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10 September 2025
Parolee Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted for illegally possessing a firearm.
Malik Holman, 27, was charged in a single count indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint filed on Sept. 5, 2025.
According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2025, Holman was observed by Kansas City Missouri Police Department detectives in possession of a firearm. Officers detained Holman, located the handgun, and placed him under arrest for illegally possessing a firearm. Holman had met with his state parole officer earlier that day.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Holman has a prior felony conviction for robbery.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Pensacola Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Rashaad Tariq Lee, 31, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 25 months in federal prison for Unlawful Possession of Stolen Mail and Means of Identification. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I truly appreciate the outstanding investigative work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service that put an end to this offender’s fraud and theft schemes. Mail theft and identity theft has a devastating impact on the victims of such crimes, and my office will aggressively pursue prosecutions to ensure offenders face maximum consequences for the harm they have caused.”
Court records reflect that on February 22, 2024, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a residential search warrant at an apartment Lee resided at and obtained through fraud, utilizing a senior citizen’s identity. Law enforcement located stolen mail, counterfeiting tools, and identification for individuals’ including driver’s licenses, social security cards, stolen and counterfeit checks. Investigators identified 71 additional victims based on the items located and seized from the residence.
“This prosecution sends the message that mail theft will not be tolerated, and the perpetrators will be held accountable,” said Acting Inspector in Charge, Bladismir Rojo, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “The Postal Inspection Service will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue criminals who victimize postal customers.”
“Teamwork delivers results,” said Sheriff Chip W. Simmons, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. “Through our partnership with the US Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, a suspect in a stolen mail and ID case has been sentenced to 25 months. If you steal from our community, you will face justice.”
Lee’s imprisonment will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration.
The case was investigated jointly by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted this case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Robbing Federal Investigation InformantRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cuyahoga County man has been sentenced to prison for robbing a confidential informant who was working with a federal agency in a firearms’ investigation.
Carl P. Lewis, 28, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker after pleading guilty in May to the following charges:
- Robbery of Mail, Money or other Property of the United States
- Using or Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm; previous convictions for robbery in 2016.
Lewis was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, in October 2024, a confidential informant with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) was exchanging text messages with Lewis about the sale of several firearms. The two men agreed to meet at a pre-determined location to conduct the transaction. When the informant arrived, Lewis met with him and demanded $2,500 cash to purchase the firearms. The informant asked to see the firearms before handing over the money. Lewis then retrieved the firearms from inside the home but became agitated and threated the informant with violence. As the two men began to struggle for control of the firearms, a second male from inside the residence emerged and pointed a pistol with an attached laser beam at the informant. Lewis forcibly took the $2,500 cash from the victim against his will. The incident was recorded on video. Lewis was later arrested on a federal criminal complaint and found in possession of a rifle and two pistols.
This case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly L. Galvin.
North Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A North Las Vegas resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine into the Las Vegas area. The government recommended a prison sentence of 135 months.
According to court documents, Efrain Macias-Amaral illegally entered the United States. Between June and July of 2024, Macias-Amaral distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine. On June 11, 2024, Macias-Amaral sold an individual more than 2,000 grams of methamphetamine. On July 3, 2024, Macias-Amaral sold the individual an additional 2,000 grams of methamphetamine. On July 11, 2024, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Macias-Amaral. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a suitcase in the truck with plastic baggies which contained 11,026 grams of methamphetamine. When he was stopped by police, he provided officers a Mexican identification card bearing the name of Juan Rea Estrada.
In April 2025, Macias-Amaral pleaded guilty to two-counts of distribution of a controlled substance—Methamphetamine and one-count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance—Methamphetamine.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis for DEA’s Los Angeles Division made the announcement.
The case was investigated by DEA and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Penetar prosecuted the case.
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Nogales Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Pointing Firearm at Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Erik Alberto Beal, 28, of Nogales, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Angela Martinez to 32 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Beal previously pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer.
On April 11, 2024, two uniformed Border Patrol Agents were tracking an illegal alien they saw cross into the United States near Beal’s residence in the border city of Nogales. The agents had split up and were searching around Beal’s residence when a pit bull was released from the side door in the direction of the one of the agents. The agent drew his service-issued firearm at the pit bull and began shouting. Beal then came out of his house, retrieved a semi-automatic handgun from his nearby truck, chambered a round, and pointed the gun at the uniformed agent. A brief, but tense, standoff ensued until the second agent arrived and drew his service weapon at Beal. Only then did Beal put down his gun.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah Schmit and Serra Tsethlikai, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-02352-TUC-AMM-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-146_Beal# # #
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.New Orleans Man Guilty of Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RICKEY SMITH (“SMITH”), age 46, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on September 2, 2025, before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to distribution of forty grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
According to court documents, in the latter part of 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information from the New Orleans Police Department regarding SMITH’s drug distribution activity. Through investigation, it was determined that SMITH distributed over 40 grams of fentanyl from his apartment located within the Eastern District of Louisiana. On November 4, December 3, and December 17, 2024, SMITH sold 3.493 grams, 13.97 grams and 56.6 grams of fentanyl, respectively, to an individual he believed to be a legitimate buyer.
SMITH faces a minimum term of five years up to a maximum term of forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on August 21, 2025, LAWRENCE WATKINS (“WATKINS”), age 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, on or about June 22, 2023, Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troopers, FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGTF) members, and other law enforcement personnel were conducting proactive patrols in the Algiers area of New Orleans to combat violent crime. While attempting to stop and investigate a suspicious Dodge Durango vehicle, it sped off, chased by law enforcement, before striking a utility pole. The Durango’s occupants, including WATKINS, fled the vehicle on foot, but were later caught. After WATKINS’s apprehension, officers recovered his backpack that contained a Century Arms Micro Draco 7.62x39 pistol, multiple rounds of ammunition, $1,053 in U.S. currency, drug paraphernalia, and quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana.
As to the drug trafficking charges, WATKINS faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. WATKINS will be sentenced on November 20, 2025.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force, and the Louisiana State Police. Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger and Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
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New Mexico Resident Who Trafficked Firearms into Connecticut Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TIMOTHY GREGORY, 43, formerly of Questa, New Mexico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 21 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for trafficking firearms into Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigation revealed that Gregory had offered to sell and ship firearms to an individual in Connecticut who is prohibited from possessing firearms. In May 2024, Gregory mailed a parcel containing a Glock 42 .380 caliber pistol and three magazines to Connecticut. In June 2024, he mailed a .223 caliber AR15-style rifle and two empty 30-round magazines to Connecticut.
Gregory was arrested on July 18, 2024. On June 5, 2025, he pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking. He has been detained since his arrest.
This matter was investigated by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Task Force includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.
Neenah Man Indicted for Child Pornography ProductionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on September 9, 2025, a federal grand jury issued a two-count indictment alleging that Jeffrey J. Haskell (age: 26), of Neenah, Wisconsin, used minor children to produce child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) and 2251(e).
According to the indictment, on or about January 11, 2025, and again on or about January 24, 2025, Jeffrey J. Haskell “knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced” minor children for the purpose of “producing a visual depiction” of the minors engaged in “sexually explicit conduct.”
If convicted of either charge alleged in the indictment Haskell faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. He could also be fined up to $250,000 per count and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
This case was investigated by the Neenah Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For further information contact: Public Information Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Naasón Joaquín García Charged with Racketeering Conspiracy, Sex Trafficking, and Child Exploitation of Members of La Luz Del Mundo ChurchRead the Press Release
Communicado de prensa en espanol.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton; Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel; and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging NAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA (“NAASÓN”), ROSA SOSA, AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA, EVA GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, JORAM NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN, and SILEM GARCÍA PEÑA with sexual, financial, and related criminal conduct victimizing members of the La Luz del Mundo (“LLDM”) Church over many years. As alleged in the Indictment, the defendants engaged in a racketeering enterprise (the “Joaquín LLDM Enterprise”) that exploited the LLDM Church and persisted for decades to facilitate the systemic sexual abuse of children and women—including the creation of photos and videos of sadistic child sexual abuse. For decades, the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise operated for the sexual gratification of NAASÓN and his father, the former leader of the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise, Samuel Joaquín Flores (“Samuel”), who died in 2014.
NAASÓN was taken into federal custody earlier today in Chino, California where he is serving a state sentence for the sexual abuse of minors. GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN was arrested in Los Angeles this morning and is expected to be presented later today in the Central District of California. NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN was arrested outside of Chicago this morning and is expected to be presented later today in the Northern District of Illinois. SOSA, RANGEL GARCÍA, and GARCÍA PEÑA are at large and believed to be in Mexico. The U.S. government will seek their arrest and extradition to face these charges in the U.S. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska.
“As alleged in the Indictment, for decades, Naasón Joaquín García and the other members of the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise used their position in and the resources of the La Luz Del Mundo Church to sexually abuse girls, boys, and women,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “They exploited the faith of their followers to prey upon them. When they were confronted, they leveraged their religious influence and financial power to intimidate and coerce victims into remaining silent about the abuse they had suffered. The Indictment includes charges against those who systemically aided Naasón’s alleged sexual exploitation of teenagers and young women, including creating photos and videos of abuse and other unspeakable criminal conduct. We commend the victims who have come forward for their extraordinary courage and desire to bring an end to decades of abuse. This Office will hold Naasón and others who aided this alleged abuse fully accountable.”
“A yearslong investigation that spanned the country and involved the support of dozens of courageous victims culminated with today’s charges stemming from decades of alleged exploitation and outright abuse of young woman and children,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “The defendants are accused of targeting individuals who gave LLDM Church their unquestioning trust and devotion and who in turn endured unimaginable crimes. Make no mistake, the defendants’ alleged cycle of victimization ends today. I thank the brave survivors who provided law enforcement with vital information related to these allegations, and I encourage others with helpful information to do the same.”
“Behind the legitimacy of a church and their many believing congregants, Naasón and his co-conspirators built an alleged criminal empire on the sexual abuse of women and children,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “This illicit enterprise hid in the shadows of La Luz del Mundo church while engaging in sex trafficking, child pornography, forced labor, and unlawful financial dealings. Each person involved is complicit in promoting then hiding these insidious acts, but it is this investigation that will bring all the years of mistreatment and sexual abuses to light. IRS-CI and HSI special agents partnered on this case and worked closely with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York to bring Naasón and his co-conspirators’ alleged crimes out of the dark for all the world to see.”
As alleged in the Indictment and documents made public in court:[1]
For decades, in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere around the world, NAASÓN, SOSA, RANGEL GARCÍA, GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN, and GARCÍA PEÑA abused the power, doctrine, and structure of the LLDM Church to threaten, coerce, and sexually abuse girls, boys, and women in the LLDM Church; to engage in financial crimes; and to obstruct criminal investigations into their misdeeds. These defendants and their co-conspirators were part of the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise that carried out this scheme over the course of decades, abusing generations of Church members and then destroying evidence to evade detection by law enforcement. The defendants and their co-conspirators used the LLDM Church as a vehicle to commit sex trafficking of women and children; to induce victims, including minors, to travel to engage in forced and unlawful sex acts; to produce, receive, distribute, and possess child pornography; to employ forced labor of Church members; to illegally structure cash transactions and bulk cash smuggling; and to obstruct justice to hide their crimes.
NAASÓN, the leader of the Enterprise, managed a close circle of co-conspirators who facilitated his abuse of teenagers and young women. NAASÓN also directed his co-conspirators to produce images and videos of child sexual abuse and send them to him for his own sexual gratification. Law enforcement has seized many of these images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors that were created at NAASÓN’s direction. NAASÓN also instructed co-conspirators to select young teenagers in his church for abuse and to systematically introduce the minors to NAASÓN’s illegal sexual desires through personal interactions with NAASÓN under the guise of Church activities.
NAASÓN and his co-conspirators manipulated the doctrine of the LLDM Church to facilitate this abuse. Through LLDM doctrine, NAASÓN and his co-conspirators developed a culture of unquestioning faith and obedience to NAASÓN, including by teaching congregants from birth that they would be eternally damned and ostracized from their family and friends in the community if they did not obey NAASÓN or if they questioned him. NAASÓN leveraged that fear to prevent the many teenagers and young women on whom he preyed from rejecting his sexual advances and from reporting the sexual abuse to law enforcement.
NAASÓN’s exploitation of the church and its members follows a deeply disturbing tradition established by his father (Samuel Joaquín Flores) and his grandfather (Eusebio Joaquín González, known as “Aarón”), who founded the church in Guadalajara, Mexico, in approximately 1926. Beginning with Aarón and continuing with Samuel and then NAASÓN, each member of the Joaquín family who has served as the leader or “Apostle” has taken advantage of his position of power and control over the LLDM Church to sexually abuse, exploit, and rape its congregants. Each leader manipulated girls and young women by conveying that they could earn a special “blessing” by serving him, which often ultimately included sexual activity, including oral sex, manual stimulation, and ultimately, penetrative sex with the victims. This abuse occurred over the course of generations.
SOSA was one of the principal co-conspirators of Samuel and groomed for his sexual abuse and directly herself sexually abused many minors and young women for years, which grooming continued after NAASÓN became the leader of the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise.
GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, Samuel’s wife and NAASÓN’s mother, groomed for her husband’s sexual abuse and directly herself sexually abused minors and young women, similarly for years.
RANGEL GARCÍA was one of the principal co-conspirators of NAASÓN and groomed for his sexual abuse and directly herself sexually abused multiple minors and young women for years.
NAASÓN and other members of the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise have also corruptly used LLDM Church congregants’ money to fund NAASÓN’s sexual abuse. Many congregants made financial contributions to the LLDM Church on the belief that their money would fund legitimate Church activities in the U.S.; in Mexico, where the Church is based; and in multiple other countries around the world where the Church is active.
NAASÓN used these donations to fund international travel, including expensive flights and hotels, for himself, his family, and young women he and his co-conspirators arranged to travel with NAASÓN to ensure he always had someone available to sexually abuse. NAASÓN and his co-conspirators also used the funds to purchase sex toys used in the abuse and cleaning supplies to destroy evidence of the sexual abuse. NAASÓN also used donations to fund his lavish lifestyle, including expensive cars, jewelry, clothing, luxury vacations, and private jet charters.
NAASÓN and his co-conspirators have threatened and punished victims and destroyed evidence to prevent law enforcement from discovering their crimes. After NAASÓN was arrested in California in 2019 on state charges related to his sexual abuse of LLDM children and young women, members of the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise executed a scheme to pressure survivors of his sexual abuse into falsely stating that NAASÓN did not abuse them. NAASÓN’s co-conspirators, acting at his direction, punished those who tried to speak out. Members of the Joaquín LLDM Enterprise also destroyed evidence, which included shredding paper files, setting evidence on fire, and submerging electronic devices in water.
NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN falsely held himself out as a lawyer working on behalf of the LLDM Church, and he used that position to prevent and attempt to prevent victims of sexual abuse from reporting the abuse to law enforcement. GARCÍA PEÑA acted as the head of public relations for NAASÓN and the LLDM Church and abused that position to prevent victims of sexual abuse from reporting the abuse to law enforcement.
This investigation is ongoing. If you have been victimized by the defendants in any way or have any information about their alleged illegal behavior, please call 212-637-1033 or email USANYS.LLDM@usdoj.gov.
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A chart containing the defendants’ names, ages, charges, and the maximum and minimum penalties is set forth below.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of special agents of HSI and IRS-CI. Mr. Clayton also thanked HSI Riverside, HSI Los Angeles, HSI Chicago, IRS Los Angeles, the New York City Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Riverside Sheriff’s Office, the Redlands Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California and the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Government of Mexico for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Lisa Daniels, Elizabeth A. Espinosa, and Michael R. Herman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Count
Charge
Defendants
Maximum Penalty
1Racketeering ConspiracyNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA, 56
ROSA SOSA, 59
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA, 46
EVA GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, 79
JORAM NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN, 37
SILEM GARCÍA PEÑA, 43
Life in prison for NAASÓN, SOSA, RANGEL GARCÍA, and GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN;
20 years in prison for NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN, and GARCÍA PEÑA.
2Sex Trafficking ConspiracyNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
ROSA SOSA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
EVA GARCÍA DE JOAQUN
Life in prison
10 years mandatory minimum
3Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and CoercionNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
Life in prison
10 years mandatory minimum
4Inducement to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual ActivityNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
20 years in prison5Conspiracy to sexually exploit childrenNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
30 years in prison
15 years mandatory minimum
6Child Exploitation EnterpriseNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
Life in prison
20 years mandatory minimum
u.s._v._naason_joaquin_garcia_et_al._indictment_-_english.pdf u.s._v._naason_joaquin_garcia_et_al._superseding_indictment_-_spanish.pdf
[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Naasón Joaquín García Acusado De Una Conspiración De Crimen Organizado, Tráfico Sexual Y Explotación Infantil De Miembros De La Iglesia La Luz Del MundoRead the Press Release
English version of release.
El Fiscal federal del Distrito Sur de Nueva York, Jay Clayton; El agente especial a cargo de la Oficina Local de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) en Nueva York, Ricky J. Patel; y el agente especial a cargo de la Oficina Local de Investigaciones Criminales del Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS-CI) en Nueva York, Harry T. Chavis, Jr., anunciaron hoy la revelación de una acusación formal contra NAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA («NAASÓN»), ROSA SOSA, AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA, EVA GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, JORAM NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN y SILEM GARCÍA PEÑA por conducta sexual, financiera y delictiva relacionada con la victimización de miembros de la Iglesia La Luz del Mundo (LLDM) durante muchos años. Según se alega en la acusación formal, los acusados participaron en una organización criminal (la «Empresa Joaquín LLDM») que abusó de la Iglesia LLDM y persistió durante décadas para facilitar el abuso sexual sistemático de niños y mujeres, incluyendo la creación de fotos y vídeos de abusos sexuales sádicos a menores. Durante décadas, la Empresa Joaquín LLDM operó para la gratificación sexual de NAASÓN y su padre, el antiguo líder de la Empresa Joaquín LLDM, Samuel Joaquín Flores («Samuel»), fallecido en 2014.
NAASÓN fue detenido hoy por las autoridades federales en Chino, California, donde cumple una condena estatal por abuso sexual de menores. GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN fue detenido esta mañana en Los Ángeles y se espera que comparezca hoy mismo ante el Distrito Central de California. NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN fue detenido esta mañana en las afueras de Chicago y se espera que comparezca hoy mismo ante el Distrito Norte de Illinois. SOSA, RANGEL GARCÍA y GARCÍA PEÑA siguen en libertad y se cree que se encuentran en México. El Gobierno de los Estados Unidos solicitará su detención y extradición para que se enfrenten a estos cargos en los Estados Unidos. El caso ha sido asignado al juez federal de distrito Loretta A. Preska.
«Según se alega en la acusación, durante décadas, Naasón Joaquín García y los demás miembros de la Empresa Joaquín LLDM utilizaron su posición y los recursos de la iglesia La Luz Del Mundo para abusar sexualmente de niñas, niños y mujeres», afirmó el fiscal federal Jay Clayton. «Se aprovecharon de la fe de sus seguidores para abusar de ellos. Cuando se les confrontó, utilizaron su influencia religiosa y su poder financiero para intimidar y coaccionar a las víctimas para que guardaran silencio sobre los abusos que habían sufrido. La acusación incluye cargos contra quienes ayudaron sistemáticamente a Naasón en la presunta explotación sexual de adolescentes y mujeres jóvenes, incluyendo la creación de fotos y vídeos de los abusos y otras conductas delictivas indescriptibles. Elogiamos a las víctimas que han dado un paso al frente por su extraordinario valor y su deseo de poner fin a décadas de abusos. Esta Oficina exigirá responsabilidades a Naasón y a otras personas que ayudaron en estos presuntos abusos».
«Una investigación de varios años que abarcó todo el país y contó con el apoyo de docenas de valientes víctimas culminó con los cargos presentados hoy, derivados de décadas de presunta explotación y abuso descarado de mujeres jóvenes y niños», dijo el agente especial a cargo de HSI, Ricky J. Patel. «Los acusados están acusados de atacar a personas que dieron a la Iglesia LLDM su confianza y devoción incondicional y que, a cambio, sufrieron crímenes inimaginables. Que no quepa duda: el presunto ciclo de victimización de los acusados termina hoy. Agradezco a las valientes sobrevivientes que proporcionaron a las fuerzas del orden, información vital relacionada con estas acusaciones, y animo a otras personas que tengan información útil a que hagan lo mismo».
«Tras la legitimidad de una iglesia y sus numerosos feligreses creyentes, Naasón y sus cómplices construyeron un presunto imperio criminal basado en el abuso sexual de mujeres y niños», afirmó Harry T. Chavis, Jr., agente especial a cargo de IRS-CI. «Esta empresa ilícita se ocultaba en las sombras de la iglesia La Luz del Mundo mientras se dedicaba al tráfico sexual, la pornografía infantil, el trabajo forzoso y las transacciones financieras ilegales. Todas las personas involucradas son cómplices de promover y luego ocultar estos actos insidiosos, pero es esta investigación la que sacará a la luz todos los años de maltrato y abusos sexuales. Los agentes especiales del IRS-CI y del HSI colaboraron en este caso y trabajaron en estrecha colaboración con el fiscal federal del Distrito Sur de Nueva York para sacar a la luz los presuntos delitos de Naasón y sus cómplices para que todo el mundo los vea».
Según se alega en la acusación y en los documentos hechos públicos en el tribunal: [1]
Durante décadas, en Estados Unidos, México y otros lugares del mundo, NAASÓN, SOSA, RANGEL GARCÍA, GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN y GARCÍA PEÑA abusaron del poder, la doctrina y la estructura de la Iglesia LLDM para amenazar, coaccionar y abusar sexualmente de niñas, niños y mujeres de la Iglesia LLDM; para cometer delitos financieros; y para obstruir las investigaciones penales sobre sus fechorías. Estos acusados y sus cómplices formaban parte de la Empresa Joaquín LLDM, que llevó a cabo este plan durante décadas, abusando de generaciones de miembros de la Iglesia y destruyendo luego las pruebas para evadir la detección por parte de las fuerzas del orden. Los acusados y sus cómplices utilizaron la Iglesia LLDM como vehículo para cometer tráfico sexual de mujeres y niños; para inducir a las víctimas, incluyendo menores, a viajar y a participar en actos sexuales forzados e ilegales; para producir, recibir, distribuir y poseer pornografía infantil; para emplear la mano de obra forzada de miembros de la Iglesia; para estructurar ilegalmente transacciones en efectivo y contrabando de grandes cantidades de dinero en efectivo; y para obstruir la justicia con el fin de ocultar sus delitos.
NAASÓN, el líder de la empresa, dirigía un círculo cercano de cómplices que facilitaban su abuso de adolescentes y mujeres jóvenes. NAASÓN también ordenaba a sus cómplices que produjeran imágenes y vídeos de abuso sexual infantil y se los enviaran para su propia gratificación sexual. Las fuerzas del orden han incautado muchas de estas imágenes y vídeos que muestran el abuso sexual de menores y que fueron creados bajo las órdenes de NAASÓN. NAASÓN también ordenó a sus cómplices que seleccionaran a adolescentes de su iglesia para abusar de ellas y que introdujeran sistemáticamente a las menores en los deseos sexuales ilegales de NAASÓN a través de interacciones personales con él bajo el pretexto de actividades de la Iglesia.
NAASÓN y sus cómplices manipularon la doctrina de la Iglesia LLDM para facilitar este abuso. A través de la doctrina LLDM, NAASÓN y sus cómplices desarrollaron una cultura de fe y obediencia incondicionales a NAASÓN, incluso enseñando a los feligreses desde su nacimiento que serían condenados eternamente y excluidos de sus familias y amigos en la comunidad si no obedecían a NAASÓN o si lo cuestionaban. NAASÓN aprovechó de ese miedo para evitar que las numerosas adolescentes y mujeres jóvenes de las que abusaba rechazaran sus insinuaciones sexuales y denunciaran los abusos sexuales a las fuerzas del orden.
La explotación de NAASÓN de la iglesia y sus miembros sigue una tradición profundamente inquietante establecida por su padre (Samuel Joaquín Flores) y su abuelo (Eusebio Joaquín González, conocido como «Aarón»), quienes fundaron la iglesia en Guadalajara, México, aproximadamente en 1926. Comenzando con Aarón y continuando con Samuel y luego NAASÓN, cada miembro de la familia Joaquín que ha servido como líder o «apóstol» se ha aprovechado de su posición de poder y control sobre la Iglesia LLDM para abusar sexualmente, explotar y violar a sus feligreses. Cada líder manipulaba a las niñas y mujeres jóvenes haciéndoles creer que podían obtener una «bendición» especial si le servían, lo que a menudo incluía actividades sexuales, como sexo oral, estimulación manual y, en última instancia, sexo con penetración con las víctimas. Estos abusos se produjeron a lo largo de varias generaciones.
SOSA fue una de las principales cómplices de Samuel y preparó a muchas menores y mujeres jóvenes para su abuso sexual, además de abusar sexualmente de ellas directamente durante años, lo que continuó después de que NAASÓN se convirtiera en el líder de la empresa Joaquín LLDM.
GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, esposa de Samuel y madre de NAASÓN, acicalaba a menores de edad y a mujeres para que su marido cometiera abusos sexuales y ella misma igualmente, abusó sexualmente de menores y mujeres jóvenes también durante años.
RANGEL GARCÍA fue una de las principales cómplices de NAASÓN y preparó el terreno para sus abusos sexuales, además de abusar sexualmente de múltiples menores y mujeres jóvenes durante años.
NAASÓN y otros miembros de la empresa Joaquín LLDM también han utilizado de forma corrupta el dinero de los feligreses de la Iglesia LLDM para financiar los abusos sexuales de NAASÓN. Muchos feligreses dieron sus diezmos a la Iglesia LLDM creyendo que su dinero financiaría actividades legítimas de la Iglesia en Estados Unidos, en México, donde tiene su sede la Iglesia, y en muchos otros países del mundo donde la Iglesia está activa.
NAASÓN utilizó estas donaciones para financiar viajes internacionales, incluyendo vuelos y hoteles caros, para él, su familia y las jóvenes que él y sus cómplices organizaban para viajar con NAASÓN con el fin de asegurarse de que siempre tuviera a alguien disponible para abusar sexualmente. NAASÓN y sus cómplices también utilizaron los fondos y diezmos para comprar juguetes sexuales utilizados en los abusos y productos de limpieza para destruir las pruebas de los abusos sexuales. NAASÓN también utilizó las donaciones para financiar su lujoso estilo de vida, incluyendo coches caros, joyas, ropa, vacaciones de lujo y vuelos en jets privados.
NAASÓN y sus cómplices amenazaron y castigaron a las víctimas y destruyeron pruebas para evitar que las fuerzas del orden descubrieran sus delitos. Después de que NAASÓN fuera detenido en California en 2019 por cargos estatales relacionados con el abuso sexual de niñas y jóvenes de LLDM, los miembros de la organización Joaquín LLDM ejecutaron un plan para presionar a las sobrevivientes de su abuso sexual para que declararan falsamente que NAASÓN no las había abusado. Los cómplices de NAASÓN, actuando bajo sus órdenes, castigaron a quienes intentaron denunciar los hechos. Los miembros de la organización Joaquín LLDM también destruyeron pruebas, lo que incluyó triturar archivos en papel, quemar pruebas y sumergir dispositivos electrónicos en agua.
NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN se hizo pasar falsamente por un abogado que trabajaba en nombre de la Iglesia LLDM y utilizó esa posición para impedir e intentar impedir que las víctimas de abuso sexual denunciaran el abuso a las fuerzas del orden. GARCÍA PEÑA actuó como jefe de relaciones públicas de NAASÓN y de la Iglesia LLDM y abusó de esa posición para impedir que las víctimas de abuso sexual denunciaran el abuso a las fuerzas del orden.
Esta investigación sigue en curso. Si ha sido usted víctima de los acusados de alguna manera o tiene información sobre su presunto comportamiento ilegal, llame al 212-637-1033 o envíe un correo electrónico a USANYS.LLDM@usdoj.gov.
* * *
A continuación, se incluye un cuadro con los nombres, edades, cargos y penas máximas y mínimas de los acusados.
Las penas mínimas y máximas previstas por la ley son establecidas por el Congreso y se proporcionan aquí solo con fines informativos, ya que cualquier sentencia de los acusados será determinada por un juez.
El Sr. Clayton elogió la excelente labor de investigación realizada por los agentes especiales de HSI e IRS-CI. El Sr. Clayton también agradeció a HSI Riverside, HSI Los Ángeles, HSI Chicago, IRS Los Ángeles, el Departamento de Policía de la Ciudad de Nueva York, el Departamento del Sheriff del Condado de Los Ángeles, la Oficina del Sheriff de Riverside, el Departamento de Policía de Redlands, la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de San Bernardino, la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA), las fiscalías federales del Distrito Central de California y del Distrito Norte de Illinois, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos y al Gobierno de México por su ayuda.
Este caso está siendo tramitado por la Unidad de Delitos Violentos y Delincuencia Organizada de la Fiscalía. Los fiscales adjuntos Ryan W. Allison, Lisa Daniels, Elizabeth A. Espinosa y Michael R. Herman están a cargo de la acusación.
Los cargos que figuran en la acusación son meras acusaciones, y los acusados se presumen inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad.
Cargo
Cargo
Acusados
Pena máxima
1Conspiración de Crimen OrganizadoNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA, 56
ROSA SOSA, 59
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA, 46
EVA GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN, 79
JORAM NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN, 37
SILEM GARCÍA PEÑA, 43
Cadena perpetua para NAASÓN, SOSA, RANGEL GARCÍA y GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN;
20 años de prisión para NÚÑEZ JOAQUÍN y GARCÍA PEÑA.
2Conspiración de tráfico sexualNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
ROSA SOSA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
EVA GARCÍA DE JOAQUÍN
Cadena perpetua
10 años de prisión como mínimo obligatorio
3Trata sexual mediante el uso de la fuerza, el fraude y la coacciónNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
Cadena perpetua
10 años de prisión como mínimo obligatorio
4Inducción a viajar para participar en actividades sexuales ilegalesNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
20 años de prisión5Conspiración para explotar sexualmente a menoresNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
30 años de prisión
15 años de prisión como pena mínima obligatoria
6Conspiración de explotación infantilNAASÓN JOAQUÍN GARCÍA
AZALIA RANGEL GARCÍA
Cadena perpetua
20 años de prisión mínima obligatoria
u.s._v._naason_joaquin_garcia_et_al._superseding_indictment_-_spanish.pdf u.s._v._naason_joaquin_garcia_et_al._superseding_indictment_-_english.pdf
[1] Como indica la fase introductoria, la totalidad del texto de la acusación y la descripción de la acusación que aquí se expone constituyen únicamente alegaciones, y todos los hechos descritos deben considerarse como alegaciones.
Monongalia County Man Admits to Failing to Update Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Fred Bolden, 61, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to moving to West Virginia and failing to update his required sex offender registration.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bolden is required to register for life as a sex offender because of a prior rape conviction in Ohio. He moved from Ohio to West Virginia in 2023 without updating his sex offender registration.
Bolden faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Mexican national illegally living in Nacogdoches, sentenced to federal prison for possessing firearm equipped with machinegun conversion deviceRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Nacogdoches, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a machinegun in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Joel Bustamante Moreno, 26, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession or transfer of a machinegun and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 10, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in December 2023, Moreno was identified during an investigation involving the distribution of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) in the Nacogdoches area. MCD’s are small mechanisms that can be attached to the rear of the slide of a firearm, converting a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Federal law defines a machinegun as a weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. On February 1, 2024, Moreno sold a pistol and an AR-style rifle that had been converted into fully automatic weapons. In addition to the firearms, Moreno sold two 100-round drum magazines and one 30-round magazine for the AR-style rifle, as well as three pistol magazines and live ammunition. After the transaction, law enforcement attempted to arrest Moreno and he fled the scene at a high rate of speed, eventually overturing his vehicle and continuing to evade on foot. Moreno was eventually located hiding inside of a residence. SWAT members were dispatched, and Moreno was taken into custody. Further investigation revealed Moreno was a Mexican national and did not have permission to be in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Nacogdoches Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Homeland Security Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Mexican National with Felony Drug Conviction Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made her initial court appearance yesterday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Maria Vega-Villalba, 45, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 23, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J Albregts.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Vega-Villalba is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on May 16, 2024, and reentered the United States illegally. Fifteen months after Vega-Villalba was deported, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested her in a targeted operation on August 21, 2025.
On January 23, 2023, the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, convicted Vega-Villalba of Attempt Sale or Transportation for Sale of a Narcotic Drug (Fentanyl). Upon release from prison, an Immigration Judge on May 14, 2024, ordered Vega-Villalba removed. Two days later, she was deported to Mexico.
If convicted, Vega-Villalba faces the maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to a Year in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being RemovedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being removed multiple times was sentenced today to twelve months and one day in federal prison.
Fabian Arias-Ramirez, age 39, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Hampton, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 12, 2025, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been removed from the country.
At the guilty plea, Arias-Ramirez admitted he had previously been removed from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Arias-Ramirez was previously ordered removed in 2013 but absconded and was not actually removed until 2019. After being removed in 2019, he was caught attempting to enter the country on multiple occasions and removed each time. On April 22, 2025, immigration officials encountered Arias-Ramirez in Iowa Falls, Iowa, after he met with his probation officer following his second conviction for Operating While Intoxicated.
This conviction was Arias-Ramirez’s third federal conviction for a crime related to illegal immigration. He was previously convicted of two misdemeanor offenses of illegal entry. Additionally, he has been convicted of Operating While Intoxicated in Iowa state court twice, in 2013 and 2024, as well as being convicted of Criminal Mischief.
Arias-Ramirez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to twelve months and one day of imprisonment. He must also serve a one-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 (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-40.
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Maryland Woman Arraigned for Defrauding the D.C. Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jariatu Jalloh, 39, a Maryland resident, was arraigned September 8, 2025, on nine counts of first-degree fraud and nine counts of first-degree theft related to fraudulent billing submitted to the District’s Medicaid program, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to the government’s evidence, Jalloh was employed by a District Mental Health Rehabilitation Service (MHRS) provider as a community support worker (CSW). MHRS provides for diagnostic and assessment services, counseling, medication, intensive day treatment, and crisis or emergency services. A CSW provides community support services by helping consumers learn and improve basic life skills, such as managing their medication, increasing social skills, and learning how to apply for housing or a job.
The indictment alleges that between August 2021 and continuing through July 2023, while employed by the District MHRS provider, Jalloh engaged in a scheme to defraud the District’s Medicaid program by submitting encounter notes for community support services she did not provide and overbilling for services she allegedly provided to District Medicaid beneficiaries. Through this scheme, Jalloh caused the District government and its Medicaid program to pay over $234,500 for CSW services she did not render and overpayment for services she allegedly provided.
Joining in the announcement was Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
This case is being investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Emmanuela Charles, on detail from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Making a [drug] run for border: Jury convicts driver who used Taco Bell wrappers to smuggle methamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 57-year-old Mexican national has been found guilty of conspiracy to import 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before convicting Jose Luis Valverde-Ramos following a two-day trial.
On June 14, Valverde-Ramos drove a Mitsubishi Outlander bearing Mexican plates to the Lincoln-Juarez International Bridge in Laredo.
When questioned, Valverde-Ramos said he was going to Dallas to see a doctor for blood pressure treatment. Law enforcement noticed anomalies in the vehicle’s ceiling and referred him to secondary inspection.
At trial, the jury heard that an x-ray examination revealed the vehicle had a modified, non-factory compartment in the ceiling that was electronically controlled. Authorities discovered eight tube-like packages inside the box, each wrapped in clear plastic with Taco Bell Doritos Locos packaging around them.
The bundles field tested positive for methamphetamine which had a total weight of 51.15 kilograms.
The jury heard Valverde-Ramos asked if a GPS had been found in the vehicle, claiming someone contacted him about his arrival in Laredo, even though he had not shared his location. They also saw photos of the modified vehicle and listened to voice memos from others instructing Valverde-Ramos where and when to cross into the United States.
The defense argued Valverde-Ramos had no knowledge of the narcotics. The jury was not convinced and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo presided over the trial and set sentencing for Dec. 9. At that time, Valverde-Ramos faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Valverde-Ramos will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Oliver and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.
Kansas City Man Sentenced for Possession and Transfer of MachinegunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possession and transfer of machineguns, including machine gun conversion devices or “switches.”
Davorian M. Fleming, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 37 months’ imprisonment on Sept. 9, 2025.
On April 3, 2025, Fleming pleaded guilty to possession and transfer of machineguns. Fleming admitted the ‘switches” were machineguns and that he aided his co-defendants in the transfer of the machineguns.
Fleming’s co-defendant, K’Orion A. Duff, 23, also of Kansas City, Mo., was previously sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in the distribution of machinegun conversion devices. Two co-defendants are still awaiting sentencing.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess or transfer a machinegun, as that term is defined in Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845(b). This definition includes machine gun conversion devices often referred to as “switches.” A machine gun conversion device allows a semi-automatic firearm to be modified to function as a fully automatic firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Kansas City Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Ks., man was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
Damian Mays, 35, was charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana. He was also charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and being a felon in possession of firearms. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint filed on Sept. 4, 2025.
On Sept. 2, 2025, Kansas City Missouri Police Department officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Lexus sedan Mays was driving. Instead of stopping, he fled at high speeds in the Lexus and then ran from officers on foot. Law enforcement apprehended Mays and recovered a backpack he had thrown, which contained distribution amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana. In the Lexus, officers found a firearm on the driver’s seat and a second firearm on the driver’s floorboard. While handcuffed and waiting to be transported to jail, Mays escaped and again fled from law enforcement, first on foot and then in a waiting Buick SUV, causing a crash on Interstate 70 before being taken back into custody.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Justice Department Sues Fort Worth-Area Tax Preparation Business and Its OwnersRead the Press Release
Note: View complaint here.
The Justice Department today filed a civil injunction suit in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas. The lawsuit seeks to bar Amberley Ritter, Wesley Franklin, Mark Burkart, Kenneth Garner, and DFW Integrity Taxpros Services LLC, which does business as Integrity Tax Pros, from owning or operating a tax preparation business and preparing tax returns for others. The complaint also requests that the court require the defendants to disgorge the return preparation fees they obtained from preparing allegedly false or fraudulent tax returns.
According to the complaint, Ritter, Franklin, and Burkart own Integrity Tax Pros, which operates as tax preparation stores in the Fort Worth area: North Richland Hills, Azle, Watauga, Haltom City, Hurst, and Saginaw. The complaint alleges that Garner acted as the General Manager overseeing Integrity Tax Pros stores.
In the complaint, the government alleges that the defendants, and those acting at their direction, prepare and file tax returns to falsely increase their customers’ refunds, and they profit through high and often undisclosed preparation fees — at the expense of their customers and the Treasury. Examples of misconduct by defendants, and those acting at their direction, alleged in the complaint include:
- Falsely claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit;
- Fabricating businesses and related business income and expenses;
- Claiming false education credits;
- Claiming fabricated COVID-19-related tax credits;
- Fabricating itemized deductions, including for unreimbursed employee business expenses;
- Failing to conduct the required due diligence when claiming tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit; and
- Failing to identify the actual paid preparer of completed tax returns.
The Tax Division reminds taxpayers that the IRS has information, tips and reminders on its site for choosing a tax preparer carefully (Choosing a Tax Professional and How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer) and has launched a free directory of credentialed federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers taxpayers tips to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained civil injunctions and criminal convictions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Ritter - Taxpros Filed Complaint.pdfJustice Department Announces Ruling to Protect Military Servicemembers’ Civilian Employment Pension BenefitsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that the U.S. District Court of Guam ruled in favor of the United States in its lawsuit against the Government of Guam and the Guam Retirement Fund (Guam) to protect servicemembers’ civilian employment pension benefits while they serve in the military.
When Guam civilian employees such as teachers and firefighters are called for active military service, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) entitles them to receive certain civilian employment benefits, including pension benefits, during their time of military service. In its complaint, the United States alleges that Guam unlawfully considered military leave a break in service and refused to award servicemembers retirement service credit while they were on military leave. Guam also refused to contribute employer contributions, and to accept employee contributions, while servicemembers were on military leave.
“USERRA provides civilian employees with valuable employment benefits while they serve in the military,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Employers cannot deny our military servicemembers these benefits while they sacrifice their time and careers and serve their country.”
On Sept. 4, the district court ruled in favor of the United States on its motion for summary judgment, holding that treating the leave as a break in service violates the servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. The court also held that the servicemembers were entitled to receive employer contributions, and to make employee contributions, in the same amounts and manner as employees not on military leave.
USERRA protects the rights of uniformed servicemembers to reemployment in their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations, provides that servicemembers shall not be discriminated against because of their military obligations, and ensures that servicemembers receive certain civilian employment benefits, including pension benefits, during their time of military service. The Justice Department prioritizes the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s website www.justice.gov/servicemembers as well as on the Department of Labor’s website at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra.
Jefferson County woman sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for defrauding elderly victim out of $1.4 millionRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur woman has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay over $1.4 million in restitution in a wire fraud scam in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Joanne Schiwart, 28, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 10, 2025. Schiwart was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,464,761.47.
According to information presented in court, as part of the fraud scheme over the course of a year, Schiwart wired over $1.4 million from an elderly victim’s retirement accounts by contacting the investment company by phone and using personally identifying information to impersonate the victim and mislead the investment company into thinking they were speaking with the account holder. Among other things, Schiwart used the stolen money to purchase multiple vehicles for herself and as gifts for others.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
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Jefferson County Man Convicted on Charges Related to Stolen Check Cashing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal jury has convicted a Jefferson County man for his role in a conspiracy to obtain and deposit stolen checks, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The jury returned a guilty verdict against Deizman Deandre Ellis, 24, of McCalla, Alabama, after three days of testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala. Ellis was convicted of all five charges that he faced, including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of stolen mail, and fraudulent use of unauthorized access devices.
According to evidence presented at trial, Ellis was a lead participant in a large-scale stolen check cashing scheme between August 2023 and February 2024. During the scheme, business and personal checks were stolen from blue postal boxes in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area, using stolen postal keys that were used to open the boxes. Ellis and other conspirators then deposited the stolen checks into co-conspirators’ bank accounts and withdrew cash from those accounts.
In March, co-conspirator Eric Bernard Carter, Jr., 27, of Birmingham, Alabama, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with assistance from the Northport Police Department, Rainbow City Police Department, and Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Janich and William R. McComb are prosecuting the case.
Jasper County man sentenced once again to federal prison for drug trafficking violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Buna man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Billy Ray Robinson, Jr., 42, pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 10, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in July 2024, law enforcement received information that Robinson was hiding methamphetamine on property near his residence in Jasper County. That information led to the seizure of over 2,000 grams of methamphetamine hidden on the property.
At the time, Robinson was on federal supervised release after having served time in federal prison for a 2015 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. As a result, Robinson’s supervised release term will be revoked, and he will be sentenced to serve an additional term of imprisonment to run consecutively to today’s sentence.
This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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Jamestown woman pleads guilty to narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Sandra Pavlock a/k/a Sondra L. Pavlock, 45, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that Pavlock was an associate of Zaid Mendoza, a Jamestown-based drug trafficker, distributing heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine to other individuals on Mendoza’s behalf. she utilized Facebook to conduct her drug trafficking activities, often messaging Mendoza about the conspiracy and drug trafficking activities. On February 9, 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle Pavlock was riding in along with other individuals. During the traffic stop, officers searched the vehicle and found methamphetamine, which belonged to Pavlock. She was convicted of criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree in Jamestown City Court and sentenced to 90 days in prison. On February 29, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a Charles Street residence where Pavlock was inside with others. During the search, they recovered cocaine and oxycodone tablets, $478 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. Pavlock was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 5th Degree in Chautaqua County Court and sentenced to one year in prison.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 10, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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Jamestown man sentenced for selling drugs that caused serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Bradley D. Knapp, 46, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that during the conspiracy, Knapp bought and sold heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine for profit and his own use, utilizing Facebook to conduct his drug trafficking activities. Knapp also used a West 9th Street residence in Jamestown to facilitate the manufacture, packaging, and distribution of the illegal drugs. On August 12, 2020, Knapp sold approximately a gram of heroin/fentanyl to an individual identified as M.H. The next day, on August 13, 2020, M.H. took approximately .5 grams of the heroin/fentanyl, overdosed, and stopped breathing. M.H. received multiple doses of Narcan and was revived.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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Independence Pair Indicted for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Independence, Mo., individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
April Henderson, 46, and Donnell Timley, 51, of Independence, Mo., were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana, along with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Timley was also indicted for being a felon in possession of firearms.
On Aug. 28, 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant at Henderson and Timley’s residence in Independence, Mo. During the search, agents found 1.1 kilograms of cocaine, 317 grams of powder fentanyl, 100 fentanyl pills, 10 pounds of marijuana, and 8 ounces of suspected liquid PCP. Law enforcement also found five firearms and over $66,000 in cash. Henderson and Timley were arrested and had their initial appearances in federal court on Aug. 29, 2025.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the DEA with assistance from other federal, state, and local agencies including Kansas Highway Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Independence Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Independence Elementary School Teacher Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., elementary school teacher has been indicted by a federal grand jury for additional child pornography offenses.
Dennis Adlai Hernandez, 28, was charged in a seven-count federal indictment in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Hernandez was previously charged in a three-count criminal complaint with transportation of child pornography, production and attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Today’s indictment includes those charges and four additional counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. The offenses charged in the indictment are alleged to have occurred between August 2022 and August 2025.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
The FBI is seeking to identify potential victims of Hernandez. If you or your child believes they were a victim of Hernandez, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI. If you are under the age of 18, please have your parent/guardian call on your behalf. Your responses are voluntary. Based on your responses, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information.
The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal and/or state law.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
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."
Imperial Resident Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearm Equipped with Machinegun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Imperial, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Ja’Shon Spencer, 21, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Spencer is alleged to have possessed a Glock semiautomatic pistol that was equipped with an illegal machinegun conversion device (MCD) on June 16, 2025. A MCD is one that converts a semiautomatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Illinois Man Indicted for Smuggling Methamphetamine on TrainRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Chicago, Ill., man was indicted by a federal grand jury for transporting 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine through Kansas City on a train travelling from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Josue Sabillon, 40, was charged in a single count indictment with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint filed on Sept. 8, 2025.
On Sept. 5, 2025, Sabillon was a passenger on the train enroute to Chicago. According to the affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a canine trained to detect illegal narcotics alerted to the duffle bag Sabillon had been carrying. Officers searched the duffle bag and found 3.567 kilograms of methamphetamine as well as identification papers connected to Sabillon.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Kansas City Missouri Police Department, and the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Honduran National Sentenced to Seven Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national, unlawfully residing in Lynn, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. This is the defendants third conviction for illegal reentry.
Douglas Mejia-Romero, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to seven months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, Mejia-Romero pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Mejia-Romero was previously deported on May 15, 2020, and sometime after this removal, Mejia-Romero unlawfully reentered the United States. Additionally, between 2008 and 2020, Mejia-Romero was removed from the United States on five separate occasions. After each removal, he unlawfully reentered the United States.
This is Mejia-Romero’s third illegal reentry conviction. In May 2015, he was convicted in the District of New Hampshire and received a nine-month prison sentence followed by two years of supervised release. Thereafter, in April 2020, he was again convicted of illegal reentry, this time in federal court in Texas, and received a six-month prison sentence.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Guatemalan Woman Sentenced After Unlawfully Using Identification DocumentRead the Press Release
A woman who unlawfully used a social security card was sentenced today to 109 days in federal prison. Cindy Fabiola Santos-Perez, age 35, a citizen of Guatemala, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document.
In a plea agreement, Santos-Perez admitted that on December 15, 2020, Santos-Perez used a fraudulent social security card to prove her authorization to work in the United States. On April 13, 2021, she again used a fraudulent social security card to prove her authorization to work in the United States. On May 17, 2022, she falsely represented a social security number to be her account number, and she did so with the intent to deceive.
Santos-Perez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Santos-Perez was sentenced to 109 days’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 3-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 (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations, and the Postville Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2005.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Gainesville Man Indicted for Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Daniel Reginald Hanna, II, 38, of Gainesville, FL, has been indicted in federal court for one count of attempted distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Hanna appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry on September 5, 2025, for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida. Trial is scheduled for October 29, 2025, at 8:30 am before Chief Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida.
If convicted, Hanna faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each count.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Fraudster Who Submitted over $340,000 in Fake COVID Unemployment Benefits Applications Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Pitt County woman who submitted false pandemic unemployment benefit applications pleaded guilty to theft of government property charges on Wednesday. Shontavia Riddick, 32, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison when a federal judge sentences her later this year.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Riddick defrauded the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security (NCDES) by submitting more than 65 fraudulent unemployment benefits claims, requesting more than $340,000 in unemployment benefits. Riddick made false representations on the applications about the applicant’s employment and submitted fraudulent documents to support the applications.
“When people lie, cheat, and steal taxpayers’ money that should be used to support actual struggling citizens, it undermines the whole system,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We cannot allow individuals to loot the cellar to get fat while starving people go without. Not in Eastern North Carolina.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-19-M.
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Former Nurse Practitioner from Virginia Sentenced to 87 Months for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lucas Allen Fussell, 43, of Onley, Virginia, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison in connection with distribution of child pornography videos depicting the rape and sexual abuse of young boys, videos that he sent to an undercover law enforcement officer in June 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Fussell pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2024, in U.S. District Court, to two counts of distribution of child pornography. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras also ordered Fussell to serve 10 years of supervised release and pay a $20,000 fine.
According to court documents, Fussell used an encrypted messaging application to send and receive numerous videos and images depicting the rape and sexual exploitation of prepubescent boys with another individual. Fussell, who worked as a nurse practitioner, also discussed several of his male patients, including children, in these communications, and boasted about the sophisticated technological measures he took to evade detection by law enforcement.
The FBI came into possession of the other individual’s cellphone. In June 2024, Fussell sent an undercover officer nine videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent boys.
Fussell was then arrested in July 2024 and has been detained since.
The FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Norfolk Field Office, the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, the Onley Police Department, CEOS’s High Technology Investigative Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Courtney, Caroline Burrell and Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
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Former NYPD Officer Turned Forex Investor Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, former New York City Police Department officer Jason Rodriguez was sentenced by United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. to 36 months in prison for his role in perpetrating a fraudulent investment scheme. Rodriguez, along with his co-conspirator Edwin Carrion, induced over 20 individuals to invest over $4 million with their foreign exchange (forex) trading fund, Technical Trading Team LLC, based on a slew of misrepresentations. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Reyes ordered Rodriguez to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $748,394.00 and to pay restitution of $2,305,256.00. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in November 2024.
The sentence was announced by Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI).
“Today, the defendant received just punishment for defrauding over 20 individual investors out of millions of dollars of hard-earned money. The defendant violated the trust his clients placed in him by falsely promising them a safe investment opportunity,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue justice for victims of financial crime who fall prey to individuals like Rodriguez who advance their greedy desires at the expense of others.”
According to court filings and the defendant’s admissions, Rodriguez and Carrion founded Technical Trading Team in the spring of 2020 and Rodriguez served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Rodriguez had sole trading authority over the vast majority of the nearly $5 million raised by Technical Trading Team from over 20 individual investors. Rodriguez and Carrion promised investors annual investment returns ranging from 18% to 24% and convinced investors to invest based on a number of material misrepresentations. Rodriguez and Carrion promised investors that they were making a safe investment; in reality, Rodriguez disregarded numerous safeguards that he promised investors were in place to protect their investments. For example, though Rodriguez and Carrion promised investors that Technical Trading Team had a “loss reserve account” comprised of funds that would not be traded and could be used to repay investors in the event of market losses, no such “loss reserve account” ever existed. Rodriguez also promised investors that Technical Trading Team would never expose more than 1% of Technical Trading Team investors’ funds to market risk at any given time, only to ignore that safeguard as well. Further, Rodriguez promised investors that Technical Trading Team would not hold trading positions open overnight, which Rodriguez ignored on multiple occasions, including once holding a trade open from February 2021 until April 2022, resulting in a catastrophic loss of over $150,000, representing approximately 12.61% of Technical Trading Team’s assets. Once it became clear to Rodriguez that Technical Trading Team could not pay its investors their promised returns using trading profits, Rodriguez turned Technical Trading Team into a Ponzi scheme and began using money from new investors to pay older investors their interest payments and principal redemptions.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Weintraub is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett.
The Defendant:
JASON RODRIGUEZ
Age: 38
Bellerose, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-79
Florida Man Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison for $5 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Western Pennsylvania Rental PropertiesRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A former resident of Hudson, Florida, was sentenced in federal court to 78 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of wire fraud conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Paul Andrew Gulbronson, 59, on September 9, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Gulbronson and his co-defendant/wife, Kelly Bonilla—who remains a fugitive residing in Panama—operated Citrona Homes from Florida and Johnstown, Pennsylvania, between 2017 and June 2019. The defendants used Citrona as a housing scheme in which they induced investors through telemarketing calls and online solicitations to purchase Citrona-owned homes or properties in Johnstown by promising to rent “fully renovated” properties to Section 8 tenants. Citrona bought distressed properties and sold them to mostly out-of-state investors at greatly inflated prices, with the promise that they were renovated, tenant-occupied, and managed by Citrona. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) settlement records revealed that, between June 2017 and June 2019, Citrona purchased over 100 homes for approximately $2 million and resold them for approximately $6 million. Very few of the properties were habitable, and some were vacant lots. Financial and bank records identified over $5.3 million that Citrona received from investors, with the investors having lost approximately $5 million of that amount.
“Over the course of several years, Paul Gulbronson misled investors regarding the condition and status of their Citrona Homes properties in order to swindle millions of dollars from those victims, and then—upon learning that he was under investigation for these crimes—fled the United States, leaving dozens of dilapidated properties in his wake,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “As a result of the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners, Gulbronson has been brought to justice and held accountable for his egregious criminal activity.”
“Gulbronson used a series of lies and misrepresentations to defraud investors into believing they had purchased fully renovated rental properties that would provide them with passive income,” said Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Instead of fulfilling his promises, he used their money to further the fraud scheme and pay for personal expenses, including restaurants, airline tickets, home furnishings, and lease payments for his residences in Florida. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service constantly strives to protect our customers from losing their hard-earned money through mail fraud schemes and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring those responsible to justice.”
“Paul Gulbronson willfully engaged in a $5 million fraud scheme to induce individuals to make investments on properties under false pretenses, including false statements that payments would be made with federal taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement and oversight partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.”
Gulbronson, who did not have an official title within Citrona but operated and controlled Citrona, was directly involved in real estate sales to investors, and oversaw the renovations, or lack of renovations, of the properties associated with Citrona. Gulbronson and Bonilla operated Citrona’s sales office in the Holiday, Florida, area from at least June 2017 through May 2019, which included a call center from which employees placed sales calls to potential investors. Between October 2017 and May 2019, Citrona also had a management office, located at 329 Market Street in Johnstown, which operated the property management side of the business including handling complaints from tenants and investors, collecting and depositing rent payments, coordinating repairs and maintenance, and writing checks to pay employees.
Gulbronson and Bonilla used Citrona as a mechanism for enriching themselves by defrauding investors into purchasing unrenovated properties at prices far above fair market value through a series of false pretenses, representations, and promises. Investigators confirmed, for example, that the photos investors were able to view on the company’s website of “available” properties were actually staged and did not accurately depict the investment properties. Gulbronson falsely represented to some of the investors that the properties would be fully renovated at the time of the sale, or that the properties would be fully renovated within a specified period following the sale, when they were not, while some properties were condemned or vacant land when they were sold to unknowing investors.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Postal Inspection Service and Department of Housing and Urban Development–Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Gulbronson.
Florida Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Laundering Proceeds of Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced to prison for laundering the proceeds of a health care fraud and kickback scheme involving durable medical equipment (DME) that caused millions of dollars in losses to Medicare and other insurance providers, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Thomas Farese, 83, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 6 months of home confinement. Farese previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz to a Superseding Information charging him with money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Farese invested in a DME supply company that was owned and operated by Aaron Williamsky, Nadia Levit, and others involved in a large-scale health care fraud and kickback scheme that involved billing Medicare and other insurers for DME—including orthotic knee, elbow, and back braces—that the receiving patients did not want or need. In April 2019, Williamsky, Levit, and others were arrested and charged for their roles in the scheme. Farese learned of their arrests and fraudulent conduct shortly thereafter and communicated about it with his business partner, Patsy Truglia, who has been convicted for his role in the scheme. Farese then received into his bank account $495,000 in proceeds of the scheme.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Farese to three years of supervised release (including the 6 months of home confinement) and to pay $1,314,000 in restitution to the victims. Judge Farbiarz also ordered forfeiture of $495,000, which constituted proceeds of the health care fraud scheme.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; and the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Christopher Silvestro, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the Health Care Fraud & Opioids Abuse Prevention Unit in Newark and Darren C. Halverson, Acting Assistant Chief of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
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Defense counsel: James R. Froccaro, Esq.
farese.information.pdfFive Individuals Charged in $20 Million Theft and Fraud Scheme Targeting Hardware and Home Improvement StoresRead the Press Release
A five-count indictment was unsealed earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn variously charging five defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges arise from a more than two-year scheme to fraudulently acquire and resell over $20 million in building and construction materials, and appliances from home improvement and hardware stores throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and elsewhere. The defendants were arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service (USSS), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“For these defendants, the tools of their trade were not hammers and nails, but fraud and deception. They enriched themselves by targeting programs designed for hard working consumers and small businesses to buy materials for construction and home improvement,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s arrests serve as a warning to those who try to profit from retail fraud: crime doesn’t pay.”
“The Secret Service is proud to help disrupt an alleged criminal syndicate that carried out an elaborate fraud scheme here in New York City, siphoning millions of dollars into its coffers through bad checks in order to procure construction-related materials for illegitimate resale," stated USSS Special Agent in Charge McCool. “I want to congratulate our agents and our partners at both the Eastern District of New York and the NYPD for their hard work in holding these criminals accountable.”
“These defendants allegedly deceived credit lenders with bogus bank checks to steal more than the $20 million of merchandise from hardware and home improvement businesses,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Schemes like this don’t just affect retail corporations – they hurt honest consumers who rely on these programs to purchase trade supplies. I am thankful to the NYPD investigators, our federal partners at the United States Secret Service and HSI, and the U.S Attorney’s Office for shutting this scam operation down and holding these fraudsters accountable.”
As set forth in court filings, from approximately July 2023 until September 2025, the defendants and their co-conspirators opened, or caused others acting at their direction to open, hundreds of lines of credit that hardware and home improvement stores made available to customers through the stores’ partner banks. These lines of credit included traditional consumer credit cards, which were designed for individual consumers’ personal use at the stores, and commercial lines of credit, which were aimed primarily for small businesses to purchase goods at the stores. The defendants opened many of these credit lines in the names of other people or on behalf of shell companies that had recently been founded or incorporated, were created in the names of straw owners and/or had no legitimate business operations. To increase the credit limits on their credit lines, the defendants presented paper checks to the stores under the guise of pre-funding the accounts or paying for past purchases. In reality, these checks were linked to bank accounts that had insufficient funds to cover the amounts printed on the checks. Before the checks were rejected, however, the defendants purchased significant amounts of building and construction materials for delivery to their warehouses. In total, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole over $20 million in merchandise, much of which they resold to others. Profits of their scheme were then laundered to offshore bank accounts and used to finance the ongoing operations of their warehouses.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, the defendants each face up to 30 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney James R. Simmons is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Asher Martin-Rosenthal.
The Defendants:
KAI XU
Age: 44
Queens, New YorkZHI BIN AN
Age: 56
Brooklyn, New YorkXIANG CHEN
Age: 39
Queens, New YorkSONGHAK LEE
Age: 35
Queens, New YorkKANG ZHANG
Age: 30
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-275 (RPK)
25-cr-275_indictment.pdfFederal Charges Filed Against Albuquerque Supplier in Major Drug Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been indicted on federal charges following a DEA investigation that uncovered a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation in Albuquerque.
According to court documents, on August 13, 2025, DEA agents conducted an undercover operation in Albuquerque in which Jose Magana Garcia, a Mexican national unlawfully present in the United States, was identified as a fentanyl trafficker and source of supply. During the operation, Garcia delivered approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover officer through intermediaries. Agents later tracked him to an apartment in northeast Albuquerque where surveillance showed him conducting suspected drug transactions and using counter-surveillance driving tactics.
On August 27, 2025, agents executed a search warrant at the apartment and found Garcia inside. The search uncovered large quantities of narcotics concealed in a couch, including more than 8 kilograms of fentanyl pills, over 4 kilograms of heroin, and nearly 35 grams of methamphetamine. Agents also recovered packaging materials and prepackaged doses consistent with drug distribution.
Garcia is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Garcia faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office Special Investigations Bureau and the Laguna Pueblo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Garcia).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eight Members of the House of Prayer Christian Churches Indicted for Fraud Schemes in Operation “False Profit”Read the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A federal grand jury, presiding in the Southern District of Georgia, indicted eight individuals connected to the House of Prayer Christian Churches of America (HOPCC) for various fraud schemes and tax charges.
On September 10, 2025, a federal court unsealed a 26-count indictment. The indictment charges:
- FNU LNU (First Name Unknown, Last Name Unknown) aka RONY DENIS, age unknown, of Hinesville, Georgia, West Palm Beach Florida, and Martinez, Georgia, with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, and Aiding and Assisting in Filing a False Tax Return.
- ANTHONY OLOANS, 54, of Hinesville, Georgia, with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Bank Fraud.
- JOSEPH FRYAR, 51, of Hinesville, Georgia and Martinez, Georgia, with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Bank Fraud.
- DENNIS NOSTRANT, 55, of Hinesville, Georgia, with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Bank Fraud.
- GERARD ROBERTSON, 57, of Hinesville, Georgia, with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
- DAVID REIP, 52, of Hinesville, Georgia, with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Bank Fraud.
- MARCUS LABAT, 42, of Hinesville, Georgia, with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud.
- OMAR GARCIA, 40, of Palm Bay, Florida, with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud.
The maximum penalties for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Bank Fraud are up to 30 years of imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and not more than 5 years of supervised release.
The maximum penalties for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud are up to 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release.
The maximum penalties for Aiding and Assisting in the Filing of a False Tax Return are up to 3 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and not more than 1 year of supervised release.
According to the indictment, the group’s leader posed as “Rony Denis,” an identity he allegedly stole in 1983. Using that identity, he became a U.S. citizen in 2002 and went on to establish HOPCC and its affiliate House of Prayer Bible Seminary (HOPBS).
The indictment alleges that Denis and his close associates — Anthony Oloans, Joseph Fryar, Dennis Nostrant, Gerard Robertson, David Reip, Marcus Labat, and Omar Garcia — used their leadership positions to exert extreme control over congregants. The indictment alleges that members were manipulated into turning over personal information, pressured into marriages and divorces arranged by church leaders, and forced to live in properties tied to the defendants that generated rental income.
The defendants are also accused of exploiting military personnel by recruiting them into the church, directing them to enroll in HOPBS, and then using their Veterans Administration benefits to funnel money into church-controlled accounts. Leaders allegedly disguised payouts to themselves as “expense reimbursements,” “love offerings,” and similar terms, while also using fraudulently gained funds to pay credit card bills for the defendants.
The indictment further describes how leaders maintained a list of “ex-HOPCC traitors,” humiliated members for perceived rule violations, and restricted contact with family members who left the church.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking for additional victims (see more below).
Bank Fraud Scheme
According to the indictment, in 2004 until the present, defendants Rony Denis, Anthony Oloans, Joseph Fryar, Dennis Nostrant, Gerard Robertson, and David Reip, along with others, engaged in a long-running conspiracy to defraud financial institutions.
The defendants allegedly recruited members of their organization to serve as “straw buyers” in real estate transactions, concealing the true buyers’ identities. They falsified loan applications and closing documents, used forged powers of attorney, and created limited liability corporations to acquire and transfer properties. After seizing control of these properties, they converted them into rental homes, collecting more than $5.2 million in rental income between 2018 and 2020.
Funds from the scheme were allegedly used to pay mortgages on the properties, cover personal expenses, and benefit members of the conspiracy, while leaving some of the straw buyers with damaged credit and foreclosures.
The Fraudulent Veterans Affairs Education Benefits Scheme
The indictment alleges that beginning no later than 2011 and continuing through 2022, Rony Denis, Omar Garcia, Marcus Labat, and Gerard Robertson conspired to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. military veterans of millions in education benefits.
According to the indictment, the defendants fraudulently obtained a religious exemption from state regulators in Georgia to operate two of the five locations of HOPBS. This exemption required that Georgia seminaries not receive federal funds. Nevertheless, the Georgia HOPS applied for and accepted VA education benefits, making it ineligible to maintain the exemption. HOPBS received more than $3 million in education benefits for its Georgia locations and more than $23.5 million for all five locations.
From 2013 through 2021, HOPBS officers fraudulently submitted false certifications to Georgia regulators that claimed the seminary did not receive federal funds, despite receiving millions in VA payments each year. The scheme funneled funding from VA education benefits to its seminary and related church accounts, enriching the defendants while exhausting some veterans’ benefits, often without students completing their programs.
Filing False Tax Returns
The indictment also charges Rony Denis with aiding in the preparation and filing of false income tax returns for calendar years 2018, 2019, and 2020. According to the indictment, Rony Denis falsely reported a total income of $165,601 in 2018, $155,408 in 2019, and $247,433 in 2020, despite knowing those figures were false.
The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office are seeking additional victims whose personally identifiable information (PII) may have been misused by HOPCC. If you, your family member, or anyone you know has had contact with HOPCC and would like to report a crime, please complete this online questionnaire: fbi.gov/HOPCCVictims.
“This indictment alleges a scheme in which individuals betrayed the trust of church members for self-enrichment at the members’ expense,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We commend the work of our law enforcement partners in unraveling this fraudulent operation.”
“The defendants are accused of exploiting trust, faith, and even the service of our nation’s military members to enrich themselves,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This indictment makes clear that using coercion, manipulation, and fraud under the guise of religion will not shield wrongdoers from accountability.”
“Safeguarding Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit funds reserved for deserving veterans remains a priority and our investigators are working diligently in the field to ensure these programs are not exploited for financial gain and greed,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “These indictments are a clear warning that the VA OIG, alongside our partners, will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to defraud these vital VA benefits.”
“The defendants are accused of fraudulently receiving VA education benefits intended for those who honorably served in our country’s armed forces, along with committing other financial crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are diligently investigating those who commit financial fraud on the U.S. government and law-abiding taxpayers.”
“Those who abuse the housing finance system for fraud will be held accountable,” said Edwin S. Bonano, Special Agent in Charge at the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG). “FHFA-OIG is proud to stand with our law enforcement partners to protect victims and safeguard the integrity of the housing finance system.”
“Today’s coordinated arrests of individuals connected to the House of Prayer Christian Churches of America and House of Prayer Bible Seminary effectively disrupts a calculated scheme to defraud our military service members and veterans of their hard-earned VA benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan O’Connor of the Department of Army Criminal Investigative Division’s Southern Field Office. “This investigation underscores CID’s unwavering commitment to protecting those who have served, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to exploit their trust and sacrifice.”
“USCIS will hold those that perpetrate immigration fraud accountable, and we will support any DOJ efforts to denaturalize this criminal, who used a stolen identity to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship,” said Sarah Posvar, Associate Portfolio Director, with USCIS' Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate.”
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Housing Finance Authority, the Department of the Army, CID, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes and George J.C. Jacobs, III are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Debtor Who Led Crypto Investment Scheme Denied Bankruptcy DischargeRead the Press Release
The U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained a judgment denying a bankruptcy discharge of more than $12.5 million to a Texas man who concealed assets and lied in his bankruptcy case to evade his creditors, including investors in his cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme.
On Aug. 1, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas entered a default judgment against chapter 7 debtor Nathan Fuller. Fuller owned Privvy Investments LLC, a cryptocurrency investment company that he used to divert investor funds. Fuller spent a portion of the money on luxury goods, gambling trips, and a nearly $1 million home for his ex-wife, who was involved in the business and with whom Fuller still resided.
“Fraudsters seeking to whitewash their schemes will not find sanctuary in bankruptcy,” said U.S. Trustee Kevin Epstein of Region 7, which includes the Southern District of Texas. “The USTP remains vigilant for cases filed by dishonest debtors, who threaten the integrity of the bankruptcy system.”
Fuller filed for bankruptcy in October 2024 after a receiver was appointed to take possession of his assets in a lawsuit brought by investors in Texas state court. Following an investigation, the USTP’s Houston office filed a complaint objecting to Fuller’s discharge alleging that Fuller had concealed extensive assets, failed to keep records, and made multiple false oaths regarding his bankruptcy case and a separate bankruptcy filing for Privvy.
After being held in civil contempt for failing to comply with court orders, Fuller admitted that he had operated Privvy as a Ponzi scheme and fabricated documentation to advance the scheme. Fuller also admitted that he gave false testimony and falsified bankruptcy documents to hinder the chapter 7 trustee appointed to administer his and Privvy’s bankruptcy cases.
Following those admissions, Fuller failed to respond to the USTP’s complaint, leading to a default judgment in the USTP’s favor. As a result, Fuller remains personally liable for his debts – including more than $12.5 million in unsecured debts listed in his bankruptcy schedules – and creditors may continue collections on claims against him.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Cumberland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - District Chief Judge George Levi Russell, III, sentenced Christopher Lawrence Stouffer, age 39, of Cumberland, Maryland, to 20 years in prison, today, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexually exploiting two minors. Additionally, Stouffer must register as a sex offender for life.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; James Elliott, State’s Attorney for Allegany County; and Chief John C. Ralston, Jr., Frostburg State University Police.
According to court documents, over several months, Stouffer used his cellular phone to produce numerous explicit videos of one minor victim beginning when she was 9 years old. Stouffer also installed a covert camera in the bathroom and captured explicit images of another minor victim who was 14. He then downloaded these files onto a hard drive where he kept a collection of at least 800 video files, including depictions of infants and toddlers.
This case 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 the United States Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and Frostburg State University Police for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn and Spencer L. Todd who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Columbia Man Charged with Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Columbia, Mo., man with possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction.
Semaj Reshod Clark, 25, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on Aug. 10, 2025, Clark possessed a Taurus G3 9mm handgun in Boone County, Mo. Clark has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo. Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Collinsville man imprisoned 46 months for pipe bombRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Collinsville man will spend almost four years in federal prison for making pipe bombs.
Jeremy Barr, 49, was indicted in March 2024 by a grand jury sitting in East St. Louis of possessing a destructive device and pled guilty to that offense on May 1, 2025. Barr, who has been detained since his arrest on federal charges, was sentenced in District Court on Sept. 3, 2025.
“Improvised explosive devices are inherently unpredictable, unstable, and indiscriminate,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Jeremy Barr threatened innocent lives near a Southern Illinois school, endangering kids, and our community. We thank the brave law enforcement officers who responded, and we pledge to relentlessly pursue bomb makers to protect the public.”
Analysis by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), determined that the explosive device was packed with fragmentation that could have caused serious injury or death upon detonation.
“The defendant in this case left two pipe bombs in a car parked next to a school for two days, posing a direct threat not only to the school but also the surrounding community,” said ATF Chicago Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “I want to commend the swift actions of law enforcement and prosecutors, whose efforts helped avert a potential tragedy. ATF remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to disrupt threats to public safety and hold violent offenders accountable.”
As part of his sentence, Barr will pay $15,000 in restitution to his former landlord for damage to the residence caused by the Illinois State Police during execution of a search warrant to determine if other devices might be in the home. According to court documents, there were no additional devices, but evidence of bomb making was found in the basement.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, the Wood River Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the FBI Springfield Field Office and the Illinois Secretary of State Police Hazardous Device Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke prosecuted the case.
Citizen of Mexico Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Renato Jardines-Santiago, age 37, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of Illegal Reentry.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about August 25, 2025, Jardines-Santiago was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, after previously having been removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Jardines-Santiago had been removed from the United States through San Ysidro, California, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so. He was previously prosecuted in 2019 for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Charlotte Man Convicted at Trial for String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Andrew Marquis Jackson, 32, of Charlotte, was found guilty today for a string of armed robberies, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jackson was convicted of three counts of Hobbs Act robbery; three counts of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; two counts of possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to evidence presented at trial, witness testimony, and documents filed in the case, Jackson and his co-conspirators, Joshuan Jon’tavious Blount and Messiah Lynn Blair, robbed at least three businesses in Charlotte at gunpoint.
First, court documents show that on January 24, 2023, the defendants entered a Dunkin Donuts located on Beatties Ford Road. Jackson approached the counter and demanded cash from the register. He then fired a shot into the ceiling. Blair jumped over the counter and searched the back office for money. Jackson held an employee at gunpoint while taking money from the registers. Blount was the getaway driver.
U.S. v. Jackson et al. – Armed Robbery at Dunkin Donuts
Second, on January 27, 2023, Jackson entered a 7-Eleven located on Brookshire Blvd. Upon entering the store, the Jackson fired a shot into the ceiling with a handgun. He then pointed a gun at a store employee ordering him to hand over all the money in the register. Jackson took the money and ran out the store. Blount was inside the store pretending to be a customer during the robbery.
U.S. v. Jackson et al. – Armed Robbery at 7-Eleven
Third, on February 1, 2023, Blount went into the Family Dollar store located on Beatties Ford Road store to survey the number of people present. Jackson and Blair then entered the store, armed with firearms. The men pointed their guns at the employee behind the counter and demanded money from the register and safe. The robbers proceeded to take all the cash from the registers before they fled the scene.
U.S. v. Jackson et al. – Armed Robbery at Family Dollar
Jackson is federal custody. At sentencing he faces up to 20 years in prison for each robbery and conspiracy to commit a robbery charge, and a maximum sentence of life in prison for the remaining charges involving possessing, brandishing, and discharging firearms in furtherance of the robberies. His sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Because of his counts of conviction, Jackson must receive a mandatory minimum sentence of 27 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
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Butler County man sentenced to 29 years in prison for sexually exploiting toddler on SnapchatRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Middletown man was sentenced in federal court in Cincinnati to 348 months in prison for sexually exploiting a toddler in Snapchat videos.
Daveion Wright, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty in April 2025.
According to court documents, on at least five instances in January 2024, Wright sexually exploited a 2-year-old victim, uploaded videos of the explicit conduct, and shared one video on Snapchat.
For example, one 54-second video depicted Wright and an adult female having vaginal intercourse as the toddler victim pushed on Wright’s hips. The other videos showed Wright exposing the toddler’s anus and vagina while Wright had intercourse with the adult female.
As part of Wright’s sentencing, the United States detailed in its court filings that local law enforcement received at least three other complaints against Wright involving different child victims between 2019 and 2023, including allegations of inappropriately touching victims at a sleepover.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division and Middletown Police Chief Earl Nelson announced the sentence imposed on Sept. 9 by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Brooklyn Man Convicted of Possession of a Makeshift Knife at the Metropolitan Detention CenterRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Jordan Alston was convicted today in federal court in Brooklyn of possessing an object intended to be used as a weapon while an inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center (the MDC). The verdict followed a three-day trial before United States Second Circuit Judge Denny Chin, sitting by designation. When sentenced, Alston faces up to five years in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF) announced the verdict.
“It is clear from the defendant’s conviction for possessing this weapon that he is a danger to the community at large as well as inside a correctional institution,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s verdict holds him accountable for his lack of respect for the law.”
“Today’s conviction highlights our commitment to holding violent offenders accountable — wherever they may be,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Miller. “Possessing weapons in custody threatens the safety of staff, inmates, and the justice system. ATF New York will continue working with our partners at EDNY USAO to protect our communities at every level.”
On May 31, 2025, while detained pending trial at the MDC for a separate charge for which he was acquitted, a Bureau of Prisons correctional officer conducted a pat-down search of Alston who appeared to be concealing an object in his waistband. The officer retrieved an 8-inch-long makeshift knife from the waistband of Alston’s pants.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Tara B. McGrath is in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Amara Padilla.
The Defendant:
JORDAN ALSTON (also known as “Skiito”)
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-510 (DC)
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to submitting fraudulent information in an effort to obtain unemployment benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
Nelson Roche Diaz, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Jan. 13, 2026. In January 2025, Roche Diaz was indicted along with co-conspirator Dominik Manigo.
In May 2020, Roche and Manigo submitted fraudulent claims for PUA on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance portal. Further, Roche and Manigo submitted fraudulent letters claiming the pandemic had impacted their employment at a restaurant in Boston. Neither Roche nor Manigo ever worked at the restaurant. Roche and Manigo each received over $43,000 in PUA and related funds.
Manigo pleaded guilty in July 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2025.
The charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Weymouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.