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20 November 2025
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Causing Fatal Collision While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Marijuana in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ALIAS BAH DE ZA LAWRENCE SOUDRY, 21, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on June 14, 2024, law enforcement officers with the Blanchard Police Department and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) responded to a fatal car collision on Highway 76. While driving southbound on the highway, Soudry drifted into oncoming traffic, sideswiping one vehicle and colliding with a second. The driver of the second vehicle, Raquel Anderson, died on scene, and a passenger was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries, where they were later released. Soudry was administered a blood test, which showed evidence of alcohol and marijuana in his system, and was subsequently arrested. On September 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Soudry with involuntary manslaughter.
This case is in federal court because Soudry is a member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and the crime took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
On June 4, 2025, Soudry pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly drove a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana and thereby caused the death of another person.
At the sentencing hearing on November 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Soudry to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, highlighting the extent of Soudry’s intoxication and the number of individuals injured or killed during the collision.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Blanchard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
North Texas men indicted in the Eastern District of Texas for an international murder/kidnapping schemeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – Two north Texas men have been charged in relation to a plot that included invading an island off Haiti, murdering the men on the island, and using the women and children as sex slaves, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, of Allen, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, of Argyle were named in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging them with conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country and production of child pornography.
Information presented in court indicates that between August 2024 and July 2025, Weisenburg and Thomas are alleged to have conspired to recruit and lead an unlawful expeditionary force to the Island of Gonave, which is part of the Republic of Haiti, for the purpose of carrying out their rape fantasies. Weisenburg and Thomas planned to purchase a sailboat, firearms, and ammunition, then recruit members of the District of Columbia-area homeless population to serve as a mercenary force as they invaded Gonave Island and staged a coup d'etat. Weisenburg and Thomas intended to murder all of the men on the island so that they could then turn all of the women and children into their sex slaves.
Weisenburg and Thomas undertook numerous overt acts in furtherance of their invasion plan, including making operational and logistical plans, learning Haitian Creole language, recruiting others to join the invasion plan, and researching and enrolling in schools to acquire skills relevant to the invasion plan. Thomas even enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to acquire military skills relevant to the invasion plan.
Weisenburg and Thomas are also charged with production of child pornography in a related count in the indictment.
If convicted of the federal conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, Weisenburg and Thomas face up to life in federal prison. If convicted of the federal production of child pornography charges, both face at least 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Celina Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Nigerian Citizen Sentenced for Unemployment Insurance Benefits ScamRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Temitope Bashua, 29, a citizen of Nigeria, to 30 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy and scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, and Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security (DHS-OIG).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the EIDL, helped businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance does not have to be repaid, and small businesses can receive an advance, even if they are not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount is $10,000.
According to his plea agreement, and other court documents, from May 2020 through September 2022, Bashua and others conspired to impersonate victims to obtain money by submitting fraudulent UI benefits claims. Bashua and his co-conspirators used the personally identifiable information (PII) without the victims’ knowledge or consent, to submit fraudulent applications for UI benefits in Maryland and California.
Additionally, in October 2020, as a part of the conspiracy, co-conspirators submitted two fraudulent EIDL applications to the SBA for fictitious businesses using the PII of identity victims. As a result of the fraudulent EIDL applications, Bashua received more than $290,000 in U.S. Treasury funds from the SBA. Bashua also admitted his involvement in other schemes, including cyber intrusion, romance fraud, and business email compromise fraud schemes.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit 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: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG, HSI Baltimore, and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Motsay and Bijon Mostoufi who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ALTON TUMBLIN (“TUMBLIN”), age 44, of New Orleans, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jane Milazzo to 175 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distributing fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), and one count of distributing a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, TUMBLIN distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine during controlled purchases to undercover agents on three separate occasions, including August 7, 2023, August 9, 2023, and August 16, 2023. Also, on August 7, 2023, TUMBLIN distributed a quantity of fentanyl to an undercover agent.
This case was part of Operation Big Easy. Operation Big Easy was a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) enforcement initiative of collected firearm casings for the time period of August 1, 2023 to January 31, 2023 that produced data points of high-density shootings and homicides in seven areas of New Orleans related to individuals engaged in criminal activity.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.
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New Mexico Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso on Wednesday to 262 months in prison for trafficking approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Edgar Omar Martinez, 43, of Anthony, was arrested on March 14 after FBI agents seized approximately 17,000 fentanyl pills from his vehicle. Further investigation revealed Martinez received the pills from a co-conspirator two weeks prior to the seizure and expected to be paid $3,200 for his participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Martinez was indicted on April 9 for one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He pleaded guilty to both charges on Aug. 26. U.S. District Judge Leon Schydlower presided over the case.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Myers and Michael Williams prosecuted the case.
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New Jersey man sentenced to more than 8 months in prison for sexual assault on airplaneRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A New Jersey man who sexually assaulted another passenger while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas was sentenced today to more than 8 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 40, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Shukla, an Indian citizen, likely will be deported to India following his release from custody.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 26, 2025, Shukla was flying from Bozeman to Dallas on American Airlines. He was seated next to Jane Doe and Doe’s daughter. Jane Doe had a coat on her lap because she was cold. Shukla also placed his coat on his lap and initially acted as if he was sleeping but began using his right hand to rub Jane Doe’s left leg near her pocket on her hip. Jane Doe initially thought Shukla was trying to pick her pocket, so she and her daughter got up and went to the restroom to diffuse the situation.
Shukla continued rubbing Jane Doe’s inner and outer thigh throughout the flight. Doe was scared and firmly told him to “stop touching me.” Shukla said he was sorry and attempted to offer her something out of his bag. He also tried to talk to Jane Doe’s daughter, and Doe responded, “she’s fine. Don’t talk to my daughter.” As the flight continued, the plane hit some turbulence, and the flight crew remained seated. Shukla continued to rub Jane Doe’s thigh and, frightened, she turned her back to him, at which point he started rubbing her lower back and buttocks.
A witness seated in the row behind Shukla and Jane Doe confirmed that Shukla inappropriately touched Jane Doe for a large portion of the flight.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, ICE, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.
New Hampshire Man Indicted for Fraud Scheme that Stole over $700,000 in California Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Anthony Mark Silva, 40, of Manchester, New Hampshire, charging him with nine counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between July 2020 and June 2021, Silva executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Silva collected personally identifiable information of numerous individuals—including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers—which were used to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Silva did not have authority to file claims on their behalf.
EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Silva then activated the debit cards and spent the benefits on himself. The scheme sought and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $700,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and EDD’s Investigation Division. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Silva faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of the bank fraud counts. Silva also faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence if convicted of aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the other counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Moore Man Charged with Failing to Register as a Sex Offender After Staging Crime Scene, Fleeing State in 2012Read the Press Release
United States Marshals Service Located Man in Upstate New York After More Than a Decade on the Run
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal Grand Jury has charged ANTHONY MICHAEL LENNON, 44, of Moore, with failure to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2012, officers with the Moore Police Department (MPD) contacted the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) for assistance in locating Lennon. MPD learned that Lennon disappeared from a local hotel, where authorities found evidence of a violent struggle. However, after consulting with crime scene experts, the USMS determined the crime scene was staged.
At the time of his disappearance, Lennon, a registered sex offender, faced child pornography charges in Cleveland County District Court, as well as potential prison time for violating the terms of his suspended sentence from a prior child pornography conviction. USMS learned that Lennon had emptied his bank accounts shortly before vanishing and believed he had fled the state of Oklahoma.
Recently discovered information determined that Lennon lived in the State of New York, had failed to register as a sex offender, and had attempted multiple times to obtain a United States passport under an alias. Lennon was arrested on October 30, 2025, in Canton, New York. On November 18, 2025, a federal Grand Jury sitting in the Western District of Oklahoma charged Lennon with failure to register as a sex offender.
If convicted, Lennon faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The public is reminded this charge is merely an allegation, and that Lennon is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Moore Police Department, and the Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Mississippi Businessman Pleads Guilty to $19M Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Mississippi businessman pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to defraud Medicare by paying kickbacks for fraudulent doctors’ orders and then using those orders to bill the government insurer over $19 million through seven different durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies.
According to court documents, Willie De Gibbs, 53, of Toomsuba, Mississippi, and Cutler Bay, Florida, was the sole owner of three DME supply companies and was the beneficial owner of and controlled, sometimes through straw owners, four other DME supply companies. He sought to defraud Medicare by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary orthotic braces for beneficiaries that did not request or need them.
Gibbs pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi; Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sara E. Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Middletown man who pretended to be teenage boy sentenced to 26 years in prison for coercing, exploiting minor girls onlineRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Middletown man was sentenced in federal court here today 312 months in prison for coercing minor victims online into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct.
William Scott Elam, 53, pleaded guilty in July to 10 counts of coercion and enticement and one count of sexual exploitation of children.
“There are real-life consequences to actions taken online,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Predators like Elam hide behind a computer screen while preying on vulnerable children. But the harm they cause is real, and so is the significant amount of time they will spend in federal prison to account for those actions.”
According to court documents, for approximately four years, Elam began online relationships with numerous minor females in at least seven states, particularly with vulnerable minors who had previously engaged in self-harm, had body issues or other social issues. He connected with girls between the ages of 10 and 16 on various online chatting apps and pretended to be a 14-year-old male.
Elam coerced victims into masturbating on live video calls with him. For example, he manipulated at least one victim into complying by threatening to harm himself if she did not do as he asked. He instructed another victim to self-harm via cutting on live video after learning the victim had a history of self-harm. Elam also coerced victims into sending him live sexual material by threatening to leak naked images he obtained of them. Law enforcement officers have identified at least 10 victims.
The defendant was arrested in October 2023.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Adam Lawson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Miami Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for $40 Million Investment Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami man was sentenced on Oct. 2 to 230 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $16 million in restitution for operating an investment Ponzi scheme disguised as a merchant cash advance (MCA) business.
Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga imposed the sentence on Pablo Silverio Rebollido, 48, of Miami, who previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
“This defendant built his fortune on lies while leaving investors in ruin,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to protect investors, safeguard our markets, and ensure that criminals who commit financial crimes face justice.”
According to court documents, Rebollido owned and founded two Miami-based companies, E-Card Lending LLC and E-Card Merchant LLC (collectively E-Card). E-Card purported to engage in the business of providing MCAs—a type of short-term financing typically used by small and medium-sized businesses.
E-Card claimed to loan money at high interest rates to its clients in the form of lump-sum cash advances in exchange for a percentage of future credit card sales or daily bank deposits. From August 2019 through February 2024, Rebollido fraudulently solicited money from investors under the false pretense that their funds would be used to finance E-Card’s MCAs, promising them regular monthly returns based on company profits. In reality, E-Card had no legitimate clients. Rebollido used new investor funds to make payments to earlier investors and to finance his lavish personal lifestyle. More than 70 investors were defrauded, resulting in losses exceeding $40 million.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and Jon Juenger prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20127.
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Mexican national, illegally living in Milford, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Milford, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Pedro Campuzano-Orozco, 51, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that Campuzano-Orozco was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported.
If convicted, Campuzano-Orozco faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation.
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.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Forest Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican national, illegally living in Henderson, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Henderson, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Antonio Oliveros-Montero, 45, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that Oliveros-Montes was in the Rusk County Jail when it was determined that he is a citizen of Mexico and is in the United States illegally after having been previously deported.
If convicted, Oliveros-Montes faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation.
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.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican national, illegally living in Athens, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Athens, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Juan Saucedo-Espinoza, 53, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that Saucedo-Espinoza was in the Henderson County Jail when it was determined that he was a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally after having been previously deported to Mexico at least twice.
If convicted, Saucedo-Espinoza faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation.
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.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an administrative detainer on Chaires-Villa so deportation proceedings can occur once Chaires-Villa serves the sentence imposed in this case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 6, 2024, Chaires-Villa drove to Cross Lanes, West Virginia, from Houston, Texas, with approximately 22 lbs. of methamphetamine in his possession that he intended to deliver to another person in Cross Lanes. Chaires-Villa was arrested as part of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston.
The joint investigation also resulted in the indictment of three additional Mexican nationals, on charges alleging they conspired to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area from in or about March 2024 to in or about October 2024. Defendants Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 32, and Silvester Barcenas, 23, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and are scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2026. The indictment remains pending against German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-175.
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Mexican National Residing Illegally in Kanawha County Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Bruno Lisandro Pastrano Lopez, 39, a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Lopez and he was transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 10, 2024, Lopez presented a counterfeit Social Security Card to a Dunbar employer for the purpose of verifying his employment eligibility. Lopez also signed a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, knowing it contained materially false information about his legal status in the United States and about whether the Social Security Administration had issued an account number and card to him.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-131.
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Mexican National Living Illegally in Charleston Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Federico Montalvo Salas, 22, a Mexican national living illegally in Charleston, was sentenced on October 23, 2025, to time served for reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Salas and he was transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2025, Salas was arrested by law enforcement in the South Charleston area. ICE agents confirmed that Salas was a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States. Salas had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Salas was removed from the United States to Mexico on June 28, 2024, after being found that day near Douglas, Arizona. Salas never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
ICE agents encountered two brothers of Salas living illegally in Charleston. Maximino Montalvo Salas, 20, was deported after pleading guilty on July 24, 2025, to the felony offense of knowingly possessing a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”). Bernabe Montalvo Salas, 24, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien, was sentenced to time served, and transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-82.
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Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Five Months for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on November 13, 2025, Artemio Cordova Mendez, age 36, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 5 months’ imprisonment, with credit for time served. Cordova Mendez previously pleaded guilty to illegal reentry.
According to court records, Cordova Mendez illegally entered the United States near Lukeville, Arizona in 2010. He was convicted of illegal entry in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, and removed from the United States. Approximately six months later, he illegally reentered the United States near Antelope Wells, New Mexico. He was convicted of illegal reentry in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, and again removed from the United States. In August 2025, Cordova Mendez was encountered by law enforcement in Vermont. Following his earlier removals from the United States, he had not obtained permission to reenter the United States.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn. Cordova Mendez was represented by Christina E. Nolan, Esq.
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.
Mexican Citizen Living Illegally in Parkersburg Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alfredo Galaviz-Galaviz, also known as “Alfredo Galaviz,” 28, a Mexican citizen living illegally in Parkersburg, pleaded guilty on October 16, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Galaviz-Galaviz so he was transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or around February 21, 2024, law enforcement encountered Galaviz-Galaviz in Parkersburg. ICE agents confirmed that Galaviz-Galaviz was a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States. Galaviz-Galaviz had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Galaviz-Galaviz was removed from the United States to Mexico on May 25, 2016, after being found the previous day at or near Carrizo Springs, Texas. Galaviz-Galaviz never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service (USMS) in the apprehension of the defendant.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case , as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-34.
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Mexican Citizen Living Illegally in Hurricane Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Lazaro Morales-Lauro, 52, a Mexican citizen living illegally in Hurricane, pleaded guilty on November 3, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Morales-Lauro and he was transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 26, 2025, law enforcement officers encountered Morales-Lauro during a traffic stop in Hurricane. ICE agents confirmed that Morales-Lauro was a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States five times. Morales-Lauro had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Morales-Lauro never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for any of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Hurricane Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-160.
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McKees Rocks Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Robert Schatzman, 21, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand to a one-count Indictment charging Schatzman with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on April 29, 2025, law enforcement recovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol and ammunition from a floor air vent in Schatzman’s bedroom during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s home. Schatzman was previously convicted of robbery in the Court of Common Pleas of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Wiegand scheduled Schatzman’s sentencing for March 23, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Schatzman.
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.
Marion County Man Enters Guilty Plea to Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Clayton Lee Harris (22, Ocklawaha) has pleaded guilty plea to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Harris faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court records, on July 26, 2025, Harris contacted an undercover officer on an online dating website. The undercover officer was posing as a 14-year-old girl. Harris agreed to meet the “girl” at a local gas station for a sexual encounter. When Harris arrived at the gas station, he was apprehended by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Murder Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Johnathan Trent Thomas, 27, of Linwood, N.C., pleaded guilty in federal court today to making threats to murder federal officers to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the performance of their official duties, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, six months ago, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., a caller, later identified as Thomas, contacted the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and threatened to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and CMPD officers if immigration enforcement actions did not stop. During a second telephone call with a CMPD officer, Thomas warned that he was coming to Charlotte with armor piercing ammunition, night vision devices, and body armor to kill law enforcement officers and threatened to “shoot them all” if he observed anyone making arrests. Thomas was referencing arrests made previously by ICE federal agents on Albemarle Road in Charlotte.
Court documents show that Thomas stated that if a police officer pointed a gun at him, he was just going to open fire. He also said that he would “Swiss cheese” the officers if they were doing the same thing they did before, meaning making arrests. Thomas made additional threats to law enforcement, including that he had Tannerite (an explosive) all around his house if the police came, and referenced April 29, 2024, which is the date that four law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in Charlotte, warning that he “could do a whole lot better than that.” Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Thomas’s residence, seizing three rifles, a handgun, and a variety of ammunition.
According to court records, Thomas has an extensive history of threatening law enforcement, to include the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and CMPD, and had previously followed CMPD officers in marked patrol cars while they were performing their official duties.
Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of threatening to murder federal law enforcement officers which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Thomas remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended HSI for the investigation of the case and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of North Carolina, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Kelly and Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Man Admits Fatal Shooting During 2023 Marijuana DealRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Charles, Missouri man on Wednesday admitted fatally shooting someone during a marijuana deal in 2023.
Trevon Carson, 31, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death. Carson admitted accompanying another man who was planning to buy, and then re-sell, marijuana during a May 25, 2023, meeting. Carson drove to the meeting in an alley behind the 4800 block of Farlin Avenue in St. Louis. The victim, who accompanied the seller, had an AR-style firearm. Fearing that the victim would fire the gun, Carson exited his vehicle, fatally shot the victim and took his gun. Carson then drove the buyer away, his plea says.
As part of the plea agreement, the government has agreed to request a sentence of 20 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
Mexican Woman Sentenced to Prison for Immigration Related FraudRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Maria Victoria Borja-Avila, 47, of the country of Mexico, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for aggravated identify theft, falsely representing U.S. citizenship, and false statement in application for passport. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This illegal alien tried to lie, cheat, and steal her way into unlawfully remaining in the U.S., but thanks to the investigative work of our federal law enforcement partners she’ll now face the consequences of breaking our laws. This successful prosecution is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by robustly enforcing our immigration laws.”
Court documents reflect that in August of 2023, the defendant submitted a passport application in-person at the Santa Rosa County Clerk’s Office. Upon processing, the application was denied due to indicators of fraud. An investigation uncovered that the defendant submitted the passport application using someone else’s identity. The documents submitted during the application process were possessed unlawfully. The defendant was unlawfully present in the United States.
“The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. passport and bringing to justice those who seek to exploit the U.S. travel system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office. “Our special agents work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to detect and stop fraud when criminals attempt to unlawfully obtain and use passports. DSS continues to play a critical role in the United States’ efforts to protect the integrity of U.S. borders and prevent illegal immigration."
The sentence was the result of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson.
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.
Logansport Man Sentenced to 108 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Yesterday, Jaysen K. Soberg, 39 years old, of Logansport, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Soberg was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on March 5, 2024, Soberg sold methamphetamine to law enforcement. He later sold three rifles, three firearms, and two 30-round magazines to law enforcement on two different occasions. Soberg’s criminal history revealed he was previously convicted of felony burglary and theft.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
Logan County Brothers Each Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On November 6, 2025, Timothy Ray Gravley, 42, of Bruno, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and his brother Jessie Joe Gravley II, 43, of Bruno, was sentenced to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl and heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 17, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residences of each brother. At Timothy Ray Gravley’s residence, officers seized a total of 559.69 grams of fentanyl found in multiple bags, a Ruger model LCP .380-caliber pistol, a Umarex/FN model 502 .22-caliber pistol, and $20,131. At Jessie Joe Gravley’s residence, officers seized 250.1 grams of methamphetamine “ice,” 40.18 grams of heroin, 53.7 grams of cocaine, and $19,243.
As part of his guilty plea, Timothy Ray Gravley admitted that he possessed the fentanyl seized at his residence and that he intended to distribute it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. He further admitted to selling a total of 6.64 grams of fentanyl for a total of $700 in two separate transactions, one on October 10, 2024, and the other on October 15, 2024, each time to a confidential informant in Bruno.
As part of his guilty plea, Jessie Joe Gravley admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine seized at his residence and that he intended to distribute it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. He further admitted to selling controlled substances to a confidential informant on two occasions in Bruno. On October 9, 2024, he sold 1.81 grams of fentanyl, 24.99 grams of methamphetamine “ice,” and 1.05 grams of cocaine for $680. On October 14, 2024, he sold 2 grams of fentanyl and 29.03 grams of methamphetamine “ice” for $620.
Both Gravleys have criminal histories that include prior felony convictions for drug crimes.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-37 (Jessie Joe Gravley II) and 2:25-cr-38 (Timothy Ray Gravley).
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Lawrence Man Arrested for Conspiring to Manufacture and Distribute Counterfeit Pills in LawrenceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was arrested today in connection with an investigation targeting a drug manufacturing ring. Over two kilograms of suspected controlled substances and a pill press were allegedly recovered during related search warrants.
Aris Arvelo Gonzalez, 37, was charged today with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute and manufacture controlled substances. Following an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston, Gonzalez was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Nov. 25, 2025.
According to the charging documents, Gonzalez and La Culebra controlled a large drug manufacturing location inside an apartment in Methuen. During a search of the Methuen apartment in August 2025, over 18 kilograms of controlled substances and a pill press were allegedly recovered. Gonzalez’s alleged co-conspirators, Joshua Morales, Manuel Santana-Soto and Jose Vasquez Lantigua were subsequently arrested and charged following the search.
While on pretrial release following a January 2025 arrest for drug offenses in Salem District Court in New Hampshire, Gonzalez allegedly sold over 1,500 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to a confidential informant and an undercover agent on four occasions between July 2025 and November 2025.
At the time of Gonzalez’s arrest this morning, he was allegedly found in possession of thousands of counterfeit pills bundled into smaller bags as well as a large quantity of cash:
Following his arrest, search warrants were executed at three locations in Lawrence that were allegedly tied to Gonzalez and the “La Culebra” drug trafficking organization. During those searches, various items and materials used in the manufacturing of counterfeit Percocet containing fentanyl were allegedly recovered – including a pill press and a 25-kilogram bag of pill binding agent.
The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute or manufacture provides for sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of manufacturing and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute or manufacture provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lake County Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kevin Eugene Leeks, Jr. (34, Leesburg) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Leeks faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court records, Leeks has been a convicted felon since 2013. His prior felony convictions include robbery with a deadly weapon. As a convicted felon, Leeks is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. On July 13, 2019, a deputy from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office stopped an automobile driven by Leeks. During the traffic stop, Leeks had a passenger toss a loaded firearm out of the car window. Leeks subsequently confessed that he had stored the firearm under his seat in the automobile.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
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.
Kingsport Woman Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Employment Tax Credit SchemeRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – A Tennessee woman was sentenced today to 50 months in prison to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Aylissa Glidewell, 35, of Kingsport, Tennessee, conspired with others to file false tax returns seeking refunds based on the Employee Retention Credit and paid Sick and Family Leave Credit, both of which were created by Congress to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Glidewell and co-conspirators created phony businesses, which lacked any employees or operations, for the sole purpose of falsely claiming the credits. Glidewell filed numerous false tax returns for those businesses and directed the tax refunds to be mailed to addresses she and co-conspirators controlled.
In total, the false returns claimed over $3.4 million in tax refunds, of which the IRS paid $1.8 million.
In addition to her prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Clifton Corker for the Eastern District of Tennessee ordered Glidewell to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1,806,637 in restitution to the United States
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Larry J. Wszalek of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mac Heavener and Ryan Blackwell of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
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Kalamazoo Man Sentenced to 420 Months in Prison for Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Samuel Alexander Kuhl, 33, of Kalamazoo was sentenced to 420 months in prison for the sexual exploitation and coercion and enticement of a minor. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Beckering noted that Kuhl’s conduct reflects a “pattern of angry, defiant, vindictive behavior” and an overall “disregard for the rule of law.”
Kuhl first contacted the victim in this case, a fourteen-year-old girl, via Facebook. He engaged in an illegal sexual relationship with her for approximately 18 months. During this time, Kuhl abused the victim physically, emotionally, and psychologically. During his time with the girl, Kuhl repeatedly tried to engage the victim in group sexual activity; when she refused, he threatened her and her family with a gun. Kuhl also convinced the victim to provide him with child pornography. In June, a jury convicted Kuhl of two federal offenses charged as a result of this activity.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Sam Kuhl devoted his adult life to crime, and part of his criminal lifestyle included tracking down adolescent girls to sexually exploit. My office will never tolerate child exploitation and when it happens, we will bring the people involved to justice. Kuhl earned the sentence he received yesterday.”
“Heinous and predatory acts against any child deserve severe punishment and serious consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The actions of this predator included physical, emotional, and psychological abuse and manipulation of a teenager, and I am sincerely grateful for the work of my team at the FBI Kalamazoo Resident Agency, alongside the Wyoming Police Department, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police for bringing this violator to justice. Their tireless work throughout this investigation and trial, along with that of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, clearly demonstrates our joint commitment to doing everything possible to keep our children safe in Michigan.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wyoming Police Department investigated this case. Also supporting the investigation were Indiana State Police, Michigan State Police, and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/PSC.
Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Health Care FraudsterRead the Press Release
On Nov. 17, the Justice Department secured the denaturalization of Marieva Briceno, who defrauded more than $5.4 million from Medicare and then obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing her crimes from immigration officials.
A native of Venezuela, Briceno owned three purported medical clinics in the Detroit, Michigan, area that paid individuals on Medicare to undergo unnecessary tests and procedures. From May 2007 to January 2010, Briceno and her co-conspirators submitted approximately $5,460,323 in fraudulent claims to Medicare for those medically unnecessary services. Ultimately, Medicare paid $2,998,321.94 on those fraudulent claims, with Briceno personally receiving approximately $513,200 in fraudulent payouts.
“The denaturalization of Marieva Briceno shows that if you steal from the programs that serve our most vulnerable citizens, you will be found out, prosecuted, and suffer the consequences of your actions, up to and including the loss of your U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
“American citizenship is a privilege built on honesty and respect for our laws. You cannot defraud Medicare, conceal your crimes, and expect to secure the benefits of citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Fraud against programs that serve our most vulnerable citizens and lies told to obtain naturalization undermine the integrity of both our healthcare system and our immigration process. Our Office will continue to protect taxpayer dollars, defend the rule of law, and ensure that U.S. citizenship is reserved for those who earn it lawfully.”
On Dec. 21, 2009, Briceno applied for U.S. citizenship. On both her citizenship application and while under oath during an interview with immigration officials, Briceno concealed her health care fraud and denied ever committing a crime for which she had not been arrested. Briceno’s misrepresentations allowed her to illegally procure her U.S. citizenship on March 19, 2010.
On Sept. 12, 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida charged Briceno with health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. On March 14, 2012, Briceno pleaded guilty to the latter count, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
On Aug. 12, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida seeking Briceno’s denaturalization based on her criminal conspiracy and her failure to disclose it during her naturalization process. On Nov. 17, the Honorable Darrin Gayles, U.S. District Judge, entered an order revoking Briceno’s U.S. citizenship.
This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from HSI, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Feeley for the Southern District of Florida.
Jury Finds Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder for Killing a 13-Year-Old Young BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On November 19, 2025, a Superior Court jury returned guilty verdicts for Reginald Steele, Jr., 26, on charges of first degree murder while armed, several counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and other firearm related charges stemming from a homicide of a 13-year old young boy, Malachi Lukes, on March 1, 2020, and a separate shooting in the Petworth neighborhood on February 22, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro.
Steele, along with four co-defendants—who were tried and convicted separately—is a member and associate of the neighborhood crews 3500, CHV, Rock Creek Church, Really Ready Gang, and 640. Between 2019-2020, the defendant’s neighborhood was feuding with street crews Ninth Street over who was the “Real NW Goon”—3500/Really Ready Gang member Tahlil Byrd, also known as Slatt Goon, or Ninth Street rapper Tyree Marshall, known as Slime Goon. The feud escalated when Slatt Goon was killed in Ninth Street territory, the 600 block of S Street NW, in September 2019.
Five months later, on March 1, 2020, on an otherwise calm Sunday afternoon, Reginald Steele and three co-defendants drove to Ninth Street territory and circled the neighborhood looking for friends, members, and associates of Ninth Street. As they drove throughout the neighborhood in a stolen Kia Soul, they spotted 13-year-old Malachi Lukes who, along with his three teen friends, was walking towards the 600 block of S Street NW to play basketball. The defendants followed the boys, pulling into that 600 block of S Street and stopping by the mouth of an alley where Malachi and his friends had turned. Then, at approximately 2:08pm, the defendant and one of his confederates exited the stolen Kia Soul and fired 11 gunshots. Malachi Lukes was shot in the back as he fled. The bullet traveled through his heart and lung causing him to collapse to his death. Another boy was shot in the leg, and the remaining two escaped the barrage of bullets. The defendant and his confederates then traveled to another neighborhood where members of Ninth Street were known to gather and at 2:18 p.m., opened fire on individuals in that block. Fortunately, no one was injured in this shooting.
The government’s case relied on largely circumstantial evidence such as surveillance videos, text messages, GPS data recovered from the stolen Kia Soul and other location and cell cite data. One of the key pieces of evidence the government presented, however, were the shell casings recovered from both March 1 shooting scenes. These casings were subsequently linked to another shooting on February 22, 2020, in the Petworth neighborhood. On that day, Steele and one of his co-defendants got into a verbal altercation with two individuals who lived in the area. Steele and his confederate then escalated this mere exchange of words and fired 11 gunshots causing the victims to flee for safety. The firearms evidence recovered from this shooting scene was consistent with the firearms evidence in both March 1, 2020 shooting scenes providing evidence of Steele’s identity and participation in all three shootings.
Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman who was assisted by Supervisory Paralegals Tasha Harris and April Urbanowski. U.S. Attorney Pirro also acknowledged Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Robert Cephas, and the entire Victim Witness Assistance Unit; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Leif Hickling, Will Henderson, Charlie Bruce, and the Litigation Technology Unit; Office of E-Litigation Chief Emily Miller; Special Counsel for Discovery Chimnomnso Kalu for legal guidance; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); United States Marshal Service, D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS); U.S. Park Police; Montgomery County Police Department; DC Department of Corrections; and Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jackson, Tamara Rubb and Nebiyu Feleke for their critical efforts in prosecuting this case.
Inmate Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Slashing Federal Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that MARIO POWELL was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan to 97 months in prison for assaulting a corrections officer with a contraband weapon on May 30, 2020, while incarcerated at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York (“MCC”). In September 2025, POWELL was convicted of assaulting a corrections officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon and possession of prison contraband following a five-day trial before Judge Cronan.
“Mario Powell brazenly ambushed a corrections officer at the Metropolitan Correction Center in New York City, trying to slit his throat,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This sentence shows that violence in our corrections facilities will trigger meaningful consequences.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the evidence presented during the trial:
On May 30, 2020, at the MCC, POWELL forcibly assaulted a corrections officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon and, in doing so, lacerated the officer’s neck. In order to commit the attack, POWELL obtained and possessed a weapon made of razor blades.
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In addition to the prison term, POWELL, 34, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton thanked former MCC staff for their assistance and praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas John Wright, Henry L. Ross, and Leslie B. Arffa are in charge of the prosecution.
Illinois Felon Who Distributed Fentanyl and Possessed a Firearm Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold fentanyl and possessed a gun in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, to 77 months in federal prison. Friday Deel Gardner, age 28, from Markham, Illinois, received the prison term after a June 5, 2025, guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance near a school or park and possessing a firearm as a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Gardner sold fentanyl on four occasions, three times while near a school or park. Law enforcement officers then searched where Gardner stayed in Dubuque and located over 275 fentanyl pills, ecstasy pills, marijuana, United States currency, and a stolen firearm.
Gardner was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2017 in federal court. The district court sentenced him to 41 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. While he was on supervised release in 2021 and 2022, the district court found Gardner had violated his conditions of release twice and returned him to federal prison.
Gardner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Gardner was sentenced to 77 months imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gardner is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
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 case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by The Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1006.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Receiving Gratuities While Salaried Federal EmployeeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Timothy Lane Crowder, 44, of Huntington, was sentenced on November 3, 2025, to five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $24,525.33 in restitution for unlawful receipt of gratuities. Crowder admitted to receiving approximately $24,525.33 from disability benefits awarded to veterans while he was a salaried employee of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 17, 2020, and July 26, 2023, Crowder was a Veterans Service Representative in Huntington when he assisted 13 veterans with preparing their claims for retroactive disability benefits. As part of his guilty plea, Crowder admitted that he received gratuities of approximately 10 to 20 percent of their awarded benefits from the veterans once their claims were approved.
Federal law bars a federal employee from receiving gratuities or shares of any interest in a claim against the United States. As a Veterans Service Representative employed by the VBA, it was illegal for Crowder to receive a gratuity from veterans he assisted with filing claims. Crowder admitted that he both knowingly and willfully assisted the veterans while knowing that the gratuities represented a share of their awarded disability benefits.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-187.
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Honduran national, illegally living in East Texas, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Honduran national, illegally living in the Lufkin-area, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Edwin Padilla-Cruz, 42, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that Padilla-Cruz was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported.
If convicted, Padilla-Cruz faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation.
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.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Honduran Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on October 7, 2025, MELVIN JOSE TEJADA MORILLO (“MORILLO”), age 35, was sentenced for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) and Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(2). MORILLO was sentenced to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. MORILLO was also ordered to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, MORILLO reentered the United States after being previously deported on March 21, 2016, and faced enhanced sentencing penalties because he had a felony conviction prior to his 2016 deportation.
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 United States Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILIAN SERRANO-MOREIRA (“SERRANO”), age 34, was sentenced on October 9, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court records, SERRANO was found in the United States on April 15, 2023, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on July 17, 2019. SERRANO was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown after being sentenced to credit for time served (6 months), being ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, as well as 1 year of supervised release.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Hammond Man Sentenced to 120 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Yesterday, Kenneth Young, 52 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Young was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on October 5, 2021, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Kenneth Young in Hammond, Indiana. Young initially pulled over, but when an officer approached his car, he sped off, leading to a chase. Young fled into Calumet City, Illinois, where he crashed into a car and fled on foot. During a search of the car, a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number was recovered. Young’s criminal history revealed he was previously convicted of felonies, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, which prohibited him from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin M. Padula and Francis Sohn.
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.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Favio Efrain Rodas-Cardona, age 31, a citizen of Guatemala, was indicted on November 5, 2025, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Mendoza-Hernandez illegally reentered the United States and was found in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, on April 16, 2025. Rodas-Cardona was removed from the United States through Texas and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley K. McGraw is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two 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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Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Gertrudis Mendoza-Hernandez, age 34, a citizen of Guatemala, who unlawfully resided in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Mendoza-Hernandez illegally reentered the United States and was found in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, on November 6, 2025. Mendoza-Hernandez was removed from the United States on September 14, 2023, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley K. McGraw is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two 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.
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Georgia Inmate Who Coordinated the Distribution of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Les Corey Peak, 38, of Flat Rock, N.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court records and court proceedings, from 2021 to 2023, Peak conspired with Zachery Micah Rice and others, to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties, and elsewhere. During that time, Peak was incarcerated in the Georgia Department of Corrections. Court records show that Peak, using contraband phones, worked with his Atlanta-based supplier to arrange bulk drug purchases and coordinated with Rice to arrange the pickups. Rice then transported the drugs back to Western North Carolina for further distribution through a local network of traffickers and dealers. During one of the transactions Peak arranged, law enforcement stopped and searched Rice’s vehicle, seizing over 11.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, a .40 caliber pistol modified to fully automatic with a machinegun conversion device known as a “Glock switch,” and more than $32,683 in cash. Investigators later executed search warrants at stash houses and a storage unit used by Rice, recovering kilogram quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine supplied by the Atlanta based source, multiple firearms, including high-capacity magazines ammunition, digital scales, drug paraphernalia used for drug distribution, and more than $27,470.
On June 23, 2025, Peak pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. He remains in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons at a designated facility.
Rice was sentenced in May 2025 to more than 28 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, the Asheville Police Department, the Waynesville Police Department, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, the Swain County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution.
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.
Gang Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A gang member associated with Sureno 13, who sold methamphetamine and possessed firearms, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Hector Espinosa, 37, of Stephens City, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 240 months in federal prison. Espinosa was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon following a jury trial in November 2024.
“This office will seek maximum accountability against transnational criminal organizations who prey on our citizens and communities,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “I am grateful for the outstanding work of our federal partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration and the ATF on this case.”
According to documents and evidence presented at trial, Espinosa and Ivan Ruiz-Gonzalez conspired with each other, and others, to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in the Northern Shenandoah Valley in the Western District of Virginia.
On February 21, 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from a co-conspirator in the case, Andres Vicencio. Vicencio had contacted Ruiz-Gonzalez to obtain methamphetamine. Agents observed Ruiz-Gonzalez enter Espinosa’s home, obtain a pound of methamphetamine and give it to Vicencio, who in turn sold it to a law enforcement source. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Espinosa’s home, he answered the door with a firearm in his waistband.
During his trial, Espinosa presented evidence that Ruiz-Gonzalez was at his home on the night of February 21, 2023, to purchase a pound of ‘carnitas’ because he and his wife owned a catering business. However, evidence and business records contradicted this claim.
Following the trial while awaiting sentencing, Espinosa was incarcerated with a witness in the case. Espinosa threatened the witness and the lives of his family to coerce the witness to “recant” his trial testimony.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Christopher C. Goumenis Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, and Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Taskforce.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Welsh prosecuted the case for the United States.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Virginia HSTF comprises agents and officers from throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia with the prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia.
Gallup Man Charged with Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly killing another person while driving recklessly.
According to court documents, on August 11, 2024, Justin Othermedicine, 22, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, killed John Doe while operating a motor vehicle with reckless disregard for life.
Othermedicine is charged with involuntary manslaughter and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Othermedicine faces up to eight years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Pahl 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.
Fort Lauderdale Financial Advisor Pleads Guilty to $94 Million International Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Fort Lauderdale man pleaded guilty on Nov. 14 to charges arising from a years-long scheme that defrauded international investors—primarily Venezuelan nationals—of more than $94 million.
According to court documents, Andrew Hamilton Jacobus, 64, falsely portrayed himself as a seasoned financial advisor managing legitimate investment portfolios, while misappropriating investor funds for personal use and to pay returns to earlier investors in classic Ponzi-scheme fashion.
Between 2004 and 2023, Jacobus solicited funds through entities under his control, including Kronus Financial Corporation and Finser International Corporation, promising access to secure investment products and high-yield returns. In reality, Jacobus forged account statements, falsified documentation, and diverted client funds to luxury personal expenditures and Ponzi payments.
Jacobus pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office, made the announcement.
IRS-CI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore is prosecuting. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitch Hyman is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20309.
Former Shelby County Division of Corrections Investigator Pleads Guilty to Accepting a Bribe as a Public OfficialRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has pled guilty to accepting a bribe as a public official. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.
Deon Scott, 41, pled guilty on November 17, 2025 before Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to accepting a bribe as a public official. According to information presented in court, Scott was working as an Internal Affairs Investigator for the Office of Professional Standards for the Shelby County Divisions of Corrections, which houses federal inmates, when he accepted money to provide contraband to an inmate. Scott was immediately terminated from his position.
Sentencing is set on February 19, 2026. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Official misconduct and corruption by correctional officers in positions of trust and authority undermine the foundational integrity of our government institutions and compromise the safety and security of correctional facilities. We must root out, expose, and hold accountable those officials who violate the public trust by corrupt acts of bribery, and this guilty plea does just that."
The case was investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, and the United States Secret Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum and Greg Wagner and former Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Former Louisiana Woman Sentenced for Preparing More Than 110 Fraudulent PPP Loans Totaling over $1.1 Million DollarsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that SHARNAE EVERY (“EVERY”), age 30, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced on October 9, 2025, for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.
The case against EVERY began as a referral from the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (“PRAC”) regarding possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. Investigators determined there were at least 110 PPP sole proprietor loan applications in and around the Thibodeaux, Louisiana area that all contained the same invoices and federal tax forms (“Schedule C”) with the same business name and amounts.
According to court documents, EVERY created a fictitious business called “Natural Hair Afro, LLC, Houma, LA 70360” and used this fictitious business name on nearly all of the fraudulent PPP loan applications. EVERY advertised under various aliases on Facebook to recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program. EVERY prepared and submitted false and fraudulent PPP sole proprietor loan applications via various online portals including, but not limited, to Blueacorn. EVERY created all of the false and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs. EVERY falsely certified that the applications and the information provided in the supporting documents were true and accurate when she electronically submitted the fraudulent PPP loan applications.
EVERY charged the individuals that she recruited to prepare and submit the fraudulent PPP application anywhere from $45.00 to $120.00. EVERY primarily used Cash App to receive the initial payments. EVERY then charged approximately $3,500.00 once the loans were funded. EVERY received these funds into her Current account, her Cash App account, or into her boyfriend’s Current account.
United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced EVERY to 41 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
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. The Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force.
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.
This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program.
The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force, consisting of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Thibodeaux Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator.
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Former Boone County Schools Maintenance Supervisor Sentenced to Prison and Order to Pay $3.4 Million for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael David Barker, 48, of Foster, was sentenced on November 10, 2025, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,448,571.85 in restitution for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barker admitted to a scheme to defraud the Boone County Schools system by more than $3.4 million while employed as the maintenance director.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about November 2019 through December 2023, Barker ordered custodial and janitorial supplies for Boone County Schools from Jesse Marks and his company, Rush Enterprises. These supplies included hand soap, trash can liners, face masks, face shields, and hand sanitizer.
Barker admitted that he and Marks agreed that Rush Enterprises would overbill the Boone County Board of Education for these supplies. As part of this scheme, Barker approved invoices on behalf of Rush Enterprises that significantly inflated the number of products that were actually delivered to Boone County Schools. Barker submitted these fraudulent invoices to the Boone County Board of Education, which relied on them to mail checks to Rush Enterprises using the United States Mail.
Marks deposited the checks from Boone County Schools into the business bank account for Rush Enterprises, wrote himself checks on that account that he cashed at various banks, and personally delivered some of that cash to Barker in manila envelopes. Barker admitted that he spent the cash delivered by Marks to buy vehicles and equipment and make substantial improvements to his residence in Foster.
Marks deducted the cost of the products actually delivered to Boone County Schools from the proceeds of the overbilling scheme. Boone County Schools paid Rush Enterprises $4,310,714.82 from in or about November 2019 through in or about December 2023. Barker admitted that approximately 80 percent of the total payments received by Rush Enterprises, or $3,448,571.85, was based on fraudulent invoices.
Marks, 65, of Rush, Kentucky, sentenced on November 13, 2025, to five years of federal probation, including one year and six months on home detention, and ordered to pay $3,448,571.85 in restitution, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
As a result of the investigation of Michael David Barker, his parents Michael P. Barker, 68, and Lana Barker, 66, both of Foster, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025, to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. Starting on or about November 7, 2023, through on or about November 28, 2023, the couple made or caused to be made 11 cash deposits to their bank accounts in amounts ranging from $8,000.00 to $9,500.00 and totaling $97,215.00. The couple admitted that these transactions were specifically designed to avoid currency reporting requirements. Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000.00, and federal law prohibits structuring multiple cash deposits to avoid this reporting requirement. The Barkers furthered admitted that they used the $97,215.00, a $30,000.00 bank loan, and $50,000.00 provided by their son to purchase property in Foster. They were each sentenced to one year of federal probation.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Education-Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Department of Education.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-194.
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Former Administrative Professional for Chicago Company Admits Embezzling More than $615,000Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former administrative professional for a Chicago company has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for embezzling more than $615,000 from the company.
CRYSTA LYON-HALBERT admitted in a plea agreement that she misappropriated the money from 2015 to 2023 while holding various administrative positions in the company’s Corporate Governance function and the Office of the Chief Executive Officer. Lyon-Halbert directed company funds to her personal bank account and made a series of unauthorized credit card purchases for her personal benefit, including storage rental space, rent payments, personal utility bills, car rentals, auto shop bills, clothing, furniture, and other items, the plea agreement states. Lyon-Halbert concealed her misappropriation by falsely representing that the credit card payments were directed to vendors that had provided services to the company, the plea agreement states.
Lyon-Halbert, 54, of Tinley Park, Ill., pleaded guilty on Nov. 14, 2025, to a federal wire fraud charge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo set sentencing for Feb. 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
The plea agreement was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Hennessy.
lyon-halbert_plea_agreement.pdf