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26 August 2025
Houston County felon guilty of federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Crockett felon has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Clifford Heniser, 35, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 26, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on March 15, 2025, Heniser entered the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and requested their “federal reports.” A dispatcher asked Heniser to wait for a deputy to arrive. Heniser became angry and left the building before returning with a firearm. He then exited the building again and began firing the firearm in the parking lot. Multiple law enforcement officers were dispatched to the scene and Heniser was disarmed. Two firearms were seized from Heniser, and he was arrested. Further investigation revealed Heniser is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.
Heniser was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Houston County Sheriff’s Office; Crockett Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Guatemalan Man Guilty of Reentry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FRAILYN ARGUETA-JERONIMO, a/k/a “Frailyn Argeta-Jeronimo,” (“ARGUETA-JERONIMO “), age 25, a native of Guatemala, pled guilty on August 12, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. His sentencing is set for November 12, 2025, before Judge Zainey.
According to the charging document, ARGUETA-JERONIMO was found in the United States on March 27, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on February 6, 2020. On March 27, 2025, federal agents were performing targeted enforcement operations in Terrytown, Louisiana, and observed a maroon Toyota Tundra arrive at a Terrytown residence and pick up a Hispanic male. The Toyota Tundra was registered to a Guatemalan national who had been removed from the United States on at least three prior occasions. Based on the prior intelligence gathered on the residence, when a federal agent conducted a vehicle stop on the Toyota Tundra, a passenger, later identified as ARGUETA-JERONIMO, a Guatemalan citizen, admitted to being in the country illegally.
ARGUETA-JERONIMO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, 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 Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Gary Man Sentenced to 77 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Montell Efrem Ward, 51 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Ward was sentenced to 77 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in January 2023, Ward robbed two hotels located in Merrillville, Indiana. In the first robbery, he threatened the hotel clerk with a knife and tied the victim up with computer cords to complete the robbery. The next day, he robbed a second hotel clerk with a knife. Ward took a total of $300 from both robberies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel L. Mathur.
Fresno Restaurant Operator Charged with Hiring a Gang Member to Set Fire to RestaurantRead the Press Release
Fresno restaurant operator Robert “Bobby” Salazar, 63, has been arrested on a federal complaint for arson of commercial property and arson in furtherance of a felony for directing a motorcycle gang member to set fire to an underperforming restaurant property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on April 2, 2024, a fire broke out at the vacant Bobby Salazar’s restaurant on Blackstone Avenue in Fresno. Fire investigators determined that the cause of the fire was arson, with partially burned gas cans located inside the restaurant and extensive fire damage to the interior:
Fire damage inside the restaurant
Partially burned gas cans
According to court documents, agents learned that the person who set the fire was the president of the local Screamin’ Demons Motorcycle Club. Salazar allegedly hired the motorcycle gang member to start the fire and then claimed to his insurance company that he had nothing to do with the arson. He was ultimately paid out at least $980,739 for his insurance claim.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Fire Department, with assistance from the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes and Brittany M. Gunter are prosecuting the case.
Salazar is expected to make an initial court appearance on Aug. 27, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe in Fresno at 2:00 P.M.
If convicted, Salazar faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for commercial arson, as well as 10 years in prison mandatorily consecutive for arson in furtherance of a felony. 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.
Criminal Complaint
salazar_complaint_25mj92.cr_.comp_.0825_redacted_v.1.pdfFormer FAA Contractor Sentenced for Illegally Acting as an Agent of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Abouzar Rahmati, 43, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 12 months in federal prison for acting as an illegal agent of the Iranian government in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rahmati, a former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2025, to acting as an agent of the Iranian government without prior notification to the Attorney General and to conspiracy to do so, before U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan. In addition to the 12-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Rahmati to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the Counterintelligence and Cyber Division.
According to court documents, from at least December 2017 through June 2024, Rahmati worked with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives to act on their behalf in the United States, including by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers in Iran, communicating with Iranian intelligence officers and government officials using a cover story to hide his conduct, obtaining employment with an FAA contractor with access to sensitive non-public information about the U.S. aviation sector, and obtaining open-source and non-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry and providing it to Iranian intelligence officers.
“By secretly doing the bidding of the Iranian government, Mr. Rahmati violated the trust placed in him as a U.S. citizen and as a federal contractor with access to sensitive information,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Ensuring that sensitive U.S. information does not fall into the hands of hostile foreign intelligence services remains one of our highest priorities.”
“Rahmati exploited his trusted position to obtain sensitive information about the U.S. aviation sector and share it with the Iranian government, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Wierzbicki. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to disrupt threats to U.S. critical infrastructure, especially those emanating from the nefarious activities of Iranian intelligence officers who seek to harm our nation.”
In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university.
Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics.
Upon returning to the United States in early 2018, Rahmati obtained various private and open-source materials related to the U.S. solar energy industry and provided them to an official from the office of Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology in response to tasking from Iranian government officials.
In response to tasking from Iranian officials, and in furtherance of his role as an agent of the Government of Iran, Rahmati exploited his employment as an FAA contractor by downloading at least 172 GB of the company’s files. Rahmati stored those files on removable media, which he took to Iran, where he provided sensitive documents to the Government of Iran in April 2022.
At the April 2022 meeting in Iran, Iranian intelligence officers told Rahmati and his brother that they were seeking information, including new ideas and technology not available in Iran. They further explained that if Rahmati brought such information to Iran, the Government of Iran could provide Rahmati with financial incentives, including free or low-interest loans and grants.
Later in April 2022, also in response to tasking from Iranian government officials, Rahmati sent additional information relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towers to his brother, who lived in Iran, so that he would provide those files to Iranian intelligence.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case, with significant assistance from the FAA’s Office of Counterintelligence and Technical Operations.
Prosecuting the case were Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Alexander Wharton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia provided significant assistance.
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Former Department of Labor Employee Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining over $40,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former employee of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) was charged today with fraudulently obtaining over $40,000 in pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) benefits.
Mo Yuong Kang, 50, formerly of Woburn and Dracut, Mass., was indicted today and charged with wire fraud. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the indictment, Kang worked as an Industrial Hygienist with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an agency of the DOL, from June 2016 until July 2023. In 2020 and 2021, Kang was a full-time employee of the DOL and earned $86,667 and $90,738, respectively.
According to the indictment, in April 2020, Kang allegedly submitted a false PUA application to the Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA). It is alleged that, in the application, Kang claimed under the penalty of perjury that he was “self-employed, an independent contractor, or a gig worker and COVID-19 has severely limited [his] ability to perform [his] normal work,” and that he had not earned more than $89 a week since March 8, 2020. The DUA approved Kang’s claim, and through September 2021 Kang subsequently submitted weekly certifications to the DUA allegedly claiming that he did not work and did not receive any income during those weekly periods. Based upon his application registration and those weekly certifications, Kang allegedly received $45,868 in PUA benefits he was not entitled to.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; and Christopher Silvestro, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program called pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA), which provided unemployment benefits for individuals who were not eligible for standard unemployment benefits. To receive PUA benefits, Massachusetts claimants were required to certify in an initial registration and in weekly certifications whether or not they worked or received any income during the relevant time period. The PUA program was administered in Massachusetts by the Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA).
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 Box Elder Teacher’s Aide Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Enticement of a Minor StudentRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a woman from Tonganoxie, Kansas, convicted of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Duncan Sioux Witt, 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. A federal grand jury indicted Witt for the charge in August 2024. She pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025.
During the commission of her crime, Witt was employed at Douglas High School in Box Elder, South Dakota, as a special education paraprofessional teacher’s aide. The victim was a student receiving special education services at the school. No later than February 2024, Witt began sending the boy sexually explicit messages, as well as sexually explicit images and videos of herself, using Snapchat. Over time, Witt induced the boy to send her sexually explicit pictures and videos of himself, which she saved in her Snapchat account. Witt and the boy exchanged thousands of messages over the course of several months. When the victim turned 18, Witt convinced her former husband to allow him to move into their home. Then, Witt provided the victim with alcohol and began a sexual relationship with him. Witt repeatedly told the victim she was pregnant with his child and convinced him she intended to leave her marriage to be with him.
The investigation revealed Witt had inappropriate conversations over Snapchat with multiple other students, in addition to the victim in this case. Witt was arrested in South Carolina while working at an elementary school.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Box Elder Police Department and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Witt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charge in Nationwide Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey announced that Florida resident Danielle Diarbakerly, age 38, pled guilty in federal court to money laundering conspiracy for her role in a multi-state fraud scheme that caused more than $3 million in losses to victims. Diarbakerly faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine, and will owe restitution to the victims.
Diarbakerly was indicted by a grand jury in January 2025 and accused of participating in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a fraud scheme that ran from at least January 2020 to September 2024. Court records reflect that Diarbakerly admitted that she and others were members of a conspiracy that was designed to defraud people living throughout the United States, including in West Michigan, and conduct financial transactions using that money to conceal the source, control, or location of the fraudulent proceeds. Some members of the conspiracy contacted victims and persuaded them that they had won large prizes in a multistate lottery. To claim these prizes, the victims were told that they would have to pay taxes and fees associated with their winnings. The victims were instructed to send their money, by wire transfer or mail, to shell companies created by Diarbakerly for that purpose. Once the money arrived, she quickly moved the funds into other shell companies that she controlled or sent it to other conspirators. Diarbakerly knew the funds were fraudulent proceeds.
“Every day, fraudsters attempt to steal money earned by hardworking Americans and from vulnerable retirees living on fixed incomes. Federal law enforcement is relentlessly pursuing everyone responsible for committing those frauds, including those who facilitate these reprehensible financial crimes. We all must remain vigilant when receiving unsolicited communications to avoid falling victim to these schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Tim VerHey.
“These schemes have sadly become increasingly widespread across our state and across the country,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “Thankfully, our agents, law enforcement partners and prosecutors will do everything they can to track down these culprits and hold them accountable under the law. This case is a good reminder for the community to check in on their loved ones, discuss these schemes and how families can protect themselves.”
“Schemes that drain the bank accounts of everyday people are terrible and steal the safety and security of victims across the county,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS Criminal Investigation is dedicated to flushing out fraudsters and protecting tax-paying Americans from crimes like these that jeopardize their way of life.”
Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation continue to investigate this matter.
Fifth Defendant Convicted for Laundering Funds from Fraud Schemes to Nigerian Transnational Organized Crime GroupsRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Puerto Rico yesterday convicted a fifth individual for conspiracy to launder funds in connection with multiple wide-ranging wire, mail, and access device fraud schemes.
Oluwasegun Baiyewu was convicted of a money laundering conspiracy following a 22-day trial in San Juan. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Oluwaseun Adelekan 40, and Temitope Omotayo, 40, both of Staten Island, New York; Ifeoluwa Dudubo, 37, of Austin, Texas; and Temitope Suleiman, 37, and Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, conspired to launder funds from different international organized fraud schemes, including romance, pandemic relief unemployment insurance fraud, and business email compromise scams. These fraud schemes disproportionately impacted elderly or otherwise vulnerable Americans.
“The Department of Justice will continue to identify and prosecute the fraudsters who design complex fraud schemes and the launderers that receive victim proceeds and make sure the crimes are profitable,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This conviction is a message to the transnational organized crime groups and their accomplices who take advantage of our open financial system: you cannot victimize Americans with impunity.”
“The defendant participated in a money laundering scheme turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people, and businesses in Puerto Rico and the United States,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this prosecution.”
“The FBI is committed to taking down the key service providers that support cyber scammers and transnational organized crime,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “This conviction is a reminder of the durable impact we are having in targeting the entire cybercriminal ecosystem, which is made possible by working in tandem with partners who have unique authorities and capabilities.”
“The criminals involved in this scheme thought there was safety in numbers, but the U.S. Postal Inspection Service doesn’t stop until everyone involved in schemes that target older Americans is brought to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division. “The defendants lined their pockets by defrauding vulnerable members of our society through various schemes designed to entice their victims to give up their hard-earned cash. This conviction is proof that anyone involved with transnational crimes will be tracked down, exposed, and made to face the consequences.”
A superseding indictment against the five defendants alleged that in 2020 and 2021, the defendants worked together to profit from efforts to “clean” money from scams involving victims, many of whom were older adults, in California, Illinois, Washington, and Nevada, and business email compromise schemes affecting victim companies in Puerto Rico and Missouri. After receiving the proceeds, according to the indictment, the defendants or their co-conspirators conducted hundreds of transactions with the funds to, among other things, purchase used cars that were shipped overseas to Nigeria.
The defendants will be sentenced before the Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach for the District of Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and FBI San Juan Cyber Task Force are investigating this case, with assistance from the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force supporting the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force teams.
Trial Attorneys Emily C. Powers and Richard S. Greene IV of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Linet Olinghouse for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Federal Prison Inmate Sentenced to Life Term for Murdering Fellow Inmate Due to His Religious FaithRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — An inmate at Thomson Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., has been sentenced to a life term of imprisonment after being convicted of murder and hate crime in the death of a fellow inmate.
BRANDON SIMONSON conspired with a co-defendant, KRISTOPHER MARTIN, to beat Matthew Phillips because Phillips was Jewish. Simonson and Martin assaulted Phillips to gain recognition and membership into a white supremacist antisemitic prison gang called the Valhalla Bound Skinheads. Simonson punched and kicked Phillips in the face and head, despite Phillips being knocked unconscious and unable to defend himself. The assault occurred on March 2, 2020, leading to Phillips’ death three days later.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Rockford earlier this year convicted Simonson 41, of Moorhead, Minn., of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hate crime, and assault. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Simonson to life in federal prison.
Martin, 43, of Brazil, Ind., pleaded guilty earlier this year and will be sentenced on Oct. 9, 2025.
Simonson’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Lucas Rothaar, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Ronald DeWald.
“Antisemitic violence has no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Violence against people of faith is illegal and unacceptable and will not be tolerated anywhere in our district, including in our prison system. My Office and our law enforcement partners will aggressively enforce federal laws to ensure that all Americans feel safe in practicing and expressing their faith.”
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners hold those who compromise the safety or lives of others accountable, even those serving sentences in prison,” said FBI ASAC Rothaar. “We continue to ask the public to help keep our communities safe from any acts of violence like those detailed in this case by reporting threatening or suspicious behavior immediately to local law enforcement or the FBI.”
Federal Detainee Sentenced for Possessing Contraband Inside Wyatt Detention CenterRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal detainee at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center was sentenced today on charges of conspiracy and providing and possessing contraband in prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Anthony Whyte, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 12 months of incarceration. Whyte pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025.
On May 21, 2023, Whyte took possession of multiple documents from a visitor that had the appearance of having been contaminated with some sort of substance. One of the eight pages later analyzed by the FBI was determined to have been treated with synthetic cannabinoids.
Court documents reflect that Whyte arranged for the delivery of the contaminated pages during recorded telephone conversations he made from inside the Wyatt Detention Center. The papers and the manilla envelope they were contained in were seized moments after Whyte took possession of them. At the time, Whyte was detained in an unrelated criminal matter brought in the District of Connecticut.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Federal Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II sentenced Celestio Lefranz Harrington, 34, of Lillington, to 24 years in federal prison on Wednesday for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.
“Drug traffickers like Harrington flood our communities with meth, cocaine, and fentanyl that kill our children and destroy our families. They prey on the devastation these poisons inflict,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will relentlessly target major suppliers, dismantle their networks, and hold them accountable by sending them to federal prison for decades.”
In early 2023, detectives with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office received information identifying Harrington as a source of supply for multiple types of drugs in the Fayetteville area. Surveillance showed that he traveled throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and to Philadelphia to meet drug suppliers and addicts.
On March 29, 2023, investigators stopped Harrington’s car as he travelled back from Philadelphia. During the search, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers discovered approximately 4.4 kilograms of methamphetamine and 4.1 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the trunk. Investigators then searched Harrington’s Fayetteville apartment and found an additional 3.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 489 grams of fentanyl, and items used to package drugs for resale.
In total, the investigation revealed that Harrington distributed over 180 kilograms of methamphetamine, which is about 400lbs, 15 kilograms of cocaine, and a kilogram of fentanyl, which is enough to kill five times the population of Lillington.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the outstanding efforts of these dedicated law enforcement officers in cleaning up the streets of Eastern North Carolina.
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).
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-336.
Fort Walton Beach Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Taj Tariq Tamboura Robinson, 35, of Fort Walton Beach, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the substantial efforts of our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate, arrest, and help bring this drug trafficker to justice. This is yet another important case by my office fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by aggressively pursuing criminal offenders who victimize our communities.”
Court documents establish that between 2018 and 2023, Robinson was a high-level distributor in a drug trafficking and money laundering organization who provided large quantities cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana to other dealers in the Northern District of Florida and elsewhere. Robinson and his co-conspirators further laundered the proceeds of their drug conspiracy by purchasing and selling real estate and vehicles in other people’s names.
“Bringing this polydrug distributor to justice was a group effort, and I appreciate the work our law enforcement partners did to make this happen,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Our North Florida communities will be safer with him off the streets.”
“The ongoing commitment and teamwork leading to arrests like Robinson’s shows the level of local dedication that exists to rid our streets of dangerous narcotics,” said Sheriff Eric Aden, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. “We are proud to play a key role in putting those who peddle these poisons behind bars.”
“Today’s sentencing serves as a reminder to criminals that if you attempt to launder drug money in Northern Florida, you will be caught and sentenced to serious prison time,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “Through the outstanding joint investigative efforts of the IRS, DEA, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, this defendant is off the street and no longer able to peddle poison in our communities.”
Robinson received a total sentence of 13 years in prison, which will be followed by 6 years of supervised release. In addition, the government administratively and judicially forfeited over $265,000, two vehicles, and multiple pieces of jewelry from Robinson and his co-conspirators.
The sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes and former Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Love.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
FBI Arrests Seven Alleged Members of DC Fentanyl and PCP Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The FBI this morning executed approximately 20 residential search warrants across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Los Angeles, following a year-long investigation into an alleged D.C.-based drug trafficking organization that sold PCP and fentanyl in and around the 2900 block of Knox Place SE, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Law enforcement seized 18 firearms including one AR-Style rifle, a shotgun, and one Draco-style pistol. Agents also seized a pill press commonly used to manufacture fentanyl pills, at least two kilograms of suspected narcotics, and over $50,000 in cash.
Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia indicted eight individuals – two from California, one from Baltimore, and five from metropolitan Washington D.C. – and charged them in the conspiracy.
This morning, the FBI in partnership with the DEA and the Metropolitan Police Department took seven of the indicted defendants into custody. They are Leonard Edwards, 52, of Washington D.C.; Eric “Marbury” Prather, 43, of Washington D.C.; Thomas Wilton Hancock, Jr., aka “Fresh,” 43, of Baltimore, MD; Sarda Smith, 36, of Oxen Hill, MD; Michael Thomas, 49, of Los Angeles, CA; Reginald Lassiter, 39, of Washington, D.C.; and Darryl Riley, 39, Washington, D.C.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phil Bates, DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
One additional defendant remains at large and is considered a fugitive. The indictment against that defendant remains sealed.
The Knox Place neighborhood has experienced at least five homicides in the past year, among other violent crimes. The alleged D.C.-based traffickers who operated around Knox Place sourced their narcotics through a Baltimore-based co-conspirator, who in turn was importing narcotics from California. One of the shipments from California included 17-gallons of PCP that was intercepted earlier this year by law enforcement outside of Topeka, Kansas.
Six of the eight defendants face 10-year mandatory minimum sentences based on the drug quantities for which they were charged. Two of them face 15-year mandatory minimum sentences.
Federal agents arrested five additional individuals who face an array of charges that include conspiracy to distribute narcotics, felon in possession of firearms, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and illegal re-entry into the country.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the DEA and the MPD. It is being prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi, Matthew W. Kinskey, and John Parron of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Effingham County area drug dealers sentenced on meth-related chargesRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – This year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the Effingham Police Department, the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department, and the Effingham County State’s Attorney’s Office, have prosecuted several methamphetamine dealers in the Effingham County area.
“Trafficking drugs in southern Illinois will earn dealers a federal prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Thanks to the efforts of our local law enforcement partners in the Effingham County area, less meth is circulating on the streets. We will continue to work together to eliminate drugs from our communities.”
“These cases show what can be accomplished when local, county, and federal agencies work together toward a common goal,” said Effingham Police Chief Kurt Davis. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department, the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force, the State’s Attorney’s Office, and the staff of the Effingham Police Department for their partnership and commitment. Their efforts make our community safer by keeping dangerous drugs off our streets.”
Jeramy C. Hoffman, 49, of Effingham, Illinois, was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On May 15, 2025, the Court sentenced Hoffman to 110 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release.
Corey W. Dasenbrock, 48, of Effingham, Illinois, was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Aug. 19, 2025, the Court sentenced Dasenbrock to 110 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by four years supervised release.
Hayden L. Limes, 29, of Effingham, Illinois, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On May 1, 2025, the Court sentenced Limes to 96 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years’ supervised release.
Taylor K. Nathan, 31, of Effingham, Illinois, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On April 3, 2025, the Court sentenced Nathan to 84 months’ incarceration, to be followed by four years supervised release.
Robert J. Beckler, II, 55, of Effingham, Illinois, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Court sentenced Beckler to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years’ supervised release.
Russell A. Beldi, 45, of Teutopolis, Illinois, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On May 15, 2025, Beldi was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by four years supervised release.
Jodi L. Corbella, 48, of Citrus Heights, California, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Although from California, Corbella was sending methamphetamine to Russell Beldi for resale in the Effingham area. On Aug. 5, 2025, the Court sentenced Corbella to 144 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by four years supervised release.
Jesse D. Blain, 40, of Effingham, Illinois, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Aug. 12, 2025, the Court sentenced Blain to 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release.
Three additional Effingham area individuals were indicted on July 25, 2025, on federal methamphetamine related charges in a seven-count indictment. The defendants indicted include:
- Chelsea J. Sipes, 41, of Effingham, Illinois,
- Timothy E. Finfrock, 66, of Effingham, Illinois and
- Philip M. Blair, 43, of Effingham, Illinois.
Count 1 charges that from July 2024, until on or about June 2025, in Effingham County, within the Southern District of Illinois, Sipes, Finfrock, and Blair conspired to knowingly and intentionally distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Count 2 charges that on Jan. 30, 2025, in Effingham County, Sipes knowingly and intentionally distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Count 3 charges that on Feb. 25, 2025, in Effingham County, Sipes knowingly and intentionally distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Count 4 charges that on March 6, 2025, in Effingham County, Sipes knowingly and intentionally distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Count 5 charges that on March 14, 2025, in Effingham County, Sipes knowingly and intentionally distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Count 6 charges that on Feb. 20, 2025, in Effingham County, Blair knowingly and intentionally distributed methamphetamine.
Count 7 charges that on Jan. 24, 2025, in Effingham County, Finfrock knowingly and intentionally distributed methamphetamine.
With respect to Count 1, all three Defendants face 10 years to life imprisonment, up to a $10 million fine, and supervised release of not less than 5 years.
With respect to Counts 2-5, Sipes faces 5-40 years’ imprisonment, up to a $5 million fine, and supervised release of not less than 4 years.
With respect to Count 6, Blair faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1 million fine, and supervised release of not less than 3 years.
With respect to Count 7, Finfrock faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1 million fine, and supervised release of not less than 3 years.
Indictments are merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
East Weymouth Woman Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An East Weymouth woman was charged today in federal court in Boston with scheming to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits.
Debora A. Siler, 68, was charged with one count of bank fraud and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston on Sept. 11, 2025.
According to the charging documents, Siler fraudulently obtained approximately $61,685.13 in Social Security benefits from June 2015 through September 2020. Siler is alleged to have had access to the checkbook and debit card of a Social Security beneficiary who died in May 2015. Instead of reporting the beneficiary’s death to the Social Security Administration or the bank where the benefits were deposited, Siler allegedly accessed the improperly paid benefits by forging the deceased beneficiary’s name on several checks and regularly depleting the account funds through debit card transactions.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dayton Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Analogue TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Dayton, Ohio, man, Germel Hughes, 45, was sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 222 months in prison, for conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and aiding and abetting the intended distribution of 100 grams or more of a mixture containing a fentanyl analogue.
According to court documents, on January 2, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to arrange a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Earnest Bryson, who agreed to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the informant. On the following day, Bryson and co-defendants Julius Cole and Gerald Young traveled from Dayton, Ohio, to Fort Wright, Kentucky, to deliver the drugs to the informant. Soon after they arrived, law enforcement parked behind their vehicle and forcibly removed them from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed that an attempt was made to destroy the drugs by mixing them with Coca-Cola. Some of the mixture was tested, however, and found to contain fentanyl as well as fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. Further investigation revealed that Hughes supplied 100 grams or more of drugs intended to be distributed to the informant.
Cole and Young have both pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and have been sentenced to 132 months and 18 months, respectively.
Under federal law, Hughes must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, DEA, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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DC Man Arrested at San Francisco Airport, Charged in Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Hershel Andrew Green, III, 42, of the District of Columbia, was arrested Aug. 24 at San Francisco International Airport and charged in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court with possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Hershel is expected to make his first court appearance in U.S. District Court today in San Francisco.
As part of the investigation, Green was identified after law enforcement agents discovered electronic communications between Green and another individual related to the sexual abuse of children. Green distributed and received images and videos that included the sexual abuse of prepubescent children.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar.
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Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography and Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced July 24, 2025, to 180 months in federal prison for receipt of child pornography and possession of a firearm as felon.
According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with David Michael Morse, 55, received and uploaded an image containing child sexual abuse material. During a search of Morse’s Council Bluffs residence, law enforcement seized Morse’s electronics, including a cellular phone, and firearms. A forensic examination of Morse’s phone showed that Morse used the device to receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Morse will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Morse was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety – Cyber Crime Bureau; Council Bluffs Police Department; Iowa State Patrol; the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Chicago Grocery Store Owner Sentenced to Three and a Half Years in Prison for Fraudulently Redeeming SNAP and WIC BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of a Chicago grocery store has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently redeeming millions of dollars in benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”).
YOUSEF ABU ALHAWA owned a grocery store in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest Side. From 2011 to 2019, Alhawa fraudulently redeemed or caused to redeem SNAP and WIC benefits for non-eligible items or cash, and redeemed SNAP and WIC benefits on behalf of stores ineligible to participate in SNAP and WIC. Alhawa admitted in a plea agreement with the government that he caused a loss to those programs of more than $8.3 million.
Alhawa, 50, of Lockport, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and tax charges. The tax offenses pertained to Alhawa’s filing of false income tax returns for the calendar years 2015 to 2017. The tax offenses caused a federal and state tax loss of more than $610,000.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger imposed the 42-month prison sentence and ordered Alhawa to pay $8.9 million in restitution to the U.S. Treasury, IRS, and State of Illinois.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General.
“Defendant’s offense conduct was serious,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mower argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “SNAP is the nation’s largest federally funded nutrition assistance program. His actions not only deprived those programs of vital financial resources that could otherwise have been made available to deserving recipients, but also risked sowing general disfavor and distrust of government benefit systems.”
Carrollton man sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Carrollton man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Traylan Xavier Mosley, 21, pleaded guilty to advertising child pornography and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on August 26, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Mosley used photos he found online to pretend he was an attractive girl to entice teen and pre-teen boys to send him photos and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct. He then packaged the boys’ photos and videos in a compilation thumbnail image with the individual boy’s name written on top. Customers on various social media platforms would then purchase those packages, either one at a time, or in the case of one customer – the entire collection for $950 – and receive a link to access the content. Federal agents identified more than 45 children across the United States who were victimized by Mosley. Other children were unable to be identified, and leads were sent to foreign law enforcement partners when the children were located outside the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Frisco Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller.
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Career Criminal Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Manufacturing and Selling THC and Psilocybin Products NationwideRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Antonio Irving Benjamin, age 53 and a resident of Salem, Oregon, was sentenced to 144 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to launder the proceeds. He also agreed to forfeit assets worth more than $2 million dollars.
According to court documents, Benjamin and a previously convicted co-conspirator named Jered Hayward operated a large-scale illegal THC and psilocybin production and distribution facility headquartered in Salem, Oregon. Benjamin supervised the operations and managed a number of employees who obtained cereal and candy products and infused or sprayed potent THC oils on them. They then inserted the edibles into packages which mimicked legitimate consumer food products and sold them throughout the United States and internationally. While there was no evidence Benjamin deliberately targeted minors, the manner in which his organization packaged the edibles posed a risk to children, who are often unable to comprehend the fine print warnings that the packages contained THC products.
Benjamin’s organization utilized encrypted communications such as Telegram to market, sell and process orders, and straw businesses to mask money laundering transactions. Benjamin had no permits or licenses to produce or sell these products; the entire operation was illegal.
Benjamin has an extensive criminal record, including two prior federal convictions for cocaine and fentanyl trafficking. Because of these convictions, he is a career criminal under federal law.
Benjamin agreed to forfeit substantial assets which he admitted were related to the drug and money laundering enterprise. As part of his guilty plea Benjamin and Hayward agreed to forfeit:
- The Salem production facility;
- More than $1 million in cash;
- $640,000 worth of cryptocurrency and bank account funds;
- More than $400,000 worth of gold and silver;
- Jewelry and a Rolex watch; and
- Twelve vehicles, two UTV’s, boats and
- A property located at 879 Railway Avenue NE, Silverton, Oregon.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Portland Police Bureau, United States Postal Inspection, Oregon State Police, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Salem Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Kemp Strickland and Christopher Cardani, Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
California Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl in Central PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Donnie Woods, age 45, of Northridge, California, was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary for conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Woods admitted that from July 2020 through at least April 2021, he conspired with others to distribute substantial quantities fentanyl in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. In April 2021, law enforcement in Pennsylvania seized two packages that Woods had sent from California to a residence in York, Pennsylvania. The two packages contained, in total, nearly four kilograms of fentanyl.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted 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).
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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California Man Sentenced for Distributing over 50 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Jacob Paul Arjona (32, Bakersfield, CA) to 17 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and distributing methamphetamine. Arjona pleaded guilty in December 2024.
According to court records, Arjona conspired with others to have more than 500 kilograms of methamphetamine brought to the Middle District of Florida. On October 11, 2023, officers observed Arjona deliver 50 pounds of methamphetamine to his co-defendant, Mario Espino, at a residence in Holiday, Florida. Deputies from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office stopped a rideshare vehicle in which Arjona was a passenger as it left the home in Holiday. During a search of the vehicle, deputies seized over $110,000 in drug proceeds.
Espino pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025. He was sentenced to 22 years and 6 months for his role in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
California Man Charged with Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed last week in Los Angeles charging a California man with mail fraud and various tax crimes related to a tax refund fraud scheme.
The following is according to the indictment: from 2016 through 2025, Melvin Louis Hughes, also known as “Melvin Louis Huges” and “Bandele El,” of Los Angeles County, operated a scheme to file false federal tax returns claiming millions of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds. As alleged in the indictment, Hughes submitted fraudulent Forms 1041, U.S. Income Tax Returns for Estates and Trusts, for himself and others, claiming more than $360 million in fraudulent tax refunds based on fictitious federal income tax withholdings. These tax returns allegedly attached Forms 1099, which falsely reported that major banks, online payment platforms, and other legitimate businesses made payments from which substantial amounts of tax had been withheld and paid over to the IRS. In 2024 and 2025, as a further part of the scheme, Hughes allegedly filed false IRS Forms 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, which claimed more than $370 million in refunds based on false tax withholdings.
Hughes allegedly received approximately $6.2 million in tax refunds. He allegedly used the funds to purchase a $1.84 million house in Malibu, California, two Tesla automobiles, and approximately $500,000 in cryptocurrency.
Hughes also allegedly promoted this scheme to at least 17 other taxpayers, collecting various fees from them in exchange for his assistance. From at least five taxpayers, Hughes allegedly demanded 10% of the refund they received but instructed that the payment be made to Brother to Brother Outreach Trust, another purported trust he created and falsely characterized as a charitable donation. As alleged, Hughes received approximately $868,704.45 from the taxpayers who had utilized his scheme.
In total, Hughes is alleged to have caused a total tax loss to the IRS of approximately $13 million.
Hughes was charged with mail fraud, making a false claim, filing a false tax return, and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making false claims for refund, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing false tax returns, and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation 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 Patrick Burns and Mahana Weidler of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brooklyn, New York Man Charged with Evidence TamperingRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Damien DeJesus, 22, of Brooklyn, New York, has been charged by criminal complaint with evidence tampering for his destruction and attempted destruction of evidence that he believed would be used in a criminal prosecution against him.
On August 20, 2025, DeJesus appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that DeJesus be released on conditions.
According to court records, on August 14, 2025, DeJesus was detained when law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on a residence in Vergennes, Vermont. Law enforcement found controlled substances including cocaine and three loaded firearms inside of the house. After DeJesus was detained, law enforcement investigators brought him to the Vergennes Police Department for questioning. There, DeJesus was searched and placed in a holding cell prior to an interview.
While waiting to be interviewed, DeJesus told investigators that he needed to use the bathroom. DeJesus then entered a bathroom and locked the door. Investigators waited outside the door and then heard plastic crinkling from inside the bathroom. DeJesus was told to finish up and exit the bathroom. DeJesus responded by flushing the toilet, then exiting the bathroom. When investigators brought DeJesus back to his holding cell, they found a sandwich size plastic bag with small torn twist baggies inside with traces of cocaine in one of DeJesus’s hands. Law enforcement then entered the bathroom that DeJesus had just used and observed cocaine base on top of the toilet tank.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that DeJesus is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. DeJesus faces up to twenty years’ incarceration 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 thanked the officers and agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the Rutland City Police Department, the Vergennes Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their work on this matter. The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Arra and Zachary Stendig. DeJesus is represented by Jason Sawyer, Esq.
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).
Bethesda Doctor Sentenced to over a Year in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Distributing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Anissa Maroof, 48, of Potomac, Maryland, to 15 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for distributing and dispensing controlled substances. After she is released from prison, Maroof will serve the first nine months of supervised release on home detention.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to the facts Maroof admitted in her guilty plea, between approximately January 2019 and June 2022, Maroof knowingly caused the distributing and dispensing of Alprazolam (commonly referred to as Xanax), Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (commonly referred to as Adderall), and Buprenorphine. She committed this act with the knowledge that distributing and dispensing the controlled substances were outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
Maroof, a physician who was board certified in addiction psychiatry, owned and operated a medical practice in Bethesda, Maryland. She also had a Drug Enforcement Administration registration number that authorized her to prescribe controlled substances.
Through her medical practice, which was located in Maryland, Maroof provided patients from West Virginia with prescriptions for controlled substances, including Alprazolam, Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, and Buprenorphine. Maroof prescribed patients combinations of Alprazolam, Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, and Buprenorphine without warning them about the risks of combining these medications. She also prescribed controlled substances to patients even after they indicated that they were selling their excess supply of controlled substances through illicit channels.
Additionally, Maroof regularly prescribed controlled substances to patients without providing them with therapeutic services. On numerous occasions, Maroof called in prescriptions to local pharmacies without first seeing the patient, and then she directed the patient to leave cash under her office door in exchange for writing the prescriptions. She also often advised patients how to split filling their prescriptions between different pharmacies.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Sarma and Elizabeth Wright who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Aberdeen, SD Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Aberdeen, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Kaleb Lee Fletcher Kapit, 44, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kapit was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025.
Kapit and others conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Aberdeen, South Dakota. In February 2023, law enforcement seized a package sent to Kapit by his co-conspirator, which contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine and was intended for distribution to others. Through further investigation, law enforcement learned that Kapit had sent money to someone in California on multiple occasions.
This case was investigated by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Kapit was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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“Operation Pick-Off” results in nearly 80 criminal alien arrests throughout the Rio Grande ValleyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A total of 78 people have been taken into custody for various immigration-related violations following a major enforcement action throughout the Rio Grande Valley, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Several have begun to make their appearances before U.S. magistrate judges in McAllen and Brownsville.
Operation Pick-Off it is a multi-agency immigration/violent crime effort targeting criminals in the Rio Grande Valley. It began Aug. 22 and continued through the weekend in the counties of Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr.
“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.”
The overall effort involved the arrests of 65 people who are allegedly in the country illegally after having been previously removed. The charges allege they were serving varying terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and assault. If convicted, most face up to 20 years in federal prison.
In addition to those charged with illegal reentry after removal, authorities arrested two others on misdemeanor warrants for avoidance of examination or inspection by immigration officers. They were also on state probation for other crimes.
Law enforcement also identified and arrested 11 others on similar immigration-related violations who are expected to be immediately removed from the country.
In support of Operation Pick-Off, the FBI, through its Summer Heat initiative, surged resources alongside its law enforcement partners to focus on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets.
“Today’s threats are too complex, too dangerous, and too widespread for any one agency to handle alone. That’s why the FBI joined forces with its law enforcement partners to launch a bold, coordinated strike,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI – San Antonio Field Office. “Operation Pick Off stands as proof of what that unity can achieve, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protecting our southern border.”
“This operation reflects the strength of coordinated law enforcement at every level,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of Border Patrol – Rio Grande Valley Sector. “Through close collaboration we successfully targeted and apprehended individuals who posed a threat to our communities and national security. This mission underscores our commitment to securing our borders and upholding the law through multi-agency operations.”
FBI and Border Patrol worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the primary law enforcement agencies investigating this matter, with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Texas Department of Public Safety and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Brownsville and McAllen Divisions are prosecuting the cases.
The collaborative 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 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.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Milwaukee, Wi., man, Alexander Laykovich, 27, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 48 months in prison, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective.
According to his plea agreement, on January 25, 2024, Laykovich was stopped by a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputy while driving in the Stanford, Ky., area. He had been driving from Wisconsin to North Carolina to Kentucky, where he intended to visit Fort Knox. When Laykovich was stopped, he was wearing body armor, a recording device, and possessed knives, a gas canister, and eight firearms, with six of the firearms being semiautomatic weapons capable of accepting large capacity magazines, and ammunition. A search of his storage unit and delivery boxes in Wisconsin revealed an additional 15 firearms, among other improvised explosive device parts and grenades.
In January 2023, Laykovich had been entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, because he had been adjudicated a mental defective and received a lifetime prohibition from purchasing firearms. Laykovich was aware of the 2023 adjudication and knew he was prohibited from owning a firearm. The firearms in Laykovich’s possession on January 25, 2024, had either been purchased by him prior to the January 2023 adjudication and prohibition, or were purchased by his girlfriend afterwards.
Under federal law, Laykovich must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
“Illegal firearm possession poses a serious threat to the safety of our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “This case reflects the strong collaboration between our office and our federal, state, and local partners, and we are grateful for their commitment to removing illegal firearms from our streets and holding offenders accountable under the law.”
“As a result of law enforcement’s swift actions, a potential act of violence against one of our military installations was thwarted and a large supply of illegally purchased firearms was removed from the hands of a dangerous individual. With this sentence, the defendant has been held accountable for his blatant disregard of the law,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “As always, FBI Louisville and our partners across the Commonwealth are committed to protecting the communities we serve and encourage the public to remain vigilant and immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”
Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Olson; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Shawn Hines, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ATF, KSP, and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Violent Felon Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A previously convicted violent felon has been sentenced to prison after he flaunted videos of his firearms stash and shooting practice on a popular social media platform.
Reggie Jordan, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after a federal jury found him guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in July 2023. Jordan was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. The sentence was imposed by Judge Adams Aug. 19.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on March 18, 2022, the defendant posted a video to Instagram in which five firearms are seen on a table. A shooting target from a popular firing range in Cuyahoga County is also seen within the video’s frame. Sergeant Marlon Wills, of the Cleveland Division of Police and the Safe Streets Task Force, observed the video and was aware of Jordan’s criminal history which prohibited him from possessing firearms. Details in the indictment outline Jordan’s previous convictions including aggravated robbery in 2008; trafficking in drugs and drug possession in 2014; and possession of drugs and trafficking in drugs in 2019.
During the investigation, clear security camera footage of Jordan at the shooting range was obtained. In it, the defendant is observed firing several firearms and wearing distinctive red clothing. He is also seen filming the video that he later posted on Instagram and carrying a backpack stuffed with firearms.
During a search warrant execution of Jordan’s residence, investigators seized six firearms—including the five seen in the Instagram video— and two large-capacity magazines. One firearm was discovered to be stolen. Firearms seized included an Interarms Pioneer Arms Sporter, Model AK-47, 7.62x39 mm caliber rifle; Alex Pro Firearms, multicaliber rifle; four pistols; and ammunition.
The distinctive red clothing that Jordan was seen wearing in the video and the backpack he was carrying were also found. Agents also recovered marijuana, two cellphones, a drug scale, a drug press and a blender with fentanyl residue, and $3,620 in cash from Jordan’s apartment.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, and the Cleveland Division of Police Safe Streets Gang Task Force.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Dangelo and Peter E. Daly for the Northern District of Ohio.
Vanderwagen Man Sentenced for Violent Knife AttackRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Newcomb man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for assaulting another man with a knife, leaving the victim with serious bodily injuries.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on November 12, 2024, Josiah Bodie, 23, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, used a knife to assault a man outside Basha’s grocery store in Shiprock, New Mexico, following an argument. Surveillance video showed Bodie approaching the victim with a knife as the victim attempted to walk away. Witnesses reported that Bodie threw the victim against a wall before stabbing him multiple times.
The victim sustained serious bodily injury that required hospitalization for several days. Bodie was also treated for injuries sustained during the altercation.
Bodie pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Upon his release from prison, Bodie will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
United States uses civil asset forfeiture to recover $1.9M for victim of cryptocurrency investment schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, through civil asset forfeiture, has recovered and cleared title to $1,971,399.80 in investment fraud proceeds and property involved in money laundering. The United States is now in the process of returning that property to the victim.
According to court documents, scam perpetrators first sent an unsolicited text message to the victim about going to Central Park and then continued to engage in communications with the victim. The cryptocurrency investment scheme involved the perpetrators taking time to get to know the victim and earning their trust before encouraging the victim to “invest” in cryptocurrency using a spoofed investment website set up to mimic a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform and funnel victim funds to the perpetrators. The site falsely represented to the victim that their “investments” were making sizeable gains. When the victim attempted to make withdrawals, however, the perpetrators coerced the victim to send more money, using tactics such as claiming the victim owed taxes on their “profits.” Ultimately, the perpetrators never let the victim withdraw any funds and simply stole the victim’s money.
After receiving the victim’s funds, the perpetrators laundered the victim’s funds by conducting a series of convoluted transactions and making quick swaps from one type of cryptocurrency to another.
In December 2024, the FBI and Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office seized just under $2 million from three cryptocurrency wallets. The United States began a civil forfeiture action against the seized funds by publicly filing a civil forfeiture complaint in U.S. District Court. The seized funds have been ordered forfeited, allowing for the return of the funds to the victim.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, made the announcement.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annie Zanobini.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cv-559.
U.P. Man Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
Eugene Rantanen was convicted of killing his 19-month-old son, Carter
MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Eugene Walter-George Rantanen, 37, of L’Anse was sentenced to life in prison for murder and first-degree child abuse. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney commented that the sentence imposed “will do justice” given the defendant’s “horrendous treatment” of his 19-month-old son.
The evidence at trial showed that Rantanen had care and custody of his minor son, Carter, on the night of February 19, 2024. The two were alone at their home on the L’Anse Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community when Rantanen called 911 to report that the nineteen-month-old boy was not breathing. Despite rapid and extensive medical intervention involving three different hospitals, the toddler succumbed to his head injuries on February 24. Numerous treating providers testified that Carter had suffered from abusive assault and inflicted trauma, and the medical examiner found that Carter’s cause of death was blunt-force trauma and the manner of death was homicide. Based on the nature of Carter’s injuries, the government argued that Rantanen was the only person with means and opportunity to commit the murder. The jury agreed, convicting Rantanen of both counts.
“This toddler’s life was tragic. His birth mother had arranged for him to be adopted by a loving family, but Rantanen insisted on having custody of Carter and all evidence suggests that, instead of loving and doting on and caring for Carter, Rantanen subjected him to months of abuse and neglect,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “Although this sentence will not bring this little boy back, we hope it provides some measure of justice and comfort to those who loved Carter, including his birth mother, adoptive parents, and family. My office will work tirelessly, even in difficult cases, to see that offenders are held accountable and justice is done.”
“The conviction of Eugene Rantanen further ensures the public that this child predator and murderer will never again have the opportunity to harm another innocent young soul,” said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I would like to first thank our dedicated team out of the FBI Marquette Resident Agency, whose tireless efforts made this outcome possible. This success was the result of our close partnership with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, Village L’Anse Police, Baraga County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. To the family and loved ones of the innocent child, I extend my deepest condolences. The FBI in Michigan remains unwavering in protecting our children and reassuring our communities that justice will be served.”
The FBI, the Michigan State Police, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, the Baraga County Sheriff’s Office, and the Village of L’Anse Police Department investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexis M. Sanford, Jeanne F. Long, and Theodore J. Greeley prosecuted it.
This case was part of the Department of Justice’s work to combat the missing and murdered indigenous person’s (MMIP) crisis. Per the Bureau of Indian Affairs, “For decades, Native American and Alaska Native communities have struggled with high rates of assault, abduction, and murder of tribal members. Community advocates describe the crisis as a legacy of generations of government policies of forced removal, land seizures and violence inflicted on Native peoples.” The BIA website has more information about the MMIP crisis at https://www.bia.gov/service/mmu/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-people-crisis
Two Fort Thompson Men Sentenced to Years in Federal Prison in Assault CaseRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced two men from Fort Thompson, South Dakota, in a case involving a violent assault with a firearm.
Trevin Witt, age 18, pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On March 31, 2025, Witt was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Lawrence Taylor, age 21, pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. On August 19, 2025, Taylor was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Witt and Taylor were indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. Witt pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025, and Taylor pleaded guilty on May 15, 2025.
The convictions stem from a violent incident that occurred on April 13, 2024, in the Crow Creek Sioux Indian Reservation. On that day, Witt and Taylor forcibly entered the home of the victim. Witt held a gun to the head of a resident demanding to know where the victim was. When the victim came up the stairs from the basement, he was shot by Witt. The victim survived the encounter.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and BIA-Office of Justice Services – Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Both Witt and Taylor were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencings.
Two Charleston Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston men were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area. One of the defendants was also sentenced for violating supervised release.
Kirt Ray King, 48, of Charleston, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and for committing a crime while on supervised release. John Wayne Harkless, 47, of Charleston, was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, King and Harkless conspired with others to participate in the DTO. Harkless sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on nine separate occasions during the time period. Investigators were able to confirm that Harkless was obtaining his methamphetamine from King.
Investigators determined that King was responsible for approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine and was supplying the controlled substance to several individuals including co-defendants in the DTO. At the time of this offense, King was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his December 3, 2004, convictions for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and money laundering. King was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release, to be served concurrently with the prison sentence of six years and six months.
Harkless has a criminal history that includes more than 23 convictions in four states. The investigation of the DTO determined that Harkless was responsible for almost 3 pounds of methamphetamine that he personally distributed.
King and Harkless are among four individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in the DTO conspiracy, and all four pleaded guilty. Anthony Michael Mowery, 49, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on April 21, 2025 to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and violating supervised release. Michael Dale Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on January 29, 2025, to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-95.
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Two Anchorage residents arrested, charged with maintaining a drug-involved premise at a local hotelRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man and woman were arrested on Friday after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging them with conspiring to maintain a drug-involved premise at the Chelsea Inn Hotel (CIH) in Anchorage.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case made the announcement alongside Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John Olson during a press conference at the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2020, Kyoung Seo, 62, an owner of the CIH, and Chantel Fields, 36, allegedly conspired together and with others to maintain the hotel for the purpose of distributing and using controlled substances.
Court documents allege that the FBI and Anchorage Police Department (APD) began investigating allegations of drug trafficking, involving persons living at, working at and frequenting the hotel. It is alleged that Fields used the hotel to store and distribute drugs, directed people looking to buy drugs to their dealers living on the premise and controlled who was allowed to visit the hotel. Fields and Seo allegedly enforced a $20 “door fee” for people visiting the hotel.
Since 2020, law enforcement conducted multiple enforcement and investigatory actions at the CIH, including a February 2025 search warrant execution that resulted in the seizure of nine firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and over 1.2 kilograms of suspected controlled substances.
The investigation revealed many instances of alleged violent crime or drug related activity occurring at the hotel in the past five years. APD records show over 1,000 emergency calls for service to the CIH since 2020. Many of those calls were requests to respond to violent crime, domestic disputes and drug crimes, including homicides and fatal and non-fatal overdoses.
On Friday, Aug. 22, law enforcement executed related search warrants on three locations—the CIH and two residences. During the search of the three locations, law enforcement discovered and seized 11 firearms, including two behind the front desk, thousands of rounds of ammunition, substantial quantities of suspected controlled substances and approximately $45,000.
The FBI also executed a seizure warrant for the CIH property on Friday. The U.S. Marshals Service took custody of the building, effectively ceasing the alleged drug trafficking at the hotel.
Seo and Fields are charged with one count of conspiracy to maintain a drug-involved premises. The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearances on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department are investigating this case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, APD High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Unit, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Alaska State Troopers.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Tirpak and Seth Beausang are 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 and drug trafficking. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three Hondurans Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Arrested for Trafficking Fentanyl in Downtown PortlandRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Three Honduran defendants unlawfully residing in Oregon made their first appearances in federal court on Monday after being arrested and charged for trafficking fentanyl in downtown Portland last Thursday on National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.
Antoni Yahir Pavon-Rosales, 18, has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Cristian Ravolales, 27, has been charged by criminal complaint with distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Kevin Concepcion Ramos-Espinoza, 34, has been charged by criminal complaint with distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on August 21, 2025, investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Central Neighborhood Response Team (NRT) and Bike Squad, PPB Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit (NOC), the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF), and the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) conducted a fentanyl enforcement mission in downtown Portland. Investigators observed defendant Pavon-Rosales attempting to sell fentanyl and arrested him, seizing 22.5 grams of fentanyl and $795. The same evening, investigators observed defendant Ravolales engage in drug trafficking and arrested him, seizing 45.9 grams of fentanyl and $579. Investigators also observed Ramos-Espinoza engaged in multiple acts of drug trafficking and arrested him, seizing 14.7 grams of fentanyl and $2,461. Defendant Ramos-Espinoza has two pending delivery of controlled substance cases in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
All three defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. All three defendants were ordered detained pending further court proceedings. Arraignments have been scheduled for September 24, 2025.
These cases were investigated by the FBI, PPB Central NRT and Bike Squad, PPB NOC, and the CCITF. They are being prosecuted by AUSA Scott Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
CCITF is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, Clackamas County Parole and Probation, and the FBI.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is potentially enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Two Young Males Sentenced for Possession of a MacHinegunRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Kewhan Landrum, 19, and Deyonte’ Betties, 21, of Pensacola, Florida, were sentenced to 36 months and 40 months, respectively, in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of a machinegun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I sincerely appreciate the excellent work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate this case and help bring these two defendants to justice. This is yet another win for the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, and fulfills the promise by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively target violent criminals to improve the safety of our communities.”
According to court records, in October of 2024, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office seized a Glock pistol from Landrum’s possession. The pistol had a machinegun conversion device attached to it, allowing it to function and fire as a machinegun. Law enforcement discovered Landrum acquired the weapon from Betties. Law enforcement also discovered evidence that Betties was in possession of several other firearms with machinegun conversion devices. Landrum and Betties had consistently been engaged in trading firearms and narcotics.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Triston Chacoey Aric Johnson, 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm and ammunition by an unlawful user of controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone and marijuana, possession of a short-barreled rifle in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of ammunition by an unlawful user of controlled substances. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “I applaud the excellent coordination of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners in their detection and investigation of these crimes. My office is committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting armed drug traffickers, and I deeply appreciate the outstanding work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to keep drugs off our streets.”
Court documents reflect that Johnson pleaded guilty to incidents from two separate dates. On October 1, 2023, Johnson fled on foot from a Florida A&M University (FAMU) police officer. Surveillance video showed Johnson hide a purple bag near a car. The next morning a FAMU employee reported finding a firearm and a purple bag. The purple bag contained a second firearm, marijuana packaged for sale, mushrooms, a digital scale with marijuana residue, and Johnson’s credit and debit cards.
On July 17, 2024, Johnson got into a verbal argument with another individual who was returning home in the early morning hours. Johnson and the other individual were both armed. Johnson shot the other individual, striking him in the heart. The other individual fired back, accidentally striking his girlfriend multiple times as Johnson fled.
Following the homicide, the Tallahassee Police Department executed a search warrant at Johnson’s apartment, finding loose oxycodone pills, approximately 1.4 pounds of marijuana, over 25 empty one-pound vacuum seal bags with marijuana residue, various types of ammunition, and a short-barreled rifle which had been previously stolen from a Leon County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
Johnson faces at least 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment.
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the FAMU Department of Campus Safety and Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 17, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor
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).
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Serial Child Molester Sentenced to over 27 YearsRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, MS – A Moundville, Alabama man was sentenced today to 328 months in prison for enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, Angel Chavez-Heras, 35, solicited sexually explicit pictures and videos through various online applications from a minor victim, aged 14, located in the Northern District of Mississippi. On at least two occasions, Chavez-Heras traveled over 2 hours to sexually assault the minor. When agents searched Chavez-Heras’s electronic devices, they discovered he had engaged in this behavior with a number of other minor victims. Charges in other jurisdictions will be pursued separately.
In announcing his sentence, Chief Judge Debra Brown imposed over 27 years in prison and supervised release for five years. Chavez-Heras will be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison as well as pay restitution to the minor victim.
“This sentence is a message to anyone who would think about traveling to the Northern District of Mississippi to prey on children – you will go to prison for a very long time,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The case began with a concerned parent making a report to the Pontotoc P.D. about and unknown person contacting a child on social media, and Deputy Chief Nathan Gregory led an investigation that began with just a social media handle and a vehicle description that he tracked to the out of state defendant and then asked for assistance from HSI…this outstanding result represents what is possible with effective state and local collaboration.”
"HSI, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us—our children. The sentencing of this serial child molester for enticing a minor is a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement and the justice system to hold perpetrators accountable,” said ICE HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune. “This case underscores the importance of vigilance, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to ensuring the safety and security of every child in our nation."
Pontotoc Police Chief Bob Poe stated, “This department will do everything in our power to protect our kids from those who would abuse or exploit them, and I am proud that we were able to take a case without much to go on at first, and with the help of the Moundville P.D. and the Department of Homeland Security make sure that a serial child predator is behind bars where he belongs.”
The Department of Homeland Security and the Pontotoc Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the 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.
Selah Man Sentenced to 5 years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that Kevin Lee Towner, age 61, of Selah, Washington, was sentenced to 60 months (5 years) in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Rebecca L. Pennell on August 21, 2025. Towner pled guilty to the charge of Possession of Child Pornography on April 10, 2025.
According to court documents, after a search warrant was executed on October 6, 2020, at Towner’s residence he was found to have electronic storage media containing images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He admitted to using peer-to-peer file sharing to obtain images of child pornography. Towner was found to possess over 3,000 images of child pornography. In addition to 60 months of imprisonment and ten years of supervised release, Judge Pennell imposed $45,000 in restitution to victims depicted in the child pornography files Towner possessed. Judge Pennell also required Towner to pay $17,000 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 (“AVAA”). Special penalty assessments imposed pursuant to that Act go to a fund from which child pornography victims can draw a one-time payment depending on the amount of restitution they have already received. In addition, Judge Pennell imposed a special penalty assessment of $5,000 pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, which imposes an assessment on any non-indigent person or entity convicted of an offense involving: (1) peonage, slavery, and trafficking in persons; (2) sexual abuse; (3) sexual exploitation and other abuse of children; (4) transportation for illegal sexual activity; or (5) human smuggling in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The money assessed shall be directed into a fund and used to support the Internet Crimes Against Children task forces as well as programs providing services to victims of human trafficking and child abuse.
“This sentence sends a powerful reminder to Mr. Towner and others like him: Crimes that exploit children cannot, and will not be tolerated,” stated U.S. Attorney Serrano. “Thanks to the dedicated work of the FBI and prosecutors from my office, we were able to hold Mr. Towner accountable and protect the most vulnerable among us.”
W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office stated, “Child sexual abuse material is extremely damaging to young people, especially because it is often repeatedly shared and can be nearly impossible to remove from the Internet. Mr. Towner was found to possess not just some but thousands of these graphic images, including of very young children, and he will now face the consequences of that conduct. The FBI is committed to protecting child victims by holding these kinds of predators accountable and showing them they cannot hide their illegal online activity.”
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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Murphy.
1:24-cr-02059-SAB
Saratoga Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Conner Buskey, age 20, of Saratoga Springs, New York, was arrested and charged on Friday with receipt and possession of child pornography.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Buskey had previously been arrested by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and charged with raping a minor victim who was known to him. Buskey’s phone was seized at the time of his arrest, and images and videos of child sexual abuse material were found, leading to the federal charges. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Buskey appeared in federal court on Friday afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista and was ordered remanded to custody.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Conner Buskey was arrested and charged in state court with raping a minor, but was inexplicably released on bail. He is a danger to the community who should be detained, which is why my office has charged him. I thank our partners at the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their work in helping bring this individual to justice, and keeping our children and community safe from this alleged predator.”
Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Buffalo Field Office, said: “Conner Buskey is accused of abhorrent crimes against an innocent child, and would be roaming free if not for the federal charges brought last week. I applaud our HSI Albany personnel, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York for ensuring the wellbeing of the public, including and especially victims and vulnerable communities, remains the priority above all else.”
The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. Each charge carries a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Buskey would also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Walter is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
San Joaquin County Man Arrested for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Timothy McCulley, 35, of Escalon, was arrested today after a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging him with production of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 9 and 14, 2024, McCulley used a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, which includes the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, McCulley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of production of child sexual abuse material. 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Brady Makes Room For Them, age 40, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Makes Room For Them was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.
Makes Room For Them was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in September 2005. Consequently, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment or student status. Makes Room For Them was convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in 2012, 2018, and 2023. In December 2024, Makes Room For Them updated his sex offender registration with the Rapid City Police Department. He relocated from his registered address on March 6, 2025, but did not thereafter update his sex offender registration. On March 20, 2025, Makes Room For Them was arrested in Rapid City.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Makes Room For Them was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 20 Years for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in the Rapid City AreaRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of two counts of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 15, 2025.
Michael Cole, a/k/a “Texas,” 34, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. For Count 2, Cole was also sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Both sentences are set to run concurrently.
Cole was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 31, 2025.
Between January 2024 and February 2024, Cole engaged in a conspiracy with others to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout the Rapid City area. Cole travelled to Colorado, where he purchased large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Cole would then transport the narcotics back to South Dakota for further distribution. Cole was on federal supervised release for a prior drug conspiracy at the time of his participation in this conspiracy.
“This investigation resulted in the seizure of more than seven pounds of methamphetamine and over 2,000 counterfeit M/30 fentanyl pills destined for distribution in the Rapid City area,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Thanks to the dogged work of the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team and this resulting federal prosecution, Cole will be spending the next two decades of his life in prison.”
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is comprised of investigators from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the National Guard Counter Drug Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Cole was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Prolific drug distributor with lengthy criminal record sentenced to 10 years in prison for role in drug ring tied to Aryan prison gangRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 52-year-old Tukwila, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 120 months in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Anthony Escoto was indicted in connection with a two-year investigation of drug trafficking organizations connected to the Aryan Family and Omerta prison gangs. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “Controlled substances cause a huge amount of damage… the damage is not just to the individual but also to the community.”
According to records filed in the case Escoto was repeatedly heard on the wiretap investigation ordering up pound quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills for distribution to his drug customers. Following one drug deal the car Escoto was riding in was stopped by police. The co-defendant driving Escoto claimed the drugs in the car were his. Investigators had heard Escoto making the deal over the wiretap and knew the drugs belonged to Escoto. When authorities searched Escoto’s residence on March 22, 2023, they found more methamphetamine and two firearms, a shotgun and an SKS rifle, which as a felon he is prohibited from possessing.
Escoto denies being a member of an Aryan prison gang but has multiple neo-Nazi tattoos and was previously charged with assault for biting a prison guard while yelling racial slurs. He has an adult criminal history spanning more than three decades with convictions for aggravated assault, identity theft, drug trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice and domestic assault.
On March 22, 2023, law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.
On April 22, 2025, Escoto pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The top-level leader of the drug trafficking ring, Jesse Bailey, was sentenced in July to 17.5 years in prison. Prosecutors recommended a 13-year prison term for Escoto writing to the court, “Escoto’s criminality is a result of his decisions, his attitudes toward criminal activity, and his disrespect for other individual members of society who may be victimized by such behavior. Escoto committed the instant offenses in association with members of the Aryan Family and Omerta prison gangs, and while he denies belonging to either gang, he appears to share their ideology of white supremacy and racial animus.”
Chief Judge Estudillo ordered Escoto to be on five years of federal supervised release following his prison term.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer.
Previously Deported Man Pleaded Guilty to Misuse of a Social Security Number and Selling a Fraudulent California Driver’s LicenseRead the Press Release
Javier Aguilera Rosas, 43, residing in Los Angeles, pleaded guilty today to transfer of a false identity document, misuse of a social security number, and reentry of a removed alien, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between August 2020 and December 2023, Rosas transferred at least 20 false identification documents to multiple buyers in the Eastern District of California. On multiple occasions, buyers submitted orders to Rosas through text message asking for fraudulent passports, driver’s licenses, and/or Social Security cards. After obtaining the fraudulent IDs as specified by the particular buyer, Rosas mailed the false IDs to the buyer. On at least four occasions, he provided IDs containing the true name, birthdate, and Social Security number of identity theft victims.
At least one buyer used the false IDs Rosas provided to sell marijuana out of state, pay for short-term rentals, and travel, including passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case.
Rosas is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Jan. 12, 2026. Rosas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Poland Man Sentenced, Ordered to Repay $45,615.78 for Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Poland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Peter Files, 60, to 30 months of probation and ordered him to pay $45,615.78 in restitution. Files pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025.
According to court records, Files lied to the Maine Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) for more than a decade. In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Files falsely represented to Maine DHHS that he and his wife lived separately, and he omitted her presence from his household. Files knew that he was required to disclose that information, and that it could affect his eligibility for benefits. When interviewed by federal investigators, Files acknowledged that he had lived with his wife during the relevant period.
Files’ wife, Susie Files, previously pleaded guilty to Social Security and SNAP fraud on May 19, 2025. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2025.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and Maine DHHS’s Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit investigated the case.
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Pensacola Man Federally Charged with ArsonRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Gregory E. Simonds Jr., 42, of Pensacola, has been indicted in federal court for arson by means of an explosive damaging a building located at 792 Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach and causing personal injury. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Simonds is scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon on August 27, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida.
If convicted, Simonds faces a minimum mandatory of seven years’ imprisonment up to a maximum term of 40 years’ imprisonment.
The indictment was the result of a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.