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29 August 2025
New Orleans Men Indicted for Federal Drug and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on August 7, 2025, YUAN BUGGAGE ("BUGGAGE), age 25, of New Orleans, and ALGERNON JACQUES ("JACQUES"), age 25, also of New Orleans, were charged in a recently unsealed six-count indictment with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts.
BUGGAGE and JACQUES are charged in Count 1 with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, Tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846. BUGGAGE and JACQUES are charged in Count 2 with possession with intent to distribute those substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). In Count 3, BUGGAGE and JACQUES are charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). In Count 4, BUGGAGE is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, beginning no later than March 31, 2025, and continuing to on or about April 24, 2025, BUGGAGE, and JACQUES, conspired, with others to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Tapentadol, a Schedule II controlled substance, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance. BUGGAGE, and JACQUES also knowingly possessed firearms, a Glock Model 23 Gen 5, .40 caliber pistol, a Glock Model 43X, nine-millimeter pistol, and a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
For the felon in possession count, on or about April, 24, 2025, BUGGAGE, knowing he had a previous felony conviction, illegally, possessed firearms, a Glock Model 23 Gen 5, .40 caliber pistol; a Glock Model 43X, nine-millimeter pistol; and a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol .
As to the drug trafficking conspiracy charge in Count 1, BUGGAGE and JACQUES face up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the drug distribution charge in Count 2, BUGGAGE and JACQUES face up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in Count 3, BUGGAGE and JACQUES face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to the felon in possession charge in Count 4, BUGGAGE faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New Orleans Police Department, and St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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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New Orleans Man Guilty of Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WILLIAM ROBINSON (“ROBINSON”), age 40, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025, before United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to violating the Federal Gun Control Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court records, ROBINSON pled guilty to Count Two of a seven-count superseding indictment. Count Two charged ROBINSON with being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). A New Orleans Police Department investigation developed ROBINSON, and his co-defendant, as suspects in a January 2022 French Quarter shooting. The shooting was captured on video surveillance and NOPD determined that ROBINSON, wearing an LA Dodgers World Series jacket at the time, was the actual shooter. NOPD recovered several various nine-millimeter spent shell casings from the shooting scene. In February 2022, NOPD executed a search warrant at a home where ROBINSON and his co-defendant stayed, and found the LA Dodgers World Series jacket matching the one ROBINSON was wearing in the video from the January 2022 shooting. Certified criminal records confirm that ROBINSON was a convicted felon when he possessed the ammunition he fired in January 2022.
Judge Brown set sentencing for December 4, 2025. ROBINSON faces a maximum term of ten years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Engaging in “Sextortion” Scheme to Produce Sexual Exploitation Depictions of Children as Young as Seven Years OldRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that COLE DIGGS (a/k/a Kevon Godson) (“DIGGS”), age 31, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on August 28, 2025 before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to producing files depicting the sexual exploitation of children, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2251(a).
According to court documents, on numerous instances between November 2021 and December 2022, DIGGS engaged in a scheme to obtain sexually explicit depictions of at least six minors he met via a multimedia instant messaging application that allows users to exchange pictures and videos. The identified victims varied between the ages of seven years old and fifteen years old. In each case, DIGGS sought, and obtained, the sexually explicit depictions of minors by utilizing a “sextortion” scheme. To implement this scheme, DIGGS claimed to be a minor, sent sexually explicit depictions of adults, engaged in sexually charged communications to these minor victims, directed the minors on how to pose and perform when taking sexually explicit depictions, and, after the minors expressed reluctance to continue sending sexually explicit depictions, DIGGS used extortionate tactics to compel the minors to comply with his demands. Additionally, DIGGS, on multiple occasions, offered to purchase, and did in fact purchase, offered to trade, and did in fact trade, sexually explicit depictions of minors, including some of those he received via his extortionate scheme.
DIGGS faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, up to a maximum of thirty (30) years. DIGGS also faces at least five (5) years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. DIGGS may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Ashe has been scheduled for December 4, 2025.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Jersey Man Charged with Identity Theft and Bank Fraud for Fraudulent Transactions Throughout Florida and South CarolinaRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael Scott Hillwig, 58, of Camden, New Jersey, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with two counts of bank fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of false use or forgery of a passport. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Hillwig appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his arraignment in federal court on August 27, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is set for October 27, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker.
If convicted, Hillwig faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count, a minimum mandatory two years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, and up to ten years’ imprisonment for the false use or forgery of a passport count.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and Holmes County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Harley W. Ferguson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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 available 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.
Multiple Defendants Charged in Organized Retail Theft Conspiracy Involving Returns of Counterfeit Electronic GoodsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has charged seven defendants with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, and trafficking in counterfeit goods in connection with an organized retail theft scheme. Three of the defendants were arrested yesterday.
According to the indictment filed on Aug. 26, 2025, and unsealed today, Weidong Liu, 33, Chen Shen, 37, and Weiqin Xu, 34, all of whom are Chinese nationals, and four other defendants, who remain subject to arrest, engaged in a year-long scheme to steal genuine brand-name consumer electronics products, including computer tablets and earphones.
Under the scheme, the defendants allegedly purchased iPad tablets and AirPods earphones from a major retailer with stores throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere. The indictment describes that the defendants then returned to the same retailer counterfeit versions bearing the brand name’s trademarks and serial numbers that matched the iPad tablets and AirPods earphones previously purchased from that retailer, in order to obtain the original purchase value back. The counterfeits were returned in the purchased, genuine original packaging that also bore the brand name’s trademarks and the genuine products’ serial numbers. In many instances, the original packaging was resealed with imitation stickers that matched the original sealing stickers to make the return appear unopened. The defendants allegedly imported the counterfeits and the imitation sealing stickers from China. The indictment also alleges that the defendants exported the genuine iPad tablets and AirPods earphones to China.
United States Attorney Craig Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan made the announcement.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, defendants each face a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2320(a) and trafficking in counterfeit goods in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2320(a)(1). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Liu, Shen, and Xu all made their initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim. All three defendants will next appear on Sept. 3, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse for a continued arraignment and detention hearing.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Northern California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Kassabian is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Andy Ding and Lance Libatique. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, the California Highway Patrol C.T.I.P. (Cargo Theft Interdiction Program) Taskforce, Federal Air Marshal Service, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and FBI.
Middletown Resident Charged in Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Durable Medical EquipmentRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that HABROON HABIB, 29, a citizen of Pakistan and lawful permanent resident of the U.S. residing in Middletown, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses stemming from an alleged health care fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment (“DME”).
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Medicare Advantage program, commonly known as Medicare Part C, offers Medicare beneficiaries managed care options by allowing them to enroll in private health care plans rather than having their care covered through Medicare’s traditional fee-for-service program, commonly known as Medicare Part B. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contracts with private health insurers to administer the Medicare Advantage program.
It is alleged that Habib and Around the World Solutions LLC, a company he formed in January 2025, and others, engaged in a health care fraud scheme to defraud the Medicare Advantage program through the submission of fraudulent claims for DME, specifically orthotics, that were never provided to patients. Between February and June 2025, Around the World Solutions, which had a business address at a shared office space location in Middletown, billed various Medicare Advantage plan sponsors for orthotics purportedly provided to more than 400 Medicare beneficiaries around the U.S., none of whom resided in Connecticut. The beneficiaries did not ask for, or receive, the orthotics.
It is further alleged that Habib engaged in unlawful financial transactions involving proceeds of the scheme. In February 2025, Habib opened a checking account in the name of Around the World Solutions. Between March 12 and May 14, 2025, approximately $680,000 in checks from Medicare Advantage plan sponsors were deposited into the account. During this same two-month period, $425,000 was transferred out of the account via wire transfers to financial institutions in Pakistan.
It is alleged that HHS-OIG agents interviewed Habib on July 29, 2025, and informed him of the investigation. On August 21, 2025, investigators learned that Habib was scheduled to fly, using a one-way ticket, from JFK Airport to Pakistan on August 25.
Habib was arrested on August 24, 2025. He appeared the next day in New Haven federal court and was released on a $50,000 bond and is subject to electronic monitoring.
The complaint charges Habib with money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; making unlawful monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; and conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it at oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud or by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain Louisiana Driver’s LicenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSE GUADALUPE MUNOZ-PEREZ (“MUNOZ”), age 46, a native of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on August 12, 2025 after previously pleading guilty to illegally using a social security number to obtain a Louisiana driver’s license, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
MUNOZ was sentenced to time served. Judge Vitter also sentenced him to one year of supervised release and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on July 24, 2020, MUNOZ applied for the renewal of a Louisiana driver’s license using the name and Social Security number of a real person, at a Public Tag Agency in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. A Public Tag Agency is an authorized entity that handles various vehicle-related transactions on behalf of the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles.
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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
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Mexican National Charged with Illegal Reentry to the United StatesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on August 21, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Samuel Alfaro-Sanchez, 31, of Mexico, with being found in the United States on August 13, 2025, after having previously been removed from the United States.
Alfaro-Sanchez entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on August 28, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Alfaro-Sanchez be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, Alfaro-Sanchez, a citizen of Mexico, illegally entered the United States on numerous prior occasions. In 2008, Alfaro-Sanchez voluntarily returned to Mexico after having been apprehended near Tucson, Arizona. In 2018, Alfaro-Sanchez was removed from the United States twice after having been apprehended first near Paso Del Norte, Texas in March and then again near Sasabe, Arizona in July. In 2019, Alfaro-Sanchez was again removed from the United States after having been apprehended near El Paso, Texas. In 2020, Alfaro-Sanchez was expelled from the United States twice in September after having been apprehended on two separate occasions near Douglas, Arizona. In 2021, Alfaro-Sanchez was expelled from the United States after having been apprehended near Douglas, Arizona.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Alfaro-Sanchez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Alfaro-Sanchez faces up to 2 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham. Alfaro-Sanchez is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
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).
Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced to over 24 YearsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Keith Ryan Noles, 44, of Marble, N.C., was sentenced yesterday to 296 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Noles and his co-defendant, Tina Hill, 47, also of Marble, were convicted at trial in March 2024, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Noles was also found guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to filed court documents and trial evidence, law enforcement in Texas intercepted more than eight pounds of methamphetamine. Trial evidence showed that law enforcement learned the methamphetamine was intended for Hill and Noles in North Carolina. The jury heard testimony that, between 2020 and 2021, the defendants’ source of supply or his representative made multiple trips to North Carolina to deliver packages of methamphetamine to Hill and Noles, and to pick up cash payments. After the drug delivery was intercepted in Texas, law enforcement planned a controlled delivery of the methamphetamine to Hill and Noles as originally planned. Noles was arrested soon after he arrived to assist with the delivery of the methamphetamine to his and Hill’s residence in Marble. Hill was later arrested at the residence.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Homeland Security Investigations and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case as well as the Andrews Police Department and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are prosecuting the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor in Key WestRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A man has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child after communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles imposed the sentence on Clifford Frederic Lind, 41, who used the online alias “it is what it is.” Lind pleaded guilty in April to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and attempting to entice a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between May 29 and June 4, 2024, Lind exchanged messages through a social media application and text with someone he believed was an underage girl. During those exchanges, which took place while Lind was in Key West, he sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself and requested images from the individual he believed to be a minor. Lind also discussed plans to meet the purported 13-year-old in person to engage in sexual activity, including details about picking her up and where they would stay.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami, Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. The Key West Police Department provided invaluable assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Maultasch prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture.
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.
Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-10008.
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Man Charged with Aiming Laser Pointer at AircraftRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A North Kansas City. Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.
Aaron Randall Class, 53, was charged in a one-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 12, 2025. The indictment was unsealed and made public following Class’s arrest. The indictment alleges that on or about Nov. 23rd, 2024, Class knowingly aimed a beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft that was in the aircraft jurisdiction of the United States at the time of the incident.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, Class is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Branon Chlarson. It was investigated by the North Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Luzerne County Main Sentenced to 130 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Justis Shea, age 32, of Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for one count of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, with the sentences to run concurrent to each other.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Shea previously pled guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a synthetic cannabinoid, commonly referred to as K2, in a Luzerne County hotel room in June of 2024. As part of that plea, Shea also admitted to possessing, on or about July 2, 2024, a stolen Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle, which had previously been shipped in interstate commerce, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a felony.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), the Kingston Police Department, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This case is also 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.
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Louisiana Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison for Various Internet Sex Crimes Involving a Martin County MinorRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A registered sex offender from Destrehan, Louisiana, has been sentenced to life in federal prison, followed by a consecutive 10-year term, for multiple child exploitation crimes, including attempted enticement of a minor, attempted production of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of a minor, transfer of obscene material to a minor, and offense by a registered sex offender.
In addition to the prison sentence, Nicolas James Palmisano, 45, was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release, upon release from custody, and to pay restitution. U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez imposed the sentence on August 25 after a federal jury found Palmisano guilty in May following a two-day trial.
According to court records and evidence introduced during the trial, in 2019, Palmisano was convicted in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana for sexual offenses involving a juvenile. Upon the completion of his four-year prison sentence, Palmisano registered as a sex offender with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office in the town in which he resided.
In May 2024, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) learned that a minor had images of sexually explicit activity on her cellular phone. An MCSO computer forensic examiner recovered messages, images, and recordings from the minor’s cellular phone that were sent from Palmisano’s cellular number. Despite acknowledging that the minor was 15 years old, Palmisano wrote thousands of sexually explicit messages and sent multiple sexually explicit images, as well as audio and video recordings, of himself between February 22 and May 6, 2024. Palmisano also solicited, and obtained, sexually explicit images from the minor.
In August 2024, members of the FBI and MCSO arrested Palmisano at the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, after he arrived for his annual Sexual Offender Registration review and update. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Palmisano’s residence and recovered his cellular phone, which was found to contain the sexually explicit material that Palmisano and the minor exchanged.
FBI Fort Pierce investigated the case, with assistance from MCSO, FBI New Orleans, and St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Fort Pierce Branch Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Kahn Obenauf 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.
To report online child sexual exploitation, visit https://report.cybertip.org/ or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in partnership with HSI and other law enforcement agencies.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14044.
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Lexington Man Convicted of Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Lexington, Ky., man was convicted on Wednesday, August 27, by a federal jury in Lexington for several firearms offenses.
After 40 minutes of deliberation following a three-day trial, the jury convicted 41-year-old Keith Lamont Stallworth of carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; possessing a machine gun; and failing to register the machine gun.
According to testimony at trial, in August 2023, Stallworth was arrested in possession of a .57 caliber Palmetto Arms pistol that contained high velocity rifle rounds and an extended magazine capable of holding an additional 29 rounds. A search warrant at Stallworth’s downtown Lexington apartment yielded a large quantity of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hundreds of rounds of ammunition as well as a 9mm handgun and an illegally modified .40 caliber pistol. The pistol was installed with a machinegun conversion device, sometimes called a “switch” or “Glock switch,” that converted the firearm to a fully automatic weapon defined under federal law as a machinegun.
Stallworth previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and using a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing controlled substances.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, ATF, KSP, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Stallworth is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Leeton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Leeton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
William N. Brown, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Brown was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Feb. 13, 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal. Brown admitted he was in possession of a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun with the serial number filed off, on Feb. 26, 2024. The shotgun was modified with both the barrel and butt stock sawed off.
Brown was arrested on Feb. 26, 2024, after witnesses reported seeing Brown walk to a neighbor’s house carrying a machete and a shotgun. Deputies of the Johnson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office were granted a search warrant to search Brown’s residence and located the shotgun in a seating bench with a storage location.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has two felony convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, two felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon – exhibiting, two felony convictions for tampering, two felony convictions for driving while revoked or suspended, as well as felony convictions for assault, arson, burglary, stealing, possession of a controlled substance, and damage to jail property.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Johnson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Lebanon Man Indicted for Attempting to Possess Precursor Chemical to Manufacture MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles Adams, age 40, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of attempted possession of a listed chemical with intent to manufacture a controlled substance.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about November 19, 2024 and November 22, 2024, Adams attempted to possess methylamine with the intent of unlawfully manufacturing methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offenses is 40 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Leader of Transnational Criminal Organization Extradited from Jamaica Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms to Trinidad and TobagoRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shem Wayne Alexander (35, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago. Alexander faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Alexander was arrested in Jamaica on November 15, 2024, pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request. He was extradited to the United States on December 20, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Alexander, a national of Trinidad and Tobago, and his co-conspirators unlawfully exported firearms, firearms components (including upper/lower receivers and gun parts kits), and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between April 2019 and April 2022. On April 21, 2021, members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Customs and Excise Division at the Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago seized a shipment containing two punching bags. Alexander and his co-conspirators had sent the shipment from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago describing the contents of said shipment as “household items.” In reality, concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes. Alexander and his co-conspirators arranged this shipment without written notice to the shipper as to the contents of the shipment.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, including HSI’s Legal Attaché for the Caribbean, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Transnational Organized Crime Unit and Special Investigations Unit), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and United States Customs and Border Protection. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Jamaica Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force provided critical support in the extradition of Alexander. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious transnational criminal organizations.
(X-ray photo of one of the punching bags showing the firearms and firearm components concealed inside)
(One of the punching bags cut open with a firearm visible and protruding)
(Trinidad and Tobago Police Service opening a punching bag and revealing the hidden firearms components)
(Concealed firearms, firearms components, and ammunition retrieved from the punching bags)
Lawrence Man Charged with Possessing 10,000 Counterfeit Percocet PillsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was charged today in connection with an investigation targeting a drug manufacturing ring.
Joshua Morales, 31, of Lawrence, Mass., was charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. Morales was arrested yesterday on related state charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Morales was observed by law enforcement entering into a residence in Methuen and leaving with a large orange bag. According to court documents, investigators knew that the residence was an alleged drug distribution and manufacturing location. While under surveillance, Morales then allegedly drove to a location in Lawrence, where he was apprehended. During a search of Morales’ vehicle, 10,000 counterfeit Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl were allegedly recovered.
During a search of the residence in Methuen, an automated pill press was located, along with multiple kilograms of counterfeit Adderall and Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine. Numerous items used in the pill manufacturing process, including cutting agents, blenders, scales, bowls and bags full of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine powders and binding agents were also recovered.
The charge of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute provides for a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Peabody Police Department, Lawrence Police Department and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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 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.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine and Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle has sentenced Moreno Fenelus (44, Lakeland) to 11 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Fenelus pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025.
According to court documents, between January and March 2023, Fenelus sold various narcotics to a confidential source (CS) working for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. In January 2023, Fenelus sold cocaine and para-fluorofentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl, to the CS. In February 2023, Fenelus sold a mixture of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl to the CS, and in March 2023, Fenelus sold methamphetamine to the CS.
In July 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Fenelus’s home and located cocaine, para-fluorofentanyl, six firearms, and various ammunition, which belonged to Fenelus. At that time, Fenelus had been convicted of a prior felony offense. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
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.
Lake County Woman Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements and Smuggling Drugs into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Michelle Nicole Marie Brannon (36, Lake County) has pleaded guilty to one count of making a materially false statement or representation to a federal agency and one count of providing contraband to a federal prisoner. She faces a maximum of five years in federal prison on each of the offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court records, on April 27, 2025, Brannon visited her brother, an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. As Brannon was being screened before the visitation, she made a materially false representation to a correctional officer that she did not have any narcotics in her possession. Subsequently, she was caught providing her brother with buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance. Federal inmates are prohibited from possessing controlled substances in the prison facility.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Keene Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Keene man pleaded guilty to a child exploitation offense, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Connor Mueller, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2025.
In 2023, an undercover law enforcement operation identified Mueller as using specialized peer-to-peer software to receive videos containing CSAM. The same software allowed other users to access materials shared by Mueller. Law enforcement subsequently searched Mueller’s home and discovered multiple devices which together contained numerous images and videos depicting child sexual abuse.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 20 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statues which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Keene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from 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 better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
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Juvenile Pleads Guilty to Firing Multiple Rounds in an Elementary School PlaygroundRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Travis Thomas, 17, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to shooting multiple rounds in an elementary school playground and armed carjacking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Thomas was charged as an adult under Title 16.
Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and two counts of armed carjacking. The Honorable Judge Neal Kravitz, of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, scheduled sentencing for November 14, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 20, 2025, Thomas got into an online argument with another individual, whom he believed to be affiliated with a rival crew. Thomas proceeded to travel to the 300 block of 53rd Street SE, where he exited a vehicle and fired over 15 rounds into the playground of C.W. Harris Elementary School. One victim suffered a gunshot wound to the forehead and was taken to a local hospital, where surgeons had to remove a bullet. The victim suffered a skull fracture.
The government’s investigation also revealed Thomas as a suspect from two separate armed carjackings, the first of which occurred on October 30, 2024, in the parking garage of the Safeway grocery store, located at 415 14th Street SE, and the second of which occurred on November 17, 2024, in the 1300 block of Massachusetts Avenue SE.
Thomas was arrested on April 25, 2025, and remains in custody.
Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green, who is prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Files Motion for Summary Judgment in Challenge to New York’s “Climate Change Superfund Act”Read the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) today filed a motion for summary judgment in its challenge to the State of New York’s “Climate Change Superfund Act,” which imposes $75 billion in liability on foreign and domestic energy companies for their alleged past contributions to climate change. The complaint was filed in May, along with a complaint against the State of Vermont for its similar statute, to advance President Donald J. Trump’s executive order to protect American energy from state overreach.
As the Justice Department explains in its motion, “New York has declared war on those responsible for supplying our Nation with reliable and affordable energy, and it is trampling over federal law in the process.” Further, the motion says, “the Court should end New York’s lawless overreach by granting the United States’ motion for summary judgment, declaring the Superfund Act invalid and unenforceable, and permanently enjoining Defendants from taking any actions to implement or enforce it.”
“New York has overstepped its authority in trying to impose crippling financial penalties on the world’s largest energy providers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “Individual states have no authority to regulate nationwide and global greenhouse gas emissions. The courts must put a stop to New York’s brazen disregard of federal law, the Constitution, and binding precedent, not to mention our Nation’s energy needs.”
Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel John Adams and Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General Riley Walters of ENRD filed the motion.
Justice Department Announces Acting Director of the U.S. Trustee ProgramRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi has selected Ramona D. Elliott to serve as Acting Director of the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), the Justice Department announced today.
Elliott has 31 years of federal service, the majority of which has been with the USTP. Since 2011, she has served as Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees in Washington, D.C. As the USTP’s chief legal officer, she has overseen the formulation of the USTP’s national legal policies in consumer and business cases as well as litigation strategies in significant matters before bankruptcy courts and in appeals. This includes leading the USTP’s efforts culminating in the Supreme Court’s historic decision in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma LP, 144 S. Ct. 2071 (2024), holding that the Bankruptcy Code does not authorize non-consensual third-party releases. Elliott was previously Acting Director of the USTP from April 2022 to February 2023. She is the USTP’s liaison to the Judicial Conference’s Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules and a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Jefferson County Man Admits Recording Sexual Abuse of Two MinorsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Jefferson County, Missouri man on Friday admitted sexually abusing two girls and recording that abuse.
Benjamin F. Sexton Jr., 48, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receipt of child pornography.
In 2023, the grandfather of one victim discovered explicit communications between that victim and Sexton. The victim told investigators that Sexton sexually abused her between the ages of 7 and 14 and recorded some of that abuse, Sexton admitted as part of his guilty plea. He also solicited sexual images via Snapchat and gave her methamphetamine.
A second victim told law enforcement that Sexton sexually abused her multiple times when she was 15, and investigators found images of the teen in Sexton’s Google account.
Sexton is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson will recommend 27 years in prison for his crimes.
The St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney 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.
Illinois Woman Sentenced to 21 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Yesterday, Daneen Bilodeau, 50 years old, of Rockford, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to wire fraud and bank fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Bilodeau was sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $426,611.53 in restitution to the victim of the offense.According to documents in the case, between October 2015 through August 2019, Bilodeau devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from her employer. She embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars by withdrawing cash from the company account and making personal purchases on a company card.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Elkhart Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
Illegal Alien and Mexican National Sentenced to 215 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Defendant possessed over four pounds of 100% pure Methamphetamine
BRUNSWICK, GA: On August 28, 2025, in Brunswick, Georgia, the Honorable Lisa Godbey Wood sentenced the defendant, Ismael Delgado-Celis, 37, a Mexican national illegally living in Hazlehurst, Georgia, to a term of 215 months of imprisonment for Possession and Attempt to Possess with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine.
The sentencing followed a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, where the Defendant was found guilty of possessing and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute over four pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
During testimony and evidence presented during the trial, the Government established that on September 12, 2024, the Defendant attempted to receive a package directly from Mexico containing what was described as a horse saddle. Upon further inspection, law enforcement found methamphetamine hidden inside. Before the package was delivered, law enforcement agents removed the saddle and the over two kilograms of pure methamphetamine that had been hidden inside. The evidence revealed that this horse saddle seemed to have been constructed around the package of drugs, a sophisticated method of importing illegal drugs into the United States. The package was then delivered to the Defendant by law enforcement under the ruse of an actual package delivery by the United States Postal Service. The Defendant accepted the package from law enforcement, brought it inside his residence to store before distributing, and was subsequently arrested by law enforcement.
“Methamphetamine destroys lives, families, and communities. This amount of methamphetamine could have devastated the community. I am pleased to work with such great law enforcement partners. It takes a network of law enforcement professionals to dismantle a network of criminals,” stated United States Attorney Margaret E. Heap.
“The sentencing of Delgado-Celis underscores the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to protect our communities from the devastating impact of drug trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “Smuggling pure methamphetamine hidden in a horse saddle and shipping it across the country is not only brazen but deeply harmful to the safety and well-being of our communities. This case is a testament to the tireless efforts of HSI and our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who seek to flood our streets with dangerous drugs are held accountable. We will continue to pursue justice and dismantle criminal networks wherever they operate.”
“Using a shipping service to traffic dangerous drugs not only threatens our communities but also places unsuspecting workers at risk,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA investigators remain committed to intercepting these packages and stopping the poison before it reaches the streets.”
“Postal Inspectors will continue to support our law enforcement partners in the removal of lethal and dangerous drugs to keep communities safe,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, and the Jeff Davis Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura and Deputy Criminal Chief E. Greg Gilluly, Jr.
Illegal Alien Who Concealed Kilos of Fentanyl in a Diaper Box and Hid Firearms Under a Bed Faces Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Atlanta – Alexis Carreon Bocanegra, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested and detained in federal court on charges related to his alleged distribution of fentanyl and possession of firearms.
“Bocanegra, an illegal alien, allegedly tried to hide a significant amount of deadly fentanyl and unlawfully armed himself to protect his stash,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to the diligent investigation of our law enforcement partners, Bocanegra is now in federal custody. His fentanyl will never hit the streets, and his guns will no longer threaten the safety our community.”
“Fentanyl is a poison that continues to claim lives, and combining it with firearms only increases the danger,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA is committed to removing both from our streets.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between February and March 2025, DEA agents conducting surveillance allegedly saw Bocanegra handle suspected illegal drug proceeds worth approximately $400,000. Additionally, in March 2025, Bocanegra allegedly distributed a vacuum-sealed package containing approximately a kilogram of fentanyl.
On August 25, 2025, DEA agents arrested Bocanegra and searched his Stone Mountain home. They found two firearms, including an AR-15 rifle, hidden under a bed. Agents also located approximately 5.5 kilograms of fentanyl concealed in a Huggies diaper box inside a nearby shed.
Alexis Carreon Bocanegra, 25, a Mexican citizen with no legal status in the United States, was charged in a criminal complaint on August 27, 2025, with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On August 28, 2025, a federal magistrate judge ordered Bocanegra to remain in federal custody without bail.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office; the Atlanta Police Department; the DeKalb County Police Department; and the Sandy Springs Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney James Hwang is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Honduran National Guilty of Reentry of a Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRYAN JAVIER PEREZ-ESPINOZA (“PEREZ-ESPINOZA”), age 33, a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty on August 13, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) (Count 1), and for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8) (Count 2).
According to court documents, PEREZ-ESPINOZA, an illegal alien, was found in Orleans Parish on March 23, 2024. He had previously been removed to Honduras on September 30, 2022.
For Count One, PEREZ-ESPINOZA faces a maximum penalty of 2 years of imprisonment, up to 1 year of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to Count Two, the maximum penalty is 15 years of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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 U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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Honduran Man Guilty of Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILIAN SERRANO-MOREIRA (“SERRANO”), age 34, pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025 to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). His sentencing is set for October 9, 2025, before United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown.
According to the charging document, SERRANO was found in the United States on April 15, 2023, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on July 17, 2019. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran Citizen Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced DERY JONCARLOS ZELAYA-ZELAYA a/k/a “DERY ZELAYA,” (“ZELAYA-ZELAYA”), age 27, on August 26, 2025, to twelve (12) months imprisonment in federal prison after having previously pled guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). The Court also sentenced ZELAYA-ZELAYA to one (1) year of supervised release upon his release from prison and ordered him to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment cost.
According to court documents, ZELAYA-ZELAYA, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the United States on May 13, 2022 and December 4, 2019, respectively and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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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Guatemalan National Convicted and Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty and was sentenced for unlawful reentry into the United States, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Jorge Misael Niz, 43, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Salem, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to time served, or two months. Niz is currently in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for removal to Guatemala.
Niz was previously ordered to be removed from the United States by an Immigration Judge and was deported to Guatemala on March 30, 2006. On the evening of April 27, 2025, the Salem Police Department responded to an apartment after receiving a report of a domestic violence incident. Law enforcement arrested Niz for simple assault. After learning of the defendant’s immigration status, they referred him to ICE.
ICE led the investigation. The Salem Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case.
This effort 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).
###Fries Man Sentenced for Threatening United States OfficialsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Fries, Virginia man, who mailed threats to harm multiple federal officials including a judge, probation officer, prosecutor, and a defense attorney from the Federal Public Defender’s Office, all while incarcerated on state charges, was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison.
Jonathan Reed Stiltner, 50, pled guilty in March 2025 to one count of mailing threats to injure officers of the United States.
“Every day, judges, the judiciary staff, prosecutors, and public defenders work for the American justice system and should be free to do their work for our great Nation without fear of violence or retaliation,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “This office will aggressively prosecute those who attack our justice system by threatening violence against those who serve it.”
According to court documents, while in custody pursuant to numerous state felony charges brought by Dickenson County, Stiltner handwrote a number of letters threatening to harm specific federal officials.
As a specific example, on November 13, 2023, Stiltner handwrote and mailed through the U.S. mail a letter threatening harm to a named federal judge, an Assistant United States Attorney, a federal probation officer, and a member of the Federal Public Defender’s Officer.
In his letter, Stiltner stated, in part, “Although Im (sic) incarcerated I still have people on the street who can do things and if Im (sic) not charged federally ASAP as I was told I would be Im (sic) going to send people to pay [specific government officials] visits.”
He also wrote, “Does someone have to get hurt to prove Im (sic) very serious.”
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals.
Four Hawaii Individuals Convicted of Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – A federal jury convicted four individuals from Hawaii this week for their roles in a tax refund fraud scheme.
The following is according to court documents and evidence presented at trial: from at least January 2015 through September 2018, Rosemarie Lastimado-Dradi, Marciaminajuanequita Dumlao, Elvah Miranda, and Daniel Miranda conspired to defraud the United States. As part of their scheme, the conspirators filed fraudulent individual tax returns and other tax documents that reported false withholdings from mortgage lenders and then claimed substantial refunds from the IRS. After processing the false returns, the IRS issued refunds totaling over $1 million.
To prevent the IRS from recovering the fraudulently obtained refunds, the conspirators created trusts, opened new bank accounts in the names of business entities and the trusts, and transferred the proceeds between the accounts to conceal them from the government. In addition, Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda laundered the fraudulently obtained refunds through a series of bank transactions. Dumlao and Daniel Miranda also each filed for bankruptcy and made false statements under oath in relation to their respective bankruptcy proceedings.
All the defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition, the jury found Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda guilty of money laundering. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao were found guilty of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Finally, Elvah Miranda was also found guilty of filing a false tax return, and Lastimado-Dradi was found guilty of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Dumlao was acquitted of filing a false tax return and four money laundering counts. Daniel Miranda was acquitted on one count of filing a false return.
Dradi and Dumlao are scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2026. Elvah Miranda and Daniel Miranda are scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2026. They all face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda each face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for each count of money laundering. Elvah Miranda faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Lastimado-Dradi faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah A. Kiewlicz and Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
Four Hawaii Individuals Convicted of Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted four individuals from Hawaii this week for their roles in a tax refund fraud scheme.
The following is according to court documents and evidence presented at trial: from at least January 2015 through September 2018, Rosemarie Lastimado-Dradi, Marciaminajuanequita Dumlao, Elvah Miranda, and Daniel Miranda conspired to defraud the United States. As part of their scheme, the conspirators filed fraudulent individual tax returns and other tax documents that reported false withholdings from mortgage lenders and then claimed substantial refunds from the IRS. After processing the false returns, the IRS issued refunds totaling over $1 million.
To prevent the IRS from recovering the fraudulently obtained refunds, the conspirators created trusts, opened new bank accounts in the names of business entities and the trusts, and transferred the proceeds between the accounts to conceal them from the government. In addition, Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda laundered the fraudulently obtained refunds through a series of bank transactions. Dumlao and Daniel Miranda also each filed for bankruptcy and made false statements under oath in relation to their respective bankruptcy proceedings.
All the defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition, the jury found Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda guilty of money laundering. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao were found guilty of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Finally, Elvah Miranda was also found guilty of filing a false tax return and Lastimado-Dradi was found guilty of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Dumlao was acquitted of filing a false tax return and four money laundering counts. Daniel Miranda was acquitted on one count of filing a false return.
Dradi and Dumlao are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26. Elvah Miranda and Daniel Miranda are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27. They all face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda each face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for each count of money laundering. Elvah Miranda faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Lastimado-Dradi faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah A. Kiewlicz and Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
Former U.S. Postal Inspector Charged with Stealing over $330,000 in Cash from Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Inspector was arrested and charged today for allegedly stealing over $330,000 in cash from packages mailed by elderly victims and then laundering the cash and failing to report it to the Internal Revenue Service. The defendant allegedly used the stolen cash to pay for a pool patio and lighting, granite countertop for his outdoor bar, Caribbean cruise expenses and escorts. He also is alleged to have stolen cash from an evidence locker and then blamed a direct report for the missing cash.
Scott Kelley, 51, of Pembroke, Mass. was charged in a 45-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Boston. Specifically, Kelley was indicted on five counts of wire fraud; five counts of mail fraud; five counts of mail theft by a postal officer; one count of theft of government money; 23 counts of money laundering; one count of structuring to evade reporting requirements; and five counts of filing false tax returns. Kelley is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon.
Kelley was a Postal Inspector at the Boston Division headquarters of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service. From 2015 until June 2022, he was the Team Leader of the Mail Fraud Unit, which, among other things, investigated lottery and other scams that targeted senior citizens and other vulnerable populations. In June 2022, Kelley was transferred to serve as the Team Leader of the Mail Theft Unit, a position he held until August 2023.
According to the indictment, USPIS ran a nationwide crime-prevention program, Jamaican Operations Linked to Telemarketing (JOLT), to disrupt mail fraud scams originating in Jamaica that targeted U.S. residents with false promises of sweepstakes or lottery winnings. Posing as lottery representatives, scammers contacted elderly persons and other vulnerable victims and persuaded them to mail funds to pay “fees” or “taxes” that they supposedly needed to front before they could collect their prize. Postal Inspectors working on the JOLT program were authorized to intercept packages suspected to have been sent by scam victims. However, they were authorized to open a package only with the sender’s consent, otherwise they were required to mail the package back to the sender. If a sender consented to USPIS opening the package and the package contained cash, the Inspector was required to count the cash with another Inspector present as a witness and then have the cash converted into an official check payable to the sender.
According to the indictment, between January 2019 and Aug. 11, 2023, Kelley used deceptive emails to cause unwitting postal employees to intercept packages that a USPIS algorithm had flagged as likely having been mailed by JOLT scam victims and send them to him. In total, Kelley allegedly requested that approximately 1,950 packages be intercepted and mailed to him. It is alleged that Kelley opened intercepted parcels that looked or felt like they might contain cash, and that he stole any cash inside.The indictment identifies seven victims who were scammed into mailing cash in parcels that Kelley allegedly intercepted, and that he opened the parcels and stole the cash. The average age of the victims was 75, with the oldest victim being 82. The victims mailed between $1,400 and $19,100 cash. It is alleged that Kelley met with one victim in person and told them that that he did not know what had happened with their package and that their loss was their own fault because they had mailed cash. None of the victims recovered their packages or their cash.
It is further alleged that Kelley used a postal employee’s keypad code to unlock and enter an evidence vault at USPIS. Once inside, Kelley allegedly used another Postal Inspector’s key to open an evidence locker and steal $7,000 in cash. It is alleged that Kelley wrote a memo blaming the other Postal Inspector for the missing $7,000, which resulted in a USPS Office of Inspector General investigation. It is alleged that Kelley lied to investigators when questioned about the stolen cash, and that he placed the blame on the other Postal Inspector – who was one of his direct reports.
Kelley allegedly deposited and spent almost $340,000 cash – and did so in ways designed to hide the fact that he had stolen it. Specifically, he allegedly used almost $160,000 of the stolen cash to buy postal money orders, most of which he deposited into his own bank accounts or used to pay credit card bills. On more than 20 of those money orders, Kelley tried to hide the fact that he was both the payee and the purchaser by falsely listing certain relatives as the purchasers. He deposited over $130,000 of the stolen cash into his bank accounts but tried to avoid bank suspicion by spreading the deposits over 60 dates using four different bank accounts at two separate banks.
It is further alleged that Kelley also used some of the stolen cash to pay for goods and services including:
• $20,500 for the installation of a patio around his pool:
• $2,000 to have his pool heated; • $2,800 to have a granite countertop installed on his outdoor bar:
• $4,888 to have lights installed around his pool and outdoor bar; • $4,300 for bar drinks and other expenses incurred during three Caribbean cruises; and
• $15,400 for sexual services provided by two escorts with whom he texted using a burner phone and whom he met during workdays.Members of the public who believe they may be victims of this case or other elder fraud scams should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. Suspected mail fraud can also be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service online or by calling (877) 876-2455.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of mail fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of mail theft by a postal officer each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The charge of structuring provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of false tax returns each provide for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael Ray, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Professional Responsibility, Technical and Sensitive Operations Field Office, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Former St. Augustine Eighth Grade Teacher Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice and Use A 14-Year-Old Child to Produce A Sexual Abuse VideoRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Matthew Christopher Yates (30, Hastings) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a 14-year-old child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video of her own sexual abuse. Yates faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is set for December 18, 2025. At the time of his arrest on March 11, 2022, Yates was employed as an eighth-grade teacher at Veritas Classical School in St. Augustine.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2022, an undercover FBI agent in Jacksonville, who was posing online as a 14-year-old child, responded to an online notice posted by the user “English teacher,” who was subsequently identified as Yates, on an online social media application (app). During this online text conversation, the “child” advised that “she” was 14 years old and in eighth grade, and Yates stated that he was a teacher, asking the “child,” “[e]ver fantasize about a teacher?” Yates and the “child” exchanged photos, and Yates stated, “I bet you look hot in a bikini.”
Between February 22 and March 11, 2022, Yates and the “child” exchanged more text messages, and Yates sent the “child” several photos, including an explicit photo of himself. On March 8, 2022, Yates asked the “child” to meet in person, and he detailed the specific sexual acts that he intended to perform on the “child.”
On March 10, 2022, Yates and the “child” confirmed plans to meet and Yates asked the “child” if “she” wanted to video-record their planned sexual activity so that the “child” “could remember it even better.” Yates told the “child” that he could use his cellphone to record their sexual activity and that he would delete the video later so that no one would see it.
On March 11, 2022, Yates drove to a prearranged location in Jacksonville to meet the “child” for sex and was arrested by FBI agents. A search incident to his arrest revealed that Yates brought several condoms and a cellphone with him. Yates later admitted that he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl that he had met online and that he intended to have sex with “her.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Postal Employee Admits Stealing Checks from Mail, Role in Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KIERRA BLOUNT, 35, formerly of Stamford and currently residing in Plymouth, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to fraud and mail theft offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Blount, at times while employed by the U.S. Postal Service in Stamford, stole mail and obtained stolen mail for the purpose of obtaining checks that were payable to other individuals. In approximately November 2021, Blount opened a bank account using the name and social security number of an individual without the identity theft victim’s knowledge. Blount and others fraudulently changed the payee names on stolen checks to the name of the identity theft victim, forged the victim’s signature on the back of the checks, and deposited them into the bank account Blount opened. From November 2021 until the account was closed in April 2022, Blount and others deposited approximately $156,000 in fraudulent checks into the account. Some check deposits were reversed by the bank, and Blount and others used approximately $81,000 for their own purposes.
On June 20, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Blount’s Stamford residence and seized a significant amount of stolen mail and other items related to this scheme, including debit cards in the names of other individuals, checks totaling more than $285,000, and sheets of paper containing personal information of other individuals, including names, dates of birth, addresses, email addresses, and security question answers. Subsequent analysis of cell phones seized from Blount on that date revealed images of stolen checks, personal identifying information for more than 50 individuals, and communications using the Telegram app with unknown individuals involved in the scheme.
Blount was charged by indictment on March 26, 2024. She was arrested on June 17, 2024.
Blount pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of unlawful possession of stolen mail, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for December 9.
Blount is released on a $75,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud (CUT OFF) Task Force, which includes personnel from the Stamford, Milford, Westport, Fairfield, West Haven, West Hartford, and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.
Former Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Employee and Slidell Resident Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Theft and Bribery Concerning Program Receiving Federal FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KENNETH LAWSON (“LAWSON”), age 39, a resident of New Orleans, and AREION BANKS (“BANKS”), age 33, a resident of Slidell, were indicted on August 28, 2025 for conspiracy to commit theft and bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 666(a)(1)(A), and 666(a)(1)(B).
According to the indictment, LAWSON was employed by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) as Grants Manager in OPSO’s Grants Department between about August 2022 and November 29, 2024. In that capacity, LAWSON possessed the ability to request grant payments from grant originators and to issue checks from OPSO to companies acting as subgrantees under grants received by OPSO. LAWSON met BANKS in about March 2024. Shortly thereafter, LAWSON and BANKS devised a scheme in which LAWSON would exploit his position at OPSO to steal checks made out to subgrantees and cause them to be deposited into the financial accounts under the custody or control of LAWSON or BANKS. Thereafter, BANKS would pay bribes to LAWSON in the form of a portion of the resulting cash. On one such occasion, on or about August 12, 2024, BANKS paid LAWSON a bribe in the amount of approximately $5,900. This bribe stemmed from LAWSON’s successful diversion of approximately $15,000 from OPSO, without authorization, by exploiting LAWSON’s position with OPSO.
Additionally, in about July 30, 2024, LAWSON incorporated an entity entitled “Williams James Assoc. LLC.” (“Williams James”) with the State of Louisiana, and thereafter controlled and served as the registered agent and managing member for that entity. On the same day, LAWSON opened a business checking account at a financial institution based in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. in the name of Williams James. Despite Williams James not having any relationship with, or providing services to, or on behalf of OPSO, LAWSON in his professional capacity with OPSO, engaged in a digital transaction requesting that the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) draw down a portion of a $3.907 million grant DOJ had previously awarded to OPSO. Specifically, he directed DOJ to send $100,000 of the grant funds to the Williams James financial account, without the knowledge or authorization of his supervisors. To make the transaction appear legitimate, LAWSON and BANKS agreed that BANKS, in exchange for a portion of the ill-gotten proceeds, would contact the financial institution and pose falsely as an OPSO employee who approved the transaction. LAWSON then sent detailed instructions on what to say to BANKS. BANKS then contacted the financial institution, falsely claimed to be an OPSO employee, and told a financial institution representative that OPSO approved the transaction. In fact, OPSO was unaware of, and had not approved, the transaction.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, LAWSON and BANKS each face up to five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson also expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Manager of Illinois Mine Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud Mine Safety and Health Administration Regarding Underground FireRead the Press Release
Timothy Brandon Parsons, 38, of Louisa, Kentucky, entered a guilty plea yesterday to conspiring to defraud the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in relation to an underground fire that occurred in the MC#1 Mine in Franklin County, Illinois, in August 2021.
According to court documents, on Aug. 12, 2021, Parsons was the Mine Manager at the MC#1 Mine when an underground fire was ignited by a cutting torch used to cut collapsed steel beams. When the fire could not be extinguished within 10 minutes, rather than implementing the approved Mine Emergency Evacuation and Firefighting Plan, Parsons and conspirators agreed that they would not evacuate miners or notify MSHA. Gas detectors carried by miners alarmed for the presence of more than 10 parts per million of carbon monoxide, yet the mine continued to mine coal during ad hoc firefighting efforts over the course of three shifts from Aug. 12 to 13.
On Aug. 13, Parsons tried to conceal the existence of the fire from those not already aware of it by evacuating the mine on the false pretense that a belt used to carry coal from underground to the surface was broken. Later that morning, MSHA received an anonymous tip about the fire and then later ordered that the mine be evacuated after inspectors confirmed the existence of the fire. Despite the evacuation order, over the next several days, conspirators re-entered the mine on two occasions without MSHA’s permission to assess the fire and manipulate the conditions underground so that MSHA would allow mining to resume. Members of the conspiracy did not wear tracking devices designed to track the underground location of miners and made false entries in mine records.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18. Parsons faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois, Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. S. Johnson of the FBI’s Springfield Field Office made the announcement.
The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and FBI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin F. Burke for the Southern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
Former CEO and CFO of Cryptocurrency Lender Cred LLC Sentenced to Multiple Years in Prison for Wire Fraud Conspiracy ConvictionsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Former Cred LLC executives Daniel Schatt and Joseph Podulka were sentenced today to 52 months and 36 months in federal prison, respectively, for wire fraud conspiracy. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentences.
Schatt, 55, of San Mateo, and Podulka, 53, of Palo Alto, were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. Defendants each pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025, to one count of wire fraud conspiracy in connection with their roles in defrauding customers of Cred, a San Francisco-based firm that provided financial services to holders of cryptocurrency and other assets. Schatt, who co-founded Cred, served as the CEO and Podulka served as the company’s CFO. According to the plea agreements, Schatt and Podulka conspired to present an incomplete, unreasonably positive, and thus misleading portrayal of Cred’s business while failing to disclose negative material information about Cred’s business challenges and risks to Cred’s customers.
“The defendants’ criminal conspiracy caused significant harm to Cred’s customers,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “This prosecution should serve as a reminder that my Office will aggressively prosecute fraud schemes undermining the integrity of cryptocurrency markets. Fraud targeting cryptocurrency investors and customers will not be tolerated and wrongdoers will be held accountable for their actions.”
“Daniel Schatt and Joseph Podulka orchestrated a scheme in which they deceived both investors and customers out of their hard-earned funds in an attempt to extend a failing business. The FBI is committed to investigating investment fraud schemes targeting cryptocurrency holders and working with our partners to bring fraudsters to justice,” said Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo.
“Cryptocurrency may still seem foreign to some people, but investment fraud schemes are nothing new,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “IRS-CI special agents are the best financial investigators in the world and will not stand by and allow companies to defraud their customers through malicious actions. Our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI has never been stronger as we will continue to relentlessly pursue these types of crimes based on greed and egoism.”
By late 2018, Cred’s business included two principal customer offerings: offering loans in U.S. dollars to customers using customers’ cryptocurrency as collateral and accepting deposits of cryptocurrency in exchange for a promise for a yield (interest payments) for that cryptocurrency. Cred’s business depended on a relationship with a Chinese company founded by one of Cred’s co-founders to generate the interest yield for Cred’s customers, a fact that many Cred customers did not know. Under this arrangement, Cred would loan the Chinese company a percentage of Cred’s customers’ funds, and the Chinse company would make short-term, high-interest microloans to Chinese gamers to generate interest to pay back to Cred. Cred’s business also depended on a hedging strategy using a third-party company to protect Cred from overexposure to cryptocurrency market fluctuations given Cred’s promises to its customers about specific yields they would earn while keeping their assets safe.
According to the plea agreements, Defendants’ conspiracy began in March 2020 following the onset of the COVID pandemic and a sudden and dramatic decrease in the price of Bitcoin. Within days of the crash, Cred learned from its hedging partner that Cred was underwater and needed to liquidate all its trading positions. The hedging partner then ended its relationship with Cred, leaving Cred with no hedges and no hedging strategy going forward. As the conspiracy progressed, Defendants also learned that the Chinese company would not be able to pay back tens of millions of dollars to Cred.
Rather than convey Cred’s worsening financial situation to its customers, the defendants each made misleading representations to customers or investors about Cred’s financial situation, including a public Ask Management Anything session that Schatt conducted on March 18, 2020, during which he stated that Cred’s business was “operating normally.”
On Nov. 7, 2020, Cred filed for bankruptcy. Cred customers and investors filed more than 6,000 claims totaling more than $140 million in the Cred bankruptcy proceedings. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, those claims are worth over $1 billion using August 2025 valuations for the different cryptocurrencies that customers lost.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced Schatt and Podulka each to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered payment of a $25,000 fine. The defendants will begin serving their sentences on Oct. 28, 2025. Judge Alsup set a restitution hearing for Oct. 7, 2025.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Valliere, Patrick O’Brien, Richard Ewenstein, and Adam Reeves prosecuted the case with the assistance of Helen Yee and Maryam Beros. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.
Florida Man Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl into Federal Prisons via DroneRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against James Key III, 45, of Eustis, Florida, charging him with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between Dec. 16, 2024, and Aug. 17, 2025, Key conspired with Federal Bureau of Prisons inmates to introduce fentanyl and contraband cellphones into BOP facilities in Atwater, California, Florida, and South Carolina. Key and his conspirators applied fentanyl onto paper, bundled that paper, wrapped it in synthetic grass, and then delivered it by drone into the prisons.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Key faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Final week of August brings another massive number – 356 – of new border security-related cases in SDTX, including nearly 70 as a result of ‘Operation Pick-Off’Read the Press Release
HOUSTON – Between Aug. 22-28, a total of 356 individuals have been charged in immigration and related matters as part of ongoing enforcement efforts along the South Texas border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A total of 180 people face charges of illegally reentering the country after removal, most with prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. Another 153 people face charges of illegally entering the country, 13 other defendants are charged with human smuggling and the remaining 10 individuals have varying charges to include firearms offenses, assaulting federal officers and other related immigration crimes.
Some of those facing new criminal charges are a result of “Operation Pick-Off,” a new initiative that targets those illegally residing in the United States while serving terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and assault. The enforcement effort, announced Aug. 25, led to federal charges against 67 illegal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley area, 65 of whom had returned to the country after being previously removed, only to commit other crimes, according to the allegations.
“For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home,” said Ganjei. “SDTX will not rest until we’ve brought Operation Pick-Off to each and every one of the Southern District’s 43 counties. If you’re here illegally and you commit crimes in our community, you can expect a visit from us, and that visit is going to come sooner rather than later. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.”
Also, part of the new cases filed this week include charges against two Mexican nationals who had been removed in May but allegedly returned illegally shortly thereafter. The criminal complaints allege authorities found Jairo Neftali Velasco-Gomez and Luis Alberto Mejia-Bertrand near Fronton and Hidalgo, respectively. Velasco-Gomez has a prior conviction for being an alien in possession of a firearm, while Mejia-Bertrand had been sentenced for transporting/harboring illegal aliens prior to his removal, according to their charges.
This week law enforcement also found three other Mexican nationals who had previously been removed near Edinburg, according to the criminal complaints. Charges allege Edgar Omar Gallegos-Aboytes and Monico Espinoza-Martinez have both been sentenced previously for illegal reentry crimes, while Julio Cesar Martinez-Arjona has a prior conviction for assault of a family member.
Authorities also found Honduran national Jose Alberto Medina-Atunez near Escobares this week, he has been alleged to have been previously removed from the United States after being convicted of possessing cocaine. Others charged with illegally reentering the United States after being removed include three more Mexican nationals whose alleged prior convictions include transporting/harboring illegal aliens, firearms and drug offenses. These complaints allege Angel Alejandro Salazar-Cantu, Alberto Karr-Magana and Ramon Pena-Medina had each been previously removed but returned again unlawfully - all of them now face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of illegal reentry into the United States.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest in SoutheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mustafa Wright, 32, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Wright is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Jessica M.E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police.
This prosecution comes as part of the "Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful" initiative, which is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2025, members of the United States Park Police were on patrol near Poplar Point and Anacostia Drive SE, when they noticed Mustafa Wright driving a vehicle with expired tags. Officers impounded the vehicle after Wright was unable to provide valid registration or insurance. Upon a routine search of the vehicle, officers discovered a Glock 17 9 mm pistol, loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition in the chamber and 22 additional rounds in the 31-round capacity magazine.
Wright is prohibited from possession of a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2014 burglary conviction and a 2019 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the United States Park Police. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
25cr255
Estonian National Extradited to the United States to Face Charges for Helping Russian Military Acquire U.S ElectronicsRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Andrey Shevlyakov was arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. He is charged in an indictment with conspiracy and seventeen other counts related to an international procurement scheme to source U.S.-made electronics and technology for the Russian government and military. Shevlyakov, an Estonian national, was arrested in Estonia on a provisional arrest warrant issued from the Eastern District of New York. He was extradited from Estonia to the United States on August 28, 2025.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division; Douglas A. Williams, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI Houston; and Trey McClish, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security – Office of Export Enforcement’s Dallas Field Office announced the extradition.
“As alleged, the defendant supplied the Russian military with sophisticated electronics after misleading U.S. companies,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt Russia’s illegal procurement of U.S. technology that threatens our national security and the security of our allies.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) for their valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Shevlyakov.
“We welcome Mr. Shevlyakov to the United States to face justice,” stated Special Agent in Charge Williams. “His illegal acquisition of U.S. semiconductor technology on behalf of the Russian military endangered U.S. national security, which the FBI fights so hard to protect. This case highlights Russia’s willingness to break U.S. laws to modernize its military and weapon systems with U.S. technology. We’re grateful to all our international partners who made Shevlyakov’s capture and extradition possible."
As alleged in the indictment and other public court filings, the defendant engaged in a years-long effort to evade U.S. export controls. His scheme involved procuring and delivering sensitive U.S. technology to end-users in Russia, including defense contractors and Russian government agencies. The defendant was added to the U.S Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security’s entity list, meaning that he was prohibited from acquiring any items from the United States without permission from the Department of Commerce. To evade these prohibitions, the defendant used a series of shell companies to order electronics and other items from U.S.-based suppliers. He also misled U.S. suppliers about the ultimate destination for the sensitive electronics they provided to him.
Over the course of his scheme, the defendant procured hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of sensitive electronics. The items acquired by the defendant included low-noise pre-scalers and synthesizers used to conduct high-frequency communications. He also obtained analog-to-digital converters which are used in defense systems including avionics, missiles, and electronic warfare systems. The defendant communicated with Russian defense contractors and telecommunication companies about these sensitive items. He also traveled extensively between Russia and Estonia to deliver the items he had obtained.
On one occasion, the defendant was caught smuggling goods into Russia by customs authorities in Finland. When stopped at the Russian border, the defendant’s car was searched and authorities found electronics and semiconductors dispersed among groceries and luggage and hidden in several other places, including the car’s spare tire compartment.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin and Gilbert M. Rein are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The Defendant:
ANDREY SHEVLYAKOV
Age: 48
Tallinn, EstoniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-490 (RPK)
Ecuadorian National Admits to Illegally Re-entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An Ecuadorian national deported from the United States in 2008 has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to a charge of illegal re-entry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Manuel Yochuzga-Yopangue, a/k/a Manuel Yupangui, 34, most recently came to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through an automated biometric fingerprint match of fingerprints entered into the National Crime Information Center following his arrest in Rhode Island in May 2025 on state child molestation charges.
Immigration files reflect that Yochuzga-Yopangue was removed from the United States in August 2008. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2025. The sentence imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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).
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
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Downey Man Suspected of Membership in the 764 Nihilist Violent Extremist Group Arrested on Child Pornography Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Downey man suspected to be a member of the nihilistic extremist group known as “764” has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography and he is expected to make his initial appearance today.
Dong Hwan Kim, 27, was arrested Wednesday at his residence by members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) following the execution of a federal search warrant and was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles yesterday.
According to the complaint, several minor females reported that Kim enticed them and other minor females to produce and send him pictures and videos of themselves engaging in sexual acts between 2022 and the present. The minor females stated that Kim would then extort his victims, by posting or threatening to post pictures and videos to their family members and others if they did not comply with his demands to send him more pictures and videos.
The complaint alleges that Kim engaged in this conduct as part of his participation in an online network known as “764”, a network of nihilistic violent extremists who engage in criminal conduct, including the targeting children for sexual exploitation online, to further the network’s goals of accelerating social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government.
The complaint details the nature of the 764, which is known to the FBI as a Nihilistic Violent Extremism (NVE) group whose members engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability.
NVEs oftentimes target vulnerable individuals, including minors, frequently using social media platforms to share CSAM are gore material, or grooming victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims can be blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, which vary, but may include self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.
The complaint alleges a series of incidents in which Kim enticed minor females into producing CSAM and threatened to send naked photographs to the victims’ family and others or post them online, among other threats.
According to a minor victim, Kim ran an online server where he and others openly created, posted, and traded child pornography, and extorted minors to get nude and write names on their skin, cut themselves, and stick objects such as knives and bottles into their genitals.
During the search, agents found several CSAM videos and photographs in Kim’s possession. Agents also found evidence that Kim shared with others CSAM videos he produced and, when one associate complimented him, Kim touted his behavior by referring to himself as an “og,” according to the complaint.
Kim has used online monikers including “Ryzen” and “Lobster” and the FBI believes victims not yet identified may exist. Anyone who has been victimized or is aware of a victim of Kim is urged to contact the FBI at 1 800 CALL-FBI (1 800 225-5324).
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted on the charges alleged in the complaint, Kim faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this case with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Downey Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney David T. Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division, is prosecuting this case.
District of Arizona Charges 233 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 23, 2025, through August 29, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 233 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 107 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 108 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Raymundo Barretero-Fernandez: On August 27, 2025, Raymundo Barretero-Fernandez, a citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Re-entry. In 2019, Barretero-Fernandez was convicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma of Conspiracy to Possess Heroin with Intent to Distribute and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison and subsequently removed from the United States. Barretero-Fernandez then re-entered the United States without legal permission or authority. [Case Number: 25-MJ-0332]
United States v. Jose Luis Nunez-Sandoval: On August 29, 2025, Jose Luis Nunez-Sandoval, a Mexican citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien and Illegal Re-entry. According to court documents, on August 27, 2025, Nunez-Sandoval was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol while traveling on Interstate 40 with two passengers. Agents determined that Nunez-Sandoval and the passengers were unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-0185]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-142_August 29 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Des Moines Man Sentenced to 262 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man and reported member of the Black P Stones criminal street gang was sentenced on August 27, 2025, to 262 months in federal prison for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
According to public court documents, in the spring of 2024, law enforcement learned that Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., 44, was a high-level fentanyl dealer operating in Des Moines. Following a seven-month investigation, law enforcement confirmed that Harris traveled to and from Chicago, Illinois, to obtain large quantities of fentanyl for redistribution in Des Moines and had multiple co-conspirators working with and for him to distribute fentanyl on a daily or near daily basis. Harris was arrested on December 18, 2024, the same day thirteen federal search warrants were executed, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 610 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 135 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 260 grams of marijuana, as well as 19 firearms and more than $13,000 in U.S. currency amongst the residences. Harris was sentenced under the United States Sentencing Guidelines as a career offender and has an extensive criminal history that includes possession of weapons and multiple drug-related convictions, including a prior federal conviction out of the Northern District of Iowa, as well as convictions involving cocaine and THC.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Harris will be required to serve an eight-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Des Moines Police Department Chief Michael McTaggart said the following of the investigation and sentence: “The Des Moines Police Department is grateful for the strong partnership with our federal agencies, whose collaboration has been essential in our ongoing efforts to protect our community from the devastating effects of the illegal distribution of fentanyl. Justice for families impacted, and the prevention of tragedies yet to happen, comes from the joint efforts of the men and women who work together to intervene in the trafficking of this deadly drug.”
“Through our joint enforcement efforts, we’ve dismantled a criminal organization that posed a direct threat to the safety and stability of various communities,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This sentencing is a result of a coordinated effort of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to keep heroin and other drugs out of our communities.”
“Fentanyl is an exceptionally destructive drug that wreaks havoc on our communities. We will continue partnering aggressively with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in Iowa. The sentencing of Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., is one important step in our continuing fight to keep fentanyl out of our neighborhoods” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel.
Harris’s co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced as follows: Adonis Devora, 44, of Des Moines, on September 22, 2025; Devonte Hassell, 29, of Houston, Texas, on September 30, 2025; Ricky Ellis, 30, of Des Moines, on October 1, 2025; Ryan Redmond, 31, of Chicago, Illinois, on October 20, 2025; and Terrell Harris, 41, of Chicago, Illinois, on December 2, 2025.
Fentanyl is the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Fentanyl deaths for youth ages 15 to 24 more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.
Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Partnering on Cross-Agency Trade Fraud Task ForceRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice launched a cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force to bring robust enforcement against importers and other parties who seek to defraud the United States. The Task Force will augment the existing coordination mechanisms within the Department of Justice and leverage expertise from both the Civil and Criminal Divisions, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against any parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. This Administration is fully committed to holding parties accountable for their attempts to undermine honest American competitors.
On Inauguration Day, President Trump issued the “America First Trade Policy,” which “promotes investment and productivity, enhances our Nation’s industrial and technological advantages, defends our economic and national security, and — above all — benefits American workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.” A critical part of the policy is ensuring compliance with trade laws, including the payment of all applicable tariffs and duties, such as antidumping and countervailing duties and Section 301 tariffs intended to level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers. This Task Force will advance the America First Trade Policy by pursuing those who violate customs laws through duty and penalty collection actions under the Tariff Act of 1930, actions under the False Claims Act, and, wherever appropriate, parallel criminal prosecutions, penalties, and seizures under Title 18’s trade fraud and conspiracy provisions.
“The President’s America First Trade Policy supports American manufacturing by ending unfair trade practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Civil Division will coordinate with law enforcement partners to bring to justice any parties attempting to harm American workers through evasion of tariffs and other duties.”
Trade fraud not only deprives the government of vital revenue used to reinvest in America, but also threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. Fraudsters seeking to destabilize and profit off of American markets increasingly are attempting to import below-market, industry-destabilizing goods without paying lawful tariffs and duties or by smuggling prohibited items that violate intellectual property rights of American companies or are otherwise illegal. These fraudsters have harmed American manufacturers and contributed to the loss of American jobs, often with financial backing from America’s adversaries who benefit from the fraud.
“For years, nefarious importers and their co-conspirators have put law-abiding businesses in the United States at a competitive disadvantage — and cheated the American public of funds — by brazenly committing trade fraud,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. “Trade fraud is not a victimless crime, and it won’t be tolerated. The Criminal Division, led by the Fraud Section, is committed to using every available tool to hold bad actors accountable and prevent the theft of money intended to reduce the deficit and fund government programs.”
“The Civil Fraud and National Courts Sections of the Commercial Litigation Branch are integral to enforcement efforts aimed at identifying and stopping trade fraud,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Since March of this year, the Commercial Litigation Branch has reached civil settlements to resolve allegations of improperly evaded customs duties across a wide range of products, including multi-layered wood flooring, plastic resin, extruded aluminum products, and quartz surface products. We look forward to enhanced coordination and information sharing with our law enforcement colleagues, and we welcome the vital contributions of whistleblowers who can help identify fraud schemes involving an array of imported products.”
Consistent with Executive Order 14243 aimed at “enhancing the Government’s ability to detect overpayments and fraud[,]” the Trade Fraud Task Force will work closely with its law enforcement partners at the Department of Homeland Security, specifically U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, to identify and combat trade fraud that threatens our economic and national security interests. These enhanced cooperative efforts will serve the dual purposes of a more efficient government for the taxpayer and improved enforcement and deterrent outcomes.
“With unique customs authorities, expertise, generations of experience carried forward from the legacy U.S. Customs Service, and a steadfast commitment to interagency collaboration, ICE HSI’s Global Trade Division is fully committed to partnering with the Department of Justice and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to strengthen the investigations of trade-related crimes,” said Assistant Director for Global Trade Ivan Arvelo of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. “Enforcing U.S. international trade laws is one of our agency’s top priorities, and this revitalized and expanded Trade Fraud Task Force is a significant step in the right direction. These enhanced efforts will undoubtedly add immense value to the task force and yield positive results in support domestic industry and businesses engaging in legal international commerce.”
Because American manufacturers and American workers are at the heart of this Administration’s trade policy, the Task Force welcomes referrals and cooperation from the domestic industries that are most harmed by unfair trade practices and trade fraud. Domestic industries are often best placed to spot fraud that threatens our markets and the livelihoods of American workers and their families. Referrals can be submitted to the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here. Similarly, the Task Force encourages whistleblowers to utilize the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud. Finally, the Task Force encourages all importers and their agents to conduct thorough audits of their importing practices and voluntarily self-disclose and remediate unlawful behavior consistent with the Justice Manual §§ 4-4.112 and 9-74.120.