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17 November 2025
Moses Lake Man Sentenced to an Additional 10 Years in Prison for Dealing Drugs from Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on November 13, 2025, Chief District Court Judge United States District Judge Stanely Bastain, sentenced Joshua Isaac Stine, age 40, of Moses Lake, Washington, to 120 months of incarceration following his guilty plea to Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl. Judge Bastain ordered Stine’s sentence to commence after he finishes serving his current 20-year federal prison sentence, which was imposed for his previous for significant drug trafficking in the Moses Lake area. Stine will be on 8 years of supervised release upon his release from this sentence.
Evidence shows that Stine engaged in this conduct to facilitate the criminal activities of a national prison gang called “La Nuestra Familia” or “NF”. NF is attempting a targeted push to bring their “hardcore” principles and teachings to Washington State. NF doctrine dates back to the late 1960s and is encapsulated in multiple written documents, including an NF “constitution”. The rules of this criminal organization are mandatory and non-negotiable. NF leadership asserts they are engaged in this struggle for the betterment of Norteños – better known as “La Causa” or the “NF Movement”. Many individuals who have left the gang stated that La Causa is a ruse as its just about making money to perpetuate the criminal organization, which does not hesitate to use violence to achieve their objectives.
This persistent prison gang is purposely targeting minors to recruit into the gang and then indoctrinates them into their myopic way of life. These children are taught that if they are worthy Norteños, they will commit crimes and will end up in prison – so they need to follow the NF rules to be in “good standing” to comfortably serve their inevitable prison sentence. To advance further, these children will “owe a body” to advance their lifelong “careers”.
Stine’s conduct shows his clear desire to be selected by NF for membership. Stine is a member of the Moses Lake Norteño set East Side Familia. His criminal history dates back to 2000 and this is his 3rd federal conviction. In 2012, Stine was sentenced to 20 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm while on Washington State Department of Corrections supervision. Following his term of incarceration, Stine was on federal supervised release, and he participated in the STEP Program, which is intensive supervision to help drug addicts gain and maintain their sobriety. Shortly after his completed the program, Stine engaged in significant drug trafficking activity in the greater Moses Lake area in 2018-2019. He was ultimately sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his conduct in 2021. (Case No: 2:19-CR-111-WFN-2).While serving this federal prison sentence at FCI Forrest City (Arkansas), Stine did not change course. In an effort to ingratiate himself to NF, he was vocal and proactive about identifying and reporting individuals he believes to be violating NF’s code of conduct by fellow Norteños. He specifically inserted himself into investigations into who may have been acting as confidential informants for law enforcement against Norteños, especially those suspected in the Moses Lake and Tri-Cities areas. Stine utilized a contraband cell phone to communicate with the “streets” and research these individuals. There were even multiple photos of suspected informants with red “X”s through their faces located on his phone.
Stine also used his contraband phone or organize the distribution of drugs both inside of prison and on the “streets”. He was actively distributing large amount of fentanyl through the mails to Norteños in the Moses Lake area (for distribution into the community) as well as the distribution of large quantities of K2, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in prison facilities.
He also actively advised others of his status as a Norteño and his further intent to be NF and would send people photographs of himself with his “homies” as proof of his desires."Stine on Lower Right with His “Homies”
Stine engaged in these activities to enrich himself and to help fund NF through the payment of ‘taxes’ on his profits from his various illicit ventures, including his drug trafficking schemes. While it is clear Stine did not report all of his income to NF leadership (i.e. he was “freelancing”), he consistently paid the mandatory taxes on the amounts he did disclose as money is the only way this criminal enterprise survives.
In imposing this sentence, Judge Bastain noted Stine’s recidivism and unwillingness to change his behavior even after receiving a significant sentence.United States Attorney Pete Serrano stated, “The Defendant is the epitome of recidivism. He has made his choice, despite multiple attempts to persuade him to a different life trajectory. Stine is not repentant. This sentence sends a strong message to those who wish to follow in his footsteps.”
ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson commented, “Fentanyl devastates our communities, and Mr. Stine’s trafficking of this poison threatened countless lives in the Moses Lake area, showing an utter disregard for human life. Fortunately, our ATF Special Agents are steadfast in their dedication to protecting our communities from those who seek to profit from dealing illegal and dangerous narcotics in our neighborhoods. This case is a prime example of ATF’s commitment to combatting violent criminals and gangs, like NF, which are a scourge on our society’s peace and safety.”
Dave Sands, the Chief of the Moses Lake Police Department noted this case was possible due to the continued and productive partnership between MLPD, ATF and DEA in pursuit of our community’s safety. Together, our work has directly resulted in multiple arrests and significant seizures of illicit drugs and firearms. We intend to continue this important partnership to continue to fight the gang violence and drug crimes in our area.
This case is being investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Violent Crime Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the United States Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) National Gang Unit, the Moses Lake Police Department (“MLPD”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”), the Yakima Police Department (“YPD”), and the Washington State Department of Corrections (“DOC”). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin Baunsgard and Benjamin Seal.1:24-CR-2027-SAB-29
Morrisdale Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Brandon Kifer, 45, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines to Counts One and Two of the Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around February 2023 to March 2023 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Kifer conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Kifer.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to 262 Months in Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ivan Nicholas Baez, age 46, of Kunkletown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 23, 2025, to over 21 years in prison by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley on child pornography charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in May 2024, the Pennsylvania State Police obtained a search warrant to seize and download the contents of Baez’s cell phone. The search of the phone revealed approximately 150 images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the images were created on the cell phone and depicted Baez engaging in sexual acts with minors as young as approximately 10-years-old. Baez was a caretaker to one of the minors.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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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Mexican National Unlawfully Present in the United States Sentenced to 20 Years for Discharging A Firearm at Spokane Police During A Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On September 18, 2025, United States Chief District Judge Stanley A. Bastain sentenced Israel Garcia, 36, to 20 years in federal prison after his guilty pleas to Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime and Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. Garcia was ordered to pay over $6,000 in restitution to the Spokane Police Department and placed on a period of 5 years of supervised release should he again return to the United States after serving his sentence.
According to information disclosed in court documents and proceedings, Garcia, a documented gang member living in the Yakima, Washington area, was convicted in 2015 of Assault on Federal Officers (15-CR-02068-SAB) related to a drug and firearm trafficking investigation. For that conduct, Judge Bastian sentenced him to 84 months in federal custody. Garcia was released in 2021 and deported to Mexico. Garcia returned unlawfully to the United States in 2022 and resumed his drug trafficking and escalated to distributing thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into the community.
On October 16, 2022, Garcia traveled from Yakima to Spokane to deliver 10,000 fentanyl pills. When Spokane Police identified themselves and approached him to effectuate his arrest, Garcia got out of his vehicle and immediately opened fire on the officers, while attempting to flee to avoid arrest. The path of the bullets from Garcia were directed at multiple law enforcement officers; however, the bullets were also fired in direction of his vehicle, which still contained his male and female passengers and a minor child. Additionally, but for the angle of a car door window, which redirected one of Garcia’s rounds, a law enforcement officer would have been shot in the head. That officer nevertheless suffered injuries to his head and face. Officers returned fire, striking Garcia and ending the clear and present danger he presented to the officers and the community. The female passenger and minor child were terrified but otherwise reported to be physically unharmed.
Because Garcia was under federal supervision for his prior conviction at the time of this incident, he was arrested for violation of his supervised release and later charged with the new offenses. Working in conjunction with the Spokane County Prosecutors Office, Garcia will be transferred to Spokane County to face state charges regarding the assault on the law enforcement officers.Pete Serrano, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, remarked on how dangerous Garcia’s conduct was: “We have zero tolerance for dangerous offenders like Garcia who pose an immediate threat to our community and our law enforcement partners. Garcia opened fire on the police in the streets of Spokane, attempting to strike several police officers. It is unconscionable that he engaged in this behavior after having just been released from prison for the same kind of violent conduct. This case highlights the importance of our partnerships between our state and federal partners and how closely we work with the Spokane County Prosecutors Office.”
“Mr. Garcia was a menace to our community, both because of his fentanyl trafficking as well as his violent behavior,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Prison is clearly the right place for him, and I am proud that DEA and our partners could facilitate his lengthy incarceration.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter and Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Cartier Giroux.
2:23CR00001-SAB-1Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the US After Prior RemovalsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national was sentenced on November 5, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Javier Amateco-Navarrette, 38, to a sentence of time served (approximately 50 days). Amateco-Navarrette pleaded guilty on September 30, 2025.
According to court records, on September 16, 2025, Amateco-Navarrette was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol in Oakland, Maine. During the traffic stop, Amateco-Navarrette admitted he was a citizen of Mexico and in the U.S. illegally. He was previously removed from the country on two separate occasions in 2018.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Drug-TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National pleaded guilty in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, in 2019 law enforcement began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of co-defendant, Serjio Diaz, which identified him as a primary organizer of a drug-trafficking organization responsible for methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine distribution. Other members of the organization included Lopez-Sanchez, Tony Diaz, Maria Jasmin Lopez, and Vicente Aguilera. Lopez- Sanchez is the last of these individuals to plead guilty.
On April 16, 2021, surveillance observed Lopez-Sanchez arrive at Serjio Diaz’s residence in Belton, Mo., in a black 2015 GMC Yukon with Texas license plates. Lopez-Sanchez had arrived prior to an arranged controlled drug purchase by a confidential human source. Lopez-Sanchez was observed carrying a blue bag into the residence. Lopez-Sanchez left the residence approximately 10 minutes later and before the arrival of the confidential human source, carrying the same blue bag. Later that day, the Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped the black Yukon as it was travelling westbound on Interstate 44 near the Oklahoma state line. Inside the Yukon, law enforcement recovered 995 grams of cocaine and $58,601.00.
Co-defendant Serjio Diaz, 41, of Belton, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of money laundering and was sentenced on Oct. 9, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Tony Diaz, 42, of Raymore, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and was sentenced on Dec. 13, 2024, to 9 years in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 25, of Phoenix, Az., pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 11 years and two months in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Vicente Aguilera, 41, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to facilitate a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2024, to one year and four months in federal prison without parole.
Under federal statutes, Francisco Lopez-Sanchez is subject to a sentence of not less than 5 years and up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Operation Take Back America
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).
Mexican National Convicted of Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Last week, a federal jury in Las Vegas convicted a Mexican national of operating a scheme in which he claimed to be an IRS officer and misrepresented to victims that he was able to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars for them from a fictitious IRS program.
The following is according to court documents and evidence presented at trial: Francisco Ivan Velazquez, a Mexico national, falsely held himself out to be an employee of the IRS and claimed to his victims that he could secure large monetary payments for them from the IRS. Velazquez falsely claimed that such funds were available from a purported IRS program that allowed people who had previously lost a home to foreclosure to recoup money by applying to the IRS and filing certain documents. Velazquez advised the victims that, in exchange for a fee, he would submit an application for them to recover the funds. In some instances, Velazquez then aided in the presentation of a false tax return with the IRS on behalf of the victim that claimed that the victim had federal tax withholdings of $100,000 or more and requested the withholdings be refunded.
Velazquez was convicted of three counts of wire fraud, one count of aiding the presentation of a false tax return, and two counts of impersonating an IRS officer. The jury did not return a verdict on four counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns.
Velazquez is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for aiding in the presentation of a false tax return, and a maximum penalty of years in prison for each count of impersonating an officer or employee of the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are investigating the case.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Attempting to Entice a Minor for Sex OnlineRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Earlier today, United States District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Timoteo Roque Roque to 120 months of imprisonment to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for the crime of Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor.
According to information disclosed in court documents and proceedings, on July 28, 2024, an undercover (UC) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Officer (TFO) was participating in an undercover enticement operation in Chelan County with a goal of identifying those who were baiting children online for illegal sex. The UC ICAC TFO was online portraying a 13-year-old child and received communication from the defendant, Roque Roque. During the communications, Roque Roque affirmed that he was interested in having sexual contact with minors and agreed to pay $250 for 30 minutes of sex with the child at a local hotel; he also agreed to bring condoms for the meet. Roque Roque later sent the UC a text saying he was at the hotel, but he saw a police vehicle and he thought it was a trap. He left the hotel, but continued communicating with the UC, who was purporting to be a 13-year-old child. He returned to the hotel about six hours later, once again with the agreement to pay $250 for sex with the child. Upon arrest, Roque-Roque ultimately admitted he was communicating with who he believed to be a 13 year old and traveled to the hotel twice in order to have sex with the child.
Roque Roque was illegally present in the United States at the time of this crime. He is a citizen and national of Mexico who was arrested and deported from the United States previously at San Luis, Arizona, on July 15, 2019.“Investigations and prosecutions like these remain a high priority for my office, we simply have to protect our children from predators.” U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano said. “Thanks to the excellent, collaborative investigative work by local and federal law enforcement, Mr. Roque Roque is now being held accountable for attempting to pay a local minor for sex while illegally present in the United States.”
"This illegal alien represents the worst of the worst type of criminal who sought to conduct heinous abuse of a child, but fortunately in this case, the 'child' Roque Roque sought to harm was not real,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “It is deeply troubling to learn although he was removed in 2019, he was roaming our streets seeking victims. HSI is committed to holding those who pose the greatest risk to public safety accountable for their actions and protecting the vulnerable."
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, Washington State Patrol, and the Seattle Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, with assistance from the Chelan County Prosecutor’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant
United States Attorney Alison Gregoire.Memphis Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Federal Covid-19 Relief Programs of over $500,000Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis woman has pled guilty to defrauding two federal programs intended to help people survive the COVID-19 pandemic out of over half a million dollars. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.
Deashley Tabor, 37, pled guilty on October 6, 2025 before Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to making false claims against the United States Government. According to information presented in court, Tabor and her co-conspirator defrauded the United States Government out of over $560,000 dollars by filing fraudulent applications for unemployment benefits in over 27 different states during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tabor and her co-conspirator also defrauded the federally funded Tennessee Emergency Cash Assistance (ECA) program of approximately $15,000 dollars by creating fake employment termination notices for themselves and others. The ECA program was intended to provide financial assistance to families that had been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic because of lost employment.
Tabor is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16, 2026. She faces up to 25 years in federal prison.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Protection of the United States Treasury is a top priority for the Department of Justice, and our office is absolutely committed to bringing to justice those who would seek to take unfair advantage of critical government resources through fraud during the challenging and uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic."
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and by the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.
The case was prosecuted on behalf of the government by Assistant United States Attorney Tony R. Arvin.
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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.
Melissa Holyoak Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – On November 17, 2025, United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Melissa Holyoak as the Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah.
Holyoak brings extensive experience to the United States Attorney’s Office as a litigator and leader. Most recently, she served as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), protecting American consumers.
“I am grateful to Attorney General Bondi for trusting me to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah,” said U.S. Attorney Holyoak. “It is an honor to lead this outstanding office in my home state where I look forward to working closely with our federal, tribal, state, and local partners to ensure the safety of our citizens and uphold the rule of law.”
Prior to her role as an FTC Commissioner, Holyoak served as Solicitor General with the Utah Attorney General’s Office, where she oversaw civil appeals, criminal appeals, constitutional defense and special litigation, and antitrust and data privacy divisions. She also managed multistate matters including those involving consumer protection and antitrust claims.
Holyoak also served as president and general counsel of Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based public interest firm and in other public interest attorney positions with the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Center for Class Action Fairness. Holyoak represented class members challenging unfair class actions and consumers fighting regulatory abuse in federal district courts and appellate courts across the country.
Holyoak has argued appeals in the Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and D.C. Circuits. She is a former prosecutor and attorney with O’Melveny & Myers LLP. She graduated from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2003 as a member of the Order of the Coif and Law Review. Holyoak is a member of the Utah, D.C., and Missouri (inactive) bars. Holyoak is married and has four children.
McKeesport Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
This release was published following the 43-day government shutdown during which the plea occurred.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on October 2, 2025, to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.
Thomas Thornton, 48, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand to a one-count Indictment charging Thornton with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on December 19, 2024, Thornton discharged 10 rounds of ammunition from a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol into an occupied residence within the City of Pittsburgh. Officers with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police arrested Thornton within minutes of the shooting. Following the execution of a search warrant on Thornton’s vehicle, officers recovered the 9mm pistol Thornton used in the shooting. Thornton was previously convicted on federal drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and was also on federal supervised release at the time of the instant offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Wiegand scheduled Thornton’s sentencing for February 4, 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 V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Thornton.
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.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lowell, Massachusetts, man pleaded guilty on November 12, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of distributing methamphetamine.
According to court records, Rocky Buth, 32, was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between November 2024 and January 2025. In late November 2024, an FBI confidential source met with Buth and a co-conspirator in southern Maine and received approximately 220 grams of methamphetamine pills. On two subsequent dates in December 2024 and January 2025, Buth provided the FBI source with approximately 361 grams of methamphetamine pills and 419 grams of methamphetamine pills, respectively.
Buth faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10 million fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Portland Police Department, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Mailing Threatening Communications to Jewish Institutions and Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Maryland, entered a plea of guilty today before U.S. District Judge Mark A. Kearney on 17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, arising from numerous threats sent to Jewish organizations and entities.
“We welcome today’s guilty plea, which holds the defendant accountable for sending threatening communications intended to intimidate Jewish individuals based on their religion,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “The Division holds a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitic threats, and will continue to vigorously prosecute such violations of federal civil rights laws.”
Seferlis was charged with those offenses by information last month, following his arrest in June on a criminal complaint and warrant in connection with such threats.
As presented in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from at least March 2024 through at least June 2025, Seferlis used the United States mail to transmit at least 40 letters and at least two postcards to more than 25 Jewish organizations and entities located in multiple jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, synagogues, Jewish museums, Jewish community centers, Jewish schools, Jewish non-profit organizations, and a Jewish delicatessen. In many of these letters and postcards, Seferlis threatened to destroy physical buildings and/or to injure individuals.
Specifically, Seferlis caused the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to deliver threatening communications to these institutions on or about the following dates:
- Jewish Institution 1, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.
- (March 6, 2024; January 24, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 2, an entity in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- (April 4, 2024; July 29, 2024; January 18, 2025; March 5, 2025; May 7, 2025; May 9, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 3, an entity in Fairfax, Virginia
- (January 18, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 4, a synagogue in Gaithersburg, Maryland
- (February 3, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 5, an entity in Fairfax, Virginia
- (February 7, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 6, a synagogue in Hagerstown, Maryland
- (March 2025)
- Jewish Institution 7, an entity in Rockville, Maryland
- (May 12, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 8, an entity in Washington, D.C.
- (May 29, 2025; June 3, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 9, an entity in Washington, D.C.
- (June 3, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 10, a synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts
- (June 3, 2025)
Each communication listed above contained a threat to injure the occupants of the receiving institution.
As court filings further detail, the defendant, by threat of force, intentionally obstructed and attempted to obstruct congregants and other attendees in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs, by threatening to harm the occupants of:
- Jewish Institution 1, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.
- (March 6, 2024; January 24, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 11, a synagogue in Rockville, Maryland
- (January 25, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 12, a synagogue in Falls Church, Virginia
- (January 31, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 13, a synagogue in Gaithersburg, Maryland
- (February 3, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 14, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.
- (February 10, 2025)
- Jewish Institution 15, a synagogue in Hagerstown, Maryland
- (March 2025)
- Jewish Institution 16, a synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts
- (June 3, 2025)
Further, the offenses against Jewish Institution 12, Jewish Institution 13, Jewish Institution 14, and Jewish Institution 15 included the threatened use of a dangerous weapon, fire, or explosives.
Seferlis waived venue as to those institutions and synagogues not in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and agreed to be charged in this District.
Seferlis is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16. He faces a maximum penalty of 169 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $5,650,000 fine.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia, with assistance from FBI Baltimore, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland’s Greenbelt office. The Anti-Defamation League, Secure Community Network, and Delaware Valley Intelligence Center also provided assistance with this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Mark Dubnoff for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
- Jewish Institution 1, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Mailing Threatening Communications to Jewish Institutions and Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Maryland, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney on 17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, arising from numerous threats sent to Jewish organizations and entities.
Seferlis was charged with those offenses by information last month, following his arrest in June on a criminal complaint and warrant in connection with such threats.
As presented in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from at least March 2024 through at least June 2025, Seferlis used the United States mail to transmit at least 40 letters and at least two postcards to more than 25 Jewish organizations and entities located in multiple jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, synagogues, Jewish museums, Jewish community centers, Jewish schools, Jewish non-profit organizations, and a Jewish delicatessen. In many of these letters and postcards, Seferlis threatened to destroy physical buildings and/or to injure individuals.
Specifically, Seferlis caused the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) to deliver threatening communications to these institutions on or about the following dates:
Jewish Institution 1, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.
(March 6, 2024; January 24, 2025)
Jewish Institution 2, an entity in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(April 4, 2024; July 29, 2024; January 18, 2025; March 5, 2025; May 7, 2025; May 9, 2025)
Jewish Institution 3, an entity in Fairfax, Virginia
(January 18, 2025)
Jewish Institution 4, a synagogue in Gaithersburg, Maryland
(February 3, 2025)
Jewish Institution 5, an entity in Fairfax, Virginia
(February 7, 2025)
Jewish Institution 6, a synagogue in Hagerstown, Maryland
(March 2025)
Jewish Institution 7, an entity in Rockville, Maryland
(May 12, 2025)
Jewish Institution 8, an entity in Washington, D.C.
(May 29, 2025; June 3, 2025)
Jewish Institution 9, an entity in Washington, D.C.
(June 3, 2025)
Jewish Institution 10, a synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts
(June 3, 2025)
Each communication listed above contained a threat to injure the occupants of the receiving institution.
As court filings further detail, the defendant, by threat of force, intentionally obstructed and attempted to obstruct congregants and other attendees in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs, by threatening to harm the occupants of:
Jewish Institution 1, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.
(March 6, 2024; January 24, 2025)
Jewish Institution 11, a synagogue in Rockville, Maryland
(January 25, 2025)
Jewish Institution 12, a synagogue in Falls Church, Virginia
(January 31, 2025)
Jewish Institution 13, a synagogue in Gaithersburg, Maryland
(February 3, 2025)
Jewish Institution 14, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.
(February 10, 2025)
Jewish Institution 15, a synagogue in Hagerstown, Maryland
(March 2025)
Jewish Institution 16, a synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts
(June 3, 2025)
Further, the offenses against Jewish Institution 12, Jewish Institution 13, Jewish Institution 14, and Jewish Institution 15 included the threatened use of a dangerous weapon, fire, or explosives.
Seferlis waived venue as to those institutions and synagogues not in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and agreed to be charged in this District.
Seferlis is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 169 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $5,650,000 fine.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia, with assistance from FBI Baltimore, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland’s Greenbelt office. The Anti-Defamation League, Secure Community Network, and Delaware Valley Intelligence Center also provided assistance with this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Marion County Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming A Laser Pointer at A Sheriff’s Office HelicopterRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Adam Santiago Lugo (41, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to a federal indictment charging him with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Santiago Lugo faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on the night of August 2, 2025, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter (“Air 1”) was in flight over Ocala working a burglary investigation when it was repeatedly struck with a green laser coming from Santiago-Lugo’s residence. The laser strikes interfered with the two-man flight crew’s ability to operate the helicopter and placed it in danger. The crew was forced to fly the helicopter primarily by instrumentation, shielding their eyes with their hands from the laser strikes.
Using the helicopter’s cameras, the crew located Santiago Lugo in his front yard. He was wearing binoculars and holding a laser pointer in his right hand.
Santiago Lugo in his driveway with the laser pointer and binoculars
(as seen from “Air 1’s” cameras).
Santiago Lugo pointing the laser at “Air-1.”
A deputy was quickly dispatched to the residence and arrested Santiago Lugo. He was still wearing the binoculars around his neck and had the green laser pointer in his hand. After waiving his constitutional rights, Santiago Lugo admitted that he was “just being silly” when he repeatedly struck the helicopter with the green laser. He said he knew the aircraft was a sheriff’s office helicopter because it “flies over his house all the time.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Air Marshals, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses Related to His Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on October 30, 2025, HERNAN AYALA, 33, of Manchester, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 348 months of imprisonment, followed by 40 years of supervised release, for child exploitation offenses related to his sexual abuse of a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2024, the Manchester Police Department received a complaint that a minor female had been sexually abused by Ayala. The minor female reported that Ayala had engaged in sexual conduct with her for more than eight years, and that Ayala had recorded his sexual abuse of her on his cellphone. On that date, investigators searched Ayala’s residence and seized several electronic devices, including his iPhone. Analysis of the seized phone revealed numerous videos and images of Ayala engaging in sexual conduct with the minor victim.
Ayala has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 9, 2024. On July 8, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Manchester Police Department, the Glastonbury Police Department, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Offices for the Judicial Districts of Hartford and Tolland for their cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Hanes Mall ShootingRead the Press Release
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A Forsyth County, North Carolina, man was sentenced today in Greensboro to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
Angelo Addie Reid, VI, age 23, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment plus three years of post-release supervision by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, Chief/Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC.
According to court records and evidence, on the afternoon of August 14, 2024, REID and his girlfriend were at the Hanes Mall Shopping Center located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Following a confrontation with another mallgoer, REID pulled out a gun and shot at the other man. The shot missed and went into a nearby store that was occupied by both employees and customers. The other man fled towards the mall exit while REID chased him. Once outside the mall doors, REID shot the man in the back, hitting him in the spine. As the man lay injured on the ground, REID approached him and used the firearm to pistol-whip him multiple times. REID and his girlfriend then fled the mall and were found shortly afterward a nearby hotel. At the time of the shooting, REID was on post-release supervision for another offense.
REID pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
The case was investigated by the Winston-Salem Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Martin.
###
Madison County Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Richmond, Ky., man, Glen Long, Jr., 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 360 months in prison, for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on July 28, 2023, a victim’s mother went to law enforcement after she discovered that her minor child had been sending nude images to an unknown adult male via the internet in exchange for money for Roblox, a video game. Law enforcement obtained the victim’s cellphone, reviewed the explicit messages, and identified the adult male as Long. Long knew that the victim was 14 years old and lied about his own age, falsely telling the victim that he was 16 years old. When confronted by law enforcement, Long admitted that he used the minor victim to produce explicit visual depictions of child pornography.
Under federal law, Long must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
– END –
Marianna Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Erik Gammons, 42, of Marianna, Florida was sentenced to eight years in prison after previously pleading guilty to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This substantial drug seizure by our state law enforcement partners, with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration, ensured these deadly narcotics were kept off our streets, and the successful prosecution by my office should send a firm message that federal prison time awaits anyone who tries to peddle this poison in the Northern District of Florida. This is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the drug traffickers who have flooded our communities with deadly drugs for far too long.”
According to court records, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on May 5, 2025. After the vehicle stopped, the defendant exited from the rear passenger’s side of the vehicle and told law enforcement to arrest him. Later, as law enforcement was obtaining gloves to search the vehicle, the defendant stated to go ahead and take him to jail and that there were drugs in the vehicle.
Law enforcement searched the vehicle and located a garbage bag, which was found to contain two other bags with large amounts of crystal methamphetamine, a bag containing a large amount of suspected powder cocaine, three digital scales, one of which contained suspected cocaine residue, a box of opened clear plastic bags used to package drugs for resale, documents addressed to the defendant including pay stubs, and an opened vacuum sealed bag identical to the ones that contained crystal methamphetamine. The defendant was also found to be in possession of two cellular telephones and approximately $2,761.00 in numerous denominations.
The narcotics were later tested, weighed, and confirmed to be 899.1 grams of methamphetamine with 98% purity, equal to 881.1 grams of pure methamphetamine, per bag. The seized cocaine weighed 568.8 grams.
“I’m proud of the great work our agents and law enforcement partners did in bringing this investigation to a close,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Removing methamphetamine—especially this purity level—will go a long way in making Panhandle communities safer.”
“We are working every day to keep drugs out of our community,” said Sheriff Edenfield. “When people choose to profit off poison, there are consequences. We’ll continue standing up for what’s right and working to protect the citizens of Jackson County.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch.
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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Man Who Attempted International Travel to Exploit a Child Sentenced to Eleven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Austin Keith Hibbert, 25, of Tallahassee, FL, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to entice or persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempting to travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, and transferring obscene material to a person less than 16 years of age. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case was the result of incredible collaboration between our local, federal and international law enforcement partners to identify this sexual predator and stop him before he could victimize the minor child he was seeking to exploit. I am proud of the work of my office to build this successful prosecution and hold this offender accountable for his disgusting crimes.”
Court documents reflect that between May 2023, and August 2024, the defendant communicated almost daily through multiple social media platforms with a 13-year-old child from Estonia, a country in Northern Europe. The defendant met the child through a popular Internet game. The communications between the defendant and the child quickly became sexual in nature. The defendant told the child that he intended to travel to Estonia to meet and to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, the defendant sent the child more than twelve explicit videos. In August 2024, law enforcement officials learned that the defendant had applied for a U.S. passport and had booked an international flight from Tallahassee to Estonia. On August 12, 2024, law enforcement officials intercepted the defendant as he attempted to board his flight at the Tallahassee International Airport. A search of the defendant’s person and carry-on bags revealed items indicative of his intent to travel to meet with the child, including his U.S. passport, a bracelet, and a box of condoms. A later search of the defendant’s electronic devices confirmed the defendant’s communications with the child, his travel plans, and showed that he reserved lodging near where the child lived.
“This case demonstrates the FBI’s global reach and unwavering commitment to protecting children everywhere,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Through partnerships with our domestic and international counterparts, we were able to identify and stop Hibbert from crossing borders to sexually exploit a young child.”
“Estonian Police and Border Guard Board is grateful to the FBI and the Northern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office for great cooperation in this grave case,” said Rait Pikaro, Head of Crime Bureau, North Prefecture for the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. “We strive to act as preventively as possible in Estonia and thanks to our U.S. colleagues, no [hands on] crime was committed in Estonia. This great example of cooperation shows that the fight against child sexual exploitation is truly global. We believe strongly that this is the way we can succeed in tackling this phenomenon.”
The sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department, with assistance from the Estonian Police and Border Guard Agency. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked closely with Estonian authorities to provide significant assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting and Resisting a Tribal Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Lower Brule, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on October 9, 2025.
Leighton Laroche, Jr., age 42, was sentenced to five months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Laroche was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 9, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on January 19, 2024, when Laroche was in custody at the Lower Brule Detention Center. Laroche engaged in a physical struggle with a Bureau of Indian Affairs correctional officer after he refused to return to his cell as directed.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services - Lower Brule Agency.
Laroche was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Leader of White Supremacist Group Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Hate Crimes and Sending Instructions to Make Bombs and RicinRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Georgian national Michail Chkhikvishvili, also known as “Mishka,” “Michael,” “Commander Butcher,” and “Butcher,” pleaded guilty to soliciting hate crimes and sending instructions to make bombs and ricin. Chkhikvishvili was a leader of Maniac Murder Cult, an international racially motivated violent extremist group. Chkhikvishvili recruited people to commit violent acts in furtherance of Maniac Murder Cult’s ideologies, including planning and soliciting a mass casualty attack in New York City. In May 2025, Chkhikvishvili was extradited from Moldova to the Eastern District of New York.
United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi; Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea.
“The outstanding investigative work in this case saved untold lives and underscores the crucial behind-the-scenes activity of our federal law enforcement agents,” stated Attorney General Bondi. “Violent, nihilistic, racist groups like these are an ongoing threat to the American people – our vigilance will not waver as we protect our citizens.”
“The defendant has admitted his vile actions, including recruiting others to commit acts of violence against Jewish and racial minority children. His incitement of hate crimes resulted in real-world violence,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This prosecution shows that our Office will protect all communities from evildoers like the defendant from wherever they spew their hate.”
Mr. Nocella praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as the Department of State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the government of Moldova for their crucial assistance in securing Chkhikvishvili’s arrest and extradition.
“Chkhikvishvili’s monstrous plots and propaganda calling for racially motivated violence against civilians, including children, posed a grave threat to public safety,” stated Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg. “Unfortunately, his efforts on behalf of the aptly named Maniac Murder Cult in fact caused mayhem and death. We condemn his despicable ideology and will use every tool at our disposal to bring such predators to justice.”
“Michail Chkhikvishvili actively encouraged his recruits of his Maniac Murder Cult to incite mass violence targeted at Jewish individuals and other minorities, including orders to bomb Jewish facilities and poison Jewish children. His vile propensity for discriminatory violence sparked actual attacks and casualties not only in this country, but across the globe. The FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Force will not tolerate anyone to solicit unnecessary death and harm out of prejudice and hate,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.
“Michail Chkhikvishvili plotted extensive terrorist attacks targeting Jewish New Yorkers, including horrific plans to poison children. This wasn’t just violent behavior — it was extreme antisemitism rooted in Neo-Nazi ideology that put communities here and around the world at risk,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “All New Yorkers deserve a city where they can live free from fear, regardless of their religious identity, and this guilty plea makes one thing clear: The NYPD will never tolerate hate or bias-fueled violence in any form. I am grateful to the NYPD investigators, the FBI, the Justice Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for bringing Michail Chkhikvishvili to justice.”
In June 2022, Chkhikvishvili traveled to Brooklyn, New York. Beginning as early as July 2022, Chkhikvishvili repeatedly encouraged others, primarily via the encrypted messaging application Telegram, to commit violent hate crimes and other acts of violence on behalf of Maniac Murder Cult. This included soliciting acts of mass violence in New York from an individual who, unbeknownst to Chkhikvishvili, was an undercover FBI employee (the UC).
Since approximately September 2021, Chkhikvishvili has distributed a manifesto titled the “Hater’s Handbook” to Maniac Murder Cult members and others. The Hater’s Handbook encourages people to commit acts of mass violence. For example, the Hater’s Handbook encourages its readers to commit school shootings.
Beginning in approximately November 2023, Chkhikvishvili solicited the UC to commit violent crimes, such as bombings and arsons, for the purpose of harming racial minorities, Jewish individuals and others. In November 2023, Chkhikvishvili began planning a mass casualty attack in New York City to take place on New Year’s Eve. The scheme involved having an individual dress up as Santa Claus and hand out candy laced with poison to racial minorities. In January, the scheme evolved and Chkhikvishvili specifically directed the UC to target the Jewish community, Jewish schools, and Jewish children in Brooklyn with poison. Chkhikvishvili sent detailed manuals about creating and mixing lethal poisons and gases, including ricin.
Chkhikvishvili’s encouragement of violence have resulted in multiple attacks and killings around the world:
- In January 2025, a 17-year-old student killed one individual and injured another before dying by suicide inside Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee. The attacker livestreamed part of the attack. Prior to the attack, in an audio recording posted online and attributed to him, the attacker claimed he was taking action on behalf of Maniac Murder Cult and at least one other group. The attacker’s manifesto explicitly mentioned Chkhikvishvili.
- In August 2024, an individual livestreamed himself stabbing approximately five people outside of a mosque in Eskisehir, Turkey, wearing a tactical vest bearing Nazi symbols. A manifesto attributed to the attacker included explicit references to Chkhikvishvili and to violent statements made by him. Before the attack, the attacker also distributed a link to the Hater’s Handbook, authored by Chkhikvishvili, and other violent propaganda.
Chkhikvishvili faces a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialists Wayne Colon and Rebecca Roth.
The Defendant:
MICHAIL CHKHIKVISHVILI (also known as “Mishka,” “Michael,” “Commander Butcher” and “Butcher”)
Age: 22
Tbilisi, GeorgiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-286 (CBA)
Leader of White Supremacist Group Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Hate Crimes and Sending Instructions to Make Bombs and RicinRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Georgian national Michail Chkhikvishvili, also known as “Mishka,” “Michael,” “Commander Butcher,” and “Butcher,” pleaded guilty to soliciting hate crimes and sending instructions to make bombs and ricin. Chkhikvishvili was a leader of Maniac Murder Cult, an international racially motivated violent extremist group. Chkhikvishvili recruited people to commit violent acts in furtherance of Maniac Murder Cult’s ideologies, including planning and soliciting a mass casualty attack in New York City. In May 2025, Chkhikvishvili was extradited from Moldova to the Eastern District of New York.
“The outstanding investigative work in this case saved untold lives and underscores the crucial behind-the-scenes activity of our federal law enforcement agents,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Violent, nihilistic, racist groups like these are an ongoing threat to the American people – our vigilance will not waver as we protect our citizens.”
“With today’s guilty plea, this defendant admits to a horrific plot targeting Jewish people and racial minorities and even planned to poison children with candy around the holidays,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The defendant was extradited from Moldova to face charges. This case shows once more that no matter where you are, if you try to harm our citizens the FBI and our partners will find you and bring you to justice.”
“Chkhikvishvili’s monstrous plots and propaganda calling for racially motivated violence against civilians, including children, posed a grave threat to public safety,” said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg. “Unfortunately, his efforts on behalf of the aptly named Maniac Murder Cult in fact caused mayhem and death. We condemn his despicable ideology and will use every tool at our disposal to bring such predators to justice.”
“The defendant has admitted his vile actions, including recruiting others to commit acts of violence against Jewish and racial minority children. His incitement of hate crimes resulted in real-world violence,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. “This prosecution shows that our Office will protect all communities from evildoers like the defendant from wherever they spew their hate."
In June 2022, Chkhikvishvili traveled to Brooklyn, New York. Beginning as early as July 2022, Chkhikvishvili repeatedly encouraged others, primarily via the encrypted messaging application Telegram, to commit violent hate crimes and other acts of violence on behalf of Maniac Murder Cult. This included soliciting acts of mass violence in New York from an individual who, unbeknownst to Chkhikvishvili, was an undercover FBI employee (the UC).
Since approximately September 2021, Chkhikvishvili has distributed a manifesto titled the “Hater’s Handbook” to Maniac Murder Cult members and others. The Hater’s Handbook encourages people to commit acts of mass violence. For example, the Hater’s Handbook encourages its readers to commit school shootings.
Beginning in approximately November 2023, Chkhikvishvili solicited the UC to commit violent crimes, such as bombings and arsons, for the purpose of harming racial minorities, Jewish individuals and others. In November 2023, Chkhikvishvili began planning a mass casualty attack in New York City to take place on New Year’s Eve. The scheme involved having an individual dress up as Santa Claus and hand out candy laced with poison to racial minorities. In January, the scheme evolved and Chkhikvishvili specifically directed the UC to target the Jewish community, Jewish schools, and Jewish children in Brooklyn with poison. Chkhikvishvili sent detailed manuals about creating and mixing lethal poisons and gases, including ricin.
Chkhikvishvili’s encouragement of violence have resulted in multiple attacks and killings around the world:
- In January 2025, a 17-year-old student killed one individual and injured another before dying by suicide inside Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee. The attacker livestreamed part of the attack. Prior to the attack, in an audio recording posted online and attributed to him, the attacker claimed he was taking action on behalf of Maniac Murder Cult and at least one other group. The attacker’s manifesto explicitly mentioned Chkhikvishvili.
- In August 2024, an individual livestreamed himself stabbing approximately five people outside of a mosque in Eskisehir, Turkey, wearing a tactical vest bearing Nazi symbols. A manifesto attributed to the attacker included explicit references to Chkhikvishvili and to violent statements made by him. Before the attack, the attacker also distributed a link to the Hater’s Handbook, authored by Chkhikvishvili, and other violent propaganda.
Chkhikvishvili faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case. The task force consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as the Department of State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the government of Moldova for their crucial assistance in securing Chkhikvishvili’s arrest and extradition.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialists Wayne Colon and Rebecca Roth.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex Trafficking of 16-Year-Old Girl in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Vincent Bailey of Las Vegas was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $7,000 in restitution for the sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl from Las Vegas.
Bailey trafficked the victim in three cities—Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego— from June 25 to July 15, 2024.
Bailey contacted the victim via Instagram on June 25 and pursued a sexual relationship with her before introducing her into the life of prostitution around Las Vegas. The next day, on June 26, Bailey took the minor victim to Los Angeles and began sex trafficking her on the “blade” on Figuera Street, a geographical area known for prostitution activity.
On July 4, Bailey took the minor victim from Los Angeles to San Diego to further sex traffic her on Roosevelt Ave. On July 5, the victim bravely reached out for help and awaited the arrival of National City police officers at a local restaurant. The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force was called to investigate.
On July 14, 2024, the minor victim was again reported missing by her mother and was later discovered to have been branded with a tattoo under her left eye that matched a tattoo that Bailey also had under his eye. The victim was ultimately rescued a second time and on October 1, 2024, Bailey was arrested by California Highway Patrol during a traffic stop wherein another missing juvenile reported from Spokane, Washington, was a passenger in the vehicle.
“This sentence holds the defendant accountable for the cruelty and exploitation he inflicted on a vulnerable 16-year-old girl,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Branding a child as property and trafficking her for profit is an act of profound depravity. The 10-year prison term and $7,000 restitution order reflect our unwavering commitment to delivering justice for victims and ensuring traffickers pay for the harm they cause.”
“Human trafficking and sexual exploitation of minors is a despicable crime that has no place in California,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “I’m proud of the work our California DOJ-led San Diego Human Trafficking Taskforce did to investigate and hold accountable the perpetrator of these horrific crimes. I’m grateful to our federal partners for their collaboration, and for holding Vincent Bailey accountable in a court of law. At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to support survivors and combat human trafficking wherever it occurs. Our door remains open to anyone who believes they may be the victim of human trafficking: The California Department of Justice has your back.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Ko and Lyndzie M. Carter.
If you are living or working under threat of violence or extortion, or you suspect someone else may be, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center toll free, 24/7 Hotline: CALL: (888) 373-7888 or TEXT BeFree or 233733.
The sentencing took place on October 3, 2025. This press release was delayed due to the lapse in appropriations.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1589-RSH
Vincent Bailey Age: 25 Las Vegas, Nevada
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Sex Trafficking of a Minor – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1591(a)(1) and (b)(2)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory Minimum of 10 years up to life in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
National City Police Department
California Highway Patrol
San Diego County District Attorney Office
Department of Homeland Security Investigations
Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Special Victims Unit. Formed in April 2025, the SVU is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving sex trafficking and child exploitation, civil rights, and labor trafficking. The SVU oversees the Southern District of California liaisons to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and Project Safe Childhood.
Lafayette Parish Couple Involved in Distributing Child Pornography Each Sentenced to a Decade or More in PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller announces that Brad William Blanchard, 45, has been sentenced for attempted receipt and attempted distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Blanchard to 150 months in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release for these offenses.
According to information presented in court, law enforcement agents involved in an undercover investigation began communicating with an individual, later identified as Blanchard, on an internet-based fetish forum wherein Blanchard expressed his sexual interest in underage children. Blanchard sent an undercover agent images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) which depicted a minor victim. Following this exchange, agents were able to obtain and execute search and arrest warrants for Blanchard’s person, residence, and electronic devices. At the time the warrants were executed, Blanchard admitted to law enforcement that he had sent the CSAM images and that his girlfriend, Amy Kraft, had assisted in sending him CSAM for his sexual gratification. Kraft was subsequently arrested and admitted her involvement in sending the CSAM images to Blanchard to fulfill his sexual fantasies and gratification.
Amy Kraft, 49, the co-defendant and girlfriend of Blanchard, pled guilty to attempted distribution of child pornography and was sentenced on October 1, 2025, to 120 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution to the victims.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Danny Siefker is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
To report suspected human trafficking or to obtain resources for victims, please call 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” (233733), or live chat at HumanTraffickingHotline.org. The toll-free phone, SMS text lines, and online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, Creole, or in more than 200 additional languages. The National Hotline is not managed by law enforcement, immigration, or an investigative agency. Correspondence with the National Hotline is confidential, and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously.
To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
To learn more about the National Resource Hotline, visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 6:25-cr-00037-DCJ-DJA.
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Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging California Mask Ban and Identification Requirements for Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against California, Governor Gavin Newsom, and Attorney General Robert Bonta challenging their unconstitutional attempt to regulate federal law enforcement officers through the so-called “No Secret Police Act” and “No Vigilantes Act.”
Not only are the laws illegal attempts to discriminate against and regulate the federal government, but, as alleged in the complaint, the laws threaten the safety of federal officers who have faced an unprecedent wave of harassment, doxxing, and even violence. Threatening officers with prosecution for simply protecting their identities and their families also chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations. The danger is acute.
"Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe, and they do not deserve to be doxed or harassed simply for carrying out their duties," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents. These laws cannot stand."
"The Department of Justice will steadfastly protect the privacy and safety of law enforcement from unconstitutional state laws like California’s," said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
"Assaults against federal agents have exploded over the last few months, thanks in part to recklessness political rhetoric aiming to delegitimize our brave agents," said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. "Unconstitutional laws such as this one further endanger our brave men and women protecting our community. Our immigration enforcement will continue unabated and unhindered by unconstitutional state laws enacted by irresponsible politicians."
On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal laws or impede lawful federal operations. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal policies designed to thwart federal law enforcement across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.
Johnstown Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft from a Program Receiving Federal FundsRead the Press Release
This release was published following the 43-day government shutdown during which the plea occurred.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of stealing funds from a program or entity receiving federal funding, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.
Brett Smith, 41, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines on October 1, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Smith, the former manager of a Johnstown apartment complex that houses the elderly, deposited rental payments and coins from the complex’s laundry machine into his own bank account. The complex receives federal funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the form of Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for February 3, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or an alternative amount, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The HUD Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Smith.
Inmate Serving 50-Year Sentence for Rape of a Child and Aggravated Sexual Battery Sentenced to 10 More Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Dallas Jay Stewart, 43, was sentenced to 10 more years in federal prison on possession of child pornography. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, a targeted inmate cell search was conducted on Stewart’s cell. The search revealed an electronic storage device. A forensic examination revealed images of child sexual abuse material. Stewart was charged with one count of possession of child pornography.
On November 5, 2025, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Stewart to 130 months' imprisonment and five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Stewart is currently serving a 50-year sentence for rape of a child and aggravated sexual battery. This sentence will run consecutive to the 50-year sentence.
Additionally, Stewart must comply with the conditions of the Sexual Offender Registry upon his release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “With persistent recidivism and technology, criminals are finding new and increasingly disturbing ways to victimize and exploit child victims, even while behind prison walls. This case demonstrates that no matter where offenders are located, our FBI partners in the Child Exploitation Task Force will find them and we will hold them accountable for internet crimes against children.”
This case was investigated by Agent Eric McCraw, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville-Jackson Resident Agency Child Exploitation Task Force, and the State of Tennessee Department of Corrections Office of Investigations and Conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Parish prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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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.
Inmate Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Distribute Drugs in A Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Julian Beavers, age 39, an inmate at United States Penitentiary- Canaan, was sentenced on November 14, 2025, to five years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for attempting to provide fentanyl, marijuana and xylazine to other inmates.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on April 13, 2023, while sorting incoming mail, correctional officers at USP Canaan, Waymart, Pennsylvania, intercepted a large manilla envelope containing papers soaked in fentanyl, marijuana and xylazine ultimately destined for Beavers. Investigation revealed that Beavers conspired with other individuals outside of the facility to have the drugs packaged and shipped into the prison for his own personal use and for distribution. Beavers was at USP Canaan serving a 130 month sentence imposed by a District Court Judge in the United States District Court in Buffalo, New York for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. The 60 month sentence was imposed to run consecutive to his New York sentence.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
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Indonesian Jewelry Company, Co-Owner, and Two Other Employees Charged in Large-Scale Duty and Tariff Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ. – An Indonesian jewelry company, its Indonesian co-owner, and two other Indonesian and Italian employees were charged last week with engaging in a scheme to illegally evade more than $86 million in customs duties and tariffs on more than $1.2 billion in jewelry imports into the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Icha Anastasia, 37, of Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, and Claudio Fogale, 51, of Mussolente, Italy were arrested and charged last week by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They appeared on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark federal court and were detained. Michael Yahya, who was also charged, remains in Indonesia and has not yet been arrested.
“As the complaint alleges, the defendants conspired to evade duties and tariffs for imports into the United States on an enormous scale. These charges demonstrate that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our agency partners are dedicated to rooting out efforts by foreign companies and individuals to defraud the United States and undercut American businesses.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba
“Perpetrating a years-long scheme to evade paying millions of dollars of customs duties and tariffs is a serious criminal offense. Michael Yahya, Icha Anastasia, Claudio Fogale, and others are alleged to have used a foreign company to import over $1.2 billion of jewelry and illegally defraud the United States out of more than $86 million in customs duties and tariffs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “IRS-CI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud against the United States and foster confidence in the legal system.”
“This case underscores HSI’s unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of U.S. trade and ensuring that those who attempt to evade lawful duties or circumvent U.S. laws are held accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “As alleged, the defendants engaged in a complex, multi-year scheme to evade more than $86 million in duties and tariffs—defrauding the U.S. government and undermining legitimate American businesses. HSI, in partnership with our federal law enforcement colleagues, will continue to investigate and dismantle schemes that threaten the nation’s economic security and the rule of law.”
“This case underscores CBP’s role in safeguarding the U.S. economy by enforcing trade laws and holding suspected bad actors accountable,” said CBP’s New York Field Office Director of Field Operations Francis J. Russo. “Our officers and import specialists used data-driven targeting and meticulous examinations to help disrupt this suspected duty-evasion scheme while facilitating legitimate commerce.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
PT Untung Bersama Sejahtera, a/k/a “UBS Gold” (“UBS Gold”), Yahya, Anastasia, Fogale, and others have been involved in a large-scale customs duty and tariff evasion scheme. UBS Gold is a major jewelry company headquartered in Indonesia that ships jewelry around the globe, including to the United States. Yahya, an Indonesian national, is a co-owner of UBS Gold and its Export Marketing Head; Anastasia, an Indonesian national, served as a Senior Account Executive for UBS Gold who serviced customers in the United States; and Fogale, an Italian national, was also a UBS Gold employee who serviced customers in the United States.
UBS Gold—through its employees, agents, and representatives Yahya, Anastasia, Fogale, and others—engaged in a conspiracy to evade lawful duties and tariffs for shipments of jewelry to the United States. To evade tariffs and duties, the defendants engaged in at least two related and overlapping schemes.
For years until in or around the end of 2020, Indonesia had duty-free treatment with the United States through the Generalized System of Preferences (“GSP”) program. The GSP program expired on or about December 31, 2020, and was not reauthorized by Congress. Therefore, from on or about January 1, 2021, through the present, the United States has imposed a duty on jewelry imported from Indonesia to the United States. UBS Gold and its co-conspirators evaded these duties by making jewelry in Indonesia and then shipping it to Jordan, which had a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, before sending it to the United States. The defendants then falsely claimed that UBS Gold jewelry had been manufactured in Jordan, which avoided the duty that would otherwise apply.
Starting earlier this year, the United States imposed tariffs for the importation of goods into the United States from many different countries, including Indonesia and Jordan. To avoid those tariffs, the defendants and co-conspirators began shipping scrap gold from the United States to Jordan, which they falsely claimed was gold jewelry that simply needed to be assembled or finished in Jordan. Instead, the defendants and co-conspirators swapped the scrap gold for UBS Gold jewelry made in Indonesia, which they then shipped from Jordan to the United States. The defendants and co-conspirators falsely claimed that the jewelry had been manufactured in the United States, so they could avoid paying the tariffs that would otherwise apply.
Through these schemes, from in or around 2021 through in or around October 2025, the defendants caused UBS Gold and its customers to avoid more than approximately $86,477,705.72 in duties and tariffs on more than $1.2 billion in jewelry shipments to the United States, including to New Jersey.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of either $250,000 for the individual defendants or $500,000 for the corporate entity or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy; and officers and specialists of U.S. Customs and Border Protection at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Francis J. Russo.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit, Peter Laserna of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit, and Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense Counsel for Icha Anastasia: Jerry Ballarotto, Hamilton
Defense Counsel for Claudio Fogale: Joseph Amsel, Newark
sejahteraetal.complaint.pdfIndictment Charges Shelton Woman with Fraud Offenses Stemming from Alleged $700K Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a five-count indictment charging PAMELA AGUILAR, 65, of Shelton, with fraud offenses stemming from an alleged embezzlement scheme that defrauded a Connecticut company of approximately $700,000.
As alleged in the indictment, Aguilar was employed as Chief Financial Officer of a Connecticut software company, identified in court documents as “Company A.” Between approximately 2018 and 2025, Aguilar defrauded Company A’s by making ACH and wire transfers from Company A’s account to personal bank accounts, writing checks and making cash withdrawals from Company A’s account, and by making PayPal and credit card payments from Company A’s account for her own benefit.
It is alleged that through this scheme, Aguila stole approximately $700,000 from Company A. Aguilar attempted to cover up her criminal behavior by providing false weekly cash reports and false monthly financial statements to Company A’s Chief Executive Officer.
The indictment was returned on October 15, 2025. On October 22, Aguilar appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $50,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 6 Months for Making Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Illinois man was sentenced on October 30, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making threatening interstate communications.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Massimo Frangella, 25, to 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Frangella pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.
According to court records, Frangella sent seven identical emails to Maine public officials from his email account. The subject line of each read: “You’re going to die.” In the body of the emails, Frangella further threatened: “I’m going to kill you and all of your child raping friends.” He targeted the victims because of their status as public officials.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from Maine Capitol Police.
“Massimo Frangella used words as his weapon, sending threatening messages to Maine public officials whose views he didn’t agree with,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. "Now, he’ll spend the next six months behind bars in federal prison. Please don’t let keyboard courage short-circuit your future. There are productive ways to express your anger and desire for change, but threats of violence will never be one of them.”
Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Santos Reyes-Garcia, a/k/a Edgar Benjamin Colorado Mora, a/k/a Edgar Colorado-Moran, a/k/a Santos Garcia Reyes, age 38, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
On June 9, 2025, Reyes-Garcia pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 5, 2025, Reyes-Garcia, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on December 15, 2008.
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 Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaime Yair Arellano-Perez, age 37, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On October 8, 2025, Arellano-Perez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on October 1, 2025, Arellano-Perez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 25, 2012, October 6, 2014, and August 26, 2015.
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 Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Arellano-Perez was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alex Eduardo Turcios-Brizuela, a/k/a Alex Turcior Brizaela, a/k/a Alex Turcios, age 42, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 14 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.
On June 26, 2025, Turcios-Brizuela pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 18, 2025, Turcios-Brizuela, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on February 26, 2009, and March 20, 2009.
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 Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Turcios-Brizuela will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Angel Urbina-Ramirez, a/k/a Angel Urbina Ramirez, a/k/a Angel Urbinaramirez, age 54, a Mexican national unlawfully present in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Poteau Police Department.
On July 21, 2025, Urbina-Ramirez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 13, 2025, Urbina-Ramirez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on January 30, 2018.
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 Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Urbina-Ramirez will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Henrry Dany Herrera-Hernandez, a/k/a Henrry Herrera Hernandez, age 52, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
On July 29, 2025, Herrera-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 17, 2025, Herrera-Hernandez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on December 24, 2019.
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 Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Oscar Cruz-Baldo, 40, of Mexico, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the combined efforts of our state and federal law enforcement partners, this violent criminal alien has been removed from our community and will spend years in prison before being deported out of our country. This is yet another successful prosecution to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminal aliens who have threatened our communities for too long.”
Court documents reflect that Cruz-Baldo, a Mexican national, unlawfully entered the United States without inspection or authorization by an immigration officer. On February 12, 2025, Cruz-Baldo was involved in a physical and verbal altercation incident in Williston, Florida. According to the victim, Cruz-Baldo threatened to shoot her and her dog with a loaded shotgun. Levy County deputies responded and located the loaded shotgun on the property.
The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner prosecuted this 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 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.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national residing in Fall River, Mass., was sentenced on Nov. 12, 2025 in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Denis Aguirre-Murillo, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to four months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In September 2025, Aguirre-Murillo pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025.
Aguirre-Murillo has been deported from the United States to Honduras on three occasions, in July 2007, March 2016 and January 2021. Sometime after his January 2021 removal, Aguirre-Murillo unlawfully re-entered the United States at an unknown time and place. Immigration authorities became aware that Aguirre-Murillo was unlawfully present in the United States on May 4, 2024, when he was arrested under an alias in Fall River for charges that included intimidation and rape. The rape charge was later amended to an indecent assault and battery charge.
Immigration authorities lodged a detainer for Aguirre-Murillo. However, on Feb. 19, 2025, Aguirre-Murillo was released from state custody without notification. He was later located and taken into immigration custody on May 29, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Hammond Man Indicted for False Statements and Theft of Government Funds Related to the Cares ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DARRELL HARLAND (“HARLAND”), age 43, of Hammond, Louisiana, was charged on October 15, 2025 in a bill of information for making false statements and for theft of government funds related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One of the primary sources of funding for small businesses was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to the charging documents, on or about April 19, 2021, HARLAND, on behalf of a business that he owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain approximately $20,833 for an SBA backed PPP loan. Then, on or about April 8, 2020, HARLAND committed theft from the government when he obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan in the amount of $127,200 from the SBA based upon false declarations about the number of employees and gross revenues.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If found guilty, HARLAND faces up to five years in prison for the false statement count and up to ten years in prison for the money laundering count. All of the counts include up to $250,000 in fines, up to three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Guilty Plea in the Vicious 2023 Stabbing of a Man in NortheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Stephen Herring, 26, of Southeast Washington, D.C. pleaded guilty to viciously stabbing and killing 32-year-old Marcus Thurman in August 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Herring pleaded guilty on November 7, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of second-degree murder while armed. Sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2026, before the Honorable Dayna Dayson.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately at 5:10 am, on August 22, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received a call for a stabbing in front of 140 M Street, NE. Upon their arrival, the victim, who was later identified as Marcus Thurman, was found unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from an apparent stab wound to the upper chest. The first responding officer and later DC FEMS conducted life saving measures as well as CPR. The victim was transported to Washington Hospital Center (WHC) where on September 4, 2023, he died from his injuries.
Based on surveillance video evidence which captured the defendant stabbing the victim coupled with multiple eyewitness interviews on the scene, Stephen Herring was identified as a suspect. Later in the day on August 22, 2023, the defendant was located and initially arrested for assault with intent to kill while armed. The charges were later upgraded to second degree murder while armed after the victim’s death on September 4, 2023.
Meanwhile, the homicide investigation continued and according to multiple witnesses and surveillance video footages, on the day of the incident Herring was involved in an altercation with a female eyewitness that led to the defendant physically assaulting the witness. Upon seeing this, Marcus Thurman tried to intervene and protect the female victim. The female victim was also with her infant son who was in a baby stroller nearby. The defendant—obviously unhappy and enraged by Mr. Thurman’s attempt to protect the young woman—left the area and returned to the scene shortly thereafter armed with a knife. The surveillance footage reveals that the defendant directly sought Mr. Thurman and in one swift and vicious move, stabbed the victim in the heart. While the victim lay bleeding and the female victim and strangers rendered help, the defendant fled the scene.
After a thorough investigation, on May 5, 2024, a D.C. Superior Court Grand Jury returned an indictment against the Stephen Herring for first degree premeditated murder and carrying a dangerous weapon. The defendant was arraigned on these charges on June 10, 2024.
The defendant was apprehended on August 22, 2023 and has been in custody ever since.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke.
Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Re-Entry After DeportationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally re-entering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, Derli Francisco De Souza, 59, was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by Brunswick police officers in August 2025 for speeding. De Souza identified himself to officers as a national of Guatemala. Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed from the U.S. in 2011 and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the country.
De Souza faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
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Greene Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Greene man was sentenced on October 8, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced John Labbe, 44, to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Labbe pleaded guilty on July 1, 2025.
According to court records, in January 2025, Lewiston police officers approached and detained Labbe after they observed him operating a vehicle unlawfully. Officers recovered from Labbe a handgun with a laser sight. Inside a backpack he was wearing, officers found quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base. A later search of Labbe’s cell phone revealed communications in which he arranged for the distribution of controlled substances.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case, with the assistance of the Lewiston Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
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Grand Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening to Kill the President, Vice President, and Two OthersRead the Press Release
James Donald Vance, Jr. Posted Threats to Kill on Bluesky
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Grand Rapids resident James Donald Vance, Jr., age 67, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for posting threatening communications online, including threats to kill the President and Vice President of the United States, and one of the President’s children. Vance was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who described the crime as “grievous conduct” that required a prison sentence to deter others from making similar threats.
In March and April 2025, Defendant James Vance, using the alias “Diaperjdv,” posted several threatening posts on the social media service Bluesky in which he made specific threats to kill four people, including President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance. In one message, he proclaimed that he did not care whether he was shot by Secret Service or would spend the rest of his life in prison for his actions. He pled guilty to two felony offenses: threatening to kill or injure the President and Vice President and interstate threatening communications. Each violation carries a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
This is the second time in one month that a defendant has been sentenced in the Western District of Michigan for threatening to kill the President. On October 20, 2025, Richard James Spring of Comstock Park was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison and fined $2,000 by U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering in Grand Rapids. Spring pled guilty to threatening to kill President Trump after committing rape
United States Attorney Timothy VerHey stated, “The advent of the internet gives us all an opportunity to engage in the healthy exchange of ideas that are so important to a democracy. But some would rather use this tool to threaten and intimidate, conduct that causes fear and damages our democratic ideals. When Vance said he planned to kill our President and the Vice President simply because he disagreed with them, he crossed a line we all understand and so had to be punished.”
“Threats against our nation’s leaders and their families will not be tolerated,” said William Shink, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service’s Detroit Field Office. “Individuals who threaten the President, Vice President or any U.S. Secret Service protectee will be investigated and held accountable for their actions.”
Both matters were investigated by the Grand Rapids office of the United States Secret Service.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Peter Yang, 34, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
The sentence will be followed by 15 years of supervised, during which time Yang’s access to children, computers, and the internet will be restricted. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from custody.
According to court documents, between November 2021 and March 2022, Yang communicated with a 15-year-old victim in Missouri on the gaming platform Among Us, and then through Discord and FaceTime calls. Yang coerced the victim into creating and then transmitting sexually explicit images of the victim to Yang. Yang also discussed traveling from California to Missouri to meet the victim in person at a motel near the victim’s residence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Christian County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Riverside School Paraeducator Pleads Guilty to 12 separate Counts of Child Exploitation Involving Multiple Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced on October 15, 2025, that former Riverside School District employee Dallas Michael Shuler pled guilty to 12 felony counts pertaining to the online exploitation of children.
As indicated in court pleadings and hearings, in May of 2024, the FBI Spokane Office was contacted due to a child sexual abuse material video which had been posted online. When questioned about the video, Mr. Shuler indicated he had been in contact with the minors depicted in the video and had requested they produce the sexually explicit material. Further investigation into Mr. Shuler’s electronic devices and online accounts showed Mr. Shuler had engaged in hands-on sexual abuse of at least three minor children and had filmed the abuse. He also engaged in online sexual exploitation of children with dozens of additional victims, many of whom were contacted and victimized through Snapchat. The charges pled to encompass sexual exploitation against 37 different minor children.
United States Attorney S. Peter Serrano stated the following: “Abuse of any kind against a child is an egregious violation. My office is ready to aggressively prosecute those who exploit children in any way. Mr. Shuler’s conduct was a shocking breach of trust, particularly considering his position in an elementary school. I commend those who acted quickly in investigating and prosecuting this case. No child should experience what the children in this case unfortunately went through. I stand with our law enforcement partners in working to end the exploitation of children.”
“As a school district employee, Mr. Shuler was entrusted with the children of this community, whom he held a responsibility to safeguard and guide as a role model," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "It was a horrifying betrayal of that trust to abuse his access to children by exploiting them both in person and online, including by filming graphic and explicit videos. Tragically, no prosecution can undo the harm these children suffered or fully erase its record from the Internet. Still, our case team, partner law enforcement agencies, and prosecutors hope that this case can help prevent harm to other vulnerable children by sending a warning to would-be predators that we will hold them accountable for their crimes.”This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
This case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca R. Perez. Sentencing is currently scheduled for January 21, 2026.2:24-CR-72-TOR
Former Deputy Sheriff Sentenced for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A U.S. Federal Judge sentenced a former deputy sheriff from Harnett County Sheriff’s Office to 23 years followed by 15 years of supervised release, and $10,000 in restitution, for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“This defendant disgraced his badge and betrayed the community he swore to protect,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Law enforcement officers who engage in crimes of child exploitation are no different that the predators they should be stopping. Our office will zealously pursue those who fuel the demand for child sexual abuse material, no matter their title or position.”
“Those who are sworn to uphold the law and protect our communities carry a profound responsibility,” said Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant who also oversees North and South Carolina. “When that responsibility is violated in such a horrific manner, it erodes public trust and inflicts irreparable harm. HSI is committed to working alongside our partners to hold these offenders accountable and safeguard the vulnerable.”
“The North Carolina SBI is working around the clock with our local and federal partners to investigate and eliminate child sex exploitation in North Carolina. It is especially alarming when a law enforcement officer is charged with violating the laws they have sworn to uphold. The NC SBI remains committed to protecting children and families from sexual predators wherever and whoever they may be,” said Chip Hawley, NC SBI Director.
“I want to thank the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security for their dedication and professionalism throughout this investigation and prosecution. Their joint efforts helped assist in our mission to keep Harnett County safe and ensure justice is served,” said Harnett County Sheriff Wayne Coats.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, working with the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, investigated Johnathan A. Edwards, 37. In October 2023, investigators discovered that Edwards had sexually exploited children on the website Omegle while investigating allegations that he had sexually harassed a Harnett County Detention Center inmate. In Edwards’s Google account, investigators found videos showing Edwards video-chatting minor children on Omegle and encouraging them to undress and sexually abuse themselves, often after the children disclosed that they were 13 or 14 years old. In November 2023, Omegle shut down following allegations that the website had failed to take any precautions to protect children.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charity Wilson and Erin Blondel prosecuted the case. The SBI, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-73-FL-BM.
Former Cape Girardeau City Councilman Admits Buying, Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A former Cape Girardeau city councilman on Monday admitted buying methamphetamine with the intent to sell and use it.
Rhettney B. Pierce, 55, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. He admitted buying four ounces of meth for $300 on Sept. 26, 2024, in a Cape Girardeau hotel room from a confidential source working with law enforcement. Pierce was arrested immediately after leaving the hotel room. He told investigators that that he had been a habitual meth user since approximately 2019 and snorted a line of meth every morning and afternoon. He also admitted buying three ounces of meth from the confidential source the previous month and selling two ounces out of what he bought.
In his plea agreement, Pierce admitted that throughout the interview with law enforcement, he requested a “break” or a “favor” about 20 times, also asking officers to keep the case quiet and give him “preferential treatment.” Pierce, who was a city councilman at the time, told investigators that he was friends with high-ranking law enforcement officials, judges and prominent members of the Cape Girardeau community.
Investigators found more meth and two handguns in a subsequent court-approved search of Pierce’s home.
Pierce is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2026. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Cape Girardeau Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.
Former CFO Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling over $9 Million from SF Seafood WholesalerRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Antonietta Nguyen was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for her role in orchestrating multiple fraud schemes against ABS Seafood, Inc., a seafood wholesaler in San Francisco where Nguyen previously served as Chief Financial Officer. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence on November 14, 2025.
At the conclusion of a two-week trial in June 2025, a federal jury convicted Nguyen of 12 felony counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nguyen used her access to ABS Seafood’s bank account and credit cards to divert millions of dollars to pay off her personal credit card, pay personal expenses on her corporate credit card, and authorize payment of fraudulent invoices from a seafood exporter in the Philippines that was formally owned by Nguyen’s brother. Nguyen used the stolen funds to pay property taxes for her residence and a rental property, her children’s college tuition, and over a million dollars in luxury goods, among other expenses.
From at least 2015 and continuing into 2020, Nguyen misappropriated approximately $2.7 million in company funds. Nguyen traveled the world to purchase luxury purses, scarves, and other items, which she stored in a designated room in her home. She also provided corporate credit cards to her family members and authorized charges including luxury vacations that were ultimately paid for by ABS Seafood.
The Court found that over the course of six-and-a-half years, Nguyen cost ABS Seafood over $9 million through her fraud schemes.
The jury also convicted Nguyen of evading federal taxes by failing to report her true income from ABS Seafood. Nguyen’s personal income taxes omitted the millions in benefits that she received from ABS Seafood through the payment for personal expenses. In total, the Court found that Nguyen owed an additional $121,336.08 in unpaid taxes related to the unreported income.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on February 6, 2026. A restitution hearing is scheduled for January 16, 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja M. Paidipaty and Colin Sampson are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.
Former Border Patrol Agent Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Prison for Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jorge J. Jimenez, 54, of Nogales, Arizona, was sentenced on October 30, 2025, by United States District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 78 months of custody, with a fine of $15,000, and a $100 Special Assessment. Jimenez was previously convicted by a jury of Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud.
“Law enforcement officers who aid cartels for their own profit betray their oaths and the United States” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “While this is the rare exception, border corruption allows dangerous drugs into the country and decreases public trust in the many outstanding men and women serving in law enforcement. This sentence demonstrates that anyone, regardless of authority, will be held accountable if they seek to profit from drug trafficking. I am proud of the District of Arizona and the many United States Border Patrol Agents who protect our southern border everyday.”
“U.S. Border Patrol officers take an oath to protect our Homeland Security. Today’s sentencing makes a clear statement that corruption within those ranks will be identified, and those individuals will be held accountable. We are grateful for the cooperation from our law enforcement partners,” said DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D.
"When an officer shrugs off his sworn oath and harms those they promised to protect, he betrays not only the people of his community, but those who also wear the badge," said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. "The FBI remains committed to working with our partners and investigate such cases to protect the American people and preserve public trust in law enforcement.”
Jimenez was employed as a United States Border Patrol Agent since 2010. At trial, the government showed that, between June 2024 and early October 2024, Jimenez was assigned to the I-19 Checkpoint, and conspired with at least two individuals located in Mexico, to allow previously agreed-upon “load” vehicles to pass through his designated checkpoint lane without inspection. The individuals in Mexico handled arrangements and the receipt of payment, and Jimenez allowed the vehicles to pass through his assigned lane and provided information about activities at the checkpoint to his coordinators. Jimenez expected to be paid approximately $20,000, with the money exchanged in Mexico.
Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 4:24-cr-08599-RM-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-159_Jimenez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.