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4 September 2025
Gloucester Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gloucester man was arrested and charged yesterday with sexual exploitation of a minor.
Robert Burnham, 44, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Burnham was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston. He has been detained pending a hearing on Sept. 8, 2025.
According to the charging documents, from on or about June 11, 2024 to Oct 4, 2024, Burnham allegedly persuaded and coerced a 13-year-old minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing pictures and videos of such conduct and transmitting the pictures and videos to him via social media.
Specifically, it is alleged that Burnham met the minor victim on Snapchat and told her he was in her grade. Burnham then allegedly started asking the minor victim about people that she knew and sent her a picture of her father’s Facebook account. It is alleged that Burnham claimed he had sexually explicit photos of the minor victim, that he knew her father and that he would send the pictures to her father if she did not send him sexually explicit pictures and videos of herself. Burnham then allegedly told the minor victim to make an account on JusTalk, a China-based messaging application, and moved their conversation to that application.
Over the course of four months, Burnham allegedly coerced the minor victim into creating and sending numerous sexually explicit videos and pictures. It is alleged that Burnham would give the minor victim detailed instructions about what to do in each video or picture and, when she did not comply or respond right away, he would threaten her. Specifically, Burnham allegedly told the minor victim that he was “going to put f*****g hands on [her]” and that he was going to rape her.
It is further alleged that Burnham communicated with other minors on Snapchat to whom he similarly suggested that he had nude images of them that he would send to the minors’ families if they did not do what he asked. Burnham allegedly exchanged messages with two different users who told him that they were 12 years old.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a sentence of at least 15 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Harper County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Kansas City and the Gloucester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Gary Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Montrell Douglas Patterson, 31 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Patterson was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on July 10, 2024, the Gary Police Department were dispatched to a location in response to a citizen’s complaint. Upon arrival, an officer observed Patterson possessing a firearm with an extended magazine in his waistband. Patterson fled, attempted to jump a fence, and dropped the firearm. The firearm was recovered and found to have a live round in the chamber, and the extended magazine was loaded with ammunition. Patterson’s criminal history revealed he was previously convicted of intimidation, criminal recklessness, and escape, which were felonies that disqualified him from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Padilla.
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.
Four Men Indicted for Expansive Scheme to Defraud State Employees' Credit Union (SECU)Read the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury indicted Keyondre Deionta Purvis, 27, Calvin Daminice Stewart, 29, Michael Raekwon Ryner, 29, and Quavedrian Da’mon Gibson, 27. The indictment alleges the defendants engaged in an expansive scheme to defraud the State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU).
“Protecting the integrity of banks and credit unions that serve North Carolina’s public is a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud and safeguard the trust and money placed in these institutions.”
According to the indictment, in the summer of 2022, the defendants allegedly carried out a fraud upon SECU by exploiting a security vulnerability. After securing access to numerous SECU accounts, the defendants engaged in sham transactions – repeatedly depositing and withdrawing funds from member accounts to artificially inflate the accounts’ assumed balances during a reconciliation period. The defendants were then alleged to have withdrawn large amounts of cash in excess of the true account balances. According to the indictment, after the defendants completed the sham activity and the inflated withdrawals during the reconciliation period, the accounts were left with negative balances that were not repaid, thus defrauding SECU.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Gates presided over Stewart's initial appearance. The FBI is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka 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. 5:25-CR-00204.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Four Charged in Conspiracy to Smuggle Children from MexicoRead the Press Release
Note: View a copy of the criminal complaint.
Four people were charged for their roles in a scheme to smuggle children from Mexico into the United States, sometimes using candy laced with THC to sedate them during smuggling events.
“This Department of Justice is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”
“These defendants allegedly risked the lives of children by using drug-laced candy to keep them quiet while being smuggled into the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Targeting children in this way is especially dangerous and cruel. The Criminal Division is dedicated to safeguarding vulnerable populations and dismantling the for-profit smuggling networks that exploit them.”
“When these cartels and the Alien Smuggling Organizations with which they partner see children, they see dollar signs,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This case shows that cartels and alien smuggling organizations care nothing for the wellbeing of the people they move into the United States. They only care about enriching themselves. In the Western District, we will muster all our resources to remove from society those who would profit off of the hopeless and helpless.”
“Every child placed in a smugglers hands is a life placed in danger,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso. “These predators see desperation as an opportunity. To these criminals, vulnerable children as nothing more than currency-a means to turn human lives into profit. The smuggling of children is one of the most callous and reprehensible crimes HSI investigates, and we won’t stop pursuing those who profit by endangering young lives.”
Mexican nationals Susana Guadian and Daniel Guadian, both 50; Dianne Guadian, 32, a U.S. citizen; and Manuel Valenzuela, 35, a lawful permanent resident residing in El Paso, Texas, were charged in the Western District of Texas by a criminal complaint with conspiracy to transport aliens and bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain. Defendants Dianne Guadian and Manuel Valenzuela were arrested in El Paso on Aug. 30 and had their initial appearances on Sept. 2.
According to the complaint, between on or about May 1 through Oct. 17, 2024, the defendants were part of an alien smuggling organization (ASO) that brought unaccompanied alien children between the ages of five and 13 illegally into the United States from Juarez, Mexico. The complaint alleges that Susana Guadian and Daniel Guadian recruited drivers to transport the children by car from Mexico to a port of entry at the U.S. border. The drivers and their coconspirator would then present U.S. documents to inspecting officers falsely claiming the documents belonged to the children, and that they were the parents of the children. During at least one smuggling event, the alien children were given gummy candies containing marijuana to sedate them. One of the children was taken to a local hospital and later diagnosed with marijuana poisoning. Once inside the United States, the children were then transported to El Paso, where, according to the complaint, Dianne Guadian and Manuel Valenzuela would pick up the children and provide payment to the drivers. The drivers were paid $900 for each minor that they brought into the United States.
The investigation and indictment were supported by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the northern and southern borders. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 410 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HSI El Paso and U.S. Border Patrol led investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.
Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hines for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
U.S. V. GUADIAN ET. AL., WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, CASE NO: EP-25-M-04855-MAT, FILED 08/29/2025 U.S. V. GUADIAN ET. AL., WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, CASE NO: EP-25-M-04855-MAT, FILED 08/29/2025 U.S. V. GUADIAN ET. AL., WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, CASE NO: EP-25-M-04855-MAT, FILED 08/29/2025Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 420 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Detric L. Cummings, 43 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Prior to trial, Cummings pled guilty to counts charging him with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl. After a four-day trial, a jury then found him guilty of armed drug trafficking, firearms possession, and maintaining drug-involved premises.
Detric Cummings was sentenced to 420 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, Cummings sold quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl to an undercover officer with the Fort Wayne Police Department between July and August 2022. Cummings was armed with at least one firearm while conducting a drug transaction. He later sold that undercover officer a revolver during another drug deal. A subsequent search of one of his drug houses resulted in the seizure of six firearms, ammunition, two digital scales, and additional quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Cummings has a violent criminal history spanning most of his life. As a juvenile, he committed an attempted robbery and escaped from lawful detention. As an adult, he was convicted of battery for shooting a man. While imprisoned for this offense, he was convicted of two additional battery offenses, one for punching a correctional officer and breaking his nose and another for spitting on a correctional officer. About four months after being released from prison, Cummings shot a woman multiple times while trying to collect a drug debt, almost killing her. While serving a lengthy prison term for these crimes, Cummings was sentenced for possessing a dangerous weapon, an eight-inch metal shank. Once released, Cummings continued to harm the community through the armed drug trafficking that resulted in his conviction in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley J. Miller Lowery and Justin C. Sheridan.
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.
Former Senior Aide to Newark Mayor Admits Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former Senior Aide to the Mayor of Newark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Al-Tarik Onque, 49, of East Orange, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Onque previously worked as a Senior Aide to the Mayor of Newark. As a Senior Aide, Onque primarily responded to constituent complaints, performed constituent services, and worked with organizations in the community.
Onque used his official position in the City of Newark to solicit individuals seeking Certificate of Code Compliance (“CCCs”) or Certificate of Occupancy (“COs”) and to offer them expeditated acquisition of those documents in exchange for payments of cash bribes. Onque and others induced these individuals to pay cash bribes in connection with multiple properties in or around Newark
Under City of Newark regulations, a CCC had to be obtained from the Newark Department of Engineering, Office of Inspections and Enforcement before certain changes of occupancy; and property owners had to obtain a CO, sometimes referred to as a Certificate of Continued Occupancy (a “CCO”) to ensure a building or premises satisfied Newark code requirements.
The charge of conspiracy to commit honest service fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2026.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francesca Liquori and Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
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Defense Counsel: Ernesto Cerimele, Esq., Newark, New Jersey
onque.information.pdfFormer Employee Pleads Guilty to Security Violation at Philadelphia International AirportRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tiriq Henson, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer yesterday to one count of entering an airport area in violation of security requirements.
The defendant was charged by information in May of this year.
As detailed in court filings, on March 9, 2024, Henson, then employed as a wheelchair assistant at the Philadelphia International Airport, aided and abetted the entry of Person #1 into a secure airport area in violation of security requirements, by permitting Person #1 to use the defendant’s airport-issued Secure Identification Display Area badge to gain access to the secured and sterile area of the airport.
Henson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16 and faces a maximum possible term of 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.
Former Delaware County Teacher Sentenced to 327 Months in Federal Prison for Coercing, Transporting, and Sexually Abusing StudentsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Paul Geer, age 58, of Hancock, New York, was sentenced today to 327 months (27 years and 3 months) in federal prison for two counts of coercing and enticing two children to travel across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity and two counts of transporting the children across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with those children.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Geer was found guilty on March 3, 2025, following a two-week trial. The evidence proved that, while Geer was a teacher at the Family Foundation School in Hancock, New York, from 1994 through 2001 he imposed disciplinary sanctions on students that were tantamount to torture. The sanctions included depriving children of food or forcing them to eat food that had been regurgitated, binding children in rugs and leaving them in isolated rooms for extended periods of time, and forcing children to perform physical labor. The evidence at trial further proved that Geer used his position of authority and his ability to impose these brutal sanctions to coerce two students to travel with him, on separate occasions, to Maine and Toronto, Canada, respectively. The jury found that Geer transported those students across state lines with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity with them. While on those trips, Geer raped and otherwise sexually abused each of the two children.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow Geer’s release from prison. Geer will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Paul Geer was a monster. As a teacher, Geer was supposed to help his students become better versions of themselves. Instead, Geer used his position of power to torture these children physically, emotionally, and psychologically. When Geer believed his tactics had been sufficiently effective in breaking these children and scaring them into silence, he proceeded to sexually abuse them. These children deserved to be protected, to be cared for, and to be helped, but Geer viewed these children only as a means to his sadistic and predatory end. Geer is now paying the price for his heinous conduct and will spend the next 27 years where he deserves to be, in a cage.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “The depth of Mr. Geer’s sexual, physical, and psychological abuse is so depraved it’s truly hard to comprehend. He was entrusted to care for the students at the Family Foundation school but instead tortured them for years. Now he’s being held accountable for those actions and heading to federal prison. Nothing was more important than delivering justice to those students. Today, our thoughts are with them – and their peers who never got to tell their stories – as they continue to process the unimaginable impact his abhorrent behavior had on their young lives.”
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the Colonie Police Department and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone, Adrian S. LaRochelle, and Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former CEO of Tribal Telecom Subsidiary Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $500,000 from Yurok TribeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jessica Engle pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday afternoon to embezzling more than $500,000 from the Yurok Tribe.
Engle, 42, of Gold Hill, Oregon, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sept. 25, 2024, on charges of embezzling approximately $579,574 from an Indian tribal organization and theft from programs receiving federal funds. She pleaded guilty to both counts in the indictment. In connection with pleading guilty, Engle admitted that she embezzled funds from the Yurok Tribe while she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Yurok Telecommunications Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Yurok Tribe, and converted the funds to her own use.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Engle’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2026, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Maxine M. Chesney. Engle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of theft from programs receiving federal funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666 and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of embezzlement from an Indian tribal organization in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1163. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Sampson and Sophia Cooper are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI appreciate the assistance of the Yurok Tribal Police.
Fentanyl Sale that Killed St. Louis County Woman Leads to 15-Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a man who admitted selling the fentanyl that killed a St. Louis County, Missouri woman to 15 years in prison.
Forrest L. Smith, 37, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of distribution of a controlled substance and two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
The victim was found dead in her bedroom on Oct. 5, 2021. Investigators found four capsules containing fentanyl, and messages on her phone showing that she bought drugs from Smith the day before via an intermediary, Smith’s plea agreement says. In November 2021, an undercover officer began texting Smith, and on Nov. 8, 2021, purchased fentanyl from Smith. The officer bought more fentanyl eight days later.
The Drug Enforcement Administration seized over 55.5 million fentanyl pills and 7,800 pounds of fentanyl last year. Half of the pills tested by DEA contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. There were more than 258,000 opiate overdose deaths between 2013 and 2021, primarily due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, according to the DEA.
The FBI and the Town and Country Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Granger prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two in Gold Bar Scam Conspiracy that Targeted Senior VictimsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on August 5, 2025, charging a man and woman for their roles in a “gold bar scam” conspiracy that impacted senior victims in Kentucky and across the United States.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Antonio Peña, 39, who has ties to both Florida and New York, and Brandi Durst, 43, of Florida, were charged with one count each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Specifically, the indictment alleges that between April 2024 and July 2025, both Peña and Durst traveled around the United States and collected gold bars from victims who were convinced to liquidate their retirement funds and buy gold. Unindicted co-conspirators would deceive victims into believing that they were victims of a prior identity theft scam, and that purchasing gold would help protect their assets. Peña, Durst, and others posed as Federal Reserve agents or other government officials, supposedly picking up the gold for safekeeping, only to steal victims’ savings and launder the proceeds.
On August 14, 2025, Peña and Durst were arraigned before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, each defendant could face a maximum of up to 40 years in prison, in addition to owing fines and victim restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
“As alleged in the indictment, these defendants preyed upon folks who were simply trying to secure their retirement nest egg,” said U.S. Attorney Bumgarner. “They will be held accountable to the maximum extent of the law.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by IRS-CI and FBI with assistance from HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne E. Keel is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective of protecting seniors across Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Tallahassee Church Worship Leader Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Hunter Chase Eubanks, 31, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to sexual exploitation of a child. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our local and federal law enforcement partners, this offender has been brought to justice for victimizing a vulnerable child. My office will not hesitate to aggressively pursue prosecutions of these crimes to keep our children safe from sexual exploitation by predators like this defendant.”
Court documents reflect that between July 4, 2024, and October 9, 2024, Eubanks engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor who attended Morningside Church, where Eubanks served as a worship leader and led a church music internship program. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office opened a criminal investigation in October 2024 after it received a report about the sexual relationship. The investigation revealed that Eubanks engaged in sexual activity with the minor on multiple occasions at the church and elsewhere in Tallahassee. During their communications using an iPhone app, Hunter requested that the minor produce and send him images that would constitute child pornography.
Eubanks faces a minimum mandatory of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment, followed by five years to life of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’ Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 24, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
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.
Eleven Drug Trafficking Arrests Made in North Arkansas as Part of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE - Six individuals federally indicted, and 5 individuals charged by the State of Arkansas, are in custody after federal and state authorities made a series of arrests this morning as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America and an FBI initiative designated Operation Summer Heat.
The arrests stem from an investigation that began in 2023, which targeted methamphetamine and fentanyl distributors operating in and around the Mountain Home, Arkansas area. The investigation, which was headed by the FBI, involved numerous undercover buys of methamphetamine, and drug and firearm seizures from members of the drug trafficking organization. Since its inception, a total of 23 individuals have been arrested as part of the investigation.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The FBI initiative designated “SUMMER HEAT” is a nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, the FBI seeks to aggressively restore safety in communities across the country.
Those arrested today are anticipated to be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Christy D. Comstock on Tuesday.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Today’s arrests are the result of an investigation by the FBI, and assisted by the 14th Judicial Drug Task Force, the Mountain Home Police Department, the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, the Harrison Police Department, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, the Springdale Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Arkansas State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Robbins.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Eight Men Charged with Smuggling High-End Vehicles OverseasRead the Press Release
DETROIT - An indictment was unsealed today charging eight Southeast Michigan men with running a sophisticated car theft and international smuggling operation, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. The charges stem from an investigation initiated by the Dearborn Police Department and involving U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz, ICE Homeland Security Investigations Detroit; Marty C. Raybon, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Reuben Coleman Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Chief Issa Shahin, Dearborn Police Department.
Charged were Haydar Al Haydari, 41, of Garden City; Karar Alnakash, 43, of Detroit; Abbas Al Othman, 42; of Dearborn Heights; Mohammed Al Hilo, 36, of Detroit; Moustapha Al Fetlawi, 46, of Dearborn Heights; Terrill Davis, 33, of Detroit; David Roshinsky Williams, 32, of Harper Woods; and Mohammed Al Abboodi, 35, of Detroit. All defendants face one count of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles, and each also faces one or more counts of transportation of a stolen vehicle.
According to the 12-count indictment, beginning in July 2023 and continuing through August 2025, the defendants conspired with each other and others to receive stolen vehicles at one of four commercial/industrial lots. Conspirators would then pack two or more vehicles at the lots into shipping containers and cause the containers’ transportation to port cities via freight or rail. From the port cities, if law enforcement had not already interdicted the containers, the containers with cars would ship overseas.
If convicted on the charge of conspiracy, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of no more than five years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000. If convicted on the charge of transportation of stolen motor vehicles, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
“Stolen cars have no place in interstate commerce and foreign trade,” said United States Attorney Gorgon. “I very much appreciate the diligent work of our many law-enforcement partners in recovering countless vehicles and putting an end to this criminal scheme. Our work to secure justice for the conspirators and their victims continues.”
“Our efforts have led to the recovery of over 350 stolen vehicles and behind every one of those stolen cars is a victim” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “This case hits even closer to home in a state like Michigan, where auto theft doesn’t just hurt our wallets, but our culture. Our HSI special agents and law enforcement partners will continue to do the work necessary to take down these operations that harm everyday Americans.”
“This indictment underscores the importance of law enforcement collaboration to ensure those who exploit our borders through unlawful commercial vehicle smuggling operations are brought to justice,” said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI in Michigan is proud to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners in disrupting both domestic and international trafficking networks. We remain committed to protecting our community and safeguarding the integrity of our infrastructure.”
"This case demonstrates the strength of partnerships between local and federal law enforcement,” said Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin. “I want to thank our partners in the Southeast Michigan Auto Crimes Consortium (SMACC), whose collaboration was instrumental in this case. I also want to acknowledge the critical funding and support provided by Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA), which makes this type of proactive investigation possible. Together, we are protecting victims, safeguarding our communities, and holding criminals accountable."
“In light of efforts by transnational criminal organizations to victimize the America people and our businesses through illicit vehicle trade, we aim to counter their methods with every available resource at our disposal,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “We will continue to work alongside our regional law enforcement partners to ensure we put the brakes on vehicle smuggling through the Motor City and beyond.”
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by agents of ICE HSI with significant assistance from CBP, FBI, IRS-CI, Bureau of Industry and Security, Dearborn Police, Dearborn Heights Police, Livonia Police, Garden City Police, Detroit Police, CSX Police, Norfolk Southern Police, HSI Newark, HSI Norfolk, CBP Norfolk and CBP Newark and task-force officers affiliated with the Southeast Michigan Auto Crimes Consortium. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Louie Meizlish, Hank Moon, and Catherine Morris.
Anyone with information relevant to this case is asked to contact HSI at HSIDetroit_StolenAuto_Tipline@hsi.dhs.gov
Ecuadorian man pleads guilty to illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today Wilson Paul Loja-Angamarca, 28, a citizen of Ecuador, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that Loja-Angamarca is an alien without any legal status in the United States. He was removed from the United States in October 2019. On July 24, 2025, Loja-Angamarca was found in Cattaraugus County, NY, and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato.
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East Helena man convicted of illegal possession of guns and ammunitionRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – An East Helena man who possessed guns and ammunition illegally was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a two-day trial, Justin Curtis Huckaby, 43, was found guilty of two counts of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Huckaby faces 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 8, 2026. Huckaby will remain in custody pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Huckaby was convicted of a felony in the Montana Thirteenth Judicial District on June 5, 2019. He was sentenced to a period of custody of up to 15 years, with 5 years suspended, followed by a period of supervision with the Department of Corrections. Huckaby’s judgment set out the conditions of his supervision, which included a prohibition of “using, owning, possession, transferring, or controlling any firearm, [or] ammunition….” That condition was also read to Huckaby in open court.
On June 13, 2023, Huckaby signed the Firearms and Voting Regulations form, which states:
I further understand that my right to possess or own firearms or ammunition is suspended while under supervision. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing or receiving firearms or ammunition [Title 18, United States Code Section 922(g)(1)]. Therefore, I understand I could be prosecuted for a violation of Federal law. I also understand that I could be punished for violating my conditions of supervision AND federally prosecuted.That same day, Huckaby signed his conditions of probation and parole. Condition 15 states: “Weapons: I will not use, own, possess, transfer, or be in control of any firearms, ammunition (including black powder), or weapons.”
On August 5, 2024, around 4 a.m., law enforcement officers responded to a casino in East Helena, Montana. Officers were informed Huckaby was at the casino and had drugs and a firearm in his vehicle. Upon arrival, law enforcement contacted Huckaby who was in the driver’s seat of his white Chevrolet pickup parked outside the casino. Huckaby confirmed he was on parole but denied there was anything his truck that would violate his parole. During contact with Huckaby, law enforcement saw a glass pipe with burnt residue on the center console. The pipe later field tested positive for methamphetamine. A probation search was then authorized and performed on the vehicle.
During the search, a loaded 9mm handgun was located under the driver’s rear passenger seat. It was loaded with 9mm caliber ammunition. A box of 9mm caliber ammunition was also located in a backpack. Huckaby later admitted to touching and handling the firearm earlier that day.
Huckaby also threatened to shoot an individual after he suspected the individual took his 8-ball of methamphetamine and money that he won at other casinos that evening.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and State of Montana Probation and Parole.
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).
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EPA Reaches Settlement with Homeworks ConstructionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice reached a $10,000 settlement with Homeworks Construction Inc. to resolve alleged lead paint renovation violations in South Bend, Indiana. EPA alleged that beginning in 2018, Homeworks Construction performed renovations in 17 residential properties constructed prior to 1978 without complying with federal Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) regulations. The company has now obtained RRP certification and confirmed compliance with the current rules.
“Protecting the health and safety of our communities, particularly our children, is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel. “We are committed to ensuring that companies comply with these regulations; it is a critical step in protecting all Americans from the harmful effects of lead exposure.”
“We must enforce lead paint laws to protect public health, especially the health of vulnerable children,” said Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. “This settlement promotes and advances public health by remedying past violations and monitoring future compliance. I would like to extend my thanks to the public servants who successfully pursued this case.”
Dust from lead-based paint is one of the most common causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to lead, which can create irreversible and lifelong health effects. Lead dust can be generated when lead-based paint is disturbed by renovation work such as window installation, demolishing painted surfaces like walls and porches and scraping or repainting homes.
Companies and individuals performing renovations on housing built before 1978 are required to comply with regulations under EPA’s lead renovation program. The regulations require companies to train employees on safe work practices and obtain certification from EPA prior to renovations. The companies must also comply with recordkeeping requirements and notify homeowners about the hazards of renovation-related lead exposure.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comment and access to the settlement agreement is available on the Department of Justice Proposed Consent Decree webpage.
For more information about EPA’s enforcement program, visit the Agency’s website.
Learn more about EPA’s Lead RRP rule.EOIR Announces Significant Immigration Court MilestonesRead the Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced today its completion of more than 722,000 cases during the first 11 months of fiscal year (FY) 2025, exceeding all of FY 2024 case completions and constituting the highest single-FY completion total in the agency’s history. EOIR has also reduced its pending caseload in immigration courts by over 447,000 cases since Jan. 20, 2025, bringing the pending caseload down from more than 4.18 million to under 3.75 million, the sharpest decrease in caseload in EOIR’s history.
“Reducing the immigration court backlog is one of the highest priorities for the agency,” said EOIR Acting Director Sirce E. Owen. “This Administration is committed to using all of its resources to continue to adjudicate immigration cases fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly.”
Since January, EOIR has issued numerous policy memoranda, which returned to its adjudicators the ability to decide cases consistent with the law and restore EOIR’s integrity as a preeminent administrative adjudicatory agency. EOIR accomplished this by implementing measures such as restoring adjudicator impartiality, expanding the Dedicated Docket, and rescinding over 20 policies that were unfounded in law or discouraged the timely completion of cases.
EOIR is committed to making further advancements to its operational efficiency, thereby helping to ensure timely justice for both parties involved and the public it serves.D’Iberville Man Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus Fifty Years for Coercion of Minors and Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A D’Iberville, Mississippi man was sentenced today to life in prison, plus a consecutive fifty years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for coercing minor victims to participate in sexual activity and for producing images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
In December 2024, multiple minor children notified law enforcement that they were being sexually abused by Sean Parol, a 53-year-old male. That same month, a search warrant was executed at Parol’s residence.
During the search warrant, officers with the D’Iberville Police Department found various electronic devices belonging to Parol and hidden cameras throughout Parol’s house. Parol was able to record some of the sexual abuse with the hidden cameras.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and a forensic examiner with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division conducted a forensic analysis on the devices and cameras that were in Parol’s house and found videos of Parol performing oral sex on multiple minor boys as well as having the minor boys perform oral sex on him.
On one electronic device, Parol was in possession of over 30,000 images and/or videos of child sexual abuse material.
The investigation revealed that to continue the sexual abuse, Parol would give the children vapes, buy them various items, and show the children adult pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division, and the D’Iberville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Department of State employee sentenced for transmitting national defense information to suspected Chinese government agentsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A U.S. Department of State (DOS) employee was sentenced today to four years in prison for conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information to individuals he knew to be working for the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“The price of Michael Schena’s disgraceful betrayal of his country is far more than the paltry amount for which he traded his honor,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His acts of selfish avarice left that price to be paid by the faithful women and men of our intelligence community and the nation they serve. The cost Schena will pay is the loss of his integrity, his reputation, and, by today’s sentence, his freedom.”
“The defendant threw away his career, betrayed his country, and abused the trust the United States placed in him by granting his Top Secret security clearance. He will spend years of his life in prison for passing classified information to individuals he believed to be Chinese government agents,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would violate the trust placed in them by our Nation and double-cross the American people.”
“Michael Schena deliberately undermined U.S. national security and put American lives at risk by selling classified information to the Chinese Government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Chinese government continues to aggressively target U.S. government employees to steal our classified information, and this sentencing makes clear the FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to defend the Homeland. Anyone thinking of betraying their oath to the United States should consider the severe consequences and know the FBI will work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”
"As a State Department employee, Schena's mission should have been to promote U.S. security and prosperity throughout the world, but instead he jeopardized national security by transmitting classified information to individuals whom he believed worked for an adversarial government," said Daniel Wierzbicki, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. "As today's sentencing demonstrates, the U.S. government remains committed to investigating and prosecuting clearance holders who seek to cash in on our nation's secrets."
According to court documents, beginning in April 2022, Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them sensitive government information in exchange for money. Two of these individuals represented themselves as employees of international consulting companies. Despite clear indications that they were working on behalf of the PRC, Schena continued his relationship with them.
In August 2024, Schena met an individual at a hotel in Peru who provided Schena $10,000 and a cellphone that was intended to be used for Schena to receive taskings and to image and transmit information.
In October 2024, while at work, Schena photographed and transmitted at least four classified documents that contained national defense information and were classified at the SECRET level. In February 2025, surveillance video captured Schena again using the cellphone he received in Peru to photograph seven documents marked as SECRET that contained national defense information. FBI agents seized the cellphone before Schena could transmit photographs of these classified documents to his handlers and was later arrested.
The announcement was made after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-158.
Department of State Employee Sentenced for Transmitting National Defense Information to Suspected Chinese Government AgentsRead the Press Release
A U.S. Department of State (DOS) employee was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information to individuals he believed to be working for the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“The defendant threw away his career, betrayed his country, and abused the trust the United States placed in him by granting his Top-Secret security clearance. He will spend years of his life in prison for passing classified information to individuals he believed to be Chinese government agents,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would violate the trust placed in them by our Nation and double-cross the American people.”
“The price of Michael Schena’s disgraceful betrayal of his country is far more than the paltry amount for which he traded his honor,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His acts of selfish avarice left that price to be paid by the faithful women and men of our intelligence community and the nation they serve. The cost Schena will pay is the loss of his integrity, his reputation, and, by today’s sentence, his freedom.”
“Michael Schena deliberately undermined U.S. national security and put American lives at risk by selling classified information to the Chinese government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Chinese government continues to aggressively target U.S. government employees to steal our classified information, and this sentencing makes clear the FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to defend the homeland. Anyone thinking of betraying their oath to the United States should consider the severe consequences and know the FBI will work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”
According to court documents, beginning in April 2022, Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them sensitive U.S. government information, in exchange for money. Two of these individuals represented themselves as employees of international consulting companies. Despite clear indications and believing that they were working on behalf of the PRC, Schena continued his relationship with them.
In August 2024, Schena met an individual at a hotel in Peru who provided Schena $10,000 and a cellphone that was intended to be used for Schena to receive taskings and transmit information.
In October 2024, while at work, Schena used the cellphone he received in Peru to photograph and transmit at least four classified documents that contained national defense information and which were classified at the SECRET level. In February 2025, surveillance video captured Schena again using the cellphone to photograph seven documents marked as SECRET that contained national defense information. FBI agents seized the cellphone before Schena could transmit photographs of these classified documents to his handlers, and arrested Schena.
John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division; and Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice Sues City of Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu over Sanctuary City LawsRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and the Boston Police Department and Police Commissioner over Boston’s sanctuary city laws that interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of its immigration laws.
“The City of Boston and its Mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America – they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.”
Not only are Boston’s sanctuary city policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Boston’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets.
On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations. On Aug. 5, Attorney General Bondi published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, which included the City of Boston, and vowed to bring litigation to end these policies nationwide. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal sanctuary city policies across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.
Cumberland Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Cumberland man who “marginalized and controlled” a young woman whom he befriended online when she was a minor, and then harassed and threatened when she attempted to end their friendship when she was nineteen, was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Melvin Vidal Herrera Perez, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 78 months of incarceration; 10 years of supervised release; ordered to register as a sex offender; and to pay a total of $38,000, pursuant to the Justice for Victims Act of 2015 and provisions of the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
Perez pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of cyberstalking and four counts of distribution of child pornography.
According to information presented to the court, Perez befriended the victim online when she was fourteen and engaged in a friendship that lasted for about four years. During that time, he encouraged her to provide him with sexually explicit images of herself. In the fall of 2024, Perez used a variety of tactics to intentionally cause serious emotional distress to the woman by creating a Google Drive link containing images of child pornography produced at Perez’s request years’ prior; setting up social media accounts to display sexually explicit images of the victim; providing those links to others, linking to them to a social media platform; texting and emailing explicit images of the victim and providing the website links to a wide number of individuals in her personal and social circles.
As reflected in information presented to the court, Perez claimed that he was “doing God’s work,” when he harassed the victim and disseminated the child pornography and other personal information about her.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, with valuable assistance provided by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and other Philadelphia area law enforcement agencies.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Clovis Mother Convicted of Arming Her Son, a Felon and Gang MemberRead the Press Release
On Wednesday, after a one-day trial, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd found Jawana Washington, 45, of Fresno, guilty of aiding and abetting a felon’s possession of a firearm as well as disposing of a firearm to a felon, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Jawana Washington knowingly provided a firearm to her son, Taylor Washington, a documented gang member and convicted felon. On March 25, 2022, Jawana Washington agreed to lend him her firearm, cautioning him not to do anything “crazy,” to use his own ammunition, and not to get her sent to jail. Minutes later, agents observed Taylor Washington arrive at his mother’s apartment complex, meet with her, and leave in a vehicle. During a subsequent traffic stop, officers recovered a Springfield Armory XD-9 handgun, registered to Jawana Washington, from the car’s center console. After the stop, Jawana Washington exchanged messages with others in which she acknowledged that Taylor Washington had her firearm and urged deletion of incriminating text messages.
Jawana Washington is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15, 2025, by Judge Drozd. Jawana Washington faces a maximum sentence of 10 years prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Taylor Washington, a co-defendant in this case, was separately convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced by the district court to a term of imprisonment.
The case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno-area Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the California Department of Justice Human Trafficking / Sexual Predator Apprehension Team, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt and Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography and attempted production of child pornography.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received CyberTips that an account, later determined to be associated with Eric Jensen Salter, 37, received files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Salter’s Clinton residence. The investigation showed that Salter’s email account was used to seek out, receive, view, and possess child pornography, including content of prepubescent children. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office further received records from Salter’s email account that revealed an email exchange with a sixteen-year-old female between May and October 2018. Salter attempted to use, persuade, induce, or entice the minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct, with the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, by requesting her to send sexually explicit images of herself to him.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Salter will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Salter was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Clinton County Sheriff's Office, Davenport Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Cleveland Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cuyahoga County man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a drug conspiracy to sell fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine throughout the Greater Cleveland region.
Murray Foster, 39, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker after pleading guilty in April to the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Foster was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, from about April 1 to July 12, 2023, Foster and a co-conspirator intentionally conspired to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl, 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing cocaine base (crack).
Among the items that federal agents seized during a search warrant execution of several residences related to the conspiracy were more than 500 fentanyl pills, five pounds of methamphetamine, one kilogram of fentanyl analogues, one kilogram of cocaine, 28 grams of crack cocaine, five handguns, a rifle, a shotgun, more than $19,000 in cash, and a motorcycle. Miscellaneous packaging, drug paraphernalia, and cutting agents were also seized.
Co-defendant Deion Thompson, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in July and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 5, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force and the FBI Cleveland Division.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian for the Northern District of Ohio.
Caregiver Who Abused Vulnerable Adult in His Care Gets SentencedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Fouodzing Mbord, 49, of Maryland, was sentenced today in Superior Court for the physical abuse of a vulnerable adult in his care in November 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Mbord pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025, to one count of abuse of a vulnerable adult – injure or threat to injure. The government asked that the defendant be ordered to serve 180 days in jail. However, Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur ordered 180 days in jail but suspended the sentence in full and placed the defendant on probation for one year.
According to the government’s evidence, Mbord was a home health aide who was caring for the victim, a vulnerable adult, who needed 24-hour care due to his inability to care for himself. On November 19, 2023, Metropolitan Police Officers were called to the victim’s apartment in the 100 block of I Street, SE, for a report of the abuse of a vulnerable adult who was bedridden after suffering a stroke. When officers arrived at the residence they met with the victim’s sister. She explained that she installed security cameras in the victim’s home after being concerned about her brother’s welfare.
The security camera footage showed that on November 12, 2023, the defendant struck the victim on his backside while cleaning him. After seeing the footage, the victim’s sister asked the defendant why he struck her brother. He said that the victim passed gas in his face while he was cleaning him. He also threatened to do it again if the victim continued the behavior. Then, on November 16, 2023, the victim’s sister, while viewing the security camera, observed the defendant raised his hand up high and strike the victim, who was completely naked at the time.
Mbord was arrested on November 20, 2023.
Joining in the announcement was Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas of the D.C. Office of the Inspector General (D.C.-OIG).
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the DC OIG’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuela Charles, who prosecuted the case, while on detail from the DC-OIG.
California Man Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property and Interstate Transportation of Stolen PropertyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that PATRICK GARLAND (“GARLAND”), a California resident, pled guilty on September 3, 2025, to a two-count indictment for conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2314.
According to the indictment, GARLAND and others conspired to transport cigarettes that had been stolen during a burglary at a warehouse facility on November 21, 2024. The group then traveled out of state before being apprehended in Fort Stockton, Texas the following day while still in possession of the cigarettes. The group was further implicated in similar burglaries in North Carolina and Texas in February of 2024.
For Count 1, GARLAND faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. As to Count 2, GARLAND faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Knightdale Police Department, the Atlanta Police Department, the Rockmart Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Fort Stockton Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Brownsville resident sentenced to 46 months for facilitating export of firearms to MexicoRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 19-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for attempting to illegally export firearms to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Kenji Daniel Juarez pleaded guilty April 23 to receiving, concealing, buying, selling and facilitating the transportation, concealment and sale of firearms and ammunition magazines prior to exportation.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Juarez to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court reviewed additional evidence, including a photograph showing the weapons involved in the offense. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the weapons were highly dangerous and could have been used by the cartel for criminal purposes.
On Nov. 16, 2024, law enforcement observed Juarez receive multiple firearms from several people on two occasions at a gun show in McAllen. He later went to a residence in Brownsville, where authorities approached him.
A search of the home revealed seven handguns, eight semi-automatic rifles and 22 ammunition magazines in his bedroom. He admitted the firearms and magazines were intended for export to Mexico. He further acknowledged he had previously smuggled firearms and ammunition across the border.
Juarez has been and 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Box Elder man sentenced to over 2 years in prison for illegally possessing firearm on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man who illegally possessed a firearm and ammunition on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 32 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Franklin Troy Caplette, 40, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on October 12, 2024, Caplette possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in a chest holster during his arrest for violating his federal supervised release. Because he attempted to run from law enforcement prior to his arrest, a responding officer had to discharge his taser twice before Caplette was arrested.
In June 2013, Caplette was sentenced in federal court to 62 months of imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. His supervised release was revoked five times in that case. In February 2021, Caplette was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in a different case, again in federal court.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, and U.S. Probation Office conducted the investigation.
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.
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Boston Man Sentenced to Prison for Extortion ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to give bribes to former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) Sergeant Gary Cederquist, in exchange for Cederquist giving false passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants who had failed or had taken only partial CDL skills tests.
Eric Mathison, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
In January 2024, Mathison was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others, including Cederquist and other former troopers who worked in MSP’s CDL Unit, which was led by Cederquist. Mathison pleaded guilty in March 2025. Cederquist was convicted by a jury in May and awaits sentencing.
Mathison worked for a water company that employed drivers who needed CDLs to drive their delivery vehicles. Cederquist gave passing scores to multiple applicants from the water company who actually failed the CDL skills test, as well as others who took only a partial test, in exchange for bribes of free inventory from the water company, such as cases of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, cases of bottled Arizona Iced Tea, coffee and tea products, energy drinks, and Twizzlers and Swedish Fish candy, all of which Mathison delivered to an office trailer at the CDL test site in Stoughton, Mass. Mathison admitted to his communications with Cederquist about particular CDL applicants and their performance on the skills test as well as inventory from the water company that Cederquist requested and that Mathison delivered. For example, Mathison received texts from Cederquist describing one water company applicant as “an idiot,” who had “no idea what he’s doing,” and “should have failed about 10 times already.” Cederquist then gave this applicant a passing score. On another occasion, Mathison asked Cederquist, “Hows the trailer holding,” to which Cederquist responded, “In desperate need of restocking,” along with a specific request for, among other things, premium bottled water, tea, energy drinks and a “truckload of large water.”
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Black Hawk Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Large-Scale Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in Rapid City Area and within the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Black Hawk, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 2, 2025.
Jackie Corean, 63, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Corean was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025.
Between January 2022 and February 2024, Corean and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota, including in the Rapid City area and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. During the conspiracy, large quantities of methamphetamine were transported from Denver, Colorado, to South Dakota, for distribution. Corean allowed his home to be used as a central hub for the distribution and also spoke with others in the conspiracy about taking firearms to Colorado to exchange for methamphetamine. Prior to Corean being able to take the firearms to Denver, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Corean’s residence and seized six firearms and numerous items of drug paraphernalia consistent with drug distribution.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and the North Metro Denver Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Corean was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing 75 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Desmond Jones, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty today, to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office; Chief Robert O. McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and Chief Richard Worley, Baltimore City Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a Baltimore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) distributing large quantities of cocaine. In August 2023, investigators learned that Jones, was a member of the DTO. Investigators identified Jones through his connection with Co-Conspirator 1 (CC-1), a California resident and DTO member.
In August 2023, investigators surveilled CC-1’s activities at his Baltimore City residence. From August 15 to August 24, investigators observed numerous drug traffickers, including Jones, meet CC-1 with bags at the Baltimore City residence to participate in drug-trafficking activities.
On August 16, Jones visited the residence and met CC-1 with a weighted-down bag. The next day, law enforcement observed CC-1 in possession of bulk currency and then investigators surveilled CC-1 drive to a bank where it appeared he made a deposit. Then on August 21, Jones again arrived at the Baltimore residence with another large, weighed-down bag. When Jones left the residence, the bag was substantially smaller in size. On August 24, CC-1 left Baltimore. After conducting these surveillances, law enforcement believed that while in Baltimore, Jones provided CC-1 with money for an upcoming drug shipment.
A week after CC-1’s departure, a commercial airline notified investigators that CC-1 was traveling from California to Baltimore again. On August 30, investigators set up a surveillance team at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI), where they observed CC-1 arrive, rent a car, and then drive to his Baltimore City residence.
Another group of investigators set up surveillance at Jones’s Timonium, Maryland, stash location. Law enforcement observed co-conspirators carrying large duffle bags of suspected drugs into the stash location. Prior to co-conspirators bringing the duffle bags to the stash location, Jones left the premises in his Dodge Ram. Investigators observed Jones drive to CC-1’s Baltimore City house where he picked up CC-1. Investigators followed Jones and CC-1 to National Harbor, Maryland, where Jones and CC-1 parked.
CC-1 exited the vehicle and met with another co-conspirator, who arrived in a different car, at the “Park-and-Ride” lot next to the National Harbor. After the co-conspirators conversed, both vehicles left the lot. Jones and CC-1 traveled back to Baltimore, as investigators trailed behind, and then eventually arrived at the stash location in Timonium and parked.
Jones and CC-1 exited the Dodge Ram and removed the duffle bags. While Jones and CC-1 were removing duffle bags, investigators approached the two on foot and observed that one of the duffle bags contained a large tear. Law enforcement saw kilogram packages of drugs inside the bag. Authorities seized the duffle bags and detained Jones, CC-1, and another individual who was also at the Timonium stash location.
Investigators recovered another duffel bag and a backpack containing a total of 32 individual kilogram packages of cocaine from the stash location. Additionally, law enforcement discovered equipment used to process bulk drugs, including a kilo press, cutting agents, quick cappers, digital scales, and sifters. They also found two heat-sealed bags of suspected marijuana, cash, and a money counter, along with two firearms. The firearms were a .45 caliber Auto Springfield handgun with an obliterated serial number and a .45 caliber Taurus handgun. Authorities also recovered Jones’s personal documents, including a vehicle registration, bank statement, and mail in his name.
In his plea agreement, Jones agreed that he was involved in possessing 75 kilos of cocaine in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy. Jones faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, followed by up to lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, November 18, at 10 a.m.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, HSI, IRS-CI, BCPD, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin C. Miner who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Facing Federal Charges for Carjacking and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ron Wardlow, 26, of Baltimore, Maryland, with carjacking, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the three-count indictment, on February 27, 2025, Wardlow committed a carjacking and used, carried, and brandished a Glock 9mm handgun during the crime.
If convicted, Wardlow faces a maximum life sentence in federal prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
This case is possible because of investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. It is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information about NIBIN, visit atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
Additionally, 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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Threats Against PresidentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man pleaded guilty to using social media to issue violent threats against the President.
According to court records, between January 2 and January 4, 2025, Tyler Miles Leveque, 37, posted multiple videos and messages on social media threatening to kill then President-elect Donald Trump and others at an upcoming rally. Leveque’s posts included statements such as "…you and your rich friends are dead no threat a promise" and references to violence at an event scheduled for January 19 in Washington D.C.
During an interview with agents from the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on January 6, 2025, Leveque admitted to making the threatening posts, believing his posts constituted freedom of speech, and to recently purchasing a firearm. Investigators confirmed Leveque had recently bought a gun from a local business, although he had not yet received the firearm.
Leveque pleaded guilty to making threats against the President. At sentencing, Leveque faces up to five years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Leveque will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Resident Agent in Charge Ron Emmot of the U.S. Secret Service Albuquerque Resident Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated this case with the assistance of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Albuquerque Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Tymell Cooks, age 36, of Albany, pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Cooks admitted that between January and June 2024, he sold approximately 202 grams of fentanyl to another person, both directly and using a co-conspirator. In June 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his Albany residence and located approximately 69 grams of cocaine, a loaded Cobra Firearms Shadow 38 Special revolver, a loaded M&P Shield EZ 2.0 Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, ammunition, $4,850 in cash, and body armor. Cooks admitted that he possessed the firearms to protect his drug supply and proceeds.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Fentanyl continues to fuel the deadly overdose crisis across our communities. This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who traffic in this poison and use illegal firearms to protect their criminal enterprises. We thank the DEA and our law enforcement partners for their continued efforts to dismantle these dangerous networks.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III stated: “Today’s guilty plea of Tymell Cooks is thanks to the hard work and determination of our DEA special agents and partners in targeting those individuals who pose a danger to our society. New Yorkers deserve safe communities free of drugs and violence, and the DEA is committed to delivering that.”
Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Cooks faces a prison term of at least 10 years and up to life; a fine of up to $5 million; and a supervised release term of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
DEA investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Armed Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Terrance Josiah Fasold, 31, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the hard work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to get this violent drug trafficker off our streets. My office remains fully committed to fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting drug traffickers like this defendant with the full force of the law, and this successful prosecution is yet another win in our fight to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement was investigating Fasold regarding a stolen firearm. Law enforcement located Fasold at the Red Roof Inn in Pensacola, Florida. Fasold fled from law enforcement and discarded a bag containing more than 40 grams of fentanyl. A search of Fasold’s hotel room was conducted and law enforcement located more fentanyl, as well as cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and several loaded firearms. Fasold is a convicted felon and has multiple prior felony convictions for drug related offenses.
Fasold faces up to life imprisonment, and a lifetime of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 3:00pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
75th Defendant Charged in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Muna Wais Fidhin, 44, has been charged in a ten-count indictment with three counts of Wire Fraud, four counts of Federal Programs Bribery, and three counts of Money Laundering for her role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Fidhin is the 75th defendant charged in this scheme, the largest Covid fraud case in the country. She was arrested this morning.
“With the 75th defendant charged in the Feeding Our Future scandal, the message could not be clearer,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Feeding Our Future is only one of the many frauds against the state we are pursuing. If you touched these frauds in any way, pick up the phone and call the FBI today. You will still be held accountable, but it will be far better for you than if you wait until we come knocking.”
Fidhim participated in a scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program by exploiting changes in the program intended to ensure that underserved children received adequate nutrition during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Feeding Our Future was a non-profit organization purportedly in the business of helping community partners participate in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Aimee Bock, convicted at trial and pending sentencing, was the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future. Prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Feeding Our Future was a small non-profit that sponsored the participation of daycares and after-school programs in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Beginning in approximately April 2020, Feeding Our Future dramatically increased the number of sites under its sponsorship as well as the amount of Federal Child Nutrition Program funds received by those sites. Feeding Our Future went from receiving and disbursing approximately $3.4 million in federal funds to sites under its sponsorship in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021.
In 2020, Fidhin enrolled her company, M5 Café, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Fidhin later created a nonprofit organization called M5 Care, which, in 2021, she also enrolled in the program under another sponsor. Fidhin fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to 500 children a day, seven days a week, at her sites. In reality, Fidhin served few, if any, children at her sites. Fidhin submitted fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food for use in feeding these children.
In all, Fidhin fraudulently claimed to have served more than 300,000 meals at her two food sites, for which she claimed to be entitled to approximately $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
Fidhin did not use these funds to purchase food to feed children. Instead, she used the money to pay off her home mortgage, to purchase a car, and to fund her lifestyle. Fidhin also wired tens of thousands of dollars out of the country. She paid approximately $27,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee in exchange for his sponsorship and submission of her fraudulent claims.
“Today’s arrest of Muna Wais Fidhin represents yet another major milestone in this investigation: the 75th indictment in this massive fraud scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “As alleged in the indictment, Fidhin, using fraudulent documents, stole more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program. Fidhin, and all of those charged in connection with this scheme, may have underestimated the FBI’s ability to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals who steal from taxpayers with funds intended for hungry children. Rest assured; the FBI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, until every culpable person is held responsible.”
“The Feeding Our Future fraud investigation ignited an awareness of the pervasive fraud that exists in government-funded programs in this state,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Well-intentioned assistance programs will always be targeted for fraud and when the system fails to protect federal funds, IRS Criminal Investigation will work with the United States Attorney’s Office and partner agencies to expose those who use deception and fraud to enrich themselves at the expense of those who truly need help. While we take a moment to reflect on the great investigative work performed by talented and devoted investigators and attorneys resulting in charges filed against seventy-five individuals, there is still more work to be done on this and other fraud schemes targeting government funded programs. Our agents will continue to provide their investigative and financial expertise to these fraud investigations.”
United States Postal Inspection Service Denver Division Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove said, “The arrest of the 75th defendant in this case demonstrates the Postal Inspection Service’s steadfast pursuit of justice for anyone who uses the mail in a scheme to divert emergency funds intended to help those most in need. The US Postal Inspection Service is proud to work with its law enforcement partners to bring this kind of greed to an end.”
These cases result from an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Youngstown Drug Dealer Sentenced to 23 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A Mahoning County man has been sentenced to prison for his role in selling controlled substances including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, throughout the Youngstown-area region.
Rayshawn Hall, 24, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to 276 months (23 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko after pleading guilty in April to the following charges as outlined in the indictment:
- One count of Distribution of Fentanyl
- Three counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine
- One count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- One count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
- One count of Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- One count of Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
Hall was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. The sentence was imposed by Judge Boyko Sept. 3, 2025.
According to court documents, from about Aug. 11 to Oct. 17, 2023, investigators conducted multiple controlled drug buys from Hall that included fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Upon obtaining a search warrant for his residence, agents seized more than $56,000 in cash and other items consistent with illegal drug activity. Federal agents also discovered a box with a FedEx shipping label from Spring Valley, California, in a black Chrysler vehicle that was located on the premises. The box was suspected to contain controlled substances. A forensic laboratory analysis later confirmed that the box contained 9,810.8 grams (Approximately 21 pounds) of 90.4% pure methamphetamine, and 989.7 grams (approximately two pounds) of fentanyl. In total, at least 90,000 kilograms of converted drug weight were attributable to Hall’s actions.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Mahoning County Law Enforcement Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yasmine Makridis for the Northern District of Ohio.
Virginia Trucker Admits to Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in SexRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Virginia truck driver admitted to a federal judge today that he had sexual contact in multiple states with a minor female who traveled with him in his tractor-trailer truck, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
David Romero Reyes, 55, of Stafford, Virginia, pleaded guilty as charged by way of indictment with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. No plea agreement was filed in this matter. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In April 2021, Romero Reyes was detained by Naval Station Newport Police when a routine background check conducted prior to his being allowed to enter the Navy base to make a delivery determined that he was wanted in Texas on a charge of felony assault of a child. The young girl was located inside the sleeping compartment of the truck during a routine inspection. The girl, determined through a medical examination at Hasbro Children’s Hospital to be approximately five months pregnant, was reported missing from her Virginia home in July 2020, when she was 14 years old. An investigation determined that Romero Reyes was known to the girl and to her family prior to her disappearance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Naval Station Newport Police, FBI, and Rhode Island State Police.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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U.S. Seizes 300,000 Kilos of Meth Precursor Chemicals Sent from China Destined for Mexico’s Sinaloa Drug CartelRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – More than 300,000 kilograms of chemicals used to produce methamphetamine and intended for clandistine labs controlled by the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico were seized this week by agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Port of Houston, announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Acting Director Todd Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“This is the largest seizure of precursor chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine in U.S. history,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “China was sending over 700,000 pounds on the high seas to the Sinaloa Cartel before my office seized them. Because President Trump and Secretary Rubio declared the Sinaloa Cartel a Foreign Terrorist Organization, we can now strike faster and hit harder.”
“This marks the first time a seizure warrant was issued for material support for terrorism,” said Acting Director Todd M Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “After seizing these two shipments, Homeland Security Investigations International worked closely with foreign law enforcement partners to consolidate the shipments in Panama and bring them here to the Port of Houston. I can’t thank all of our partners enough."
“These many barrels of precursor chemicals are directly linked to one of the most dangerous and deadly terrorist networks, the Sinaloa Cartel. It’s one of the most violent and brutal terrorist organizations in the world. They are responsible for countless deaths, devastation, and destruction of communities in the U.S. and abroad,” said Director of Field Operations Jud Murdock of Customs and Border Protection, Houston. “This represents one of the largest interdictions of its kind in history and highlights the critical role of collaboration and intel sharing in combating threats posed by drug trafficking organization and terrorist groups.”
The chemicals, which originated in and were sent from China, could have been used to produce nearly 190,000 kilos of methamphetamine – worth about $569 million if they had reached their intended destination. Instead, agents seized six shipping containers of benzyl alcohol, a solvent used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, weighing 164,880 kilos and six shipping containers of N-methyl formamide, another liquid organic solvent, weighing 151,560 kilos.
To put in perspective the impact of this seizure, in Fiscal Year 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) seized a total 78,925 kilos of methamphetamine along the entire southwest border. In order to transport the chemicals from port to a secure HSI storage facility, it took twenty-four, 18-wheeler trucks to transport the sheer volume of precursor chemicals.
In 2023, more than 34,800 Americans died of overdoses from psychostimulants, primarily methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia obtained the seizure warrant that provided the legal authority to seize the chemicals. Because the Administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on January 20, 2025, the designation provided federal prosecutors in the District the authority to execute the seizure under the terrorism forfeiture provision.
Joining in today’s announcement were Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations, Houston; Director of Field Operations Jud Murdock of Customs and Border Protection, Houston; Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston; and FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the Houston Field Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia as part of its Cartel Elimination effort, a collaboartion between the office’s National Security section’s Threat Finance Unit (TFU) and Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section.
The effort is also a part of the Attorney General’s February 5, 2025 directive, calling for the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations by harnessing the resources of the Department of Justice and empowering federal prosecutors throughout the country to work urgently with the Department of Homeland Security and other parts of the government toward the goal of eliminating these threats to U.S. sovereignty.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains Settlement in Housing Discrimination MatterRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 22, 2025, the United States entered into a settlement agreement in United States v. Estrada (E.D. Wis.). The complaint, which was filed on November 19, 2024, alleged that defendants Tammy Estrada and Ramiro Estrada—the owners and managers of a rental property in Appleton, Wisconsin—discriminated on the basis of disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
In particular, the complaint alleged that the Estradas denied tenants’ reasonable accommodation requests related to emotional support animals and retaliated against the tenants when they attempted to exercise their rights under the FHA, among other violations. The case was referred to the Department of Justice after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. Under the settlement, the tenants will be paid $20,000 and the defendants are required to adopt a reasonable accommodation policy and attend fair housing training.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nia Schmaltz for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced in Burglary Ring That Targeted Individuals of Asian DescentRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Two foreign nationals who participated in a sweeping, multi-state burglary ring that targeted individuals of Asian descent, including in Rhode Island, were sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Providence, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Jorge Andres Cardenas Murillo, 32, a Columbian national, identified in court documents as a central figure of the conspiracy, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 48 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. An immigration detainer has been issued against Cardenas Murillo.
Mohammed Islam, 30, a Bangladesh national, was sentenced by District Court Judge DuBose to 33 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. Islam previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, interstate transportation of property taken by fraud, and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
From July 2022 to December 2022, members of the conspiracy targeted residences in various states to burglarize, including at least two properties in Rhode Island, with the intent to steal large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items, and then transport the stolen goods in interstate for the financial benefit of members of the conspiracy.
Court documents reflect that members of the conspiracy targeted and surveilled individuals, businesses, and residences and then burglarized or attempted to burglarize homes in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Wisconsin, and Florida.
Members of the conspiracy used sophisticated means to carry out their scheme. In addition to surveilling individuals, the conspirators used drones and GPS trackers placed on vehicles to monitor potential victims’ movement and identify times when they were away from their residences. They also used drones and lookouts to monitor law enforcement activity, and had getaway cars and drivers at the ready while other conspirators broke into and burglarized residences.
According to court documents, members of the conspiracy are known to have stolen at least $717,735 worth of property and cash.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Warwick and Smithfield, RI Police Departments; Shrewsbury and Framingham, MA Police Departments; Gorham, NH Police Department; Stamford, Wallingford, and Westport, CT Police Departments; West Allis, WI Police Department; New Castle County, DE Police Department; Manalapan, NJ Police Department; New York City Police Department; Jacksonville and Flagler County Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; Pennsylvania State Police; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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Three Foreign Nationals Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of indictments charging Francisco Juarez-Hernandez (25, Mexico), Javier Melendez-Serrano (29, Honduras), and Israel Godinez-Carrillo (27, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to the indictments, Juarez-Hernandez was found voluntarily present in the United States on August 3, 2025, after having been previously deported on November 10, 2020. Melendez-Serrano was found voluntarily present in the United States on March 7, 2025, after having been previously deported on October 11, 2019. Godinez-Carrillo was found voluntarily present in the United States on August 2, 2025, after having been previously deported on June 25, 2019. None of these individuals had received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Department of Justice Proposes Legislation to Protect Children from Gender MutilationRead the Press Release
Yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice transmitted a legislative proposal to Congress that protects and defends children from chemical and surgical mutilation under the guise of “gender-affirming care,” in line with Executive Order 14187.
The Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act (VCSMA), led by Representative Bob Onder (R, MO-03) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), prohibits healthcare professionals, physicians, hospitals, or clinics from participating in the chemical or surgical mutilation of a child and creates a private right of action for children and the parents of children whose healthy body parts have been damaged by medical professionals practicing chemical and surgical mutilation.
“The Department of Justice has heard from far too many families who have been devastated by mutilative medical procedures that fly in the face of basic biology,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “While we continue our ongoing legal battle to protect children, we appreciate our colleagues in Congress who are working diligently alongside us to end these abusive procedures once and for all.”
Read The Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act HERE.
Sully County Farmers Ordered to Pay over $4 Million in Civil Judgment for Crop Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has entered a judgment against James and Levi Garrett and ordered them to pay a combined total of $4,019,820 to resolve violations of the False Claims Act arising out of their 2018 and 2019 crop insurance fraud.
The civil judgment follows the defendants’ 2022 criminal convictions for the same conduct. The defendants operated a family farm and ranch in Sully County. In 2018, the defendants falsely certified to a crop insurance company that they planted 2,200 total acres of sunflowers. In fact, the defendants did not plant any sunflowers, and they wrongfully received indemnity from the insurance company as if their entire crop failed. In 2019, James Garrett falsely certified he planted 47.5 acres of corn as part of a larger claim. In fact, no corn was planted, and he wrongfully received indemnity from the insurance company that year. The defendants fraudulently obtained over $1.3 million in total benefits from their crimes.
“Protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse remains a top priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell, “and we won’t stop at criminal convictions. As this case demonstrates, those who attempt to cheat federal programs face serious consequences—both criminal and civil.”
The False Claims Act allows the government to seek treble damages and civil penalties against individuals and companies that knowingly submit false or fraudulent claims for payment to federal programs. In this case, the defendants were held liable for civil damages in addition to their criminal convictions.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis A. Warner prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Admits Moderating Child Pornography Chat RoomRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Wednesday admitted acting as one of the moderators of an online chat group that shared child sexual abuse material.
David Korte Daues, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography.
The investigation began with a Cyber Tipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the messaging app Kik. The account was traced to Daues, and FBI special agents interviewed him at work. Daues admitted operating the account that triggered the tip. He also told the FBI that he was the moderator of a group on the Wire platform which regularly posted child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Daues said he began viewing CSAM about four years earlier and was in about 25 Kik groups and five Wire groups that shared CSAM. Daues admitted distributing CSAM in these groups. He also had images and videos containing CSAM on two cell phones.
Daues is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Sitka Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Role in Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Karly Fuller, 31, of Sitka, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and, upon release, will serve three years on supervised release for her leading role in the southeast arm of an Alaska drug trafficking ring.
According to court documents, Fuller met a co-conspirator while incarcerated at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in 2022. That co-conspirator allegedly recruited Fuller to distribute drugs upon her release from incarceration for a drug trafficking organization directed by an inmate in a California prison.
Fuller returned to Sitka in July 2022 and recruited at least five other individuals to work for the drug trafficking enterprise and distribute drugs in Southeast Alaska. One of those individuals was co-defendant Stormy Cleveland, 39, of Ketchikan. Cleveland distributed drugs on behalf of Fuller and at Fuller’s direction. Between November and December 2022, federal agents intercepted three drug parcels shipped by members of the drug enterprise to Cleveland in Sitka. Those parcels contained over 15,500 illicit fentanyl pills.
Fuller’s role also included laundering money for the drug enterprise. Between April 25, 2023, and July 15, 2023, Fuller participated in at least 95 monetary transactions totaling over $99,500.
Co-defendants in this case are as follows:
- Larry Marsden, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on December 9, 2024, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a money laundering conspiracy. On March 12, 2025, Marsden was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and will serve three years on supervised release after his release from prison.
- Cleveland pleaded guilty on November 15, 2024, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a money laundering conspiracy. On March 25, 2025, Cleveland was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and will serve five years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Mario Klanott, 38, of Sitka, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Klanott faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Douglas Vanmeter, 44, of Sitka, pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. On September 3, 2025, Vanmeter was sentenced to 40 months’ of imprisonment and will serve three years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Sara Orr, 34, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Orr is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Patricia Seal-Uttke, 32, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on June 25, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a money laundering conspiracy. Seal-Uttke is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Julia Brusell, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on November 15, 2024, to a money laundering conspiracy. On March 17, 2025, Brusell was sentenced to time served and will serve two years on supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Federal Bureau Investigation Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Stephan Collins, and Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case.
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Six Illegal Aliens Convicted in the Month of August for Illegally Reentering the Country After Prior RemovalsRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE & PENSACOLA – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today that six previously deported aliens were recently convicted for illegal reentry into the United States.
According to court records, the defendants had each been previously removed due to being unlawfully present in the country and thereafter illegally reentered without seeking the necessary permission or approval from the United States. The illegal aliens convicted in August include:
- Wilson Omar Hernandez-Ramos, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in August 2018. He was encountered in Escambia County on April 19, 2025.
- Noe Flores Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in November 2013, November 2017, and May 2022. He was encountered in Alachua County on July 17, 2025.
- Juan Martinez-Hernandez, a Mexican national, who was previously removed in October 2017 and November 2022. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on April 11, 2025.
- Maximo Solis-Xec, a citizen of Guatemala, who was previously removed in August 2018. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on May 21, 2025.
- Joel Coto-Mendoza, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in May 2023. He was encountered in Escambia County on May 20, 2025.
- Francis Cantor-Garcia, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in June 2014, November 2014, and January 2015. She was encountered in Escambia County on July 19, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Each of these offenders had been previously deported for illegally entering our country – some, multiple times – and each knowingly and intentionally violated our national immigration laws yet again because they thought they could get away with it. Wrong. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting these crimes in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by making the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws a top priority.”
The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, with assistance from several state and local partners. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner, Jenna H. Callahan, Walter Narramore, Jeffrey M. Tharp, and Brooke DiSalvo prosecuted the cases.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Romanian Man Guilty of Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on August 19, 2025, Romanian national, ANDREI FAGARAS (“FAGARAS”), age 35, pled guilty to the three-count indictment, charging him with access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(4).
According to court documents, on November 13, 2024 and November 14, 2024, FAGARAS and two other individuals possessed device-making equipment, namely credit/debit card skimmers, at three retail locations in the Eastern District of Louisiana and installed those skimmers on point-of-sale machines. FAGARAS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
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