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18 September 2025
Alexandria man convicted of repeat child sexual abuse material chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A district court judge yesterday convicted a prior sex offender of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on supervised release.
“Following his previous conviction for child sexual abuse material, Antonio Gonzalez knew what he was doing was illegal and knew the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of embracing a respect for the law and the vulnerable lives it protects, Gonzalez returned to his previous crimes with no regard for those harmed by sexual exploitation. We will tirelessly prosecute anyone engaging in these detestable crimes, and we will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to reform.”
“This defendant continued to sexually exploit children online while on court-ordered supervision, following an earlier conviction for similar conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts and enduring dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, this defendant has been held accountable for his continued exploitation of children and now faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in April 2024, law enforcement began investigating Antonio Rudy Gonzalez, 41, for distributing CSAM on Kik, a mobile-based messaging platform. Gonzalez sent images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to multiple other Kik users. In 2013, Gonzalez was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of distribution of child pornography.
Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of fifteen years and up to 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema delivered the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe and Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-213.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
George Ostertag, 38, of Rawlins, Wyoming, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Jan. 24, 2024, Ostertag was pulled over for a traffic violation. A K9 drug dog alerted to controlled substances in the car and a subsequent search uncovered a 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number wedged between the driver’s seat and the center console. Prior to this incident, Ostertag was convicted of a felony and unable to legally possess a firearm. The Wyoming Highway Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Ostertag was indicted on May 16, 2024, and pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 9, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00084
Drug and Firearm Offenses
Barry Joe Barrera, 41, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 152 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and use of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) began investigating Barrera in December 2024 on suspicion of distributing methamphetamine. Throughout the investigation, agents made controlled purchases, including purchasing firearms and observed Barerra traveling to and from Colorado to replenish his supply of methamphetamine. On January 9, 2025, as Barrera and two others were returning from Colorado, the Wyoming Highway Patrol attempted a traffic stop in Converse County. The driver fled and a pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, someone tossed a bag of methamphetamine out the window, which law enforcement recovered. Wyoming DCI and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie R. Morrison prosecuted the case. Barrera was arrested on complaint Feb. 27 and pleaded guilty on May 9. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 11 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00074
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Juan Olvera-Venegas, 35, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States upon completion of his sentence. According to court documents, on May 16, the defendant was arrested in Goshen County for possession of a controlled substance. Fingerprints taken at the time of detention indicated Olvera-Venegas is a citizen of Mexico and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted. They determined that Olvera-Venegas had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed multiple times beginning in 2013. The records also indicated a lengthy criminal record accompanying each deportation. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Sept. 11 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00097About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
56th Defendant Pleads Guilty in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Today, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, age 65, became the 56th defendant to plead guilty in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“On the very day we secured our 56th conviction in the Feeding Our Future fraud cases, we have also brought the first wave of charges in the Housing Stabilization fraud scheme,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “I am proud of the extraordinary work of our prosecutors, federal agents, and law enforcement partners who are working around the clock to expose these crimes. But the truth is they should not have to. Minnesota deserves better.”
Jesow was one of eight defendants charged in United States v. Hassan, et al., 22-cr-224 (NEB/DTS). This group, the S&S Catering group, purported to run food program sites, including on Lake Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The group worked together to steal and then launder $17.4 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program money that was meant to feed hungry children during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Today, Jesow pled guilty before District Judge Nancy E. Brasel to money laundering for his role in the scheme. Jesow had been set to proceed to trial before Judge Brasel on October 14, 2025. One defendant now remains in that trial.
Jesow operated a Federal Child Nutrition Program site called Academy For Youth Excellence. Academy For Youth Excellence purported to run a site and serve meals out of Benadir Hall, a banquet hall located above S & S Catering. Benadir Hall was listed on the site application for Academy For Youth Excellence that scheme leader Aimee Bock submitted to MDE on December 30, 2020. Academy For Youth Excellence contracted with S & S Catering to act as a vendor to provide the food that the site was to serve or deliver to children under the federal food program.
Beginning in December 2020, Jesow and his co-conspirators claimed to serve approximately 2,500 meals a day to children, seven days a week. By April 2021, Jesow and his co-conspirators claimed to serve approximately 5,000 meals a day to children, seven days a week. As Jesow knew, these numbers were grossly inflated. In support of their false claims, Jesow’s co-conspirators prepared and submitted fraudulent meal counts, attendance rosters, and invoices.
In total, during the period between December 2020 to September 2021, Academy For Youth Excellence claimed to have served more than 1.7 million meals. In reality, Academy for Youth Excellence only provided a fraction of those meals. Based on these claims, Jesow’s co-conspirators received $4,286,088 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, Jesow received approximately 5% of that amount, and then returned the bulk of it to the co-conspirators in cash or check payments, laundering the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs, Daniel W. Bobier, and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.
17 September 2025
Wounded Knee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Committing Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Wounded Knee, South Dakota, convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Anfernee Rondeau, 28, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in May 2025.
Evidence offered at trial established that on the evening of April 4, 2024, Rondeau, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s 6-year-old daughter returned home after an evening of drinking. Both adults were intoxicated. Rondeau, his girlfriend, and the child went into a bedroom. A short while later, a 13-year-old witness heard the child crying. When the 13-year-old went to check on the child, she observed Rondeau on top of the child. Rondeau’s pants were partially unzipped and pulled down. The child’s pants and underwear were pulled down. The 13-year-old witness acted heroically and pushed Rondeau off the child. The 13-year-old wrapped the child in a blanket and carried her to another family member inside the house. Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety law enforcement responded and arrested Rondeau.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Rondeau was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Violent felon sentenced to 10 years for possessing firearms, body armor following parole violationRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison, and upon release, will serve three years on supervised release for possessing multiple firearms and body armor as a felon.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2024, an arrest warrant for a parole violation was issued for George Romero, 37. Romero was on parole for a 2006 felony State conviction for murder, assault and robbery.
On June 6, 2024, law enforcement officials located Romero at a residence in Fairbanks and observed Romero walking around the residence and loading camping gear into a vehicle. The vehicle departed the residence with Romero and drove to a nearby intersection, where Romero began unloading the camping gear. Romero was wearing a camouflage poncho, had multiple bags and began to carry the supplies toward the tree line.
Law enforcement officers deployed to apprehend Romero. SWAT officers called out verbal instructions and Romero complied with most orders before he was arrested. Law enforcement searched his person and found body armor, multiple firearms, handgun magazines and loose ammunition. They also found another pistol in the bag he was carrying.
On Nov. 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Alaska indicted Romero for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for being a violent felon in possession of body armor. On April 4, 2025, a jury convicted Romero on all charges. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized the need to protect the community from Romero’s actions.
“Mr. Romero is a violent felon who repeatedly disregards the law and remains a serious threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Fortunately, the recent interaction with law enforcement did not escalate, and this sentence ensures the community will be safeguarded from the defendant for another decade. This sentence reflects the gravity of his crime and sends a strong message that those who illegally possess firearms and related supplies—especially individuals with violent histories—will face severe federal penalties.”
“George Romero has consistently demonstrated defiance to authority and a lack of respect for the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Romero, a convicted felon, armed himself with multiple firearms, ammunition and body armor and fled to avoid arrest for a parole violation. FBI Anchorage will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to keep our communities safe.”
“George Romero has a long and violent history, and his decision to arm himself with multiple firearms and body armor while on parole showed once again the threat he posed to Alaskans,” said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. “This sentence ensures that he will no longer endanger our state. The Alaska State Troopers remain committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold violent offenders accountable and ensure public safety across our great state.”
The Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks Area Narcotics Team (FANT), FBI Anchorage Field Office, Fairbanks Resident Agency and ATF Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek and Trial Attorneys from the Antitrust Division, David Bernhardt and Lauren Weed prosecuted the case.
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United States Files Suit Against California-Based Health Plan for Alleged False Claims to California’s Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act in a lawsuit against Local Initiative Health Authority for Inland Empire Health Plan doing business as Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), a California Local Initiative Health Plan based in Rancho Cucamonga, California. IEHP contracted with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to arrange for the provision of health care services to Riverside County and San Bernardino County residents under Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. The government’s complaint alleges that IEHP violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to Medi-Cal and knowingly retaining overpayments.
“The Medicaid program provides critical health care services,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s complaint demonstrates our continued commitment to protect the integrity of the Medicaid program, and the taxpayer dollars that support it, from health insurers that knowingly seek to divert program funds for their own financial benefit.”
“Today’s lawsuit against IEHP shows our steadfast commitment to hold accountable insurers that brazenly compromise the Medicaid system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “We will take every measure to restore integrity and accountability to the Medicaid system and ensure that patient care – not financial gain – is the primary focus of our health care system.”
Beginning in January 2014, Medi-Cal was expanded to cover the previously uninsured “Medi-Cal Expansion” population: adults between the ages of 19 and 64 without dependent children with annual incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The federal government fully funded the expansion coverage for the first three years of the program. Under its contractual arrangement with DHCS, IEHP received funding to serve the Medi-Cal Expansion population. If IEHP did not spend at least 85% of those funds on “allowed medical expenses,” IEHP was required to pay back to the state the difference between 85% and what it actually spent. California, in turn, was required to return that amount to the federal government.
The United States’ complaint alleges that IEHP developed schemes to misuse surplus Medi-Cal Expansion funding, falling into two broad categories: (1) sham incentive programs and (2) an extra-contractual retroactive rate increase. Through these schemes, IEHP misspent Medi-Cal Expansion funding for impermissible purposes, including spending on administrative expenses, other patient populations, and simply giving away federal funding in exchange for no value in return. The complaint further alleges that IEHP was motivated by a desire to conserve its other funding, thus enriching itself.
The complaint alleges that, to make the spending appear legitimate, IEHP deceived the state by making false statements — which it knew would be relayed to the federal government — about the nature, timing, and purpose of its payments to providers. For example, IEHP internally admitted it was giving providers “free money” but asserted to DHCS that the payments were part of a metric-based incentive program rewarding providers with good performance. IEHP also disguised payments for consultants and technology services as incentive payments by funneling those payments through providers and backdated spending to fall during earlier time periods. According to the United States’ complaint, those payments allegedly were not “allowed medical expenses” permissible under the contract between DHCS and IEHP.
The United States’ pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800‑HHS‑TIPS (800-447-8477).
This case is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, in coordination with the California Department of Justice and with valuable assistance from HHS-OIG and DHCS.
The United States is represented in this matter by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Mary Beth Hickcox-Howard and Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Desmond Jui and Jack D. Ross for the Central District of California.
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
United States Files Lawsuit Against San Bernardino County-Based Health Plan for Alleged False Claims to California’s Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act in a lawsuit against Local Initiative Health Authority for Inland Empire Health Plan doing business as Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), a California Local Initiative Health Plan based in Rancho Cucamonga.
IEHP contracted with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to arrange for the provision of health care services to Riverside County and San Bernardino County residents under Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program.
The government’s complaint alleges that IEHP violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to Medi-Cal and knowingly retaining overpayments.
“Today’s lawsuit against IEHP shows our steadfast commitment to hold accountable insurers that brazenly compromise the Medicaid system,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “We will take every measure to restore integrity and accountability to the Medicaid system and ensure that patient care – not financial gain – is the primary focus of our health care system.”
“The Medicaid program provides critical health care services,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s complaint demonstrates our continued commitment to protect the integrity of the Medicaid program, and the taxpayer dollars that support it, from health insurers that knowingly seek to divert program funds for their own financial benefit.”
Beginning in January 2014, Medi-Cal was expanded to cover the previously uninsured “Medi-Cal Expansion” population: adults between the ages of 19 and 64 without dependent children with annual incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The federal government fully funded the expansion coverage for the first three years of the program. Under its contractual arrangement with DHCS, IEHP received funding to serve the Medi-Cal Expansion population. If IEHP did not spend at least 85% of those funds on “allowed medical expenses,” IEHP was required to pay back to the state the difference between 85% and what it actually spent. California, in turn, was required to return that amount to the federal government.
The United States’ complaint alleges that IEHP developed schemes to misuse surplus Medi-Cal Expansion funding, falling into two broad categories: (1) sham incentive programs and (2) an extra-contractual retroactive rate increase. Through these schemes, IEHP misspent Medi-Cal Expansion funding for impermissible purposes, including spending on administrative expenses, other patient populations, and simply giving away federal funding in exchange for no value in return. The complaint further alleges that IEHP was motivated by a desire to conserve its other funding, thus enriching itself.
The complaint alleges that, to make the spending appear legitimate, IEHP deceived the state by making false statements—which it knew would be relayed to the federal government—about the nature, timing, and purpose of its payments to providers. For example, IEHP internally admitted it was giving providers “free money” but asserted to DHCS that the payments were part of a metric-based incentive program rewarding providers with good performance. IEHP also disguised payments for consultants and technology services as incentive payments by funneling those payments through providers and backdated spending to fall during earlier time periods. According to the United States’ complaint, those payments allegedly were not “allowed medical expenses” permissible under the contract between DHCS and IEHP.
The United States’ pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800 HHS TIPS (800-447-8477).
This case is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, in coordination with the California Department of Justice and with valuable assistance from HHS-OIG and DHCS.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorneys S. Desmond Jui and Jack D. Ross of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Fraud Section Trial Attorney Mary Beth Hickcox-Howard.
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
U.S. District Court Appoints Craig H. Missakian as United States Attorney for the Northern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has approved the appointment of Craig H. Missakian as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg administered the oath of office to U.S. Attorney Missakian this afternoon.
Mr. Missakian has been serving in the position of United States Attorney since May 27, 2025, following his appointment for 120 days by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546.
“I am grateful to the judges of the Northern District of California for their decision and for the opportunity to continue working with the talented women and men of this Office to serve the people of this remarkable district. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is entrusted with the important responsibilities of protecting our communities and upholding the rule of law, and our commitment to the mission remains deep and unwavering,” said United States Attorney Missakian.
As the United States Attorney, Mr. Missakian serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Northern District of California, home to nearly nine million residents in 15 counties spanning from Del Norte in the north to Monterey in the south, more than 300 public companies centered in Silicon Valley, and three major metropolitan areas in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Seeks Potential Victims in Case Against St. Louis Doctor and StaffRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – In July of 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri announced that a federal grand jury charged physician David A. Parks, clinical manager and clinical research coordinator James M. Bilderback, and front desk assistant Michelle J. Scheer with crimes related to the clinic at which they worked, located at 3960 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis. The indictment alleges that from at least July 6, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2021, the three conspired to knowingly and intentionally prescribe controlled substances outside of the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The conspiracy’s goal was to maximize their patient population and, in turn, their profit, the indictment says. Parks and Bilderback, the indictment alleges, also conspired to defraud Medicare, Missouri Medicaid and private health insurers by billing them for claims for services that falsely and fraudulently identified Parks as the provider, including at times when Parks was out of the country.
On August 15, 2025, U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Bodenhausen issued an order directing the government to employ alternative victim notification procedures so that any member of the community who believes they may be a crime victim is made aware of their potential rights.
The government is asking members of the community who believe they may be a victim of illegal prescribing of controlled substances or fraudulent billing practices by Dr. David A. Parks, James Bilderback or Michelle Scheer to please email USAMOE.Victims@usdoj.gov to reach the Victim-Witness Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri.
Former patients of Parks or their families may still be facing the aftermath of illegal prescribing of controlled substances or fraudulent billing practices. The victim-witness program provides information, services and support to individuals during federal prosecutions.
Case updates will be provided on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr. Please also be aware of these free, confidential resources that may be of assistance:
- Always call 911 if it’s a life-threatening emergency.
- To find supportive services, dial 2-1-1 to call United Way. Operational hours are 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. If you call after hours, please leave a message. Phone calls will be returned the next business day. 2-1-1 provides information and referral service that connect people to vital community, health and social services provided by a range of nonprofit, government and tribal agencies.
- SAMHSA has a national helpline to assist with finding behavioral health support or substance use management at 800-662-HELP (4357), TTY: 800-487-4889, or online at https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/. Calls are manned 24/7 and are routed to the DHSS Division of Behavioral Health during DHSS operational hours.
- Help is available 24/7 through Missouri's Crisis Hotline (https://dmh.mo.gov/behavioral-health/treatment-services/specialized-programs/crisis-services), 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you or someone you know is in a mental health, suicide or substance use crisis; reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or the 988 Lifeline Chat.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
- Always call 911 if it’s a life-threatening emergency.
Two now in custody for international kidnappingRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 30-year-old Lumberton resident is set for a detention hearing following his arrest for kidnapping two minor children and taking them to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities have taken Luis Angel Rodriguez into custody. He made his initial appearance and is set for a detention hearing Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker.
Carolina Rodriguez is also charged and remains in custody. Law enforcement arrested her in June.
The indictment, returned in August, alleges that on or about Sept. 1, 2024, Carolina and Luis Angel Rodriguez kidnapped two children, both under the age of 16, and took them to Mexico.
Authorities also located the children and have reunited them with their guardians.
If convicted, Luis and Carolina Rodriguez face up to three years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Legat Mexico City, Monterrey Sub-office and San Juan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Multiple DeportationsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two Mexican nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after multiple prior deportations have been sentenced to prison.
David Gonzalez-Castillo, 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro to two years in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Gonzalez-Castillo had been removed from the U.S. four times before: in March 2009, July 2009, and twice in August 2009, after encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas and the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona.
In October 2024, ICE learned that Gonzalez-Castillo had been arrested by the Coatesville (Pa.) Police Department. ICE officers took the defendant into custody in March of this year, after he was convicted of simple assault in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas. Gonzalez-Castillo was charged by federal indictment with illegal reentry in April and pleaded guilty in May.
Saul Lopez Rodriguez, 32, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to six months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Lopez Rodriguez had previously been removed from the country four times, including in November 2012, December 2012, and March 2013, after encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. In March 2016, the U.S. Border Patrol encountered the defendant in New Mexico. He was arrested, charged by information with illegal reentry in the District of New Mexico, pleaded guilty, and was removed from the country in April 2016.
In July 2024, ICE became aware that Lopez Rodriguez had been arrested by the Norristown (Pa.) Police Department, with the defendant subsequently pleading guilty to reckless driving. ICE took him into custody in June of this year, after law enforcement encountered him during a traffic stop. Lopez Rodriguez was charged by information with illegal reentry in July and pleaded guilty the same month, waiving prosecution by indictment.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Francis Weber and Erica Kivitz.
Two Florida Men Charged for $34.8M Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed Friday charging two Florida men for their roles in a scheme to submit approximately $34.8 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary products. As part of the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators targeted thousands of Medicare beneficiaries and, through deceptive telemarketing, persuaded them to accept medical equipment that they did not need, such as orthotic braces and continuous glucose monitors.
“The defendants are alleged to have perpetuated a scheme that involved the submission of $34.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary medical equipment,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “That money, which came from American taxpayers, was intended to benefit Americans in need of medical care. Friday’s arrests send a clear message to those who would defraud our healthcare system: the public fisc is not your private purse, and we will aggressively prosecute those that steal from benefit programs.”
“Greed-fueled fraud schemes, like billing for medically unnecessary medical equipment, are a threat to both taxpayer-funded health care programs and patients alike,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate such allegations to hold fraudsters fully accountable.”
“The harm done by these actors cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “The FBI will continue to pursue those who seek to damage our healthcare system and defraud everyday Americans seeking aid."
According to court documents, Kenneth Charles Kessler III, 42, of Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 42, of Broward County, Florida, are charged in connection with their ownership and operation of seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida. Kessler and Gomez are accused of paying illegal kickbacks and bribes to purported marketing companies that targeted thousands of Medicare beneficiaries with deceptive and aggressive telemarketing campaigns. The indictment alleges that these marketing companies obtained the beneficiaries’ personally identifiable information and arranged for purported telemedicine companies to generate doctors’ orders for unnecessary medical equipment. Kessler and Gomez allegedly used these doctors’ orders to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare through their network of DME companies.
Kessler and Gomez are both charged with conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, two counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to offer and pay health care kickbacks, and two counts of offering and paying kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program. If convicted, Kessler and Gomez each face up to 65 years in prison. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Aisha Schafer-Hylton and Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tohono O’odham Man Indicted on Multiple Charges Involving Minor VictimRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 4-count indictment against Allman Rivas, 36, of Menagers Dam, located on the Tohono O’odham Nation, for Attempted Coercion and Enticement, Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors, and Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion, and Sexual Extortion.
Pursuant to the complaint and indictment filed in this case, between June 26, 2025, and July 19, 2025, Rivas sent multiple Facebook messages to a minor victim to entice her to go to his residence for sexual encounters. During this period, Rivas also sent the minor victim photographs of his genitals. At one point, Rivas offered to pay back a small loan to the minor victim if the minor victim engaged in oral sex. Finally, when the victim refused to engage in sexual acts with Rivas, Rivas threatened the minor victim to coerce them to engage in sexual contact or sexual intercourse. Rivas is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation.
A conviction for Attempted Coercion and Enticement carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison with a maximum term of life. A conviction for Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and a conviction for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison with a maximum term of life. Finally, a conviction for Sexual Extortion carries a term of imprisonment of between 5 and 15 years. Each conviction also carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
“Protecting our youth from sexual offenders is one of the highest priorities of this office,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “These crimes are among the most serious we prosecute because they target the most vulnerable members of our community. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who attempt to exploit children.”
"Safeguarding all children from violence, coercion and exploitation is a top priority for the FBI," said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. "The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state, local, tribal, and law enforcement partners to identify, prioritize and investigate anyone who seeks to harm the most vulnerable among us."
The Tohono O’odham Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Alessandra C. Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-03845-RM (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-150_Rivas# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Three Philadelphia Correctional Officers, Their Former Supervisor Charged in Connection with Violation of Inmate’s Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three correctional officers and their former supervisor were arrested and charged by indictment, in connection with the violation of an inmate’s constitutional rights and an attempt to cover it up.
Jahaan Andrews, 34, Oneil Murray, 31, and Mumin Hart, 43, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were correctional officers (“C.O.s”) at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (“CFCF”). Georgia Malloy, 58, also of Philadelphia, was a lieutenant with the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”) and the officers’ supervisor at CFCF.
The indictment alleges that, on or about October 6, 2020, Andrews detained Inmate 1, a pretrial detainee, in a holding room, purportedly because Inmate 1 was wearing the wrong color jumpsuit. Andrews, Murray, and Hart, along with C.O. Ronald Granville, charged elsewhere, and another C.O. subsequently removed Inmate 1 from the holding room and escorted him to his cell, to conduct a strip search of Inmate 1 and have him change into the correct jumpsuit.
The indictment further alleges that, once inside Inmate 1’s cell, the group of correctional officers ordered Inmate 1 to strip. Andrews, Murray, Hart, and Granville then punched, kicked and assaulted Inmate 1 numerous times, knocking him to the ground. As a result of the assault, Inmate 1 was hospitalized with injuries to his face, ribs, and scrotum, and had to undergo emergency surgery.
After any use of force by a C.O. against an inmate, PDP correctional officers who used force, and those who witnessed another C.O. use force, were required to complete reports about what happened, prior to the end of their shift.
The indictment alleges that, from about October 6, 2020, to October 31, 2020, the four defendants and Granville conspired to falsify records, with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation and proper administration of a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI.
As alleged, Andrews, Murray, and Hart wrote their use of force reports about the October 6 incident, and Malloy her investigation report, so that they exaggerated the aggressiveness of Inmate 1 and disclosed as little of the true nature of the force the C.O.s used against him as they believed was necessary, to avoid scrutiny of their conduct by their superior officers and others. The reports also falsely claimed that Granville did not use force in the October 6, 2020, incident.
All four defendants are charged with conspiracy.
Andrews is also charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, two counts of falsification of records, and making a false statement to the FBI.
Murray is also charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of falsification of records.
Hart is also charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and falsification of records.
Malloy is also charged with two counts of falsification of records.
If convicted, Andrews faces a maximum possible sentence of 70 years of incarceration, Murray a maximum possible sentence of 65 years of incarceration, and Hart and Malloy a maximum possible sentence of 45 years of incarceration.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Michael Miller.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Thomas Encil Blake Sentenced to 228 Months in Prison for Receiving and Producing Child Pornography with ToddlersRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Thomas Encil Blake, age 28, of Brownstown, Michigan, was sentenced today to 228 months in prison by Judge Laurie J. Michelson for production of child pornography and receipt of child pornography, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon announced today. Blake received 60 months in prison for receipt of child pornography, which will be served concurrent to his 228-month sentence for producing child pornography with a six-year-old.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Matthew Stentz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations-Detroit.
Local law enforcement became aware of Blake in 2023 after the father of a 13-year-old girl found nude images of an adult man on his daughter’s phone. Local law enforcement reported the incident to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who identified Blake as living in Southeast Michigan. In February 2024, HSI executed a search warrant at Blake’s residence and discovered numerous devices containing over 8,000 images and over 6,000 videos of child pornography, including files depicting infants, toddlers, and bestiality. When interviewed by HSI, Blake admitted to downloading and sharing child pornography via social messaging applications.
Blake frequently babysat for individuals close to him, including children who were between approximately 5 and 6 years old. HSI later found videos and images on Blake’s iPhone that depicted Blake committing sex acts over and on top of the children while they slept.
“This wicked man produced the vilest materials. He committed appalling crimes against little children that were entrusted to his care. And then he was ensnared by the work of his hands. We are thankful for the justice that was delivered through this court,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said.
“We will hold sexual predators accountable for the torment they inflict on innocent children,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “Our HSI special agents will continue to investigate crimes of exploitation in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. We are working everyday toward justice for the victims and survivors of these crimes wherever they may be.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Zurek and Ann Nee. Restitution matters are being handled by Jessica Nathan.
Texas Mexican Mafia Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Crystal City man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 180 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Mario Zavala, 39, was convicted for organized criminal activity with the Texas Mexican Mafia in August 2013. On Nov. 6, 2024, he was arrested on a warrant and admitted to possessing a loaded .40 caliber pistol in his residence. Additionally, Zavala had maintained his ties to the Texas Mexican Mafia and continued to distribute narcotics—namely cocaine and methamphetamine.
Zavala was indicted for one count of felon in possession of a firearm on Dec. 4, 2024, and he pleaded guilty March 5, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the court proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case.
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Stillwater Man Sentenced After Being Convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Stillwater man was sentenced today after being convicted by a federal jury for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Flint Donavan Luster, 37, to 70 months imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release.
According to evidence presented at trial, Luster was pulled over by a Tulsa County Sheriff’s deputy for a traffic violation in September 2023. The deputy discovered that the truck Luster was driving was stolen, and he was taken into custody. Upon searching the truck, deputies found a puzzle box that contained 437 grams of methamphetamine inside.
During the trial, law enforcement testified to a previous search warrant conducted on Luster's home. During that search, law enforcement found evidence that supported that Luster was distributing drugs, such as scales, firearms, cash, and additional methamphetamine. Further evidence presented at trial showed that Luster was buying methamphetamine in Tulsa and distributing it in smaller areas.
Luster will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Payne County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Bailey and Attila Bogdan prosecuted the case.
Stamford Man Charged with Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw today announced that BRANDON TURNER, also known as “Bizz,” 31, of Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with fentanyl and cocaine trafficking offenses.
Turner, who had been detained in state custody for unrelated offenses, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Stamford Police Department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit identified Turner as a narcotics distributor. In July 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Turner. On April 21, 2025, employees of an apartment complex where Turner had been employed as a maintenance worker found a tool bag in a storage room that contained approximately 790 grams of fentanyl and one kilogram of cocaine. The investigation, which included a review of surveillance camera and the use of DNA analysis, determined that Turner had placed the bag in the storage room. A related court-authorized search of Turner’s vehicle revealed additional quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.
The complaint charges Turner with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis man who fraudulently obtained more than $629,000 in pandemic relief loans to 27 months in prison and ordered him to repay the money.
Shahron Vaulx, 41, submitted eight fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications between May 2020 and June 2021, “essentially stealing money intended for those struggling with the pandemic,” a sentencing memo says. The applications, submitted in the names of Fortunnett Financial LLC, SD Incorporation LLC, SV Collections LLC and SD Marketing LLC, contained false information about monthly payroll and the number of company employees. Vaulx submitted fake tax forms to support the payroll and income claims, which were falsely inflated to increase the amount of the loans.
After the loans were approved, Vaulx withdrew cash, transferred money to others, made personal retail purchases and paid bills with the money. He later applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that he used the loans on permissible business expenses.
“The only explanation for (Vaulx’) crime is greed,” the sentencing memo says, citing his substantial positive monthly cash flow and gross monthly income of $25,000 at the time of his crimes.
Judge Clark ordered Vaulx to repay $629,809.
“This case highlights the United States Secret Service’s commitment to aggressively target individuals who have taken advantage of federal pandemic programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Gibson of the U.S. Secret Service - St. Louis Field Office.
Vaulx pleaded guilty in January to two counts of wire fraud.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwen Carroll and Stephen Casey prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Felon Found Responsible for Detainee’s Fentanyl Overdose, Sentenced to 157 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a felon caught with a gun to 157 months in prison after finding him responsible for supplying the fentanyl that caused a fatal overdose in 2024.
Alantae Garner, 31, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in June to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Nov. 17, 2023, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted him in the driver’s seat of a stolen 2019 Kia Rio. When officers approached, Garner walked away, then ran before being detained. Police found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun in his bag. Garner admitted owning the gun and said he bought the Kia for $500.
Garner was arrested on the federal charge on July 25, 2024. During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, evidence and testimony showed that while awaiting his first appearance in court, he supplied fentanyl to another detainee, who overdosed in a holding cell. Deputy U.S. Marshals attempted to revive the victim, but he later died at a hospital.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke prosecuted the 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.
Rhode Island Business Owner Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a “virtual CFO” business from Rhode Island was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for laundering tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from internet fraud schemes by creating shell companies and opening fraudulent business bank accounts.
Craig Clayton, 75, of Cranston, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Clayton was also ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution. In May 2025, Clayton pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of obstruction of justice. In February 2023, Clayton was arrested and charged by criminal complaint.
From 2019 to 2021, Clayton and others used his accounting and “virtual CFO” business, Rochart Consulting, as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the conspiracy, Clayton founded shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which he laundered the proceeds of internet fraud schemes on behalf of his foreign-based clients. In total, Clayton laundered more than $35 million. Clayton also instructed his foreign-based clients on how to structure deposits, draft wire memos concealing the nature of fund transfers and create false business documentation to justify account inflows and outflows.In communications with one of his Rochart co-conspirators, Clayton stated that because they were “money mules complicit in [Rochart’s clients’] offenses” that “opens [them] up to charges.” Additionally, in encrypted communications with one of his client co-conspirators, Clayton expressed concern that his phone was “tapped” by law enforcement and sought to obtain “dirt” on a victim who had reported the fraud scheme in order to “distract the police.” In another exchange with a co-conspirator, Clayton proposed moving their electronic communications to Signal, noting that WhatsApp “can be tapped.”
When banks and law enforcement began to investigate Rochart, Clayton falsely told investigators and bank personnel that his shell companies were legitimate businesses, among other things. Further, during a recorded conversation with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a potential client, Clayton noted that Rochart does not “deal with anyone who has law enforcement connections” and that some of his business’s clients were “fugitives from justice.” After he became aware that a federal grand jury was investigating him, Clayton attempted to obstruct the ongoing investigation by making several false statements to federal agents during an interview.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian J. Stearns and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Alexandra Amrhein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
President of Queens-Based Construction Company Sentenced for Fraud in Connection with Homeless Shelter Contracts Worth $12 MillionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that LIAQUAT CHEEMA, the leader of a fraudulent scheme to defraud New York City (the “City”) in connection with public contracts to perform general contracting work at City homeless shelters, was sentenced yesterday to four years in prison by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield. CHEEMA previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on March 5, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang.
“Liaquat Cheema stole millions of dollars in public funds intended to pay for maintenance at homeless shelters in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This Office has no tolerance for those who use public contracts intended to aid members of our society-in-need to fraudulently enrich themselves. We will aggressively pursue anyone who abuses public trust for personal profit.”
According to the Indictment to which CHEEMA pled guilty, the Complaint, the plea agreement, and statements made in court:
CHEEMA was the President of AFL Construction Co. Inc. (“AFL”), located in Queens, New York. AFL entered into public contracts with the City worth approximately $12 million to perform general contracting work at homeless shelters located in the City, including in the Southern District of New York. Pursuant to the contracts, AFL was to perform, among other things, general maintenance, landscaping, roofing, and snow removal at shelter sites.
From at least in or about 2014 through at least in or about 2017, CHEEMA and others used the contracts to fraudulently enrich themselves and steal from the City. In furtherance of the scheme, CHEEMA and others, among other things, submitted fraudulent invoices and other documentation in support of requests for payment on the contracts, which falsely claimed that workers had performed work on certain projects and inflated amounts paid by the defendants for materials purportedly used on such projects. These fraudulent invoices and supporting documentation contained, without authorization, the identities of other persons, including the names and, in at least one case, the Social Security number, of purported workers who in fact had not worked on the projects specified in the requests for payment submitted by CHEEMA and others.
CHEEMA and others also obtained tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of Medicaid benefits by repeatedly submitting fraudulent certifications, which underreported their actual incomes and accordingly enabled them to obtain Medicaid benefits for which they were not eligible. In support of requests for Medicaid benefits, CHEEMA and others repeatedly submitted nearly identical employment letters, which, among other misrepresentations, contained the name and purported signature of a purported “Project Manager” who, in fact, was deceased. In connection with his guilty plea, CHEEMA agreed to pay back the money misappropriated from Medicaid.
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In addition to the prison term, CHEEMA, 65, of East Elmhurst, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $3,267,811.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the New York City Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy V. Capozzi is in charge of the prosecution.
Praetorian Group International CEO pleads guilty to $200M bitcoin Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Chief Executive Officer of a multi-level marketing and bitcoin trading firm pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud and money laundering for operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 90,000 investors worldwide.
According to court documents, Ramil Ventura Palafox, 60, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, owned and operated Praetorian Group International (PGI) and served as PGI’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and chief promoter. Palafox falsely claimed that PGI was engaged in bitcoin trading, and he promised daily returns of 0.5 to 3%. PGI was not trading bitcoin at a scale capable of making the promised returns, however, and Palafox was paying the investors back with their own money or with funds received from other investors.
From December 2019 to October 2021, at least 90,000 investors worldwide invested more than $201,000,000 in PGI, including at least $30,295,289 in fiat currency and at least 8,198 bitcoin worth $171,498,528. As a result of Palafox’s actions, investors suffered losses totaling at least $62,692,007.
Palafox created a PGI website for investors to review their purported investment performance. From 2020 through 2021, Palafox caused the online portal to consistently and fraudulently misrepresent that victims’ investments were gaining value, misleading them to believe that their investments were profitable and secure.
Palafox spent money on expenses that served both personal purposes and to promote the fraudulent scheme. He spent approximately $3 million on 20 luxury vehicles, including automobiles by Porsche, Lamborghini, McClaren, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, and others. Palafox spent approximately $329,000 on penthouse suites at a luxury hotel chain and purchased four homes in Las Vegas and Los Angeles worth more than $6 million. Palafox spent another $3 million of investors’ money to buy clothing, watches, jewelry, and home furnishings at luxury retailers, including Louboutin, Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Valentino, Cartier, Rolex, and Hermes, among others. He transferred at least $800,000 in fiat currency, plus an additional 100 bitcoin, then valued at approximately $3.3 million, to one of his family members.
Palafox is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026, and faces up to 40 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Palafox has agreed to pay restitution of $62,692,007. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan, Zoe Bedell, and Annie Zanobini are prosecuting the case.
Case updates and additional information for victims of PGI, who may be entitled to restitution payments, can be found here.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-52.
This release was revised on Sept. 19, 2025, to update the sentencing date.
Portland Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Mohamud Abdullahi, 32, to 75 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Abdullahi pleaded guilty on August 19, 2024.
According to court records, on November 23, 2023, the Portland Police Department received reports of shots fired near the intersection of Commercial and Cross streets. A caller described the suspect pulling a firearm from his waistband and firing two shots into the air before getting into a vehicle, and also described the vehicle. The descriptions were later confirmed by security camera footage from a nearby building. Responding officers recovered two spent 9mm shell casings from the scene, and the vehicle was intercepted by South Portland police after it crossed the bridge into South Portland. After a brief attempt to flee, Abdullahi was arrested. The firearm used in the shooting was recovered the next day from the front lawn of a residence near where the vehicle was stopped.
Abdullahi was precluded from possessing firearms because of his prior convictions for assault and aggravated criminal trespass in 2017, and unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs in 2011.
The FBI, Portland Police Department, and South Portland Police Department investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Poplar men plead guilty to sexual abuse on the Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A pair of Poplar men who sexually abused their victim on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Chandler Duran Longtree, 19, and Payton Robert Richard Montclair, 19, each pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Each defendant faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Longtree’s sentencing was set for January 14, 2026. Montclair’s sentencing was set for January 21, 2026. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 18, 2025, Jane Doe was drinking with a group of young people. She eventually separated from her friend and went with the defendants, Chandler Longtree and Payton Montclair, both 18 at the time, to Longtree’s house. While at the house, she was sexually assaulted by Longtree and Montclair. Doe reported the assault and underwent an exam from a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), which revealed evidence consistent with a sexual assault.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.
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Penn Hills Man Who Crashed Vehicle into FBI Security Gate Charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Damaging Government PropertyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Donald Phillip Henson, 46, of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a governmental officer or employee and damaging government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Henson was apprehended and arrested this morning after he intentionally drove his vehicle into a security gate next to a manned security booth outside of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Pittsburgh Field Office and then fled on foot.
“Today, we commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in quickly apprehending Donald Henson following his violent and destructive assault this morning,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Our office remains vigilant and stands in solidarity with our law enforcement colleagues in response to any attack—whether to their persons or to their property.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, at 2:40 a.m. on September 17, 2025, Henson rammed his vehicle into a security gate protecting the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office complex, directly next to a security booth that is staffed 24 hours a day. Following the crash, Henson exited the vehicle and walked to the driver’s side rear door, from which he retrieved an American flag that he then placed on the damaged gate. Henson then departed the area, with the incident having been captured on FBI and several area businesses’ security camera footage.
Upon Henson’s apprehension by law enforcement, he admitted to the FBI that he knew that there was a guard in the security booth at the time he drove his vehicle into the gate and that he rammed the security gate to “make a statement.” He also stated “sic semper tyrannis,” a Latin phrase meaning “thus always to tyrants” that is famously associated with John Wilkes Booth, who is said to have shouted the phrase after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. Read the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint here.
The penalties for violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) and (b)—Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Governmental Officer or Employee—are up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. The penalties for violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1361—Damaging Government Property or Contracts—are tied to the extent of the property damage. If the damage exceeds $1,000, the defendant is subject to up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the criminal complaint against Henson. The University of Pittsburgh Police and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police assisted in the apprehension of Henson.
A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pensacola Man Pleads Guilty to Narcotics and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Akeem Cornell Shaw, 39, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of an unregistered firearm (short-barreled shotgun). The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am incredibly proud of the continued excellence demonstrated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners to investigate this repeat offender and help bring him to justice. The hardworking prosecutors in my office are committed to using the full force of the law to keep our streets safe, and we will fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the criminals victimizing our communities.”
Court documents reflect that in February 2025 law enforcement executed a search warrant at Shaw’s residence in Pensacola, Florida. In Shaw’s bedroom, officers located multiple loaded firearms, including a short-barreled shotgun, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, ammunition, and other items indicative of drug distribution. Shaw is a convicted felon, who has previously been convicted of several narcotics related offenses, including Possession of Heroin with Intent to Sell.
Shaw faces up to life imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2025, at 9:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Owner of New Jersey Businesses Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining over $3.2 Million in Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An owner of several New Jersey businesses was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining over $3.2 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Daniel Dadoun, 49, of Israel, formerly of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court on April 8, 2025, to an Information charging him with bank fraud and money laundering. U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch imposed the sentence yesterday in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2020 through August 2022, Dadoun engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $3.2 million in PPP loans for his New Jersey businesses by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds, Dadoun sought to keep the money by submitting false and fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness applications that misrepresented payroll expenses and the number of employees working at his companies. In support of the loan and loan forgiveness applications, Dadoun submitted falsified tax documents and altered bank statements.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Dadoun to three years’ supervised release and ordered restitution of $3,239,773.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office, under direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: Anthony J. Pope, Jr., Esq.
Owner of Buckhead Brothel Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Jamika Weese, a/k/a Jae, was sentenced to federal prison for operating a brothel out of an Atlanta apartment from which she transported women to other states for commercial sex. Weese also fraudulently obtained nearly $70,000 worth of federal loans intended to assist legitimate businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Weese ran a prostitution ring, trafficked women, and lied to collect tens of thousands of dollars in federal loans,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Her conviction and sentence demonstrate that criminals who exploit vulnerable victims and rip off the government will be held accountable for their crimes.”
“This case represents why sex trafficking is such a high priority matter for the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “Weese repeatedly took advantage of vulnerable victims, first in her sex trafficking operation, then as she fraudulently obtained funds designed to help those suffering during the pandemic. This case should resonate with those who might consider this reprehensible criminal conduct acceptable.”
“This sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to dismantling criminal networks that exploit vulnerable individuals for financial gain," said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “Through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners, we were able to bring Ms. Weese to justice, ensuring accountability for her actions and protection for those she victimized. HSI will continue to prioritize investigations that target exploitation and fraud schemes that harm our communities and undermine public trust.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Before the Super Bowl in February 2019, the Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force and other law enforcement officers received reports that Weese was operating a commercial sex trafficking ring in the metro Atlanta area. The officers were told that Weese physically abused and even threatened at gunpoint some of the women who she forced to engage in sex work.
On June 28, 2019, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations coordinated with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an undercover operation at a Buckhead apartment where Weese was operating a brothel. Law enforcement searched the apartment and seized evidence that confirmed Weese posted commercial sex advertisements online, directed women to receive clients at the apartment, and imposed a quota for their earnings, more than half of which Weese took for herself. From 2017 through 2019, Weese repeatedly arranged for the women to travel to other states (including Arizona, Colorado, South Carolina, Texas, and Florida) to engage in prostitution for her own financial benefit. Weese was arrested by local authorities but released the same day.
Later, the FBI learned that Weese fraudulently obtained a $48,900 Economic Injury and Disaster Loan and $20,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan in 2020 and 2021 after misrepresenting that she had earned her income from a cosmetics company. Weese was indicted and rearrested in 2023.
Weese, 42, of Atlanta, Ga., has been sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $69,000 and to register as a sex offender. On May 14, 2024, Wease pleaded guilty to one count of transporting an individual interstate for the purpose of prosecution and one count of wire fraud.This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and Gwinnett County Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Laurel B. Milam and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Irina Khasin prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Transporting Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Matthew Anthony Inman (40, Orlando) to 20 years in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Inman pleaded guilty on June 5, 2025.
According to court documents, between August and October 2024, Inman received, downloaded, and saved several videos of CSAM to his phone. These videos depicted adult males raping young boys. In October 2024, Inman traveled to Las Vegas and began talking online with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as the father of a 9-year-old boy. During this conversation, in which Inman used an encrypted messaging service to evade law enforcement, Inman explained that he sought to sodomize the purported child. He asked the undercover officer for pictures and videos of the child, and in return, sent seven CSAM videos to the undercover officer, saying “hope you like” and that he had “lots of videos if you want to watch.”
Through its investigation, the FBI identified Inman as the user of the messaging service and obtained a search warrant for Inman’s electronic devices and residence. During the execution of the search warrant, Inman attempted to delete the evidence from his phone and hide in the attic of his house.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime ViolationRead the Press Release
Braden Birdsong, 28, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard M. Jones for the Western District of Oklahoma today and pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime violation.
According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on Aug. 25, 2023, Birdsong, a white man, attacked D.G., a black man, while D.G. was cleaning the parking lot of the Oklahoma City restaurant at which he worked. Birdsong used racial slurs and other anti-black rhetoric as he punched D.G. in the head multiple times. D.G. suffered bodily injury because of the attack. As Birdsong admitted in court today, he assaulted D.G. because of D.G.’s race and color.
Birdsong faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for the hate crime violation. U.S. District Court Judge Jones will determine Birdsong’s final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors at a later date. Birdsong will remain in federal custody pending the future sentencing hearing.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys Laura Gilson and Taylor Payne of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime ViolationRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – BRADEN BIRDSONG, 28, of Oklahoma City, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard M. Jones for the Western District of Oklahoma today and pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime violation.
According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on August 25, 2023, Birdsong, a white man, attacked D.G., a black man, while D.G. was cleaning the parking lot of the Oklahoma City restaurant at which he worked. Birdsong used racial slurs and other anti-Black rhetoric as he punched D.G. in the head multiple times. D.G. suffered bodily injury because of the attack. As Birdsong admitted in court today, he assaulted D.G. because of D.G.’s race and color.
Birdsong faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release for the hate crime violation. U.S. District Court Judge Jones will determine Birdsong’s final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors at a later date. Birdsong will remain in federal custody pending the future sentencing hearing.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys Laura Gilson and Taylor Payne of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jack Paskin, 35, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for money laundering. Paskin participated in the laundering of approximately $337,000 in proceeds from the illegal sale of controlled substances.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about mid-summer 2019 to on or about August 31, 2020, Paskin facilitated the shipment of wholesale quantities of marijuana to Mullens, West Virginia. Paskin admitted that the shipments were directed to addresses provided by Merrick Rice, who then obtained the marijuana packages following their delivery. Paskin further admitted that he knew Rice sold the marijuana to other individuals who then distributed it within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Proceeds from Rice’s sale of the marijuana were deposited into bank accounts that Paskin individually controlled or had signatory authority over. On February 24, 2021, Paskin withdrew $30,000 in cash from one of the bank accounts he knew held proceeds from Rice’s marijuana sales. Paskin admitted that he knew that the $30,000 and the other deposited funds represented proceeds from illegal drug sales in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Rice, 45, of Mullens, and Miranda Aliff, 33, of Rock Creek, both pleaded guilty on May 7, 2024, to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. Rice and Aliff admitted to structuring bank deposits of the illicit drug proceeds totaling $228,000 to evade currency transaction reporting requirements. On October 21, 2024, Rice was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Aliff was sentenced to five years of federal probation.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-122.
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Multiple time convicted felon and habitual re-enterer sentenced to 45 monthsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Mexican national who unlawfully resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the country for the sixth time, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Bartolo Saucedo-Patino pleaded guilty June 11.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Saucedo-Patino to serve a total of 45 months in federal prison – 32 months for this offense plus an additional 13 months for violating his supervised release for his prior conviction for illegal reentry. In handing down the sentence, the court considered the dangerousness of his other crimes, lack of respect for the law and need for deterrence. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Saucedo-Patino has multiple felony convictions to include assault of a family member, assault for intentionally or recklessly impeding breathing or circulation, failure to stop and provide information, possession of marijuana, two for possession of cocaine as well as another conviction for illegal reentry into the country.
He was first removed in September 2007, repeatedly returned unlawfully and removed eight times. Authorities encountered him again May 27, 2024, in Houston.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Law prosecuted the case.
Mosque Arsonist Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Jackie Rahm Little, age 38, pled guilty today to one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. In April 2023, Little set fire to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“When someone sets fire to a house of worship, it is not only a federal crime, it is an attack on the heart of a community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Minnesota has endured too many assaults on our sacred spaces. Such hatred and destruction will always be met with federal prosecution as we continue to defend everyone’s right to worship in safety and peace.”
On April 24, 2023, Little traveled to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque (also known as the Mercy Islamic Center) in Bloomington, Minnesota, a public place of worship. Little carried with him a container of gasoline or other ignitable liquid, and after he entered the Mosque, used it to set fire to the Mosque’s third floor hallway and stairwell. The Mosque had to be evacuated, including the evacuation of children who were attending daycare. The resulting damage to the Mosque totaled more than $378,000.
The day prior, on April 23, 2023, Little started a fire in the bathroom of the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, also a public place of worship. Little lit a cardboard box on fire inside of a bathroom stall and intended to leave it there for the rest of the building to ignite. Fortunately, Little was interrupted by an employee and the defendant fled leaving partially burned cardboard and a gas cannister behind.
Little pled guilty today, before District Judge Ann D. Montgomery. He will be sentenced at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead is prosecuting the case.
Minnesota Woman Pleads Guilty in $2 Million Counterfeit Medical Devices CaseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Tammy Wadsworth, age 63, pled guilty today to possessing altered, forged, or counterfeit medical products, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Wadsworth, the founder of a pain clinic, defrauded more than a dozen franchise owners through a sophisticated fraud scheme involving microcurrent therapy provided at franchise treatment centers across the United States. She then attempted to conceal her fraud scheme by laundering significant portions of the money she fraudulently obtained from franchise owners.
“Wadsworth is a modern-day snake oil salesman,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Fraud that exploits families searching for answers is among the most shameless crimes we see. It is theft dressed up as innovation. Wadsworth now joins the long line of Minnesota fraudsters who will see federal justice.”
Wadsworth is the founder and owner of Pain, Injury and Brain Centers of America (“PIBCOA”). PIBCOA was a Minnesota limited liability company located in Winona, Minnesota. PIBCOA had clinics and offices throughout the United States.
Wadsworth and PIBCOA claimed to provide a treatment called “A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy” that, using artificial intelligence and low voltage electricity, would restore degenerative cells to healthy, fully functioning cells. This claim was false. The treatment involved the application of electrodes to the patient’s skin that, when the system was turned on, would deliver various levels of electrical currents to the patient. Wadsworth falsely claimed that A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy could be used to treat virtually any type of disease, disorder, or condition with a 95% success rate, including Lupus, Crohn’s Disease, Depression, Infertility, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Autism.
Starting in May 2017, Wadsworth devised a scheme to recruit franchise owners to open clinics and provide A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy to patients around the country. Wadsworth pitched franchise owners with her false claims that A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy was “state-of-the-art technology” that “treats the untreatable.”
Wadsworth trained franchisees on use of PIBCOA’s equipment and treatment and sold them expensive medical devices and gels that Wadsworth claimed were developed solely for PIBCOA to provide A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy. In reality, the devices Wadsworth sold to franchise owners had serial numbers, manufacturer information, and product information removed or covered up. Wadsworth refaced the equipment and replaced the manufacturer’s label with a PIBCOA label to pretend that it was her own. Additionally, PIBCOA’s A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy was not only unsuccessful in treating the diseases and conditions as promised by Wadsworth, but in many cases, the treatment caused injuries to the franchise owners and patients, including burns, scars, and severe nausea.
Wadsworth promised the franchise owners a “great source of revenue.” Wadsworth charged franchise owners between $60,000 and $250,000 to open PIBCOA franchises. After discovering Wadsworth’s false representations both with respect to the equipment they purchased and the use of such equipment to treat patients, all the franchise owners were forced to shut down their businesses. Many incurred substantial financial losses.
In total, the defendant’s actions caused $887,061 in actual loss and as much as more than $2 million in total loss to PIBCOA franchise owners, including payments directly to Wadsworth for equipment, royalties, and franchising costs as well as financial losses associated with the closure of franchisees’ unsuccessful PIBCOA businesses. She primarily used the money to purchase real estate, including a house in Nevada, a Mercedes Benz, and fund her extravagant lifestyle.
Wadsworth pled guilty today. She will be sentenced at a later date.
“U.S. consumers rely on the FDA to ensure that their medical devices are safe and effective and bear true and accurate labeling for their intended uses,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who threaten the health of consumers by evading federal requirements.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca E. Kline is prosecuting the case.
Minnesota Fraudster Sentenced to 51 Months for Embezzling $2.7 MillionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Destiny McKayla Combs, 37, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 51 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for embezzlement, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Destiny Combs was the Accounting Manager for a surrogacy agency and affiliated law firm. Combs used her position of trust to embezzle more than $2.7 million from her employer. Combs gambled away most of the $2.7 million she stole.
“Combs treated her workplace like her own personal slot machine,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Combs’s crime is part of a disturbing wave of fraud sweeping across Minnesota. From private companies to public programs, fraud has seeped into every corner of our state. We will continue to attack this fraud plague with everything we’ve got at the federal level.”
According to court documents, Destiny Combs was the Accounting Manager for a surrogacy agency and affiliated law firm for approximately nine years. In her position, Combs was solely responsible for managing both companies’ finances, including taxes and financial statements. Combs was such a trusted member of the management team that, in 2022, the company’s owner agreed to sell the surrogacy agency to Combs upon his retirement in 2023. As the sale date approached, however, Combs abruptly quit and moved to Florida.
A subsequent investigation revealed that between February 2019 and June 2023, Combs embezzled approximately $2.72 million from the businesses. Combs’s scheme was simple: she used personal credit cards to fund her gambling habit, then used company funds to pay her credit card bills. Combs stole the money to fuel her online gambling addiction. She made fraudulent entries in the companies’ books to disguise her credit card payments as business expenses, and exploited the trust and autonomy her company gave her to go undetected. Over 52 months, Combs made approximately 292 payments from the company accounts to her personal American Express credit card, totaling $2,723,025.
While this case was pending and Combs was under the supervision of pretrial services, she repeatedly lied to her probation officer and violated her terms of release. Among other things, without authorization or knowledge of her probation officer, she traveled to New York City, New York; Tucson, Arizona; Miami, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Seattle, Washington.
Combs was sentenced today before Judge John M. Gerrard in U.S. District Court. In handing down the sentence, Judge Gerrard noted Ms. Combs’s bad behavior while on pretrial-release, including her multiple trips to Las Vegas, Nevada, in flagrant violation of the travel restrictions imposed upon her by the Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Mexican man pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Giovanni Bernal Guerrero, 39, a citizen and national of Mexican, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated in September 2017, Guerrero was physically removed from the United States to Mexico. On July 19, 2025, he defendant was found in Erie County, NY, by United States Customs and Border Protection officers and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After Removal Following a Conviction for an Aggravated FelonyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States.
Marcos Martinez-Jimenez, 42, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry after deportation for an aggravated felony and was sentenced to 25 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on September 17, 2025.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2025, Martinez-Jimenez was arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations following a vehicle stop. Martinez-Jimenez was previously convicted of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child Under 14 in Johnson County, Kansas in 2007. In that case, he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 61 months’ and upon completion of that sentence he was deported to Mexico in 2011.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Chicago Field Office, Kansas City Sub-Office.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Marshalltown Man Sentenced to 17 years in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine and a Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Marshalltown man was sentenced on September 12, 2025, to 17 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to public court documents, in October 2024, Matthew Allen Sumpter, 39, was found in possession of nearly a pound of methamphetamine, a scale, cash, and a loaded handgun. Based on the investigation, Sumpter was responsible for distributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine in the Marshalltown area. Sumpter has multiple prior felony convictions, including prohibited person in possession of a firearm, harassment, domestic abuse assault by strangulation, and multiple eluding convictions.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Sumpter will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Man from Ecuador arrested, charged with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lucas Celas Saula, 39, a citizen and national of Ecuador, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that on September 7, 2025, Saula was encountered by law enforcement at a retailer in Cheektowaga, NY. A records check of Saula’s vehicle determined that he was previously ordered removed from the United States in November 2014 and is a citizen and national of Ecuador. When questioned by officers, Saula did not have any documents that would allow him to be or remain in the United States lawfully.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Saula made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Man Sentenced to More than Six and a Half Years in Prison for ATM Card-Skimming FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than six and a half years in federal prison for installing card-skimming devices on ATMs in Chicago and New Jersey to steal debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting victims.
FLORIN NICOLAE TARTA and two others installed the devices on numerous Bank of America ATMs. The devices consisted of a metallic plate on which a card reader, memory chip, and battery had been affixed. Once inserted into the ATM, the device could capture financial account information from users’ cards. Tarta and the co-schemers also placed a pinhole camera near the ATM’s keypad to record ATM users inputting their PINs.
Several days after the devices were installed, Tarta and the others removed them from the ATMs and used a computer to convert the captured data to magnetic strips on the back of gift cards. The defendants then used the counterfeit gift cards to withdraw cash at various banks. Losses from the unauthorized transactions totaled $177,280.
The defendants’ scheme came to end in March 2024 when law enforcement located the hidden camera on an ATM in Westfield, N.J. Tarta was arrested when he returned to the ATM.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year convicted Tarta, 40, of Satu Mare, Romania, on bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges. On Sept. 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt sentenced Tarta to six years and 9 months in federal prison.
Two co-defendants pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced in the case. LEONID GRIGORE SMETANCA, 45, of Satu Mare, Romania, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, while RADU FARCAS, 42, of London, England, was sentenced to two and a half years.
The sentences were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Westfield, N.J. Police Department.
“Defendant repeatedly engaged in criminal conduct that imposes an enormous toll on the U.S. economy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hayes argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Tarta’s case. “Card skimming is a widespread problem plaguing financial institutions and consumers.”
Lancaster Man Sentenced to Almost Nine Years in Prison for Robbing a Chester County Convenience Store at GunpointRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Micael Dilone Rojas Diaz, 25, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 106 months in prison, three years’ supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and restitution in the amount of $518.61 by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher yesterday for the armed robbery of a Chester County convenience store in February 2024.
The defendant was charged by indictment in May of 2024 with one count of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty to both charges in June of this year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, in the early hours of February 10, 2024, Rojas and his co-defendant, Ashley Santos-Rodriguez, both wearing masks, entered the Turkey Hill convenience store on the 3000 block of Horseshoe Pike in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania. One person, a 59-year-old clerk, was in the store at the time.
Rojas pointed a loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol at the clerk’s face and demanded money, as Santos started grabbing cigarettes from the racks. The robbers left the store with approximately $124 and some 40 packs of Newport cigarettes, fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Police apprehended them in a car stop approximately 20 minutes later and recovered the stolen cash and cigarettes.
This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
Lake Station Man Sentenced to 90 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Johnny A. Bangs, 46 years old, of Lake Station, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Bangs was sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2023, Bangs sold cocaine on two separate occasions. On June 14, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant at his residence located in Lake Station, law enforcement recovered cocaine, drug proceeds, 43 long-barrel firearms (rifles and shotguns), 7 handguns, and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Porter County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
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.
Labor Union Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 (IBEW Local 103), a Dorchester-based union and 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization, has agreed to pay $2,033,205 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible.
As part of the settlement, IBEW Local 103 admitted that, in April 2020, it applied for and received a first-round loan before it became eligible. In March 2021, when Congress amended the PPP to allow unions to obtain PPP loans, the union applied for and received a second loan. On its application for the second loan, the union certified that it was eligible for the second loan under the PPP regulations in effect at the time of the application, and that it previously received a loan and used all the loan proceeds before applying for the second loan. Had IBEW Local 103 applied for the first-round loan when it became eligible in March 2021, it would not have spent the proceeds from that first loan before it applied for the second loan.
Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP. Under the program, if borrowers complied with the program’s rules, the SBA forgave their loans. The SBA administered the PPP in two rounds – the first began in April 2020 and the second began in February 2021. Certain nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(5) organizations like IBEW Local 103, were not eligible to receive loans from either round until March 2021, when Congress amended the PPP. To be eligible for a second loan, an entity, among other things, had to receive a first-round loan and exhaust the funds from that loan prior to applying for a second loan.
The settlement credits IBEW Local 103 for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Kentucky Man Found with More Than 10 Grams of Methamphetamine Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Joshua Sharp, age 43, from Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced in the District Court of Guam on September 10, 2025 to five years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On February 6, 2023, Guam Superior Court deputy marshals arrested Sharp at a Dededo residence after he failed to appear for a Superior Court of Guam hearing. Sharp had extensive criminal history involving theft, drug possession, and drug trafficking crimes in Guam. When Sharp was being processed at the security holding area, he requested medical attention due to leg pain from a motorcycle accident. Before transporting Sharp to Guam Memorial Hospital, deputy marshals conducted a secondary full body strip search and found a sock near Sharp’s groin. The sock concealed 10 small zip lock bags containing 14.7 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
“Career criminal drug traffickers will attract the attention of federal law enforcement regardless of the quantities involved,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “We will continue to target repeat offenders in an effort to keep our communities safe.”
“Every arrest, every drug removed from our communities makes an impact. Methamphetamine is a persistent scourge on our nation, devastating lives,” said Brian M. Clark, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “DEA, alongside our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the safety and health of our island community.”
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guam Superior Court Marshals.
First Assistant United States Attorney Marivic P. David prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.
Jefferson County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson Couty man has been charged with illegally possessing a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges De’Corlion Keshaun Robinson, 24, of Bessemer, Alabama, with possession of a machinegun. On August 13, 2025, Robinson illegally possessed a Glock 10mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jacksonville Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Orlin Eli Gonzalez (26, Jacksonville) has been arrested and indicted for using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Gonzalez faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Gonzalez was arrested on September 4, 2025, and has been ordered detained pending the resolution of this case.
According to court documents, from August 28 through September 4, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. The UC was posing as a 13-year-old child. The UC and app user “Orlean” exchanged several private online messages on the app as well as by text messaging. After the UC advised app user “Orlean” that the “child” was only 13 years old, he asked the “child” about “her” sexual experience and if “she” liked performing a particular sexual act. App user “Orlean” requested that the “child” send him nude photos, and texted, “I wanna see you naked” and asked the “child” if “she” wanted to have sex. Further investigation by the FBI identified app user “Orlean” as Gonzalez.
On September 4, 2025, Gonzalez and the “child” exchanged more text messages. Gonzalez confirmed that he intended to meet the “child” for sexual activity at “her” residence in Jacksonville and asked the “child” to provide “her” address. That same afternoon, Gonzalez was observed as he rode a bicycle toward the agreed-upon location. Upon his arrival, Gonzalez was arrested by FBI agents.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jacksonville Child Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Using the Internet to Access Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Matthew Eric Baumgardner (49, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Baumgardner faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Baumgardner is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2017 of possessing photographs depicting the sexual performance by a child, traveling to meet a minor for unlawful activity, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Baumgardner was arrested on this federal charge on July 28, 2025. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 12, 2025.
According to court documents, law enforcement received a notification from a company that owns a social messaging application that files containing CSAM were uploaded using the app between May 6 and June 5, 2024. Subsequent investigation revealed that these files were uploaded from an account that was associated with Baumgardner.
In April 2025, a warrant was issued for Baumgardner’s arrest based upon his violation of his sex offender probation. On that same day, a detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office contacted Baumgardner. During an interview, Baumgardner admitted that the email address and phone number associated with the app uploads of CSAM were his and that he had used the app in the past. Baumgardner also admitted to accessing visual depictions of children being sexually abused, stating that none of the child victims were personally known by him.
Subsequent forensic examination of Baumgardner’s cellphone revealed at least 67 photos depicting young children being sexually abused, including sadistic sexual abuse and bondage.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Illegal alien sex offender sentenced for unlawfully reentering the countryRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 34-year-old man from Puebla, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Fidel Ramirez-Mancilla pleaded guilty June 27.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Ramirez-Mancilla to serve 15 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
“Operation Take Back America means not only preventing criminals like Mr. Ramirez-Mancilla from ever entering our country, but also finding, arresting, and removing those predators that have slipped into our country in previous years,” said Ganjei. “Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, we now have one less dangerous sex offender walking American streets.”
According to court records, Ramirez-Mancilla has a conviction for the aggravated felony of assault with the intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy or oral copulation. He was previously removed from the United States in December 2011 with no permission to return. However, authorities encountered him again May 19 north of the Rio Grande.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.