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26 August 2026
Federal Jury Convicts Puerto Rican Man of Trafficking 65 Kilograms of Cocaine During Boat Chase West of Savanah IslandRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that a federal jury convicted Jean Carlos Torres Cruz, of Puerto Rico, for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance pursuant to 21 U.S.C §§ 841(b)(1)(A) and 846. After a two-day trial, the defendant was convicted as charged. The defendant faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 120 months imprisonment and up to life in prison. The Chief District Court Judge, Robert A. Molloy, will schedule a sentencing hearing to determine the sentence to be imposed.
According to court documents and testimony presented at trial, on July 21, 2025, the defendant was stopped while a passenger on a boat in the waters near Savanah Island, just west of St. Thomas, USVI. At approximately 3:00 a.m., U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection Air and Marine (AMO) detected a vessel operating without navigation lights traveling towards St. Thomas, USVI from Culebra, PR. AMO-St. Thomas launched a vessel to investigate and located the lights-out vessel west of Savanah Island heading towards Culebra, PR. The vessel fled from the AMO vessel while the defendant threw bags overboard. The vessel stopped after AMO agents fired warnings flares in front of the fleeing boat. Once the boat was stopped, and the defendant and another male were arrested, AMO agents searched the area and recovered two duffle bags that the defendant threw overboard. The duffel bags contained 65 packages. A Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory analyst confirmed that the 65 packages contained approximately 65 kilograms of cocaine.
This case was investigated jointly by the AMO and the DEA. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney, Erik Tate and Criminal Chief Kyle Payne.Federal Judge Sentences Man to Six Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Five Loaded Firearms During High-Speed Chase on Chicago ExpresswayRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A felon has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegally possessing five loaded firearms during a high-speed chase on the John F. Kennedy Expressway in Chicago.
On July 30, 2024, TIMOTHY MCDOWELL was a passenger in a stolen car traveling on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. As a police helicopter followed overhead, the car increased its speed to more than 100 miles per hour before exiting the highway and speeding through residential streets. After the vehicle parked in a garage, McDowell ran from pursuing officers and attempted to abandon a backpack he was carrying. He was arrested after a brief chase. Inside his backpack were five loaded handguns, one of which had a defaced serial number while another had a large-capacity magazine attached to it. McDowell had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
McDowell, 36, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. On Aug. 20, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman sentenced McDowell to six years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance.
“The fact that defendant possessed five firearms is itself serious, but the fact that he possessed them with compatriots in a stolen vehicle that was fleeing from police increases the seriousness here,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Schied argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He was out and up to no good with others, a danger that compounds his possession of dangerous weapons as a multiple convicted felon.”
Extradited Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican man was sentenced to federal prison today for drug distribution.
Abel Resendiz-Villa, 42, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. This sentencing was significantly delayed because the defendant fled to Mexico before his previous sentencing hearing, in violation of his plea agreement. He was later found in Mexico and successfully extradited to the U.S. The United States Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force for the District of Oregon provided critical information with its Mexico Foreign Field Office to locate and extradite Abel Resendiz-Villa.
“Resendiz-Villa tried to escape the consequences of his criminal choices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office sees their cases through. As seen in this case, even fleeing the country won’t allow drug dealers to flee consequences,” said United States Attorney Scott E. Bradford.
“As was the case in this criminal investigation, drug traffickers who poison our communities with deadly fentanyl will be held accountable in a court of law. The DEA and our law enforcement partners and prosecutors remain steadfast in our commitment to keep communities safe from fentanyl by reducing demand, cutting off drug supply chains, and saving American lives,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division.
According to court documents, Resendiz-Villa trafficked meth, heroin, and counterfeit oxycodone pills into the U.S. From on or about July 26, 2020, to, on or about July 30, 2020, Resendiz-Villa smuggled drugs in the U.S. to be sold and distributed in Portland. Resendiz-Villa was arrested on August 29, 2020, crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on a motorcycle. Resendiz-Villa possessed 4.5 kilograms of heroin concealed in his motorcycle and helmet.
On July 25, 2022, Resendiz-Villa pleaded guilty to conspiracy with intent to distribute controlled substances. On January 6, 2023, Resendiz-Villa failed to appear for sentencing, and the court issued a warrant for his arrest.
On February 20, 2026, Resendiz-Villa was arrested by Mexican authorities on the warrant in Tijuana, Mexico. He was detained at his initial appearance after this re-arrest.
On August 20, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment on Resendiz-Villa and his co-defendants. Resendiz-Villa was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances, to use a communication facility and to maintain drug-involved premises.
This case was investigated by DEA with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Maloney.
The U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics and fugitive task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations while locating and arresting violent fugitives and criminals. This is accomplished while using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. The task force is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is comprised of investigators from the U.S. Marshals Service, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon State Police and covers the Districts of Alaska, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Drug-Dealing Killer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm IllegallyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Jesse James Williams, Jr., a 14-time convicted felon who once killed a man over a $10 drug debt, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm.
“Amassing more than a dozen felony convictions, this violent, incorrigible defendant spent decades breaking the law,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Williams’s sentence sends an unmistakable message: repeat offenders who arm themselves and endanger the community will be removed from our streets. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who refuse to respect the law face its full weight.”
“Williams has demonstrated time and again that he has no regard for the law or the safety of others. A violent convicted felon with a history of drug trafficking, robbery, and weapons offenses has no place on our streets with a firearm, and this sentence ensures he will be held accountable for his continued criminal conduct,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue violent offenders who use firearms to threaten and harm our communities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and evidence presented in court: On May 29, 2024, a Gwinnett County Police Department officer stopped Williams’s car for speeding. During the stop, officers recovered a stolen pistol and a baggie of crack cocaine in Williams’s waistband. Law enforcement agents later linked the gun to a shooting in Decatur, Georgia that injured a woman. Before the shooting, Williams allegedly warned the victim, “Bitch, I told you not to touch my stuff.”
Prior to his 2024 arrest, Williams had amassed more than a dozen felony convictions for crimes including cocaine trafficking, robbery, burglary, and weapon possession. In 2011, Williams was convicted of voluntary manslaughter after killing another man over a $10 drug debt.
On August 25, 2026, United States District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Jesse James Williams Jr., 51, of Decatur, Georgia, to 14 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On December 18, 2025, a jury found Williams guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, after a four-day trial.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with substantial assistance provided by the Gwinnett County Police Department, the DeKalb Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dash A. Cooper and Phyllis Clerk 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.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to public court documents, Tyler Boyd Pavlick, 33, placed a mini video camera in the tank of a porta-potty at three Central Iowa events: co-ed middle school and high school cross-county meets, one held in State Center on September 23, 2025, and another held in Osceola on September 30, 2025; and an arts, craft, and harvest event held in Des Moines on October 4, 2025. Pavlick placed the cameras with the purpose of creating visual depictions of minors lasciviously exhibiting their anus, genitals, or pubic area. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Pavlick’s Des Moines residence on October 15, 2025, including mini cameras that were the same model as those seized by police from the porta-potties in State Center and Des Moines. One of the electronic devices seized from Pavlick’s residence contained video footage of minors using the porta-potty at the Osceola event, including footage of a minor under the age of 12.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Pavlick will be required to serve a 10‑year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Pavlick will be required to register as a sex offender in his state of residence.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Des Moines Police Department, and Iowa DCI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Kerndt prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
DermTech Inc. to Pay up to $5M to Resolve Allegations It Submitted False Claims to Medicare for Unreliable Skin Cancer TestsRead the Press Release
A skin cancer testing company formerly known as DermTech Inc. has agreed to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims for unreliable skin cancer tests to the Medicare program. DermTech is now liquidating as DTech Liquidating Inc. after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware in June 2024. As part of the resolution announced today, the United States received an Allowed Class Three General Unsecured Claim of $5,038,011 in the bankruptcy proceeding.
The settlement resolves allegations that DermTech submitted claims to Medicare for skin cancer tests despite knowing the tests had quality control issues. First, from October 2022 to March 2023, DermTech billed Medicare for skin cancer tests that it conducted after switching to an unvalidated positive control range for one of the test’s two key melanoma markers. Without a validated positive control range, it is impossible to confirm that the positive control is working and thus impossible to verify whether the test results are accurate. Second, from January 2020 to February 2022, DermTech billed Medicare for skin cancer tests that did not contain enough patient RNA to be tested but still generated positive or negative test results. For both categories of tests, DermTech reported results to patients. When concerns were raised about these tests, DermTech neither retracted the test results nor adequately refunded Medicare.
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting Medicare patients, especially in an area as serious as skin cancer testing,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable health care providers who put patients at risk by billing Medicare for grossly substandard services.”
“This company billed Medicare for unreliable tests that may have misled patients and their doctors,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “This settlement is a perfect example of why the Department’s focus on fraud against the taxpayer directly leads to improved health and safety for Medicare patients.”
“Patients must be able to rely on the accuracy and integrity of diagnostic testing when making critical healthcare decisions,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Submitting claims to Medicare for tests that fail to meet established clinical standards undermines patient safety and public trust. HHS-OIG remains committed to ensuring that healthcare providers deliver services that meet federal requirements and to pursuing accountability for alleged misconduct.”
“DermTech Inc. allegedly administered inadequate skin cancer tests that led to the fraudulent billing of Medicare, raising serious concerns about the company’s practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to investigating any company whose illicit actions may undermine the integrity of our healthcare system and ensure they are held accountable.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former DermTech employee. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Luong v. DermTech, Inc. et al., No. 3:23-cv-01404 (S.D. Cal.). Ms. Luong will receive 20% of the recovery received from the bankruptcy court in connection with the settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement pertain to DermTech Inc., a company that is now bankrupt. These claims do not pertain to DermTech LLC, a company that purchased DermTech Inc.’s assets in 2024 as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General.
The resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act (FCA). 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 year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Clare Elizondo and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen H. Wong for the Southern District of California.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
DermTech Inc. to Pay up to $5M to Resolve Allegations It Submitted False Claims to Medicare for Unreliable Skin Cancer TestsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO — A skin cancer testing company formerly known as DermTech Inc., which was headquartered in San Diego, has agreed to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims for unreliable skin cancer tests to the Medicare program. DermTech is now liquidating as DTech Liquidating Inc. after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware in June 2024. As part of the resolution announced today, the United States received an Allowed Class Three General Unsecured Claim of $5,038,011 in the bankruptcy proceeding.
The settlement resolves allegations that DermTech submitted claims to Medicare for skin cancer tests despite knowing the tests had quality control issues. First, from October 2022 to March 2023, DermTech billed Medicare for skin cancer tests that it conducted after switching to an unvalidated positive control range for one of the test’s two key melanoma markers. Without a validated positive control range, it is impossible to confirm that the positive control is working and thus impossible to verify whether the test results are accurate. Second, from January 2020 to February 2022, DermTech billed Medicare for skin cancer tests that did not contain enough patient RNA to be tested but still generated positive or negative test results. For both categories of tests, DermTech reported results to patients. When concerns were raised about these tests, DermTech neither retracted the test results nor adequately refunded Medicare.
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting Medicare patients, especially in an area as serious as skin cancer testing,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable health care providers who put patients at risk by billing Medicare for grossly substandard services.”
“This company billed Medicare for unreliable tests that may have misled patients and their doctors,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “This settlement is a perfect example of why the Department’s focus on fraud against the taxpayer directly leads to improved health and safety for Medicare patients.”
“Patients must be able to rely on the accuracy and integrity of diagnostic testing when making critical healthcare decisions,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Submitting claims to Medicare for tests that fail to meet established clinical standards undermines patient safety and public trust. HHS-OIG remains committed to ensuring that healthcare providers deliver services that meet federal requirements and to pursuing accountability for alleged misconduct.”
“DermTech Inc. allegedly administered inadequate skin cancer tests that led to the fraudulent billing of Medicare, raising serious concerns about the company’s practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to investigating any company whose illicit actions may undermine the integrity of our healthcare system and ensure they are held accountable.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former DermTech employee. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Luong v. DermTech, Inc. et al., No. 3:23-cv-01404 (S.D. Cal.). Ms. Luong will receive 20% of the recovery received from the bankruptcy court in connection with the settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement pertain to DermTech Inc., a company that is now bankrupt. These claims do not pertain to DermTech LLC, a company that purchased DermTech Inc.’s assets in 2024 as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen H. Wong for the Southern District of California and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Clare Elizondo.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Dallas medical clinic to pay $7.5 million to resolve COVID-19 testing overbilling allegationsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced today that Aymancare PLLC, a medical clinic with offices in the Dallas area, agreed to pay $7.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by overbilling the federal government in connection with COVID-19 testing services performed for uninsured patients.
“Aggressively investigating and pursuing healthcare fraud is a top priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “We will use all available tools, including through civil enforcement mechanisms like the False Claims Act, to identify and recover any healthcare dollars lost to fraud, waste or abuse—the American taxpayer deserves no less.”
“Ensuring that federal funds dedicated to the COVID-19 response are used appropriately remains a core oversight priority for HHS-OIG,” said Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Billing for services that were never provided is a blatant abuse of the health care system and diverts critical resources away from patients who genuinely need them. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who exploit federal programs and to safeguard taxpayer dollars.”
As alleged by the United States, Aymancare operated “pop-up” testing sites during the COVID-19 pandemic and advertised “free” COVID testing that was in fact paid for by the federal government through a program for uninsured patients operated by the Health Resources and Service Administration – the COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program.
The United States alleged that, in addition to billing the government for the specimen collection and testing services that were provided through these testing sites, Aymancare also billed the government for separate “E&M services” (evaluation and management services, which typically represent services like office visits) as if the patients had been seen by a medical provider for some separate treatment or visit, when in fact no such separate services were performed. All that occurred during the testing encounters was that a technician or other personnel used nasal swabs to administer the COVID-19 tests.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
This year, the Trump Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s False Claims Act enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. False Claims Act matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s False Claims work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Stoltz.
The civil claims settled by the agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of civil liability.
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D.C. Man Pleads Guilty in Armed Robbery of Tire ShopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Angelo Harris, 39, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today in connection with the armed robbery of a Northeast D.C. tire shop on April 29, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Harris pleaded guilty before Judge Ana C. Reyes to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). Judge Reyes scheduled sentencing for Dec. 1, 2026.
According to court documents, Harris, armed with a black handgun, and a co-conspirator, armed with a rifle, arrived at Mac’s Tire Shop on the 400 block of Florida Avenue NE, and brandished their weapons at an employee of the store. Using the threat of the firearms, they forced the employee out of his chair in the garage area of the establishment into the office in order to complete the robbery. The two forcibly took cash and other items from the shop before fleeing the scene.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Levy and Caelainn Carney.
Surveillance photo taken the day of the tire store robbery.
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Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions (August 17 through August 21, 2026)Read the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of August 17 through August 21, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.
Convictions through Guilty Pleas:
- On August 17, 2026, Carlos Manuel Cotto-Cruz (1) and Pablo De la Cruz-Arias (21) pleaded guilty to Count One in CR Case 22-213 (ADC). According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within one thousand (1,000) feet of the Vista Hermosa Public Housing Project (PHP), the Villa España PHP, the Luis Lloréns Torres PHP, and other areas nearby. Both defendants were arrested on May 25, 2022. The Court set defendant Carlos Manuel Cotto-Cruz’s sentencing date for December 14, 2026, and defendant Pablo De la Cruz-Arias’ for November 5, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 18, 2026, Carlos Ramón Santiago Velázquez pleaded guilty to Count Three of the Superseding Indictment in Criminal Case 25-059-11 (FAB) as amended, namely conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Defendant was arrested on October 2, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for November 30, 2026. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 20, 2026, Harry Acevedo Méndez pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case No. 24-456 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with drug trafficking inside state prison facilities. Defendant was arrested on December 17, 2024. AUSA Myriam Y. Fernández-González in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 21, 2026, Jonathan Cabassa-Cintrón pleaded guilty to violating Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(ii), and 846, in Criminal Case 25-441 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Defendant was arrested on October 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for November 30, 2026. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 21, 2026, Karla Paola Gómez Pereira pleaded guilty via straight plea to Count One of Indictment in case number 26-010 (ADC). According to the indictment on December 22, 2025, the defendant was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilograms. Defendant was arrested on December 22, 2025. The defendant’s sentencing date is to be set by the Court. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 21, 2026, Juan Carlos Montero Florian pleaded guilty to all drug related charges in Indictment in case number 24-429-03 (SCC). According to the indictment on October 13, 2024, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilos aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, possession with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilos aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and jettisoning bales of cocaine. Defendant was arrested on October 13, 2024. The defendant’s sentencing date is to be set by the Court. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 21, 2026, Alejandro Saenz-Escobar pleaded guilty to possession of Suboxone in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo in Criminal Case 25-475 (CVR). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with possessing Suboxone in MDC with the intent to distribute that Suboxone to others. Defendant was in MDC due to his involvement in a drug trafficking organization that operated in Manatí, Puerto Rico (principally the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project) and areas nearby. Defendant was charged with possession of the Suboxone on November 12, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for November 6, 2026. SAUSA Daphne Cordero and AUSA Joseph Russell in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 21, 2026, Carlos Alexis Serrano-Vega pleaded guilty to Count One and Six in Criminal Case 22-327 (PAD). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in the Pedro Rosario Nieves Public Housing Project and other areas in and around Fajardo, Puerto Rico, while also carrying firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Defendant was arrested on July 27, 2022. The Court set defendant’s sentencing date for November 30, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Sentencings:
- On August 18, 2026, Marino Johnson-Devers was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé to a term of 120 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 3, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-254 (CVR) and pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026. AUSA Antonio J. López-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 18, 2026, Bienvenido Pelliecier Negrón was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa to 70 months of imprisonment and supervised release term of five years for conspiring to import into the United States 234 kilograms of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on March 20, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-145 (FAB), and pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025. AUSA Camille García Jiménez was in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 18, 2026, Welkin A. González Pérez was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to time served while detained pending trial and a one-year supervised release term for re-entry of removed alien. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 11,2026, in Criminal Case 26-253, and pleaded guilty on August 18, 2026. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 19, 2026, Héctor L. Derkes was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado to 192 months (16 years) in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for coordinating the importation of large quantities of drugs from South America into Puerto Rico and the continental United States, as well as conspiring to launder the drug trafficking proceeds. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on November 3, 2021, in Criminal Case 21-359, and pleaded guilty on June 9, 2026. AUSA Ricardo Imbert Fernández is in charge of the prosecution of the case. The case was previously handled by former AUSA Ryan McCabe.
- On August 20, 2026, Joshua Rivera-Cruz was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to nine (9) years of incarceration for his armed participation in a drug trafficking organization that worked out of various Public Housing Projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, principally the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on December 5, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-453 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on May 13, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On August 20, 2026, Michael J. Rodríguez Cruz was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño Coll to 48 months of imprisonment, to be served consecutively to a term of 96 months of imprisonment, and 6 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 11, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-272 (SCC) and pleaded guilty on April 28, 2026. Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr in charge of the prosecution of the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
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Columbia Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing $250K from Local BusinessRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Isha Yumakia Warr, 53, of Columbia, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for wire fraud.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Warr worked as a bookkeeper for a small business in Lexington County from June 2023 to July 2024. Shortly after starting work, Warr convinced the business to change their accounting software to a new system. The new software enabled Warr to pay money directly to herself, rather than paying company invoices. The business later discovered a series of unauthorized payments and unpaid invoices during a routine financial review. With the assistance of a forensic accountant, the business discovered a total of $253,855.48 in unauthorized transfers were made from the business account into Warr’s personal account.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Warr to 37 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Ms. Warr was ordered to pay $253,855.48 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews prosecuted the case.###
Cazenovia Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Dean Dellas, age 42, of Cazenovia, New York, was sentenced on August 26, 2026, to 70 months’ imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Dellas admitted that beginning no later than June 2021 through November 2023, he acted as a financial advisor for the investment accounts of clients in the Syracuse area. Dellas fraudulently induced those clients to sign paperwork that authorized Dellas to take advisor fees from their accounts well in excess of what they actually agreed to. For other accounts, Dellas fraudulently induced the clients to sign paperwork granting him trading and withdrawal authority over their accounts. This account-opening paperwork misrepresented Dellas’s relationship to the clients and falsely stated that Dellas received no compensation for providing investment advice. The account-opening documents that Dellas induced the client to sign also falsely stated that the client wanted to engage in high-risk forms of investment, according to the indictment. Dellas further admitted that to conceal the fraud, he took steps to conceal account statements from his clients and at times impersonated clients in communicating with brokerage firms. Dellas admitted that he stole approximately $686,000 from his victims through unauthorized withdrawals and advisor fees.
“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Dellas’s conduct,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “By manipulating client documents and misusing the authority he was given, Dellas undermined the integrity of the investment process and caused significant financial harm. This outcome underscores the importance of safeguarding investors and ensuring that those who misuse their positions face appropriate consequences, in this case, repaying the stolen funds and serving nearly six years in prison.”
“Mr. Dellas’ clients trusted him with their hard-earned money,” said Craig Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albany Field Office. “In return, he devised schemes that allowed him to steal over $680,000 from them. This sentence and order of restitution delivers the justice his victims deserve. While he heads to federal prison for nearly six years, the FBI will continue to aggressively investigate and bring to justice any individuals disguising themselves as a trusted financial advisor to take advantage of Americans.”
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Dellas to pay restitution to the victims of the offense, in the amount of $686,797 and imposed a 2-year term of supervised release to follow his release from prison.
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie and Michael F. Perry prosecuted the case.
Cartel Commanders Charged with International Cocaine and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging Ramon Alvarez Ayala, 44, and Rafael Alvarez Ayala, 42, both Mexican nationals, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for importation into the United States and possessing a firearm, including a machinegun, in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense.
According to court documents, brothers Ramon Alvarez Ayala, also known as “R1,” and Rafael Alvarez Ayala, also known as “R2” and “Rafa,” were regional commanders for the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) in Michoacán, Mexico. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of State designated the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization.
“The Department of Justice is committed to the total elimination of drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “By targeting these regional commanders, we take another step towards fulfilling that commitment to eliminate the scourge of cartels like CJNG.”
“Every indictment secured against members of drug trafficking cartels, like CJNG, sends a clear message: DEA is committed and focused on dismantling violent and ruthless terrorist organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge and National Coordination Center Deputy Director Cindy Marx of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Special Operations Division. “Using all of the resources provided by the Homeland Security Task Force, DEA is pursuing the leaders, facilitators, financiers, and corrupt enablers of narco-terrorist organizations and bringing them to justice in the United States at unprecedented levels.”
The Alvarez Ayala brothers are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine for importation into the United States from 2004 through December 2023, and using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm, including a machinegun, in relation to the drug trafficking conspiracy. If convicted, the Alvarez Ayalas each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison and a maximum penalty of two consecutive life prison sentences.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit Los Angeles is investigating the case. The Department of Justice thanks the Government of Mexico for securing the arrest of Ramon Alvarez Ayala.
Chief Kaitlin Sahni of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit (NDDU) and Trial Attorneys Nicole Lockhart, Lernik Begian, and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bucks County Man Charged with Attempted Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Bo Branstetter, 30, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with attempted use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.
The defendant appeared in federal court today for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth L. Toplin and has been ordered detained in federal custody pending trial.
The indictment alleges that, from about June 13, 2026, to June 23, 2026, Branstetter used the internet and cellular phone service to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity for which any person could be charged with a criminal offense, that is, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and statutory sexual assault.
As further alleged, also in June of this year, Branstetter attempted to transfer obscene content to a person he believed to be a minor under 16 years of age.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years’ imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and the Bensalem Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Sendek.
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.
Bronx Man Charged with Committing Sex Trafficking, Coercion, and Enticement Crimes Involving Three Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today the filing of an Indictment charging JIMMY ROSARIO with coercion and enticement of a 16-year-old victim (“Minor Victim-1”), coercion and enticement of a 12-year-old victim (“Minor Victim-2”), and sex trafficking of a 17-year-old victim (“Minor Victim-3”). ROSARIO is detained and the case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
“This Office is dedicated to protecting our children and ridding our streets of sexual predators,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “As alleged, Jimmy Rosario preyed on multiple minor victims using online social messaging platforms. After meeting his victims online, Rosario allegedly lured these minors to meet in person by offering them alcohol, drugs, food, and cash, then engaged in unlawful sexual activity with them.”
“Jimmy Rosario allegedly preyed on vulnerable minors through sex trafficking and coercion, a series of acts that are completely indefensible,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI/NYPD Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force work relentlessly to ensure individuals like Rosario are removed from our communities and are held accountable for their heinous crimes.”
According to the Indictment and other public filings, from at least July 2025 through June 2026, ROSARIO utilized his cellphone and the Internet, including social messaging platforms, to connect and communicate with minors, including Minor Victim-1, Minor Victim-2, and Minor Victim-3. ROSARIO used his cellphone and the Internet to arrange for in-person meet ups where he engaged in oral, vaginal, and anal sex with the minor victims. Specifically, ROSARIO enticed Minor Victim-1 and Minor Victim-2 to engage in unlawful sexual activity and solicited Minor Victim-3 to engage in sexual acts in exchange for money and other forms of payment.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
If you have been victimized by ROSARIO in any way or have any additional information about his alleged illegal behavior, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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ROSARIO, 42, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. McDonald thanked the FBI/New York City Police Department Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force for its outstanding work in connection with this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Cohen is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Olivia Sebade.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bridgeport and Ansonia Resident Charged with Narcotics Distribution and Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that IRVIN JAVIER VILLEGAS, 49, of Bridgeport and Ansonia, has been charged by indictment with narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in April 2026, law enforcement made two controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Villegas. Villegas was arrested on related state charges on April 27, 2026. On that date, a court-authorized search of his Ansonia residence on Silver Hill Road revealed approximately 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 400 grams of heroin, and a .40 caliber Glock 23 pistol.
It is alleged that Villegas’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for drug, robbery, weapon, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On August 12, 2026, a grand jury in New Haven returned and indictment charging Villegas with possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that, based on Villegas’ previous conviction for a serious violent felony, carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years; and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
On August 24, 2026, Villegas appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He is released on a $250,000 bond pending trial.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Ansonia Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
Brentwood Felon Admits Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon on Wednesday admitted possessing a firearm that was first brought to authorities’ attention during a domestic disturbance.
Matthew Orasco, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Aug. 17, 2025, Brentwood Police Department officers responded to reports of a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival at Orasco’s home, they saw that his girlfriend had bruises under her eyes, a cut lip that had been stitched up, swelling on the side of her head and a red eye. She said that Orasco had assaulted her. Officers then learned that Orasco, a convicted felon, was keeping a handgun at a neighbor’s house. Officers found the .357 Magnum revolver and ammunition and learned that Orasco would ask for the pistol and then return it to the neighbor for safekeeping.
Orasco is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
The Brentwood Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Setting Residential FiresRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man entered a guilty plea and received a federal sentence, today, for intentionally setting fire to multiple North Baltimore properties.
Justin Michael Reeves, 29, pled guilty to malicious destruction of property by fire, in connection with the incidents. After Reeves pled guilty, the Honorable Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced him to 63 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Chief James W. Wallace, Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD).
According to his guilty plea, on May 10, 2025, Reeves set a fire at a North Baltimore residence. After setting the fire, Reeves returned to the residence at various points to spread the burning materials across the structure and the garage door. An adjacent property’s surveillance camera captured Reeves setting the fire. Additionally, location information from Reeves’ cellphone also shows the phone in the area at the time of the incident.
Additionally, in the early morning hours of May 14, Reeves set another fire at the same residence. This time, the fire extended to the property next door before fire personnel extinguished it. Surveillance video from the rear of the residence captured Reeves walking back and forth before and after the fire. Location information from Reeves’ cell phone also shows the phone in the area during the time Reeves is observed on surveillance footage. On May 16, Reeves returned to the rear of the property to take pictures of the fire-damaged residence.
Then on May 25, Reeves set a fire at another North Baltimore residence, which was occupied by an individual sleeping in a second-floor bedroom. Surveillance footage captured Reeves on the premises. The captured video shows Reeves walking back and forth near the residence and wearing the same clothing and carrying the same backpack from the May 14 fire.
On May 28, BPD officers arrested Reeves and seized his cellphone. A search of Reeves’s phone uncovered internet searches about the fires, property records in the area of the fires, and searches relating to additional fires that occurred in the same area in 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, MSP, BPD, and BCFD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man entered a guilty plea in federal court, today, stemming from an incident in which he assaulted a law enforcement officer while resisting arrest.
Demetris White, 44, pled guilty to a superseding information charging him with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers or employees.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Regional Director Jose Ortiz-Diaz, U.S. Federal Protective Service (FPS), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Office, and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Boston- New York- Philadelphia Field Division.
According to his guilty plea, on May 19, 2025, White entered a Baltimore Social Security Administration (SSA) field office to inquire about his SSA disability benefit payments. Some SSA-benefit recipients access their monthly benefit payments via a Direct Express Debit Mastercard. At the time, White was unable to access his benefit payments because he lost his debit card.
During his visit, White became upset when an SSA customer-service representative attempted to explain the process to receive a new debit card. He began berating the customer service representative who then pressed a duress button to notify security.
Security personnel responded and asked White to leave the building. Then White berated and threatened to physically assault and spit on security personnel before eventually leaving the building. But due to White’s threats, a federal law enforcement officer responded to the scene.
The law enforcement officer found White outside of the building, approached him, and attempted to place him under arrest. But White was still irate and physically resisted the law enforcement officer’s attempt to arrest him. In response, the law enforcement officer pointed a taser at White and warned him that he would tase him if he continued resisting.
White then allowed the law enforcement officer to place him in handcuffs. After the law enforcement officer, who was standing behind White, handcuffed him, White forcibly backwards headbutted the officer, causing a laceration to his lip, resulting in bleeding and swelling.
White is facing up to eight years in federal prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended FPS and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation, along with the Baltimore Police Department, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Aryan Brotherhood Associate Convicted of Two MurdersRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An associate of the prison gang Aryan Brotherhood was convicted today of executing two men in Lomita on orders given by an Aryan Brotherhood member incarcerated in Kern Valley State Prison, in Kern County.
“This case lays bare the ruthless reach of the Aryan Brotherhood and the violence its members and associates are willing to inflict,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Justin Gray executed two men at point‑blank range because an incarcerated gang member ordered it. Our office remains committed to dismantling violent prison gangs and protecting our communities from their deadly influence.”
“This verdict reflects the serious problem gang violence represents, even from people doing lengthy prison sentences,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will continue to focus its resources on holding gang members accountable, even if they are already behind bars. Clement, who ordered these executions and has been sentenced to life, and now Gray, who carried them out, will pay a severe price for taking life thanks to the good work of the investigators and prosecutors as well as the careful attention of the jury.”
“These murders are a stark reminder that criminal organizations can direct violence from behind prison walls,” said Director Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling these networks and holding accountable the individuals responsible for these senseless murders.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 4, 2020, Justin Gray, 40, of San Pedro, California, executed two men on the orders of Aryan Brotherhood Brother Francis Clement, who was serving a prison sentence in Kern Valley State Prison. Justin Gray lured the victims from San Diego to Lomita where, with the aid of another Aryan Brotherhood associate, he shot both victims in the head. The order to kill had been given over “disrespect” one of the victims had shown to the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray is a member of Baby Blue Wrecking Crew, a white-only gang that takes orders from and works under the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray was convicted of two counts of committing murder in aid of racketeering.
Gray is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 23, 2026. Gray faces a mandatory life sentence.
This trial was part of a larger investigation charging Gray and 20 other defendants with a variety of criminal offenses, including RICO conspiracy, VICAR murder, and narcotics offenses, all related to their criminal activities as members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood. The following individuals charged in the investigation were convicted at trial on Feb. 18, 2025.
John Stinson, 72, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.
Francis Clement, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and five counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims and three other individuals he also ordered to be murdered as part of the racketeering activity of the Aryan Brotherhood.
Kenneth Johnson, 65, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims.
Additional individuals charged in the case and still pending trial include the following:
- Jayson Weaver, 49, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Waylon Pitchford, 48, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Andrew Collins, 42, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Alexander Van Beusekom, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Evan Perkins, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), United States Marshals Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, Pomona Police Department, Torrance Police Department, San Diego Police Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the FBI, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Amanda J. Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Aryan Brotherhood Associate Convicted of Two MurdersRead the Press Release
An associate of the prison gang Aryan Brotherhood was convicted today of executing two men in Lomita, California, on orders given by an Aryan Brotherhood member incarcerated in Kern Valley State Prison, in Kern County, California.
“This verdict reflects the serious problem gang violence represents, even from people doing lengthy prison sentences,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will continue to focus its resources on holding gang members accountable, even if they are already behind bars. Clement, who ordered these executions and has been sentenced to life, and now Gray, who carried them out, will pay a severe price for taking life thanks to the good work of the investigators and prosecutors as well as the careful attention of the jury.”
“These murders are a stark reminder that criminal organizations can direct violence from behind prison walls,” said Director Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling these networks and holding accountable the individuals responsible for these senseless murders.”
“This case lays bare the ruthless reach of the Aryan Brotherhood and the violence its members and associates are willing to inflict,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “Justin Gray executed two men at point‑blank range because an incarcerated gang member ordered it. Our office remains committed to dismantling violent prison gangs and protecting our communities from their deadly influence.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 4, 2020, Justin Gray, 40, of San Pedro, California, executed two men on the orders of Aryan Brotherhood Brother Francis Clement, who was serving a prison sentence in Kern Valley State Prison. Justin Gray lured the victims from San Diego to Lomita where, with the aid of another Aryan Brotherhood associate, he shot both victims in the head. The order to kill had been given over “disrespect” one of the victims had shown to the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray is a member of Baby Blue Wrecking Crew, a white-only gang that takes orders from and works under the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray was convicted of two counts of committing murder in aid of racketeering.
Gray is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston for the Eastern District of California on Nov. 23. Gray faces a mandatory life sentence.
This trial was part of a larger investigation charging Gray and 20 other defendants with a variety of criminal offenses, including RICO conspiracy, VICAR murder, and narcotics offenses, all related to their criminal activities as members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood. The following individuals charged in the investigation were convicted at trial on Feb. 18, 2025.
John Stinson, 72, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.
Francis Clement, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and five counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims and three other individuals he also ordered to be murdered as part of the racketeering activity of the Aryan Brotherhood.
Kenneth Johnson, 65, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims.
Additional individuals charged in the case and still pending trial include the following:
- Jayson Weaver, 49, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Waylon Pitchford, 48, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Andrew Collins, 42, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Alexander Van Beusekom, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
- Evan Perkins, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
This case is being investigated by the ATF, with assistance from the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), U.S. Marshals Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, Pomona Police Department, Torrance Police Department, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sheriff’s Office, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the FBI, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Amanda J. Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Armed Bank Robber Indicted in OrlandoRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Kelean Lerod Cobb (38, Orlando) has been charged by indictment with bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. If convicted of all counts, Cobb faces a minimum of 7 years, up to life, in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 27, 2026, Cobb robbed a bank in Altamonte Springs at gunpoint. Cobb entered the bank wearing a mask and dark colored clothing. He jumped over the teller counter and brandished a dark colored pistol at one of the bank tellers before pointing the firearm at another bank teller and directing her to open her drawer. Cobb then took approximately $277 and fled from the bank. A follow up investigation by law enforcement identified Cobb as the perpetrator.
In addition, Cobb possessed a firearm on August 12, 2026. Cobb is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. His prior offenses include robbery with a firearm, aggravated fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and trafficking in stolen property.
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, the Altamonte Springs Police Department, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Amazon Fraud Defendant Sentenced to More than 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Brittany Hudson was sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison today for orchestrating a scheme that netted nearly $10 million from Amazon, laundering the fraudulent proceeds, defrauding a franchising company while out on bond, and forging a federal judge’s signature on fake court documents.
“Hudson and her partner engineered a massive fraud scheme against Amazon, stealing nearly $10 million in just a few months,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Hudson then showed utter contempt for the law by forging a federal judge’s signature in a failed effort to defraud another company while out on bond. Today’s significant sentence, which must be served without the possibility of parole, holds her accountable for her crime spree.”
“The sentencing in this case brings a brazen fraud operation to its inevitable conclusion - years behind bars for the criminals involved,” said Rob Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. “Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to uncover fraud, protect victims, and work with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring criminals like this to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Brittany Hudson owned a business that contracted with Amazon to deliver packages. Hudson was in a romantic relationship with Kayricka Wortham (a/k/a Kayricka Dupree, a/k/a Kayricka Young), who was an operations manager at the Amazon warehouse in Smyrna, Georgia. Given her position, Wortham had the authority to approve new vendors and vendor invoice payments for Amazon.
From January 2022 to June 2022, Hudson and Wortham defrauded Amazon out of nearly $10 million through a scheme involving bogus vendors and invoices. Wortham and Hudson created dozens of fake vendors in Amazon’s vendor system. Wortham and another co-conspirator at Amazon approved the fake vendor profiles, enabling them to submit invoices.
Hudson and Wortham then submitted more than 1,000 fictitious invoices for the phony vendors, falsely claiming that the vendors had provided goods and services to Amazon. Wortham approved the invoices, causing Amazon to transfer approximately $9.4 million to bank accounts controlled by Hudson, Wortham, and co-conspirators. Hudson and Wortham used the fraudulent proceeds to purchase expensive real estate and luxury vehicles, including a nearly $1 million home in Smyrna, Georgia, a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, a 2021 Dodge Durango, a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porsche Panamera, and a Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle.
In September 2022, Hudson and Wortham were charged in federal court with defrauding Amazon. While on bond, in January 2023, they attempted to defraud a franchising company, resulting in the immediate revocation of their pretrial release. In an effort to enter a franchising agreement to open a hookah lounge in Midtown Atlanta, Hudson and Wortham falsely claimed that their Amazon-related criminal charges had been dismissed. In support of that lie, the two emailed counterfeit court documents that purported to dismiss the charges and contained the forged signatures of former Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. and Cobb County Magistrate Judge Norman L. Barnett, who was then one of the prosecutors on the case. Hudson also emailed doctored financial statements with inflated account balances to support the franchise deal.
Brittany Hudson, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced today to 16 years and three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $9,469,731.45 of restitution to Amazon. The Court also entered a forfeiture money judgment of $7,859,135.54 and ordered Hudson to forfeit her Smyrna residence and money seized from her bank account as fraudulent proceeds of the Amazon scheme. On March 13, 2026, a jury convicted Hudson of 30 felony offenses, including two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, seventeen counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, nine counts of money laundering, and one count of forgery of the signature of a federal judge.
On June 27, 2023, Kayricka Wortham, 35, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 16 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $9,469,731.45 in restitution. Wortham forfeited more than $3 million, the Smyrna home, and the vehicles purchased with fraudulent proceeds. On March 25, 2026, she was sentenced to an additional consecutive year in prison, bringing her total sentence to 17 years, after pleading guilty to forging the signature of a federal judge.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. McClain, Angela Adams, and Nicholas L. Evert 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
Alexandria Man Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison After Concealing Machinegun on 10-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA – On August 21, 2026, United States District Judge Jerry Edwards Jr. sentenced Sheldon Doral Franklin, 33, of Alexandria, to over four years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after his April 17, 2026, guilty plea to Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
“This defendant recklessly used a 10-year-old child to hide a fully automatic weapon and then ran from law enforcement to escape the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Machinegun conversion devices are extremely dangerous, and our Office will continue to hold accountable those who endanger children, community members, and police officers by illegally possessing these dangerous weapons.”
According to court documents, the investigation began on March 23, 2024, when a Pineville Police Department (PPD) officer monitoring a license plate reader alert system received an alert for a stolen maroon Nissan Sentra reported out of Opelousas. The officer quickly located the Sentra traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 167. When the officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle continued driving until the police siren was activated. Additional officers arrived and ordered Franklin, the driver and a convicted felon, out of the car. Franklin initially refused commands to keep his hands in view but eventually complied and was handcuffed. When questioned, Franklin identified the passenger as his 10-year-old child. Franklin then claimed he was unaware the vehicle had been stolen, stating it had been loaned to him by his girlfriend. When officers informed Franklin that they needed to search his child, he refused to give permission. The child also refused commands and kept a bag of chips pressed against his leg. As an officer attempted to move the child's arms, he felt what appeared to be a handgun concealed between the chip bag and the child's leg. Franklin then fled on foot but was quickly apprehended by law enforcement. Officers recovered the weapon, a loaded Glock Model 23, .40-caliber pistol equipped with a Machine Gun Conversion Device (MCD), also known as a switch, making the firearm fully automatic.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and PPD investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody with assistance from Legal Assistant Amanda Morgan.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 1:25-cr-00235-01.
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Series of Armed Bank Robberies Across Albuquerque and Rio RanchoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for carrying out four armed bank robberies across Albuquerque and Rio Rancho between January 2024 and July 2025.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between January 2024 and July 2025, Daniel Ray Guliford, 40, committed four armed bank robberies in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, stealing more than $140,000 and terrorizing bank employees and customers.
During each robbery, Guliford wore a dark or gray hoodie, black face mask, gloves and dark clothing and brandished a handgun. He forced customers and employees to the ground and, during several robberies, ordered bank employees to open the vault.
The robberies included:
- January 4, 2024 – Guliford stole approximately $9,250 from U.S. Bank in Albuquerque. Investigators later recovered his fingerprints from a note left at the bank.
- March 21, 2024 – Guliford stole approximately $26,650 from U.S. Bank in Albuquerque after forcing employees to the ground and demanding that a teller open the vault. A witness later identified a black BMW associated with Guliford as the vehicle used to flee the robbery.
- July 5, 2024 – Guliford stole approximately $72,043.99 from New Mexico Bank & Trust in Rio Rancho after threatening employees and demanding that they open the vault. A witness photographed a black BMW without a visible license plate leaving the area.
- July 24, 2025 – Guliford stole approximately $31,261 from First Financial Credit Union in Albuquerque after brandishing a handgun and ordering employees to open the vault. Surveillance footage captured a black BMW matching Guliford’s vehicle near the credit union.
A teller who witnessed the January and March 2024 robberies later spotted what he recognized as the robber's BMW at a Dion’s Pizza in Albuquerque. Investigators determined the vehicle was registered to Guliford. Following the final robbery, investigators searched Guliford’s residence and recovered a firearm matching the appearance of the firearm used during the robberies, approximately $28,530 in cash, bank money bands and clothing matching that worn during the robberies.
Guliford pled guilty to four counts of bank robbery with a dangerous weapon and one count of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon his release from prison, Guliford will be subject to two years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department, Sandia Pueblo Police Department and Pueblo of Isleta Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
25 August 2026
West Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Fentanyl Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that ALTON SMALL, also known as “Poodah,” “Tiemare,” and “Tie,” 31, of West Haven, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force investigation identified Small as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing fentanyl and cocaine in the greater New Haven area. The investigation included the seizure of approximately two kilograms of cocaine in Ansonia on January 30, 2025, multiple controlled purchases of narcotics between March and June 2025, and other investigative techniques. Investigators also connected an overdose death to Small’s drug trafficking activity.
Small was arrested on June 18, 2025. On that date, investigators searched several locations connected to Small and seized more than one kilogram of powder cocaine, more than 150 grams of crack cocaine, more than 200 grams of fentanyl, two loaded firearms, and additional ammunition.
On August 20, 2026, while released on bond, Small was arrested by West Haven Police for narcotics possession and distribution offenses.
Small pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing, which is scheduled for November 17, he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Small’s bond was revoked today and he is detained pending sentencing.
The NHDO Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.
Waterloo Man Sentenced for Making MachinegunsRead the Press Release
A man who turned firearms into fully automatic machineguns in his home was sentenced on August 20, 2026, to more than one year in federal prison.
Nicholas Laurence Wilson, age 35, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 30, 2026, guilty plea to one count of possession of machineguns.
Information from sentencing showed that Wilson machined three semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) began investigating Wilson’s firearm purchases after several guns that he purchased were recovered in connection with criminal investigations. ATF agents searched Wilson’s house on July 16, 2025. They located the three machineguns and a machinegun conversion device, a drop-in auto sear, in Wilson’s house. Wilson lied to law enforcement agents by indicating that he did not have any National Firearms Act firearms, which would include machineguns, in his house.
Wilson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Wilson was sentenced to twelve months and one day of imprisonment and fined $5,000. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Wilson was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on September 21, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and ATF assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-2001.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Warsaw Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jason Waikel, 47 years old, of Warsaw, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm as an Armed Career Criminal, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Waikel was sentenced to 188 months in prison and 48 months of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Waikel became a person of interest when the Warsaw Police Department investigated an incident where shots were fired from a moving car in July of 2025. Police executed a search warrant on Waikel’s car and found a bullet hole in the driver’s side trunk lid. Police executed a search warrant on a storage unit that Waikel owned and recovered four firearms. Waikel later admitted to police that he had fired shots during the shooting incident. Waikel is an Armed Career Criminal and is thus prohibited from possessing firearms. Waikel’s prior convictions include battery resulting in bodily injury and two different convictions for offenses committed on separate occasions for robbery while armed with a deadly weapon.
“The Defendant has a 30-year criminal history of serious violent crimes involving firearms. His continued use of drugs, violent behavior, and bad decisions constitute a flagrant disrespect for the rule of law and create a serious risk to our neighborhoods and communities of Northern Indiana. This stern sentence provides accountability and serves to protect our communities from his future criminal actions. Close collaboration and strong partnerships between the Warsaw Police Department, the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were instrumental in bringing this man to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
“This case demonstrates the serious consequences for repeat violent offenders that illegally possess firearms. Our partnerships in the region are strong, and I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of the US Attorney’s Office, Warsaw Police Department, and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office. ATF remains steadfast in our commitment to keep firearms out of the hands of violent felons and to continue working alongside our partners to keep our communities safe,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Region 2, Christopher Amon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Warsaw Police Department, and the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Barrier and former Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Unknown Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Using Identity of Deceased Child for 25 Years to Obtain Nearly $300,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – A man whose identity remains unknown was sentenced to five years in federal prison for stealing the identity of a deceased child for 25 years to obtain significant government benefits, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. After a three-day trial in May 2026, a federal jury sitting in Pocatello found the man guilty of wire fraud, theft of government funds, aggravated identity theft, and related charges.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
“Taxpayer funds are precious resources, and our office will fight to vigorously protect such funds,” U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis said. “This sentence should send a strong message that stealing taxpayer funds and craven identity theft will be met with a thorough federal investigation, and a stiff sentence.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Carlos Ramon Obregon was born in 1963 in Los Angeles but was tragically killed in Los Angeles in 1977 at the age of 14 after suffering from a gunshot wound to the head during a drive-by shooting. Obregon was laid to rest at a local cemetery in Los Angeles that same year.
Twenty-three years after Obregon’s death, in 2000, the Defendant applied for a replacement social security card using Obregon’s social security number, Obregon’s date of birth, and Obregon’s parent’s names.
At trial, Obregon’s mother testified that Obregon died in 1977. She testified that the Defendant is not her son, and that she does not know the Defendant. The Defendant’s true identity remains unknown.
The Defendant misused Obregon’s identity to fraudulently obtain multiple identification documents. In 2012, the Defendant applied for, and obtained, a United States passport using Obregon’s birth certificate. He travelled multiple times on the passport to Mexico. In 2024, the Defendant unsuccessfully sought to renew the passport.
“Identity thieves who exploit the identities of deceased Americans cause real harm,” said Jonathan P. Kazmar, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) San Francisco Field Office. “In this case, the defendant assumed the identity of a deceased American teenager and used it for years to commit serious fraud. DSS will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of U.S. travel and identity documents and to seek justice for victims of identity theft.”
For more than two decades, the Defendant used Obregon’s name and identity to fraudulently obtain numerous government benefits totaling approximately $284,000. The Defendant unlawfully received approximately $177,000 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, $91,00 in Medicaid benefits, $12,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and $3,200 in Economic Impact Payments.
“This defendant repeatedly used a deceased individual’s identity to unlawfully obtain over $177,000 in SSI benefits for personal gain, diverting critical resources from people who genuinely need them to meet their basic needs.,” said Christian Assaad, Special Agent-in-Charge, Denver/San Francisco Field Division, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG). “We will continue to investigate those who attempt to defraud Social Security programs, and we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.”
“Unlawfully obtaining Medicaid benefits—even in this case going so far as to assume the identity of a deceased child to fraudulently collect benefits—diverts limited resources from patients who truly need them,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb Breeden of the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Pacific Region. “HHS OIG, working with our law enforcement and program partners, will continue to protect the integrity of Medicaid and hold accountable anyone who exploits it.”
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) takes all investigations into identity theft and COVID relief fraud seriously”, stated TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge Krystofor Proev. “We would like to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting such egregious acts in this case.”
“This 61-month prison sentence following a multi-agency investigation reflects the effectiveness of the whole-of-government approach against fraud under the leadership of VP Vance and the WH Task Force to bring criminals to justice. I applaud the work of USDA OIG and the numerous law enforcement partners who worked this case together,” said USDA Inspector General John Walk. “This ‘unknown man’ used the stolen identity of a child who died in 1977 to successfully obtain government benefits across numerous programs for 25 years beginning decades after the child’s death. Something is broken. This underscores the importance of strengthening fraud prevention measures like upfront identity verification and data analytics to stop the fraud before it happens.”
The Defendant also obtained Idaho state identification cards in 2002, 2010, and 2014. In 2022, the Defendant obtained a Star Card, again using Obregon’s birth certificate as proof of his identity and lawful presence in the United States.
United States District Judge David C. Nye sentenced the unknown man to 61 months in prison and ordered the man to be placed on supervised release for three years following completion of his prison sentence. Judge Nye also ordered the man to pay $283,977.40 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the cooperative efforts of the SSA OIG, DSS, HHS-OIG, TIGTA, USDA OIG, and Idaho Transportation Department, which led to the charges.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Brittney Campbell prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, in Partnership with Federal and Local Law Enforcement, Targets Fentanyl Trafficking in Downtown PortlandRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—United States Attorney Scott E. Bradford announced in a press conference today that, over the past three years, federal charges have been brought against more than 100 defendants for trafficking fentanyl in downtown Portland. Those arrests included seizures of more than 40 guns.
Starting in 2023, at a time when open-air drug markets were commonplace in downtown Portland and the county and state systems were unable to hold and prosecute these street-level fentanyl dealers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) stepped in to federally prosecute fentanyl dealers in downtown Portland.
A unique aspect of this partnership involved a dedicated team that included an FBI special agent, an Assistant U.S. Attorney, PPB’s Bike Squad, and PPB’s Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team (NRT) going on late-night missions to target fentanyl dealers in downtown Portland.
As a result, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged more than 100 defendants for selling fentanyl in downtown Portland. Of these defendants, over 80% were illegal aliens from Honduras and Mexico unlawfully residing in Oregon. These cases have resulted in the seizure of more than 100 kilograms of fentanyl, 40 guns, and $1.3 million in proceeds. That is enough fentanyl to kill 50 million people, or Oregon’s population, 11 times.
After this project began additional law enforcement agencies became involved as dealers move from downtown to other areas. It has continued to be a growing partnership with local, state, and federal stakeholders in the broader Portland region.
“Our message is simple,” U.S. Attorney Bradford said, “if you are dealing fentanyl in downtown Portland, you will be arrested, federally prosecuted, and go to federal prison.” U.S. Attorney Bradford noted, “Three years ago, downtown Portland had notorious open-air drug markets and was in the news for all the wrong reasons. Downtown fentanyl dealers, many of whom were armed, were contributing to higher crime rates and overdoses. To many people, downtown Portland simply felt unsafe – and it was. As a result of these joint efforts, we are changing that.” U.S. Attorney Bradford emphasized, “Our coordinated and dynamic law enforcement response, with local, county, state, and federal partners, is making a difference in downtown Portland—reducing fentanyl trafficking, violent crime, and overdoses. We will continue to work with our partners to make Portland safe.”
“Our partnerships with the Portland Police Bureau, the Multnomah and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Offices, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office make all of this possible," said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “To anyone dealing dangerous drugs downtown: it’s not a matter of if we catch you—it's when.”
A summary of a few of these downtown fentanyl cases are listed below:
United States v. Luis Carlos Moreno-Mencia, Case No. 3:23-cr-354
On December 9, 2024, Luis Carlos Moreno-Mencia pled guilty to possession with the intent to Distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
According to court documents, on or about September 28, 2023, Moreno-Mencia possessed approximately 167 grams of fentanyl for purposes of further distribution. Moreno-Mencia also possessed a firearm.
On March 3, 2025, Moreno-Mencia was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release. He is facing deportation back to Honduras.
United States v. Olvin Fabricio Diaz-Centeno, Case No. 3:23-cr-00301
On October 3, 2024, Olvin Fabricio Diaz-Centeno pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, Diaz-Centeno was working with others distributing fentanyl, in both powder and pills, within the greater Portland metropolitan area. On or about September 6, 2023, Diaz-Centeno and his co-defendant were arrested and a search of the vehicle they were in resulted in the seizure of approximately 1.2 kilograms of counterfeit M30 pills manufactured with fentanyl and 1 kilogram of Super Mannitol, a cutting agent used to mix with fentanyl for purposes of further distribution. A search of a storage unit Diaz-Centeno and co-defendant maintained resulted in the seizure of approximately 460 grams of counterfeit M30 pills manufactured with fentanyl and 2.1 kilograms of powdered fentanyl, as well as additional Super Mannitol. A search of their residence resulted in the seizure of three pistols; ammunition; and equipment for processing fentanyl for purposes of further distribution, to include vice presses, a scale, masks, Super Mannitol, and a blender.
On December 13, 2024, Diaz-Centeno was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He is facing deportation back to Honduras.
United States v. Bexon Calix-Rivera, Case No. 3:24-cr-00232
On March 12, 2025, Bexon Calix-Rivera pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, from January 2023 through to June 2024 Calix-Rivera was arrested by police on multiple occasions.
On June 4, 2024, PPB officers recognized Calix-Rivera from the encounter ten days prior. Officers observed Calix-Rivera carrying a hatchet and engaged in hand-to-hand drug transactions in downtown Portland. Officers attempted to detain Calix-Rivera, but he fled on foot. When officers apprehended Calix-Rivera, they seized fentanyl powder, a firearm, and $755 in cash. PPB officers booked Calix-Rivera in the Multnomah County Jail, and he was released the same day.
On June 11, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Calix-Rivera with possession of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On October 28, 2024 he made his initial appearance on the federal charges and remained in custody.
On June 5, 2025, Calix-Rivera was sentenced to 78months imprisonment, followed by 4 years supervised release. pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is facing deportation back to Honduras.
United States v. Cristian Laines-Hernandez, Case No. 3:25-cr-00405
On January 15, 2026, Cristian Laines-Hernandez pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, January 18, 2025, Laines possessed to distribute 45 bags of prepackaged fentanyl which weighed approximately 339 grams. He was arrested on state charges and released from custody on January 22, 2025. On September 8, 2025, as part of a separate drug trafficking investigation, Laines was arrested by officers from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation’s Unit on federal charges. The state case was adopted for federal prosecution. The defendant was held in federal custody since the September 8, 2025, federal arrest.
On May 11, 2026, Laines was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He is facing deportation back to Honduras.
United States v. Matthew Eugene Garlock, Case No. 3:25-cr-00164
On May 27,2026, Matthew Eugene Garlock pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, beginning on or about January 19, 2025, and continuing until on or about April 4, 2025, Garlock sold fentanyl in downtown Portland. Despite multiple arrests by local law enforcement, he continued distributing fentanyl. On each occasion he was arrested his fentanyl and firearm would be seized and he would then go out and acquire additional fentanyl to sell and an additional firearm for protection. A search of his residence resulted in the seizure of three pistols; ammunition; and equipment for processing fentanyl for further distribution, to include vice presses, a scale, masks, Super Mannitol, and a blender. On April 7, 2025, Garlock made his initial appearance on federal charges and was detained.
Garlock is in custody and scheduled for sentencing.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
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U.S. Attorney Files Civil Fraud Suit Against Network of Companies for Fraudulently Obtaining COVID Relief MoneyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced today that the United States has filed a Complaint against MICHAEL SHABSELS, SIMAD HOLDINGS LLC, DAMIS HOLDINGS LLC, and 26 related entities (the “Shabsels Companies” and, collectively, the “Defendants”), alleging that the Defendants concealed their interrelationship from the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) in order to improperly obtain PPP funds. The lawsuit seeks damages and civil penalties under the False Claims Act as well as a recovery of government funds under the common law.
“Congress enacted the Paycheck Protection Program during a national crisis to help small businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “As alleged, the defendants repeatedly lied to the SBA to exploit this program and fund their sprawling network of companies at taxpayer expense, thereby depleting the funds for small businesses that needed the assistance. The civil process to recover taxpayer funds remains ongoing.”
The following allegations are based on the Complaint filed in White Plains federal court on August 24, 2026:
To promote the availability of PPP loans to the largest number of borrowers, the SBA limited businesses in a single corporate group to a maximum aggregate loan amount of $4 million for second-draw PPP loans (the “Corporate Group Rule”). The Shabsels Companies were part of a large corporate group that was subject to the Corporate Group Rule’s cap of $4 million. Indeed, the vast majority of the Shabsels Companies were directly majority-owned by a single company. The Defendants, however, sought and obtained over $17 million in second-draw PPP loans for the Shabsels Companies, improperly obtaining over $13 million in PPP loans, all of which were forgiven, as follows:
Defendant
Camp Name
Loan and Forgiveness Amount
ACHIM OPERATINGCO LLC
Camp Achim, New York
$79,527.00
BAHS OPERATING INC CAMP
Camp Chen-A-Wanda, Pennsylvania
$1,072,529.00
BANNER OPERATINGCO LLC
Banner Day Camp, Illinois
$1,394,904.00
BELGRADE LAKES SUMMER CAMPS LLC
New England Tennis and Golf Camp, Maine
$167,415.00
BLUESTAR OPERATINGCO, LLC
Blue Star Camps, North Carolina
$1,425,091.00
CAMP MED-O-LARK, INC
Camp Med-O-Lark, Maine
$454,719.00
CLUB GETAWAY OPERATINGCO, LLC
Club Getaway, Connecticut
$592,039.00
COUNTRY ROADS OPERATINGCO, LLC
Country Roads Day Camp, New Jersey
$1,134,437.50
DAMIS HOLDINGS, LLC
(not a camp at all, but a holding company)
$179,730.00
EAGLE'S LANDING DAY CAMP LLC
Eagle’s Landing, New Jersey
$591,804.00
GREEN LANE OPERATINGCO, LLC
Camp Green Lane, Pennsylvania
$175,836.00
IAFA OPERATING CO, LLC
Indian Acres and Forest Acres, Maine
$469,105.00
KIWI OPERATINGCO, LLC
Kiwi Country Day Camp, New York
$768,410.00
LAVCO LLC
Camp Lavi, Pennsylvania
$689,132.00
MAINE WEKEELA CO, LLC
Camp Wekeela, Maine
$424,343.00
MALKA OPERATINGCO LLC
Camp Malka, New York
$163,628.00
MEADOWBROOK OPERATINGCO, LLC
Meadowbrook Country Day Camp, New Jersey
$1,380,766.00
MESORAHCO, LLC
Camp Mesorah, New York
$469,829.00
MOGENAVCO LLC
Camp Mogen Av, New York
$1,091,353.62
MOHAWKCAMPCO LLC
Mohawk Day Camp, New York
$2,000,000.00
POLAND CAMPCO LLC
Camp North Star, Maine
$224,350.00
RDM CAMPS LLC
Camp Lokanda, New York
$719,446.00
SHAB OPERATING INC
Camp Echo, New York
$326,893.00
STONY CREEK OPERATING CO, LLC
1000 Acres Ranch, New York
$142,015.00
SUMMIT CAMP, LLC
Summit Camp, Pennsylvania
$613,833.50
WAUKEELA OPERATINGCO LLC
Camp Waukeela, New Hampshire
$268,170.00
WM CAMP LLC
Windsor Mountain Summer Camp, New Hampshire
$399,273.00
SHABSELS signed numerous second-draw PPP applications on behalf of the Shabsels Companies. On over 20 occasions, SHABSELS falsely answered “no” to the following question in PPP applications submitted on behalf of the Shabsels Companies: “[i]s the Applicant or any owner of the Applicant an owner of any other business, or have common management (including a management agreement) with any other business.” In fact, SHABSELS and SIMAD HOLDINGS, LLC were owners of the applicants for PPP loans and also owners of various other businesses.
The Defendants have all filed for bankruptcy in the District of New Jersey. In this action, the United States seeks to determine the extent of the Defendants’ liability and will then coordinate any recovery for the taxpayers in conjunction with the bankruptcy proceedings.
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The Government intervened in a whistleblower lawsuit before U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas that had previously been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act, and which was unsealed on August 17, 2026.
Mr. McDonald thanked the SBA for its assistance with the case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Kennedy is in charge of the case.
U.S. Attorney Announces Surge in Federal Violent Crime Prosecutions in AustinRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons announced on Tuesday that assistant U.S. attorneys in Austin have filed approximately 40 federal cases against defendants for gun-related crimes in recent months.
Simmons made the announcement in a press conference, joined by representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Austin Police Department. He said that, as part of an initiative to tackle violent crime in the community, his team has worked closely with the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, to identify cases for federal prosecution.
“It is imperative that we focus our law enforcement resources and efforts on individuals who commit violent crimes, especially when those crimes are committed with firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “According to data from the Major Cities Police Chiefs Association, Homicides in Austin are up 187% since 2015. Rape and Aggravated assault are up 65% and 38% respectively during that same period. Many of these crimes are committed by bad guys with guns. Just this year, we’ve seen multiple violent criminals engage in acts which endangered the lives of peace-loving Austinites, including the March 1st shooting on 6th Street. It’s plain to see that gun crime poses a significant threat to the law-abiding citizens of Austin, and the U.S. Attorney’s office takes that threat seriously. Our goal through this initiative is to emphasize that felons, or anyone else, who illegally possess or uses firearms will face serious consequences.”
“ATF is proud to stand alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this united effort to make Austin safer and hold violent offenders accountable,” said ATF Houston Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel. “Our agency brings unique expertise in firearms investigations, and we remain committed to disrupting those who use firearms to facilitate violent crime by working with our partners to ensure dangerous offenders face the consequences of their actions. This partnership is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when law enforcement agencies work together toward protecting our communities.”
Simmons highlighted multiple significant cases the Western District of Texas attorneys are currently prosecuting, including charges for felon in possession of a firearm, drug trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of machine guns. The penalties for convicted defendants include 10-, 15-, and 30-year minimums with maximum penalties for some reaching life in federal prison.
“It is true that this U.S. Attorney’s Office and others across the Department of Justice are prosecuting immigration crimes, taking on alien smugglers, drug traffickers, and Mexican cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations,” Simmons added. “But we have not let up on our overall mission to ensure individuals who seek to harm our neighbors, friends, and loved ones, by violating federal laws with no regard for human life, are met with the full weight of the U.S. Department of Justice. We do this as law enforcement professionals so that Americans can live their lives, enjoy the blessings of liberty, and pursue happiness.”
An indictment/criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Turtle Creek Resident Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years of prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $15,000 to his victims for his conviction on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Robert Bookshar, 49, on August 24, 2026. Bookshar pleaded guilty in March 2026 to two counts of production and attempted production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of children.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around September 2021 through in and around June 2023, Bookshar communicated with an online criminal organization offering child sexual abuse material for sale through a social media app. Specifically, on August 23, 2022, and May 12, 2022, Bookshar purchased live video calls with two different female minors, during which the defendant requested that each minor “get naked” and engage in sexual conduct. Bookshar secretly recorded the video calls and saved them to a folder labeled under each girl’s name on an external hard drive. Bookshar paid for these calls and other child sexual abuse material with gift cards and various mobile payment apps.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman condemned the defendant’s criminal conduct and expressed significant concern regarding Bookshar’s claim that he did not realize that he was harming real girls.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Tampa (Florida) and Colorado Springs (Colorado) police departments for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bookshar.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Assaulting Victim with a Metal RodRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Aug. 19, 2026, Sonny Reyes Lozano, 38, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Lozano previously pleaded guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
On Dec. 14, 2025, Lozano, an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, confronted the victim as he was walking home. Lozano struck the victim approximately eight times with a metal rod, inflicting serious injuries. The victim sustained a fractured ulna.
At the time of the assault, Lozano was under supervised release for a previous conviction.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-05654-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-145_Lozano# # #
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 Sentenced for Firearms Violations in the Northern District of West VirginiaRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people were sentenced to a combined 11 years in prison for violating federal firearms laws, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Charlie Bret Parker, 45, of Cumberland, Maryland, will serve 78 months in prison after stealing firearms from a pawn shop in Ridgeley, West Virginia. Surveillance footage captured Parker leaning over a display case, opening the door, and taking a firearm before leaving the store. Because of previous felony convictions—including drug offenses, theft, and grand larceny—Parker is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Ricardo Xavier Jones, 46, of Martinsburg, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. Jones was already on probation for a felony grand larceny conviction in Virginia. During a probation check at his home, officers found a shotgun hidden inside his mattress, a box of ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and suboxone strips. Jones is barred from having firearms due to his prior convictions.
Gary Owen Jones, 55, also of Martinsburg, received a sentence of 37 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm. A West Virginia parole officer found a rifle in Jones’s home during a routine visit. Jones is prohibited from possessing firearms because of previous convictions, including making terroristic threats in Berkeley County and another firearms-related offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parole Services.
These cases are a part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Suspect Indicted in Fairview Heights Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – a man appeared in federal court last Friday to face a federal charge for allegedly robbing a bank in Fairview Heights, Illinois. He will remain detained pending trial.
Kiante M. Brooks, 32, is facing one count of federal bank robbery. According to court documents, around 5:00 p.m. on August 13, 2026, Fairview Heights Police Department (“FHPD”) received a call from a local bank teller advising the police that a co-worker was being robbed. FHPD arrived on scene and Brooks exited the bank. FHPD immediately took Brooks into custody without incident. According to court documents, Brooks was in possession of a black bag at the time of his arrest. The bag allegedly contained the cash stolen from the bank and a demand note stating, “ROBBERY GIVE ME $10,000. I HAVE A GUN.”
“The Department of Justice recently announced the largest year-to-year drop in the violent crime rate in American history from 2024 to 2025, and the downward trend is continuing in 2026,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Those statistics included an 18.5 percent decrease in bank robberies, which is explained by a nationwide emphasis on aggressive enforcement. Credit to the Fairview Heights Police Department and the FBI for the quick work that took this defendant into custody without incident.”
“The FBI Springfield Field Office remains committed to conducting thorough investigations that help ensure the safety of our communities and the security of our financial institutions,” said FBI Springfield’s Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. “We appreciate the quick, professional response of the Fairview Heights Police Department and value the strong partnership that supports our work on cases like this.”
Jury trial is set for October 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM in the Benton Courthouse. The FBI Springfield Field Office is investigating with support from the Fairview Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Reppert is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Strafford Woman Sentenced to 300 Months for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Strafford, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a “throuple” who sexually abused two children to produce child pornography.
Jessica Nicole Pickett, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton to a total of 25 years in federal prison without parole, to be followed by a life term of supervised release. Pickett will be required to register as a sex offender upon her release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout her life.
Pickett pleaded guilty on Jan. 22, 2026, to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of children and transfer of obscene material to a minor. Pickett admitted that she participated in a conspiracy with Mallory Bunch and Thomas Bunch (now deceased, formerly Mallory Bunch’s husband with whom they were involved in a polyamorous relationship) to sexually abuse two minor victims and to produce child pornography depicting that abuse from Sept. 2, 2016, to May 23, 2024. Pickett also admitted to sharing an iCloud link that contained 376 images and two videos of the sexual activity of Mallory and Thomas Bunch and Pickett with one of the minor victims.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and Webster County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Springfield Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for his illegal possession of a firearm.
William Thomas Alexander Moore, 30, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton for being a felon in possession of a firearm. This defendant was charged as a part of Operation Spring Cleaning, that was coordinated by the United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement across Southwest Missouri.
On June 26, 2025, Moore was contacted by the Christian County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office for exceeding the posted speed limit. Christian County deputies conducted a search of Moore’s vehicle after a K-9 unit indicated on the vehicle. Deputies discovered two Smith and Wesson .38 caliber firearms. Deputies then learned Moore was a convicted felon and was arrested for his illegal possession of the firearms. Moore was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by three years of post-release supervision, and payment of a $100 Special Assessment as required by law.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Christian County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon and as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Anthony James Howard, 34, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2026. He pleaded guilty on June 29, 2026.
According to court records, in early December 2025, Howard was wielding a semi-automatic pistol after consuming methamphetamine. He was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to previous felony convictions. Howard fired the firearm and shot himself in the foot.
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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Howard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Saranac Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – William Strack II, age 37, of Saranac Lake, New York, pleaded guilty August 4, 2026, to eight counts of sexual exploitation of children.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James; and Saranac Lake Police Chief Darin Perrotte made the announcement.
The defendant was arrested on October 14, 2025, by the Saranac Lake Police Department. On November 5, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted the defendant on eight counts of sexual exploitation of children.
As part of his guilty plea, Strack admitted that between January 2022 and October 2025, he sexually abused three children and took videos and pictures of that abuse. Another minor child accessed the defendant’s phone and saw the videos and images of the defendant sexually abusing an 11-year-old minor female, a 15-year-old minor female, and another 11-year-old-minor female. The minor child who accessed the defendant’s phone reported the defendant to the Saranac Lake Police Department. The investigation revealed that the defendant had been sexually abusing children over a period of years.
“With this guilty plea, Mr. Strack now faces a potential life sentence for the horrific conduct he engaged in. For years, he was able to perpetrate these reprehensible acts, but thanks to the diligent efforts of the Saranac Lake Police Department and our partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police, he will no longer be able to victimize innocent children in our community,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone.
HSI Buffalo Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone said, “William Strack II admitted to exploiting and abusing multiple minor victims over several years, creating images and videos that documented those horrific crimes — conduct that reflects a years-long pattern of predatory abuse and exploitation that inflicted profound harm on vulnerable children. HSI Rouses Point, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, is committed to identifying predators, bringing them to justice, and protecting children from further harm. This case underscores the critical impact of collaborative investigations in safeguarding our communities and ensuring victims are heard, protected, and supported.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “We are committed to finding justice for victims of child exploitation and making sure those who threaten children in any capacity are put behind bars. The acts performed by Mr. Strack are unconscionable and this type of behavior cannot, and should not, be tolerated in our society. I thank all our partners involved in this case for their unwavering dedication in making sure every child is protected from any source of harm.”
This sentence sends a strong message that crimes against children will not be tolerated in our community,” said Chief Darin Perrotte. “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our community — our children — remains one of the highest priorities of the Saranac Lake Police Department. These investigations are difficult and deeply disturbing, but our Officers remain committed to pursuing justice for victims and holding offenders fully accountable for their actions. Cases involving the exploitation and abuse of children require strong partnerships and collaboration between agencies. We are grateful for the professionalism, dedication, and expertise provided by all agencies involved in this investigation and prosecution.”
When he is sentenced on December 2, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, a maximum term of imprisonment of up to life, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. The defendant will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be responsible for restitution to the victims. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes that the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Strack has been detained since his arrest on October 14, 2025.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with assistance from the New York State Police and the Saranac Lake Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Rock Island man was sentenced on August 25, 2026, to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Davaria Shargquil Lewis, Sr., 32, possessed 879 counterfeit oxycodone M30 pills containing fentanyl inside a vehicle, which officers located during a traffic stop in March 2025.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Lewis will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
Red Lion Resident Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud for Depositing Counterfeit U.S. Treasury CheckRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rashu D. Powell, age 52, of Red Lion, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to one count of bank fraud.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in July 2024, Powell deposited a counterfeit U.S. Treasury check in the amount of $421,502.10 in a business account that he controlled at Members 1st Federal Credit Union, in York, PA. Following this deposit, Powell made a series of withdrawals from the account in order to use the money, including a $3,000 cash withdrawal, a $100 ATM withdrawal, and a $1,100 transfer to a personal bank account. In August 2024, Members 1st FCU withdrew the full amount of the fraudulent check deposit from Powell’s business account, which prevented him from using any additional funds derived from the fraudulent deposit.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service with assistance from the West Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Recidivist offender sentenced to 20 years in prison for fentanyl traffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Oct. 26, 2023, law enforcement searched the residence of Christopher Raymond Coleman, 38. Upon entering the residence, an officer located Coleman in the kitchen next to a table with numerous packages of illegal narcotics and items related to drug trafficking. Agents recovered over 670 grams of fentanyl, over 129 grams of cocaine powder, approximately 20 grams of crack cocaine, a box of plastic baggies, scissors, and a digital scale. Agents also recovered a handgun, ammunition, and two ammunition magazines.
Coleman has been convicted previously of possession of oxycodone, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm with drugs, and on another occasion with possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm with drugs. After Coleman was released from custody on Aug. 29, 2022, he began distributing illegal controlled substances in July 2023 and continued into October 2023. Additionally, Coleman was charged on Sept. 6, 2023, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, and Chief Rick Edwards, of the Richmond Police Department made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia L. Norman and Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.
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. 3:25-cr-138.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Hayden Sengua, 26, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $15,685 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of the defendant’s external hard drive and two cellular phones.
Sengua was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in June 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026.
Beginning in 2018 and continuing into January 2025, Sengua knowingly downloaded image and video files containing sexually explicit visual depictions of young children. Sengua saved the files on his cell phone, in his Google account, and on an external hard drive. Altogether, Sengua was in possession of approximately 15,000 total media files depicting child sexual abuse. Some of the imagery Sengua collected depicts the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, as well as the bondage and torture of minors. Sengua also used a virtual machine to attempt to hide his collection of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Sengua was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Quinlan woman sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Quinlan woman has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Michelle Hignight, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on August 25, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in 2023, Hignight was identified during an on-going investigation into drug trafficking activities in the Eastern District of Texas. Hignight was responsible for trafficking at least 50 grams of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Plano Office.
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Prior felon arrested on gun chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gerald Harper, 31, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250.000 fine.
In June 2023, Harper was convicted on a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and sentenced to serve 60 months’ probation. As a result, he was prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition. According to the complaint, on August 13, 2026, a North Tonawanda police officer conducted a traffic stop of Harper’s vehicle for a suspended registration. During the stop, when Harper lowered the window, the officer observed heavy smoke consistent with the scent of marijuana. The officer also observed an open backpack in the vehicle that contained bundles of United States Currency, later determined to be approximately $7,055 in cash. The officer asked Harper to step out of the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle recovered a quantity of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Harper is still on federal supervised release, which led to a search of his residence. During that search, investigators located two firearms and ammunition.
Harper made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and was detained.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Postal employees charged in $24M stolen-check schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Five Houston residents have been indicted for conspiracy to commit bank fraud in a scheme that involved the theft of checks from the U.S. mail.
Tryston Tremaine Vaughn, 28; Malcolm Tiree Joubert, 35; and Alyssa Nadine Bryant, 27; are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho at 10:00 a.m today. Catherine Clauzelle Kilpatrick, 29, made her appearance Aug. 24. Also charged is Drakkor Jamar Alexander, 34, who is not as yet in custody.
According to the indictment, Vaughn allegedly recruited U.S. Postal Service mail carriers to steal checks from the mail along their routes. Vaughn and others allegedly purchased the stolen checks from postal employees and resold them to buyers through Telegram. They then shipped the stolen checks to buyers, according to the indictment.
Telegram is a cloud-based, cross-platform social media, and instant messaging service.
Kilpatrick, Joubert, and Alexander worked as USPS mail carriers when Vaughn allegedly recruited them to steal mail.
The charges allege the scheme involved approximately $24 million in stolen checks.
If convicted, each faces up to 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and a possible $1 million maximum fine. Kilpatrick, Joubert, and Alexander also face up to five years for theft by a postal employee and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI, USPS – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of Treasury – OIG, Treasury Inspector for Tax Administration, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, and police departments in Houston and Stafford conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer 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.
Portland Metro Area Roundtable Held on Fentanyl and Methamphetamine with HIDTA and HSTFRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Today, United States Attorney Scott E. Bradford in partnership with the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program (HIDTA) and the Portland Homeland Security Taskforce hosted a roundtable with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners on fentanyl and methamphetamine, the two greatest drug threats to our local communities.
At this HIDTA and HSTF roundtable, key stakeholders discussed recent successes and ways to build upon them, including increasing the arrests and prosecutions of local fentanyl and methamphetamine dealers, emphasizing overdose investigations and prosecutions, and investigating and prosecuting individuals laundering proceeds for drug traffickers and cartels. These roundtables improve coordination and efforts to combat these dangerous drugs, leading to greater results for the community.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
This project is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Pensacola Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jesse Allen Hudson, 43, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession of unregistered firearm. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state law enforcement partners, and this aggressive prosecution by my office, this violent felon has been taken off our streets and he’ll be kept locked in federal prison where he belongs.”
Court documents reflect that on January 21, 2026, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a disturbance complaint at a residence in Pensacola, Florida. Upon arrival, deputies encountered the defendant and his wife. The deputies learned that firearms were missing from the residence and that the defendant had been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting an Officer with Violence, and Fleeing to Elude Police and Destroying or Tampering with Evidence. Based on these felony convictions, the defendant was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. With the wife’s consent, deputies searched the property for the missing firearms and discovered several loaded AR-style magazines and an unregistered multi-caliber short-barreled rifle among the defendant’s belongings.
Hudson faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon count, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession of unregistered firearm count.
Hudson’s sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida.
The plea was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – On August 25, 2026, a Pearl River man pleaded guilty to Production of Child Pornography.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger and Robert Eickhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Eli Joe, 22, knowingly enticed or coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct that were sent to Joe using the internet.
Joe is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2027, and faces not less than 15 years up to 30 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Kruger commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Trails Task Force, who investigated the case. The Safe Trails Task Force is comprised of officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Choctaw Police Department, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, and various state and local law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy prosecuted the case.