CJNG also engages in money laundering and other criminal activities, including acts of violence and intimidation. On February 20, 2025, the United States Secretary of State designated CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
PAUL CAMPO worked for the DEA for approximately 25 years, first as a Special Agent in New York and eventually rising to become a high-level DEA official, specifically the Deputy Chief of the Office of Financial Operations. CAMPO retired from DEA in or about January 2016.
In late 2024, ROBERT SENSI began meeting with a confidential source working at the direction of law enforcement (“CS-1”), who was posing as a member of CJNG. SENSI told CS-1 that he had a friend who used to be in charge of DEA’s financial operations who could assist CJNG by laundering narcotics proceeds and providing CS-1 with sensitive DEA information about sources and investigations.
After these initial meetings, CAMPO and SENSI together met with CS-1 on several occasions. During these conversations, CAMPO and SENSI agreed to launder money for CS‑1 by, among other things, converting cash into cryptocurrency and making investments in real estate. CAMPO and SENSI further advised CS-1 about fentanyl production and explored procuring commercial drones and military-grade weapons and equipment for CJNG, including AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, M4 carbines, M16 rifles, grenade launchers, and rocket-propelled grenades. As part of these discussions, CAMPO and SENSI often boasted about and relied heavily on CAMPO’s prior federal law enforcement experience and expertise regarding financial investigations and drug cartels.
Regarding the drones, in one meeting, CS‑1 explained to CAMPO, “what we do with the drones, we put explosives and we just send it over there, boom”; in another conversation, CS‑1 asked SENSI how much C-4 explosive the drones could carry, to which SENSI responded, in sum and substance, approximately six kilograms, which is enough to “blow up the whole f------ . . . I don’t want to say.”
As part of the scheme, CAMPO and SENSI agreed to launder approximately $12,000,000 of CJNG narcotics proceeds; laundered approximately $750,000 by converting cash into cryptocurrency; and provided a payment for approximately 220 kilograms of cocaine on the understanding that the payment would trigger the distribution and sale of the narcotics worth approximately $5,000,000, for which CAMPO and SENSI would (i) receive directly a portion of the narcotics proceeds as profit; and (ii) receive a further commission upon the laundering of the balance of the narcotics proceeds.
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CAMPO, 61, of Oakton, Virginia, and SENSI, 75, of Boca Raton, Florida, are each charged with one count of conspiring to commit narcoterrorism, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to CJNG, a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of North Carolina, and Eastern District of Virginia, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Varun A. Gumaste is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the Counterterrorism Section.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Cuban Military Sergeant Sentenced to Federal Prison in Pandemic Benefits Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former sergeant in the Cuban military, who obtained fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans and recruited others to do so, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, to four years in federal prison. Yovany Ciero, age 48, from Mason City, Iowa, formerly of Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela, received the prison term after a May 8, 2025, jury verdict finding him guilty of three counts of wire fraud, 23 counts of money laundering, one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
Evidence at Ciero’s trial and sentencing showed that Ciero is a former sergeant in the Cuban military who crossed the Mexican border nearly twenty years ago after his request for a visa to enter the United States was denied. In 2020, Ciero was working at an Algona meatpacking plant when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Beginning in July 2020, Ciero and over one hundred other immigrants from Cuba obtained fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by falsely claiming that they were self-employed and each had earned approximately $100,000 in gross income in 2019 when they actually worked at the meatpacking plant or elsewhere.
Ciero was one of six “bundlers” in the fraudulent PPP loan scheme. Ciero’s role was to recruit individuals into the scheme, obtain their personal identifying information for the fraudulent loan applications, and then pass that information to others who submitted the fraudulent loan applications to lenders who were participating in the PPP. The evidence established that over $4 million in fraudulent loan PPP applications were submitted, and the government lost over $2.4 million as a result.
Once the individuals received their fraudulent PPP loan funds, typically $20,000 each, Ciero served as a “funnel” in a money laundering conspiracy. Ciero collected fees that the organizers of the scheme charged the applicants, typically $3,000 per $20,000 fraudulent loan.
Ciero also obtained two fraudulent PPP loans for himself and his paramour. Ciero used most of this PPP loan money to purchase a semi-truck. After obtaining the PPP money, Ciero also obtained a Federal Housing Administration loan for the purchase of a home in Mason City. The district court judge found that Ciero had obstructed justice when he testified falsely at trial.
Ciero is the fifth former Iowa meatpacking plant worker sentenced in the PPP scheme:
● In December 2024, Dinneris Matos Delgado, age 41, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, formerly of Storm Lake and Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to ten months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $60,744 in restitution, after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.
● In December 2024, Ada Irma Rodriguez Fontaine, age 59, from Auburndale, Florida, formerly of Storm Lake, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $75,417 in restitution, after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.
● In May 2025, Yordanis Perez Velazquez, age 41, from Tampa, Florida, formerly of Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to five months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $111,195 in restitution, after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.
● In July 2025, Maikel Sanchez Garcia, age 44, from Tampa, Florida, formerly of Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to 11 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $138,662 in restitution, after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Ciero was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ciero was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $212,293 in restitution to the SBA. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Ciero is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Daniel A. Chatham and investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Storm Lake Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-3013.
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Former Bank Vice President Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Fraudulent PPP and EIDL Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former bank vice president in Wichita Falls, Texas was sentenced to four years in federal prison for a fraud scheme involving fraudulent Paycheck Protection Plan and Economic Injury Disaster loans, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Kaylee Ree Lunn, 37, of Holliday, Texas, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in July 2025 related to several fraudulent PPP loans she submitted in 2020 and 2021. On Friday, December 5, 2025, Lunn was sentenced to forty-eight months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered Lunn to pay restitution of $573,444 to the Small Business Administration and more than $19,000 to her former employer, Prosperity Bank (formerly First Capital Bank).
According to court records, Lunn admitted that, while she was vice president of commercial lending at the Wichita Falls branch of First Capital Bank, she accessed and unlawfully used the personal and business financial information of certain bank customers to apply for a series of four fraudulent PPP loans and a commercial loan in late 2020 through mid-2021. Lunn admitted that she used false or inflated income and payroll expense figures and diverted loan proceeds totaling more than $276,000 to bank accounts she controlled, all without the customers’ knowledge or consent.
Court records also reflect that Lunn applied for and received more than $140,000 in fraudulent PPP loans falsely reflecting the business entities as her husband’s. Throughout this time period, Lunn also made failed attempts to obtain several Economic Injury Disaster loans of over $890,000, which were ultimately rejected because they were associated with fraudulent information. According to plea documents, Lunn spent thousands of dollars of the fraudulently-obtained loan proceeds on her personal and lifestyle expenses.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office through the Amarillo Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Mark (“Mac”) McDonald prosecuted the case.
Florida, Virginia Residents Indicted in $26 Million Wire Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Orlando, Florida, and a resident of Vienna, Virginia, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The six-count Indictment named Trevaughn J. Yearwood, a/k/a Larry Wood, 28, of Florida, currently in custody in the Clearfield County Jail on unrelated state charges, and Amit Kumar Jain, a/k/a Buddy Patel, 46, of Virginia, as defendants.
According to the Indictment, which was unsealed following Jain’s arrest today in Virginia, Jain and Yearwood conspired to defraud senior citizens in Western Pennsylvania and throughout the United States in an elder fraud scheme in which conspirators used deceptive emails that led victims to give Yearwood, Jain, and their co-conspirators tens of thousands of dollars in cash or to make substantial deposits of cash into bitcoin ATMs. The Indictment alleges that, between January 2024 and August 2025, Jain and his co-conspirators operated fictitious entities through which Jain and others laundered approximately $26 million of victim funds through accounts held at a Vienna, Virginia, bank.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both for Jain, and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both for Yearwood. 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 Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Mt. Lebanon (Pa.) Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Florida Man Sentenced to 8 Years Imprisonment for Embezzlement and FraudRead the Press Release
Savannah, GA: A former employee of a manufacturing company with a plant in Savannah, GA, was sentenced to 96 months of confinement for embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
John Laakso, also known as John Trebesch, age 57, of Savannah, GA, was charged in November 2024 with one count of Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. On December 2, 2025, following a guilty plea, Laakso was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment by the Honorable R. Stan Baker, Chief Judge for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Our business partners in this District are the bedrock of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Georgia will continue to ensure that those who abuse trust for personal gain will face justice, and that our community will be protected.”
According to court documents and in court testimony, Laakso was a former Engineering Manager for the local company. Using that position, he defrauded his employer of nearly $500,000. He did so by secretly awarding lucrative contracts to his own pass-through companies, both for services that Laakso never provided, and for goods and services that Laakso secretly billed to his employer at a fraudulent rate.
“John Laakso betrayed his employer and fellow employees in this secretive and organized effort,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “Anyone who steals funds and unlawfully profits at the expense of others will be held accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and Bradford C. Patrick.
For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Florida Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Tax Evasion and Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for attempting to evade federal taxes and engaging in fraudulent transfers and concealment in a bankruptcy proceeding.
U.S. District Judge Stacy D. Neumann sentenced Paul Archer, 46, formerly of Hampden and Orrington, to 24 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
According to court records, Archer operated a profitable online marketing business for software installation on computers, earning several million dollars from 2013 through 2015. After an IRS audit in 2016 assessed a federal tax debt totaling approximately $1 million for those years, Archer concealed and transferred assets through two LLCs he controlled and began using third-party bank accounts to evade paying the tax debt.
From April 2018 through November 2019, Archer transferred and concealed assets and income by using a series of bank accounts held in the names of Max Tune Up, LLC, Stealth Kit, LLC, his father, and his spouse. Using a bank account held by Stealth Kit, LLC, for instance, Archer received income via direct deposits, initiated and received over $2 million in wire payments, and used cryptocurrency trading platforms and online payment systems to transfer funds. Archer transferred an investment account held in his own name to an account held in the name of Stealth Kit, LLC, then engaged in trading activity, stock ownership, and dividend/interest distributions. Archer further owned and transacted in Bitcoin using two different cryptocurrency exchanges, purchasing and later trading several hundred thousand dollars in cryptocurrency.
In March 2019, Archer filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding. In his Chapter 7 petition and schedules, Archer falsely claimed less than $50,000 in assets; a single checking account; no other assets or property interests; no recent asset transfers; and no connections to any businesses or memberships in any LLCs. Archer repeated these falsehoods under oath during meetings of creditors convened by a Chapter 7 Trustee, as well as in statements made to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Man of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that a federal jury convicted Kyle Lee Dean, (45, L’Anse, Michigan) of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Dean will be sentenced in 2026.
On January 20, 2024, Dean went to the victim’s house that is inside the L’Anse Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, got into a fist fight, and then stabbed the victim nearly a dozen times. Based on the testimony at trial, but for the work of first responders and the doctors at Baraga County Memorial Hospital and Upper Peninsula Health System (UPHS) – Marquette, the victim would have died from his injuries.
“My office will work tirelessly to prosecute those people who commit violent crimes within Indian Country,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “We prioritize ensuring that our tribal communities are safe and will hold individuals like Dean accountable to ensure that safety.”
“FBI Detroit works tirelessly to investigate violent crimes committed on Indian Reservations. The conviction of Kyle Dean for his brutal and malicious attack within the L’Anse Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community sends a clear message that the FBI will be relentless in pursuing those who bring harm to tribal communities and securing justice for their victims,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the partnership and dedicated investigative work from the members of our FBI Marquette Resident Agency, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, the Village of L’Anse Police, and the Michigan State Police. We also recognize the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for securing this important conviction.”
The FBI, Michigan State Police, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, and Village of L’Anse Police investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hanna Rutkowski and Theodore Greeley are prosecuting it.
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Father and Son Leaders of Transnational Criminal Organization Sentenced to Prison for Violations of Kingpin Statute and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Phoenix, Arizona, and a Mexican national illegally residing in Phoenix were sentenced in federal court to charges of violating the federal “Kingpin” drug-trafficking statute for operating a continuing criminal enterprise as well as money laundering, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 35 individuals charged in a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed in January 2024 for their participation in a domestic and international narcotics and money laundering conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (read the Second Superseding Indictment news release here).
The sentences imposed by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan were:
DefendantAgeResidenceSentenceMarcos Monarrez Jr.26Phoenix, ArizonaLife imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised releaseMarcos Monarrez-Mendoza55Mexico15 years of imprisonment, to be followed by deportation to MexicoIn connection with the guilty pleas, the Court was advised that, at various times from September 2022 to November 2022, Monarrez Jr.—a co-leader, along with his father Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza, of the Phoenix-based Monarrez Drug Trafficking Organization—was intercepted over a federal wiretap obtaining hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, millions of fentanyl pills, and kilograms of cocaine from a Mexican national drug supplier. Monarrez Jr. and Monarrez-Mendoza provided the drugs to a network of subordinate drug traffickers who redistributed them throughout the country, including into western Pennsylvania. Additionally, Monarrez Jr. provided over $10,000 and Monarrez-Mendoza provided over $100,000 in proceeds from the drug sales to couriers, who smuggled the money into Mexico to promote the drug trafficking operation.
“The sentencings of the father/son leaders of this transnational criminal organization today, in addition to the earlier sentencings of nearly two dozen of their co-defendants in the case, are reflective of the extremely serious nature of these charges and the magnitude of the destruction such groups inflict upon our communities,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti. “The Monarrez TCO introduced massive amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into neighborhoods throughout the country, using violence and money laundering to help carry out their drug trafficking. We remain resolute in standing with our law enforcement partners at all levels to investigate and dismantle such networks and protect our communities from these predators.”
“Today’s sentencings send a clear message: the FBI and our partners will not allow organized drug networks to crisscross this continent,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The flow of these deadly poisons across the border ends right here in our communities where families and lives are destroyed. It fuels addiction, overdoses, and violence. Those who think they can peddle these drugs will be put away for a very long time.”
“With Marcos Monarrez Jr. and his father, Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza, heading to federal prison, the dismantling of this father-and-son trafficking enterprise has proven that no one is beyond the reach of justice,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Eric McLoughlin. “By working in lockstep with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and our state and local partners, HSI cut off a pipeline responsible for distributing millions of fentanyl pills, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine into communities here in western Pennsylvania and across the nation. Today’s sentencings demonstrate our unwavering commitment to protect the public and to hold transnational criminal networks fully accountable for the devastation they inflict.”
Monarrez Jr. was also sentenced at the same proceeding to a charge from the Eastern District of Michigan of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl from in and around February 2019 to on or about December 14, 2021. Additionally, Monarrez Jr. pleaded guilty at the same proceeding to a charge of violating RICO racketeering acts involving bribery conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute K2, and money laundering. While detained at the Cambria County Prison in the Western District of Pennsylvania from in and around July 2023 to on or about December 19, 2023, Monarrez Jr. used contraband cell phones to communicate with other co-conspirators outside of the jail facility in an effort to direct the continued operations of the Monarrez DTO. Specifically, Monarrez Jr. coordinated the distribution of approximately 500,000 fentanyl pills and kilogram-quantities of fentanyl powder throughout the United States. Sentencing for the latter offense is scheduled for April 13, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
To date, 33 of the 35 defendants charged in the Second Superseding Indictment have pleaded guilty or been convicted in this case, with 25 now having been sentenced. Two of the defendants were convicted during a jury trial in September 2025 and are pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Katherine C. Jordan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Prison, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Ecuadorian National Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering U.S. after Sex Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ROBERTO MUY, 35, a citizen of Ecuador last residing in Torrington, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2006, Muy was admitted to the U.S. using a fraudulent visitor visa under the alias of a Peruvian citizen. In June 2012, he was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in Torrington of sexual assault of a minor in the second degree, and was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, suspended after 15 months, and 25 years of probation. In June 2013, Muy was removed to Ecuador.
Muy illegally reentered the U.S. and, on November 9, 2024, was arrested by the Torrington Police Department and charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drug. On March 18, 2025, he was sentenced in state court to two years of incarceration for violating his state probation related to his 2012 conviction, and a concurrent two days of incarceration for the 2024 motor vehicle offense.
Muy has been detained since his arrest. He pleaded guilty to illegal reentry on August 18, 2025.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale.
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.
District of Arizona Charges 242 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from November 29, 2025, through December 5, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought im-migration-related criminal charges against 242 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 111 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 118 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlaw-ful immigration, the United States filed 12 cases against 13 individuals responsible for smug-gling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immi-gration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Admin-istration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres: On December 4, 2025, Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. An AZ DPS trooper observed Durazo-Torres driving slowly on I-10 Westbound. The trooper suspected the vehicle was attempting to avoid detection and ran a vehicle registration check. The check confirmed that the vehicle’s plates were suspended, and the trooper initiated a traffic stop. The trooper observed Durazo-Torres, one man in the passenger seat, and one man in the backseat of the car. The two passengers admitted to entering the United States without legal authorization, and Du-razo-Torres admitted to transporting the passengers into the United States. Immigration checks confirmed that Duraz-Torres and the two passengers are citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-08581-PHX-JZB
United States v. Edgar Eduardo Quiroz-Otero: On December 1, 2025, Edgar Eduardo Quiroz-Otero was charged by complaint with Re-entry of Removed Alien. Quiroz-Otero was previously removed from the United States in July 2024 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, a felony, in the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio. In that case, Quiroz-Otero was sentenced to 30 months of im-prisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Case Number: 25-MJ-08558-PHX-JZB
United States v. Joseph Tunon Esteban-Seanez: On December 1, 2025, Joseph Tunon Esteban-Seanez and Jesus Francisco Pena-Valenzuela, both Mexican citizens illegally present in the United States, were charged with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. During a vehicle stop on suspicion of alien smuggling, agents requested the driver, Esteban, to put his Jeep in park. Instead, Esteban drove away. Agents pursued but ultimately terminated the pursuit because of the Jeep's speed. Agents then found the Jeep parked in front of a store and arrested Esteban inside the store and Pena with two other aliens some distance away from the store, hid-ing in the brush. Esteban and Pena had agreed to pick up and transport other aliens because they had been fired from their jobs and saw the opportunity to make money. Case Number: 25-MJ-01360-TUC-BGM
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-171_December 5 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Defendant Indicted for Attempting to Meet A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Ismael Osbaldo Pedro Tomas (23, Guatemala) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Pedro Tomas faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the indictment, between July 22 and August 11, 2025, Pedro Tomas attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained the age of 18 years to engage in prostitution and sexual activity.
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 Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be 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.
DC Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Involuntary Manslaughter Charges in Connection with Fatal Crash on Clara Barton ParkwayRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Jordan Johnson, 28, of Washington, D.C., today, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for involuntary manslaughter. Additionally, Judge Xinis ordered Johnson to pay $12,000 of restitution to the family. The sentence is in connection with a fatal car crash on the Clara Barton Park that claimed the life of a 23-year-old man.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Chief Scott Brecht, United States Park Police (USPP).
On March 20, 2022, at about 4:45 a.m., Johnson was driving on the Clara Barton Parkway, in Montgomery County, Maryland, when he struck two vehicles that were in the roadway. Both cars were involved in a separate crash. Victim 1 was one of the individuals involved in the original car crash, but died on impact when struck by Johnson’s vehicle. Victim 1 was pronounced dead at the scene.
Immediately following the crash, Johnson and his passenger walked away from the scene towards Washington, D.C., where Johnson resides. Law enforcement responded to the scene of the collision and broadcasted a description of Johnson and his passenger to local law enforcement agencies. Then USPP spotted them approximately a half mile away from the crash scene.
Johnson’s passenger told law enforcement officers that as she and Johnson walked away from the crash site, she saw the victim on the ground bleeding. Johnson later told law enforcement that they left the scene because he knew authorities would identify him from the paperwork associated with the apartment complex that he borrowed the car from.
A USPP crash reconstructionist concluded that Johnson traveled between 95 and 99 miles per hour in the five seconds prior to the crash. The posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour. As result of the speed he was driving, Johnson was unable to observe and perceive the vehicles stopped ahead. Additionally, Johnson drove recklessly during the entirety of his recorded trip, spanning approximately 40 minutes prior to this crash. The crash reconstructionist concluded that Johnson’s high rate of speed was a major contributing factor to the crash.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPP for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaShanta Harris and Ellen Nazmy who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Downloading Thousands of Images and Video of Children Being Sexually AbusedRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Hochman, 52, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 240 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for downloading and collecting thousands of images and video of child sexual abuse material.
The defendant was charged by information with receipt of child pornography and pleaded guilty in June.
In 2002, Hochman was convicted in the state of Kansas of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, for which he was sentenced to 55 months’ imprisonment. In that case, he communicated online with a 13-year-old girl, manipulated her into producing sexually explicit images, and traveled to Kansas and engaged in sex with the child on multiple occasions.
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 projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
Chinese Nationals Plead Guilty to Harboring and Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On December 4, 2025, Xue Rong Wu, 44 and, Xiong Wei Yang, 44 currently of Elizabethton, Tennessee entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (v)(I), (a)(1)(B)(i) and one count of aiding and abetting the practice and pattern of hiring for employment aliens not authorized to be employed in the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(a)(1)(A) and (f)(1), 18 U.S.C. § 2, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Sentencing has been set before the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, on April 8, 2026, at 11:00am in United States District Court at Greeneville.
They each face a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years followed by a term of supervised release up to three years, and a fine up to $250,000.00, as to the first count and up to six months imprisonment or not more than $3000 fine for each unauthorized alien or both, a term of probation up to five years, and a fine up to $5,000.00 as to the latter count.
According to filed court documents, Wu and Yang, who are married, run the Red Ginger Buffet in Elizabethton. They converted a single-family residence in Elizabethton into numerous single person rooms where their employees lived. During a traffic stop on March 20, 2025, agents stopped Wu’s vehicle leaving the residence heading to the Red Ginger Buffet. Wu was driving the vehicle occupied by seven other passengers. The five male passengers each spoke Spanish, and only three were able to produce identification. The other two stated their identification was with their belongings at the residence. Four of the five male passengers confirmed they were from Mexico, and the other confirmed he was from Guatemala. The two female passengers were each confirmed to be from China, spoke very little English, and provided Tennessee identification cards. The five male passengers confirmed that they were employed at the Red Ginger Buffett, did not have to prove their citizenship or identity for employment and were allowed to live at the home for free. A records check confirmed that the five male passengers were in the country illegally.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Acting Special Agent in Charge, Colin Jackson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations.
Meghan L. Gomez, Assistant United States Attorney represented the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Cedar Park Man Arrested, Charged with Defrauding InvestorsRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Cedar Park man was arrested Thursday on criminal charges related to his alleged wire fraud.
According to court documents, from no later than 2018 through September 2023, Daniel Vincent Attridge, 48, allegedly defrauded multiple individuals whom he convinced to lend him money. An indictment filed earlier this week alleges that Attridge told the individuals that he traded commodities such as petroleum, precious metals and cryptocurrencies through his company called Nilsatis, Inc. He allegedly told them that, if they lent him money, he would use the funds to trade said commodities and that he could pay interest on the funds at relatively high rates due to the profits he would earn from trading.
The indictment alleges that Attridge entered into loan agreements with the individuals, some of which listed Nilsatis, Inc. as the borrower and others which listed Attridge named himself as the borrower. In one agreement, Nilsatis, Inc. allegedly agreed to repay a loan of $150,000 plus 3% monthly interest or at an interest rate “reflective of trade performance” after 24 months. In another agreement, Nilsatis, Inc. allegedly agreed to pay 9.1% interest for a six-week period on a $20,000 loan. Attridge allegedly agreed to pay interest of at least 25% on a $50,000 loan for the period of Dec. 5, 2022 to June 1, 2023. And in two other agreements, Nilsatis, Inc. and Attridge allegedly agreed to repay loans of $125,000 and $10,000 with 21% interest each.
The indictment alleges that Attridge used only a small fraction of the loan proceeds to trade commodities and used the majority to pay personal living expenses or to pay principal and interest to lenders, failing to disclose that he had spent and would spend most of their money in way that did not generate profits.
Attridge is charged with five counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI San Antonio White Collar Crime Task Force is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of a scam or fraud scheme, report it to ic3.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Carter County Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Paul King, age 50, of Lone Grove, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Indictment charged King with knowingly possessing a 7.62x25mm semi-automatic pistol and a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol on June 30, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Ardmore Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, 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.
King will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
California Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Tulare, California man was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brian Joaquin Alvarado, 40, was the leader of an extensive drug trafficking organization that sold large amounts of methamphetamine in the Des Moines area and transported firearms to California. Alvarado, who was serving a prison sentence in California, organized and coordinated shipments of methamphetamine and firearms with the assistance of at least five co-defendants, including his then 18-year-old son. In July 2025, following a two-day trial, a jury convicted Brian Joaquin Alvarado of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The co-defendants were sentenced as follows:
• Brian Crimson Alvarado, 20, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on November 5, 2025; • Jose Martine Alejo Galan, 29, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on February 27, 2025; • Linda Roseanne Gonzalez Gayton, 37, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on August 28, 2025; • Gregory Paul Shiner, 25, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on November 21, 2025; and
• Kassianne Kay Timm, 30, was sentenced to a time-served sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, on December 18, 2024.
There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety – Division of Narcotics Enforcement and United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jon Holscher.Armed Baldwin County Methamphetamine Dealers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two Baldwin County men were sentenced in late October 2025 to serve 235 months and 60 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms as convicted felons.
According to court documents, Boniface Denton Buchanan, 56, and Samuel Earl Crook, Jr., 43, each of Bay Minette, admitted to distributing bulk amounts of methamphetamine to various individuals in north Baldwin County between May 2023 and November 2023. On multiple occasions, narcotics agents used confidential informants to purchase methamphetamine from Buchanan and Crook. Based on these controlled purchases of drugs and other evidence, agents obtained federal warrants to search Buchanan’s and Crook’s residences in Bay Minette.
On November 8, 2023, agents executed the search warrants. When agents encountered Buchanan at his home, he attempted to flee and agents had to wrestle him to the ground. Agents searched Buchanan’s house and found methamphetamine and a loaded shotgun. Buchanan admitted that he had multiple prior felony convictions that made his possession of the shotgun illegal under federal law. When agents tried to interview Buchanan, he responded, “I’ll do my time.” Agents seized and searched Buchanan’s cell phone, which contained numerous text messages and other evidence regarding his drug trafficking.
That same day, agents searched Crook’s residence. Crook admitted to agents that he had methamphetamine, MDMA, and blue “Roxy” pills in his trailer, which agents recovered. Crook further admitted that he had sold several pounds of methamphetamine with Buchanan. While searching Crook’s trailer, agents found a 9mm pistol in his bedroom. In Crook’s truck, agents also found more than $33,000 in cash and a loaded shotgun. Crook admitted that the cash was drug proceeds. He also admitted that he had prior felony convictions and was not allowed to possess guns.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Buchanan and Crook to serve 235 months and 60 months in prison, respectively. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Moorer ordered Buchanan and Crook each to serve five-year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which time they will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered the defendants to pay a total of $400 in special assessments. The court also forfeited the defendants’ guns and cash to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and various state and local law enforcement partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
15 Alleged Members of Drug Trafficking Organization IndictedRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Fifteen alleged members of a drug trafficking organization responsible for a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of marijuana and for a conspiracy to commit money laundering in West Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, and California have been charged in a 2-count federal indictment. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the unsealed indictment today.
On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 14 of the defendants were taken into custody by federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. One remains a fugitive.
The following defendants have been indicted for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana:
- Myron Armstrong, aka “BG”, 49 - Memphis, Tennessee
- Chad Hendricks, 34 - Milburn, Oklahoma
- Ping Huang, aka “Jason”, 44 - People’s Republic of China
- Carlos Atkins, aka “Papa Smurf”, aka “Lo”, 52 - Memphis, Tennessee
- Kevin Brandon, aka “Bam”, 40 - Millington, Tennessee
- Brandon Burkett, 41 - Magnolia, Texas
- Ricio Conner, 50 - Jackson, Tennessee
- Willie Love, aka “June Bug”, 51 - Memphis, Tennessee
- Prenston Moore, aka “Twin”, 44 - Memphis, Tennessee
- Thomas Smith, aka “TC”, 47 - Memphis, Tennessee
- Cris Thetford, 44 - Durant, Oklahoma
- Raevyn Tuggle, 28 - Memphis, Tennessee
- Terrance Wash, aka “Car Wash”, aka “Rick Ross”, 45 - Memphis, Tennessee
- Anthony Williams, aka “Ant”, 41 - Allen, Texas
According to the indictment, beginning at a time unknown but from at least on or about June 1, 2024, to November 18, 2025, the defendants intentionally conspired with each other to unlawfully possess with the intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana.
Additionally, Myron Armstrong, Chad Hendricks, Ping Huang, Carlos Atkins, Brandon Burkett, Thomas Smith, Raevyn Tuggle, and Anthony Williams were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in Count 2 of the indictment.
During the course of the investigative operation named “Been Getting Bags,” and subsequent arrests on December 3, 2025, law enforcement officers seized approximately 207 pounds of marijuana, 2 ounces of crack cocaine, approximately 1,850 cultivated marijuana plants in Oklahoma and Tennessee, 2 kilo presses, approximately $550,000 in U.S. currency, approximately 50 firearms, 1 marijuana grow lab in Oklahoma, 1 marijuana grow lab in Memphis, and jewelry and luxury vehicles valued at over one million dollars. Additional federal charges related to these seizures are possible.
All fifteen defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison and fines of up to $10 million or both for the controlled substance conspiracy charge.
The penalty for money laundering conspiracy is not more than 20 years in federal prison, and fines of not more than $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Criminal enterprises that distribute harmful drugs into West Tennessee can no longer hide. We are taking the fight to the drug trafficking organizations to dismantle their distribution networks, enforce the rule of law, and remove them from our streets. I commend the outstanding investigative efforts led by DEA and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this important and impactful case."
“This investigation, which originated from a narcotics complaint in the Western District of Tennessee, ultimately uncovered a large, multi-state marijuana cultivation and trafficking network with tentacles reaching into communities across our country,” said Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Field Division. “The quantity of drugs seized is significant and the firepower we recovered highlight a simple truth: drug trafficking organizations are violent by design, regardless of the drug involved. The DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to following every lead, wherever it may take us, to shut down any criminal enterprise that threatens public safety, and we won’t rest until all those involved are brought to justice.”
“Cases like this highlight the value of partnerships”, said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI plays a crucial role in combating financial crimes while collaborating with financial institutions and federal agency partners within the Homeland Security Task Force, particularly those focused on money laundering, drugs, and transnational crime. IRS-CI special agents are skilled financial investigators who can unravel complex financial transactions and money laundering schemes where criminals try to hide illicit activities. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of crimes by following the money and protecting our community by disrupting drug trafficking organizations.”
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO); Memphis Police Department (MPD); and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Also assisting in the operation were the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP). Collierville Police Department (CPD); Germantown Police Department (GPD); Jackson Tennessee Police Department (JPD) Gang Unit; United States Marshal Service (USMS); DEA offices in Oxford, Mississippi, Los Angeles, California, Galveston, Texas, and Dallas, Texas; Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics; Texas Department of Safety; and Desoto County, Mississippi S.W.A.T assisted with arrests, searches and other processes.
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Allen is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
11 Charged in Multi-state Fentanyl, Meth, and Cocaine Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced the unsealing of a federal indictment Dec. 3 charging 11 people allegedly involved in connection with a drug trafficking organization operating in Cuyahoga County.
According to the indictment, from about August 2023 to April 2024, members of the conspiracy are accused of supplying and/or distributing controlled substances that included fentanyl, oxycodone, and alprazolam pills, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine.
Conspiracy members operated throughout Greater Cleveland, with a significant amount of illegal activity taking place at an apartment complex in Euclid. Money and illegal drugs were collected from various individuals and then transported to and from Michigan and Pennsylvania.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio and Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon of the DEA Detroit Field Division.
All defendants are from Cleveland unless otherwise noted:
- Dionte Dykes, aka Dots, 31, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Fentanyl.
- Distribution of Cocaine.
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Prior convictions include Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs in 2012, and Delivery/Manufacture of Narcotic or Cocaine in 2018.
- Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense.
- Javian Hearns, aka Skeens, 34, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Distribution of Fentanyl.
- Clarence Jackson, aka Cino, 33, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Distribution of Methamphetamine.
- Distribution of Fentanyl.
- Trevaughn Bassett, 26, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Distribution of Fentanyl.
- Michael Chambers, aka Do-Do, 26, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Distribution of Methamphetamine.
- Akia Bailey, aka Ky Free, 32, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Distribution of Fentanyl and Oxycodone.
- Raveona Carter, 30, of Detroit, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense.
- Keith Dykes, aka Beefy, 29, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Distribution of Cocaine.
- Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense.
- Robert Avery, aka Black, 31, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Distribution of Cocaine.
- Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense.
- Liam Walsh, 36, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense.
- Amber Slone, 32, is charged with:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
- Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigations leading to the indictments were conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with the Euclid Police Department, the Independence Police Department, the Mayfield Heights Department, and SPAN Narcotics.
Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
The assistance of the U.S. Marshals is also acknowledged for providing related support for this crime reduction initiative.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
- Dionte Dykes, aka Dots, 31, is charged with:
4 December 2025
‘Insider’ who facilitated $345,000 bank fraud scheme sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle –A Tacoma woman who used her brief employment with the victim credit union to steal account information of customers so that conspirators could take over the accounts and steal the funds, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 30 m0nths in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. Aneicia Ford, 32, began stealing account information from some 23 victims within weeks of the start of her employment. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “What you did was serious… Your employer trusted you with access to customers’ more personal information…. Real people suffered real harm from the actions that you took.”
According to records filed in the case, between May and August 2022, Aneicia Ford worked out of her Tacoma home as a contact center employee who helped customers with account issues. In that role, she had access to personally identifying information about customers of the credit union. Although Ford’s role in the conspiracy was relatively simple, she nonetheless independently analyzed the victims’ accounts to ensure a specific account would be a fruitful and viable target for the conspirators. Only Ford had access to information such as the amount of funds available, or the age or profession of an individual victim. The first account takeover in the scheme occurred just days after Ford completed her training to be a customer service representative for the credit union.
The personally identifying information Ford stole was distributed by 23-year-old codefendant Dangelo Roberts, who with other conspirators used it to access and steal from customer accounts.
Using the stolen account information, Roberts provided other conspirators with false IDs and used them to get debit cards and to make withdrawals from the victims’ accounts, often at the credit union’s branches. After obtaining increases to the ATM withdrawal limits, the conspirators obtained as much as $25,000 in cash. The conspirators would also spend victims’ funds by ordering cashier’s checks or purchasing postal money orders that they made payable to other conspirators or their associates. They used their illegal access to transfer money between accounts and check balances on accounts.
In all, the scheme stole approximately $345,014 from accounts at the victim credit union. The victim credit union suffered that loss, making all the account holders whole.
Ford pleaded guilty on May 20, 2025. Dangelo Roberts was sentenced last month to three years in prison for his role in the scheme.
In asking for a 30-month prison sentence for Ford, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Ford knowingly joined in the conspiracy shortly after starting a new job— following training instructing her not to do precisely what she did—and she contributed to the conspiracy for months. The credit union’s electronic logs demonstrate that Ford accessed the victims’ accounts on multiple occasions throughout the course of her employment (and not, for instance, all 23 accounts at once). The account takeovers in this case could not have occurred without the personally identifying information she stole.”
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly.
Virginia Laboratory to Pay $758,000 to Settle Allegations of Kickbacks to Doctors and MarketersRead the Press Release
Note: View settlement here.
Clinical laboratory NEXT Bio-Research Services LLC, doing business as NEXT Molecular Analytics (NEXT), of Chester, Virginia, has agreed to pay at least $758,000 to the United States to resolve False Claims Act allegations involving illegal kickbacks to doctors and marketers. NEXT has agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigations of, and litigation against, other participants in the alleged schemes.
“This settlement shows DOJ’s commitment to rooting out illegal kickback schemes that have no place in our federal health care programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department is committed to pursuing these important investigations and health care fraud enforcement across the board.”
“Physicians should make decisions based the best interests of their patients, not their own personal financial interests,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “This settlement demonstrates my office’s commitment to taking all appropriate action to prevent improper inducements that can corrupt the integrity of physician-patient relationships.”
“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute are not victimless crimes — they compromise the integrity of medical decision-making and betray the trust patients place in their providers,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “When health care decisions are shaped by hidden financial motives, patients may be misled, unnecessary services may be rendered, and taxpayer-funded programs may be manipulated for personal gain. HHS-OIG is resolutely committed to holding participants in federal health care programs fully accountable to the law.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded health care programs. It is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
Under the settlement with the United States, NEXT has agreed to pay $758,000, plus additional amounts if certain financial contingencies occur. The settlement resolves allegations that NEXT knowingly and willfully paid kickbacks to induce laboratory testing referrals. NEXT allegedly paid doctors in Texas and Arkansas thousands of dollars in kickbacks, which were disguised as consulting fees and medical director fees but actually were offered to induce the doctor to order NEXT laboratory tests. NEXT also allegedly paid commissions based on the volume and value of referrals to certain independent contractor marketers to arrange for and recommend that doctors order NEXT laboratory tests. The settlement resolves allegations that NEXT billed Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE for the laboratory tests despite knowing of these kickbacks.
The settlement resolves certain allegations in a lawsuit originally filed by Sunil Wadhwa and Ken Newton under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government and receive a share of any recovery. Relators will receive $113,700 of the proceeds from the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Wadhwa and Newton v. Admera Health LLC, et al. (E.D. Cal.).
The settlement announced today was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey and the Eastern District of California, with assistance from HHS-OIG. It was handled by Trial Attorneys Christopher Terranova and Elizabeth J. Kappakas in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kruti Dharia for the District of New Jersey, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine J. Swann for the Eastern District of California. The United States previously settled related allegations with NEXT’s National Sales Director and NEXT’s independent contractor marketers OC Genetic Consultants Inc. and Ralston Health Group Inc.
The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates its emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
NEXT Settlement Agreement.pdfVirginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Introducing Methamphetamine into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Ashley Mullins, 40, of Appalachia, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court to introducing methamphetamine into the Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution (FCI). The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The introduction of contraband into a federal prison poses a safety threat to correctional officers and the inmates housed at the facility. I applaud the excellent work of the federal officers in this case who intercepted these deadly drugs the defendant was attempting to smuggle into prison, as well as the successful prosecution by my office to ensure the smuggler is held accountable for her crime.”
According to court records, the defendant was detected by a Bureau of Prisons officer walking with an object bulging in her pocket. The officer directed the defendant to empty her pockets and discovered several contraband items, including a crystal substance and a crystal powder substance in a bag. Later forensic testing confirmed the substances were methamphetamine.
Mullins faces up to twenty-years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release when she is sentenced.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Welch.
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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Urbandale Man Charged with Making False Statements on Loan Applications and in Bankruptcy ProceedingsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On November 13, 2025, a federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a three-count indictment with offenses relating to false statements on two loan applications and during bankruptcy proceedings.
As alleged in the Indictment, Henry J. Schappert, 57, applied for and obtained over $415,000 of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2020 and 2021 ostensibly on behalf of his company, Allied Exteriors. The Indictment alleges that Schappert made several false statements on applications or amended applications for the loans which included inflated number of employees, revenue, cost of goods sold, and employee wages.
The Indictment further alleges that Schappert, in 2021, after receiving the EIDL and PPP loan proceeds, formed Pots and Shots, LLC, a bar and plant store in West Des Moines, Iowa. Schappert subsequently transferred over $129,000 from Allied Exteriors’ accounts to this new venture.
The Indictment also alleges that Schappert filed for bankruptcy in the Southern District of Iowa in 2024, in which he made several false declarations on his bankruptcy petition and schedules.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Office of the United States Trustee.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Lubben is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts Annual Meeting of the Western District's Health Care Fraud Working GroupRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today the annual meeting of the Western District’s Health Care Fraud Working Group, a partnership of federal and state agencies focused on combating health care fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars in the Western District of North Carolina.
The Health Care Fraud Working Group’s mission is to collaborate to effectively uncover health care fraud schemes and hold accountable those who are responsible for the fraud. The Working Group is comprised of investigators, analysts, auditors, and attorneys from federal and state agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the North Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Division, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Recipient Fraud Unit.
At today’s meeting, U.S. Attorney Ferguson recognized the contributions of partner agencies in the Western District’s successful pursuit of criminal charges and civil claims against perpetrators of health care fraud in the district.
“Of the $5 trillion per year spent on healthcare in the United States, 45% is through government programs. That massive figure makes it hard to detect complex healthcare fraud; it simply cannot be done without strong partnerships and collaboration,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “But it is critical work—not just because we must protect taxpayer money, but because healthcare fraud increases medical costs and insurance premiums for everyone.”
If you suspect Medicare or Medicaid fraud, please report it by phone at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477), or online at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/
To report Medicaid fraud in North Carolina, call the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division at 919-881-2320 or fill out an online complaint form.
To report TRICARE fraud, contact the appropriate contractor identified at https://tricare.mil/PatientResources/ContactUs/ReportFraudAbuse
Fraud against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system can be reported at www.vaoig.gov/hotline.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Meets with Monroe County Leadership to Strengthen Public Safety and Environmental Protection PartnershipsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones met this week with Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, State Attorney Dennis Ward, and Monroe County Mayor Michelle Lincoln to discuss ongoing efforts to protect public safety and preserve the natural resources of the Florida Keys.
The meeting focused on the strong collaboration between federal, state, and local partners in areas including violent crime, narcotics trafficking, environmental enforcement, and maritime interdiction. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones reaffirmed the continued commitment of federal resources, personnel, and joint operations to support Monroe County’s priorities.
During the visit, Mayor Michelle Lincoln honored U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones by naming him an Honorary Conch, a distinction reserved for those who have earned the trust of the Keys community but were not born in the Keys. The recognition reflects the long-standing partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Monroe County in protecting residents, visitors, and the fragile ecosystem that defines the island chain.
“Monroe County is a model of how public safety, environmental stewardship, and community partnership can work together,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “Sheriff Ramsay, State Attorney Ward, and Mayor Lincoln are doing exceptional work for the people of the Keys. I am deeply grateful to be named an Honorary Conch, and our Office will continue to bring federal resources, coordination, and resolve to protect residents and to safeguard the extraordinary natural environment that makes Monroe County unlike anywhere else.”
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones emphasized that the Southern District of Florida will continue working closely with Monroe County leadership to strengthen enforcement efforts, support community safety initiatives, and preserve the protected ecosystems of the Keys.
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Two Marion County Men Sentenced to Ten Years for Distribution of Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Gerald Douglas Dandridge, Jr. (25, Ocala) to 10 years in federal prison for six counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Scott Weaver (38, Anthony), Dandridge’s co-defendant, also was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison of his role in five of the six counts. Both men entered guilty pleas in early 2025.
According to court documents, on five occasions between May and December 2023, Dandridge and Weaver worked together to sell fentanyl and heroin to a confidential informant who was cooperating with law enforcement. Dandridge also separately sold fentanyl to the confidential informant in February and March of 2024. Dandridge and Weaver both have been previously convicted of offenses involving the possession with intent to distribute or sale of controlled substances.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Two Marion County Men Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Reshawn Graham (36, Ocala) and Tyrone Pierson (29, Ocala) with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted, each faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to court documents, on October 7, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer negotiated the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine with Graham. Later that day, Pierson met with the undercover officer and told her the source of supply was delayed. The next day, Graham again reached out to the undercover officer and stated that Pierson now had the methamphetamine. Afterward, Graham and Pierson were arrested by law enforcement at a predetermined meeting location. Pierson was wearing a bag that contained approximately 438 grams of methamphetamine.
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.
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).
Two Individuals Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals on child exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted:
- A nine-count indictment charges Victor Adear Vanderslice, 44, of Columbiana, Alabama, with transportation of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, attempted transfer of obscene material to minors, and penalties for registered sex offenders. The incidents occurred between October 3, 2024, and December 19, 2024, in Shelby County, Alabama.
- A one-count indictment charges Victor Arturo Angeles-Garcia, 36, Huntsville, Alabama, with possession of child pornography. The incident occurred in June 2025 in Jefferson County, Alabama.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. Reports can be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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 and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
These cases were investigated by federal law enforcement partners from FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant US Attorney Dan McBrayer is prosecuting the case against Defendant Vanderslice. Assistant US Attorney W. Lee Gilmer is prosecuting the case against Defendant Angeles-Garcia.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Fayette County Men Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Jawuan Akil Watts, 31, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Lesley Scott Watkins, 50, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, each for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 4, 2024, Watts and other individuals broke into a Fayette County pawn shop on three occasions while the business was closed and stole 33 firearms, ammunition, coins, and a gaming console. Watts traded, sold, or gave many of the firearms to others in the Oak Hill community including individuals with felony convictions. Watkins obtained several of the stolen firearms. On July 6, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Watkins’ residence after he sold two of the stolen firearms to a confidential informant. Officers found three firearms during the search, including two that were stolen from the pawn shop. Sixteen of the stolen firearms have not been recovered.
As part of their guilty pleas, Watts admitted that he possessed a Heritage Manufacturing model Rough Rider .22-caliber revolver and a Colt model Peacemaker .22-caliber revolver in Fayette County on July 6, 2024, and Watkins admitted that he possessed an HS Product model XD-S .45-caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer model P220 45-caliber pistol in Fayette County on July 5, 2024.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Watts knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Raleigh County Circuit Court on July 11, 2014. Watkins knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 24, 2008.
Watts has a criminal history that also includes two additional felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions for property and drug possession offenses.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys D. Keith Randolph and Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the cases.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-92 (Watkins) and 2:25-cr-93 (Watts).
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Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Dealing Anti-Materiel RiflesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Filiberto Walle, 24, of Edinburgh, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license.
According to the plea agreement, between approximately August 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, Walle made a business of obtaining .50 BMG caliber rifles from legitimate federal firearms licensees in Colorado, which Walle then dealt unlawfully in the State of Texas and elsewhere. These rifles are also known as anti-materiel rifles which are designed for use against military equipment, structures, and other hardware targets. Walle conspired with others to conceal the fact that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. For example, Walle arranged for third parties to complete what’s known as a straw transfer, where those parties completed the required background checks to gain physical possession of the firearms and then provide them to Walle.
The ATF’s investigation also led to federal convictions against others who committed their own firearms crimes when facilitating Walle’s illegal firearms dealing:
Mohamed Savane: 23-cr-468-RMR (convicted of Conspiracy to Engage in the Business of Dealing Firearms Without a License);
Malcolm Johnson: 23-cr-468-RMR (convicted of Making a False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm);
Adrian Cervantes: 24-cr-270-CNS (convicted of Making a False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm);
Torien Pryor-Parson: 24-cr-353-REB (convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Making a False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm and Retaliation Against a Witness or Informant).
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the hearing. Sentencing will be held on January 30, 2026.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Albert Buchman handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 24-cr-00270-CNS
St. Pete Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced David Araujo (57, St. Petersburg) to 27 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Araujo entered a guilty plea on July 23, 2025.
According to the plea agreement and court records, in July 2024 during an operation hosted by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, an undercover officer from the Ocala Police Department posed online as a 14-year-old prostitute (UC). Araujo messaged the UC and, after learning the UC’s age, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the UC. During the conversation, Araujo also described to the UC a prior relationship he had had with another minor. Araujo was arrested by law enforcement when he drove from St. Petersburg to Marion County to meet with the UC to engage in sexual activity. A search of Araujo’s cellphone revealed he had produced CSAM with the previous minor victim on September 25, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was 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.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Multiple RobberiesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced a man who robbed a bank and a mobile phone store and who was foiled in another robbery to 12 years in prison.
Kentrell Jones, 42, robbed a bank in Jennings, Missouri on Jan. 20, 2022, by handling a note to a teller and implying that he had a gun. On Feb. 14, 2022, Jones tried to rob a mobile phone store on South Grand Boulevard in St. Louis by demanding money from an employee at gunpoint. The employee foiled the robbery by fleeing into a bathroom and locking the door. Jones then went to a mobile phone store on Kingshighway Boulevard in St. Louis and robbed the store of cell phones and cash while armed.
Jones pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to robbery, attempted robbery, bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The FBI, St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Finlen and Nino Przulj prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Found Guilty of Selling Fatal Dose of FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Jurors in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Thursday found a St. Louis man guilty of selling the fentanyl that killed an 18-year-old woman in 2023.
Jurors convicted Bobby Lee Jones, 27, of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Jones’ started Monday.
The 18-year-old victim initially reached out to Jones on the morning of Jan. 15, 2023, asking in a text message for marijuana, evidence and testimony during the trial showed. After a series of messages, he offered to also sell her the pain pill Percocet, and they met shortly after 7 p.m. to exchange cash for the drugs, the messages show. But the pills were fake and contained a fatal dose of fentanyl, evidence showed. Around midnight, when her boyfriend tried to reach her, she was not answering calls or texts. He found her the next day.
Jones’ sentencing has yet to be scheduled. The fentanyl charge carries a penalty of at least 20 years in prison.
Jones’ trial on unrelated carjacking and firearm charges is scheduled for January 5, 2026. Charges set forth in that indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Szczucinski and Nicholas Lake are prosecuting the case.
St. Albans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Kennedy, 45, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between May and August 2025, Kennedy participated in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine in St. Albans and elsewhere. As part of his guilty plea, Kennedy admitted that a co-conspirator in California shipped several pounds of methamphetamine to locations in Kanawha County during the time period. Kennedy further admitted that he took possession of the methamphetamine and re-distributed it after arranging for another co-conspirator to pick up the shipments at the delivery locations.
Kennedy also admitted that he provided half-pound quantities of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator in St. Albans on May 30, 2025, and June 24, 2025, each time after the co-conspirator contacted him seeking methamphetamine for re-distribution to a customer. On June 25, 2025, Kennedy distributed approximately 690 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in St. Albans.
On August 22, 2025, law enforcement officers intercepted a package en route to a Dunbar address and found it contained approximately 38 pounds of methamphetamine. Officers replaced most of the methamphetamine with a non-narcotic substance before the package was delivered to the Dunbar address. Kennedy admitted that he arranged for a co-conspirator to pick up the package and deliver it to a St. Albans address where Kennedy later took possession of it. Officers approached and arrested Kennedy shortly after he picked up the package.
At the time of this offense, Kennedy was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm on October 4, 2022.
Kennedy is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-166.
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South Texas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl, MethRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Cotulla man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 121 months in prison for transporting fentanyl and methamphetamine from Eagle Pass to San Antonio.
According to court documents, in October 2021, Jesus Roberto Tellez, 42, was seen picking up a backpack containing narcotics from an Eagle Pass residence. Eagle Pass Police Department officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle occupied by Tellez and further investigation revealed that the backpack contained a total of nine bundles with 4.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and 498.4 grams of fentanyl pills. Tellez admitted to twice previously trafficking narcotics from Eagle Pass to San Antonio in the preceding four months.
Tellez was indicted Dec. 1, 2021, and pleaded guilty on Aug. 20, 2025. He was sentenced on Dec. 3 by U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Eagle Pass Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuted the case.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on December 1, 2025.
Willard Menard, 61, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison to be served consecutively to a state prison sentence of two years, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Menard was indicted Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 2, 2025.
Menard was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender. Menard was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. From early January through April 2025, Menard knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Jeremy Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Menard was immediately returned to state custody to continue serving a state sentence. Following that term of imprisonment, he will be remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
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 Unit 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.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on December 1, 2025.
Michael Spath, II, 35, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Spath was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 27, 2025.
On September 4, 2024, Sioux Falls Police responded to a report of an incident at Spath’s residence in Sioux Falls. While investigating the incident, police found two firearms under a nightstand next to Spath’s bed. Spath is prohibited from possessing firearms due to having multiple prior felony convictions.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Sioux Falls Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Spath was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux City Man Guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
A man who possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl pled guilty on December 4, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Alfredo Soberanes, age 31, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
At the plea hearing, pursuant to a plea agreement, Soberanes admitted that around midnight on August 31, 2023, in Sioux City, Iowa, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on his vehicle. Soberanes first stopped his vehicle, however, when law enforcement began to approach, he drove away. Law enforcement did not pursue the vehicle but went to the address in Sioux City associated with the vehicle registration. Another person answered the door, and stated they knew Soberanes, but that he was not at the residence. Law enforcement was given permission to search the residence. Soberanes was ultimately located hiding in the basement, and he was arrested. Found in Soberanes’ possession at arrest was, amongst other illicit items, a digital scale, a firearm, and over 2,500 pills containing fentanyl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Soberanes remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Soberanes faces a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and four years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-04046. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Shiprock Man Charged for Violent AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged after an alleged assault left a victim seriously injured.
According to court documents. on November 18, 2025, Darrell Joe Ben, Jr., 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted the victim following a day of drinking. Multiple witnesses contacted emergency services. When officers arrived, they observed the victim with serious injuries consistent with assault and immediately detained Ben at the scene.
The victim was transported to a local hospital and received treatment for serious injuries before being transferred for further care. During a subsequent interview, Ben acknowledged drinking heavily but did not provide a clear account of how the victim’s injuries occurred.
Ben is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. Ben faces 10 years in prison if convicted of the current charges.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Serial Kidnapper and Rapist Charged FederallyRead the Press Release
Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, 28, was charged by complaint with Kidnapping a Minor and Kidnapping, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. As detailed in the complaint, Mohamed kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and an adult woman in 2025. In between, he raped at least three other women.
“This Somali national in Minnesota is charged with raping a minor and multiple adult women before being detained — only to be quickly released by a local court, after which he committed yet another rape. This horrific case illustrates how left-wing soft-on-crime policies and vetting failures put innocent people at dire risk. If Minnesota will not protect its own people, the Department of Justice will do it for them,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“The allegations are sickening — multiple kidnappings and rapes, including against minors — and they happened in a state that has chosen ideology over public safety. Minnesota’s radical soft-on-crime policies created an environment where predators believe they can act without consequence. President Trump was elected to restore law and order, and under Attorney General Bondi, this Department is making sure violent criminals like this will face real justice and spend the rest of their natural lives in federal prison,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“Given the history of the state prosecution of Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, my office will aggressively prosecute this serial rapist,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
On December 3, 2025, federal law enforcement received information concerning violent kidnappings and rapes committed by Mohamed in Minnesota. Law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office immediately investigated and found that, as set forth in the Complaint, there is probable cause to believe that Mohamed committed a string of disturbing sexual assaults—several of them gang rapes—of at least five victims between 2017 and 2025, many following the same pattern. Mohamed faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment and up to a sentence of life for his crimes.
On December 12, 2017, Mohamed and two others kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old girl (Minor Victim 1). Minor Victim 1 met Mohamed online, on the social media platform Snapchat. Mohamed agreed to give Minor Victim 1 a ride and picked her up in St. Paul. Instead of driving her to her requested location, Mohamed drove Minor Victim 1 to Minneapolis against her will. Mohamed parked his car in Minneapolis. Suddenly, two more men got in the car. One of them was holding a short-barreled silver revolver. The man pointed the gun at Minor Victim 1’s head and said, “give my brother some head or I’ll blow your head off.” Minor Victim 1 was forced to perform oral sex on one of the two men. Minor Victim 1 was then sexually assaulted by Mohamed. Minor Victim 1 was forced—at gunpoint and in fear for her life—to perform oral sex on Mohamed. He then raped her vaginally. After the group sexually assaulted the girl, they let her out of the car. Minor Victim 1 ran, hid, and called the police. The police took Minor Victim 1 to the hospital, and she consented to a sexual assault exam. On September 17, 2024, after Mohamed’s DNA was taken in connection with another sexual assault, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) laboratory matched Mohamed’s DNA to the swabs taken from Minor Victim 1’s body, excluding more than 99.99% of the general population.
On February 7, 2018, Mohamed and two others raped an adult woman (Victim 2). In the early morning hours of that day, Roseville police received a call from a Lyft driver, reporting that he had a woman in his car who had been sexually assaulted by three men. Police responded to the scene and interviewed Victim 2. She explained that a man she knew from Instagram picked her up in his car. He and two other men held her against her will in the car. The men raped Victim 2. After they were done sexually assaulting her, the men released Victim 2, telling her the cops were coming. Victim 2 ran to a Motel 6 to charge her phone and called a Lyft to pick her up. When Victim 2 told her Lyft driver what happened, he called 911. Police took Victim 2 to the hospital, where she consented to a sexual assault exam. Police located condoms in a car that had been on the scene. The BCA connected Mohamed’s known DNA sample to the DNA from a recovered condom.
On May 8, 2018, Mohamed and another man kidnapped and raped an adult woman (Victim 3). Victim 3 knew Mohamed from Snapchat but had never met him in person before. Mohamed drove to Victim 3’s house in St. Paul and Victim 3 sat with him in his car. Victim 3 asked Mohamed for a pack of cigarettes. Instead, Mohamed began to drive away. Victim 3 protested, explaining she couldn’t leave her apartment, as her son was inside. But Mohamed continued to drive and locked the car doors so that Victim 3 could not escape. Mohamed drove Victim 3 to Minneapolis. He pulled the car into an alley, where Mohamed raped Victim 3. After the rape, a second man got into the backseat. He was holding a black semi-automatic handgun. He pointed the handgun at Victim 3’s head and said, “If you don’t give me head you’re not going to live.” Victim 3 then performed oral sex on the second man, under threat of her life. After they were done, Mohamed and the other man pushed Victim 3 out of the car. Victim 3 ran until she arrived at a gas station. She asked for directions to the light rail, which she took back to St. Paul. She then contacted the St. Paul Police, who took Victim 3 to the hospital, where she consented to a sexual assault exam. In September 2024 the BCA laboratory matched Mohamed’s DNA to the swabs taken from Victim 3, excluding more than 99.99% of the general population.
On May 30, 2024, Mohamed raped an adult woman (Victim 4). Victim 4 knew Mohamed from Snapchat. Mohamed picked up Victim 4 and her sister in his car and, instead of taking them for something to eat, drove the two women to his apartment in Minneapolis. Mohamed carried Victim 4 to his bedroom and threw her on the bed and closed the door. Mohamed tried to force Victim 4 to give him oral sex. When she refused, Mohamed raped her. Mohamed told Victim 4 that if she didn’t have sex with him, he would get a gun from his car and shoot her or her sister. Victim 4’s sister heard screaming and her sister saying stop. Victim 4’s sister opened the door and saw Mohamed on top of her sister. Mohamed threatened to kill Victim 4’s sister and told her to leave. Victim 4’s sister fled the building and called the police. When the police arrived, they found Victim 4 and Mohamed in his apartment. Victim 4 was crying and stumbling. When Victim 4 was away from Mohamed, she explained he raped her. Police took Victim 4 to the hospital, where she consented to a sexual assault exam. Police arrested Mohamed and took him to the hospital for a sexual assault exam. Mohamad became hostile—he kicked squad doors and windows, spat on officers, and eventually became assaultive with hospital security guards and nurses. He was kicked out of the medical center before the sexual assault exam could be completed. In September 2024, pursuant to a search warrant, law enforcement collected a DNA swab from Mohamed.
In September 2025, Mohamed committed another kidnapping and rape. On September 15, 2025, Mohamed picked up an adult woman (Victim 5) in Mankato, Minnesota. Victim 5 met Mohamed that night and Mohamed was supposed to take Victim 5 to get food and then bring her back home. Instead, after Victim 5 was in Mohamed’s car, he kidnapped her. After Victim 5 asked Mohamed to bring her home, Mohamed kept driving and said, “you are not going home.” Mohamed drove Victim 5 approximately 70 miles to a hotel in Bloomington, where he kept her for nearly a week. When Victim 5 tried to leave on the first day, Mohamed grabbed her by the hair, slapped her face, and told her she could not leave. Mohamed raped Victim 5 twice. Mohamed choked Victim 5 while he raped her. Victim 5 was able to text her sister, that “I think I’m getting kidnapped” and needed help, but Mohamed took her phone away. Victim 5’s sister contacted the police, who worked to find Victim 5. On September 21, 2025, Victim 5 jumped out of Mohamed’s car and told a nearby man, “Can you help me? I am being kidnapped.” The man called 911 and police responded to the scene. Police took Victim 5 to the hospital, where she consented to a sexual assault exam. The DNA profile obtained from Victim 5 matched to Mohamed’s known sample.
This case results from an investigation conducted by the FBI, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department, the St. Louis Park Police Department, the Anoka County Sherrif’s Office, and the St. Paul Police Department.
The FBI is investigating Mohamed for the offenses detailed in the complaint and for additional sexual offenses. If you believe you, your child, or someone you know may be a victim of Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, please call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Serial Bank Robber Pleads Guilty to Robbing Weymouth Bank at GunpointRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty today in connection with the December 2024 armed robbery of a Santander Bank in Weymouth.
Glenn Legere, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for March 10, 2026. Legere was arrested and charged in June 2025.
At approximately 4:52 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to a Santander bank branch in Weymouth for a reported bank robbery. There, a bank teller told law enforcement that as employees were preparing to close the bank, a man wearing a sweatshirt, baseball hat, face covering and gloves entered the bank through the main entrance. The suspect approached a teller’s window, removed a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt, opened a black cloth bag and demanded all the money. As the bank teller handed the suspect money from the cash box, the suspect yelled words to the effect of “I need money,” “I want the money” and “I don’t play.” At various times, the suspect pointed the firearm directly at the teller. The suspect also ran towards other teller windows, gesturing towards the cash box areas and demanding more money, but the teller explained that there was no more money and displayed an empty cash drawer. The suspect then left the bank with approximately $947 in stolen cash.
A subsequent review of surveillance video footage from nearby locations determined that the suspect drove to and from the robbery location in a silver or grey Jeep Grand Cherokee. A vehicle matching the description was captured on cameras in Quincy immediately before and after the robbery. The vehicle was registered to Legere.
Legere has multiple prior convictions for committing armed and unarmed robberies, including a 2011 conviction of armed robbery in Norfolk Superior Court for which he was sentenced to three to five years in state prison, as well as a 2010 conviction for armed and unarmed robbery of banks in Braintree, Hanover, Duxbury and Plymouth for which he was sentenced to three years in state prison.At the time of Legere’s arrest, a firearm and some of the clothing believed to be used by Legere during the robbery were recovered.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Weymouth Police Chief Richard M. Fuller made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the Wellesley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
San Diego Man Pleads Guilty to Using Explosives to Burglarize ATMRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Son Nguyen of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he used an explosive to destroy a First Citizens Bank ATM in Rancho Bernardo in the summer of 2024.
According to his plea agreement, Nguyen admitted that on June 28, 2024, he drove up to an ATM outside the First Citizens Bank branch and inserted a metal-shaped rod into the cash dispenser slot of the machine. He then removed the rod and inserted another device which had wires attached to it. The defendant pulled the wires that were attached to the device that was wedged into the ATM and its electrical components caught fire. The ATM was destroyed.
Smoke emitted from the ATM for more than 30 minutes. At approximately 3:23 a.m., the San Diego Police Department received a call to investigate a burglary alarm at the bank. Upon arrival, officers observed the ATM with smoke coming out of it and electrical components on fire. Electrical wires protruded from the machine with a metal rod bent into a U-shape attached. Additionally, blue material with a white and black valve was found in front of the ATM.
Nguyen had left the area. But investigators were able to track him through the bank’s surveillance footage, which showed the license plate number on the vehicle Nguyen used.
According to a federal complaint, on August 23, 2024, federal search warrants authorizing searches of Nguyen’s residence and car were executed. Investigators found a U-shaped rod, a metal plate welded onto a pole, a balaclava, and a beanie. Investigators also found gas, black powder, potassium nitrate sulfur, explosive pre-cursor chemicals, a paper that explains how to make black powder and a firearm in Nguyen’s residence. Investigators found a black hose, neck gaiter and California license plate bearing number 24876J1 in his car. All of this equipment, license plate and clothing is consistent with what was used during the ATM bombing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Shital Thakkar.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24cr1933-RBM
Son Thanh Nguyen Age: 46 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Malicious Use of Fire and Explosive Materials to Damage Property– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 844(i)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Romanian Man Admits Sleight-of-Hand Crimes that Netted Nearly $200,000 in 22 StatesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Romanian national on Thursday admitted running “sleight-of-hand” schemes that cost a nationwide retailer almost $200,000.
Bobi Covaciu, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. He admitted tricking cashiers at Target stores in at least 22 states from February 2022 to September 2024 into believing that he had paid the full amount of cash for a purchase. Covaciu counted out cash matching the purchase price and then took back the cash from cashiers and secretly pocketed bills, shortchanging the retailer by hundreds of dollars or more per transaction. Covaciu would then return the merchandise at a different store for a full cash refund. In one transaction in St. Louis, Covaciu pocketed about $2,300 in a transaction and then returned merchandise in an Illinois store and two stores in Wisconsin over the next two days, his plea says. In at least 90 fraudulent transactions during this period, Covaciu stole about $196,220 in money and property.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2026. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. He will also be ordered to repay the money.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 54 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Travis Frazier, 28 years old, of Rochester, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Frazier was sentenced to 54 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Frazier accidentally shot a loaded gun while holding his infant child, who was struck by bullet fragments. Frazier had a prior felony conviction and a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery, either of which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Rochester Police Department and the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
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.
Riverview Man Receives Life Sentence for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Nicholas Van Duy (38, Riverview) to life in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl, the use of which resulted in death. Van Duy pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025.
According to court documents, on May 31, 2022, Van Duy supplied fentanyl to Jaime Sue Van Hooser. Van Hooser, in turn, sold the fentanyl to a man who ingested the fentanyl, overdosed, and died. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to the victim’s residence and determined that the death appeared to be an overdose. Additional investigation resulted in the identification of Van Hooser as the person who had supplied the fentanyl to the victim, and Van Duy as Van Hooser’s supplier. After a detective arranged to purchased fentanyl from Van Duy at his residence, investigators obtained a search warrant. A search of the home revealed fentanyl, a large amount of cash, and numerous firearms. Van Duy admitted to investigators that he had sold fentanyl to Van Hooser. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that intoxication by fentanyl was the cause of the victim’s death.
Van Duy, who had a prior conviction for trafficking in illegal drugs, was subject to a mandatory life sentence. In a previous proceeding, U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell sentenced Jaime Sue Van Hooser to 20 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
Ringleaders of National COVID-19 Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 204 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Edward Sheldon Whitaker to 120 months in prison and, his wife, Schunda Coleman, to 84 months in prison for their roles in organizing a nationwide COVID-19 fraud scheme. The Court ordered both defendants to pay more than $10 million in restitution after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering for their role in facilitating dozens of North Carolina residents to obtain fraudulent Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loans. Additionally, the Court ordered forfeiture money judgments against Whitaker and Coleman in the amount of $3,872,548.24, as well as the forfeiture of the marital residence in Edinburg, Texas, and other accounts and property.
“Defrauding our nation during an emergency is disgraceful. Today’s sentences send a loud and clear message,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “While hardworking Americans pulled together during the pandemic, these defendants chose to line their own pockets. This office will continue delivering tough, no-nonsense justice to anyone who steals from taxpayers – we will not let fraudsters get rich off the backs of honest citizens.”
“The defendants created a scheme with the sole intent of enriching themselves during a national crisis,” said Special Agent-In-Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “They orchestrated a recruitment program to generate millions of dollars in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans meant for those in need during the COVID-19 Pandemic. IRS-CI will continue its collaborative investigative efforts alongside our law enforcement partners to find those stealing from the federal government and subsequently the taxpayers.”
Whitaker and Coleman, a married couple from Edinburg, Texas, ran a scheme to abet individuals submitting fraudulent PPP loan applications nationwide. According to the court documents, the pair created fake supporting documents and false company payroll records, which they provided to co-conspirator applicants for a fee. They also coached “clients” on how to falsify the number of employees and gross wages of a phony business to make it appear eligible for a PPP loan. Whitaker instructed individuals how to make it appear as though PPP loan proceeds were being paid out as wages, when in reality, the defendants transferred the money back to themselves.
Whitaker and Coleman facilitated more than $15 million in fake PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) disbursements nationwide. To further promote the scheme, they paid middlemen to recruit additional co-conspirators willing to file fraudulent loan applications.
To date, more than thirty defendants who conspired with Whitaker and Coleman have received federal prison sentences.
In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who suffered negative economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the PPP. Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka prosecuted the cases. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation investigated the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00257-D.
Richmond felon sentenced to over four years in prison for possessing a firearm less than a month after being released from prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to four years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2024, law enforcement observed Desmond Mikal Hawkins, 31, walking in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood in Richmond and noticed what they believed to be a concealed firearm. The officers approached Hawkins and asked him if he had a concealed carry permit, and Hawkins falsely claimed that he did but that he did not have it with him. Officers detained Hawkins and recovered a loaded handgun from underneath his shirt in his waistband.
Hawkins is a previously convicted felon, most recently in 2023 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hawkins had been released from prison less than a month before the current offense and was on federal supervised release at the time. As a previously convicted felon, Hawkins cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen H. Theisen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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-cr-5.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to More Than 3 Years for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm and Violating Terms of Federal SupervisionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kordarow Moore, 36, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced on December 1, 2025, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, and an additional 9 months in federal prison for violating the terms of his federal supervision for a previous federal drug trafficking conviction. Moore pleaded guilty to the felon in possession charge on September 12, 2025.
On September 22, 2024, a law enforcement officer stopped Moore’s car for speeding on Interstate 94 in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. Moore was driving 101 miles per hour, which is more than 30 miles per hour over the legal limit. Moore was later arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Officers searched the car following Moore’s arrest and found a loaded AK-47 style rifle under the front passenger seat. The firearm had an extended magazine that contained approximately 40 rounds of ammunition with one round in the chamber.
At sentencing, Judge Conley stated that the type of firearm possessed by Moore posed a deadly threat to others and went far beyond a need for personal protection. Further, Judge Conley emphasized that it was inexplicable that Moore would possess a firearm, let alone this type of firearm, while under the Court’s supervision for another federal offense and while intoxicated.
The charge against Moore was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and task force officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Reinhard and Kathryn Ginsberg Ostrow prosecuted this case.
Federal criminal cases involving firearms are part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the U.S. 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).
Recidivist Firearm Offender Sentenced to Nine and a Half Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition and Violation of Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to nine and a half years of incarceration on his conviction of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, as well as violation of his federal supervised release, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Gerald Underwood, 44, who was found guilty of the firearm charge on June 10, 2025, following a jury trial. Judge Horan imposed a sentence of eight years on the charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and an additional sentence of 18 months (to run consecutive to the eight-year sentence) for Underwood’s violation of federal supervised release.
According to information presented to the Court, on November 9, 2022, Underwood possessed a firearm and ammunition at a gas station in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. At the time, Underwood was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Underwood has a number of state felony convictions as well as two prior federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Horan noted that Underwood has a history of violent behavior and had not learned from the prior sentences, and stated that she was imposing a sentence above the advisory sentencing range because of the need to protect the public from Underwood.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Underwood.