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21 November 2025
Ohio Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Norwood, Ohio, man, Marcus Goodwin, 37, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 200 months in prison, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, Goodwin conspired with others to distribute over a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine from March 1, 2024 through February 14, 2025 in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Using a confidential informant, law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases of crystal methamphetamine totaling more than a kilogram from Goodwin. Upon arresting Goodwin, law enforcement found three handguns at a hotel room where he was staying, and an additional handgun and 1,192.9 grams of crystal methamphetamine at his residence. Three additional handguns were seized from a location Goodwin used to distribute drugs.
Goodwin was previously convicted of drug trafficking and voluntary manslaughter with specification in the Court of Common Pleas for Hamilton County, Ohio and served a sentence of 14 years for those offenses.
Under federal law, Goodwin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division; and Chief Jeff Mallery, Florence Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, DEA, and Florence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Ocala Convicted Felon Who Attempted to Pawn A Firearm Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Shymiere Montese Howell (31, Ocala) to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition affecting commerce by a convicted felon. Howell entered a guilty plea to the offense on July 22, 2025.
According to court documents, Howell is a 19-time convicted felon with prior convictions that include possession of a firearm by a felon, child neglect, felony battery, and drug possession. On November 8, 2024, Howell entered a Leesburg pawn shop and attempted to sell a loaded handgun. When law enforcement arrived at the pawn shop, Howell attempted to push past them and run out of the store. He was quickly apprehended. As a convicted felon, Howell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leesburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
New York Siblings Charged with Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mayovanet Fermin, age 26, and Frnsheska Fermin, age 25, of Yonkers, New York, were indicted on August 19, 2025, by a federal grand jury on 68 counts of fraud, including conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. The case was unsealed following defendants’ arraignment on October 3, 2025.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from January of 2020 through July of 2021, the Fermins obtained and shared lists of victims’ personal identifying information (PII) to create and submit fraudulent federal income tax returns, economic impact payment applications, and pandemic unemployment assistance benefits. The indictment alleges over $400,000 in fraudulently obtained payments as a result of the scheme.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense charged is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
This matter occurred on date indicated but not issued at that time due to the government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
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New York Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on November 19, 2025, Keahnard Rowell, also known as “Stacks,” 35, of New York City, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Rowell previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl in Bennington, Vermont, in 2022.
According to court records, between mid-February and July 2022, Rowell was a high-ranking member of a violent drug-trafficking organization in Bennington led by co-conspirator William McLaughlin. While much of the violence was perpetrated by McLaughlin, Rowell was aware of it. Court records indicate that after a particularly violent beating of a woman by McLaughlin over a drug dispute, Rowell offered to protect the woman by bringing her to New York. Once there, however, Rowell took the woman’s phone and identification, thereby making her feel she was not free to leave his residence. In Bennington, Rowell supervised drug trafficking locations and sold drugs for the organization. He also took trips to New York to obtain more drug supply to bring back to Bennington for the organization to sell.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bennington Police Department, the Rutland City Police Department, the Vermont State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne Smith, Jonathan Ophardt and Paul Van de Graaf. Rowell was represented by Jason Sawyer, Esq.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ODINE DOMINICK (“DOMINICK”), age 35, was sentenced on November 20, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 292 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, in the fall of 2023, law enforcement officers observed a photograph of DOMINICK with a rifle magazine in his waistband and a video of DOMINICK inside of a stolen car with a handgun. On December 14, 2023, the New Orleans Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at DOMINICK’s residence and found over 100 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin; vacuum sealed bags of marijuana weighing over a kilogram; eight digital scales; drug trafficking supplies; 400 rounds of various calibers of ammunition; and a loaded Glock Model 23 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine.
Prior to his most recent arrest, DOMINICK was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine in Orleans Parish, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in St. Bernard Parish.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –CYRIL HOFFMAN, JR. (“HOFFMAN”), age 27, was sentenced on November 12, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion to 12 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and receipt of a firearm while under indictment, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(n) and 924(a)(1)(D).
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at HOFFMAN’s residence on August 20, 2021. FBI personnel recovered marijuana that HOFFMAN intended to sell, and six firearms from HOFFMAN’s bedroom: a Brothers LA Arms .300 millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with a 60 round magazine; a Palmetto State Armory PA-15, .223/5.56 millimeter caliber semi-automatic rifle, loaded with a 30 round magazine; an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, 5.56 millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with a high-capacity magazine containing live rounds; a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 20 live rounds; a Glock 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 14 live rounds; and a Glock 17, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 17 live rounds.
A few weeks before the execution of the search warrant, HOFFMAN was indicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for six felony offenses, including four counts of attempted second degree murder, and one count of conspiracy to commit second degree murder. Following the search warrant, HOFFMAN was arrested on those charges but later bonded out of jail in June 2022. On October 25, 2022, while still under indictment and awaiting trial in Orleans Parish, deputies with the United States Marshals Service encountered HOFFMAN inside a motel room in New Orleans East. There was a Glock 22, .40 caliber firearm inside the room, which HOFFMAN denied was his. However, the FBI later found messages that HOFFMAN sent to a third-party admitting he was in possession of the gun. HOFFMAN continued to sell marijuana while on bond and on May 17, 2023, FBI personnel executed another search warrant at HOFFMAN’s new residence and recovered marijuana, digital scales, and packaging supplies for distribution.
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.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
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Monroe County Man Sentenced to 144 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Nester, age 55, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to 144 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Nester previously pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute approximately 30 grams of fentanyl and possessing a Glock pistol in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. The pistol and fentanyl were found during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s home in June of 2024. Nester also possessed additional fentanyl on his person and in his vehicle.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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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Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on November 12, 2025.
Shannon Dunham, age 38, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Shannon Dunham was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 7, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in October of 2024, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, wherein a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officer was dispatched to a residence in Mission based on a report that Dunham was causing a disturbance. Upon arrival at the residence, the officer contacted Dunham, who was verbally aggressive, grabbed the officer, and brandished a knife at him. Dunham was subsequently arrested.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Dunham was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Mountain Lake, Minnesota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 10, 2025.
William Soudap Somphanthabansouk, 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Somphanthabansouk was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on August 25, 2025.
Somphanthabansouk obtained methamphetamine in California through the mail and then distributed it to others in Sioux Falls as well as in Western Minnesota. In early 2025, investigators discovered that Somphanthabansouk had traveled to California and mailed himself a package from there. They arranged to have him stopped on the interstate on his way to Sioux Falls and discovered approximately 228 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded pistol in his vehicle. They then obtained a search warrant for his residence in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, and discovered approximately 850 grams of methamphetamine and multiple firearms. Altogether, investigators believe that Somphanthabansouk was responsible for distributing approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine in this area.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Worthington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Somphanthabansouk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Maryland Man Facing Federal Charges for Sexual Exploitation of Children in Connection with Child Sex Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Philip Andrew Turner, 46, of Linthicum Heights, Maryland, with sexual exploitation of a minor, online coercion and enticement, receipt of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse. Turner, who is currently detained, is slated for his initial appearance on Wednesday, December 3, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before Judge Chelsea J. Crawford.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Acting Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MDSP); and Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County.
According to the 15-count indictment, Turner used an online account to connect with known child traffickers in the Philippines. Turner submitted payment after negotiating a price and then selected children that he wanted to watch, and the sex acts he wanted to see. He also received child sexual abuse material images from the traffickers that he saved to an online account. Additionally, Turner possessed commercially available child sexual abuse material images on his laptop computer.
If convicted, Turner faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count of sexual exploitation of a child. 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.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
Know2Protect is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. Know2Protect’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent, combat and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit Know2Protect’s YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on DHS’ main channel. Additional resources are available at Know2Protect.gov, Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the MDSP, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man from Guatemala Sentenced for False Representation of SSN and Resisting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Romeo Edilzar Yaxcal-Tiul, 26, of Guatemala, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for falsely representing a social security number and resisting a federal officer. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Yaxcal-Tiul to concurrent terms of 12 months’ imprisonment on each offense. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Buescher also imposed concurrent 1-year terms of supervised release on each count to follow the imposed terms of imprisonment, noting that while Yaxcal-Tiul will be deported by U.S. immigration authorities when he completes his sentence of imprisonment, the imposed term of supervision will serve as a deterrent to Yaxcal-Tiul returning to the United States.
Sometime after two unsuccessful attempts to enter the United States illegally in 2022, Yaxcal-Tiul ultimately entered the United States illegally and came to Nebraska. In October 2024, Yaxcal-Tiul used a fake name, fake Social Security Number (SSN), fake Social Security Card, fake Alien Number, and fake Legal Permanent Resident Card to gain employment at an Omaha area restaurant as a dishwasher. Investigators confirmed that both the SSN and Alien Numbers used by Yaxcal-Tiul were invalid and had not been assigned to Yaxcal-Tiul.
Yaxcal-Tiul was encountered by law enforcement at the Omaha area restaurant in June 2025. Despite clear identification by law enforcement as “police” and instruction not to move, Yaxcal-Tiul fled from law enforcement and into a crowded patio, diving into a booth filled with restaurant patrons. Members of the public assisted in securing Yaxcal-Tiul until law enforcement were able to take over. Yaxcal-Tiul continued to resist law enforcement on the ground, pulling his hands away and manipulating his body to avoid being handcuffed. Eventually, Yaxcal-Tiul was successfully secured and transported into custody. A law enforcement officer who assisted in apprehending Yaxcal-Tiul was injured during the pursuit.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Love County Resident Sentenced for Discharging Firearm During A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Isaiah Lynn Wood, age 22, of Overbrook, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Love County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 12, 2025, Wood pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on the evening of February 17, 2025, Wood parked at a distance from an Overbrook residence, then entered the residence undetected armed with a Glock 45 semi-automatic pistol. Once inside, Wood threatened one resident, assaulted a second, fired the weapon twice striking a third, then barricaded himself inside. A Love County deputy responding to the 911 emergency dispatch call took Wood into custody.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Wood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Louisville Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun and Machine Gun Possession, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on October 21, 2025, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Dominique Thompson, 30, was sentenced to 8 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a Ruger, Model AR-556, 5.56 caliber pistol, a Glock, Model 17 Gen5, 9-millimeter pistol, ammunition, a machine gun, and for possessing the Ruger in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Thompson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On May 23, 2023, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Thompson was convicted of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, illegal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree Schedule I heroin, and illegal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree Schedule II fentanyl (two counts).
On March 18, 2021, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Thompson was convicted of receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Thompson has related and pending charges in Jefferson Circuit Court alleging criminal attempt murder of a police officer and wanton endangerment in the first degree.
Mr. Bumgarner stated, “This is an extremely important case for our office and demonstrates our responsibility and commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers that courageously serve our community. This case also demonstrates our commitment to working with the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Louisville Metro Police Department and ATF to aggressively prosecute firearms crimes.”
“Violent crime targeting members of our community, including law enforcement officers, will not be tolerated. ATF remains committed to eradicating Machinegun Conversion Devices (MCD) from our streets because of the increased threats they pose. This case and the resulting sentence reflect the strength of the partnership between federal and local law enforcement,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the Louisville Field Division.
"This man’s long criminal history, including charges of attempting to kill an LMPD officer, underscores the serious threat he poses to our community,” said LMPD Police Chief Paul Humphrey. “We remain committed to working with our federal partners to keep dangerous criminals off our streets so families can feel safe."
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez prosecuted the case.
This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Louisville Man Sentenced as a Career Offender to 15 Years and 10 months in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on October 30, 2025, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Johnathan Hankins, 35, was sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
Hankins’ conviction stems from two instances in which he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Jefferson County. On March 11, 2024, Hankins sold 444 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Again, on May 22, 2024, Hankins sold 212 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Each methamphetamine transaction was audio and video recorded. The total amount of methamphetamine from both of the controlled purchases was 656 grams. The methamphetamine was tested at the DEA laboratory, where it was confirmed to be methamphetamine.
Based upon his criminal history, Hankins was sentenced as a Career Offender. A defendant is a career offender if (1) the defendant was at least eighteen years old at the time the defendant committed the instant offense of conviction; (2) the instant offense of conviction is a felony that is either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense; and (3) the defendant has at least two prior felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense. Hankins had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On or about October 27, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, under Case Number 09-CR-2427, Hankins was convicted of robbery in the second degree.
On or about October 27, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, under Case Number 09-CR-3555, Hankins was convicted of robbery in the second degree.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF, with assistance from the DEA Louisville Field Division and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts prosecuted the case.
This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Louisiana Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ERNEST X. TAYLOR, JR. (“TAYLOR”), of Laplace, LA, age 41, was sentenced on October 29, 2025 to 84 months in the Bureau of Prisons, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion.
On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act became effective and established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
According to the court documents, TAYLOR made false statements to an approved lender on or about March 2, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan. TAYLOR falsely claimed in his PPP application that he had not been convicted of a felony involving “fraud, bribery, embezzlement, or a false statement in a loan application or an application for federal financial assistance” within the last 5 years. In truth, TAYLOR had pleaded guilty on July 15, 2016, in the Eastern District of Virginia, criminal matter no. 16-118, to conspiracy to commit federal student loan fraud and mail fraud in a scheme that involved stolen identities. TAYLOR thereafter received approximately $18,500 based upon the misrepresentations. TAYLOR then made the same false statements to an approved lender on or about April 21, 2021, when he applied for a second draw PPP loan. TAYLOR received approximately $18,500 for the second loan.
In addition to incarceration, TAYLOR was sentenced to (5) five years of supervised release, as well as payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
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Little Rock Man to Spend Life in Prison Following Conviction for Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—After hearing four days of testimony, a federal jury found that Arthur Joyner distributed fentanyl pills to a man who died after ingesting those pills two days later. That transaction, which resulted in a conviction for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, will keep Joyner, 43, of Little Rock, in prison for the rest of his life. On Thursday, following the four-day trial, the jury convicted Joyner of the charge after 45 minutes of deliberation.
On March 5, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Joyner on the single count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The jury returned the verdict to United States District Judge Brian S. Miller, who will sentence Joyner at a later date. Due to Joyner’s prior criminal record, which includes a serious felony drug conviction among other violent felony convictions, Joyner is facing a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Joyner will remain in federal custody while awaiting sentencing.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on October 13, 2023, an acquaintance of Joyner’s requested oxycodone pills from Joyner because this person had injured his back while working. The acquaintance specifically told Joyner to make sure the pills were real oxycodone, and not fake pills. Along with the request, the individual sent Joyner articles describing how fentanyl is being pressed and produced to look like oxycodone pills. Joyner responded, “they are real” and proceeded to send a picture of numerous blue pills with an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other, which purported to be oxycodone pills.
Joyner then sold the individual three of those blue pills the next day, October 14, from a residence in Little Rock. The pills in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone. According to testimony at trial, the individual took one of those pills at a hotel in Searcy sometime late in the evening on October 15, and then another one in the hotel between 8 and 9 a.m. on October 16. He stopped breathing within minutes of snorting the second fentanyl pill, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:23 a.m.
The evidence at trial indicated that Joyner sold the three fentanyl pills for $30 and had been selling cocaine to the victim and others in the weeks prior to selling the fentanyl pills.
In addition to the mandatory life sentence, the drug charge carries a fine penalty of up to $1,000,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Searcy Police Department and the White County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Chris Givens prosecuted the case.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Lawrence County meth dealer sentenced to 15+ years’ imprisonmentRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Lawrenceville, Illinois, man to 188 months’ imprisonment for distributing meth in Lawrence County.
Jeffrey S. Metz, 49, pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of meth. Following imprisonment, he will serve four years of supervised release. He was sentenced Nov. 6.
“Trafficking drugs in any county of southern Illinois will earn dealers a federal prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to court documents, Metz admitted to distributing more than 25 grams of meth in Lawrence County in October and November 2024.
"The Illinois State Police is committed to stopping illegal drug trafficking and keeping dangerous drugs from flooding and hurting our communities," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. " ISP is targeting drug traffickers and will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney's Office to put them behind bars."
The Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force of the Illinois State Police, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and DEA contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
Las Vegas Resident Charged with Cyberstalking and Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of cyberstalking and sexual exploitation of a minor, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The four-count Indictment named Renad Bautista, 36, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from May 2022 through August 2025, Bautista intimidated and harassed an individual in the Western District of Pennsylvania when she was a minor and into adulthood by repeatedly attempting to contact and contacting her over social media and by repeatedly sending letters to her through the mail. All of the contact was unwanted and harassing and caused substantial emotional distress to Bautista’s victim and her immediate family members.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or a combination thereof. 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.
Bautista remains detained following his arrest in Las Vegas and arraignment in the Western District of Pennsylvania earlier this week.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.The Federal Bureau of Investigation-Pittsburgh conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lackawanna County Woman Sentenced to 36 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jazmyn Warshawsky, age 26, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, to 36 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, for attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Warshawsky had earlier pled guilty to attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. As part of her guilty plea, Warshawsky admitted that on or about May 26, 2023, in Lackawanna County, Warshawsky received and possessed a United States Postal Service mail package that she believed contained a large quantity of controlled substances. Investigators observed the defendant take possession of the package, bring the package to her co-defendant’s home in Luzerne County, where investigators later seized the package, among other controlled substances. As part of that seizure, investigators recovered over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly 4 kilograms of marihuana.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Gerard Donahue prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Jury Convicts Owyhee Man of Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
RENO – A federal jury yesterday convicted a resident of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Owyhee, Nevada, of witness tampering.
As proven at trial, from March 11, 2025, to March 16, 2025, R.C. Crutcher made attempts to persuade a victim from testifying at a federal trial. Crutcher made multiple phone calls from jail to his mother, asking his mother to locate and persuade a victim not to show up for trial so his case would be dismissed.
Following a four-day trial, Crutcher was found guilty of one count of tampering with a witness.
Crutcher is scheduled for sentencing on February 24, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne R. Traum. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Penelope Brady and Andrew Keenan are prosecuting the case.
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Jamaican Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Defrauding Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Xavian Brown, a Jamaican-born man living in Baldwin County, Alabama, was sentenced today to 10 years’ imprisonment for defrauding elderly victims using a Publishers’ Clearing House scheme.
According to court documents, Brown and his co-defendants targeted over 130 individuals across the United States by notifying them that they had either won the lottery or the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, but in order to obtain their winnings, the targets would have to pay taxes in advance. Testimony at sentencing showed that many of the victims liquidated their life savings and suffered substantial financial harm because of the fraud.
United States District Judge Kristi DuBose sentenced Brown to serve 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The Court set a hearing in early December to determine the amount of restitution Brown will owe his victims.
Brown’s co-defendant, Romario Nembhard, was previously sentenced to serve one year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $441,281.21 in restitution. Jermaine Smith was also sentenced today to serve one year and a day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $447,591.21 in restitution. Co-defendant Britney James, who has been in custody since February 2025, was sentenced to time-served, followed by three years of supervised release, and was also ordered to pay $447,591.21 in restitution. The remaining co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in December 2025.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “Exploiting Americans through this type of scheme is a cruel and calculated crime, aimed at a vulnerable community. Protecting Americans from financial exploitation is one of our top priorities. This sentence demonstrates that those who abuse trust for personal gain will be held accountable.”
“The FBI is committed to investigating those who exploit the American people for financial gain and seeing through the prosecution of those individuals” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sara Jones. “The hard work of our agents and professional staff, along with a dedicated United States Attorney’s Office, assures that these criminals will not go unpunished for their actions. Today’s sentence is another example of our collective efforts to combat criminal activity in the Gulf Coast Region in conjunction with our partner agencies.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Mobile Division. Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Foley Police Department, and the Gulf Shores Police Department also provided support.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasee Heisterhagen and Mike Anderson prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
For more information about elder fraud scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/elder-fraud.
- Jackson County Probation Officer Sentenced for Extorting State Probationers and Witness Tampering
Indian National Indicted for Assault Aboard AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Indian national was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday for allegedly stabbing two minor victims with a metal fork while on board a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Germany on Oct. 25, 2025. The defendant was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa and was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. At the time of the alleged incident, the defendant did not have lawful status in the United States.
Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, was indicted on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Usiripalli was apprehended immediately following the incident and charged by complaint on Oct. 27, 2025. He remains detained pending trial and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, on Oct. 25, 2025, while on board Lufthansa flight 431 enroute from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, Usiripalli allegedly stabbed a 17-year-old male passenger (Minor A) in the shoulder area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly stabbed a second 17-year-old male passenger (Minor B) in the back of the head with the same metal fork.
Specifically, following meal service, Minor A was sleeping lightly in a middle seat when he allegedly awoke to see Usiripalli standing over him. It is alleged that Usiripalli used his right hand to strike Minor A in the left clavicle area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly lunged toward Minor B – who was seated to Minor A’s right in a middle seat in the center row of the aircraft – and struck Minor B in the back of his head with the fork. Minor B suffered a laceration to the rear of his head.
When flight crew members attempted to subdue Usiripalli, he allegedly raised his hand, formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger. Immediately afterwards, Usiripalli allegedly turned toward a female passenger and slapped her with his hand. Usiripalli also allegedly attempted to slap a flight crew member.
As a result of the disturbance, the flight was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where Usiripalli was immediately taken into custody.
Usiripalli was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa. Most recently, he was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. Usiripalli presently does not have lawful status in the United States.
The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 10 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 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.
Illegal alien arrested for impersonating U.S. citizen for over 14 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 56-year-old Columbian national illegally residing in Houston has been charged for theft of government funds, false representation of a U.S. citizen and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The individual’s true identity is unknown, but he was most recently known under alias Johnny Mina Rodriguez. He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m.
The now unsealed indictment, returned Nov. 5, alleges this individual fraudulently applied for and obtained Social Security Administration disability benefits in June 2011 by impersonating a U.S. citizen.
According to the charges, they continued receiving SSA disability until his arrest, resulting in a total theft of government funds exceeding $150,000.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years imprisonment as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each of the charges. He also faces an additional two years in prison for aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
SSA-Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S. and Making False Statements on Immigration ApplicationsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that MARCOS ISMALEJ IXPANCOC, also known as Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez, 39, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported and making false statements on applications for immigration benefits.
Ixpancoc was arrested today. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2006, Ixpancoc was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He identified himself to U.S. Border Patrol as Marcos Hernandez Lopez, claimed to be a citizen of Mexico, and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico. In August 2012, Ixpancoc was again apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas. He identified himself as Jose Ernandez and claimed to be a citizen of Guatemala. He was removed to Guatemala in September 2012. In June 2023, Ixpancoc submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) an application for legal permanent residency and work authorization under his true name and listed a home address in Stamford. The fingerprints that USCIS collected in connection with those applications matched those collected when he was apprehended and removed under the names Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez in 2006 and 2012.
It is further alleged that in Ixpancoc’s applications to USCIS, Ixpancoc falsely denied ever using any names other than Ixpancoc, falsely denied ever having been issued a final order of removal, and falsely denied ever having been removed from the U.S. In addition, in connection with his application for legal permanent residency, Ixpancoc submitted a petition under the Violence Against Women Act claiming that he was the victim of abuse by a U.S. citizen spouse or child, and that his abuser was his son. However, his son was two years old at the time he filed the petition. Ixpancoc signed each of these applications under penalty of perjury.
If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Ixpancoc faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. If convicted of the charge of making false statements on applications for immigration benefits, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a MacHinegunRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jaquan Tyrell Calhoun, 21, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced in federal court to 5 years and 10 months imprisonment for possession of a machinegun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “With yet another successful prosecution, my office continues to deliver on the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have threatened the safety of our communities for far too long. I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify and remove this offender from the streets, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes with the full force of our federal laws.”
Court records reflect that Calhoun, who is a member of a gang, would routinely post images and videos of himself with firearms on social media, including multiple videos of himself shooting machineguns. On April 21, 2024, Calhoun and codefendant Lagarius Johnson live-streamed a video of themselves posing with cash and firearms. Calhoun is seen on video flashing a Glock pistol that had been modified with a machinegun conversion device. Johnson was arrested later that night carrying that same illegally modified Glock pistol which was confirmed to be a machinegun.
“Calhoun’s decision to flaunt a machine gun on social media highlighted the recklessness that endangers our communities,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “This sentencing demonstrates our commitment to working side by side with our federal and local partners to stop violent and organized criminal activity in our communities.”
“The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office remains steadfast in our commitment to combat gun violence in our community by working closely with our state and federal partners to locate and apprehend criminals like Jaquan Calhoun — individuals who have no business possessing a firearm, let alone one illegally modified into a deadly automatic weapon,” stated Sheriff Chad Scott, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
The case involved an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Eric W. Welch prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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.
Fraud and Financial-Crime Prosecutions Continue During Federal Funding LapseRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – During the lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma continued to work to protect Oklahomans from financial harm. The cases below represent a portion of the sentencings finalized during this period in separate and unrelated cases involving bank fraud, forged checks, and theft of mail.
AARON D. JOHNSON, 43, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve six months in federal prison, followed by 12 months of home confinement and 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $102,069.44 in restitution and a $100,000 fine for bank fraud. According to public records, from September 2017 through at least November 6, 2018, Johnson, who was President and CEO of Farmers Bank, used the bank’s operating account to pay for personal expenses, causing an overdraft in the bank’s operating account of approximately $200,000. Johnson then approved a modification to a loan, without approval from the bank’s board of directors, advancing $200,000 on the loan which he used to repay the overdraft he caused.
DEONTE MONTRELL HORNSBY, 28, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 21 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of stolen mail. According to public records, between December 2024 and April 2025, Hornsby used a stolen United States Postal Service key to steal mail from mail deposit boxes in Oklahoma City. Hornsby then fraudulently altered checks found in the stolen mail and deposited the altered checks into bank accounts owned by co-conspirators to obtain cash from banks. In all, Hornsby and the co-conspirators were responsible for $72,727.96 in losses.
RAHBIN JOSEPH WARD, 27, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $53,960 in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to public records, between May 2023 and June 2023, Ward and other co-conspirators obtained checks from stolen mail, fraudulently altered the information on the checks, and deposited the forged checks into Ward’s personal bank account.
These cases are the result of investigations by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of the Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge prosecuted the cases.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Fourteen Defendants Indicted for Drug Conspiracy and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that the following individuals were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine:
- JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma;
- MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma;
- SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 55, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- JEFFERY LANCE DEAVER, age 56, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma;
- JESUS MARTIN OLIVARES VASQUEZ, SR., age 58, of Mexico;
- DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma;
- ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 57, of Dallas, Texas;
- WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma; and
- CLIFFORD EUGENE BERRY, age 61, of Atoka, Oklahoma.
In addition to federal Drug Conspiracy charges, JERRY LEE GRIST and DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE each face additional charges for Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI faces additional charges for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine, and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine; and ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ and DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ each face an additional charge for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine.
The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These charges are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the DEA and FBI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Fourteen Defendants Indicted for Drug Conspiracy and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that the following individuals were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine:
- JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma;
- MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma;
- SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 55, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- JEFFERY LANCE DEAVER, age 56, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma;
- JESUS MARTIN OLIVARES VASQUEZ, SR., age 58, of Mexico;
- DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma;
- ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 57, of Dallas, Texas;
- WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma; and
- CLIFFORD EUGENE BERRY, age 61, of Atoka, Oklahoma.
In addition to federal Drug Conspiracy charges, JERRY LEE GRIST and DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE each face additional charges for Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI faces additional charges for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine, and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine; and ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ and DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ each face an additional charge for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine.
The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These charges are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the DEA and FBI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Four Hartford Men Charged with Trafficking Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that ANTONIO BAEZ, also known as “Fat Boy,” 26; CORY LEWIS, also known as “City,” 36; JAVON HUTLEY, 33; and ROGER MOODY, 42, all of Hartford, have been charged by indictment with offenses related to the illegal trafficking of firearms and narcotics.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in June 2025, ATF began an investigation of Baez and other armed drug traffickers who were operating in the area of Evergreen Avenue in Hartford, where Baez and Moody resided. Between June and October 2025, ATF undercover agents made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl, which included carfentanil or other additives including xylazine and tramadol, from Baez, Lewis, and Moody, and a total of seven firearms from Baez, Lewis, and Hutley.
“The trafficking of guns and drugs, especially when the drugs are fentanyl mixed with extremely toxic additives, are a dangerous combination,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “We remain committed to using federal resources to thwart this criminal behavior and prosecute those involved. I commend ATF for this effective undercover operation. It has made our capital city safer.”
“This investigation targeted members of a criminal organization that endangered the community by trafficking firearms and distributing fentanyl,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Greco. “ATF enforcement operations will continue to focus on disrupting shooters and those who enable them by providing firearms.”
Baez, Lewis, Hutley, and Moody were arrested on federal criminal complaints on October 15, 2025. On that date, a search of Hutley’s residence on Sisson Avenue revealed two gun magazines and ammunition. A search of Lewis’s residence on New Britain Avenue revealed a .357 magnum revolver.
On October 28, 2028, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 16-count indictment charging the four defendants. Baez, Lewis, and Moody are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, an a defendant’s criminal history, Baez faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of 40 years, Lewis faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Moody faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Baez, Lewis, and Moody are also charged with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of controlled substances.
The indictment also charges Baez, Lewis, and Hutley with firearms trafficking conspiracy and firearms trafficking, and Lewis and Hutley with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. These charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count.
Baez, Lewis, Hutley, and Moody, who have been detained since their arrests, appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
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 Neighborhood (PSN).
Founder of “Leadership Training” Company and Co-Conspirator Found Guilty of Defrauding COVID Relief ProgramsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury found Shawn Michael Simmerer (49, Florida) and Seth Downes (30, Michigan) guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Simmerer was also found guilty of four counts of submitting false claims to the IRS, related to fraudulent Employee Retention Credits and Sick and Family Leave Credits. Simmerer and Downes face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, and Simmerer faces a maximum penalty of 5 years on each false claim count. Their sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 17, 2026.
Simmerer and Downes were indicted on February 28, 2024. A superseding indictment was later returned on January 29, 2025.
According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, starting in April 2020, the defendants participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP proceeds and to then live off the proceeds. The scheme involved the submission of PPP loan applications on behalf of multiple companies, including two applications on behalf of “Your 10 Life Foundation,” a “leadership training” company founded by Simmerer. These applications falsely claimed employees and payroll that did not exist. The applications also attached phony payroll records and tax returns that were either never filed, or differed from the versions filed, with the IRS. Through these applications, the defendants were able to obtain over $344,000 in PPP loans. They were later able to have the loans forgiven through a series of loan forgiveness applications, which also included false and fraudulent information.
In addition, Simmerer prepared and submitted tax returns on behalf of Your 10 Life Foundation, which claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars of COVID-related tax credits. The evidence at trial showed that these tax credits, Employee Retention Credits and Sick and Family Leave Credits, were fraudulent. Based on these fraudulent credits, Simmerer was ultimately able to obtain over $680,000 in refunds from the IRS.
“These defendants didn’t just cheat the system—they stole from the American people,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Their scheme was built on lies, but thanks to the relentless work of IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners justice caught up with them. We will continue to follow the money and hold fraudsters accountable—no matter how complex the scheme.”
“These two individuals engineered a multi-pronged fraud scheme that included exploiting the Paycheck Protection Program to steal valuable funds meant for small businesses that depended on them,” said Caroline O’Brien-Buster, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Orlando Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring fraudsters like Mr. Simmerer and Mr. Downes are held accountable for their crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert D. Sowell and Noah P. Dorman.
Former southern Illinois pastor sentenced to prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief money in church’s nameRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a former church pastor in Hamilton County to 21 months’ imprisonment for obtaining COVID-19 money from the SBA by fraudulently representing to the SBA that the money would be used for his church.
Terry L. Hall, 58, of McLeansboro, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements. Following imprisonment, he will serve two years of supervised release. Hall was ordered to pay $199,900 plus the accrued interest back to the Small Business Administration.
“The vast majority of pastors across southern Illinois answered the pandemic with selfless service,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Terry Hall chose a different path: he requested federal relief on behalf of his congregation, then used nearly $200,000 for purely personal expenses. Conduct that far from the calling of ministry demands accountability, and accountability arrived in the form of a 21-month federal prison sentence.”
Enacted in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from impacts by the pandemic.
Under the CARES Act and administered by the SBA, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provided low-interest funding to small businesses, renters and homeowners. As appropriated, EIDL funds could be used for payroll, sick leave, production costs and other general business expenses.
"FBI Springfield is committed to exposing those who abuse positions of trust in southern Illinois" said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Springfield Field Office, Christopher J. S. Johnson. "Our communities deserve honesty, and we remain steadfast in holding accountable anyone who violates that trust."
According to the indictment, Hall was the lead pastor of a religious congregation in McLeansboro. As pastor, Hall applied for economic relief on behalf of the church and received two EIDL disbursements totaling approximately $199,900 to his personal bank account in 2020. To ensure he received the loan, Hall created fake documents, contacted elected representatives and intimidated fellow church members.
Hall admitted to using the EIDL funds to pay off his mortgage, the construction of a pole barn, various travel and other personal expenses like clothing, gas and food. The church did not receive any assistance to alleviate the economic hardships during the pandemic.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard prosecuted the case.
Former police captain charged for offenses against childrenRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas - A 59-year-old resident of League City has been indicted on multiple counts to include coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession and production of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities have now arrested Daryn Edwards. He is now making his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo.
A federal grand jury in Galveston returned the five-count indictment Nov. 18.
Edwards is charged with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor and faces up to life in prison, if convicted. He is also facing two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography which carries terms of 20 and 10 years, respectively. He could also be ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.
FBI Texas City conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren M. Valenti is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Former Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Making Threats Against Former President Joe Biden, Vice President HarrisRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A former Virginia Beach man, who repeatedly threatened the lives of former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris through a series of phone calls to local government offices, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.
Kevin Butler, 47, was found guilty of seven counts of knowingly and willfully making various threats against the president and vice president of the United States following a two-day bench trial in December 2024.
“Threats of violence against elected officials affront the political process and the rule of law,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “This office will seek clear accountability against those who threaten public officials with acts of violence.”
According to evidence presented at that trial and other court records, in early December 2022, Butler made a series of phone calls to a Virginia Probation and Parole office in which he threatened the lives of then-President Joe Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Butler left several voicemails vocalizing his threats. For example, he threatened to get a MAK 90 (a semiautomatic firearm), “jump over the fence” outside the White House and “kill the President.”
This is the second time Butler has been convicted of making threats against the president and vice president. In 2014, Butler was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia for making threats against then-President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Scheff and Keith Parrella prosecuted the case for the United States.
Federal Jury Finds Markita Barnes Guilty of Healthcare Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Providing Unlawful Kickbacks, Obstruction, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 21, 2025, Markita Barnes, the owner and operator of a now-defunct Prenatal Care Coordination Company called Here for You, was convicted of twenty federal charges, including Healthcare Fraud, False Statements related to Healthcare Matters, Anti-Kickback Statute violations, Aggravated Identity Theft, Obstruction of a Healthcare Fraud Investigation, and Money Laundering.
The evidence presented at trial established that Barnes and her employees exploited vulnerable pregnant women and young mothers by luring them into the company’s prenatal care coordination program with kickbacks in the form of cash enrollment bonuses and free baby items such as car seats, pack ‘n plays, diapers, and wipes. Once enrolled, Barnes’s company unlawfully used the women’s personal information to submit claims to Medicaid for services that were never provided, often backdating the claims to months before anyone at the company had met or enrolled the client. In reality, participants often received only occasional deliveries of diapers and wipes, and in some cases, nothing at all. The evidence also demonstrated that Barnes used her fraud proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including luxury travel, designer clothing, and even a $75,000 Mercedes.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026, by United States District Court Chief Judge Pamela Pepper. Markita Barnes faces a mandatory minimum 2-year sentence on the aggravated identity theft charges, and a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment for each of the healthcare fraud charges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie F. Stewart and Kate M. Biebel prosecuted the case.
# # # #Federal Grand Jury Indicts 7 Louisville Men for Firearm Related OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on November 4, 2025, charging several individuals with firearm related offenses.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Anthony Adams, Jr., 21, of Louisville, was charged with stealing 52 firearms, trafficking 46 firearms, and possessing an additional stolen firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Roeneil Jones, 22, of Louisville, was charged with possessing two stolen firearms, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and firearms trafficking of two firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Jones was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On March 12, 2024, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 23-CR-0607, Jones was convicted of complicity to receiving stolen property over $1,000 under $10,000, complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree (four counts), complicity to fleeing or evading police in the first degree (motor vehicle), complicity to fleeing or evading police in the first degree (pedestrian), and complicity to receiving stolen firearm.
Christopher White, 26, of Louisville, was charged with possessing a stolen firearm, and firearms trafficking. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Dillon Sutherland, 34, of Louisville, was charged with possessing five stolen firearms, and firearms trafficking of four firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Terry Sutherland, 37, of Louisville, was charged with possessing four stolen firearms, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. T. Sutherland was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On July 13, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 09-CR-3249, T. Sutherland was convicted of robbery in the first degree.
Robert Malone, 33, of Louisville, was charged with possessing a stolen firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, and firearms trafficking. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Gary White, Sr., 54, of Louisville, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. White, Sr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On September 19, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 10-CR-3865, White, Sr. was convicted of burglary in the third degree.
Defendants Adams, Jr., Jones, White, Malone and White, Sr. have made their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Defendants D. Sutherland and T. Sutherland are in custody at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections awaiting resolution of charges in Jefferson County. Upon the resolution of their charges, D. Sutherland and T. Sutherland will make their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Mr. Bumgarner advised that this case is being investigated by the ATF and LMPD and congratulates both agencies for their strong cooperation and dedication to investigating and prosecuting firearms trafficking in Louisville.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Federal Court Terminates Newark Police Department’s Consent Decree After Successful ReformsRead the Press Release
NEWARK - Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey terminated the consent decree in United States v. City of Newark, marking the completion of a nine-year reform effort of the Newark Police Department (NPD). Through the consent decree, NPD resolved prior Department of Justice findings by implementing constitutional policing requirements for stops, searches, arrests, and use of force. Based on completion of those and other requirements, Newark moved to dismiss the decree; the Justice Department supported the City’s motion.
“Over the last decade, the Newark Police Division has made tremendous improvements to ensure constitutional policing and to increase community trust. NPD remains a valuable law enforcement partner, and we will continue to work with it to reduce gun crimes, drug trafficking, and gang violence. The men and women of NPD should be proud of what they accomplished, and we appreciate the hard work they do every day to keep the people of Newark safe.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba
“We are proud to stand by the men and woman of NPD as federal oversight ends, and the court returns control of local law enforcement to the City of Newark,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to the continued, effective policing of the City—in a constitutional manner—to protect all Americans from crime.”
In 2011, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey jointly initiated an investigation into the NPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title VI of the Civil Rights act of 1964, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. After concluding the investigation, in 2016 the United States and the City of Newark entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that NPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conducting stops and using unjustified and excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment; allegations of biased policing; retaliating against individuals who questioned police action in violation of the First Amendment; and subjecting individuals to theft by NPD officers in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. NPD has been implementing the decree since its entry. In 2024, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to terminate several of the consent decree’s requirements that NPD completed by that time.
The Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the District of New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and jointly handled the investigation and litigation.
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Federal Court Terminates Newark Police Department’s Consent Decree After Successful ReformsRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey terminated the consent decree in United States v. City of Newark, marking the completion of a nine-year reform effort of the Newark Police Department (NPD). Through the consent decree, NPD resolved prior Department of Justice findings by implementing constitutional policing requirements for stops, searches, arrests, and use of force. Based on completion of those and other requirements, Newark moved to dismiss the decree; the Justice Department supported the City’s motion.
“We are proud to stand by the men and woman of NPD as federal oversight ends, and the court returns control of local law enforcement to the City of Newark,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to the continued, effective policing of the City — in a constitutional manner — to protect all Americans from crime.”
“Over the last decade, the Newark Police Division has made tremendous improvements to ensure constitutional policing and to increase community trust,” said Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey. “NPD remains a valuable law enforcement partner, and we will continue to work with it to reduce gun crimes, drug trafficking, and gang violence. The men and women of NPD should be proud of what they accomplished, and we appreciate the hard work they do every day to keep the people of Newark safe.”
In 2011, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey jointly initiated an investigation into the NPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title VI of the Civil Rights act of 1964, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. After concluding the investigation, in 2016 the United States and the City of Newark entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that NPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conducting stops and using unjustified and excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment; allegations of biased policing; retaliating against individuals who questioned police action in violation of the First Amendment; and subjecting individuals to theft by NPD officers in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. NPD has been implementing the decree since its entry. In 2024, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to terminate several of the consent decree’s requirements that NPD completed by that time.
The Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the District of New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and jointly handled the investigation and litigation.
Former Panama City Resident Sentenced to Prison for Production and Distribution of Obscene MaterialRead the Press Release
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – John Robert Burchett, 31, formerly of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for production and transportation of obscene material for distribution. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful federal prosecution is the result of close collaboration with our state law enforcement partners, and ensures this defendant will be held fully accountable for his criminal exploitation of vulnerable victims. I appreciate the outstanding work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the 14th Circuit State Attorney’s Office, and our federal law enforcement partners in helping to bring this offender to justice.”
Court documents reflect that in February 2024, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office received information that the defendant had used his cell phone to surreptitiously record women while they were changing their clothes in a private dressing room at a Panama City gym. Between September 2023 and January 2024, the defendant shared thirteen different videos to a public website where they were viewed thousands of times.
Initially, the defendant was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and state charges followed. Following collaboration with the State Attorney’s Office for the 14th Judicial Circuit, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought a federal indictment.
“This was a deliberate and predatory invasion of the victims’ privacy, and it won’t be tolerated in Bay County,” said Sheriff Tommy Ford, Bay County Sheriff’s Office. “Investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the full scope of the defendant’s actions, and I’m grateful for the outstanding teamwork with our state and federal partners in holding the defendant accountable.”
State Attorney Larry Basford stated, "The defendant violated the privacy of these innocent female victims and has been held accountable. By working with the U.S. Attorney, we were able to get a longer sentence for this defendant than was possible in state court for these crimes. I thank the Bay County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their role in pursuing justice for these victims."
The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by two years of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to pay restitution.
The case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jordane New and Meredith L. Steer.
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.
Former Local Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Garey A. Buscaino, 48, of Pensacola, Florida, has pleaded guilty in federal court on charges related to a decade long pattern of producing and possessing child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Protecting our children from exploitation and the predations of sick individuals like this offender remains one of my office’s highest priorities, and I deeply appreciate the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners who helped bring him to justice. My office will continue to relentlessly pursue offenders who victimize our children and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Court documents reveal that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an online user in Northwest Florida possessed what appeared to be child pornography in a cloud account. Upon looking into the account and obtaining a search warrant for it, law enforcement determined that it not only contained child pornography from the internet but also what appeared to be hidden camera produced pornographic videos of unsuspecting minor females.
Based upon the content of the cloud account, and further investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement linked the account to the defendant and obtained a search warrant for his local residence and firehouse. Located within, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task force seized dozens of electronic devices from the defendant. Contained within these devices were hidden camera-produced pornography videos of five minor females in various states of undressing in bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as thousands of graphic images and videos of sexual child abuse from the internet. Some of these images and videos captured victims as young as toddlers being sexually abused.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II. Buscaino faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment as to each minor victim for the Production of Child Pornography and up to 20 years’ imprisonment as to the Possession of Child Pornography Involving Minors Under the Age of 12 Years Old.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
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 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.
Eight-Time Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – GERARD CARR (“CARR”), age 27, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on September 30, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, in April of 2025, CARR was involved in a shootout in front of a convenience store on North Galvez Street in New Orleans. One week later, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence associated with CARR and found the gun he used during the shootout. Prior to possessing the firearm, CARR had been convicted in Orleans Parish of several felony offenses, including conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, conspiracy to possess a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and illegally possessing a stolen firearm.
CARR faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Dominican National Indicted for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Worcester has been indicted by a federal grand jury for distributing fentanyl pills.
Miguel Gonzalez Duarte, 37, has been indicted on one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Gonzalez Duarte was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 29, 2025 and remains in federal custody.
According to the charging documents, on Aug. 21, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte distributed approximately 191 counterfeit pills that contained fentanyl, methamphetamine and xylazine, with a total approximate weight of 21.9 grams, in a store parking lot on Main Street in Worcester. On Sept. 3, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte allegedly distributed approximately 482 pills, weighing approximately 54.9 grams, containing the same mixture in the same parking lot. It is further alleged that, in the store parking lot on Sept. 24, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte distributed approximately 2,000 suspected fentanyl pills with an approximate weight of 226 grams.
On Oct. 15, Gonzalez Duarte also allegedly distributed approximately 20,000 suspected fentanyl pills in the parking lot of a restaurant in Worcester. It is alleged that, when approached by law enforcement shortly after the transaction, Gonzalez Duarte dropped the bag of pills and attempted to flee before being apprehended.
At the time of the alleged offenses, Gonzalez Duarte was on probation for an April 2025 conviction of possession with intent to distribute Class A and B drugs in Worcester District Court.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan O’Shea and Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office are 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.
District of Arizona Charges 174 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from November 15, 2025, through November 21, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 174 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 102 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 52 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 17 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Juan Francisco Gutierrez: On November 17, 2025, Juan Francisco Gutierrez was charged by complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. Gutierrez was observed driving a Chevrolet Suburban on a remote road approximately one mile north of the border. When agents attempted a vehicle stop on Gutierrez's vehicle, he fled from agents for 20 miles before agents used a vehicle immobilization device to stop his Suburban. When the Suburban came to a stop, multiple subjects fled from the vehicle. In total, nine aliens from the Suburban were apprehended. Gutierrez is a citizen of El Salvador and was in the United States with a temporary work visa. Case Number: 25-MJ-03294-TUC-MAA
United States v. John Michael Sparks: On November 14, 2025, John Michael Sparks was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Sparks drove to the Ajo Border Patrol Checkpoint on State Route 85, where he encountered a Border Patrol Agent conducting inspections. The Border Patrol Agent observed Sparks and one front-seat passenger who was wearing camouflage. Upon request, Sparks provided an Arizona driver’s license, and the passenger provided a Mexican voter registration card. The Border Patrol Agent suspected a human smuggling event and referred Sparks to secondary inspection. At the secondary inspection, immigration checks confirmed that the passenger is a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-06479-PHX-ASB
United States v. Eliver Gonzalez-Gomez: On November 20, 2025, Eliver Enrique Gonzalez-Gomez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Homeland Security Investigations agents observed Gonzalez-Gomez driving a vehicle that appeared weighed down on Interstate Highway 17 Northbound. Agents suspected the vehicle was involved in human smuggling and initiated a vehicle stop. Gonzalez-Gomez first attempted to flee in the car and then later attempted to flee on foot into active highway traffic before he was ultimately apprehended. After apprehending Gonzalez-Gomez, agents removed ten passengers, including two unaccompanied minors, from the vehicle. None of the passengers were wearing seatbelts. Immigration checks confirmed that Gonzalez-Gomez and eight of the passengers are citizens of Mexico and two of the passengers are citizens of Guatemala, all unlawfully present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-05525-PHX-DMF
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-166_November 21 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Dilkon Defendants Charged with the Murders of Three Victims and Shooting Others in Teesto, ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 30, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 23-count superseding indictment against Ryan Adelbert Johnson, Alexandra Johnson, Charles Lyle Truax, Mike Duffy, III, and Sherry Duffy all of Dilkon, Arizona for crimes related to a shooting and tampering case that occurred in March, 2022, in Teesto on the Navajo Nation, resulting in the deaths of three victims and the injury of others.
Charges against Ryan Adelbert Johnson, Alexandra Johnson, Charles Lyle Truax, and Mike Duffy, III include First Degree Murder, Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Felony Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Robbery, and Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Mike Duffy, III, Alexandra Johnson, Charles Lyle Truax, and Sherry Duffy were also charged with offenses relating to Tampering with an Official Proceeding and/or False Statement to a Government Agency.
Convictions for First Degree Murder and Kidnapping Resulting in Death carry mandatory life sentences.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Phoenix office in Flagstaff conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-08032-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-165_Johnson
Co-Founder of Paycheck Protection Program Lender Service Provider Sentenced for $63M COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $63 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $63 million in restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, Stephanie Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed over $63 million in fraudulent PPP loans.
On June 20, a jury found Hockridge guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Clay County Man Found Guilty of “Stolen Valor” and $140,000 in Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
SAINT PAUL – Today a federal jury convicted Mikhail Robin Wicker, also known as Michael Robin Wicker, 39, of Clay County, of wire fraud, mail fraud, using a false military discharge certificate, and fraudulent use of military medals, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Wicker spent years posing as a decorated U.S. Marine. He falsely claimed to have been deployed to Iraq in 2005 as part of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, and falsely claimed to be a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal and the Prisoner of War Medal. For years, he relied on these claims to obtain benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). All of Wicker’s claims were untrue. He never served in any branch of the armed services.
Wicker supported his fraud scheme using forged documents, including a counterfeit DD-214 and fake medal certificates, which he submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Relying on those materials, the VA provided him more than $140,000 in healthcare, disability, and education benefits.
Wicker was convicted following a one-week jury trial. At trial, Marine veterans from Lima Company testified Wicker never served with them. Agents testified that federal searches across Marine Corps, and Department of Defense databases confirmed there was no record of Wicker ever serving in the military. Employment, pay, and state court records placed Wicker in Michigan during the years he claimed to be deployed to Iraq. The government also demonstrated at trial that Wicker used his false claims and forged certificates to exploit and defraud several VA programs out of monetary benefits and free healthcare.
After a few hours of deliberations, the jury found Wicker guilty on all counts. A sentencing hearing in front of United States District Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan will be set at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Officer of the Inspector General; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Dilworth Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Bradley M. Endicott prosecuted the case.
Checotah Resident Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Latisha Marie McCarter, age 43, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
On August 13, 2025, McCarter pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 17, 2023, McCarter sold a baggie of white crystalline methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the parking lot of a store in Checotah, Oklahoma.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, serving by designation, presided over the hearing. McCarter will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Carroll Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Paul Diamond Sanchez, 52, from Carroll, Iowa pled guilty on November 20, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing, Sanchez admitted that from July 2024 through May 2025 he and others distributed methamphetamine in the Carroll, Iowa area. On two occasions in the summer of 2024, defendant distributed a total of over 25 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. During a traffic stop in October 2024, Sanchez had over 9 grams of pure methamphetamine in his pants pocket which he admitted he planned to sell to another person.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sanchez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sanchez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Manning Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3022. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
California and Missouri Men Charged in Danbury Kidnapping ConspiracyRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a superseding indictment charging three men for their alleged involvement in a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024.
On February 25, 2025, JAMES SCHWAB, 22, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The superseding indictment, which was returned on October 28, 2025, and unsealed yesterday, charges Schwab, ADAM IZA, 25, of California, and SAIF FAIQ, 22, of St. Louis, Missouri, each with the same offense, and an additional charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who is suspected of participating in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
It is alleged that Schwab, Iza, and Faiq planned and coordinated the kidnapping. Schwab, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging. Iza communicated via cellphone and encrypted messaging applications with certain of the kidnappers and directed them as to the logistics of the scheme. Iza also provided funding for the criminal conspiracies. Faiq recruited participants for the crime, traveled to Connecticut for the planned home invasion and kidnapping, coordinated with Iza, and helped conduct surveillance on the victims.
Schwab was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on January 29, 2025, and is currently released on a $1.5 million secured bond pending trial.
Faiq was arrested on November 12, 2025, and is detained pending his arraignment in Connecticut, which is not scheduled.
Iza has been detained since September 24, 2024, after he was charged in the Central District of California with unrelated federal offenses.
The charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and the charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Six other individuals were charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping. All have pleaded guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
California Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Felix Cruz, 35, of Fresno, California, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Cruz to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cruz’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Cruz also forfeited $6,000 in U.S. currency seized at the time of his arrest.
On April 2, 2024, law enforcement utilized a cooperating witness who purchased approximately one pound of methamphetamine from Cruz at an Omaha location. The following day surveillance officers approached Cruz after observing him engage in a suspected drug transaction. Cruz attempted to flee and after a short foot pursuit was taken into custody. A box containing approximately two pounds of methamphetamine was recovered along with $6,000 in United States currency. A subsequent search warrant was executed on his Bellevue, Nebraska, residence where law enforcement recovered another 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine.
Cruz gave a post-arrest statement and admitted to trafficking several pounds of methamphetamine for a Mexican drug trafficking organization since March of 2024. Cruz also admitted the money found in his possession was proceeds from drug trafficking sales.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.