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7 November 2025
Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man pleaded guilty yesterday on day four of his jury trial where he was accused of sex trafficking three minor victims.
Eric Lamont Harris, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of transportation with intent to engage in prostitution, three counts of sex trafficking of a child, three counts of sex trafficking of a child – benefitting from participation in a venture, and one count of sexual exploitation of children.
According to court documents, Harris began trafficking 15-year-old Minor Victim 1 in Spring 2022. Minor Victim 1 was a ward of the state and reported missing in March 2022. Harris began trafficking 16-year-old Minor Victim 2 in June 2022. In July 2022, Harris brought Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 from Portland to Kennewick, Washington, with the intent that they engage in prostitution at a hotel he booked in Kennewick. After Minor Victim 2’s parents reported her missing, the FBI and Kennewick Police recovered Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 in Kennewick. Harris first met 17-year-old Minor Victim 3 in June 2022, and he began trafficking her in August 2022. Each victim lived with Harris while engaging in prostitution and gave him the proceeds. Harris booked hotel rooms for the minor victims’ commercial sex dates, transported them to and from those dates, facilitated the posting of online escort advertisements featuring the minor victims, and received thousands of dollars’ worth of commercial sex proceeds from the minor victims.
“Sex trafficking is a most despicable crime that, unfortunately, happens here in Oregon. With our state and federal partners, we will stand up on behalf of the victims and do everything within our power to root out this evil and protect our children,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford.
“This guilty plea is a first step in providing some form of closure to the victims and their loved ones,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “This defendant’s systematic approach to sexually exploiting minors for financial gain and satisfaction demonstrates a level of depravity that warrants the full extent of the punishment legally possible.”
On September 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an eight-count indictment charging Harris with transportation with intent to engage in prostitution, sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking of a child – benefitting from participation in a venture, and sexual exploitation of children.
Harris faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a life-term of supervised release. He will be sentenced on January 29, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, the Kennewick Police Department and the Medford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlotte Kelley and Robert Trisotto are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
Mexican national sentenced to 10 years for transporting woman to engage in commercial sexRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 42-year-old citizen of Mexico has been ordered to prison after recruiting an 18-year-old victim, abusing her, and forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts.
Clemente Melendez Gutierrez pleaded guilty Aug. 1.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Melendez Gutierrez to serve a total of 120 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum.
“The damage inflicted by this defendant is immeasurable. Melendez Gutierrez subjected his victims to years of physical, mental, and sexual abuse in pursuit of his own personal profit,” said Ganjei. “Today’s sentence underscores our office’s steadfast pursuit of those who prey upon and exploit women for financial gain. Let it be known – human trafficking has no home in the Southern District of Texas.”
“The defendant preyed upon this vulnerable victim and used physical abuse to coerce her to travel to the United States and to engage in commercial sex for his own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the severity of the defendant’s conduct, and the DOJ will relentlessly prosecute and hold accountable those who abuse and exploit others for financial gain.”
“Today’s sentence brings long-awaited, and overdue, justice for the victim who was subjected to years of abuse and exploitation at the hands of Melendez Gutierrez,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “Unfortunately, the physical, mental, and emotional manipulation and trauma the victim suffered at the hands of this ‘suitor-turned-monster’ will remain with her forever. His long-awaited prison sentence reflects the tireless work and unwavering dedication of the investigators, victim specialists, and prosecutors who through the years stood alongside the victim to ensure her voice was heard and her suffering acknowledged. While no prison sentence can erase the pain and trauma his victims endured, our hope is that today’s outcome represents accountability, justice, and a step toward healing and hope.”
“With today’s sentence, we have removed a dangerous predator from the community who used physical and sexual abuse, threats of violence and psychological manipulation to groom and control his victims and force them to engage in commercial sex for his own profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations Houston. “Working alongside our partners, we exposed his criminal scheme and helped ensure he was held fully accountable for his actions and the harm caused to the victims.”
Melendez Gutierrez recruited the 18-year-old victim in 2007 using the false pretense of a romantic relationship. After meeting her in person in Mexico, he transported her away from her home, isolated her at his parents’ house and told her she was going to have to start working in commercial sex. When she refused, Melendez Gutierrez physically abused her—dragging her by the hair and punching and kicking her—then made her engage in commercial sex acts at a hotel in Mexico.
Several days later, Melendez Gutierrez had the victim smuggled across the U.S. border and traveled with her to Houston. Following their arrival, he told the victim she owed him thousands of dollars for her transportation and told her that she would have to work at a cantina and engage in commercial sex in the hidden back rooms of the cantina to repay her debt.
Melendez Gutierrez set a quota for how much money the victim had to make each night, and he was violent with her when she did not work enough or make enough money. Melendez Gutierrez had the victim work at multiple cantinas and other locations until she was finally able to get away from him in 2013.
Between 2005 and 2021, Melendez Gutierrez repeated this pattern of conduct multiple times with different women and girls.
The FBI Houston Field Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Valenti of the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Mexican National Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Transporting Woman to Engage in Commercial SexRead the Press Release
A 42-year-old citizen of Mexico has been ordered to prison after recruiting an 18-year-old victim from Mexico, abusing her, and forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts in Houston, Texas.
Clemente Melendez Gutierrez was sentenced today to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty in August to one count of transportation for the purposes of prostitution.
“The defendant preyed upon this vulnerable victim and used physical abuse to coerce her to travel to the United States to engage in commercial sex for his own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the severity of the defendant’s conduct, and the DOJ will relentlessly prosecute and hold accountable sex traffickers.”
“The damage inflicted by this defendant is immeasurable. Gutierrez subjected his victims to years of physical, mental, and sexual abuse in pursuit of his own personal profit,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Today’s sentence underscores our office’s steadfast pursuit of those who prey upon and exploit women for financial gain. Let it be known – human trafficking has no home in the Southern District of Texas.”
Melendez recruited the 18-year-old victim in 2007 using the false pretense of a romantic relationship. After meeting her in person in Mexico, he transported her away from her home, isolated her at his parents’ house, and told her that she was going to have to start working in commercial sex. When she refused, Melendez physically abused her—dragging her by the hair and punching and kicking her—then made her engage in commercial sex acts at a hotel in Mexico.
Several days later, Melendez had the victim smuggled across the U.S. border and traveled with her to Houston, Texas. After they arrived, he told the victim that she owed him thousands of dollars for her transportation and told her that she would have to work at a cantina and engage in commercial sex in the hidden back rooms of the cantina to repay her debt.
Melendez set a quota for how much money the victim had to make each night, and he was violent with her when she did not work enough or make enough money. Melendez had the victim work at multiple cantinas and other locations until she was finally able to get away from the defendant in 2013. Between 2005 and 2021, Melendez repeated this pattern of conduct multiple times with different women and girls.
The FBI Houston Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission investigated the case.
“Today’s sentence brings long-awaited, and overdue, justice for the victim who was subjected to years of abuse and exploitation at the hands of Melendez Gutierrez,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “Unfortunately, the physical, mental and emotional manipulation and trauma the victim suffered at the hands of this ‘suitor-turned-monster’ will remain with her forever. His long-awaited prison sentence reflects the tireless work and unwavering dedication of the investigators, victim specialists and prosecutors who, through the years, stood alongside the victim to ensure her voice was heard and her suffering acknowledged. While no prison sentence can erase the pain and trauma his victims endured, our hope is that today’s outcome represents accountability, justice and a step toward healing and hope.”
“With today’s sentence, we have removed a dangerous predator from the community who used physical and sexual abuse, threats of violence and psychological manipulation to groom and control his victims and force them to engage in commercial sex for his own profit,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Working alongside our partners, we exposed his criminal scheme and helped ensure he was held fully accountable for his actions and the harm caused to the victims.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Valenti for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Illegal alien indicted following seizure of 325 pounds of methamphetamine from Norcross storage facilityRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Marco Cueto-Rosales, an illegal alien from Mexico, has been arraigned in connection with the seizure of 325 pounds of methamphetamine from a Norcross storage unit on October 10, 2025.
“Cueto-Rosales, who was illegally in the United States, allegedly hid a large amount of methamphetamine in a public storage unit,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Although the Mexican cartels stockpile and peddle their poison in our community, the quick actions of law enforcement thankfully took these deadly drugs off the streets.”
“This operation is about more than drugs – it’s about protecting families and giving our communities a chance to live free from the violence and addiction that meth brings,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On October 10, 2025, agents from the DEA observed Cueto-Rosales enter an outdoor storage unit in Norcross and move items around in plastic tote bins and trash bags. Later that same day, a Gwinnett County Police Department K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the storage unit. Agents then obtained a federal search warrant for the unit.
Upon execution of the search warrant, agents found nearly 1,500 rectangular packages of methamphetamine located in trash bags and plastic tote bins. The methamphetamine weighed a total of 325 pounds.
Prior to the search, agents detained Cueto-Rosales, who they determined was an illegal alien unlawfully in the United States.
Marco Cueto-Rosales, 47, of Malinalco, Mexico, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon, on federal charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Cueto-Rosales was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 28, 2025.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Gwinnett County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. LaGrone is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Federal Jury Convicts Muskogee Resident of Murder, Robbery, Witness Tampering, and Federal Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Allan Kentrell Hill, age 23, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of multiple charges arising from an August 2023 robbery and a September 2023 murder in Muskogee.
Hill was convicted of the following seven counts of a Second Superseding Indictment:
- Murder in Indian Country, punishable by a term of life imprisonment and a fine of $250,000;
- Murder in Perpetration of Robbery in Indian Country, punishable by a term of life imprisonment and a fine of $250,000;
- Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by no less than 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000;
- Causing the Death of Another Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), punishable by any term of years up to life imprisonment and a fine of $250,000;
- Robbery in Indian Country, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000;
- Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by no less than 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000; and
- Tampering with a Witness punishable by no more than 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The jury trial began with testimony on November 3, 2025, and concluded on November 6, 2025, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on August 17, 2023, Hill feigned interest in buying a Kel-Tec rifle and arranged to meet the owner to make the purchase. When they met, Hill and an accomplice robbed the owner of the Kel-Tec and a cell phone at gunpoint.
The United States also presented evidence that on September 7, 2023, Hill participated in the murder of a 16-year-old victim in the 4400 block of E. Hayes Street in Muskogee, leaving behind 18 spent casings from a Baretta handgun and the stolen Kel-Tec. The juvenile was also robbed of a Glock handgun and cell phone. On September 20, 2023, Muskogee police recovered the Beretta and Kel-Tec during a vehicle stop.
The United States also presented evidence that after participating in the murder, Hill attempted to create a false alibi and tried to convince his employer to unknowingly falsify a timesheet to show that Hill was working when he was actually participating in the murder of the victim.
The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation and the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department.
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 trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Hill will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gross, Jonathan E. Soverly, and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Fargo Man Arrested for Threating the President of the United States and the Director of the Federal Bureau of InvestigationRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that Andrew Walter Sandvik, Age 47 from West Fargo, ND, made an initial appearance today in federal court to face federal threat charges. A Federal Complaint charges Sandvik with Influencing a Federal Official by Threat, 18 USC 115(a)(1)(B). The complaint alleges that Andrew Sandvik made several on-line social media posts containing threats towards the President of the United States. Sandvik also made several concerning posts directed toward the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service.
“This investigation is an incredible federal, state, and local law enforcement partnership, working together to investigate and safely arrest someone who allegedly expressed a willingness to commit extreme violence,” said United States Attorney Chase. “I appreciate greatly that we have skilled and professional law enforcement working with us on this case and the many others in the District of North Dakota.”
“Thursday morning, the FBI, along with our Federal, State and Local partners, arrested Andrew Walter Sandvik on charges related to threats made against Federal Officials,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “As alleged in the complaint, Sandvik made threats against President Donald J. Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, local law enforcement officers and the U.S. military. Death threats and violent, inflammatory rhetoric have no place in our society. Threats against Federal Officials, whether they are made online or in person, will result in a swift response by the FBI.”
“The Fargo Police Department also recognizes the inherent dangers associated with the conduct alleged in the complaint and worked in partnership with the FBI to ensure public safety during this operation,” said Police Chief David Zibolski, Fargo Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, North Dakota Bureau of Investigations, and the Fargo Police Department and being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Lee.
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Arizona Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Plot Targeting Christian ChurchesRead the Press Release
Zimnako Salah, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today in the Eastern District of California to six years in prison in connection with his plot targeting Christian churches.
In March 2025, a jury in Sacramento convicted Salah of strapping a backpack around the toilet of a Christian church in Roseville, with the intent to convey a hoax bomb threat and to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there. The jury’s verdict included a special finding that Salah targeted the church because of the religion of the people who worshipped there, making the offense a hate crime.
According to the evidence at trial, from September to November of 2023, Salah traveled to four Christian churches in Arizona, California, and Colorado, wearing black backpacks. At two of those churches, Salah planted those backpacks, placing congregants in fear that they contained bombs. At the other two churches, Salah was confronted by security before he got the chance to plant those backpacks.
While Salah had been making bomb threats by planting backpacks in Christian churches, he had been building a bomb capable of fitting in a backpack. During a search of his storage unit, an FBI Bomb Technician seized items that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device (IED).
A search of Salah’s social media records revealed that he had consumed extremist propaganda online. Specifically, those records showed that Salah had searched for videos of “Infidels dying,” and he had watched videos depicting ISIS terrorists murdering people. In a cellphone video taken days before the crimes of conviction, Defendant Salah declared, “America. We are going to destroy it.”
“Today's sentencing sends a clear message: those who target people because of their faith will face the full force of federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to protect the rights of all people of faith to worship and live free from fear, and we will hold accountable anyone who threatens or harms them.”
“Salah’s seeming ultimate goal to bomb a Christian church would have resulted in many deaths and injuries if his plan had not been thwarted,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Thanks to the action of church security, local law enforcement, and the FBI, this defendant was stopped before he had a chance to carry out the crimes he sought to commit. Today’s sentence is justified by the history and characteristics of this defendant and serves to protect the public from this defendant. And it affirms that people of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”
“The FBI has zero tolerance for those who target Americans based on their religious beliefs,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Salah sought to instill fear and disrupt Christian communities across California, Colorado, and Arizona. We are grateful for the cooperation of these churches and communities, which were vital in the investigation that led to Salah’s arrest and conviction. Today’s sentencing highlights the collective efforts of law enforcement and vigilant Americans in preventing this act of terrorism.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Roseville Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Harbor Police Department, and the Arapahoe County (CO) Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Kenny for the Eastern District of California.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Plot Targeting Christian ChurchesRead the Press Release
Zimnako Salah, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today to six years in prison in connection with his plot targeting Christian churches.
In March 2025, a jury in Sacramento convicted Salah of strapping a backpack around the toilet of a Christian church in Roseville, with the intent to convey a hoax bomb threat and to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there. The jury’s verdict included a special finding that Salah targeted the church because of the religion of the people who worshipped there, making the offense a hate crime.
According to the evidence at trial, from September to November of 2023, Salah traveled to four Christian churches in Arizona, California, and Colorado, wearing black backpacks. At two of those churches, Salah planted those backpacks, placing congregants in fear that they contained bombs. At the other two churches, Salah was confronted by security before he got the chance to plant those backpacks.
While Salah had been making bomb threats by planting backpacks in Christian churches, he had been building a bomb capable of fitting in a backpack. During a search of his storage unit, an FBI Bomb Technician seized items that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device (IED).
A search of Salah’s social media records revealed that he had consumed extremist propaganda online. Specifically, those records showed that Salah had searched for videos of “Infidels dying,” and he had watched videos depicting ISIS terrorists murdering people. In a cellphone video taken days before the crimes of conviction, Defendant Salah declared, “America. We are going to destroy it.”
“Today's sentencing sends a clear message: those who target people because of their faith will face the full force of federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to protect the rights of all people of faith to worship and live free from fear, and we will hold accountable anyone who threatens or harms them.”
“Salah’s seeming ultimate goal to bomb a Christian church would have resulted in many deaths and injuries if his plan had not been thwarted,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Thanks to the action of church security, local law enforcement, and the FBI, this defendant was stopped before he had a chance to carry out the crimes he sought to commit. Today’s sentence is justified by the history and characteristics of this defendant and serves to protect the public from this defendant. And it affirms that people of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”
“The FBI has zero tolerance for those who target Americans based on their religious beliefs,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Salah sought to instill fear and disrupt Christian communities across California, Colorado, and Arizona. We are grateful for the cooperation of these churches and communities, which were vital in the investigation that led to Salah’s arrest and conviction. Today’s sentencing highlights the collective efforts of law enforcement and vigilant Americans in preventing this act of terrorism.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Roseville Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Harbor Police Department, and the Arapahoe County (CO) Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Kenny for the Eastern District of California.
6 November 2025
United States Attorney Announces Criminal Complaint in Cordova Robbery and Shooting IncidentRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the federal criminal complaint of Marquis Davis, 18, charging him with business robbery and the discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On the early afternoon of October 31, 2025, Marquis Davis entered the Exotic Smoke Shop in the 1700 block of Germantown Parkway in Cordova, Tennessee. Shortly thereafter, Davis pulled out a firearm with an extended magazine and demanded money from the employee. The employee complied and opened the cash register; and Davis took approximately $400 from the register, before shooting her in the abdomen. Davis then fled the building.
After Davis fled the building, he encountered four federal agents who had just finished eating at a nearby restaurant. The agents saw Davis with a firearm and based on Davis’s actions at that point, federal agents fired their duty weapons, striking Davis. Federal agents and a responding Memphis Police Department officer took Davis into custody. They located a black firearm with an extended magazine next to Davis and approximately $370 in U.S. currency in his clothing.
A bystander and a retired paramedic located the store clerk, who was suffering from a gunshot wound. They provided aid until medical personnel arrived and transported the victim to the hospital where she underwent emergency surgery for the gunshot wound.
Davis was also rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery. He survived and remains in state custody. Davis’s current federal charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, and supplemental federal charges may be added after completion of the ongoing investigation. Davis has also been charged in state court with the felony offenses of Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery, and Employment of a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony.
This case is set before District Judge Thomas L. Parker of the Western District of Tennessee.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jermal Blanchard and Greg Wagner are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
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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.
Topeka Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Artificial Intelligence Related Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for five counts of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Jeremy Weber, 47, of Topeka uploaded photographs of women and children he knew into a publicly available Artificial Intelligence platform. He then utilized AI to manipulate and merge their images into hundreds of depictions of child sexual abuse material (or CSAM). Weber also uploaded previously trafficked images of CSAM to the same platform. Weber morphed the original CSAM image with the face of the adult or minor female, creating a new image of CSAM.
The investigation identified approximately 32 women whose images were used to produce the new CSAM. In addition, Weber utilized the same AI program to produce adult pornographic images of 50-60 women without their consent.
The investigation into Weber began after an IT professional observed criminal activity on Weber’s computer and reported it to local law enforcement. A subsequent search warrant led to a search of Weber’s residence and the discovery of an encrypted hard drive containing a folder titled “AI Swap.” In the folder was a large number of files organized into folders named after women. Each of the named folders contained anywhere from a handful to hundreds of newly manufactured sexually explicit images of each individual.
“While it is still an emerging technology, I believe there can be many wonderful and beneficial aspects of artificial intelligence, but there is also a dark side. Unfortunately, child predators are using AI for twisted and perverse activities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The fact that Jeremy Weber was able to create realistic looking images of child pornography using the faces of children and adults should remind us that we are all vulnerable to this type of violation. Although the images were ‘fake’, the harm he inflicted on the victims and the consequences were very real.”
“The FBI is grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, including the Topeka Police Department for their work in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “The sentencing reflects the severity of conduct the defendant has pled to and should send a message to anyone conducting this type of behavior: the FBI will not flinch to seek justice.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Topeka Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara L. Walton prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Three Honduran Nationals Arrested Transporting Two Kilograms of Fentanyl and a Firearm Hidden in a Manufactured CompartmentRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— Three Honduran nationals have been charged with trafficking two kilograms of fentanyl.
Oscar Bonilla-Sandoval, 24, Jonathan David Matamoros-Carcamo, 22, and Jorge Adalberto Escoto-Andrade, 34, have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl.
According to court documents, on October 30, 2025, an Oregon State Police K9 trooper stopped a Toyota Camry driving on Interstate 5 in Linn County after observing suspicious behavior and for a traffic violation. Bonilla-Sandoval was the driver of the vehicle, Matamoros-Carcamo was the front passenger, and Escoto-Andrade was in the back seat. The trooper deployed his drug detecting K-9 to the exterior of the vehicle who alerted to the presence of a narcotic odor on the lower passenger door seam. A search of the vehicle revealed a manufactured compartment or “trap” within the front passenger seat.
Law enforcement accessed the compartment and located a Smith and Wesson revolver sitting on top of approximately two kilograms of suspected fentanyl with a street value of approximately $85,000. The fentanyl was wrapped in tape in two brick forms and sitting on tin foil covered in cinnamon, which is a method used by drug traffickers to avoid detection by drug detection canines.
Law enforcement also seized approximately $10,000 in bundled cash with pink bands wrapped around it from Matamoros-Carcamo and approximately $3,000 in cash from Escoto-Andrade.
Defendants made their first appearances in federal court on October 31, 2025, before a Magistrate Judge and were ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oregon State Police, and Springfield Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is potentially enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
photo provided by Oregon State PatrolThirty-Eight Defendants Charged Following Investigations by the Nashville Homeland Security Task ForceRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Thirty-eight defendants – including eight members and associates of MS-13 – have been charged on a variety of charges involving trafficking in fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, carjacking, assault on law enforcement, use of firearms during the commission of a violent crime, unlawful possession of firearms, and immigration offenses, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The Nashville HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Secret Service (USSS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal agencies, working in collaboration with our state and local partners, with the prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“These efforts illustrate law enforcement’s commitment to stop gang violence, combat the scourge of fentanyl overdoses here in Middle Tennessee, and hold offenders accountable for the havoc they have wreaked on our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney McGuire. “Working together as part of the Homeland Security Task Force, these agencies have made our communities throughout Middle Tennessee safer and stronger.”
In United States vs. Rodriguez and United States v. Mendoza, Victor Alfonso Paez Rodriguez and Jesus Mendoza Viera, both of whom are illegally present in the United States, are alleged to have trafficked large quantities of fentanyl from Mexico into middle Tennessee. HSI was the lead investigative agency with assistance from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
In United States v. Copeland, Trenell Copeland, Tabria Bowens, Cassandra Lawson, Alicia Barman, and Ashanti Williams are charged with offenses related to the trafficking of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana into the Trousdale County Correctional Facility where Trenell Copeland was serving a state sentence. The lead investigative agency was the FBI with assistance from the Tennessee Department of Corrections Office of Investigations and Conduct (TDOC-OIC).
In United States v. Bangeas, Debyi Bangeas – an MS-13 member who is illegally present in the United States– was charged with carjacking, use of a firearm during that carjacking, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The lead federal agencies were ATF and HSI in collaboration with MNPD.
In United States v. Contreras Arita, two MS-13 members, Kevin Jasir Contreras Arita, Jose Pena, and MS-13 associate David Dubon-Enamarado, were charged with drug trafficking, assault on a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, and illegal re-entry into the United States. The lead federal agencies were HSI and ATF in collaboration with MNPD.
In United States v. Leonel Vargas, MS-13 member Leonel Vargas, who is illegally present in the United States, was charged with drug trafficking cocaine and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug-trafficking, and being an illegal alien unlawfully in possession of a firearm. The lead federal agencies were ATF and HSI in collaboration with MNPD.
In United States v. Anthony Vargas, MS-13 associate Anthony Vargas, who is illegally present in the United States, was charged with being an illegal alien unlawfully in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Vargas was caught with a stolen firearm which has ballistic associations to the homicide of a fourteen-year-old girl. The lead federal agencies were ATF and HSI in collaboration with MNPD.
In United States v. Sandoval, thirteen defendants, including one MS-13 member and one MS-13 associate, were charged as part of a methamphetamine and cocaine distribution conspiracy resulting from a months’-long investigation. The lead agencies were the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) and DEA with assistance from ATF, HSI, FBI, USMS, USSS, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), MNPD, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP).
In United States v. Toliver, twelve defendants were charged with trafficking in fentanyl sourced from outside the United States as well as multiple federal firearms charges. Crossville has experienced a spike in the number of overdose deaths linked to fentanyl. Some of those overdoses are alleged to be connected to the trafficking activities of these defendants. The lead agencies were the FBI, TBI, and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from HSI, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and THP.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katy Risinger, Joshua Kurtzman and Emily Petro. AUSA Risinger is the Lead HSTF Attorney for the Nashville Homeland Security Task Force.
An indictment or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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South Bend Man Sentenced to 211 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On November 6, 2025, Denardo A. McCormack, 34 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Alwine was sentenced to 211 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, McCormack manufactured and packaged methamphetamine pills in a house in South Bend. On July 2, 2024, police executed a search warrant on the house and found McCormack alone inside, along with thousands of blue pills containing methamphetamine. Police recovered two pill presses, about 9.5 pounds of methamphetamine, nine loaded guns, and over $26,000 in cash.
“Denardo McCormack in effect converted this house into a drug-trafficking bunker, complete with a nearly ten-pound supply of meth, a ready supply of cash, and an arsenal with which to defend both,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “These are the tools of a dealer with no compunction about putting his entire community in danger. Thankfully, our partners in state, local, and federal law enforcement, working with the excellent prosecutors in our Office, ended this danger by bringing his case to a just result. They should all be commended for their efforts.”
“The arrest and prosecution of Denardo McCormack should serve as a loud message to anyone in north central Indiana who chooses to sell drugs and commit acts of violence,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke. “Law enforcement and prosecutors will work tirelessly and with zeal to silence the cruelty and evilness of their ways. The Drug Enforcement Administration and its partners, specifically in the St. Joseph County region, work exceptionally well together. Drug trafficking organizations in the region should know this is not the place to wreak havoc; they will be held accountable for their crimes. Today, Mr. McCormack would suggest the same.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, South Bend Police, Mishawaka Police, Indiana State Police, and St. Joseph County Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
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.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 211 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On November 6, 2025, Denardo A. McCormack, 34 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Alwine was sentenced to 211 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, McCormack manufactured and packaged methamphetamine pills in a house in South Bend. On July 2, 2024, police executed a search warrant on the house and found McCormack alone inside, along with thousands of blue pills containing methamphetamine. Police recovered two pill presses, about 9.5 pounds of methamphetamine, nine loaded guns, and over $26,000 in cash.
“Denardo McCormack in effect converted this house into a drug-trafficking bunker, complete with a nearly ten-pound supply of meth, a ready supply of cash, and an arsenal with which to defend both,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “These are the tools of a dealer with no compunction about putting his entire community in danger. Thankfully, our partners in state, local, and federal law enforcement, working with the excellent prosecutors in our Office, ended this danger by bringing his case to a just result. They should all be commended for their efforts.”
“The arrest and prosecution of Denardo McCormack should serve as a loud message to anyone in north central Indiana who chooses to sell drugs and commit acts of violence,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke. “Law enforcement and prosecutors will work tirelessly and with zeal to silence the cruelty and evilness of their ways. The Drug Enforcement Administration and its partners, specifically in the St. Joseph County region, work exceptionally well together. Drug trafficking organizations in the region should know this is not the place to wreak havoc; they will be held accountable for their crimes. Today, Mr. McCormack would suggest the same.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, South Bend Police, Mishawaka Police, Indiana State Police, and St. Joseph County Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
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.
Seven Charged in Multi-State Burglary Ring Targeting Asian Business OwnersRead the Press Release
A Colombian national made his initial appearance today after being arrested for his alleged role in a burglary ring that primarily targeted residents of Asian descent in Oregon and Washington.
Derinson Martinez-Grandas, 34, is one of seven individuals charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to transmit stolen property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in early October 2025, Martinez-Grandas and six co-conspirators burglarized homes in Oregon and Washington by traveling from state to state, staying in short-term rentals secured by Martinez-Grandas, identifying and surveilling potential burglary victims—who were all Asian business owners—and then performing reconnaissance on the victims’ residences.
The complaint and court documents allege that Martinez-Grandas and his co-conspirators employed signal jamming technology, perimeter countersurveillance, and seven-way group calls when carrying out their burglaries. They entered their victims’ homes by shattering glass doors. Once inside, they ransacked the residences, stealing large amounts of United States and foreign currency, jewelry, designer handbags, purses, wallets, travel documents, and other valuables. After the burglaries, the crew would return to their short-term rental and package the proceeds for transport, transfer, or transmittal.
Court documents allege that defendants first burglarized a home in Auburn, Washington on October 3, 2025, then burglarized a home in Eugene, Oregon, on October 6, 2025, and burglarized a third home in Salem, Oregon, on October 9, 2025. All were the homes of Asian business owners who were away working at their businesses. Between the Eugene and Salem burglaries, detectives with the Eugene Police Department became aware of the group’s movements and began surveillance. Following the burglary in Salem, detectives surveilled and identified that Martinez-Grandas and his co-conspirators returned to their rental in Eugene, which had been rented by Martinez-Grandas. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the rental that night.
Upon execution of the warrant, investigators recovered money and property believed to be burglarized from the various residences, digital devices believed to be used by the burglary crew, evidence of money wires to Bogota, Colombia, and various Colombian travel documentation, including passports. As officers went to execute the search warrant, the burglary crew fled into a nearby wooded area. After several hours, law enforcement eventually detained all seven individuals. Investigators later performed searches of the devices, which revealed additional evidence of the conspiracy, including sending and receiving burglary coordinates, surveillance communications, and shared messages containing messages highlighting the burglary targets from the preceding days.
“This multi-state operation deliberately targeted hardworking families and struck at the very core of personal safety – the victims’ own homes – instilling fear throughout multiple communities,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
“This robbery crew instilled fear and directed violence toward the hard-working small business owners who make this community special and unique,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “Working with our partners at Eugene Police Department, we were able to disrupt their acts and hold them accountable for their actions.”
“The District Attorney’s Office is solely interested in seeing these individuals held to account for the victimization of our community members,” said Lane County District Attorney Christopher J. Parosa. “We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in helping local law enforcement achieve that end.”
Martinez-Grandas made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
William Estiven Rodriguez-Gaviria, 26, a co-conspirator, made his first appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the District of Arizona. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Eugene Police Department with assistance from the Salem Police Department and the Auburn Police Department. It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, in coordination with the Lane County District Attorney’s Office.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
photos courtesy of the Eugene Police Department photo courtesy of the Eugene Police Department photo courtesy of the Eugene Police Department photo courtesy of the Eugene Police Department photo courtesy of the Eugene Police Department photo courtesy of the Eugene Police DepartmentPakistani national admits to evading cash reporting requirementsRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old man who ran a Houston area business has pleaded guilty to failing to report a more than $100,000 cash payment as required, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Asad Wali Kesaria unlawfully resided in Houston and operated Parts4Cells Inc. which bought and sold wholesale quantities of used cell phones.
On Aug. 14, 2024, the business received a $108,000 cash payment from Mexican customer “Celforb” that was intended for an order of cell phones. Kesaria personally handled the cash payment and confirmed the cash had been received.
The investigation revealed the money was proceeds from violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
Kesaria admitted he knew federal law requires businesses to report when they receive more than $10,000 in coins or cash. With intent to evade this reporting requirement, Kesaria caused the business to fail to report the $108,000 received.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake will sentence Kesaria Feb. 12, 2026. At that time, Kesaria faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Kesaria has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation along with police departments in Houston and Galveston with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and local police departments and sheriffs’ offices throughout the country.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman, Sherin Daniel and Leo J. Leo III are prosecuting the case.
Mexican citizen accused of firearm possession after visa overstay in HoustonRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old illegal alien from Mexico has been charged with possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Erik Guadalupe Ibarra Venegas, who had been illegally residing in Houston, has made his initial appearance in federal court and will remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 28, law enforcement responded to a report of a suspicious man pushing two bicycles and carrying tools in a cul-de-sac. Authorities found Venegas walking in the middle of the road, according to the charges. When asked, he denied having any weapons but lifted his shirt to reveal a firearm in his waistband, according to the complaint.
The charges further allege Venegas had no identification and provided a fake name, but fingerprint analysis later confirmed his identity.
Court documents allege Venegas had overstayed his visa and was unlawfully present in the United States. As a result, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
If convicted, Venegas faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Hedwig Village Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Smith and AUSA Byron Black are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Kyle Felon Pleads Guilty to Multiple Armed Robberies, Faces 24 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A convicted felon from Kyle pleaded guilty in a federal court in Austin Tuesday to three charges stemming from three armed robberies he committed in June and July.
According to court documents, Yael Williams Jr., 38, used a firearm during robberies at a Subway restaurant and two 7-11 stores in Austin over the summer. In the presence of store employees, Williams took cash and other property by force and by threatening the employees with a .22 caliber revolver. During his robbery of the Subway restaurant, Williams fired several shots at two bystanders, one of whom was attempting to intervene and prevent the robbery.
Williams pleaded guilty to one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He faces a mandatory minimum of 24 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas the announcement.
The Austin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case.
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Houston business owner admits to failing to pay over $1.6 million in taxesRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON - A former certified public accountant has pleaded guilty for failing to pay taxes withheld from employee wages, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Harry Lamar Curtis III was the owner of Information Advisory Group LLC, a cybersecurity and IT company based in Houston. As such, he was required to withhold and pay over all employment taxes withheld from employee paychecks. These included federal income taxes, FICA taxes and employer matching amounts.
As part of his plea, Curtis admitted that despite being trained as a CPA, he failed to file any business tax returns for IAG since 2016. He improperly withheld $1,647,142 over this time period that was due to the IRS.
Curtis also admitted he had not filed any individual tax returns for himself since 2008.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake will impose sentencing Feb. 12, 2026. At that time, Curtis faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray is prosecuting the case.
Former credit union manager sentenced to prison for decade-plus embezzlement schemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal judge sentenced a former Kansas credit union manager to 63 months in prison for stealing more than $750,000 from her long-time employer and substantially jeopardizing the safety and soundness of the financial institution.
According to court documents, Rita Hartman, 71, of Atchison pleaded guilty to one count of false entries in federal credit union records.
For 30 years, Hartman was the manager of Muddy River Credit Union (formerly Atchison Casting Credit Union and Bradken Federal Credit Union), which served the employees of a foundry located in Atchison, Kansas. Hartman’s position gave her control over all aspects of Muddy River’s finances. Between 2007 and 2021, she abused the trust that Muddy River granted her to steal approximately $346,000 in customer cash deposits. Hartman also fraudulently credited approximately $430,000 in deposits and loan payments to her or her relatives’ accounts when no payments or deposits had been made. Hartman concealed her conduct by altering ledgers and records and by falsifying information submitted to Muddy River’s regulators. She obstructed efforts to uncover her fraud by submitting fraudulent documents to regulators and delaying a mandated audit.
The defendant’s embezzlement wiped out Muddy River’s capital and rendered it insolvent, ultimately forcing a merger into another credit union to continue operations.
In 2013, the then-Governor of the State of Kansas appointed Hartman to the Kansas Credit Union Council, which advises the Kansas Department of Credit Unions on issues and needs of credit unions. Hartman is also a former mayor and city commissioner in Atchison. A federal judge ordered that during her imprisonment, all of Hartman’s state pension payments be directed towards the $778,361 in restitution she was ordered to pay as part of her sentence.
“For decades, Rita Hartman was a prominent, well-respected figure in Atchison, Kansas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Instead of living up to the high regard that people in the community had for her, she exploited their trust and used it to perpetuate her embezzlement scheme and line her pockets with stolen funds.”
“The defendant was entrusted with the fiscal responsibility of the credit union’s members. In using the money for her personal benefit, the defendant’s actions were a betrayal of that trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s longstanding commitment to working financial fraud investigations and to hold individuals accountable for their actions.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and Michelle McFarlane prosecuted the case.
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Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over Thirteen Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Daymon Maurice Collins, 52, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement, during four separate controlled drug transactions in 2023, Collins sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential source. After Homeland Security Investigations and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency discovered that Collins was working with others to threaten the person that he supplied narcotics to and that person’s family, law enforcement immediately prepared to arrest Collins. Shortly after, agents conducted a traffic stop and took Collins into custody. In connection with the investigation, agents also searched several residences where Collins was known to reside. At these residences, agents seized over 6,000 grams of methamphetamine, 302 grams of fentanyl, 33 grams of amphetamine, and 436 counterfeit fentanyl pills.
Other individuals involved with Collins were also prosecuted in the investigation. Kimberly Jackson, 51, of Thorsby, Alabama, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 120 months for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Collins was the source of supply for Jackson, who was engaged in selling methamphetamine.
Melvin Demarcus Jordan, 39, of Huntsville, Alabama, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2025. Jordan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Collins was the source of supply for Jordan, who was engaged in selling fentanyl.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
Coventry Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Exploitation and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Coventry man was sentenced today in federal court in Rhode Island for exploitation of a minor while producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Scott P. Hickey, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. to 30 years imprisonment. Hickey pleaded guilty in July 2025 to charges of possession and access with intent to view child pornography, exploitation of a minor, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to information presented to the court, in June 2019, Hickey was charged by way of indictment with possession and access with intent to view child pornography after law enforcement discovered 164 images of CSAM on his cellphone.
Documents filed in court also alleged that in 2023, while awaiting trial in that matter, Hickey exploited a minor female multiple times while live streaming and/or recording sexually explicit activity. Hickey was arrested on July 27, 2023. A forensic audit of his cellphone revealed at least 572 images of CSAM.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matters were investigated by FBI agents assigned to field offices in Providence, RI, and Washington, DC.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
To report suspected online child sexual exploitation and/or abuse, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline® at https://report.cybertip.org/
California Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Using Social Media to Sexually Exploit a Minor and Threatening to Share Sexual ImagesRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Red Bluff, California, man was sentenced to federal prison today for using social media to coerce a minor into sending him sexually explicit material.
Elijah McCabe, 27, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and a 15-year term of supervised release.
According to court documents, in September 2023, McCabe posed as a minor on social media to trick a minor victim into sending him sexually explicit photos. McCabe threatened to share those images to friends and family to coerce the victim into sending child sexual abuse material (CSAM) – an act known as sextortion. The victim’s family contacted the police after learning an associate of the minor victim had received CSAM of the victim.
On June 7, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at McCabe’s residence and found his cell phone floating in the tank of a toilet. McCabe was arrested after a search of his device found evidence of CSAM, specifically, the sexually explicit material McCabe coerced the victim to provide.
“We have a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable—our children. Child sexual exploitation has a devastating impact on victims, their families, and our communities. We will continue to work with our partners to find and hold these perpetrators accountable,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“While we count this sentencing as a success, it doesn't diminish the harm done to the victim, their family, and their friends,” said Doug Olson, FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge. “Our work will continue, and we will pursue those who prey on children, as well as to help victims of abuse access tools to help them heal.”
On September 19, 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging McCabe with Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor.
On August 5, 2025, McCabe pleaded guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland with assistance from FBI Sacramento. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember CSAM depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Business Owner Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Fraud and Money Laundering SchemesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Zaven Yeghiazaryan, 45, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 64 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $118,205.94 in restitution, and $151,300 in fines and assessments by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for fraud and money laundering schemes.
In August 2024, Yeghiazaryan was charged by indictment with conspiracy, health care fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. He pleaded guilty in May of this year.
As detailed in court filings, the charges arose from the defendant’s commission of fraud offenses targeting, among others, government programs, including through the use of shell companies and false identities, between January 2020 and April 2024.
Yeghiazaryan’s fraud targeted two government programs that offered relief during the Covid-19 pandemic: the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. In addition, the defendant admitted that he participated in a scheme to defraud Medicaid.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the State Department. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Curran and Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Bartow County felon who shot at police sentenced to decade in federal prisonRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. – Shane Jacquces Barfield, a multi-convicted felon and domestic abuser, has been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm that he shot at local law enforcement.
“Dangerous felons like Barfield forfeit the right to bear arms,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Barfield broke the law when he possessed and discharged a stolen gun, endangering the safety of police officers and bystanders alike. Thanks to the brave, on-scene efforts of the Cartersville Police Department and subsequent collaboration with the FBI, Barfield will now serve a significant sentence in federal prison without the possibility of parole.”
“Shane Barfield knew he was not supposed to be in possession of a gun, much less fire one, but he violated the law,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “His actions could have been deadly. Thankfully, no law enforcement nor citizens were hurt.”
“Not only was Barfield a threat to our officers that day, but a violent, convicted felon with an illegal firearm is a continual threat to our community,” said Cartersville Police Chief Frank McCann. “A threat that the Cartersville Police Department will not tolerate. We appreciate the FBI for their assistance, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their steadfast commitment to supporting the Cartersville Police Department in its public safety mission.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On September 17, 2023, Shane Barfield was driving through Cartersville, Georgia, with a stolen gun and methamphetamine in his vehicle. Barfield lost control of his vehicle, skidded through an intersection, and crashed into the side of the road. Bystanders called 911 to report the accident and told dispatchers that Barfield had walked away from his vehicle with a gun in his hand.
Barfield returned to his vehicle with the gun, and the Cartersville Police Department (CPD) responded shortly thereafter. Despite clear instructions to toss the firearm and exit his car, Barfield ignored law enforcement. As a CPD officer crossed in front of his vehicle, Barfield fired a shot. Three officers returned fire, striking Barfield’s vehicle multiple times. Officers then arrested Barfield and seized a spent 9mm casing, a stolen pistol, and methamphetamine from his vehicle. A federal investigation requested by CPD determined that the spent casing had been expelled from the stolen firearm.
On November 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II sentenced Shane Jacquces Barfield, 39, of Cartersville, Georgia, to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Barfield was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence on May 15, 2025, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cartersville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Terry prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
5 November 2025
Washington State Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Centralia, Washington, man pleaded guilty yesterday to damaging a Portland area energy facility.
Nathaniel Cheney, 31, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of damaging an energy facility.
According to court documents, on November 28, 2022, Cheney and others caused $26,000 of damage to the Sunnyside substation in Clackamas, Oregon, by damaging the control equipment necessary for the operation of the substation.
On March 12, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Cheney with damaging an energy facility.
Cheney faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on February 18, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Cheney has agreed to pay restitution in full as recommended by the government.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau Investigation with assistance from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Parakram Singh and Geoffrey Barrow, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
U.S. Arrests Five Fugitives Wanted by Germany for Massive Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The United States arrested five international fugitives at the request of the Federal Republic of Germany, which has charged the individuals for their roles in a network involving German payment service processors that defrauded thousands of victims of more than €300 million and created a shadow financial system in Germany. Pursuant to its treaty obligations, the United States located and arrested the fugitives in the Central District of California for ultimate extradition to Germany.
Four U.S. citizens residing in California — Medhat Mourid, of Woodland Hills, Andrew Garroni, of Los Angeles, Guy Mizrachi, of Agoura Hills, Ardeshir Akhavan, of Irvine — and Canadian National Tunde Benak, of Irvine, were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service and made their initial appearances in federal court today.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California, and Director Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service made the announcement.
Germany alleges that the fugitives defrauded victims in violation of German law by creating millions of recurring, fraudulent debit or credit card charges from fictitious merchants. According to German authorities, the defendants orchestrated a scheme in which they deliberately kept monthly charges on credit cards to below €50, to avoid suspicion among victims about the nature of the charges. These charges were linked to fictitious companies using fictitious websites that were only accessible via direct links or URL’s.
The operators of the network then colluded with German payment service processors – including their executives and compliance officers – to process these payments. Former employees and executives of German payment processors are among those arrested yesterday. German authorities allege that this complex scheme resulted in the creation of a shadow financial system in Germany.
In the United States, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), the U.S. government’s central authority in criminal matters, worked closely with German officials and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California to provide legal guidance and coordinate the successful arrest of the U.S.-based defendants. OIA participated in coordination meetings related to the takedown and worked directly with the German prosecutor to ensure Germany met U.S. legal requirements to arrest these fugitives with a view toward extradition.
The U.S. Marshals Service for the Central District of California arrested the fugitives in the United States contemporaneously with arrests and/or searches in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Cyprus, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore.
Three Chinese National scholars from University of Michigan laboratory charged for conspiring to smuggle biological materials into the U.S.Read the Press Release
DETROIT, Mich – Three research scholars from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were charged today in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States and for making false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. These are the latest charges in a long string of cases stemming from University of Michigan (UM) international research activities.
“Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will remain vigilant to threats like these from foreign nationals who would take advantage of America’s generosity to advance a malicious agenda.”
“Three Chinese nationals are charged with smuggling dangerous biological materials into the country and made false statements to law enforcement,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. “Thanks to our brave DHS law enforcement and the FBI, they no longer pose a national security threat. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are ensuring foreign criminals cannot abuse our visa programs to harm the American people."
“At some point, pattern becomes practice. And, apparently, these three men are part of a long and alarming pattern of criminal activities committed by Chinese Nationals under the cover of the University of Michigan. This is a threat to our collective security. We are thankful for the vigilance of our elite federal partners—ICE HSI, FBI, and CBP—as a counterweight against this threat,” said United States Attorney Gorgon.
Charged were Xu Bai, 28, Fengfan Zhang, 27 and Zhiyong Zhang, 30. Bai and F. Zhang were charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States and Z. Zhang was charged with making false statements to federal agents. All three men were research scholars holding J-1 visas who were conducting research at the UM laboratory of Xianzhong Xu, commonly referred to as the Shawn Xu laboratory.
According to the criminal complaint, in 2024 and 2025, Bai and F. Zhang were the recipients of multiple shipments containing concealed biological materials related to round worms which had been sent from the PRC to the United States by Chengxuan Han, a citizen of the PRC. Han was pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, PRC and in June 2025, traveled to the United States to work in the laboratory at UM. Han recently pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling and one count of false statements, was sentenced and then removed from the United States.
After Han’s arrest and removal from the United States, UM initiated an internal investigation into the Shawn Xu laboratory. All three defendants refused to attend a mandatory meeting or participate in the investigation and so were terminated. This termination made them eligible for removal by the Department of Homeland Security.
The defendants purchased airline tickets to depart the United States from Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to the PRC on October 20, 2025. On October 10, 2025, federal agents attempted to locate the defendants at their home and elsewhere but were unsuccessful. That same day, the defendants rebooked their flights for October 15, 2025. They also booked flights to the PRC departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport for 2:00 a.m. on October 16, 2025. The defendants did not cancel or show for their DTW flight on October 15, 2025. Defendants instead traveled to New York and attempted to board the early morning JFK flight to the PRC on October 16. During an inspection by CBP, Z. Zhang made false statements about Han. Bai and F. Zhang told CBP officers they had received packages from Han including after her arrest or removal from the United States.
"This case underscores the vital importance of safeguarding the American people and addressing vulnerabilities within foreign student and exchange visitor programs," stated acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. "Educational institutions must enhance their admissions procedures to prevent exploitation, which can pose risks to national security, as demonstrated in this instance. I commend the ICE HSI agents and officers who work tirelessly to protect our nation and uphold the rule of law every day."
"These charges show the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who violate our laws, and that academic research cannot excuse illegal activity," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "The Chinese nationals charged today allegedly were involved in smuggling biological materials into the U.S. on several occasions. The FBI and our partners are committed to defending the homeland and stopping any illegal smuggling into our country."
"ICE HSI remains steadfast in its mission to protect the homeland from malicious foreign actors," said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. "These cases impact both the safety of Michigan communities and our national security. Our agents, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, are dedicated to preventing our communities and educational institutions from being exploited against the American people."
"The actions taken by the FBI and law enforcement partners reflect our firm commitment to protecting the American people, defending the homeland and prioritizing national security,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will not tolerate any attempt to exploit our nation’s institutions, whether higher learning or otherwise, for unlawful purposes. We will continue to work with our partners at ICE HSI and CBP to ensure the safety and strength of Michigan and our nation.”
"This case exemplifies the critical role of collaboration among our federal partners in defending our national security interests,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “Foreign actors continue to seek ways to exploit vulnerabilities, including within our nation's higher education system to advance their agendas. I commend the tireless efforts of our officers and federal partners in identifying and neutralizing these threats to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.”
ICE HSI, the FBI, and CBP investigated this case with significant assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. It is the burden of the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Chinese National Scholars from University of Michigan Laboratory Charged for Conspiring to Smuggle Biological Materials into the U.S.Read the Press Release
Three research scholars from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were charged today in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States and for making false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. These are the latest charges in a long string of cases stemming from University of Michigan (UM) international research activities.
“Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will remain vigilant to threats like these from foreign nationals who would take advantage of America’s generosity to advance a malicious agenda.”
“At some point, pattern becomes practice. And, apparently, these three men are part of a long and alarming pattern of criminal activities committed by Chinese Nationals under the cover of the University of Michigan. This is a threat to our collective security. We are thankful for the vigilance of our elite federal partners—ICE HSI, FBI, and CBP—as a counterweight against this threat,” said United States Attorney Gorgon.
Charged were Xu Bai, 28, Fengfan Zhang, 27 and Zhiyong Zhang, 30. Bai and F. Zhang were charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States and Z. Zhang was charged with making false statements to federal agents. All three men were research scholars holding J-1 visas who were conducting research at the UM laboratory of Xianzhong Xu, commonly referred to as the Shawn Xu laboratory.
According to the criminal complaint, in 2024 and 2025, Bai and F. Zhang were the recipients of multiple shipments containing concealed biological materials related to round worms which had been sent from the PRC to the United States by Chengxuan Han, a citizen of the PRC. Han was pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, PRC and in June 2025, traveled to the United States to work in the laboratory at UM. Han recently pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling and one count of false statements, was sentenced and then removed from the United States.
After Han’s arrest and removal from the United States, UM initiated an internal investigation into the Shawn Xu laboratory. All three defendants refused to attend a mandatory meeting or participate in the investigation and so were terminated. This termination made them eligible for removal by the Department of Homeland Security.
The defendants purchased airline tickets to depart the United States from Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to the PRC on October 20, 2025. On October 10, 2025, federal agents attempted to locate the defendants at their home and elsewhere but were unsuccessful. That same day, the defendants rebooked their flights for October 15, 2025. They also booked flights to the PRC departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport for 2:00 a.m. on October 16, 2025. The defendants did not cancel or show for their DTW flight on October 15, 2025. Defendants instead traveled to New York and attempted to board the early morning JFK flight to the PRC on October 16. During an inspection by CBP, Z. Zhang made false statements about Han. Bai and F. Zhang told CBP officers they had received packages from Han including after her arrest or removal from the United States.
“This case underscores the vital importance of safeguarding the American people and addressing vulnerabilities within foreign student and exchange visitor programs,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “Educational institutions must enhance their admissions procedures to prevent exploitation, which can pose risks to national security, as demonstrated in this instance. I commend the ICE HSI agents and officers who work tirelessly to protect our nation and uphold the rule of law every day.”
“These charges show the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who violate our laws, and that academic research cannot excuse illegal activity,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The Chinese nationals charged today allegedly were involved in smuggling biological materials into the U.S. on several occasions. The FBI and our partners are committed to defending the homeland and stopping any illegal smuggling into our country.”
“ICE HSI remains steadfast in its mission to protect the homeland from malicious foreign actors,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “These cases impact both the safety of Michigan communities and our national security. Our agents, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, are dedicated to preventing our communities and educational institutions from being exploited against the American people.”
“The actions taken by the FBI and law enforcement partners reflect our firm commitment to protecting the American people, defending the homeland and prioritizing national security,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will not tolerate any attempt to exploit our nation’s institutions, whether higher learning or otherwise, for unlawful purposes. We will continue to work with our partners at ICE HSI and CBP to ensure the safety and strength of Michigan and our nation.”
“This case exemplifies the critical role of collaboration among our federal partners in defending our national security interests,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “Foreign actors continue to seek ways to exploit vulnerabilities, including within our nation's higher education system to advance their agendas. I commend the tireless efforts of our officers and federal partners in identifying and neutralizing these threats to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.”
ICE HSI, the FBI, and CBP investigated this case with significant assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Third suspect arrested and charged along with two current defendants for conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and having firearms that would be used to commit an act of terrorism on behalf of ISISRead the Press Release
DETROIT, Mich. – Today, the FBI arrested a third defendant, Ayob Nasser, 19, of Dearborn, Michigan, in connection with the alleged ISIS terrorism case from earlier this week against other two Dearborn men, Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud. All three were charged in the amended complaint with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS—a radical Islamic terror group that has repeatedly killed Americans. All three are also charged with having firearms that would be used to commit an act of terrorism on behalf of ISIS. The amended complaint adds to the already chilling allegations of their radical Islamic terror plot involving AR-style rifles, shotguns, handguns, and other tools for a tactical assault.
“We will not stop. We will follow the tentacles where they lead. We will continue to stand guard with the FBI against terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
"FBI Detroit and its Joint Terrorism Task Force will continue to investigate, arrest, and disrupt all attempts or plots to do harm to our residents or to anyone within the United States,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Nothing will stop us from working with our law enforcement partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, to accomplish our mission of defending the homeland and upholding the constitution.”
The investigation is ongoing.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A copy of the amended complaint can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi under News or click here
Ringleader sentenced in multimillion-dollar fraud operation which saddled victims with crushing debtRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON – A 62-year-old California resident has been ordered to federal prison for leading a sweeping mortgage and loan fraud scheme that defrauded businesses, banks, mortgage lenders and government programs out of millions of dollars, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Steven Tetsuya Morizono aka Jeff Lucian, Mission Viejo, California, pleaded guilty March 5 to 34 counts to include conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, mortgage fraud and conspiracy to make false statements to the Federal Trade Commission and obstruction of an official proceeding.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has sentenced Morizono to a total of 121 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Morizono recruited his brother-in-law, Albert Lim aka Ted Chen, 56, Mission Viejo, California, and longtime friend David Best, 62, Anaheim, California, to participate in the scheme. Together, they operated through a company called Jeff Funding, which carried out a nationwide fraud involving falsified loan applications, shell companies, straw buyers and fraudulent credit repair services connected to numerous homes in Spring.
In handing down the sentence, the court described Morizono’s conduct as “deeply troubling and absolutely corrupt.” Restitution will be determined at a later date.
“This wasn’t just paperwork fraud, this was a calculated and opportunistic nationwide scheme designed to manipulate mortgage lenders, banks and people with poor credit histories, for personal gain,” said Ganjei. “These criminals exploited every opportunity — from banks to the housing market to the pandemic – to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers, banks, and honest Americans.”
“The sentencings in this case send a clear message that mortgage fraud will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General. “Those who defraud the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, put our housing finance system at risk. FHFA-OIG is proud to work with the Southern District of Texas and our investigative partners to diligently pursue and bring to justice those commit these crimes.”
The group had recruited individuals with poor credit scores, falsely reported identity theft to inflate their credit histories and submitted fraudulent pay stubs to secure personal loans. Once the loans were approved, Morizono and others skimmed the proceeds, leaving clients burdened by unmanageable debt.
They also used straw buyers to acquire homes, collecting millions in rent and pandemic-era assistance while failing to pay the mortgages which resulted in foreclosures.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group expanded their fraud to target federal relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, submitting hundreds of falsified applications.
The conspiracy, which dates back to 2017, has led to the convictions of 17 individuals, including mortgage brokers Heather Campos and Kimberli Ann Tomman, Spring, and multiple straw buyers.
Campos, 46, and Best, 62, fled after indictment, but authorities arrested them in Utah.
Campos acted as a recruiter and mortgage broker for the scheme and managed the Jeff Funding office in Spring. She was sentenced to 94 months. Lim, who acted as the bookkeeper and created fake documents for the scheme, received a sentence of 84 months, while Best was ordered to serve a 60-month-term of imprisonment for setting up numerous shell companies and acting as a straw buyer on numerous properties.
Morizono, Campos, Lim and Best have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FHFA-OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS – Criminal Investigation, Small Business Administration - OIG, Department of Housing and Urban Development – OIG and Federal Trade Commission – OIG. U.S. Marshals Service and FBI assisted in apprehending fugitives along with police departments in South Jordan, Riverton and Herriman, Utah; Colorado City/Hilldale, Arizona; and Virginia State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh and Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.
Nowata Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Sexual Abuse and Two Counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, a federal jury convicted Kaleb Scott Smith, 34, of Nowata and a member of the Osage Nation, of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country.
In September 2024, a 14-year-old told a parent that Smith had sexually abused her. She also showed her parents a photo taken with Smith. The minor victim's parents testified that they contacted local law enforcement to report the incident, showed the photo to law enforcement, and provided the 14-year-old’s cellphone for search. The photo presented to the jury showed the 14-year-old cuddling with Smith under a blanket. Smith’s arm is wrapped around the child, and his hand is resting on her upper thigh.
When the minor victim testified, she stayed overnight with Smith’s 14-year-old daughter while Smith was celebrating his birthday in July 2024. The minor victim said that Smith flipped the waistband of her clothing and touched her butt. The next morning, Smith showed the 14-year-old a photo of himself naked in front of a mirror.
Witness testimony from Smith’s daughter and the minor victim described a second incident. They stated that Smith rented a hotel room at a casino with two beds. While in the room, both witnesses described lying on a bed to watch social media videos, and Smith laid with them. Smith was cuddling with the minor victim under a blanket and began rubbing his crotch on her back. The victim moved to the second bed. Smith followed her and rubbed his crotch against her butt.
During a third incident, Smith’s daughter, the minor victim, and their 14-year-old friend stayed the night at his house in September 2024. All three girls testified about the evening. Smith was with the minor victim in his bedroom with the door closed. The friend heard giggling and opened the bedroom door. She saw Smith on top of the minor victim in bed, felt uncomfortable, and closed the door. Later that night, Smith asked the minor victim to come back to his bedroom. After going back to the bedroom, evidence and trial testimony showed that Smith sexually abused the minor. A few days after the abuse, the minor victim told her friend what happened. A DNA expert confirmed that Smith’s bodily fluids and the minor victim’s DNA were found together on his bed.
When law enforcement interviewed the friend about the incident in September, she further disclosed that Smith had been inappropriate with her on several occasions. When she was 13 years old, Smith would make comments about her body and slap her butt. After turning 14, Smith made comments about her while she was in a towel and touched her breast.
Smith is a member of the Osage Nation and was taken into custody pending sentencing at a later date.
The Bartlesville Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Hockenbury and Matthew Cyran 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
New Jersey Man and Washington Man Charged with Conspiracy and Attempt to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man and a Washington man were charged with conspiracy and attempt to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (“ISIS”), Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Tomas-Kaan Jimenez-Guzel, 19, of Montclair, New Jersey and Saed Ali Mirreh, 19, of Kent, Washington were each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy and one count of attempt to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Jimenez-Guzel previously, on November 5, 2025, had his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa, and was detained. Mirreh also had his initial appearance in federal court the same day before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michelle L. Peterson, and was detained.
According to statements made in court and documents filed in the case:
From July 24, 2025 to November 4, 2025, through communications on encrypted messaging applications, Jimenez-Guzel, Mirreh, and other co-conspirators agreed to travel to Turkey in November 2025. They also agreed with other co-conspirators to travel from Turkey to “sham,” which is an Arabic term for the historical region of greater Syria, to join ISIS as fighters, and to provide themselves and others as personnel to ISIS.
On October 27, 2025, Jimenez-Guzel purchased a plane ticket to depart from Newark Liberty International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey on November 17, 2025. On October 28, 2025, Mirreh purchased a ticket to depart from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey November 16, 2025.
After other individuals in Dearborn, Michigan, with whom Jimenez-Guzel and Mirreh were communicating were arrested on October 31, 2025, and charged with offenses related to those individuals’ plot to carry out an armed attack on behalf of ISIS, Jimenez-Guzel, Mirreh, and their co-conspirators accelerated their travel plans.
On November 3, 2025, Jimenez-Guzel re-booked his flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey to leave instead on November 5, 2025 (in the early morning hours, shortly after midnight on November 4, 2025). Then, on November 4, 2025, after communicating with Jimenez-Guzel and other co-conspirators, Mirreh booked an additional flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey to leave on November 5, 2025. Jimenez-Guzel was arrested at Newark Liberty International Airport on November 4, 2025 after he arrived for his booked flight. Mirreh was arrested later that evening at his home in Washington State.
The counts of conspiracy and attempt to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization each have a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of life of supervised release.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited Special Agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, New Jersey and Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington in Seattle, Washington; and officers of the New York Police Department, Montclair Police Department, and Rowan University Police Department. He also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Camila A. Garces of the National Security Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorneys James Donnelly, Patrick Cashman, and John Cella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel for Jimenez-Guzel: Alyssa Cimino, Esq.
Defense counsel for Mirreh: Dawn Farina, Esq. and Casey M. Arbenz, Esq.
LaPorte Woman Fined $6,000Read the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On November 5, 2025, Karen K. Graf, 72 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to theft on the high seas, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor
Graf was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay a $6,000 fine.
According to documents in the case, Graf was on a cruise ship in international waters sailing from Hawaii to San Diego when she stole a ring valued at $65,900 from a jewelry store on board the cruise ship. About a week later, the ring was found by authorities in Graf’s luggage when she was disembarking from the cruise ship.
“This case illustrates the commitment of the federal government to prosecute crimes occurring outside the United States but within its special maritime and territorial jurisdiction—and, in particular, crimes that occur on the high seas,” said Proctor. “We thank our law enforcement partners from other districts who collaborated in the investigation of this case.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and the Port of San Diego Harbor Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.
Former U.S. Postal Service employee pleads guilty to stealing Treasury checks and committing PPP fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Former mail carrier Vershun Weaver has pleaded guilty to stealing U.S. Government treasury checks from recipients on his U.S. Postal Service mail route and fraudulently obtaining a pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
"Weaver abused his position and undermined the work of honest public servants,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Citizens should have absolute confidence that their mail is being handled, and delivered, by carriers of impeccable integrity. We will continue to work with our federal partners to root out and hold accountable government employees who compromise their integrity and violate the public’s trust.”
“This case sends a strong message to any U.S. Postal Service employee who decides to violate the public’s trust in this manner,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “Our special agents, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate these federal crimes to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail and maintain the public’s trust.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2023, Vershun Weaver worked as a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service. In July 2023, a postal employee who borrowed Weaver’s mail delivery truck found Weaver’s wallet and turned it in to a supervisor. The supervisor looked inside the wallet for identification and saw two U.S. treasury checks addressed to customers on Weaver’s delivery route. One check was for approximately $2,500, and the other was for $1,500.
During a subsequent investigation, federal agents located in Weaver’s personal vehicle several additional pieces of mail addressed to other victims on Weaver’s delivery route. Agents also discovered that Weaver had fraudulently obtained a PPP loan. To support his application for the loan, Weaver submitted a fake income tax document that he knew had not been filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Weaver spent the proceeds of his PPP fraud on clothes and other personal items that were prohibited under the terms of the pandemic relief loan.
Vershun Weaver, 33, of Atlanta, Ga., pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with making a false statement to the Small Business Administration and two counts of theft of mail by a Postal Service employee. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General with valuable assistance from the Small Business Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne A. Brown, Jr. is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Department of Justice established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the Department’s resources in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Communication HarassmentRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Jackson Traylor, 27, of Dania Beach, Florida, pled guilty to one count of utilizing a telecommunications device without disclosing his identity with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to public filings, between July 9, 2024, and April 10, 2025, Traylor — using a series of different phone numbers — sent more than 10 Antisemitic and harassing messages to a Jewish individual who is originally from Maryland.
Messages included, “Go burn in an oven like your ancestors”, “Burn in a god damn oven . . . . Stupid jew”, and “Hey Jew, been a while since we spoke. Let me burn you alive like your ancestors. Hail Hitler.”
Traylor faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for January 16, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sarma who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Fiber laser expert convicted by a federal jury of economic espionage and theft of trade secretsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - A federal jury has convicted Ji Wang, 63, of Painted Post, NY, of two counts of economic espionage, one count of theft of trade secrets, one count of attempted economic espionage, and one count of attempted theft of trade secrets. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, together with U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York, announced the verdict.
“This conviction demonstrates the importance of protecting trade secrets developed in the United States, especially those with military applications,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “My office will continue pursue and prosecute those that steal such information.”
“Yesterday, a federal jury found Wang guilty of stealing sensitive defense research from his employer and attempting to use it to pursue personal profit at the expense our national security. We are committed to combating economic espionage and holding accountable those who disregard our export-control laws and the security of U.S. technology,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “This verdict reaffirms that such betrayals of trust will not go unpunished.”
“This conviction underscores the FBI’s dedication to exposing those who steal U.S. trade secrets for foreign benefit,” said Philip Tejera, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “Any theft of valuable intellectual property is a threat to American businesses. When stolen trade secrets stand to benefit a foreign economic rival; it threatens our national security. The FBI remains committed to investigating individuals who trade American security for their own selfish greed.”
“The Bureau of Industry and Security remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and industry partners to prevent the unlawful transfer of sensitive technologies,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Carson.
Wang was born in China and immigrated to the United States in 1998 to work for Corning Incorporated. Between 2002 and 2007, Wang was assigned to work on a joint research and development project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (“DARPA”) and Corning. The goal of the 5-year, $11.4 million project was to develop optical fibers for high-powered lasers with military and commercial applications. DARPA and Corning aimed to increase the power of fiber lasers by more than a factor of 1000. DARPA sought to develop this technology to create laser weapons capable of shooting down drones and missiles.
On or about July 1, 2016, Wang stole hundreds of files that contained non-public data generated during the DARPA project, including trade-secret manufacturing technology that would have enabled him to fabricate all manner of specialty optical fibers, including for fiber lasers.
Ten days before Wang stole the trade secret files, he had applied for China’s Thousand Talents Plan Award. The Thousand Talents Plan Award was an initiative by the Chinese government aimed at people who were born in China and immigrated to the United States, to study or work in science and technology fields. The Thousand Talents Plan Award incentivized these people to return to China by promising millions of dollars of investment to award recipients who returned to China. Two months after Wang stole the trade secret files, he was selected to receive a Thousand Talents Plan Award.
Wang was negotiating with Chinese government entities to start a specialty fiber business in China from at least 2014 through 2017. Wang was negotiating to receive tens of millions of dollars in investment from Chinese government entities, who would have been shareholders in his new venture. Wang’s business plans showed that he was planning to use the stolen trade-secret files to start this business in China. Wang’s business plans also touted the military applications of the technology. In one such business plan, which Wang submitted to a Chinese government entity, he advertised that specialty fibers “can also be installed on military vehicles,” including “tanks.” Wang claimed that such use of the technology on military vehicles could “be key to deciding victory or defeat.” Ultimately, law enforcement disrupted Wang’s efforts before he was able to start a new business and exploit the technology he stole.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting under the direction of Special Agent In-Charge Philip Tejera, and Special Agents of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office acting under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Carson. Additional assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan K. McGuire of the Western District of New York and Trial Attorneys Nicholas Hunter and Brendan Geary of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
Economic espionage carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and theft of trade secrets carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for April 15, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., who presided over the trial.
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Fiber Laser Expert Convicted by Federal Jury of Economic Espionage and Theft of Trade SecretsRead the Press Release
A federal jury has convicted Ji Wang, 63, of Painted Post, N.Y., of two counts of economic espionage, one count of theft of trade secrets, one count of attempted economic espionage, and one count of attempted theft of trade secrets. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, together with U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York, announced the verdict.
“Yesterday, a federal jury found Wang guilty of stealing sensitive defense research from his employer and attempting to use it to pursue personal profit at the expense our national security,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “We are committed to combating economic espionage and holding accountable those who disregard our export-control laws and the security of U.S. technology. This verdict reaffirms that such betrayals of trust will not go unpunished.”
“This conviction demonstrates the importance of protecting trade secrets developed in the United States, especially those with military applications,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “My office will continue pursue and prosecute those that steal such information.”
Wang was born in China and immigrated to the United States in 1998 to work for Corning Incorporated. Between 2002 and 2007, Wang was assigned to work on a joint research and development project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (“DARPA”) and Corning. The goal of the 5-year, $11.4 million project was to develop optical fibers for high-powered lasers with military and commercial applications. DARPA and Corning aimed to increase the power of fiber lasers by more than a factor of 1000. DARPA sought to develop this technology to create laser weapons capable of shooting down drones and missiles.
On or about July 1, 2016, Wang stole hundreds of files that contained non-public data generated during the DARPA project, including trade-secret manufacturing technology that would have enabled him to fabricate all manner of specialty optical fibers, including for fiber lasers.
Ten days before Wang stole the trade secret files, he had applied for China’s Thousand Talents Plan Award. The Thousand Talents Plan Award was an initiative by the Chinese government aimed at people who were born in China and immigrated to the United States, to study or work in science and technology fields. The Thousand Talents Plan Award incentivized these people to return to China by promising millions of dollars of investment to award recipients who returned to China. Two months after Wang stole the trade secret files, he was selected to receive a Thousand Talents Plan Award.
Wang was negotiating with Chinese government entities to start a specialty fiber business in China from at least 2014 through 2017. Wang was negotiating to receive tens of millions of dollars in investment from Chinese government entities, who would have been shareholders in his new venture. Wang’s business plans showed that he was planning to use the stolen trade-secret files to start this business in China. Wang’s business plans also touted the military applications of the technology. In one such business plan, which Wang submitted to a Chinese government entity, he advertised that specialty fibers “can also be installed on military vehicles,” including “tanks.” Wang claimed that such use of the technology on military vehicles could “be key to deciding victory or defeat.” Ultimately, law enforcement disrupted Wang’s efforts before he was able to start a new business and exploit the technology he stole.
“Mr. Wang stole sensitive technology that Corning, Inc. and DARPA spent millions of dollars developing so he could line his own pockets and help our adversaries undermine U.S. national security,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “For years, China’s government has waged a vast economic espionage campaign designed to put our nation at risk and American companies out of business. This conviction makes clear that the FBI and our partners will continue to hold accountable anyone looking to steal U.S. innovation for our enemies.”
“The Bureau of Industry and Security remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and industry partners to prevent the unlawful transfer of sensitive technologies,” said Jonathan Carson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting under the direction of Special Agent In-Charge Philip Tejera, and Special Agents of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office acting under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Carson. Additional assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan K. McGuire of the Western District of New York and Trial Attorneys Nicholas Hunter and Brendan Geary of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
Economic espionage carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and theft of trade secrets carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for April 15, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., who presided over the trial.
Essex County Man Charged with Transmitting Threats to Jewish Individuals and a California-Based BusinessRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County Jersey man was charged with making interstate threats to Jewish individuals and to a California-based business, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Milo Sedarat, 21, of Montclair, New Jersey, was charged with two counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Sedarat previously, on November 5, 2025, had his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa, and was detained.
According to statements made in court and documents filed in the case:
In numerous direct messages on a social media platform, Sedarat expressed his hatred towards Jewish people and his desire to kill them. Specifically, on January 15, 2025, Sedarat stated through direct message to another individual, “I hate Israel more than anything - [a]nd the people who support or sympathize - [b]ro my moms Jewish friends r brainwashing her . . . into being a Zionist . . . I wanna kill her friends [l]ike deadass . . . I’m gonna stab them with my sword.” Sedarat also sent photographs to the individual via the social media platform depicting himself holding a sword, holding a knife, and holding two swords.
On July 24, 2025, Sedarat texted another individual, “[b]ro, I’m actually gonna go strap a bomb to my chest and go blow up [California-based company] headquarters.” The California-based company is an online platform headquartered in Palo Alto, California where businesses can hire freelancers to perform a variety of services, such as writing, graphic design, web development, marketing, and other online work. Sedarat appeared to claim in the text conversation that the California-based company “stole my money and income” by closing his account.
The counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce each have a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited Special Agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, New Jersey and officers of the New York Police Department and Montclair Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey S. Smith, Sammi Malek, and Vincent D. Romano of the National Security Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel for Sedarat: Areeb Salim, Esq.
Atoka Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vet Sentrel Colbert, age 43, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm punishable by up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Colbert with knowingly possessing a 9mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol on August 3, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Colbert will remain out on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
4 November 2025
Two Arrested in Connection with Explosion on Harvard Medical School CampusRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Massachusetts men have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to damage a building on Harvard Medical School’s (HMS) campus using a large commercial firework.
Logan David Patterson, 18, of Plymouth, Mass.; and Dominick Frank Cardoza, 20, of Bourne, Mass., are each charged with one count of conspiracy to damage, by means of an explosive, the Goldenson Building at Harvard Medical School. The defendants were arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the charging documents, at approximately 2:23 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2025, surveillance cameras located at Huntington Avenue and Longwood Avenue in Boston captured two males – allegedly later identified as Patterson and Cardoza – walking toward the HMS campus wearing face coverings and dark clothing. Surveillance video captured the defendants allegedly lighting what appeared to be roman candle fireworks at approximately 2:24 a.m.
According to the charging documents, at approximately 2:33 a.m., the defendants were allegedly seen climbing over a chain-link fence into a construction area surrounding the Goldenson Building and, minutes later, climbing scaffolding beside the building to access the roof. At approximately 2:45 a.m., campus police received an alert of a fire alarm from an explosion on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building, which houses a research laboratory within HMS’s Department of Neurobiology. It is alleged that, between 2:45 and 2:50 a.m., security footage captured the defendants visiting the fifth floor of the building before exiting via a first-floor emergency exit and fleeing in opposite directions.
Investigators determined that an explosive – believed to have been a large, commercial firework – detonated within a wooden locker in the fourth-floor research laboratory. Analysis of the explosive is ongoing.
It is alleged that, at approximately 2:57 a.m., Cardoza was captured on surveillance video sitting on a bench, removing his pants and placing them in a garbage bin.
It is further alleged that, beginning at approximately 3:09 a.m., surveillance footage at the nearby campus of Wentworth Institute of Technology captured Patterson intermittently running between buildings, attempting to enter a residential campus building before being let in by a passerby and charging his phone near an attendant’s desk within that building. Shortly thereafter, at approximately 3:23 a.m., Patterson could allegedly be seen talking on his cell phone.
Thereafter, at approximately 3:40 a.m., surveillance video allegedly showed Patterson exiting the building to meet up with Cardoza and a third individual. It is alleged that at 3:49 a.m., after unsuccessfully attempting to enter an adjoining residential campus building, the three are seen walking toward the Massachusetts College of Art and Design campus. There, surveillance footage allegedly captured Patterson, Cardoza and the third individual walking along Huntington Avenue. In the video, Patterson has allegedly removed his sweatshirt as well as his sweatpants and is seen stuffing his sweatpants into his shorts. Cardoza is allegedly seen still wearing a dark hooded jacket and black sneakers with only shorts or boxer shorts.
According to the charging documents, witnesses allegedly stated that Patterson and Cardoza were visiting Wentworth College for Halloween social activities.
The investigation remains ongoing.
The charge of conspiracy to damage, by means of fire or an explosive, provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Denis Downing, Interim Chief of the Harvard University Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston, Bourne and Plymouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Seaside Woman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Theft of Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Seaside, Oregon, woman pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $567,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED).
Tamara Fulmer, 47, pleaded guilty today to one count of Theft of Government Benefits.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and October 2021, Fulmer used the personal information of 27 individuals to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits (UI benefits).
Based on Fulmer’s misrepresentations, OED paid out $567,930 in UI benefits. Fulmer deposited at least 236 UI checks totaling $68,773 into her own personal account and cashed many of the UI checks at a gas station in Seaside without the applicant’s knowledge or permission.
OED paid Fulmer an additional $13,353 after she submitted her own fraudulent UI application where she falsely claimed she had not applied for or received disability despite receiving disability payments since 2004.
On February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Fulmer with Theft of Government Property.
Fulmer faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced on February 18, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Fulmer has agreed to forfeit the proceeds from her criminal activity and pay $581,283 in restitution as recommended by the government.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to over 7½ Years in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Shawn Eubanks, 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 92 months in prison and two years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson for possession of a firearm by a felon.
The defendant was charged by indictment with that offense in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in May.
As detailed in court filings, at approximately 1 a.m. on July 2, 2024, two officers with the Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) were outside the 39th District building at West Erie Avenue and West Hunting Park Avenue, when they heard a single gunshot from about a block away. Both officers drove towards the sound of the shot in their police vehicles and observed two males fighting on the 2100 block of West Hunting Park Avenue.
As the officers arrived, the two men separated and one of them, later identified as the defendant, started running toward a residence on that block. One of the officers noticed that Eubanks was carrying a firearm in his right hand and yelled out, “Gun!”
Eubanks ran up the steps of a nearby residence, opening the screen door and then the rowhome’s front door, with one of the police officers close behind. The officer saw the defendant swing his right arm to the right, as Eubanks stepped into the home’s enclosed porch area. Eubanks continued through another doorway and into the living room, where he sat down on a sofa.
The PPD officers followed Eubanks as he entered and observed Eubanks sitting on the couch with his hands on his knees. One of the officers handcuffed Eubanks while looking around him for a firearm, and asked Eubanks, “Where’s the gun? Where’s the gun?” Eubanks replied, “What gun?”
After escorting Eubanks out to a waiting police car, one of the officers began looking around the porch area and observed a firearm laying on top of a trash bag on the floor. The gun, collected as evidence, was determined to be a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol with serial numbers obliterated. Eubanks was not permitted to possess the firearm, due to his status as a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Vehicle Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Elinson Camacho, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $455,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for wire fraud and related charges arising from a scheme to sell cars to victims and then steal the vehicles back.
Camacho was charged by indictment in May 2024 with 18 counts of wire fraud and pleaded guilty to all counts in February of this year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from about December 9, 2021, to July 24, 2022, Camacho and others devised a scheme to defraud Victim 1 and Victim 2. As part of the scheme, Camacho would arrange for vehicles to be rented and then arrange for those vehicles to be offered for sale on the internet, with the false claim that they would be sold with clear titles.
After the victims paid for the vehicles, Camacho and others would then steal the cars back, using vehicle key fobs that they had retained.
In December 2021, Camacho and the co-schemers caused a rented 2021 Toyota 4Runner Sport to be posted for sale online. They communicated and later met with Victim 1, who paid Camacho and a co-schemer $24,000 in cash for the vehicle. The next day, Camacho and the co-schemers caused the 4Runner to be stolen from its parking space outside Victim 1’s residence.
In July 2022, Camacho and the others repeated the scheme, renting and posting for sale online a 2022 Honda CR-V. They communicated and later met with Victim 2, who paid Camacho and two others $15,000 in cash and $4,000 by check to purchase the CR-V. Two days later, Camacho and the co-schemers caused the CR-V to be stolen from Victim 2’s residence.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Northampton Township Police Department, and the Towamencin Township Police Department, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney S. Chandler Harris.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Jason Rice, age 64, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The Indictment alleged that on January 18, 2025, Rice possessed a .38 Special caliber revolver in furtherance of a drug crime, specifically possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, marijuana, and methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okmulgee Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rice will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
North Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Production ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A North Providence man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for production of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Larry W. Albino, 52, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography. He will be sentenced on February 3, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to charging documents, on September 16, 2024, a Rhode Island State Police Detective assigned to the ICAC Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an IP address, later determined by the Detective to belong to Albino’s residence, was used to upload ten files depicting the abuse of a pre-pubescent child. Further investigation revealed that that the location where the videos were recorded matched images of rooms recently displayed in an online property rental listing where Albino resides.
As related in court documents and information presented to the court, on September 17, 2024, members of the ICAC Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Albino’s residence and immediately recognized that some of the furnishings of rooms inside Albino’s residence matched those depicted in the videos of child sexual abuse, and that sandals worn by the defendant at the time officers arrived matched those worn by the abuser in some of the videos.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
Mexican gang member sentenced for illegally acquiring multiple firearmsRead the Press Release
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.
LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old member of the Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos gang has been sentenced for orchestrating a straw-purchasing scheme that funneled dozens of firearms to a Mexican cartel, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias, Laredo, pleaded guilty March 20.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Covarrubias to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Covarrubias’s central role in directing the scheme, the number and type of weapons involved and his decision to flee the United States while on bond. The court also heard about allegations involving Covarrubias to include the killing of a man at a bar he owned before fleeing to Mexico.
Between 2018 and July 2021, Covarrubias organized an operation to illegally acquire at least 50 firearms. He instructed family members to visit federally licensed firearms dealers, photograph available weapons and purchase specific firearms and ammunition using his funds. They then delivered the weapons to Covarrubias, despite his prohibition under federal law from possessing firearms due to his status as a convicted felon.
Following a dispute with a Mexican cartel in 2021, a deal was struck to spare his life in exchange for cash and several items to include his long rifles. After they were delivered, Covarrubias arranged for the filing of a false report claiming that 10 AK-style and 20 AR-style rifles had been stolen from his ranch.
Authorities identified inconsistencies in the claim and questioned its authenticity but did determine that at least 23 rifles purchased for Covarrubias could not be located. Among those was a .50 caliber rifle valued at $10,000.
Covarrubias then attempted to move the remaining weapons in his possession. On Aug. 25, 2021, he and others moved firearms from his residence to other locations. Law enforcement discovered three additional firearms wrapped in sheets and hidden in Covarrubias’s backyard.
After his arrest in August 2021, Covarrubias was permitted release upon posting bond. He then fled to Mexico where law enforcement there took him into custody on unrelated charges. He was returned to U.S. authorities Feb. 21.
Covarrubias will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ATF conducted the investigation with assistance from Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day prosecuted the case.
Maryland Felon Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Machine Gun in Connection with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Donzell Lernard Campbell, 44, of Laurel, Maryland, to 110 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On February 27, 2024, Campbell pled guilty to federal possession of a machine gun, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of ammunition charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Scott Brecht of the U.S. Park Police (USPP).
According to court documents, on December 11, 2021, USPP received a call about a disabled vehicle on the Baltimore Washington Parkway. Upon arrival on the scene, law enforcement approached a silver Infiniti stopped in the left travel lane. Law enforcement encountered Campbell, who appeared to be under the influence of PCP, in the vehicle.
Then Campbell took off at a high rate of speed, so the officers decided to deactivate their emergency equipment and did not engage in a chase. Shortly after, law enforcement found Campbell’s vehicle after he crashed into two other vehicles, causing injuries to the occupants in both vehicles and seriously injuring himself.
Law enforcement recovered a serialized semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine and 26 rounds of ammunition in Campbell’s crashed vehicle. Additionally, law enforcement discovered 60 pills, which appeared to be oxycodone, crack cocaine in Campbell’s pockets and a scale. Campbell has an extensive felony record, including distribution of CDS, and felony assault on an officer.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and the USPP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo who is prosecuting the federal case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Assault on Corrections OfficersRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the National Security Division of the Department of Justice announced today that Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, 27, of Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty to offenses related to a 2020 attack on correctional officers at the United State Penitentiary Allenwood.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, Bahnasawy was an inmate at USP Allenwood who, on December 7, 2020, attacked two corrections officers using a weapon made from part of a steel desk in his cell. Bahnasawy stabbed one officer in the head and face, and, when a second responded to assist, Bahnasawy stabbed her in the hand.
The first officer eventually lost his right eye as a result of the attack. When Bahnasawy was restrained, a note was found in his sock that read, “This is a terrorist attack for the Islamic State.” A pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) was also found taped to the inside of a locker door in Bahnasawy’s prison cell. Today, Bahnasawy pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault, assault with intent to commit murder and possession of contraband inside a prison, as well as providing material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
At the time of the attacks at USP Allenwood, Bahnasawy was serving a sentence for his role in plotting a mass-casualty terrorist attack in New York City on behalf of ISIS. Bahnasawy, a then-20-year-old Canadian citizen and resident, plotted with Talha Haroon and Russell Salic to conduct bombings and shootings in heavily populated areas of New York City during the Islamic holy month of Ramadhan in 2016, all in the name of ISIS.
An undercover FBI agent (UC) infiltrated the co-conspirators’ terrorist plot, posing as an ISIS supporter prepared to join in the attacks. The FBI arrested Bahnasawy in May 2016 after he traveled from Canada to the New York City area in preparation for the attacks, and he has been in custody since that time.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey MacArthur and Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorney Jessica L. Joyce prosecuted this case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 130 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Individual Charged with Assault on Federal Officers by Accelerating U-Haul Truck Toward Coast Guard PersonnelRead the Press Release
OAKLAND—Brendan Munro Thompson, aka Bella Thompson and Bella Castillo, 26, was charged by criminal complaint with the federal crime of assaulting federal officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon by accelerating a U-Haul truck as it approached several United States Coast Guard (USCG) personnel on October 23, 2025. Thompson’s initial appearance in federal district court took place this morning.
According to the complaint and court documents filed on October 30, 2025, and unsealed today, on the night of October 23, USCG personnel were standing guard on the bridge connecting Coast Guard Island with Oakland. Coast Guard Base Alameda is located on Coast Guard Island, a small island on an estuary separating Alameda and Oakland, and can be accessed via the bridge. At the time, demonstrators had congregated near the eastern end of the bridge, protesting the potential deployment of U.S. Department of Homeland Security personnel to conduct enforcement of U.S. immigration law in San Francisco.
The complaint alleges that at approximately 10:00 p.m. on October 23, Thompson drove a 10-foot-long U-Haul truck onto the eastern part of the bridge. Thompson then backed the truck onto the bridge, with its rear end facing toward Coast Guard Island. Several USCG personnel were positioned in a line across the bridge. As the truck reversed towards the USCG personnel, they backed away toward a USCG law enforcement vehicle parked on the bridge. The truck stopped and started several times and then accelerated rapidly backward towards the USCG personnel. As the U-Haul gained speed, USCG personnel shouted orders to the driver to stop.
The U-Haul accelerated towards USCG personnel to an estimated 15 to 20 feet, causing USCG personnel to fear the possibility that the truck would strike them or their colleagues, or that it contained explosives or had an explosive device. When the driver did not stop and continued to rapidly accelerate backward toward the line of USCG personnel, USCG personnel defensively fired their weapons at the U-Haul truck.
Thompson drove away in the U-Haul and later received medical treatment for a non-life-threatening gunshot injury sustained during the incident.
“As alleged, Thompson drove a U-Haul truck directly into a line of Coast Guard personnel who were protecting the Coast Guard base, as they bravely do day in and day out. Let this be clear: there is zero tolerance for assault on federal officers or property, and those who do so will face federal criminal charges,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
“The FBI stands firmly with our federal law enforcement partners and will always work to protect those who protect our communities,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. “Attempting to use a truck to assault federal officers performing their lawful duties is not protest, it is a violent and serious federal crime. Federal officers must be able to carry out their mission without fear of violence, and we will continue to support efforts to ensure that anyone who commits violence against them is held fully accountable under the law.”
Thompson will next appear in federal district court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore for a status on detention and preliminary hearing on November 10, 2025.
A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by the Oakland Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Thompson Complaint