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3 December 2025
December Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the December Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Roy C Adams. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Adams, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-455
Andres Avila Pineda; Anthony Avila. Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms. Andres, 48, a Mexican national, and Anthony, 22, of Houston, Texas, are charged with conspiring with others to transport firearms knowing that possession would constitute a felony. Andres is further charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Dowdell and Kenneth Elmore are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-460
Jose Cruz-Cordova. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cruz-Cordova, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2019. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-461
Adrian Parker Gaines. Production of Child Pornography. Gaines, 38, of Grove, is charged with using a minor child to produce a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-454
Nieves Norberto Garcia-Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Rodriguez, 44, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2010 and Dec. 2015. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-462
Leonel Longoria-Quirino. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Longoria-Quirino, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2017. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-459
Waymer Emeterio Orozco-Orozco. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Orozco-Orozco, 27, a Guatemalan national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. He is additionally charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in Jan. 2019. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-453
Sequoyah Blake Tanner. Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Tanner, 23, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with driving a motor vehicle after consuming marijuana and alcohol, and killing Zion Joseph Sier. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-452
Rovin Alexail Vasquez-Cinto. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Vasquez-Cinto, 27, a Guatemalan national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-451
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Multiple ChildrenRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of multiple children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
Graham Daniel Ash, 42, of Pinson, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon to an 11-count superseding indictment that included three counts of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of transportation of child pornography, three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of aggravated sexual abuse with a child, and one count related to penalties for registered sex offenders. Ash was previously convicted of electronic solicitation of a child in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2022.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2023, Ash shared images and videos of child sexual abuse material in his online correspondence with an undercover FBI agent with the District of Columbia Field Office. A federal search warrant was subsequently executed on Ash’s residence in Pinson, Alabama. Agents recovered a laptop and two smashed cell phones from Ash’s residence.
Following the search warrant, FBI Agents in the District of Columbia and Northern District of Alabama continued their investigation into Ash. Search warrants for Ash’s online accounts and the forensic examination of his seized devices revealed evidence of other crimes that Ash committed in the Northern District of Alabama between March and October 2023 that involved minor victims located throughout the United States. In his communications with these children, Ash repeatedly asked for child sexual abuse material (CSAM), received CSAM, and used and directed children to perform sexually explicit acts for him. Ash also traveled out of state for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with one of the children. Ash was charged with crimes in the superseding indictment filed in the Northern District of Alabama.
Ash was also charged in an indictment in the District of Columbia with distribution of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor. Ash pleaded guilty to these charges and was sentenced in April 2025, to 216 months in federal prison.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also 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.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office, Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) Unit, and FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Other federal and state law enforcement agencies in Missouri, Texas, California, Connecticut, West Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Colorado, and Maryland were instrumental in identifying and locating minor victims. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Kidnapper Sentenced to 75 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Delaware – Julianne E. Murray, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that, on November 25, 2025, Tonnaire McNair-Matthews, 26, was sentenced to a total of 900 months—or 75 years—in federal prison for six offenses, including kidnapping, carjacking, robbery, and related firearms offenses. McNair-Matthews was convicted on all counts after a trial in July 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly pronounced the sentence.
According to court records and evidence presented at the four-day trial, McNair-Matthews conspired with David Hinson, 23, Michael Caldwell, 21, and Mahkiya Powell, 20, to rear-end unsuspecting drivers with a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee and then rob the drivers when they got out to inspect their vehicles for damage. After three unsuccessful attempts, McNair-Matthews rear-ended the victim’s vehicle. When the victim got out, McNair-Matthews abducted her at gunpoint, forcing her back into the passenger seat of her own vehicle.
McNair-Matthews then drove the victim, against her will, from Delaware into Pennsylvania. During the ride, McNair-Matthews demanded the PIN code for the victim’s bank cards, forced her to disrobe, and digitally penetrated her against her will. McNair-Matthews then stopped the vehicle and forcibly raped the victim at gunpoint. Ultimately, McNair-Matthews abandoned the victim in Pennsylvania. He drove her vehicle back to Delaware, where he visited various convenience stores and used her stolen bank cards and PIN code to withdraw money from ATMs.
McNair-Matthews then reunited with Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell in Wilmington. Once there, he provided his co-conspirators with the victim’s bank cards and PIN, as well as the firearm he had used in the carjacking and rape. Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell then cleaned the victim’s car and stole her purse. After McNair-Matthews changed clothes in an attempt to evade detection, the four men met up at a Wilmington gas station, where law enforcement located them. As soon as law enforcement arrived, McNair-Matthews and Powell fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase in the stolen Jeep. McNair-Matthews and Powell temporarily evaded capture, but McNair-Matthews was found in Maryland just three days later.
“This was a calculated, predatory attack that shattered an innocent woman’s sense of safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Murray. “The Court’s sentence delivers justice for a survivor who showed extraordinary courage. Moreover, it sends a clear message that those who terrorize our communities with violence, intimidation, and exploitation will be pursued, prosecuted, and held fully accountable. Finally, I commend the vigilant work of the FBI, the Delaware State Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police for swiftly bringing the defendant to justice.”
“This lengthy sentence of 75 years reflects the gravity of the atrocious crimes Tonnaire McNair-Matthews committed,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “He created a living nightmare for an innocent woman who was simply driving to work one morning. McNair-Matthews ruthlessly attacked, kidnapped, and raped her. He and his co-conspirators then continued their crime spree, putting even more people in harm’s way by fleeing from the quick-responding law enforcement officers who caught up with them. McNair-Matthews repeatedly showed he has no consideration or regard for others’ safety. No doubt, our Delaware citizens are safer today with him behind bars where he can no longer inflict violence and pain on others.”
“The Delaware State Police appreciates the collaborative efforts of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the dedicated work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Delaware Department of Justice in securing a meaningful sentence for this violent crime,” said Colonel William D. Crotty, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police. “This case demonstrates our shared commitment to thoroughly investigate violent crimes, support victims, and safeguard the people of Delaware.”
“The Pennsylvania State Police Troop K, Media Station is pleased with the result of the sentencing hearing and that justice was served on behalf of the victim,” said Captain Jon Sunderlin of the Pennsylvania State Police. “This investigation was an excellent example of local, state, and federal agencies working together.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force, the Delaware State Police, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Wilmington Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Delaware Department of Justice. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Samuel S. Frey, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Dunn.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JATNIEL MORALES GONZALEZ, 28, of Ponce, Puerto Rico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force identified Joseph Giovanni Soto as the leader of a cocaine trafficking operation that involved the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in New Britain and Meriden, Connecticut, as well as addresses in Holyoke and West Springfield, Massachusetts. The organization used “runners” to pick up the parcels from the drop addresses and deliver them to Soto’s residence in Bloomfield and the residence of Soto’s uncle, Ramon Soto, in New Britain. Typically, Ramon Soto, at Joseph Soto’s direction, then delivered the cocaine to individuals in the Bronx, New York, and elsewhere, in return for payment.
During the investigation, task force members intercepted and seized 10 suspicious parcels, each of which contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine, and identified approximately 280 suspicious parcels likely containing kilogram quantities of cocaine that had been delivered to the various drop addresses.
Joseph Giovanni Soto was arrested on May 1, 2023. In August 2023, investigators saw a reemergence of suspicious parcels coming from Puerto Rico to the New Britain and Meriden areas, and then to a Waterbury address where Morales Gonzalez was living. Investigators determined that Morales Gonzalez and Soto had worked together prior to Soto’s arrest, and that Morales Gonzalez had assumed control of the Connecticut side of the cocaine trafficking network after Soto’s arrest. Investigators identified several new drop addresses for suspicious parcels and observed Morales Gonzalez and others retrieving the parcels and bringing them to Morales Gonzalez’s residence before they were ultimately delivered to the Bronx. During this part of the investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified 98 additional suspicious parcels and seized and searched four of them. Each of the searched packages contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine.
On June 26, 2024, a court-authorized search of Morales Gonzalez’s residence revealed approximately two kilograms of cocaine, a loaded handgun, and a Smith and Wesson M&P 9 Shield firearm, and two drug ledgers.
On September 2, 2025, Morales Gonzales pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine. Released on a $100,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on January 21.
Joseph Giovanni Soto pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on May 9, 2025, was sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. Ramon Soto pleaded guilty to a related charge and, on January 8, 2025, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.
Brian Martinez Rivera, 29, of Torrington, and Luis Torres Ortiz, 24, of New Britain, have also pleaded guilty to charges related to their involvement in this conspiracy and await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, and the Hartford, Plainville, and Meriden Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Levick and Konstantin Lantsman.
Chicago Man Charged with Sexually Exploiting MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicago man has been arrested and charged with allegedly sexually exploiting a 14-year-old minor victim from Massachusetts.
Joshua Rogers, 30, of Chicago, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of children. Roger was arrested this morning in Chicago and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, in July 2025, local law enforcement in Brookline were notified of an individual purporting to be a 17-year-old boy named ‘John’ – allegedly later identified as Rogers – engaging in sexually explicit communications with a 14-year-old female minor victim via Snapchat. A review of cell phone data allegedly revealed numerous explicit communications from Rogers in which he allegedly coerced the minor to engage in sexually explicit acts – many of which he demanded be documented by photo or video. It is further alleged that, in his communications, Rogers discussed kidnapping the minor or the minor running away.
The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chief Jennifer Paster of the Brookline Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Checotah Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Joshua Darrin Breshears, age 33, of Checotah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by ten years to life in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
The Indictment alleged that on or about May 31, 2024, Breshears knowingly and intentionally distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, United States 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 United States District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Breshears will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
A man who distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to 35 years in federal prison.
Cordarryl Cortez Smith, age 38, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 3, 2025, guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location.
In March 2023, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine from Smith twice. One of the purchases occurred within 1,000 feet of a school. On March 22, 2023, officers stopped Smith’s car as it was returning to Cedar Rapids. Although the car belonged to Smith, Smith’s brother and another individual were driving it. Smith was in a separate car also on the way back to Cedar Rapids. In the trunk of Smith’s car, officers located approximately an ounce of cocaine and approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine. In November 2023, in Cedar Rapids, officers again purchased cocaine from Smith multiple times.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Smith was sentenced to 420 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the
Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-28.
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Cedar Rapids Felon with a Gun Sentenced to over 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed a gun while on supervised release was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to more than seven years in federal prison.
Marcus Dejohn Wallace, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 11, 2025, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at trial showed that on September 5, 2024, Wallace led officers on a high-speed car chase through Cedar Rapids before pulling over in a residential neighborhood and running from officers. As he ran, he threw a loaded gun, which hit a nearby roof before landing in the grass. Police officers using a K-9 caught Wallace. Officers found the loaded gun, which was missing a magazine. Officers later found the missing magazine in the path Wallace had run. Wallace was on supervised release at the time he possessed the gun because of a prior federal conviction for distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury.
Wallace was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Wallace was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment, plus 18 months’ imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release, for a total of 88 months’ imprisonment. Wallace must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Wallace 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 Devra T. Hake, Shawn Wehde, and Dan Tvedt, and it was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-90.
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.
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Career offender sentenced to 16 years in prison for being armed while trafficking methRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk drug trafficker was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Aug. 7, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics from Johnathan David Bell, 36, during which he distributed 111.19 grams of methamphetamine and 1.19 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture.
On August 16, 2024, detectives observed Bell walking through the parking lot of a hotel in Norfolk carrying two backpacks. Bell placed the one backpack inside a vehicle and left with the other backpack. Bell later returned to and entered the vehicle. Detectives approached Bell at the vehicle and detained him. Detectives screened the vehicle with a narcotics dog. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics, detectives conducted a search and located the black backpack Bell was previously carrying. Inside the backpack were 386.49 grams of methamphetamine, 1.3657 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, and a loaded handgun.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell 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. 2:25-cr-30.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Terrance Josiah Fasold, 32, of Pensacola, Florida was sentenced to 10 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of cocaine, methamphetamine, and more than 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our brave state and federal law enforcement partners are on the front lines every day fighting to keep our communities safe from violent, drug dealing criminals, and my office will continue to back up their efforts with successful prosecutions like this one to keep dangerous felons off our streets. Operation Take Back America is a promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi that we will deploy the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the scourge of deadly drugs and criminal violence.”
According to court records, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office were investigating vehicle burglaries involving stolen firearms. On October 29, 2024, deputies attempted to make contact with the defendant in a Penscaola hotel parking lot. The defendant fled on foot and discarded a bag containing a large amount of fentanyl under a parked vehicle. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s hotel room and located more fentanyl, as well as methamphetamine, cocaine, multiple firearms, and ammunition.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
CEO of Fresno-based Health Care Company Arrested at San Francisco Airport for an Alleged $7 Million Scheme to Defraud the Department of Veterans AffairsRead the Press Release
The CEO of a Fresno-based home health care company was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria. He is charged in a criminal complaint alleging that he fraudulently obtained more than $7 million in payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs for services that were never actually rendered, including care purportedly rendered to veterans weeks after they had died, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between December 2019 and July 2024, Cashmir Chinedu Luke, believed to be 66, of Antioch, operated Four Corners Health LLC. That entity provided unskilled in-home nursing and day-to-day care for elderly VA beneficiaries under the Veterans Community Care Program. Four Corners provided services in Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, San Francisco, and Contra Costa Counties. Luke engaged in a five-year scheme to bill the VA for hours of care that were not actually rendered to veterans. Luke caused Four Corners to submit approximately 10,000 individual false claims of care provided that caused the VA, through its third-party benefits administrator, to reimburse Four Corners $7 million for duplicate claims for care actually provided, claims for days caretakers were not present with veterans, claims for hours of care beyond those actually worked by caretakers, and claims of care for veterans who were actually dead.
Luke served as the sole owner and billing representative for Four Corners and actively deceived the VA’s third-party benefits administrator as it attempted to recover some of the fraudulently paid reimbursements. This allowed the Four Corners billing scheme to continue. Luke personally profited from the scheme as the sole owner of the bank account that received the reimbursement payments. Luke spent reimbursement payments immediately after being paid by the VA, either by spending lavishly on personal expenses or by promptly transferring the funds across a network of bank accounts throughout Asia and Africa.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Luke faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Belgrade woman pleads guilty to harboring illegal individualsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA - A Belgrade woman accused of harboring illegal individuals admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Eustolia Casarreal-Morales, 56, pleaded guilty to harboring illegal aliens. Casarreal-Morales faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release for each illegal alien involved in the offense.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 8, 2026, in Missoula, Montana. Casarreal-Morales was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2023, law enforcement debriefed two sources who described how they were smuggled into the United States from Mexico. Once here, these individuals explained they were eventually smuggled to Montana and provided jobs. They identified individuals in the Bozeman area who were involved in their smuggling. The investigation revealed Casarreal-Morales was in contact with at least one of the key smugglers identified by the sources of information listed above.
Beginning in May 2025 law enforcement identified a residence in Belgrade suspected of housing illegal aliens. Through investigative steps, law enforcement secured a search warrant for the residence and executed it on August 12, 2025. Twelve individuals who were in the United States illegally were discovered inside the residence, as was Casarreal-Morales. Also discovered were payments ledgers, false identification documents, and documents relating to Casarreal-Morales, and other materials. Casarreal-Morales provided a brief statement at the scene, indicating she was aware the individuals in the house were not legally in the United States and that was wrong.
Some of the 12 individuals were interviewed. They explained how, depending on the individual, they initially entered the United States through a proper visa that since expired or were smuggled into the United States. They outlined how they were then smuggled or made their way to the residence in Belgrade for the purpose of securing work. They indicated they paid monthly rent to Casarreal-Morales to live at that house.
Additional interviews outlined how the individuals came to the United States and ended up working in the Belgrade area while paying Casarreal-Morales rent. At least two of those witnesses indicated Casarreal-Morales knew the smuggler referenced above. Critically, three of those witnesses also outlined how she sold them fake identification documents.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Battle Ground, Washington Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Battle Ground, Washington woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Megan Farra, 39, pleaded guilty on December 2, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute various schedule IV-controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute various schedule IV-controlled substances. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Farra was part of a drug-distribution network that included several co-conspirators working for a drug organization based overseas. Members of the group in the United States received bulk shipments of pills from their international source, repacked the drugs into smaller quantities, and mailed them to buyers throughout the U.S. In return, they were paid for their role in facilitating the distribution scheme. The conspiracy was responsible for the importation and distribution of tens of thousands of pills containing schedule IV-controlled substances as well as non-controlled prescription drugs.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Armed repeat illegal alien handed five-year prison sentence for human smuggling and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 38-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for his part in a human smuggling event that occurred earlier this year, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, pleaded guilty May 8, to transporting and bringing an alien into the United States as well as illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now imposed a 60-month term of imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, Ramirez-Carranza is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court enhanced his sentence for organizing the smuggling event, brandishing a firearm and creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.
Mexican citizen Issac Azuara-Vasquez, 40, entered a plea April 10 to the same smuggling-related charges and to selling a firearm to Ramirez-Carranza. He was previously sentenced to 54 months. He could also lose his status as a lawful permanent resident and face removal proceedings. He also received sentencing enhancements for brandishing a firearm and for recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person.
On Feb. 12, authorities were conducting surveillance in an area of the border known for its high volume of alien, drug and weapon smuggling. There, agents heard a boat crossing Rio Grande from Mexico. After hearing an individual in Spanish telling people to run, law enforcement saw a truck Azuara-Vasquez was driving heading toward the river. The truck stopped by the river’s edge, and several individuals ran from the brush and climbed into the truck bed.
Ramirez-Carranza, who was standing near the pickup, retrieved an AR-15-type rifle from the vehicle and began to run towards the rear of the truck bed, ignoring multiple commands to stop and drop the weapon.
The investigation ultimately revealed Ramirez-Carranza was a river guide and had conspired with Azuara-Vasquez to transport and smuggle the aliens apprehended in the truck bed. One smuggled person indicated Ramirez-Carranza brought him across the Rio Grande River by boat and that his relatives were paying for him to be brought into the United States.
Ramirez-Carranza has felony convictions for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and illegal reentry after deportation. He was last removed from the United States in September 2009.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI and the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Assaulting BabyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to 96 months in prison for the assault of a one-month-old child.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, in October 2022, Logan Nelson, 22, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted a one-month-old baby multiple times. As a result of the final incident on October 15, 2022, the baby suffered an ulna fracture on their left arm and multiple other fractures in the legs and ribs.
Nelson subsequently pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Upon his release from prison, Nelson will be subject to three years of supervised release.
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 FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Mark Probasco are prosecuting the case.
Andrew Norris Zack Sentenced for his Role in the Murder of Rosenda StrongRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that Andrew Norris Zack, age 43, of Wapato, Washington, was sentenced to 40 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release by Chief United States District Court Judge Stanley A. Bastian. Zack pled guilty to Accessory After the Fact for his role in the 2018 murder of Rosenda Strong and to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm in a separate matter from 2019.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, Jedidah Iesha Moreno shot and killed Rosenda Strong on or about October 5, 2018, following an argument at a residence, known as the House of Souls in Wapato, Washington. Following the murder, Moreno asked for help disposing of Strong’s body. Zack and Jamaal Antwan Pimms assisted Moreno by rolling Strong’s body into a freezer. The freezer, and other appliances, were loaded onto the back of a truck. The body, still inside the freezer, was then dumped by Zack and others near M&R Towing, which is off Highway 97 in Toppenish, Washington.
On July 4, 2019, approximately nine months after Strong’s tragic death, a citizen discovered human remains, which later were identified through dental records as belonging to Strong.
In the 2019 Felon in Possession matter, Zack was found to have been in possession of a loaded Ruger .22 revolver following the execution of a search warrant on a residence in September, 2019.
“Rosenda Strong was ruthlessly murdered. This Defendant was part of trying to keep that murder silenced” stated US Attorney Pete Serrano. “Working alongside our state and tribal partners we were able to keep Rosenda’s voice alive and ensure that her family’s requests for justice were also heard. While this outcome will not bring Rosenda back to life, I hope it allows justice to stand as part of her memory. I’d like to thank our law enforcement partner agencies and the people in my office for their hard work and dedication in bringing this important case to tell Rosenda Strong’s story.”
“More than seven years after this senseless murder, another defendant is being sentenced for helping to conceal the crime in an attempt to evade justice," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "The FBI and our partners are committed to combatting violent crime on tribal lands and throughout the entire state of Washington, and we are dedicated to pursuing justice for victims and their grieving families and communities no matter how long it takes.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Yakama Nation. It was prosecuted by presented for prosecution by the Yakama Nation Police Department and the investigation was assisted by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington State Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas J. Hanlon and Michael D. Murphy.
Jamaal Antwan Pimms pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony in this case and was sentenced to 26 months in prison on May 28, 2025. Remaining Co- Defendants are pending sentencing.
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1:21-cr-20208-SABAnchorage man sentenced to 30 years for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possessing and producing child pornography of multiple minors known to him, including images of his hands-on sexual abuse of one of the minors.
According to court documents, in 2017, Richard Dougherty, 43, began sexually abusing a minor under the age of 16. Dougherty took photos and videos of the sexual abuse, creating child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).
Between January 2003 and April 2023, Dougherty possessed, accessed with intent to view, received and distributed CSAM. Some of the CSAM Dougherty distributed were visual depictions, including video, of him sexually abusing the minor victim.
Throughout the course of the investigation, the defendant knowingly possessed over 600 images of CSAM.
On May 27, 2025, Dougherty pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
“Mr. Dougherty’s crimes are despicable and perverse. This 30-year sentence ensures that the public and Alaska’s children are protected from his deviancy for the maximum number of years permitted under the law,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman. “I want to commend the survivors for showing extraordinary strength. I also want to thank U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Alaska State Troopers for their diligent investigative work that helped bring this case to justice. We will continue to work together to hold accountable predators who target our children.”
“The exploitation of children is one of the most reprehensible crimes that we encounter,” said Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes. “The Alaska State Troopers will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect Alaskans, keep our children safe, and hold offenders accountable.”
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Alleged Drug Dealer Charged for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A Salt Lake County man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for drug and firearm crimes after he allegedly attempted to sell fentanyl pills during a controlled buy in Murray, Utah.
Richard Daniel Garcia, 36, of, Murray, Utah, was charged by complaint on November 19, 2025.
According to court documents, on November 17, 2025, agents assigned to the DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force (MNTF) and Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) conducted an operation involving the controlled purchase of fentanyl pills. During the controlled purchase, after confirming the sale of fentanyl, agents arrested Garcia. Agents seized a Springfield Hellcast 9mm handgun and 1,032 grams of fentanyl. The weight of the fentanyl pills possessed by Garcia was approximately 10,000 individual pills.
Garcia is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. His initial appearance on the indictment is December 4, 2025, at 1:15 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force (MNTF) and Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Alex Westenskow of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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. The case was investigated by agents and officers of the HSTF Salt Lake and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Threats Against PresidentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to approximately 10 months imprisonment for using social media to issue violent threats against the President.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between January 2 and 4, 2025, Tyler Leveque, 38, made a series of social media posts threatening to kill then President-Elect Trump. First, in a TikTok video posted on January 2, 2025, Leveque made statements indicating his disdain for several people and groups of people. Leveque stated these people should be “fucking scared,” that Leveque didn’t care if he (Leveque) died, and his willingness to die is what should frighten them the most. Leveque ended the video with the taunt “Run, run.”
Then, on January 3, 2025, Leveque made threats on the social media platform “X” (formerly “Twitter”) stating the following:
- “@realDonaldTrump I got my eyes on you sir! Cant wait for your Victory rally! The 19th right!? Lol you and your rich friends are dead no threat a promise”
- “Hey @celebrities @ceos @elonmusk @DonaldTrump @Joemarafa its too late for yall shouldve shut down tik tok a long time ago see u on the 19thfor war!”
- In response to a January 2, 2025, post from President-Elect Trump, Leveque wrote “Die”
Finally, on January 4, 2025, Leveque posted the following on Facebook:
- “Just bought my first gun bitches!”
- “Hey world hey America hey trump hey ceos get rich we are hunting you down! Hahaha I’m getting ready myself! Here we come it ends now”
- “The 19th we march the sts to our state offices and demand change they are threatening shutting down the power grid on us! Fuck them! If ur there see ya! If not! U disappoint me and wish u the best I more than likely will die or be thrown in jail but unlike u all I am fighting for what’s right!”
The U.S. Secret Service and the FBI contacted Leveque at his Albuquerque residence on January 6, 2025. During this encounter, law enforcement learned that Leveque was in the process of purchasing a firearm from an Albuquerque firearms dealer. The U.S. Secret Service confirmed Leveque paid for the firearm online on January 4, 2025, but had not yet finalized the purchase, nor taken possession of the gun. Although Leveque stated his belief that his online activity was constitutionally protected, law enforcement explained that his posts had crossed the line into threats, which are not protected under the First Amendment.
“Threatening violence against public officials is a serious federal offense, and this office will prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “Today’s sentencing serves as a clear reminder that such threats carry significant, lifelong consequences, including time spent incarcerated, a permanent felony record, the loss of firearm rights, and years of federal supervision. We hope others take note and choose a different path.”
“The sentencing today reminds all of us that threatening violence is not protected speech and the United States Secret Service will continue to aggressively investigate and pursue prosecution on all threats against our protectees and elected public officials.” said Ron Emmot, Resident Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Albuquerque Resident Office.
"The FBI wants to remind the public that we uphold and support every individual’s constitutional right to free speech. Free speech protects ideas and debates, but it does not and will never protect violence," said Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. "Threatening speech that is directed toward a specific person or a group of people, whether you believe it to be anonymous or harmless, will be investigated by federal agents and we will hold them accountable."
Leveque pled guilty to making threats against the President and successors to the Presidency. Upon his release from prison, Leveque will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Resident Agent in Charge Ron Emmot of the U.S. Secret Service Albuquerque Resident Office, and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated this case with the assistance of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Albuquerque Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
40-month Prison Sentence for Menominee Man Convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 1, 2025, Darryl D. Smith (age: 53), formerly of Keshena, received a 40-month sentence for a violent crime on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The sentence, imposed by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, came after Smith entered a guilty plea to assault resulting in serious bodily injury on December 1, 2025. After his prison sentence, Smith will be on supervised release for an additional 36 months.
According to court documents, Smith, a former girlfriend, and her children were temporarily residing at a shelter on the reservation when Smith and his former girlfriend began arguing. Smith punched the woman in the nose, causing fractures and displacement to nasal bones and significant pain. The woman received medical treatment for her injuries.
In sentencing the defendant, Senior Judge Griesbach noted Smith’s lengthy criminal history and the seriousness of the offense. Judge Griesbach specifically pointed out Smith’s previous convictions in Wisconsin and Menominee Tribal Court involving violence against others, and abuse of alcohol as a contributing factor in nearly all the previous convictions. Judge Griesbach described the offense as “impulsive” yet “horrible,” and referred to the amount of pain the defendant caused. Judge Griesbach noted the need to protect the public from the defendant and to send a message to others that violence will not be tolerated and will result in punishment.
The case was investigated by the Menominee Tribal Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted the case in U.S. District Court in Green Bay.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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19 Arrested in Four Countries Related to Visa Fraud, Racketeering, Money Laundering and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
19 individuals were arrested today in the United States, Colombia, Ecuador, and El Salvador in connection with racketeering, money laundering and visa fraud charges. Five of the arrestees are charged in a U.S. indictment for participation in a four-year transnational visa fraud, racketeering, and money-laundering scheme that defrauded thousands of Central and South American nationals seeking to work lawfully in the United States. Victims were defrauded of over $2.5M dollars.
The U.S. defendants face charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to defraud the United States by impersonating U.S. officials and misusing and counterfeiting the seals and insignia of U.S. departments and agencies. One of the U.S. charged defendants was arrested in Sacramento, California, and one was arrested in the Dallas area. The remaining three U.S. defendants were arrested in Medellin, Colombia. The defendant arrested in Sacramento, California, made his initial appearance in court today; the other will see a judge tomorrow. The three defendants arrested in Colombia will be the subject of extradition proceedings. One indicted defendant in Colombia remains at large.
Other individuals arrested in this international law enforcement operation were arrested in Ecuador and El Salvador and will likely face separate charges in those countries.
“These defendants are charged with masquerading as United States officials in order to fraudulently enrich themselves at the expense of victims seeking to lawfully travel to the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants are alleged to have deployed their scheme to steal tens of thousands of dollars from hundreds of victims. The Criminal Division will aggressively pursue schemes that undermine immigration laws and erode confidence in government processes.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is committed to protecting the integrity of U.S. travel documents and investigating those who seek to exploit the visa and passport process,” said Chief Joseph Jung of the DSS Overseas Criminal Investigations Division. “This operation demonstrates the strength of our international law enforcement partnerships and our resolve to hold fraudsters accountable. DSS is proud to have supported this coordinated effort, which has resulted in arrests across four countries and the disruption of a transnational visa and financial fraud scheme affecting victims throughout Latin and South America.”
“HSI and our federal partners have successfully dismantled a sophisticated international multi-million-dollar immigration fraud scheme that not only spanned multiple countries, but also preyed on thousands of migrants seeking to enter the United States the right way,” said Assistant Director for International Operations Ricardo Mayoral of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Our mission is to restore integrity to our nation’s immigration system after years of abuse and neglect. HSI and our federal partners will not rest until this scourge is finally put to rest.”
“U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Investigations Office of Inspector General (USAID/OIG) works in close coordination with our law enforcement counterparts to aggressively disrupt criminal activity across the globe to ensure significant consequences for defrauding the United States.” said Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Zachary Baumgart for the USAID/OIG.
Victims were deceived into believing that they were participating in a legitimate visa-application process though Facebook pages and other websites fraudulently advertising assistance in obtaining supposedly legal work-visas for the United States. Instead, victims were guided through an elaborate, fake process during which co-conspirators called “asesores” (consultants) pretended to help with the application process and made false representations during calls and electronic communications about jobs that were available or offered. These aseores worked out of illegal call centers in Colombia.
As part of the fraud, defendants and other co-conspirators impersonated U.S. government officials in video calls and induced victims to make international wire transfers supposedly to pay required U.S. fees to intermediaries in at least 16 states. Victims were shown counterfeit documents, such as fake visa approvals and employment authorizations that included counterfeit replicas of U.S. department and agency seals. The money bilked from victims was laundered as money made its way from the intermediaries in the U.S. to enterprise leaders, it typically changed hands at least twice; often more frequently.
Believing that they had actual appointments at U.S. Embassies in their home countries to obtain a valid U.S. visa, unwittingly victims would report to U.S. embassies in those countries for appointments that did not exist. In fact, no legitimate visas or services of any kind were rendered to victims. Some victims traveled long distances to non-existent appointments at U.S. Embassies.
Law enforcement has interviewed approximately 700 victims to date and there is evidence that over 7000 additional victims were drawn into the fraud scheme. Reported victim losses range from approximately $50 to $90,000 per person. Between approximately 2021 and the present, enterprise members have been responsible for approximately $2.5 million sent from victims in up to 15 countries to the United States in relation to this scheme.
U.S. Defendants
The six defendants indicted on Oct. 1, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida are as follows:
Edwin Alberto Correa-David supervised approximately eight call center offices in Medellin, including deciding which fraudulent websites to use, how much to charge victims, and which U.S. fund-recipients to use as intermediaries.
Andres Giraldo-Ospina, another leader in Medellin, was responsible for the creation of multiple fraudulent websites and provided technical assistance to call centers when websites did not work properly. Over time, he also took charge of an additional group of call centers beyond those overseen by Correa.
Danna Pamela Porras-Marin managed one Medellin call center and provided broad-ranging administrative support for other call centers. She also obtained and designed websites used in the fraud.
Esteban Robledo-Correa started as a U.S. intermediary and recruited and managed other intermediaries to receive funds from victims and then moved the funds onward. After returning to Colombia, he helped manage call centers in Medellin. Robledo-Correa remains a fugitive.
Julian Giraldo-Ospina, who was arrested in Sacramento, California, oversaw a group of intermediaries laundering money in the Sacramento, California area and partnered with his brother, Andres Giraldo-Ospina, in leading a Medellin-based center.
Viviana Urrego-Rojas, who was arrested in Denton, Texas, coordinated intermediaries to receive money from victims and then relayed the funds back to Colombia.
Additional Arrests in Colombia, El Salvador and Ecuador
The U.S. and Colombian arrests were part of a coordinated law enforcement campaign in four countries. In Colombia, the Colombian National Police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations–Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office conducted the arrests as well as searches of three call centers.
In El Salvador, an investigation by the National Police and Office of the Attorney General, resulted in the arrest of six people in this and other visa-fraud schemes.
The Ecuadorian National Police’s Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling Unit (UNAT), in coordination with the Ecuadorian Prosecutor General’s Office for Guayas Province conducted coordinated operations in five cities throughout the country, resulting in the arrest of eight people and raids of two locations. These individuals were responsible for the Ecuador-based operations of the racketeering and money-laundering scheme.
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The indictment is the result of a law enforcement investigation conducted with multiple agencies, including USAID/OIG; DSS, United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including HSI, Citizenship and Immigration Service, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Customs and Border Protection.
Significant assistance was provided by the Colombian National Police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations – Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit, the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, the Salvadoran National Police, the Salvadoran Attorney’s General Office, the Ecuadorian National Police, and the Ecuadorian Prosecutor General’s Office for Guayas Province.
Trial Attorneys Amy L. Schwartz, Grace Bowen, and Kelly Pearson, of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida, the Eastern District of California, and the Eastern District of Texas.
Anyone who believes he or she has been a victim of this fraud and has not already been in contact with law enforcement, can email FakeVisaVictim@state.gov to submit a report.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
2 December 2025
York Drug Trafficker with Connections to Mexico Sentenced to over 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jashan Moore, age 33, of York County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to 186 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Moore was sentenced for his leadership role in a drug trafficking ring that involved shipping kilo quantities of methamphetamine to York, Pennsylvania and arranging for the payment to drug sources by international wire transfers to Mexico. Moore pled guilty to all charges brought against him arising from three incidents in April and May 2021 where police arranged for undercover purchases of heroin and fentanyl police made from him, as well as Moore’s participation in arranging the shipment of a parcel with five kilograms of crystal methamphetamine that was seized by police on June 5, 2021.
When imposing sentence, Judge Wilson highlighted Moore’s extensive criminal history dating back to his youth and his numerous violations of parole. Moore was on parole with state authorities when he committed these crimes. Judge Wilson ordered that Moore’s federal sentence of 186 months be served consecutively to his punishments for violating parole.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Whitehall Borough Resident Charged with Cyberstalking, Interstate Stalking and ThreatsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of the borough of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of cyberstalking, interstate stalking, and interstate threats, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The 14-count Indictment named Brett Michael Dadig, 31, as the sole defendant. Dadig was previously charged by way of criminal complaint with three counts of cyberstalking on November 7, 2025. Dadig has remained in custody pending a detention hearing that was continued at the request of defense counsel until December 15, 2025.
“As charged in the Indictment, Dadig stalked and harassed more than 10 women by weaponizing modern technology and crossing state lines, and through a relentless course of conduct, he caused his victims to fear for their safety and suffer substantial emotional distress,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti. “He also ignored trespass orders and protection from abuse orders. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from menacing individuals such as Dadig.”
According to the Indictment, in the summer and fall of 2025, Dadig harassed, threatened, and intimidated multiple female victims in Pittsburgh and across the country. Dadig recorded a podcast and considered himself a social media influencer, with much of his content focusing around his desire to find a wife and his interactions with women. Relying on advice from an artificial intelligence chatbot, Dadig attempted to meet women at gyms. Dadig thereafter harassed, intimidated, and threatened the women and gym employees in posts on social media, on his podcast, and in phone calls.
The Indictment sets forth allegations pertaining to 11 victims, including from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, and New York. Dadig’s harassment of his victims included showing up to their homes and places of business unannounced and uninvited, following them from their places of business, attempting to get them fired, taking and posting pictures of them online without their consent, and revealing private details (including their names and locations) online. Some of Dadig’s threats and online content included references to breaking his victims’ jaws and fingers, dead bodies, burning down gyms, strangling people, being “God’s assassin,” and his victims rotting in hell and suffering “judgment day.” Two of Dadig’s Pittsburgh victims obtained Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders against him, which Dadig violated both online and in person. When Dadig was banned from gyms and businesses and was reported to the police in one city, he would move on to another city to continue his stalking course of conduct. View the full Indictment here.
The law provides for a minimum sentence of 12 months for each charge involving a PFA violation and a maximum total sentence of up to 70 years in prison, a fine of up to $3.5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment, with the assistance of multiple local police departments in Pittsburgh and across the country.An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Webster Groves Man Admits Sending, Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Webster Groves, Missouri on Tuesday admitted sending and receiving child sexual abuse material online.
Joseph A. Seiffertt, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted possessing 43 images and 433 videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone, as well as AI-powered apps that he used to depict clothed individuals, including minors, in the nude. Seiffertt also discussed the sexual abuse of minors with someone online and shared and received CSAM via the Kik Messenger app.
Seiffertt is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, 2026. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will recommend a sentence of 12 years in prison, followed by a lifetime on supervised release.
The FBI and the St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wakefield Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wakefield man pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine.
Daniel Loughman, a/k/a “Swiss,” 40, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV scheduled sentencing for March 10, 2025.
Loughman was one of four individuals charged in connection with a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in Eastern Massachusetts by members and associates of the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club.
In approximately October 2023, law enforcement received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Eastern Massachusetts area. Over the next several months, investigators identified Loughman as a drug trafficker who distributed methamphetamine to customers throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Investigators also conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Loughman, as well as from his co-conspirators James Snow, of Tewkesbury, Danielle Steenbruggen, of Peabody, and, allegedly, James Adams, of Byfield. Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine and four firearms were seized throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and search warrants.
Loughman is the third defendant to plead guilty in the case. Steenbruggen pleaded guilty in August 2025 and, in November 2025, was sentenced to 93 months in prison. Snow pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2026.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief Steven A. Skory of the Wakefield Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Newbury, Newburyport, Haverhill, Peabody and Hampton (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wakulla County Woman Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase of Two FirearmsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michaela Nicole McMeans, 56, of Panacea, Florida, has pleaded guilty to making false statements to acquire a firearm and conducting a straw purchase of two firearms. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I appreciate the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners to identify and detain this offender who was purchasing firearms for others who were legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing those weapons themselves. My office will continue to back up the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners with aggressive prosecutions to keep our communities safe.”
After the arrest of two prohibited individuals in possession of firearms in the Panama City area in April 2025 (one a convicted felon, the other a resident alien in the United States on a visa), investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined both firearms had been acquired through a single purchase at a Panama City area federally licensed firearms dealer in March 2025. Investigators determined that the defendant purchased both firearms in the transaction, and that she had represented in documentation filed at the time of the purchase that both firearms were for her personal use; they were not. After being confronted, the defendant admitted the handguns had been purchased on behalf of two individuals who she knew could not lawfully purchase firearms.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 5, 2026, in federal court in Tallahassee before District Court Judge Mark Walker. The defendant faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment on the charges.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $10.5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Northern District of Alabama collected $10,559,853.82 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. Of this amount, $5,051,988.20 was collected in criminal actions and $5,507,865.62 was collected in civil actions.
“I am tremendously proud of the work done by my office’s Financial Litigation Program,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “The Financial Litigation Program works tirelessly to collect debts owed to the United States, as well as those owed to crime victims.”
The Financial Litigation Program’s work is far-reaching. For example, in April 2025, Robert Winston Burgett was sentenced for embezzling almost $950,000 from the City of Homewood. Within days, the Financial Litigation Program identified Burgett’s retirement accounts and issued collection papers on them. To date, $195,000 has been collected.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Office, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Alabama, working with partner agencies and divisions, initiated the forfeiture of 314 separate criminal assets in 134 cases in Fiscal Year 2025, almost doubling case numbers from recent prior years. These forfeitures included a large number of firearms involved in drug trafficking or violent crimes. While forfeited firearms are destroyed, funds generated from other forfeited assets may be used for victim restitution, shared with state and local law enforcement partners, or deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund for additional law enforcement uses and victim support. For Fiscal Year 2025, the Asset Forfeiture Unit in the Northern District of Alabama secured $13,227,075 in forfeiture money judgments owed to the United States.
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles Improvements on Voter-Registration Process to Protect Election IntegrityRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that a series of actions to further enhance and protect the integrity of the voter-registration process will be implemented by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This follows a rigorous review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of ineligible individuals, including illegal aliens, who were improperly registered to vote at the DMV.
In July, the U.S. Attorney initiated an inquiry to the Commissioner of the DMV following a report by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that the DMV permitted ineligible individuals, such as illegal aliens, to register to vote at the DMV, sometimes without the individual’s knowledge. The investigation found individuals were erroneously given citizen identification cards for years and some were registered to vote even after informing the DMV they were not citizens. The involved DMV examiners initially blamed the error on a “system glitch,” but the DMV later admitted “the online system doesn’t verify citizenship status.” The U.S. Attorney asked the DMV Commissioner to review the voter registration processes to ensure non-eligible voters were not being registered to vote.
The DMV agreed to investigate and found that individuals had been registered to vote due to errors by DMV examiners. These errors included mistakenly marking individuals as U.S. citizens, which “bypassed the necessary legal presence questions and allowed voter registration.” The DMV also found a “system error” that lasted for three months and permitted ineligible individuals to register to vote.
Following the inquiry by the U.S. Attorney, the DMV has agreed to make changes to safeguard the North Carolina voter rolls and assure election integrity. Some changes include:
- Issuing a statewide reminder to DMV examiners on protocols and safeguards to ensure proper voter registration of only eligible individuals through the DMV.
- Designing and implementing new training modules for DMV examiners with a special emphasis on citizenship verification processes.
- Modernizing DMV technology to streamline technological processes and reduce examiner errors, including of the voter registration component.
- Hiring additional personnel to increase accurate input of sensitive data.
- Actively pursuing a technical solution to effectively integrate citizenship checks into the DMV’s online and kiosk voter-registration application systems.
The DMV is also coordinating with the State Board of Elections to ensure that any ineligible individuals identified by the federal government have been removed from voter rolls.
“It is vitally important that our elections in North Carolina are accurate, fair, and irreproachable—and that the public has confidence in them—to protect the foundation of our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We must ensure that our voter rolls are precise and do not include minors, felons, or illegal aliens. The DMV, which accounts for as much as 80 percent of voter registrations in a given year, plays a central role in that process. We appreciate the agency’s cooperation to improve processes so that only eligible voters are added to the rolls.”
U.S. Attorney Ferguson also thanked HSI and the State Board of Elections for their coordination during this review process and noted that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to monitor compliance at all levels to ensure the sanctity of our elections.
“A host of federal laws give the federal government oversight authority to ensure states maintain accurate and current statewide voter lists,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We take that obligation seriously and will continue to ensure confidence in our elections.”
U.S. Attorney Announces $37.76 Million Settlement with CVS for Over-Dispensing Insulin Pens to PatientsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), Naomi D. Gruchacz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”), Christopher M. Silvestro, and Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (“OPM-OIG”), Derek M. Holt, announced that the United States has filed and settled a healthcare fraud lawsuit against national retail pharmacy chain CVS PHARMACY, INC. (“CVS”). The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2010 through 2020, CVS violated the False Claims Act in connection with its billing and dispensing of insulin pens to patients enrolled in Government healthcare programs (“GHPs”), including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Specifically, the Government alleges that CVS improperly requested and received GHP reimbursement for premature refills, dispensed more insulin pens than patients needed according to their prescriptions, and falsely under-reported the days-of-supply of insulin that its pharmacies dispensed.
Under the settlement approved by U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, CVS agreed to pay a total sum of $37.76 million, with $24,446,240 to be paid to the United States and the remainder to be paid to various states. As part of the settlement, CVS also admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the Government in its complaint, including that GHPs paid CVS substantial amounts for insulin pen refills that were ineligible for reimbursement and CVS pharmacies dispensed more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than they needed.
“CVS engaged in a decade-long practice of repeatedly prematurely refilling insulin prescriptions for patients and improperly billing government healthcare programs for more insulin than patients needed,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “These programs rely on pharmacies to follow appropriate refill schedules and to accurately report the amount of medicine dispensed, which CVS pharmacies frequently failed to do. This settlement reflects our continued commitment to holding pharmacies to account, enforcing rules designed to keep costs down, and protecting taxpayer dollars.”
“Companies that participate in federal health care programs are required to obey laws meant to protect the integrity of program funds, including the responsibility to bill only for services and supplies eligible for reimbursement,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to investigate allegations of improper billing to safeguard our taxpayer-funded federal healthcare system and the millions of enrollees who rely on its programs.”
“Investigating false claims against TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their families, is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the criminal investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General,” said DCIS Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Silvestro. “This announcement underscores our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to protect TRICARE against unwarranted and fraudulent expenses.”
“Knowingly submitting claims for medically unnecessary insulin refills exploits benefits that federal employees rely on to manage their health, increasing the cost of care and wasting taxpayer dollars,” said OPM-OIG Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt. “We thank our agents, law enforcement partners, and the Department of Justice for their dedication to investigating and pursuing these improper billing practices that undermine the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.”
Insulin pens (hard plastic, pen-shaped cases containing syringes filled with insulin solution) are a common way for diabetic patients to self-administer insulin. During the relevant period, manufacturers frequently distributed insulin pens in five-pen cartons with each pen containing 300 units (3 mL) of insulin solution. Insulin prescriptions must set forth the “directions for use,” which typically designate both how much insulin to administer and the frequency and/or timing of when to administer it.
When pharmacies seek reimbursement from GHPs for insulin pens, they are required to report, among other data, the “quantity dispensed” and the “days-of-supply.” The “quantity dispensed” means the total amount of medication dispensed to a patient when the pharmacy fills the prescription, and the “days-of-supply” refers to the number of days that the quantity dispensed is expected to last if taken as directed by the prescriber. Typically, pharmacists calculate days-of-supply by dividing the total quantity of medication dispensed by the patient’s “daily dose,” i.e., the amount of medication that the prescriber directs the patient to use each day.
GHP plans, and pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) working on their behalf, typically set limits on the days-of-supply that a pharmacy may dispense when filling prescriptions (such as a 30-day supply), and reject reimbursement claims for fills that exceed those limits. GHPs and PBMs also deny reimbursement for prematurely refilled prescriptions—refills dispensed before the beneficiary would have consumed a substantial portion of the previously-dispensed quantity of medication if taken as prescribed. PBMs use automated processes to review claims for reimbursement submitted by pharmacies and deny claims that are submitted too far in advance of the expected refill date. The ability of PBMs to detect and reject reimbursement claims for premature refills depends on pharmacies complying with their obligations to accurately report days-of-supply data.
Dispensing insulin in full cartons containing five pens can exceed applicable days-of-supply limits, resulting in claim rejections. PBMs developed rules to address reimbursement when dispensing medications like insulin in the smallest commercially-available container would exceed the days-of-supply limit. Some PBMs required pharmacies to seek an override of the limit and then to resubmit the claim reporting the accurate days-of-supply actually dispensed so the PBM could verify when the next refill would be needed. Other PBMs permitted pharmacies to submit claims reporting the maximum days-of-supply allowed, even if that number was lower than the actual supply dispensed. Importantly, however, those PBMs still required pharmacies to track and use the actual days-of-supply dispensed to determine when patients would actually need a refill. All PBMs prohibited pharmacies from seeking reimbursement for premature refills, regardless of container size.
As alleged in the Government’s Complaint:
From January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2020 (the “Covered Period”), CVS violated the FCA by knowingly submitting, or causing to be submitted, false claims to GHPs for reimbursement for insulin pens where CVS: dispensed more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than was specified by their prescriptions and refilled GHP beneficiary prescriptions substantially before GHP beneficiaries needed the refills; falsely under-reported the days-of-supply for the insulin refills, which often prevented PBMs from detecting that the refills were premature; and failed to comply with applicable rules when refilling insulin prescriptions requiring pharmacies to calculate refill dates using the actual days-of-supply dispensed.
To fill insulin prescriptions as quickly as possible and to ensure that reimbursement claims for insulin pens were not rejected, CVS instructed its pharmacy staff simply to report the maximum days-of-supply allowed under the beneficiary’s plan when dispensing full insulin pen cartons, which was often lower than the actual days-of-supply dispensed. Many CVS pharmacies did not internally document and use the actual days-of-supply dispensed to determine when patients could next refill their prescription. To the contrary, CVS’ dispensing software calculated refill dates automatically based on inaccurate days-of-supply data reported to the PBM. As a result, CVS pharmacy staff repeatedly refilled prescriptions prematurely, dispensing substantially more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than they actually needed and substantially sooner than they needed it according to their prescriptions. As a result, some GHP beneficiaries accumulated large quantities of unused insulin, which was both wasteful and potentially dangerous as insulin can expire.
CVS management was well aware that it was over-dispensing insulin. PBMs conducted periodic audits of CVS pharmacies and repeatedly found violations of the dispensing rules, including reporting invalid days-of-supply data, refilling insulin pen prescriptions too soon, and dispensing insulin pens in excess of the quantities authorized by the prescription. PBMs issued chargebacks to CVS based on these violations. For several years, CVS management knew that insulin pens were among the drug products most frequently subject to chargebacks for premature refills. Yet, despite these audit findings, CVS failed to take necessary steps to address this long-standing problem during the Covered Period.
Under the settlement, CVS admitted, among other things, that:
- During much of the covered period, many CVS pharmacies did not break open insulin pen cartons when dispensing insulin pens. As a result, at times, CVS pharmacies dispensed amounts of insulin that exceeded applicable days-of-supply limits. When a claim for reimbursement was rejected for exceeding the limit, some CVS pharmacies did not obtain overrides and re-submit the claim listing the actual days-of-supply dispensed as required by some PBMs. Instead, CVS pharmacies often reported the maximum days-of-supply allowed under the beneficiary’s insurance plan for insulin pens when resubmitting the claim, which was lower than the actual days-of-supply dispensed. While certain PBMs allowed this practice because the carton was the smallest commercially-available container for the medication, CVS pharmacies at times did not adhere to the appropriate refill intervals for patients that were to be based on the actual days-of-supply dispensed.
- During much of the covered period, CVS customers with insulin-pen prescriptions who enrolled in CVS’ optional auto-refill program received automatic prompts notifying them that their refilled prescriptions were available to be picked up. CVS’ auto-refill logic calculated prescription refill dates based on the days-of-supply data recorded by pharmacy staff and sent customers refill notifications based on those dates. When pharmacy staff recorded days-of-supply numbers that were lower than the actual days-of-supply dispensed, the system would at times calculate refill dates for patients that were premature. As a result, some CVS pharmacies dispensed insulin pen refills to GHP beneficiaries before the beneficiaries needed more insulin and before the GHP plan or PBM would have approved such refills for reimbursement.
- At times during the covered period, GHPs and the payors working on their behalf paid CVS substantial amounts for insulin pen refills that were ineligible for reimbursement, and CVS pharmacies dispensed more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than they needed.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined five private whistleblower lawsuits that had previously been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the HHS-OIG, DOD-OIG, OPM-OIG, the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, and the U.S. Postal Service OIG.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pierre Armand is in charge of the case.
Two Men Plead Guilty in $1.49 Million Scam Involving Bulk Gold PurchasesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Xilin Sun and Alexander Charles James have pleaded guilty in federal court, admitting they participated in a fraud and money laundering scheme that tricked a Carlsbad resident out of almost $1.5 million.
Sun pleaded guilty today to money laundering conspiracy; James pleaded guilty on November 25, 2025, to wire fraud conspiracy.
According to public documents, the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force learned of the fraud scheme after a victim reported to Carlsbad police that she was duped over a period of months by fraudsters posing as government, bank and tech-support employees. She said she was using her computer when a pop-up window appeared, advising her to call for help because her computer had been hacked. She made the call.
Once the scammers discovered the victim had substantial savings, they convinced her she could safeguard her funds by obtaining gold bars and sending them to the U.S. treasury, which would create a locker under her name. Over the course of two months, the victim sent approximately $1,335,000 via three separate wire transfers to a precious metal business located in San Marcos, California. Once each of the wire transfers were completed, the victim was instructed to pick up the purchased precious metals—consisting of mostly gold—and to package them. The victim was then directed to hand the package over to an individual under the false pretense that it was being “secured” for safekeeping.
In their respective plea agreements, Sun and James both admitted to participating knowingly with the organization that operated technical support, bank impersonation and government impersonation scams targeting elderly victims throughout the United States, including in the Southern District of California.
As set forth in their plea agreements, in February 2024, the FBI set up a sting operation with the Carlsbad victim’s help. The victim was directed by scammers to meet up to deliver a final payment of $100,000 in gold bars. During surveillance, federal agents observed defendant James meet with the victim. After James provided the “secret” word, the victim handed James a package purporting to contain the gold. James then left the area and met co-conspirator Sun, who took possession of the package of gold bars. With the assistance of local law enforcement, Sun was then stopped and ultimately arrested. In addition to the fake gold bars, Sun had a false California driver’s license and a package containing $12,900 in bulk cash that had been sent by another victim.
This case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and its member agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department, San Diego Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
A sentencing hearing for Sun and James is scheduled for February 12, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
The FBI requests that victims report:
- The name of the person or company that contacted you.
- Methods of communication used, including websites, emails, and telephone numbers.
- Any bank account number(s) to which you wired funds and the recipient name(s).
- The name and location of the metal dealer company and the account to which you wired funds, if you were instructed to buy precious metals.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mokhtari and Francisco Nagel.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 24-cr-1007-BTM
Xilin Sun Age: 35 Ontario, CA
Case Number 24-cr-2607-BTM
Alexander Charles James Age: 21 Los Angeles, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Xilin Sun
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; a maximum $500,000 fine or twice the amount of monetary instruments involved in the offense, whichever is greatest
Alexander Charles James
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud - Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1349Maximum penalties: Thirty years in prison; $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Elder Justice Task Force
Carlsbad Police Department
California Highway Patrol
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego Police Department*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Men Facing Federal Charges for Assaulting Ice OfficersRead the Press Release
Baltimore Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced it filed a criminal complaint today, against Anderson Martinez-Montenegro, 28, and Elmer Ortiz-Berduo, 37, both citizens of Guatemala and unlawfully present in the United States. They are charged with resisting arrest and assault on federal officers.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Acting Field Office Director Jeremy Bacon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to court documents, on Saturday November 29, 2025, ICE officers investigated a Salisbury, Maryland, work site. During the investigation, law enforcement encountered both Martinez-Montenegro and Ortiz-Berduo in a work truck. The ICE officers attempted to identify the driver who refused to roll down his window.
As officers began to breach the window, the driver agreed to step out of the car. Martinez-Montenegro also stepped out of the passenger side, but while law enforcement detained him, he struck one of the officers. Ortiz-Berduo, who was the rear passenger, tried to run away but officers captured him. Then Ortiz-Berduo refused to comply with orders, as he struck the officers and attempted to stab them with the prongs of a taser that law enforcement deployed. ICE officers ultimately subdued and arrested both men.
Martinez-Montenegro and Ortiz-Berduo face a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison for the assault. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen McGuinn and Victoria Liu and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who are prosecuting the federal case.
A complaint is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by complaint are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
For more information on 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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Two Individuals Arrested for Introducing Contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On November 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging two individuals for conspiracy to traffic suboxone, providing and possessing contraband in prison.
According to court documents, Alejandro Sáenz-Concepción, 47, and Alejandro Sáenz-Escobar, 28, of Manatí, PR, knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of suboxone since September 2025. Sáenz-Escobar is facing three counts of conspiracy to traffic suboxone, providing contraband in prison, and possessing contraband in prison. Sáenz-Concepción is facing one count in conspiracy to traffic suboxone.
“Prisoners who smuggle contraband, including drugs, into prison and their accomplices will be held accountable by the Department of Justice,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We thank the Bureau of Prisons officers and the FBI for their hard work and dedication in investigating this case.”
“Introducing contraband into a federal prison is a serious violation of the law and the FBI will do everything in its power to hold accountable those who commit this offense,” said Joe Rodríguez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “We will continue to work with our partners at the Bureau of Prisons to identify and prosecute these individuals. We encourage people with information on this or any other federal crime to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or leave a tip online through tips.fbi.gov — all tips will be handled confidentially.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the Bureau of Prisons are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucille Marqués-Pacheco and Assistant US Attorney and Chief of the Gangs Section, Alberto López-Rocafort are 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.
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Three Puerto Rico Police Officers Indicted for Civil-Rights Violation and Falsification of RecordsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against three Puerto Rico Police Bureau officers: Luis A. Nieves-Colón, Ángel R. Giusti-Rosa, and Alberto Betancourt-Aponte. The charges include a violation of civil rights, conspiracy to falsify records, falsification of records, and making materially false statements to federal agents.
According to court documents, the charges arise from an arrest on March 7, 2023, at the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project in Carolina, Puerto Rico, involving an individual identified as J.C.F.G. The indictment alleges that Nieves-Colón used unreasonable force resulting in bodily injury during an arrest, in violation of federal civil rights law.
Violation of Civil Rights
Count One charges Nieves-Colón with depriving J.C.F.G. of the right to be free from unreasonable force while acting under color of law, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242.
Conspiracy and Falsification of Records
Counts Two through Six allege that Nieves-Colón, Giusti-Rosa, and/or Betancourt-Aponte falsified and conspired to falsify Puerto Rico Police Bureau Use-of-Force Reports and other documents to obstruct and impede a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI. The indictment alleges that the defendants knowingly omitted the fact that a police officer had struck J.C.F.G. and created false narratives regarding the events of the arrest.
False Statements to the FBI
Count Seven charges Betancourt-Aponte with making a materially false statement to the FBI during an interview on November 14, 2025. According to the indictment, he falsely stated that he had no knowledge on March 7, 2023, that a police officer had struck J.C.F.G.
“The vast majority of police officers serve our communities with honor. But when they misuse their authority, they deprive victims of their civil rights and diminish the public’s trust in our criminal justice system,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The Department of Justice remain steadfast in safeguarding the constitutional rights of all residents of Puerto Rico.”
“We are committed to pursuing those who undermine the integrity of law enforcement,” said Joe Rodriguez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “These arrests are an example of how no one is above the law – even those who enforce it cannot falsify records or evade justice. The FBI will remain vigilant, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to tackle corruption and uphold justice for the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you have information on this or any other federal crime leave a tip online through tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can be handled confidentially.”
If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties:
• Civil rights violation (18 U.S.C. § 242): up to 10 years in prison
• Conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371): up to 5 years in prison
• Falsification of records (18 U.S.C. § 1519): up to 20 years in prison per count
• False statements (18 U.S.C. § 1001): up to 5 years in prison
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI encourages anyone with information related to the arrest on March 7, 2023 in the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project described in the indictment to contact the FBI San Juan Field Office at (787) 987-6500 or submit a tip online at www.tips.fbi.gov.
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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Twelve Individuals Charged with Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today that 12 individuals were indicted across three divisions of the Northern District of Florida.
The following indictments were filed in the Gainesville division:
- Patrick Johnson, of Gainesville, Florida, indicted for bank burglary and bank larceny.
- Stephen Jones, of Gainesville, Florida, indicted for a possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Tyrese Jones, of Gainesville, Florida, indicted for possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
The following indictments were filed in the Panama City division:
- Jose Alvarado-Lopez, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Maynor Esquivel-Amador, a citizen of Guatemala, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Eugenio Hernandez-Vargas, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
The following indictments were filed in the Tallahassee division:
- Jose Guadelupe Escobar, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Abraham Flores-Tercero, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Kelveont’a Lamar Dennis, of Tallahassee, Florida, indicted for one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Rashaad Huggins, of Tallahassee, Florida, indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Brandon Mahaffey, of Tallahassee, Florida, indicted for enticement of a minor.
- Perry Walker II, of Tallahassee, Florida, indicted for one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of transfer of obscene material to minors, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Law enforcement agencies conducting the investigations included the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; with assistance from Bay County Sheriff’s Office; Leon County Sheriff’s Office; Alachua County Sheriff’s Office; and Tallahassee Police Department.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner, James A. McCain, Eric K. Mountin, Harley W. Ferguson, Justin M. Keen, Meredith L. Steer, and Christie S. Utt.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Nine 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.
Two cases are brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Three-Time Deported Honduran Sentenced to Prison for Once Again Unlawfully Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Noe Alexander Flores Vasquez, 35, of Honduras, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry by a deported alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This violent illegal alien has repeatedly violated our federal laws and threatened public safety while unlawfully present in our country, and now he’ll spend his days in federal prison. Our state and federal law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our communities against these kinds of criminal aliens, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions of these offenders to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminal aliens who refuse to follow our laws.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant was found to be unlawfully in the United States when he was arrested for battery offenses in Alachua County on November 26, 2024. The defendant was previously removed and deported from the United States on three separate occasions. Prior to one of his removals, the defendant was separately convicted of a felony involving a battery on an officer, firefighter, or medical provider.
“This sentencing reaffirms or commitment to enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting those who serve our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas G. Ingegno. “The defendant’s unlawful entry into the United States – after a prior deportation and conviction of battery against an officer, firefighter, or medical provider - posed a clear threat to public safety. This individual has now been held accountable, and the investigations outcome reflects HSI’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the public and uphold” the rule of law.”
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Gainesville Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Department of Veterans Affairs FundsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Anthony C. Brewer, 47, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent work of our federal law enforcement partner to identify and investigate this theft of government funds that were intended to support one of our brave military veterans. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to steal U.S. government monies intended to benefit our veterans.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant agreed to serve as a fiduciary under the Department of Veteran Affairs’ fiduciary program and manage the monetary benefits of an individual who was unable to manage their own benefits. As part of the agreement, the defendant agreed to use the funds for the care, support, health, welfare, comfort, and desires of the beneficiary. The defendant subsequently misused and stole funds provided by the VA for the beneficiary between October 7, 2020, and January 9, 2023.
Sentencing is currently set for February 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The plea was the result of an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Harley W. Ferguson.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Stoneham Man Indicted for Using an Explosive to Damage Bank ATMRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoneham man was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 20, 2025 for allegedly using an explosive to damage an ATM in Woburn, Mass.
Christopher Silva, 43, was indicted on one count of maliciously damaging by means of an explosive real property used in and affecting interstate commerce. Silva was arrested and charged by complaint in October 2025 and remains in custody pending trial. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on Dec. 9, 2025.
According to the charging documents, shortly after 4:00 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2025, Silva, wearing a blue balaclava over his face and a black jumpsuit, allegedly approached an ATM at Eastern Bank in Woburn. It is alleged that Silva then placed an explosive device on the ATM and ran away. Several seconds later, the device exploded, causing significant damage to the frame and lower right section of the ATM. Silva was allegedly identified through DNA evidence and surveillance footage.
The charge of maliciously damaging by explosive property used in and affecting interstate commerce provides for a sentence of at least five years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that 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; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Woburn and Stoneham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a St. Louis man who was one of the moderators of an online child sexual abuse material chat group to 84 months in prison and ordered him to pay $10,000 to victims.
David Korte Daues, 37, pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted that he was in about 25 groups that shared CSAM on the messaging app Kik and five on the Wire platform. He said he distributed CSAM in these groups. He also possessed images and videos containing CSAM on two cell phones.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
South Burlington, Vermont Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempting to Entice a Minor to Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 2, 2025, Jason McGrath, 45, of South Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release. McGrath previously pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to produce child sexual abuse materials (CSAM, also known as child pornography). McGrath has been detained since his guilty plea.
According to court records, McGrath corresponded with two people via an internet messaging application, offering to pay money for the production of original CSAM. McGrath sent money to the users in an effort to obtain CSAM and received CSAM from at least one user that depicted a child as young as 8 years old. McGrath also exchanged over 1,800 messages with a third person, coaching that person as to how to sexually abuse an 11-year-old girl, providing explicit instructions, and requesting photographs of the abuse.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigation of Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, and thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. McGrath was represented by Assistant Federal Defender Carmen Brooks.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Scam Center Strike Force Announces Seizure of Fake Cryptocurrency Investment Domain Used by Tai Chang Scam Compound in BurmaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice, together with major federal law enforcement and interagency partners, announced the seizure by the Scam Center Strike Force, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, of a web domain used to target and defraud Americans through cryptocurrency investment fraud (CIF) scams, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The domain had been used by scammers located at the Tai Chang scam compound (aka Casino Kosai) located in the village of Kyaukhat, Burma. This domain seizure comes less than three weeks after the announcement of the launch of the Scam Center Strike Force and the seizure of two additional domains also used by the Tai Chang scam compound for CIF scams.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the domain seizure, Tai Chang is affiliated with the Burmese armed group, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and Trans Asia International Holding Group Thailand Company Limited (Trans Asia), which were designated by the Department of the Treasury, among others, as specially-designated nationals (SDN) on November 12, 2025, for links to Chinese organized crime and development of scam centers in Southeast Asia.
The seizure announced today of the domain tickmilleas.com is part of the Scam Center Strike Force’s efforts to combat Southeast Asia scam centers at the highest level and stop U.S. infrastructure from being used as instrumentalities of the fraud schemes.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice, and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI San Diego Field Office.
According to the affidavit filed in support of today’s announced seizure, the tickmilleas.com domain was disguised as a legitimate investment platform to trick victims into depositing their funds. Victims who used the domain reported to the FBI that the site showed lucrative returns on what they believed to be their investments and displayed purported deposits made by scammers to the victims’ “accounts” when the scammers walked the victims through supposed trades. Despite the seized domain’s having been registered in early November 2025, the FBI has already identified multiple victims who used the domain in the last month to send cryptocurrency as part of what they believed were legitimate investments and were scammed out of their money.
The Scam Center Strike Force seeks to collaborate with cooperative private sector companies to thwart CIF scam centers. According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure, the tickmilleas.com domain directed users to download mobile applications—linked to the scam—from Google Play and the Apple App Store. The FBI notified Google and Apple of the fraudulent tickmilleas-associated apps, and several of the apps have been removed voluntarily from these stores.
As part of the Scam Center Strike Force’s efforts at public-private partnership, the Strike Force worked with Meta to identify accounts associated with the Tai Chang compound. Meta voluntarily removed approximately 2000 accounts as part of the collaborative effort.
Following the seizure, a splash page will be placed on the tickmilleas.com website that warns victims who have been directed to use the domain that it has now been seized by law enforcement, thereby disrupting the intended CIF scam activity and money laundering tied to the domain.
Additionally, the Scam Center Strike Force has deployed FBI agents to Bangkok, who are working alongside the Royal Thai Police in their War Room Task Force, to investigate and combat scam compounds, including Tai Chang and other compounds in Burma.
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The Scam Center Strike Force is targeting many of the worst scam compounds located in Southeast Asia. Chinese transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are using CIF scams and a variety of confidence scams to steal the life savings of everyday Americans. Strike Force teams are focused on identifying and pursuing key leaders—including Chinese organized crime affiliates operating in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos—to bring them to justice.
These CIF schemes, which fraudsters refer to as “pig butchering” because they are “fattening” up their victims before defrauding them, are often run out of scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Using U.S. social media networks or text messages to U.S.-based cell phones, the scammers target their victims, gain their trust, and convince them to invest in real cryptocurrency, only to then trick their victims to transfer those funds into fake cryptocurrency investment websites and applications. Workers in the scam compounds often are victims of human trafficking, held against their will, abused, and guarded by armed groups as they are instructed to target Americans. In some of the Southeast Asian countries where these compounds operate, scam-generated revenue is so massive that it amounts to nearly half of the country’s GDP. Recent reporting estimates that this scam industry defrauds Americans of nearly $9-10 billion per year.
The Scam Center Strike Force is a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; DOJ’s Criminal Division, including the Computer Crimes & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS); Fraud Section; and Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the U.S. Secret Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island is also collaborating on the initiative.
For the Department of Justice, the Scam Center Strike Force is led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Kevin Rosenberg, and Associate Counsel Richard Goldberg of DOJ’s Fraud Section. Today’s seizure was handled by Team Burma, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie Zimmerman and CCIPS Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor, along with the FBI’s San Diego Field Office, which has led the investigation into Tai Chang, with substantial assistance from Paralegal Peter Bleicken of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. If you were directed to use tickmilleas.com as part of a scam, reference “tickmilleas.com” in your complaint.
If you have information to report about past or ongoing activity regarding the Tai Chang scam compound (coordinates 16°28'20.9"N 98°38'45.1"E and 16°28'02.1"N 98°38'54.1"E), please the contact the FBI at fbisd_fraudresponse@fbi.gov.
signed_warrant_redacted_affidavit.pdfRepeat offender felon receives 72-month sentence for illegal reentry into United StatesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mario Alberto Almanzan-Mata pleaded guilty Aug. 28.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered him to serve 72 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court considered Almanzan-Mata’s criminal and immigration history to include convictions for evading law enforcement and domestic violence. The court also heard about a pattern of violent behavior that places members of the community in significant danger. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of his criminal history.
Almanzan-Mata was removed on two prior occasions, most recently May 27. Authorities discovered him again July 7 in Mission. He had admitted he illegally reentered the country earlier that day near Hidalgo.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Violent Threats, Cyberstalking, Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
Mark Tucci, 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and $16,529.44 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Gerald A. McHugh for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for multiple offenses arising from racist, violent threats made by phone, email, text message, and in person, that targeted African-Americans.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: hate-based violence has no place in America,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division remains committed to ensuring that all Americans feel safe in their cities and communities.”
“Every citizen is entitled to a peace and security undisturbed by the abhorrent and racist threats that took place in this case, full stop,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “No citizen has the right to inflict, and no citizen has the duty to endure, the verbal harassment and racist attacks that the defendant committed in our District.”
“Today's sentencing reinforces our commitment to protecting every individual's civil rights and ensuring that those who intimidate, harass, or threaten our citizens are brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “The FBI and our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the United States Attorney's Office will continue to work side by side to safeguard our communities from threats of violence.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to an information on Aug. 21, charging him with two counts of interfering with federally protected activities, one count of cyberstalking, and one count of interstate communication of threats.
As detailed in the information and other court filings, the defendant repeatedly called and sent text messages and emails that consisted of racial epithets and violent threats to harm an employee (Victim 1) of an agency of the City of Philadelphia (Philadelphia Agency 1), and Victim 1’s colleagues.
Between about April 18, 2024, and June 2, 2024, Tucci emailed Victim 1 multiple times regarding a records request he had made to the agency. This escalated on June 3, 2024, when he repeatedly called Philadelphia Agency 1, and during two of those calls, he spoke with Victim 1, identified himself by name, and screamed at Victim 1, who asked him to stop screaming. He continued to do so, causing Victim 1 to hang up each time.
During subsequent calls on June 3 with Philadelphia Agency 1, Tucci spoke with two of Victim 1’s colleagues, using racial epithets and making threats. Specifically, the defendant said that he was going to come down to Philadelphia Agency 1 the next day and hurt everyone, and that he had Victim 1’s home address and was going to hurt Victim 1.
Tucci sent multiple emails to Victim 1 the same day, using similar racial epithets and threats. He also texted Victim 1 on their personal cell phone, a phone number that Victim 1 had never provided to the defendant. The text messages from Tucci to Victim 1 mentioned Victim 1 by name, and the name of the street on which Victim 1 resided at the time. The messages included a warning that “This is personal now,” and additional threatening language.
Tucci’s communications caused Victim 1 severe emotional distress, and fear that Tucci would find Victim 1 and seriously injure or kill them or their family members.
Tucci willfully intimidated and interfered, and attempted to intimidate and interfere, with Victim 1 because of Victim 1’s race and color, and because Victim 1 was enjoying employment by, and all perquisites of, an agency of the City of Philadelphia, a subdivision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Also detailed in court filings, on the morning of Feb. 1, 2024, Tucci pulled up next to another car in heavy traffic on I-95 southbound, lowered his windows, and repeatedly screamed racial epithets and threats to kill and shoot the other car’s driver (Victim 2), who is African-American. Tucci then reached down into his car, at which point Victim 2 believed Tucci was reaching for a gun. Instead, Tucci pulled out a glass mug containing coffee, and threw it at Victim 2’s vehicle, terrifying Victim 2 and damaging their car.
The incident occurred while Victim 2 was enjoying a facility provided and administered by a state and a subdivision thereof, that is, driving on I-95.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Jeanette Kang and Michelle L. Morgan for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Samuel Kuhn of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Violent Threats, Cyberstalking, Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mark Tucci, 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and $16,529.44 in restitution by United States District Judge Gerald A. McHugh for multiple offenses arising from racist, violent threats made by phone, email, text message, and in person, that targeted African Americans.
In August of this year, the defendant pleaded guilty to an information charging him with two counts of interfering with federally protected activities, one count of cyberstalking, and one count of interstate communication of threats.
As detailed in the information and other court filings, the defendant repeatedly called and sent text messages and emails that consisted of racial epithets and violent threats to harm an employee (Victim 1) of an agency of the City of Philadelphia (Philadelphia Agency 1), and Victim 1’s colleagues.
Between about April 18, 2024, and June 2, 2024, Tucci emailed Victim 1 multiple times regarding a records request he had made to the agency. This escalated on June 3, 2024, when he repeatedly called Philadelphia Agency 1, and during two of those calls, he spoke with Victim 1, identified himself by name, and screamed at Victim 1, who asked him to stop screaming. He continued to do so, causing Victim 1 to hang up each time.
During subsequent calls on June 3 with Philadelphia Agency 1, Tucci spoke with two of Victim 1’s colleagues, using racial epithets and making threats. Specifically, the defendant said that he was going to come down to Philadelphia Agency 1 the next day and hurt everyone, and that he had Victim 1’s home address and was going to hurt Victim 1.
Tucci sent multiple emails to Victim 1 the same day, using similar racial epithets and threats. He also texted Victim 1 on their personal cell phone, a phone number that Victim 1 had never provided to the defendant. The text messages from Tucci to Victim 1 mentioned Victim 1 by name, and the name of the street on which Victim 1 resided at the time. The messages included a warning that “This is personal now,” and additional threatening language.
Tucci’s communications caused Victim 1 severe emotional distress, and fear that Tucci would find Victim 1 and seriously injure or kill them or their family members.
Tucci willfully intimidated and interfered, and attempted to intimidate and interfere, with Victim 1 because of Victim 1’s race and color, and because Victim 1 was enjoying employment by, and all perquisites of, an agency of the City of Philadelphia, a subdivision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Also detailed in court filings, on the morning of February 1, 2024, Tucci pulled up next to another car in heavy traffic on I-95 southbound, lowered his windows, and repeatedly screamed racial epithets and threats to kill and shoot the other car’s driver (Victim 2), who is African American. Tucci then reached down into his car, at which point Victim 2 believed Tucci was reaching for a gun. Instead, Tucci pulled out a glass mug containing coffee, and threw it at Victim 2’s vehicle, terrifying Victim 2 and damaging their car.
The incident occurred while Victim 2 was enjoying a facility provided and administered by a state and a subdivision thereof, that is, driving on I-95.
“Every citizen is entitled to a peace and security undisturbed by the abhorrent and racist threats that took place in this case, full stop,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “No citizen has the right to inflict, and no citizen has the duty to endure, the verbal harassment and racist attacks that the defendant committed in our District.”
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: hate-based violence has no place in America,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division remains committed to ensuring that all Americans feel safe in their cities and communities.”
“Today's sentencing reinforces our commitment to protecting every individual's civil rights and ensuring that those who intimidate, harass, or threaten our citizens are brought to justice,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI and our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the United States Attorney's Office will continue to work side by side to safeguard our communities from threats of violence.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Jeanette Kang and Michelle L. Morgan and Trial Attorney Samuel Kuhn of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Palmetto Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Traveous Anderson (39, Palmetto) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Anderson pleaded guilty on August 27, 2025.
According to court documents, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted three controlled transactions for fentanyl – totaling approximately 28 grams – from Anderson between April and May 2024. On May 22, 2024, Anderson was arrested after bringing an additional 55.9 grams of fentanyl to a hotel in Sarasota. At the time, Anderson was serving a term of federal supervised release in connection with a prior conviction for distributing fentanyl.
Anderson’s co-defendant, Alexis Soto Escalante, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison on June 18, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Operation Catch Me if You Can: Nigerian Ringleader of Nationwide Bank Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracies Sentenced to Twenty Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Oluwaseun Adekoya, a/k/a “Ace G.,” a/k/a “BRODA,” a/k/a “Legendary,” a/k/a “SANTA,” a/k/a “SANTANA,” a/k/a “Sammy LaBanco,” a/k/a “Sean Maison,” a/k/a ”Kiing_maison,” age 40, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison. Earlier this year, a jury found Adekoya guilty of bank fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft after a three-week trial. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Proof at trial established that from the comfort of his luxury apartment in New Jersey, Adekoya, a career fraudster, obtained publicly available information regarding people’s home equity lines of credit (“HELOCs”) at localized credit unions throughout the United States, shifting his focus over time to different parts of the country to avoid law enforcement scrutiny. He then utilized encrypted messaging platforms, like Telegram, to obtain Social Security numbers, account numbers, mother’s maiden names, and other personal identifying information (“PII”) for individuals he had identified as having substantial amounts of equity available in their HELOCs. Adekoya then gave this information to a vast web of managers he recruited from all over the country, along with fake driver’s licenses for lower-level workers to use to impersonate the HELOC customers and conduct withdrawal transactions on their accounts. To insulate himself from detection, Adekoya utilized a web of “burner” phones and encrypted messaging applications and laundered his substantial share of the proceeds through bank accounts in other people’s names. Adekoya also reinvested some of the proceeds into continuing the fraud scheme by purchasing air and bus travel for coconspirators, fake driver’s licenses, and rental cars used to drive workers to credit unions.
Adekoya, a citizen of Nigeria, previously obtained lawful permanent resident status in the United States in 2004. In sentencing Adekoya, U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino noted that Adekoya is a “a perpetual thief” and a “flagrant serial offender” who has orchestrated increasingly sophisticated felony identity-theft and fraud offenses since he started his criminal career in 2008 at the age of 22.
“For nearly two decades, Oluwaseun Adekoya abused the privilege of lawful permanent resident status to steal the identities of innocent Americans so he could live lavishly in our country, without an ounce of remorse,” Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone said. “Now he gets to spend two decades in prison, and he deserves every last day of his sentence. I look forward to his subsequent removal from the United States.”
Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Adekoya spent almost two decades of his life creating a massive criminal network that stole from hard-working Americans. This sentence ensures he’ll spend the next two decades of his life in federal prison. The FBI is grateful to the numerous law enforcement and banking institution partners who provided the assistance needed to take down Mr. Adekoya and his associates and ensure justice for the victims. We remain deeply committed to using every resource available to investigate and bring to justice any individual or organization focused on defrauding our citizens.”
The investigation into Adekoya began in May 2022, when Broadview Federal Credit Union (formerly CAP COM Federal Credit Union and State Employees Federal Credit Union (SEFCU)), headquartered in Albany, identified a series of impersonation transactions at its branches in the Capital Region and referred the case to the FBI-Albany. The ensuing investigation led to the discovery of Adekoya as the mastermind of the nationwide operations and the prosecution of 13 additional coconspirators through a series of superseding indictments, all of whom pled guilty for their roles in the offenses prior to trial.
The defendant’s conspiracies were brought to a screeching halt by his federal arrest on an initial indictment on December 12, 2023. He has since been detained and the government twice superseded the indictment to add additional coconspirators and charges. Evidence at trial showed that when the FBI attempted to enter the defendant’s luxury apartment on December 12, 2023, to execute a federal search warrant, Adekoya wiped the primary phone he had used to orchestrate the conspiracy. Nonetheless, the FBI seized numerous “burner” phones used by Adekoya to perpetrate the charged crimes. The FBI also seized Rolex watches, a $51,000 Tiffany engagement ring, designer handbags and shoes, and approximately $26,000 in a bank account used by Adekoya to launder his proceeds. Those items and others have since been forfeited by the government.
As part of Adekoya’s sentence, he will also be required to serve five years of supervised release and pay restitution of over $2.2 million and a mandatory special assessment of $1,100. He is also subject to removal from the United States upon completion of his term of imprisonment.
The following codefendants previously pled guilty in connection with the conspiracies and were sentenced as follows:
- David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Africa,” age 61, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Daniyan was sentenced to 54 months’ incarceration, 1 year of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $2.2 million in restitution.
- Kani Bassie, a/k/a “$,” age 36, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Bassie was sentenced to 11 years’ incarceration and 5 years of supervised release and will be ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court at a later date.
- Davon Hunter, a/k/a “Scams,” age 27, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Hunter was sentenced to 42 months’ incarceration, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $469,499.18 in restitution.
- Christian Quivers, a/k/a “Denzel Carter,” a/k/a “E,” age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Quivers was sentenced to 42 months’ incarceration, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $385,650 in restitution.
- Jermon Brooks, a/k/a “JayB,” a/k/a “beezy,” age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Brooks was sentenced to 36 months’ incarceration, 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $385,650 in restitution.
- Akeem Balogun, age 56, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Brooks was sentenced to 21 months’ incarceration, 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $262,200 in restitution.
- Victor Barriera, age 64, of Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Barriera was sentenced to time served, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $203,352 in restitution.
- Danielle Cappetti, age 46, of Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Cappetti was sentenced to time served, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $142,796 in restitution.
- Jerjuan Joyner, age 50, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Joyner was sentenced to 12 months’ incarceration, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $135,998 in restitution.
- Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Kennedy was sentenced to time served, 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $24,500.
- Crystal Kurschner, age 44, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Kurschner was sentenced to time served, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $220,850 in restitution.
- Sherry Ozmore, age 56, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Ozmore was sentenced to time served, 3 years of supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $229,303.18.
Codefendant Lesley Lucchese, age 53, of Manhattan, previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and is scheduled for sentencing next year.
FBI-Albany investigated the case and obtained invaluable assistance from numerous law enforcement agencies all over the country. Those include the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond, Chicago and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; and York, Pennsylvania. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Albany County Sheriff’s Office; and Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police and Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; the Virginia State Police; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark, Mathew M. Paulbeck, and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.
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Ohio Missionary Indicted for Child Exploitation Crimes in HaitiRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio returned an indictment today charging an Ohio man with four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti.
According to court documents, Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, traveled from the United States to Haiti on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organization Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), and sexually abused minors in that country. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Each count of the indictment is premised on his sexual abuse of a different minor in Haiti.
“As alleged, this defendant traveled abroad to commit heinous, unspeakable crimes against vulnerable children living in an impoverished nation,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Despite the fact that the defendant’s alleged crimes occurred abroad, our law enforcement partners and prosecutors will continue to relentlessly seek justice on behalf of the minor victims. Wherever the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in the intolerable crime of abusing and exploiting children.”
“Crimes against children, like those mentioned in these allegations, are reprehensible. Such appalling and morally corrupt behavior will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We commend the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, whose thorough work led to these federal charges being filed today.”
“This case highlights the vital role HSI plays in identifying and investigating individuals — especially those in positions of trust — who exploit children, regardless of where these heinous crimes occur,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “HSI Cleveland, in collaboration with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Justice, worked diligently to ensure that those who prey on children abroad are held accountable here in the United States. We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice for victims and ensuring that predators face the full weight of the law wherever our investigations lead.”
HSI Cleveland is investigating the case and received substantial assistance from the Holmes County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ohio Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of Children in the CaribbeanRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Holmes County man who traveled internationally to sexually abuse children abroad now faces federal charges.
On Dec. 2, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, with attempted and actual engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
The indictment alleges that on at least four separate occasions—2004, 2007, and twice in 2011— Mast embarked on trips to the Caribbean and sexually abused minors.
As outlined in the original federal criminal complaint filed Nov. 4, 2025, Mast repeatedly traveled to Haiti, during which time he both attempted and engaged in illicit sexual conduct with minors. Foreign travel records obtained by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) show that Mast took more than 30 flights from the United States to Haiti.
Mast faces a penalty of up to 30 years in prison and $250,000 in fines per count if convicted. He also faces up to a lifetime of supervised release after imprisonment. His sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, his role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
“As alleged, this defendant traveled abroad to commit heinous, unspeakable crimes against vulnerable children living in an impoverished nation,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Despite the fact that the defendant’s alleged crimes occurred abroad, our law enforcement partners and prosecutors will continue to relentlessly seek justice on behalf of the minor victims. Wherever the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in the intolerable crime of abusing and exploiting children.”
“Crimes against children, like those mentioned in these allegations, are reprehensible. Such appalling and morally corrupt behavior will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We commend the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, whose thorough work led to these federal charges being filed today.”
“This case highlights the vital role HSI plays in identifying and investigating individuals—especially those in positions of trust—who exploit children, regardless of where these heinous crimes occur,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “HSI Cleveland, in collaboration with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Justice, worked diligently to ensure that those who prey on children abroad are held accountable here in the United States. We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice for victims and ensuring that predators face the full weight of the law wherever our investigations lead.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by HSI and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King are leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jessica Urban of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with knowledge and information about this case may call the HSI tip line at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP or visit report.cybertip.org.
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Non-Profit Organization Defrauded of over $700,000 in Foreign AssistanceRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Roseval Supreme (55, Valley Stream, NY) with seven counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Supreme faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison per count. The indictment also notifies Supreme that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $713,390, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, Supreme is a Haitian national and United States Legal Permanent Resident who was employed as a country director for U.S. non-profit Action Against Hunger (AAH) from October 2020 to March 2023, and managed the AAH country office located in Haiti. AAH received foreign assistance funds, in part, from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Supreme abused his position of trust as the AAH country director, violated AAH conflict of interest and fraud and corruption policies, and steered AAH procurements to a company he owned or was affiliated with for his own financial benefit. Supreme also submitted fraudulent lease agreements and invoices to obtain AAH funding for a residence he already resided in.
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 U.S. Agency for International Development - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on November 20, 2025, LAWRENCE WATKINS (“WATKINS”), age 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 72 months imprisonment, to be followed by 4 years supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, on or about June 22, 2023, Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troopers, FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGTF) members, and other law enforcement personnel were conducting proactive patrols in the Algiers area of New Orleans to combat violent crime. While attempting to stop and investigate a suspicious Dodge Durango vehicle, it sped off, chased by law enforcement, before striking a utility pole. The Durango’s occupants, including WATKINS, fled the vehicle on foot, but were later caught. After WATKINS’s apprehension, officers recovered his backpack that contained a Century Arms Micro Draco 7.62x39 milli-meter pistol, multiple rounds of ammunition, $1,053 in U.S. currency, drug paraphernalia, and quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force, and the Louisiana State Police. Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger and Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
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New Assistant United States Attorney Sworn in for the District of Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announces the appointment and swearing-in of Andrea Hyatt as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island.
Hyatt will serve in the Office’s Civil Division, where she will handle a broad range of matters essential to protecting the interests of the United States, including Federal Tort Claims Act litigation, employment discrimination, immigration cases, and matters arising under the Administrative Procedure Act and False Claims Act.
Hyatt joins the U.S. Attorney’s Office after more than 23 years of experience as a litigator in both the private and public sectors. Most recently, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Texas, where she represented the United States in civil actions in federal and state courts, securing early dismissals or summary judgements in fourteen defensive cases and recovering more than $1.5 million in a False Claims Act matter. During her tenure, she earned an “Outstanding” performance rating for 2024.
Prior to her work as a federal prosecutor, Hyatt held senior litigation roles at BNSF Railway Co. in Fort Worth, TX where she served in labor and employment law, corporate compliance, and internal investigations, leading teams and managing high-volume, nationwide dockets. She also practiced at Thomson & Knight LLP in Dallas and served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Dallas.
A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, she was elected to the prestigious Order of the Coif and served as an Articles Editor of the Texas Law Review.
“I am thrilled to welcome Andrea to the United States Attorneys Office,” stated Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. “A seasoned and exceptionally skilled litigator, she brings with her decades of experience across federal practice, corporate compliance, and complex civil litigation. Her depth of knowledge, dedication to public service, and proven commitment to excellence will serve the people of Rhode Island extraordinarily well.”