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25 August 2025
Pensacola Arson Results in Federal IndictmentRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Justin J. Wright, 35, of Bay Shore, New York, has been indicted in federal court on charges of cyberstalking, attempted interstate extortion of a public official, and the use of fire to commit a federal felony offense. The charges stem from his alleged criminal acts leading up to June 1, 2024, in Pensacola. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Wright is scheduled for his initial appearance and arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on September 10, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
If convicted, Wright faces a mandatory minimum ten years’ imprisonment on the charges in the Indictment.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pensacola Police Department, and the State of Florida, Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosive Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access 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.
Operator of SeaTac drug ring ‘stash house’ sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised releaseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 22-year-old native of Sinaloa, Mexico was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, for operating a stash house for the drug trafficking organization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jose Carlos Peraza Alvarez was arrested August 2, 2024, when Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents raided the SeaTac, Washington stash house where Peraza Alvarez resided. DEA agents seized 70 kilograms of methamphetamine, three kilograms of heroin, one kilogram of fentanyl pills, and six kilograms of fentanyl powder. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson said, “The aggravating point is the quantity of drugs seized. This is a serious offense involving large amounts of controlled substances.”
According to records filed in the case, Peraza Alvarez came onto the radar of law enforcement in the summer of 2024. The DEA was investigating a drug trafficking organization and by July 2024, was able to surveil and determine Peraza Alvarez’ address in the city of SeaTac. In early August they searched Peraza Alvarez’s address as well as the address of a co-conspirator in Kent, Washington. That co-conspirator, Martin Alonzo Peinado Torres, served as a runner for the drug trafficking organization. Peinado Torres had minimal amounts of drugs at his residence but had more than $12,000 in cash at the time of the search. Peinado Torres was sentenced in June 2025 to 22 months in prison.
Peraza Alvarez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in May 2025.
In asking for a 6-year sentence for Peraza Alvarez prosecutors noted the deadly consequences of both fentanyl and methamphetamine. “While Mr. Peraza Alvarez certainly possessed copious amount of deadly fentanyl, he also had a sizable cache of methamphetamine. Fentanyl is obviously known for its deadly properties, the government also notes that methamphetamine was the second most common drug involved in King County overdose deaths in 2024. In 2024, there were 581 overdose deaths that involved methamphetamine, which represented 56% of all overdose deaths in King County,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.
Peraza Alvarez was illegally in the United States and will likely be deported following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 250 Months for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Joshua M. Meyer, 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 22, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of child pornography with a prior conviction. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Meyer to 250 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Meyer’s release from prison, he will begin a 20-year term of supervised release. Meyer was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to each of the six identified victims.
On August 18, 2023, Medialab/KIK (KIK) made a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating a KIK user uploaded files depicting child pornography between June 27, 2023, and July 17, 2023. The IP address associated with the CyberTip resolved to an Omaha residence belonging to Meyer. A member of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force obtained a search warrant for Meyer’s KIK account and, in reviewing the KIK account’s contents, learned Meyer sent the child pornography files reported in the CyberTip to other KIK users between June 27, 2023, and July 17, 2023. During the investigation, KIK made three additional reports to NCMEC regarding users sharing child pornography on the social media application. The IP addresses associated with these reports also resolved to Meyer’s residence.
During an interview, Meyer admitted to using the various KIK accounts reported to NCMEC to send child pornography to other KIK users and receive child pornography from other KIK users. Meyer is a registered sex offender. On February 6, 2014, Meyer was convicted of receipt and distribution of child pornography in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. Meyer was serving a 120-month supervised release term when he distributed child pornography in June and July 2023. Meyer acknowledged possessing a TracFone to circumvent restrictions placed on his known cell phone as part of supervised release. Meyer used this TracFone to access KIK and distribute child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s 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.
This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Lucas J. Lacy, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for Accessing with Intent to View Visual Depictions of Minors Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lacy to 10 years’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lacy’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Lacy was sentenced on February 2, 2009, in the District of Nebraska for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. He received a sentence of 60 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. On July 16, 2018, Lacy was sentenced in the District of Nebraska for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release.
On November 22, 2021, the United States Probation Office conducted a search of Lacy’s residence in Omaha. The search recovered two unauthorized cellphones. One of the phones held at least one image of child pornography. Further analysis of the phone revealed at least 16 internet search terms indicative of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s 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.
This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
New Orleans Woman Indicted for Making and Passing Counterfeit $100 BillsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that AMANDA CANGELOSI (“CANGELOSI”), age 39, was indicted on August 22, 2025, for conspiracy to make and pass counterfeit United States currency, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and passing counterfeit one hundred dollar bills, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 472.
According to the indictment, CANGELOSI, conspired with others to manufacture counterfeit one hundred dollar bills and used the counterfeit bills to pay for goods and services. CANGELOSI and her co-conspirators used genuine $1 bills to create the counterfeit $100 bills all to deceive merchants into believing the currency was a genuine $100 bill. CANGELOSI is charged with knowingly passing three counterfeit $100 bills to pay for a hotel stay at a hotel in Metairie, LA. If convicted of conspiracy, CANGELOSI faces up to five years’ imprisonment and up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of passing counterfeit currency. If convicted of both counts, she also faces, up to a $500,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $200 special assessment fee. CANGELOSI also may be ordered to pay restitution.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiwana Wright of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Mission Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter and Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on August 19, 2025.
Eric Roubideaux, II, age 21, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for Voluntary Manslaughter and 10 years in federal prison for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, with the sentences to be served concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release. Roubideaux was further ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Roubideaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025.
In the early morning hours of July 7, 2024, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, Roubideaux was with family members at a residence in Mission, South Dakota. Roubideaux became angry and attacked a family member with a garden hoe and kicked and stomped her with shod feet. He then fled the residence. The family member suffered injuries that included a concussion and a laceration to her scalp that required medical attention. After he fled the residence, Roubideaux came upon a man walking along the street and confronted him. Roubideaux attacked the man with a stick and knocked him to the ground. Roubideaux then kicked and stomped the man with shod feet, including repeatedly kicking the man in the head. Roubideaux fled the scene, but he was arrested a short time later. The man suffered fatal blunt force trauma injuries.
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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Roubideaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mishawaka Man Sentenced to 72 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Kevin Ellis, 41 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Ellis was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, police conducted a traffic stop on a car that Ellis was driving and found a loaded gun with a large capacity magazine, fentanyl pills, methamphetamine pills, marijuana, and a digital scale. Police then executed a search warrant on Ellis’s house in Mishawaka and found more fentanyl and methamphetamine pills. Ellis was a felon and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. His criminal history includes a prior federal firearms conviction.
“Kevin Ellis admitted that he illegally possessed a gun,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “He also admitted that he possessed, and planned to distribute, some of the most dangerous drugs available. His case shows that those exposing the citizens of this District to such dangers will suffer the consequences. I thank all the public servants involved in this case for bringing it to a just end.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to over 19 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jesus Perez Garcia Jr., 25, of Arleta, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 19 years and seven months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Garcia worked for a Mexico-based drug-trafficking ring that imported from Mexico into the United States large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. That drug ring was dismantled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in June 2024, in an operation dubbed “Toxic Waste.”
Garcia was arrested in June 2022, trying to smuggle 25 pounds of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico. He was charged but skipped bail. While a fugitive, he began serving as a “stash house” operator for a Mexican-based drug ring. Between July 2023 and March 2024, he maintained the organization’s drugs in the United States and distributed them to others who resold them. He was involved in trafficking over 3,500 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 pounds of fentanyl. In March 2024, he was arrested while transporting methamphetamine and a firearm.
Garcia was indicted along with 14 others in an investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. As evidenced by tens of thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (in powder and pill form) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi-trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Los Angeles Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Maine Man Arrested in Missouri After Being Charged with Making False Statements to the GovernmentRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Forest City Township man was arrested on August 21 in La Plata, Missouri, after being charged with making false statements to the Government.
According to court records, Gregory P. Heimann Jr., 51, was indicted in October 2024 for making false statements to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, Heimann is alleged to have falsely represented to the VA in May 2023 that he had been wheelchair bound since 2004 and was unable to walk or stand. Before the indictment, Heimann had been charged by federal criminal complaint for the same offense. An arrest warrant issued in April 2024. As alleged in the affidavit in support of the complaint, Heimann was documented and recorded walking and standing without the assistance of any mobility devices on numerous occasions in Maine.
Following an investigation into Heimann’s whereabouts by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Maine Violent Offender Task Force, Heimann was arrested in La Plata, Missouri by USMS investigators from the Eastern District of Missouri. The VA Office of Inspector General and the Maine Warden Service also assisted in the investigation.
Heimann appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on August 22 and was ordered to remain in USMS custody pending a future court appearance in the District of Maine.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Lincoln Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Vincent James Foster, 27, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 21, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine along with unspecified amounts of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols and for being a felon in possession of eight firearms. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Foster to 120 months’ imprisonment on each count to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Foster’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Foster will also forfeit $5,597.00 in U.S. currency to the United States of America.
Information obtained by law enforcement indicated Foster was involved in the sale of cocaine, marijuana, and tetrahydrocannabinols in the Lincoln area between April 11, 2021, and August 10, 2023. On August 10, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Foster’s Lincoln residence. During that search, they found more than 828 grams of cocaine, 1.8 kilograms of marijuana, 86 1-gram THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) concentrate containers, and other evidence of drug distribution. A total of $5,597.00 in U.S. currency was seized from Foster’s car and his residence.
Investigators also found eight handguns with magazines and ammunition. Two of the guns were found to be stolen. Foster was prohibited from possessing firearms due to two prior felony convictions in Lancaster County District Court for burglary in 2017 and possession of a controlled substance in 2021.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marcus Allen Johnson, also known as “Mook,” 40, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson sold approximately 53.76 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on January 14, 2025. The transaction occurred in the informant’s vehicle that was parked on 10th Avenue in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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. 3:25-cr-96.
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Human smugglers head to federal prison after recruiting drivers on social mediaRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Houston residents have been sentenced following their convictions for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Richard Dell Carroll II, 26, and Josue Isaac Hernandez aka Dre, 23, pleaded guilty May 28 and April 3, respectively, admitting they worked together to recruit drivers from around the country to smuggle illegal aliens to Houston in exchange for money.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now imposed a 66-month term of imprisonment for both men to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard how Carroll lied about his background, falsely claiming Tesla employed him and that he was enrolled at Rice University. Evidence showed Carroll portrayed himself as an entrepreneur and financial adviser to those he recruited, offering to invest their illegal proceeds despite having no qualifications. In imposing the sentence, Judge Morales told Carroll he needed to focus on his integrity in the future and that he should not embellish things in person or online because when people believe it, it could lead to fraud.
Hernandez had used his illegal gains to fund a lavish lifestyle that included international trips and private jets.
Testimony also detailed the inhumane conditions the smuggled aliens faced. In one instance, a seven-year-old girl was sweating inside a plastic bin after being separated from her mother. In another, authorities discovered two young women hidden in a fake speaker box in a trunk which reached temperatures of 102.4 degrees.
The court heard that law enforcement had apprehended more than 100 aliens during at least 53 failed smuggling attempts that could be definitively linked to Carroll and Hernandez.
In December 2022, authorities began linking a series of smuggling attempts after repeatedly encountering illegal aliens hidden in fake speaker boxes inside car trunks and in large plastic totes concealed with sheets. The investigation revealed Hernandez and Carroll were the coordinators and had recruited drivers through Instagram and other social media platforms. Law enforcement also uncovered shopping lists Hernandez and Carroll sent to drivers and discovered they had arranged the installation of the fake speaker boxes. They also charged drivers $1,000 per alien to recover costs.
Hernandez and Carroll will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Pena prosecuted the case.
Hugo Residents Sentenced for Interstate Transport of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Carl Wilson, age 38, and Candice Marie Logan, age 35, of Hugo, Oklahoma, were each sentenced in federal district court for transporting stolen goods across state lines.
On April 3, 2025, Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods. On August 8, 2025, Wilson was sentenced to 30 months in prison and court-ordered restitution of $285,749.45.
On April 15, 2025, Logan pleaded guilty to one Count of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods. On August 19, 2025, Logan was sentenced to 8 months in prison and court-ordered restitution of $45,067.00.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Department, and the Paris, Texas Police Department.
According to investigators, on January 16, 2024, Wilson and Logan knowingly transported stolen industrial radio equipment from Hugo, Oklahoma, to Paris, Texas.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Wilson and Logan will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Honduran National Sentenced to 37 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Ricardo Castro Murillo, 34 years old, of Honduras, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in two cases, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Castro Murillo was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $533,043 in restitution. Castro Murillo has no legal status within the United States and will be subject to a separate and immediate removal process upon release from prison.
According to documents in each case, on January 11, 2023, Castro Murillo and his co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 169 fraudulent paychecks totaling $233,569 at three branches of the same bank in the Northern District of Indiana. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a company that operates dairy farms in the Northern District of Indiana.
Almost six months later, on June 23, 2023, Castro Murillo and his co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 178 fraudulent paychecks totaling $299,474 at five branches of the same bank and three check cashing businesses in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a building materials supply company in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Castro Murillo participated in a far-reaching conspiracy that caused major financial harm to community banks and small businesses across the United States. Due to the unwavering efforts and collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, Castro Murillo was brought to justice for his role in this scheme,” said Proctor. “The sentence imposed by the court sends a message that there are real consequences for engaging in fraud, particularly in northwest Indiana.”
“The illicit actions of co-conspirators to commit bank fraud as they travel throughout the United States will not be tolerated,” said Matthew J. Scarpino, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago. “HSI will continue to partner with our fellow law enforcement agencies to disrupt these types of offenders and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Sophisticated fraud operations like this require investigative teamwork that spans state lines,” said Sergeant Jeremy Piers, Public Information Officer for the Indiana State Police. “From the first lead to the final arrest, our detectives, troopers, and support staff worked relentlessly alongside federal, state, and local partners to track the suspects’ movements, gather critical evidence, and bring this scheme to an end. This outcome reflects countless hours of coordination and determination, and it sends a clear message: when criminal activity crosses into Indiana, we will work tirelessly with our partners to protect our communities, our businesses, and our financial institutions.”
Co-conspirator Luis Banegas Rodriguez was previously sentenced to 27 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Indiana State Police, with valuable assistance provided by the Benton County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Benton County (Indiana) Prosecutor’s Office, the Poteau (Oklahoma) Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Travis County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, and the Houston (Texas) Police Department. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Lupa from the Northern District of Indiana and Assistant United States Attorneys Kara Traster and Jordan Howanitz from the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Grand Jury for the District of NebraskaRead the Press Release
Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 10 unsealed Indictments charging 14 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anthony Masquat, age 20, of Winnebago, Nebraska, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm on or about April 5, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Lawrence Smith, age 31, of Lyons, Nebraska, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from on or about February 27, 2025, to on or about June 15, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Kalam K. Yiel, age 24, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about August 9, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Ketankumar Chaudhari, age 36, of Elkhorn, Nebraska; Rashmi Samani, age 42, of Elkhorn, Nebraska; Amit P. Chaudhari, age 32, of Omaha, Nebraska; Amit B. Chaudhari, age 33, Omaha, Nebraska; and Maheshkumar Chaudhari, age 38, of Norfolk, Nebraska, are charged in a 24-count Indictment. Count I charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with sex trafficking of a minor and by force, fraud or coercion beginning on an unknown date, but from at least on or about February 1, 2022, and continuing through on or about June 27, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with sex trafficking of a minor and by force, fraud or coercion beginning on an unknown date, but from at least on or about December 16, 2024, and continuing through on or about January 7, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with sex trafficking of a minor and by force, fraud or coercion beginning on an unknown date, but from at least on or about December 16, 2024, and continuing through on or about January 7, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with maintaining a drug premises between on or about January 1, 2021, and August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with maintaining a drug premises between on or about April 9, 2021, and August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VI charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with maintaining a drug premises between on or about March 9, 2023, and August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with maintaining a drug premises between June 15, 2023, and August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VIII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, Amit B. Chaudhari, and Maheshkumar Chaudhari with conspiracy to commit labor trafficking by peonage between on or about January 1, 2022, and August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IX charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, Amit B. Chaudhari and Maheshkumar Chaudhari with conspiracy to commit labor trafficking by peonage between on or about January 1, 2022, and August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count X charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, and Amit B. Chaudhari with conspiracy to commit labor trafficking by peonage between on or about June 1, 2025, and August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XI charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, Amit P. Chaudhari, Amit B. Chaudhari and Maheshkumar Chaudhari with conspiracy to harbor aliens beginning on an unknown date, but from at least on or about January 1, 2021, and continuing through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens beginning on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens beginning on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XIII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens between on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XIV charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens between on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XV charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens between on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XVI charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens between on or about February 28, 2022, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XVII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens between on or about January 1, 2025, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XVIII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with harboring aliens between on or about July 4, 2025, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IXX charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with transporting aliens between on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about June 20, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XX charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with transporting aliens between on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about June 20, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XXI charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with transporting aliens between on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about June 20, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XXII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Samani, and Amit P. Chaudhari with transporting aliens between on or about June 15, 2025, through on or about June 20, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XXIII charges Ketankumar Chaudhari and Rashmi Samani with conspiracy to defraud the United States on or about August 1, 2011, through on or about August 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XXIV charges Ketankumar Chaudhari and Rashmi Samani with fraud and misuse of visas sometime after December 12, 2022, but before May 1, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Alex Abel Avila Matute, age 34
Ediberto Garcia Donis, age 48
Roberto Carlos Carrillo Garcia, age 37
Benito Perez Mendoza, age 53
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Carlos Eduardo Galan Vargas, age 46
Cesar Meza-Marta, age 53
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Contact Amy Donato at 402-661-3700 for further information.
Fugitive Gang Member Arrested on Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Vice Lord gang member from Athol, Mass. has been arrested after two months at-large as a wanted fugitive. At the time of the alleged gun and drug offenses, the defendant was on parole following multiple six to 10-year concurrent state prison sentences.
Keith Harlow, a/k/a “Lord Savage,” 39, of Athol, Mass., was arrested this morning in Smyrna, Ga., on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; and engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license.
Harlow will appear in a Georgia State Court on state fugitive charges pertaining to a pending Parole Warrant and related state charges. He will appear in federal court in the Northern District of Georgia at a later date to face extradition to the District of Massachusetts.
Harlow’s three co-defendants – Jonathan Perry, a/k/a “Peazy,” 25, of Arlington, Mass.; Andrew Poor, 29, of Athol, Mass.; and Dante Machuca, 25, of Athol, Mass., were arrested on related state charges in May 2025 and charged in federal court in June 2025. Perry is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Poor is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; and Machuca is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. Harlow fled the District of Massachusetts and has been a fugitive since May 2025.
According to the charging documents, Harlow is a member of a Vice Lords chapter known as the Four Corner Hustlers. Known by his street name “Lord Savage,” Harlow has been convicted of multiple prior armed robberies and, at the time of the alleged offenses, was on parole following multiple six to 10-year concurrent state prison sentences.
It is alleged that during 2025, while on state parole, Harlow sent numerous text messages and was captured in photographs and video recordings in possession of firearms, a suppressor and machinegun conversion device – commonly known as a selector “switch.” In numerous text messages, Harlow allegedly discussed the manufacturing of firearms and selector switches and the sale of numerous firearms he had in his possession.
According to the charging documents, one of the firearms seized during the investigation was allegedly purchased by Poor and given to Harlow. Further investigation of Poor revealed his alleged involvement in a January 2025 home invasion of a residence in Athol. Dante Machuca was also identified as allegedly participating in the home invasion, along with Harlow and Poor.
According to the charging documents, Harlow, Poor and Machuca are alleged to have entered into the residence of a suspected drug dealer armed with firearms in order to rob the dealer of drugs and proceeds. Harlow is alleged to have engaged in a struggle with the dealer and fired his weapon to demonstrate its authenticity, before putting the hot barrel of the firearm against the victim’s abdomen. At the time of this home invasion, Harlow was on parole for multiple state prison terms.
It is alleged that during a search of Harlow’s residence on May 29, 2025, multiple firearm receivers, suspected firearm suppressors, machinegun conversion devices, 3D printers and firearm manufacturing supplies were recovered. Approximately 100 grams of suspected cocaine was also allegedly found in the residence.
A review of Perry’s cellphone seized during his arrest on state charges on May 29, 2025, allegedly revealed that Harlow and Perry worked together to distribute controlled substances and sell firearms throughout Massachusetts. It is further alleged that, in text message communications, Harlow and Perry discussed committing multiple robberies and using firearms to shoot at various individuals. At the time of the alleged offenses: Harlow and Perry were prohibited from possessing firearms due to numerous prior felony convictions, including Perry’s youthful offender conviction of manslaughter. At the time of all the messages, Harlow was on parole following multiple concurrent state prison sentences for multiple armed robberies and Perry was on probation for a domestic violence offense.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiring to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of unlicensed manufacturing and dealing in firearms provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Kevin Neal, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; David E. Sullivan, Northwestern District Attorney; and Athol Police Chief Craig Lundgren made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia; the Massachusetts State Police; the Franklin County House of Correction; and the Massachusetts Department of Correction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
harlow_-_complaint_affidavit.pdf
Former Maui Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – A former Maui Police Department officer pleaded guilty Friday to one count of using unreasonable force against an arrestee. According to the plea agreement, on Jan. 6, 2024, Carlos Frate, 40, repeatedly tased the arrestee, even though the arrestee was not resisting or posing any threat. Frate admitted that he knew that his force was unjustified, but he nonetheless continued to tase the arrestee despite the arrestee’s pleas for him to stop.
“Officers who abuse their position of authority to inflict excessive force must be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate — and where appropriate, prosecute — alleged police misconduct.”
“Our police officers are entrusted to protect our citizens and perform their duties professionally, and it is the norm here in Hawaii that our law enforcement officers faithfully serve and protect us. In those rare instances where an officer abuses the public trust by using excessive force, that officer will be held accountable and prosecuted,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii. “This Office will continue to safeguard the constitutional rights of all of Hawaii’s citizens, including individuals under arrest.”
“We entrust our law enforcement officers with vast power and authority, and when they abuse it, they’re not just depriving victims of their civil rights, but they are also degrading the public’s trust in our criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge David Porter of the FBI Honolulu Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who violates federal law, regardless of their position.”
Frate faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. His final sentence will be determined at a hearing scheduled for Jan. 6, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Micah W. J. Smith based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case based on a referral from the Maui Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese for the District of Hawaii and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Former Maui Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
A former Maui Police Department officer pleaded guilty Friday to one count of using unreasonable force against an arrestee. According to the plea agreement, on Jan. 6, 2024, Carlos Frate, 40, repeatedly tased the arrestee, even though the arrestee was not resisting or posing any threat. Frate admitted that he knew that his force was unjustified, but he nonetheless continued to tase the arrestee despite the arrestee’s pleas for him to stop.
“Officers who abuse their position of authority to inflict excessive force must be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate — and where appropriate, prosecute — alleged police misconduct.”
“Our police officers are entrusted to protect our citizens and perform their duties professionally, and it is the norm here in Hawaii that our law enforcement officers faithfully serve and protect us. In those rare instances where an officer abuses the public trust by using excessive force, that officer will be held accountable and prosecuted,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii. “This Office will continue to safeguard the constitutional rights of all of Hawaii’s citizens, including individuals under arrest.”
“We entrust our law enforcement officers with vast power and authority, and when they abuse it, they’re not just depriving victims of their civil rights, but they are also degrading the public’s trust in our criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge David Porter of the FBI Honolulu Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who violates federal law, regardless of their position.”
Frate faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. His final sentence will be determined at a hearing scheduled for Jan. 6, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Micah W. J. Smith based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case based on a referral from the Maui Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese for the District of Hawaii and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Former Basketball Coach Sentenced for Transporting a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, MS – A Memphis, Tennessee man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity with a minor under 16 years old and stalking after the minor turned 18.
According to court documents, Andreus Shannon, 44, held himself out as a basketball coach for an area homeschool association. With his position, he groomed the parents and a minor female basketball player until he was trusted to drive the player to practices and scrimmages in Mississippi and Tennessee. Over several years, Shannon sexually exploited the minor at his home in Memphis, Tennessee, gyms across Mississippi and Tennessee, and his rental property in Tennessee. When the player turned 18, Shannon began a campaign of cyberstalking when the player attempted to break up with him. Shannon also threatened to release sexually explicit images of the player in order to extort her into a continued sexual relationship. These actions continued for two years.
Chief District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Shannon to 144 months in federal prison, and five years of supervised release. Judge Brown imposed the 144-month sentence for traveling in interstate commerce for illicit sexual activity with a minor, plus a concurrent 60-month sentence for cyberstalking. Shannon will have to register as a sex offender in any place he lives, works, or goes to school.
“The defendant’s crimes represented a truly reprehensible betrayal of trust, and he is now in prison where he belongs,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The work by AUSA Parker King, the FBI, the Memphis Police Department, and especially the Olive Branch Police Department was truly outstanding and deserving of our thanks.”
"Andreus Shannon, callously undermined the trust of unsuspecting parents, preying on a minor for years,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “Shannon’s, deliberate actions in targeting the innocence of our youth will not be tolerated. The FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office, Mississippi Attorney General's Office, Olive Branch Police Department, Oxford Police Department and the Memphis Police Department will continue to aggressively investigate and bring predatory individuals like Shannon to justice."
This investigation was led by the FBI. The Memphis Police Department and the Olive Branch Police Department also played a crucial role in the investigation.
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.
Federal Court Sentenced Clayton Woman for Laundering Millions for Cartels and Moving Kilo Quantities of NarcoticsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – On Wednesday, a federal judge sentenced a Clayton woman to 11 years in federal prison for money laundering and trafficking large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine. Oralia Rodriguez-Flores, 40, pleaded guilty at the end of last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and to distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
“Let this case stand as a warning to those willing to help Cartels poison our communities. We will target your drugs, your finances, and your profits and seize them. Then we will ensure you spend decades in prison. Cartel crime will not pay in Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Rodriguez-Flores thought she could hide behind money laundering schemes and drug trafficking networks, but she thought wrong.”
“This outcome is the result of dedicated work by law enforcement at every level,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “The DEA remains committed to pursuing those who choose to traffic dangerous drugs and profit off of other’s addiction.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, from June 2021 to June 2024, Rodriguez-Flores distributed large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine that had been shipped from Mexico and laundered the proceeds from the sale of these drugs back to Mexico.
In January 2023, agents learned that Rodriguez-Flores was supplying kilogram quantities of cocaine to a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in South Carolina. On January 16, 2023, Rodriguez-Flores delivered 4 kilograms of cocaine to the DTO. On January 5, 2024, Rodriguez-Flores sold 891.2 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine.
Approximately two weeks later, Rodriguez-Flores traveled to Kentucky to pick up drug proceeds when agents seized $39,391 in U.S. currency from Rodriguez-Flores as she returned to Raleigh. On February 2, 2024, agents seized 40 kilograms of cocaine from her semi-trailer truck in Kentucky.
Rodriguez-Flores admitted to being involved with drug trafficking for approximately three years and explained her scheme to agents. She distributed drugs to customers in the Carolinas that originated in Mexico. Rodriguez-Flores was also responsible for laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds to Mexico.
Rodriguez-Flores’ prosecution results from an investigation by the Eastern District of North Carolina’s Illicit Finance Task Force (IFTF) and from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Created in 2024 in partnership with the Treasury Executive Office of Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF), the IFTF is an interagency anti-money laundering task force comprised of prosecutors and agents. The IFTF is dedicated to combatting money laundering activities affecting the Eastern District of North Carolina through strategic use of criminal and civil laws.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan and Charles Loeser prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-235.
Dutchess County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging DANIEL ALAN MONARCHI with the sexual exploitation of a minor. MONARCHI was arrested and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court and detained on Friday, August 22, 2025.
“Sexual exploitation of children is too prevalent in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Parents, caregivers, and teachers: if you sense something wrong, please seek assistance. Sexual exploitation of children by teachers and others we entrust must be stopped.”
“We entrust teachers with the responsibility of helping to care for our children and not harm them by engaging in sexual exploitation of minors,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Daniel Monarchi, a special education teacher, allegedly conducted multiple sexually explicit conversations with victims he knew to be minors. The FBI will continue to bring to justice any individual who endangers minor victims with sexually explicit behavior and actions.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed on August 19, 2025:[1]
MONARCHI worked as a special education teacher for a middle school (“School-1”) in Dutchess County.
In September 2024, Victim-1, who was 14 years old, was contacted by a Discord account with the name “mrteacherman.” “[M]rteacherman.” told Victim-1: “I teach 7th grade” and “I’m a social studies special Ed teacher.” “[M]rteacherman.” engaged in sexual conversations with Victim-1 over the course of a month. During that time, “mrteacherman.” asked Victim-1 if she was “an 8th grader” and Victim-1 confirmed that she was. “[M]rteacherman.” asked Victim-1 if she had “any sexy classmates” and referred to Victim-1 as his “after school snack.” About three weeks after their initial conversation, “mrteacherman.” asked Victim-1, to send him sexually explicit videos and stated, “I want to see you strip.” Victim-1 sent “mrteacherman.” three videos in which she appeared naked, exposing her breasts. Approximately two days later, “mrteacherman.” sent Victim-1 a “selfie” showing his face and a second photo displaying his erect penis. Then “mrteacherman.” asked Victim-1 to send him sexually explicit videos and told Victim-1, “Show me how special you are. Show me why you deserve an A+.” Victim-1 responded by sending “mrteacherman.” a sexually explicit video with her breasts and genitals exposed.
In February 2025, Victim-2, who was 13 years old, was contacted by a Discord account with the name “mrteacherman.” “[M]rteacherman.” told Victim-2 what he wanted to do sexually with Victim-2 and Victim-3. He made statements like, “I’d make you stay after class to earn ‘extra credit.’” “[M]rteacherman.” told Victim-2 that he would “never like download or save any of your pictures” and added “you’re safe with me.” About one week after their initial conversation, “mrteacherman.” told Victim-2 that he was going “to leave for home right after school tho” and sent Victim-2 a picture of his classroom. Victim-2 reported to investigators that “mrteacherman.” sent Victim-2 photos of his penis to Victim-2 throughout the day and night as well as videos of him masturbating.
Victim-3, who was 14 years old, was contacted by a Discord account with the name “mrteacherman.” Victim-3 reported to law enforcement that “mrteacherman” was really sexual and wanted to role play, so she eventually blocked him.
MONARCHI’s name appears on the publicly accessible website for School-1. The staff directory includes a “Daniel Monarchi” and identifies him as a “special education teacher.” The photo that “mrteacherman.” sent to Victim-2 includes an image of the exterior of the middle school building which matches the exterior of School-1.
Investigators reviewed New York Motor Vehicle records for MONARCHI and confirmed that his Motor Vehicle photo appears in likeness to the “selfie” that MONARCHI sent to Victim-1.
There may be more victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report or you had contact with the Discord account “mrteacherman.,” contact the FBI through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or by completing its online tip form at tips.fbi.gov.
* * *
MONARCHI, 26, of Red Hook, New York, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, and the FBI Columbia, South Carolina Division.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia M. Reville is in charge of the prosecution.
u.s._v._monarchi_complaint.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on August 21, 2025, to 42 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents, on October 28, 2024, Ronald Lee Behee, Jr., 51, a convicted felon and drug user, took a loaded pistol to work at Tyson’s Foods. After receiving a tip, law enforcement located a loaded Ruger, LCP, .380 caliber, pistol, with an obliterated and unreadable serial number in Behee’s locker. Behee was also found in possession of approximately 8 grams of methamphetamine and 4.4 grams of marijuana. Behee’s criminal history includes theft-related, controlled substance and domestic violence convictions.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Behee will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Behee was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and pay a $100 special assessment.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Secretly Recording Minor in HomeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Douglas Gibson, 40, of Lebanon, Indiana, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Committing a Felony Offense while Required to Register as a Sex Offender.
According to court documents, between 2018 and 2021, Douglas Gibson gained access to Minor Victim 1, who was born in 2011. During that time, Gibson placed hidden cameras in the child’s bedroom and bathroom shower drain to surreptitiously record her while showering and getting changed. Gibson then saved images and videos depicting the child in various stages of nudity to his laptop. Gibson also distributed and possessed images and videos of other unknown prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his laptop. These files were uploaded and shared with other users on a social medial platform through private chat rooms.
Gibson is a convicted sex offender and was required to register from at least September 2011 to September 2021 due to his 2010 conviction of Sexual Misconduct of a Minor (Intercourse) in Boone County.
“Simply put, Douglas Gibson is a danger to children,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “A child’s home should be a sanctuary of safety and love. Instead, this sick abuser took advantage of a child’s vulnerability to sexually exploit them and invade their safety and dignity. The sentence imposed here will ensure that our children are protected from this defendant for decades to come.”
“The exploitation of children is one of the most serious crimes we investigate. This sentence makes clear there are severe consequences for those who attempt to harm or exploit children,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
"The investigation symbolizes how collaborative efforts of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force alongside its local, state and federal partners create a powerful force that is more effective in protecting vulnerable populations than any single entity could be on its own,” said ICAC Task Force Commander, Sergeant Christopher Cecil.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indiana ICAC Task Force, and Boone County C.A.S.E. Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston, who prosecuted this case.
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 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood.
Indiana’s ICAC Task Force is a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate many thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse.
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Compliance Director and Office Manager of Substance Abuse Company Convicted in Scheme to Pay Medicaid Kickbacks to PatientsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Two former leaders of Life Touch LLC, a Kinston-based substance abuse treatment company, have pleaded guilty to their roles in a scheme to pay kickbacks to Medicaid patients. Keke Komeko Johnson, of Pikeville, the Compliance Director, and Francine Sims Super, of Kinston, an office manager, admitted to their roles in a scheme involving the payment of kickbacks to patients, and tax violations.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal and local law enforcement partners will continue to pursue crooks who prey upon America’s generous social service safety net. These two fraudsters not only targeted federal tax dollars but also took advantage of vulnerable individuals who were trying to turn their lives around. The more kickbacks that they paid to vulnerable addicts, the more they were able to help the company steal from Medicaid,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This case leaves no doubt: Medicaid kickback thieves face serious consequences.”
According to court documents, Johnson, Super, and others, used Medicaid reimbursement funds to purchase more than $1 million in gift cards. In some instances, the purchases were routed through personal bank accounts. The gift cards were then routinely handed out to patients on a weekly basis to incentivize the patients to show up for services. Over four years, Johnson, Super, and other Life Touch LLC employees and agents, routinely paid patients based on the number of days per week that the patients showed up to receive services. Every day a patient showed up, the more money Lifetouch LLC received as a kickback. In furtherance of the scheme, Johnson made false statements to Medicaid auditors, and Super created false documents to support their crimes.
According to court documents, Johnson and Super also received kickbacks from 1st Choice Healthcare Services, LLC, a lab company that they hired for drug testing services for Life Touch LLC patients. Neither reported this as income on tax returns, which meant they committed the crime of failure to file a tax return.
At sentencing, scheduled for November of 2025, Johnson faces a maximum of 11 years in prison. Super faces a maximum of 6 years in prison.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Magistrate Judge Kimberly A. Swank accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office – Medicaid Investigations Division investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tasha Gardner, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore are prosecuting the case for the government.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-27 and 4:25-CR-28.
Co-Founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, Pleads Guilty in Brooklyn to Engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Other Drug-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY — Ismael Zambada Garcia, also known as “El Mayo,” pleaded guilty today to being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise — the Sinaloa Cartel (the Cartel), one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world — in addition to Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan.
When sentenced, Zambada Garcia will face a mandatory minimum term of life in prison without the possibility of parole for leading a continuing criminal enterprise, and up to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on the RICO count. As part of the plea agreement, Zambada Garcia also agreed to the entry of a $15 billion forfeiture money judgment.
Zambada Garcia was previously charged by indictments filed in the Eastern District of New York, United States v. Zambada Garcia, et al., 09-CR-466 (EDNY) (the “EDNY/SDFL/NDDS Indictment”) and in the Western District of Texas, United States v. Zambada Garcia, et al., 12-CR-849 (WDTX) (“the WDTX Indictment”), as well as in the District of Columbia (03-CR-34; 03-CR-331 (DDC)); the Northern District of Illinois (09-CR-383 (NDIL)); the Southern District of California (14-CR-658 (SDCA)); and the Central District of California (15-CR-566 (CDCA)).
The plea to the charges in the EDNY/SDFL/NDDS Indictment are the result of a joint prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Brooklyn and Miami and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Criminal Division.
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Zambada Garcia agreed to the transfer of the WDTX Indictment for plea and sentencing in the Eastern District of New York. Zambada Garcia will thus be held accountable in the Eastern District of New York for the criminal conduct in both indictments. The remaining indictments will be dismissed at the time of sentencing.
The EDNY/SDFL/NDDS Indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 848, from January 1989 through January 2024. The WDTX Indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, RICO conspiracy for his participation in money laundering, murder and drug conspiracies, and violations of state law for murder and kidnapping for conduct between January 1, 2000 through April 11, 2012.
Zambada Garcia’s rise to power began with the Cartel’s inception and ended with his arrest in July 2024. Previously known as the Mexican Federation, the Cartel is a drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, that has since approximately the late 1980s imported lethal quantities of narcotics—including, among others, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl—into the United States and laundered billions of dollars in drug proceeds back to Mexico.
The Cartel’s operations initially focused on cocaine distribution based on cooperative arrangements and close coordination with South American sources of supply and distribution networks. This changed in the 2000s when the Colombians, seeing increased law enforcement activity, started to abandon their United States distribution businesses in favor of permitting Mexican traffickers to invest in cocaine shipments at wholesale prices, which those Mexican traffickers would then distribute in the United States. As a result, Mexican traffickers and the Cartel began to take a more integral role in moving cocaine from Colombia into and throughout the United States. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Cartel also recently branched out into the production and trafficking of fentanyl, including by purchasing fentanyl precursor chemicals from Chinese companies and producing many thousands of kilograms of fentanyl in laboratories both in rural areas and major cities in Mexico for distribution in the United States.
Ever since the Cartel’s expansion into the United States, its distribution networks have also supported money laundering efforts that have delivered billions of dollars in illegal profits generated from drugs sales in the United States back to the Cartel. Increased profits allowed the Cartel’s operations to grow a large-scale narcotics transportation network involving the use of land, air, and sea transportation assets, which eventually led to the Cartel shipping multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, and finally into the United States.
Zambada Garcia has devoted his efforts over decades to growing, increasing, and enhancing the power of the Cartel—and his individual power and position in the Cartel after his partner Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was captured. Under the defendant’s leadership, the Cartel has regularly used brutal violence, intimidation, and murder to silence potential witnesses and dissuade law enforcement from performing its duties. The defendant has operated with impunity at the highest levels of the Mexican drug trafficking world while being assured of his continued success and safety from arrest through his payment of bribes to foreign government officials and law enforcement officers. He controlled those corrupt officials and officers who protected his workers and drug shipments as his drugs were transported across Mexico and into the United States. Numerous witnesses have testified, including at trials held in the Eastern District of New York of El Chapo and corrupt former Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna, that corruption at all levels was necessary to allow the defendant’s criminal enterprise to function so effectively at such a large scale: from local police officers who escorted the drugs through Mexico, to corrupt officials who informed the Cartel of military actions, thwarted capture operations, and consulted with the Cartel about proceedings and investigations against it.
United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi; Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division; Terrance C. Cole, Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Todd M. Lyons, Acting Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Kash Patel, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Jason A. Reding Quiñones, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Justin R. Simmons, United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas, announced the guilty plea.
“This foreign terrorist committed horrific crimes against the American people — he will now pay for those crimes by spending the rest of his life behind bars in an American prison. Today marks a crucial victory in President Trump’s ongoing fight to completely eliminate foreign terrorist organizations and protect American citizens from deadly drugs and violence,” stated Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“With today’s guilty pleas, “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia and “El Chapo” Guzman, the two co-founders of the Sinaloa Cartel—one of the largest, most violent and most destructive cartels in history—will live out the rest of their days in United States federal prison cells without the possibility of parole,” stated United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella. “Zambada Garcia has now been held accountable for the tons of illegal narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl, that he and his organization trafficked for decades, and the murders and other acts of violence committed in furtherance of that enterprise. Today’s guilty plea were possible because of the work of law enforcement personnel in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere. We hope that their hard work and the pleas can provide a measure of solace to the countless victims of Zambada Garcia’s narcotics trafficking and violence and their families.”
“For decades, under El Mayo’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel made billions of dollars by importing poisonous drugs to the United States, flooding our streets with cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “With El Mayo’s conviction, the Department has now brought both founders of the Sinaloa Cartel to justice, and the growing list of international cartel leaders that have faced justice in American courtrooms sends an unequivocal message to those who seek to fill their shoes that the same fate awaits them if they do. Today’s guilty plea is a credit to the collaboration between the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Florida, and the Western District of Texas; and our law enforcement partners.”
“Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada led one of the world’s deadliest cartels, pumping fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and meth into our communities,” stated DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “His guilty plea proves no cartel boss is beyond the reach of justice. By taking him down, we are protecting American families and cutting off a pipeline of poison. DEA and our partners will not stop until every cartel network is dismantled.”
“After years of painstaking work, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations New York secured a superseding indictment last year charging Ismael Zambada with fentanyl trafficking,” stated Actingng ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “Now, one of the world’s most prolific and dangerous drug traffickers is going to face justice for the lives he’s stolen and the illicit profits he’s raked in. This is more than a win for HSI. It’s a win for the American people.”
“Today’s plea is a proud moment for the FBI and its partners as the founders of a notoriously violent drug trafficking organization, one that engages in an array of illegal activity including murder and corruption, face the consequences of their actions,” stated FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our work does not end here. We will continue to relentlessly leverage everything at our disposal in our efforts to thwart the Sinaloa Cartel and put an end to their drug trafficking operations and the carnage that goes along with it.”
“After years of evading justice, Zambada Garcia has been brought to account. With his conviction, his reign of violence and terror is over,” stated U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “He will never again direct a cartel that fueled addiction, spread violence, and tore apart families and communities on both sides of our border. This outcome was made possible by the tireless work of our law enforcement partners in the United States and abroad, whose courage and persistence dismantled the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations and delivered long-overdue justice to its victims.”
“For decades, the Western District of Texas has been on the front lines in the fight against the Sinaloa Cartel,” stated United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel produced and trafficked thousands of kilograms of narcotics through our border, effectively infiltrating every city in our country, leading to thousands of deaths in our communities, imprisoning millions within the grey walls of addiction, and enriching himself in the process. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel engaged in a years-long war with the Juarez Cartel, a war which directly affected not just the citizens of Juarez, Mexico, but also the citizens of El Paso, Texas, with multiple residents, including at least one U.S. citizen, being kidnapped, tortured, and killed by Sinaloa Cartel members. Now, like his co-conspirator El Chapo Guzman, Zambada Garcia will pay the price for a life of lawlessness, and using the ‘whole of government’ approach employed in this case, we will continue to systematically eradicate Mexican drug cartels and bring others to justice who enrich themselves to the detriment of Americans.”
“For decades, under El Mayo’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel made billions of dollars by importing poisonous drugs to the United States, flooding our streets with cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “With El Mayo’s conviction, the Department has now brought both founders of the Sinaloa Cartel to justice, and the growing list of international cartel leaders that have faced justice in American courtrooms sends an unequivocal message to those who seek to fill their shoes that the same fate awaits them if they do. Today’s guilty plea is a credit to the collaboration between the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Florida, and the Western District of Texas; and our law enforcement partners.”
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, and as part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Robert M. Pollack, Adam Amir, Lauren A. Bowman and Rebecca M. Urquiola are leading the prosecution for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Goldbarg and Monique Botero of the Southern District of Florida and Assistant United States Attorneys Antonio Franco and Kyle Myers of the Western District of Texas are leading the prosecution for their respective offices. Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Kirk Handrich are leading the prosecution for the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois, Central District of California, and Southern District of California provided substantial assistance. FBI, HSI, and DEA investigated the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Defendant:
Ismael Zambada Garcia (also known as “El Mayo”)
Age: 75
MexicoE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 09-CR-466 (BMC) (S-5)
25-CR-262 (BMC)
Co-Founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Garcia, Pleads Guilty to Engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and RacketeeringRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN – Ismael Zambada Garcia also known as El Mayo, 75, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise — the Sinaloa Cartel (the Cartel), one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world — in addition to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charge.
Associated Press(AP)“This foreign terrorist committed horrific crimes against the American people — he will now pay for those crimes by spending the rest of his life behind bars in an American prison,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today marks a crucial victory in President Trump’s ongoing fight to completely eliminate foreign terrorist organizations and protect American citizens from deadly drugs and violence.”
“After years of evading justice, Zambada Garcia has been brought to account,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL). “With his conviction, his reign of violence and terror is over. He will never again direct a cartel that fueled addiction, spread violence, and tore apart families and communities on both sides of our border. This outcome was made possible by the tireless work of our law enforcement partners in the United States and abroad, whose courage and persistence dismantled the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations and delivered long-overdue justice to its victims.”
“For decades, under El Mayo’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel made billions of dollars by importing poisonous drugs to the United States, flooding our streets with cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “El Mayo’s conviction is the latest milestone in the Department’s historic efforts to eliminate the harms wrought by cartels and bring their leaders to justice in American courtrooms. The Criminal Division and our partners will continue our relentless pursuit of these notorious criminal organizations to ensure that they are held accountable and to make our communities safer.”
“Today’s plea is a proud moment for the FBI and its partners as the founders of a notoriously violent drug trafficking organization, one that engages in an array of illegal activity including murder and corruption, face the consequences of their actions,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our work does not end here. We will continue to relentlessly leverage everything at our disposal in our efforts to thwart the Sinaloa Cartel and put an end to their drug trafficking operations and the carnage that goes along with it.”
“Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada led one of the world’s deadliest cartels, pumping fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and meth into our communities,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “His guilty plea proves no cartel boss is beyond the reach of justice. By taking him down, we are protecting American families and cutting off a pipeline of poison. DEA and our partners will not stop until every cartel network is dismantled.”
“After years of painstaking work, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York secured a superseding indictment last year charging Ismael Zambada with fentanyl trafficking,” said Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd M. Lyons. “Now, one of the world’s most prolific and dangerous drug traffickers is going to face justice for the lives he’s stolen and the illicit profits he’s raked in. This is more than a win for HSI. It’s a win for the American people.”
“With today’s guilty pleas, ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Garcia and “El Chapo” Guzman, the two co-founders of the Sinaloa Cartel — one of the largest, most violent and most destructive cartels in history — will live out the rest of their days in U.S. federal prison cells without the possibility of parole,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella for the Eastern District of New York. “Zambada Garcia has now been held accountable for the tons of illegal narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl, that he and his organization trafficked for decades, and the murders and other acts of violence committed in furtherance of that enterprise. Today’s guilty plea was possible because of the work of law enforcement personnel in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere. We hope that their hard work and the pleas can provide a measure of solace to the countless victims of Zambada Garcia’s narcotics trafficking and violence and their families.”
“For decades, the Western District of Texas has been on the front lines in the fight against the Sinaloa Cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel produced and trafficked thousands of kilograms of narcotics through our border, effectively infiltrating every city in our country, leading to thousands of deaths in our communities, imprisoning millions within the grey walls of addiction, and enriching himself in the process. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel engaged in a years-long war with the Juarez Cartel, a war which directly affected not just the citizens of Juarez, Mexico, but also the citizens of El Paso, Texas, with multiple residents, including at least one U.S. citizen, being kidnapped, tortured, and killed by Sinaloa Cartel members. Now, like his co-conspirator El Chapo Guzman, Zambada Garcia will pay the price for a life of lawlessness, and using the ‘whole of government’ approach employed in this case, we will continue to systematically eradicate Mexican drug cartels and bring others to justice who enrich themselves to the detriment of Americans.”
Zambada Garcia was previously charged by indictments filed in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), the Western District of Texas (WDTX), the District of Columbia, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of California, and the Central District of California.
Today’s plea is the result of a joint prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Brooklyn and Miami and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Criminal Division (NDDS).
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Zambada Garcia agreed to the transfer of the WDTX indictment for plea and sentencing in the Eastern District of New York. Zambada Garcia is thus being held accountable in the Eastern District of New York for the criminal conduct in both indictments. The remaining indictments will be dismissed at the time of sentencing.
The EDNY/SDFL/NDDS indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise from January 1989 through January 2024. The WDTX Indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, RICO conspiracy for his participation in money laundering, murder and drug conspiracies, and violations of state law for murder and kidnapping for conduct between Jan. 1, 2000, and April 11, 2012.
Zambada Garcia’s rise to power began with the Cartel’s inception and ended with his arrest in July 2024. Previously known as the Mexican Federation, the Cartel is a drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, that since approximately the late 1980s has imported lethal quantities of narcotics — including, among others, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl — into the United States and laundered billions of dollars in drug proceeds back to Mexico.
The Cartel’s operations initially focused on cocaine distribution based on cooperative arrangements and close coordination with South American sources of supply and distribution networks. This changed in the 2000s when the Colombians, seeing increased law enforcement activity, started to abandon their U.S. distribution businesses in favor of permitting Mexican traffickers to invest in cocaine shipments at wholesale prices, which those Mexican traffickers would then distribute in the United States. As a result, Mexican traffickers and the Cartel began to take a more integral role in moving cocaine from Colombia into and throughout the United States. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Cartel also recently branched out into the production and trafficking of fentanyl, including by purchasing fentanyl precursor chemicals from Chinese companies and producing many thousands of kilograms of fentanyl in laboratories both in rural areas and major cities in Mexico for distribution in the United States.
The Cartel’s distribution networks also have supported money laundering efforts that have delivered billions of dollars in illegal profits generated from drug sales in the United States back to the Cartel. Increased profits allowed the Cartel’s operations to grow a large-scale narcotics transportation network involving the use of land, air, and sea transportation assets, which eventually led to the Cartel shipping multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, and finally into the United States.
Zambada Garcia has devoted his efforts over decades to growing, increasing, and enhancing the power of the Cartel, and to growing his individual power and position in the Cartel after his partner El Chapo was captured in 2016. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Cartel regularly used brutal violence, intimidation, and murder to silence potential witnesses and dissuade law enforcement from performing its duties. Zambada Garcia has operated with impunity at the highest levels of the Mexican drug trafficking world while being assured of his continued success and safety from arrest through his payment of bribes to Mexican government officials and law enforcement officers. He controlled those corrupt officials and officers who protected his workers and drug shipments as his drugs were transported across Mexico and into the United States. Numerous witnesses have testified, including at the trials of El Chapo and corrupt former Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna, that corruption at all levels was necessary to allow the Zambada Garcia’s criminal enterprise to function so effectively at such a large scale: from local police officers who escorted the drugs through Mexico, to corrupt officials who informed the Cartel of military actions, thwarted capture operations, and consulted with the Cartel about proceedings and investigations against it.
Zambada Garcia’s sentencing is set for Jan. 13, 2026. Zambada Garcia will face a mandatory minimum term of life in prison for leading a continuing criminal enterprise, and a maximum sentence of life in prison on the RICO count. As part of the plea agreement, Zambada Garcia also agreed to the entry at sentencing of a $15 billion forfeiture money judgment.
FBI, HSI, and DEA investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Kirk Handrich are leading the prosecution for the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, along with the Southern District of Florida’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, and the Eastern District of New York’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section as part of the work of EDNY’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Goldbarg and Monique Botero are leading the prosecution for the Southern District of Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Robert M. Pollack, Adam Amir, Lauren A. Bowman, and Rebecca M. Urquiola are leading the prosecution for the Eastern District of New York. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois, Central District of California, and Southern District of California provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Franco and Kyle Myers are leading the prosecution for the Western District of Texas.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.nyed.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.nyed.uscourts.gov, under case number 09-cr-466.
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Co-Founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Garcia, Pleads Guilty to Engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and RacketeeringRead the Press Release
Ismael Zambada Garcia also known as El Mayo, 75, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise — the Sinaloa Cartel (the Cartel), one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world — in addition to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charge.
“This foreign terrorist committed horrific crimes against the American people — he will now pay for those crimes by spending the rest of his life behind bars in an American prison,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today marks a crucial victory in President Trump’s ongoing fight to completely eliminate foreign terrorist organizations and protect American citizens from deadly drugs and violence.”
“Today’s plea is a proud moment for the FBI and its partners as the founders of a notoriously violent drug trafficking organization, one that engages in an array of illegal activity including murder and corruption, face the consequences of their actions,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our work does not end here. We will continue to relentlessly leverage everything at our disposal in our efforts to thwart the Sinaloa Cartel and put an end to their drug trafficking operations and the carnage that goes along with it.”
“Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada led one of the world’s deadliest cartels, pumping fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and meth into our communities,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “His guilty plea proves no cartel boss is beyond the reach of justice. By taking him down, we are protecting American families and cutting off a pipeline of poison. DEA and our partners will not stop until every cartel network is dismantled.”
“After years of painstaking work, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York secured a superseding indictment last year charging Ismael Zambada with fentanyl trafficking,” said Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd M. Lyons. “Now, one of the world’s most prolific and dangerous drug traffickers is going to face justice for the lives he’s stolen and the illicit profits he’s raked in. This is more than a win for HSI. It’s a win for the American people.”
“For decades, under El Mayo’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel made billions of dollars by importing poisonous drugs to the United States, flooding our streets with cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “El Mayo’s conviction is the latest milestone in the Department’s historic efforts to eliminate the harms wrought by cartels and bring their leaders to justice in American courtrooms. The Criminal Division and our partners will continue our relentless pursuit of these notorious criminal organizations to ensure that they are held accountable and to make our communities safer.”
“With today’s guilty pleas, ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Garcia and “El Chapo” Guzman, the two co-founders of the Sinaloa Cartel — one of the largest, most violent and most destructive cartels in history — will live out the rest of their days in U.S. federal prison cells without the possibility of parole,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY). “Zambada Garcia has now been held accountable for the tons of illegal narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl, that he and his organization trafficked for decades, and the murders and other acts of violence committed in furtherance of that enterprise. Today’s guilty plea was possible because of the work of law enforcement personnel in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere. We hope that their hard work and the pleas can provide a measure of solace to the countless victims of Zambada Garcia’s narcotics trafficking and violence and their families.”
“After years of evading justice, Zambada Garcia has been brought to account,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL). “With his conviction, his reign of violence and terror is over. He will never again direct a cartel that fueled addiction, spread violence, and tore apart families and communities on both sides of our border. This outcome was made possible by the tireless work of our law enforcement partners in the United States and abroad, whose courage and persistence dismantled the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations and delivered long-overdue justice to its victims.”
“For decades, the Western District of Texas has been on the front lines in the fight against the Sinaloa Cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel produced and trafficked thousands of kilograms of narcotics through our border, effectively infiltrating every city in our country, leading to thousands of deaths in our communities, imprisoning millions within the grey walls of addiction, and enriching himself in the process. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel engaged in a years-long war with the Juarez Cartel, a war which directly affected not just the citizens of Juarez, Mexico, but also the citizens of El Paso, Texas, with multiple residents, including at least one U.S. citizen, being kidnapped, tortured, and killed by Sinaloa Cartel members. Now, like his co-conspirator El Chapo Guzman, Zambada Garcia will pay the price for a life of lawlessness, and using the ‘whole of government’ approach employed in this case, we will continue to systematically eradicate Mexican drug cartels and bring others to justice who enrich themselves to the detriment of Americans.”
Zambada Garcia was previously charged by indictments filed in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), the Western District of Texas (WDTX), the District of Columbia, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of California, and the Central District of California.
Today’s plea is the result of a joint prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Brooklyn and Miami and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Criminal Division (NDDS).
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Zambada Garcia agreed to the transfer of the WDTX indictment for plea and sentencing in the Eastern District of New York. Zambada Garcia is thus being held accountable in the Eastern District of New York for the criminal conduct in both indictments. The remaining indictments will be dismissed at the time of sentencing.
The EDNY/SDFL/NDDS indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise from January 1989 through January 2024. The WDTX Indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, RICO conspiracy for his participation in money laundering, murder and drug conspiracies, and violations of state law for murder and kidnapping for conduct between Jan. 1, 2000, and April 11, 2012.
Zambada Garcia’s rise to power began with the Cartel’s inception and ended with his arrest in July 2024. Previously known as the Mexican Federation, the Cartel is a drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, that since approximately the late 1980s has imported lethal quantities of narcotics — including, among others, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl — into the United States and laundered billions of dollars in drug proceeds back to Mexico.
The Cartel’s operations initially focused on cocaine distribution based on cooperative arrangements and close coordination with South American sources of supply and distribution networks. This changed in the 2000s when the Colombians, seeing increased law enforcement activity, started to abandon their U.S. distribution businesses in favor of permitting Mexican traffickers to invest in cocaine shipments at wholesale prices, which those Mexican traffickers would then distribute in the United States. As a result, Mexican traffickers and the Cartel began to take a more integral role in moving cocaine from Colombia into and throughout the United States. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Cartel also recently branched out into the production and trafficking of fentanyl, including by purchasing fentanyl precursor chemicals from Chinese companies and producing many thousands of kilograms of fentanyl in laboratories both in rural areas and major cities in Mexico for distribution in the United States.
The Cartel’s distribution networks also have supported money laundering efforts that have delivered billions of dollars in illegal profits generated from drug sales in the United States back to the Cartel. Increased profits allowed the Cartel’s operations to grow a large-scale narcotics transportation network involving the use of land, air, and sea transportation assets, which eventually led to the Cartel shipping multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, and finally into the United States.
Zambada Garcia has devoted his efforts over decades to growing, increasing, and enhancing the power of the Cartel, and to growing his individual power and position in the Cartel after his partner El Chapo was captured in 2016. Under Zambada Garcia’s leadership, the Cartel regularly used brutal violence, intimidation, and murder to silence potential witnesses and dissuade law enforcement from performing its duties. Zambada Garcia has operated with impunity at the highest levels of the Mexican drug trafficking world while being assured of his continued success and safety from arrest through his payment of bribes to Mexican government officials and law enforcement officers. He controlled those corrupt officials and officers who protected his workers and drug shipments as his drugs were transported across Mexico and into the United States. Numerous witnesses have testified, including at the trials of El Chapo and corrupt former Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna, that corruption at all levels was necessary to allow the Zambada Garcia’s criminal enterprise to function so effectively at such a large scale: from local police officers who escorted the drugs through Mexico, to corrupt officials who informed the Cartel of military actions, thwarted capture operations, and consulted with the Cartel about proceedings and investigations against it.
Zambada Garcia’s sentencing is set for Jan. 13, 2026. Zambada Garcia will face a mandatory minimum term of life in prison for leading a continuing criminal enterprise, and a maximum sentence of life in prison on the RICO count. As part of the plea agreement, Zambada Garcia also agreed to the entry at sentencing of a $15 billion forfeiture money judgment.
FBI, HSI, and DEA investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Kirk Handrich are leading the prosecution for the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, along with the Eastern District of New York’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section as part of the work of EDNY’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force and the Southern District of Florida’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Robert M. Pollack, Adam Amir, Lauren A. Bowman, and Rebecca M. Urquiola are leading the prosecution for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Goldbarg and Monique Botero are leading the prosecution for the Southern District of Florida. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois, Central District of California, and Southern District of California provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Franco and Kyle Myers are leading the prosecution for the Western District of Texas.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Cincinnati man allegedly involved in downtown brawl charged with federal drug crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A second Cincinnati man charged locally for his involvement in the July 26 brawl in downtown Cincinnati has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Jermaine Mathews, 39, is one of four men charged in a superseding indictment with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
According to the superseding indictment, Mathews is responsible for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He is also charged with operating a premises on Kenton Street in Cincinnati for the purpose of trafficking narcotics.
Mathews, who was described as a primary “coordinator” of the July 26 brawl in downtown Cincinnati, was on bond after being charged locally with aggravated riot and assault. He was arrested today by federal agents and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office RENU officials on the superseding indictment.
The others charged in this case include Jerome Mitchell, 41, Terence Huff, 41, and Clarence Williams, 42, all of Cincinnati.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit announced the new charges. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Cartel connected drug distribution ring that used semi-trucks to transport huge loads disrupted with multiple arrestsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Over the last three weeks, federal, state and local law enforcement have been working to dismantle a cartel-connected drug trafficking ring distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin throughout western Washington, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. The drug traffickers transported narcotics from Mexico, via California, sometimes using a semi-truck to bring the drugs up the coast. Drug deals occurred as far north as Whidbey Island and Arlington and as far south as Tacoma and the Lacey area.
“This indictment names not only the redistributors in the Western District of Washington, but also the brothers in Mexico who profited by spreading their poisons and addiction in the Pacific Northwest,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “We will work with DOJ’s Office of International Affairs to hold all the conspirators accountable here in the U.S. and abroad.”
“This Sinaloa Cartel-affiliated drug trafficking group brought misery and death to our community,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The work of DEA and our partners seized hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl from this group that could have yielded a staggering 6.9 million lethal doses. This fentanyl could have killed everyone living in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area. The entire Puget Sound region is safer without the Camargo Banuelos brothers poisoning our communities.”
According to records filed in the case, the drug ring is led by Rosario Abel “Joaquin” Camargo Banuelos, 31, and his brother Francisco “Fernando” Camargo Banuelos 24. The men are based in the Sinaloa area of Mexico. Throughout 2023 and 2024, law enforcement used undercover agents to uncover the tentacles of the drug ring and seize large loads of narcotics. Over those years law enforcement was able to seize huge shipments of drugs including 95 kilos of meth and more than 41 kilos of fentanyl powder in October 2023. The investigation determined that large loads of drugs were being transported by a coconspirator who is a truck driver. That defendant, Isabel Villarreal Zapien, 44, a Mexican citizen, was arrested on state charges in January 2024 and is now charged federally in the 37-count indictment.
“This investigation exemplifies the success achievable through effective interagency collaboration and coordination,” said HSI Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson. “HSI remains firmly committed to combating the dangerous networks responsible for importing deadly narcotics into the United States. These indictments highlight our dedication to holding these individuals accountable.”
The other members of the drug trafficking ring named in the indictment include:
- Jose Mejia Ortiz, 30, a citizen of Mexico, a courier and distributor
- Juan Carlos Garcia Olais, 28, a citizen of Mexico, a courier and distributor
- Jorge Boneo Nieblas, 21, distributor and stash house attendant
- Ivan Garcia Camacho, 30, distributor
- Eder Ramirez Pino, 33, distributor previously removed from the U.S.
- Rosendo Vazquez Medrano, 37, a redistributor who is a Mexican national previously removed from the U.S.
- Kevin Alexander Misacango Solano, 23, courier and distributor
- Karim Davis, 48, of Everett, Washington, a redistributor
- Tyler Johnson, 38, of Shoreline, Washington a redistributor
- Israel Davis, 43, of Shoreline, Washington, a redistributor
- Alex Phan,19, of Everett, Washington, a redistributor
Five of the defendants are charged with firearms violations including carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime or illegally possessing a firearm because of their prior criminal history or immigration status.
Four additional defendants were arrested at the takedown in early August in connection with the serving of multiple search warrants. This brings the total number of defendants in this case to 19. These defendants are charged by criminal complaint with being part of the drug trafficking conspiracy:
- Derel Gabelein, 37, of Greenbank, Whidbey Island, Washington is charged with conspiracy and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. At Gabelein’s residence law enforcement seized bags of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other controlled substances.
- Aaron Knapp, 52, of Everett, Washington, charged with conspiracy and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. He was found to have more than two kilograms of fentanyl pills when law enforcement searched his residence on August 4, 2025.
- John Hardman, 57, of Everett, Washington was charged with conspiracy and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. His residence contained a brick of suspected fentanyl powder stamped with a swastika as well as $50,000 in cash.
- Jose Felix German, 34, a Mexican citizen, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm. German allegedly acted as a money courier for the conspiracy. He was arrested at a target residence on August 4, 2025, and had a 9 mm pistol. In 2013 German was deported from the U.S. to Mexico. He did not have legal status in the U.S.
During the coordinated arrests and searches on August 4, 2025, law enforcement seized seven pistols and three rifles, as well as nine kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 5 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 4 kilograms of cocaine, and more than a kilogram of heroin. Law enforcement seized more than $342,000 in suspected drug trafficking proceeds.
This investigation has produced significant seizures even before the coordinated arrests in early August. Past seizures included approximately 465 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 269 pounds of fentanyl, approximately 23 pounds of cocaine, and approximately 6.4 pounds of heroin. In addition, investigators seized over $309,522 USD in assets and seized an approximate 11 firearms.
Thirteen defendants are in custody, six are being sought by law enforcement.
The charges in the indictment carry significant prison time. Due to the amounts of drugs involved some defendants face a mandatory minimum ten years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Seattle Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Max Shiner and Crystal Correa.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
California woman pleads guilty to conspiracy to smuggle aliens into the United StatesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A California woman accused of conspiring to smuggle her husband, an illegal alien, into the United States admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Tracy Routh Lautenslager, 53, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States at a location other than a designated port of entry. Lautenslager faces 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for January 6, 2026. Lautenslager was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 1, 2025, a vehicle operated by the defendant entered the United States through the Roosville, Montana Port of Entry (POE), then proceeded to the Swisher Lake area. Later that morning, the U.S. Border Patrol was alerted to a lone male walking across the international boundary line from Canada to the United States. Border Patrol responded and searched for the man who entered illegally. However, after searching, they were unable to locate him and believed he returned to Canada.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was able to apprehend the man and escorted him to the Roosville, British Columbia (BC) POE to be identified and processed. The man is the defendant’s husband, a citizen of Great Britain, and has no lawful status in the United States.
Around the same time her husband was apprehended, Lautenslager returned to Canada to look for him. On suspicions of smuggling, she was denied entry and returned to the United States. Once in the United States she was interviewed by law enforcement. During the interview, she admitted she and her husband planned to have him circumvent the immigration process and avoid the point of entry because he did not have legal status in the United States. She indicated the plan was to drop her husband off at a location on the Canadian side of the border, drive into the United States, and then pick him up. She admitted that what she attempted to do was wrong.
The defendant’s cellular phone was collected and, pursuant to her consent, was searched. During a review of her phone law enforcement discovered text messages between her and her husband as the conspiracy was unfolding and discussing logistics.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Buffalo man sentenced for his role in drug overdose deathRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Antonio Gutierrez, 29, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who handled the case, stated that on December 9, 2022, an individual identified as C.R. was found dead of a drug overdose in his Orchard Park, NY, residence. Investigators recovered several items from the bedroom where C.R. was found, including his cell phone, as well as suspected fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. Gutierrez’s DNA was found on a glassine envelope recovered from the residence. In addition, C.R. had frequent communications with a phone number linked to Gutierrez, including in the hours before his death. During this time, their phones were in the same area in the City of Buffalo.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the Orchard Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Fitzgerald.
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Billings woman pleads guilty to methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Billings woman accused trafficking methamphetamine admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Raven Michelle Volkomener, 43, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Volkomener faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for December 17, 2025. Volkomener was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 4, 2024, law enforcement received reports of a car driving erratically south towards Billings on Highway 87. Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) identified the vehicle roughly five miles from Billings, observed it commit a traffic infraction, and pulled it over.
Law enforcement asked the driver to step out of the car and she was identified as Volkomener. She had an outstanding felony arrest warrant. She was taken into custody and that same day law enforcement, pursuant to a search warrant, searched the vehicle. Among other items discovered in the vehicle were four packages of suspected methamphetamine located in a backpack in the back seat. The methamphetamine was later analyzed and found to contain over 1,700 grams of pure meth.
Law enforcement also obtained a search warrant for the Volkomener’s cell phone. Among other evidence found on the phone were text messages from at least February 2023 to May 4, 2024, between Volkomener and a co-defendant. In those messages the two are corresponding about a trip by Volkomener to Great Falls in May 2024 to collect methamphetamine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. Montana Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the and Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Zachary Anthony Campbell, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty today, to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Chief Charles J. Herring, Towson University Police Department (TUPD).
According to his guilty plea, Campbell sexually abused an 11-year-old victim. On two occasions, in October 2023 and February 2024, Campbell recorded a video of himself sexually abusing the victim who appeared to be sleeping. Additionally, on five occasions in 2023 and 2024, Campbell placed a hidden camera in a bathroom and recorded videos of the victim in various stages of undressing. Campbell saved the sexual-exploitation videos on his phone.
Campbell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 60 years in federal prison, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release, for these offenses. Sentencing information is forthcoming.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, BPD, and TUPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Bakersfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Aiming a Laser at a Sheriff’s HelicopterRead the Press Release
Alejandro Galvan-Silvestre, 26, pleaded guilty today to knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, Air One, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2021, Galvan-Silvestre was drinking with his family and friends outside his residence when he noticed the Sheriff’s helicopter. Galvan-Silvestre then began to shine the laser pointer toward the helicopter, which was conducting routine patrol in the area.
In the year of Galvan-Silvestre’s laser strike, there were 9,723 reported incidents involving laser strikes of aircraft across the country. At the time, that was an annual record high according to data kept by the Federal Aviation Administration.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Galvan-Silvestre is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 17, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five 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.
Army Officer Pleads Guilty to Theft and Sale of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A commissioned officer in the United States Army awaits sentencing after pleading guilty in federal court to theft and sale of government property.
As described in the plea agreement and in information presented in court proceedings, JACOB SUENKEL, 32, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, stole valuable equipment from various units at Fort Stewart on multiple occasions extending from late 2024 through May of 2025, all while serving as a captain in the United States Army. The stolen equipment included costly items such as skid-steer loaders, UTVs, trailers, generators, welders, commercial grade hand tools, and a tractor. After stealing these items, Suenkel would then market them for sale on social media and sell them to unsuspecting buyers.
As part of the plea agreement, Suenkel admitted that the total amount of financial loss caused by his actions exceeded $150,000, produced an initial payment of $50,000 to go toward the monetary component of his sentence, and agreed to be discharged from the Army with an adverse characterization of service, which will result in the loss of veterans’ benefits.
“Jacob Suenkel violated the trust of his employer and unsuspecting buyers, and is being held accountable for his theft,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap. “This guilty plea offers assurance that those who commit theft will be brought to justice.”
“Stealing from the Army isn’t simply about lost property; it’s a matter of national security and good stewardship of taxpayer dollars.” said Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Southeast Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Ryan O’Connor. “The Army CID, Fort Stewart Resident Agency was instrumental in the recovery of the stolen equipment and securing this prosecution. Suenkel betrayed not only the US Army, but also the trust placed in him by the American people.”
At sentencing, the potential penalties include up to ten years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, Suenkel will be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.
This case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Richmond Hill Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy P. Dean. The United States Attorney’s Office extends its thanks to the military attorneys of the Third Infantry Division’s Office of the Staff Judge Advocate for their coordination and assistance with this matter.
Alabama Man Faces Federal Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Charles Carson-Dowdy, 30, of Mobile, Alabama, has been indicted in federal court on charges of cyberstalking, interstate domestic violence, murder through use of a firearm, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in relation to the death of Starmichael L. Tucker in Pensacola, Florida, earlier this year. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Carson Dowdy is scheduled for his initial appearance and arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on August 28, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
If convicted, Carson Dowdy faces up to life imprisonment on the charges in the Indictment.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the State Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
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.
A Federal Judge Sentenced Halifax County Man to 17 Years for Exploiting Children OnlineRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – On Tuesday, a federal judge sentenced a Roanoke Rapids man to 17 years in prison for distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Christopher Skipper, 39, previously pled guilty to distribution and possession of CSAM while on federal supervised release for an earlier child pornography conviction. The judge sentenced him to 210 months in prison, followed by an additional 18 months for violating his supervision, and 60 months of supervised release.
“Our office will continue to protect children and prosecute child predators who exploit and abuse the most vulnerable members of our community. If you hurt children this way, we will find you and hold you accountable for the endless revictimization that these children face. We will put you in federal prison for as long as possible to protect our communities and children,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
“Let this sentencing serve as a stark warning: Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to identify, investigate, and bring to justice those who exploit and harm our children,” said Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant, who also oversees North and South Carolina. “The depraved actions of individuals like this defendant will not go unanswered. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect the most innocent among us and ensure that predators face the full consequences of their crimes.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in Fall 2024, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to Skipper. Investigators determined that Skipper was using a Kik social media account to distribute CSAM. A search of his Kik account revealed numerous exchanges where he shared explicit images, distributed CSAM, and expressed sexual interest in children.
On June 27, 2024, Skipper shared images and videos of CSAM with another Kik user, including a video depicting a young girl being sexually assaulted by an adult male. Further investigation linked the Kik account to Skipper’s residence in Roanoke Rapids.
At sentencing, the court highlighted the more than 700 videos of CSAM found on Skipper’s phone, his explicit statements of interest in children, and the extreme impact of distributing such material on the victims.
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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-00082.
22 August 2025
Whiteside County, Ill. Man Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Whiteside County, Ill. man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
THOMAS DUGGER, 55, of Rock Falls, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. Duggar admitted in a plea agreement that in July 2021 he sold 55.7 grams of methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed a 100-month prison sentence during a hearing on Wednesday in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Shane R. Catone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney Adds 269 Immigration Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 269 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 15 through 21.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Hector Garcia and Victor Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen, were arrested in Dilley on Aug. 16, when they were allegedly caught transporting five illegal aliens who were locked in metal compartments affixed to a pickup truck. A criminal complaint alleges that U.S. Border Patrol agents witnessed the pickup truck travel down roads and on routes utilized by human smugglers to avoid Border Patrol checkpoints. The truck driver’s driving behavior further raised the agents’ suspicion, and, as a result, agents conducted a traffic stop. The complaint alleges that Garcia was riding as a passenger in the vehicle and had an expired work visa. Rodriguez was allegedly the driver of the truck and told the agents that the keys to compartments affixed to the sides of the truck bed were at “the yard,” though, during a pat down search, agents found him to be in possession what appeared to be toolbox keys. Using those keys, the agents were able to unlock the compartments and allegedly discovered five individuals—all confirmed to be Mexican nationals illegally present in the U.S.—hidden inside. If convicted of alien smuggling as alleged in the complaint, Garcia faces up to 10 years in federal prison, while Rodriguez faces up to five.
Mexican national Santiago Esquivel Gonzalez was arrested and charged with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of firearm. A criminal complaint alleges he attempted to sell five firearms at a location in San Antonio on Aug. 19. Immigration records revealed Esquivel Gonzalez was in the U.S. illegally. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
In El Paso, U.S. citizen Alberto Dovali-Gamboa was arrested after USBP agents allegedly observed multiple individuals breach the border fence and enter his vehicle. A criminal complaint alleges that Dovali-Gamboa disregarded an attempted investigatory traffic stop and ultimately was stopped after Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers deployed a tire deflation device. When his vehicle finally stopped, Dovali-Gamboa was placed under arrest by USBP and eight passengers—all determined to be illegal aliens—were allegedly observed laying down in the rear of his vehicle.
Joshua Magdaleno, also a U.S. citizen, was arrested on Aug. 17 after he was allegedly identified as the driver of a vehicle transporting four illegal aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. A DPS trooper had allegedly observed the four aliens breach the border fence and enter Magdaleno’s vehicle. A criminal complaint alleges that Magdaleno failed to yield to emergency lights and sirens, and that DPS had to perform a pit maneuver to immobilize the vehicle. According to the complaint, Magdaleno stated he had been recruited to pick up illegal aliens on the border through a post on Instagram.
A Mexican national was arrested during a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection on a Union Pacific train. Mexican railroad security officers allegedly notified CBP officers that they had seen a person on one of the rail cars. A criminal complaint alleges that during the inspection, the CBP officers removed Francisco Alfredo Palacios-Guerrero from a grain hopper. Further investigation revealed that Palacios-Guerrero was previously removed from the U.S. four times, and had been convicted three times for illegal re-entry, three times for possession of narcotics, twice for battery, twice for presenting false identification, and once for an escape from jail.
A Honduran national was arrested near Maverick on Tuesday and charged with illegal re-entry. Marlon Gerardo Zavala-Garcia had been previously removed from the U.S. twice, the most recent being in January. He was convicted in Hondo on Nov. 12, 2024, for smuggling of persons and sentenced to 130 days confinement.
In Austin, a Salvadoran national was taken into federal custody after he had been arrested and booked in the Williamson County Jail. Rene Adalberto Jacinto-Rodriguez was convicted in 2009 for assault causing bodily injury of a family member and in 2010 for the aggravated felony of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
Jose Marvin Lopez-Sanchez, a Honduran national, was also taken into federal custody and charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Lopez-Sanchez was previously removed in May 2024 after being convicted of assault causing bodily injury and criminal trespass. He was also convicted in 2023 for assault causing bodily injury of a family member and interfering with emergency request for assistance.
Mexican national Vicente Rodriguez-Santos was transferred into federal custody from the Travis County Jail where he had been booked for his third DWI arrest. Rodriguez-Santos was previously removed from the U.S. in 2018. In addition to the prior DWI convictions, he was convicted in August 2016 for criminal trespass, in October 2016 for theft property, and in 2017 for possession of a controlled substance.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Warm Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on the Warm Springs Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today for assaulting his girlfriend with a pistol on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Henry Jonathan Andrews, 29, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to court documents, in October 2024, Andrews was driving with the victim on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Andrews became angry and pulled out a pistol. He struck the victim multiple times in the head with the pistol. Fearing for her life, the victim jumped from the moving car to escape him. She suffered extensive and life-threatening injuries as a result of the assault.
On November 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Andrews with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Andrews faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on November 13, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Pamela Paaso and Charlotte Kelley, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Domestic violence is a serious crime that can include both physical and emotional abuse, and it is frequently hidden from public view. Many survivors suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members, friends, and communities.
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Many communities throughout the country have also created support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.
The StrongHearts Native Helpline offers culturally specific support and advocacy for American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence. Please call 1-844-762-8483 or visit www.strongheartshelpline.org for more information.
Wagoner County Resident Pleads Guilty to Felony Assault and Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Justin Van Lewis, age 35, of Coweta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine, and one count of Possession of Ammunition While Subject to Protective Order, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on April 30, 2024, Lewis assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, intending to do bodily harm. The Indictment further alleged that on July 2, 2025, Lewis knowingly possessed 990 rounds of assorted ammunition shipped and transported in interstate commerce despite knowing he was subject to a court order restraining him from attempting, threatening, or committing domestic violence, stalking, or abuse against an intimate partner.
The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Coweta Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Lewis will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Vallejo Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Jeffrey Caldwell, 37, of Vallejo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 14 years and seven months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
On May 13, 2025, following a two-day trial before Judge Coggins, a jury found Caldwell guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Caldwell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his 14 prior felony convictions, which include convictions for assault, burglary, and stalking.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 16, 2024, when multiple guests of a motel in Vallejo called 911 to report that Caldwell was firing a gun inside the building. Officers from the Vallejo Police Department (VPD) quickly responded and evacuated the building, at which point Caldwell barricaded himself in his room and refused to surrender. The Vallejo Police deployed their SWAT and Hostage Negotiation Teams, beginning a multi-hour standoff which lasted into the early morning of the next day.
The standoff finally ended when the SWAT Team deployed chemical agents into Caldwell’s room, which forced him out. Caldwell attempted to flee but was quickly arrested. A search of Caldwell’s person did not locate the firearm, but when the officers entered his room, they found a large hole in the bathroom wall. Stuffed inside the hole were multiple items, including a shower curtain, clothing, a canister of bear spray, and a pistol. Officers inspected the gun and determined that it was a privately manufactured firearm, commonly referred to as a ghost gun due to its lack of a traceable serial number. Caldwell had left the gun with a single round of ammunition still in the chamber.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vallejo Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Campbell and R. Alexander Cárdenas prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Vacaville Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Armond Bass, 40, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty Thursday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on two days in October 2024, Bass possessed and sold illegal firearms and ammunition in the parking lot of a softball field in the city of Vacaville. On the first day, October 23, Bass sold an AR-15-style privately manufactured firearm and more than 200 rounds of ammunition. Less than a week later, Bass returned, this time to sell a Colt M16 semi-automatic rifle. Bass is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his multiple prior felony convictions, including two felony convictions for domestic violence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vacaville Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
Bass is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Dec. 11, 2025. Bass 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago Creates New Section to Prosecute Criminal Healthcare Fraud ViolationsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced publicly the creation of a new section within the Office’s Criminal Division dedicated to the prosecution of healthcare fraud, which is among the Department of Justice’s top fraud enforcement priorities and the first time the Office has created such a section. The new Healthcare Fraud Section will consist of six federal prosecutors and will be led by Heidi Manschreck, who will serve as the inaugural Section Chief, and Prashant Kolluri, who will serve as the Section’s inaugural Deputy Chief. Both prosecutors have dozens of years of combined experience investigating and prosecuting healthcare fraud cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Kelly, Kate McClelland, Alejandro G. Ortega, and Kristin Pinkston have also been assigned to the Section full time. The work of this new section will be in addition to the healthcare fraud-related matters in this district that are being handled by the Healthcare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The Healthcare Fraud Strike Force, which is housed in the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office, is led locally by Assistant Chief Patrick M. Mott and collaborates extensively with the Office.
The newly created Healthcare Fraud Section will be tasked with prosecuting defendants in all types of healthcare fraud, such as false and fraudulent claims submitted by transnational criminal organizations to America’s health insurance programs; upcoding and unbundling schemes; scams by providers and individuals against Medicare and Medicaid; fraudulent billing; and illegal kickbacks, among many other healthcare-related frauds and schemes.
“Every year, healthcare fraud causes billions of dollars in losses to the federal government and private insurers and siphons off hard-earned tax dollars meant to provide care for people in need,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Since becoming U.S. Attorney, my Office has charged nearly $2 billion in healthcare fraud schemes involving alleged criminal conduct that has stretched across the country, and even transnationally. The newly created Healthcare Fraud Section that I’ve launched will bring greater focus, efficiency, and impact to our efforts in this important program area, which often involves the exploitation of patients through unnecessary and/or unsafe medical tests and procedures.”
U.S. Attorney Boutros continued, “In addition, under the direct leadership of our Section Chief and Deputy Chief, our Healthcare Fraud Section and its team of federal prosecutors will continue to closely coordinate and collaborate with the Healthcare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and has proven to be a highly effective and dynamic prosecutorial partner. Healthcare providers, gatekeepers, and others who criminally cheat the system will be vigorously investigated, prosecuted, and punished under federal law and pursuant to the Department’s priorities.”
In announcing the new Section, U.S. Attorney Boutros acknowledged the cooperation and determination of the Office’s investigative partners, including the FBI, DEA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other federal, state, and local agencies.
The newly created Healthcare Fraud Section will also strengthen coordination with the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, which has partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago and other districts across the country to combat healthcare fraud. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. Recently, the Health Care Fraud Unit led and coordinated the National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in charges against more than 320 defendants nationwide for allegedly participating in various health care fraud schemes involving more than $14.6 billion in intended losses. This was the largest national health care fraud enforcement action in Department of Justice history–and the largest ever in the Northern District of Illinois.
“The Health Care Fraud Unit and its U.S. Attorneys’ Office partners continue to build on historic successes in health care fraud enforcement—protecting American taxpayer funds, ensuring programs for our most vulnerable citizens receive what they are due, and safeguarding patients from medically unnecessary procedures and false diagnoses,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Beyond our proven track record of holding individuals accountable, the Health Care Fraud Unit is now for the first time focusing on corporate enforcement in the health care space to ensure that all culpable actors are held responsible. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office has been an exceptional partner and our Health Care Fraud Unit Strike Force in the district is excited to partner with this new unit to increase our collective reach and enhance our ability to protect the American public from health care fraud.”
“Healthcare fraud is not a victimless crime,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “These complex schemes not only drain critical resources intended to provide care and protect some our most vulnerable citizens, but can also lead to patient harm. The enhanced collaboration and focus this new section brings will enable federal and state law enforcement partners to strengthen our ability to identify and hold accountable those who seek to defraud our federal healthcare programs and keep patients safe.”
“The DEA Chicago Field Division applauds U.S. Attorney Boutros's decision to launch the Healthcare Fraud Section,” said Shane Catone, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. “This will only enhance our capabilities to keep Americans safe from anyone who exploits financial, pharmaceutical, and criminal systems, in collaboration with our federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”
“FBI Chicago stands committed with our federal partners to find and prosecute all offenders who perpetrate fraud in our healthcare system and violate the trust of vulnerable people seeking care,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. “Together we are sending a clear message to those who steal from the U.S. taxpayers by committing healthcare fraud: you will be caught and you will face justice.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 103 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 103 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On August 16, Yasmin Cruz, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Transportation of Illegal Aliens. According to a complaint, Cruz posed as the mother of two children, ages 12 and 10, while attempting to enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers determined that the woman was not the mother of the children, and that she used birth certificates that did not belong to the children.
- On August 19, Christin Arnulfo Cruz Yepez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, the defendant was intercepted by Border Patrol agents walking two miles west of the Tecate, California, Port of Entry and approximately one mile north of the United States/Mexico International Border. The defendant was previously deported to Mexico on July 24, 2025, through San Diego.
- On August 20, Arturo Gonzalez Aguilar, a Mexican citizen who told Customs and Border Protection officers he is a Tijuana police officer, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, the officer found 87 pounds of cocaine concealed in his vehicle when he attempted to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:
- On August 20, Jesus Horacio Soto-Leyva, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony Possession of a Dangerous Weapon by a Restricted Person in February 2016 and Illegal Reentry in January 2018, was sentenced in federal court to 12 months and 1 day in custody for again entering the U.S illegally.
- On August 22, Efren Espinoza-Garcia, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of Distribution of Methamphetamine in 2019, was sentenced in federal court to 12 months and one day in custody for again entering the U.S illegally
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Nearly $4 Million in GrantsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin joins the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in announcing grants provided to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice received $3,030,186 for the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program. It was authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and reauthorized by subsequent legislation. The STOP Formula Grant Program encourages partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The goal of the grant program is to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services, including community based, culturally specific services, in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice received $954,705 for the Sexual Assault Services Formula Program (SAS Formula Program). It was created by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005), 34 U.S.C. § 12511. The SAS Formula Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age. Funds provided through the SAS Formula Program are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial levels. Rape crisis centers and other nonprofit organizations, such as dual programs providing domestic violence and sexual assault intervention services, play a vital role in assisting sexual assault victims through the healing process, as well as assisting victims through the medical, criminal justice, and other social support systems.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending August 22, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 65 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 6 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 34 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 32 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, assault, fraud and illegal reentry.
This week, Luis Carlos Martinez-Moje, a Mexican national, was charged by criminal complaint with being an alien in possession of ammunition. During a traffic stop in Doña Ana County, law enforcement found approximately 13,980 rounds of ammunition hidden in a concealed compartment in his vehicle. During a subsequent interview, Martinez-Moje admitted that he traveled to Albuquerque to collect the ammunition at the request of an acquaintance he had met in Chihuahua, Mexico, in exchange for payment.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Two Charged with Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Earlier this week, a federal indictment was unsealed charging Kurbin Menaugh, 36, and Robert Terry, 44, with drug related offenses. The indictment was unsealed following the arrest and initial appearance of Menaugh.
The indictment alleges that in early September 2021, Menaugh and Terry conspired possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The indictment also charges Menaugh with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Menaugh also faces a five-year, mandatory-minimum sentence of incarceration, to run consecutive to any other sentence of incarceration, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. The minimum and maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors following a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick. It was investigated by the Independence Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Two Albany Men Charged in Fraud Investigation That Resulted in One of the Largest-Ever Firearms Seizures in the History of the Northern District of New YorkRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Iziah Cox, age 37, and Kaya Cox, age 41, both of Albany, were arrested on Tuesday for conspiracy to make false statements to financial institutions as part of Operation Tidal Wave, which included court-authorized searches of more than 15 locations and resulted in the seizure of 134 firearms. Iziah Cox was subsequently charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The conspiracy complaint alleges that in the spring of 2025, brothers Iziah Cox and Kaya Cox participated in a scheme to make false statements to numerous banks in the Capital Region and elsewhere by operating an elaborate network of dozens of New York State business entities and Albany County “Doing Business As” (DBA) business entities, misappropriating the names of real companies with which the conspirators had no relationship. These trade names were then used to open numerous bank accounts in the Capital Region and elsewhere that served to collect incoming wire transfers and checks resulting from numerous domestic and international scams targeting legitimate companies.
In connection with the execution of court-authorized search and seizure warrants in the fraud investigation, investigators recovered 134 firearms from two residences in Albany and Troy, as well as storage units in Menands. According to a complaint filed yesterday in which Iziah Cox was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon, many of these guns were hidden inside stereo equipment.
The charges in the complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “This is one of the largest firearms seizures, if not the largest firearms seizure, in the history of the Northern District of New York. The number of firearms is significant, but more important are the many lives saved as a result of Operation Tidal Wave now that these guns cannot be used to kill and maim people. Albany and Troy are much safer today than they were last week. This is what happens when federal, state and local law enforcement work together, which has been one of my top priorities since taking office five months ago.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli said, “This seizure, one of the largest ever recorded in our district, is the direct result of the tremendous partnerships displayed throughout Operation Tidal Wave. These guns will never make it into the hands of dangerous criminals looking to wreak havoc in our communities. The FBI is grateful to our partners for standing shoulder to shoulder with us in our shared goal of keeping our communities safe.”
The conspiracy charges filed against both defendants carry a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The firearm charge against Iziah Cox carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. 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.
Both defendants appeared in federal court in Albany earlier this week and were ordered detained pending trial by United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista.
Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox said, “Operation Tidal Wave represents our ongoing efforts to reduce gun violence. By seizing this large amount of illegal firearms, we have directly prevented these weapons from being used to harm our community. Each firearm removed from our streets is one less threat to our neighborhoods. The Albany Police Department is grateful for our partnerships we have with our federal, state and local agencies. Together, we are committed to protecting the public and holding offenders accountable.”
Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf stated: “I’m thrilled and proud we took this many guns off the street, and also of the collaboration that led to these historic seizures. We are all working together to achieve our collective mission of reducing violent crime.”
The FBI and its Albany Regional Financial Crimes Taskforce is investigating the cases, with assistance from Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New York State Comptroller’s Office, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, the Albany Police Department, the Troy Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center and the New York State Intelligence Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal, Matthew M. Paulbeck, and Benjamin S. Clark are prosecuting the cases.
Tulsan Retried and Found Guilty of Sexually and Brutally Assaulting a NunRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury reconvicted a homeless Tulsa man who kidnapped, sexually abused, and physically assaulted a 72-year-old nun, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Elga Eugene Harper, 43, was found guilty of Kidnapping in Indian Country; Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.
According to court documents, in May 2022, Harper showed up at the victim's house unannounced. The victim knew Harper, who was homeless, and she would pay him to help fix things around her house. After explaining to Harper that she had no work for him, Harper requested to use the restroom. The victim allowed him to use the restroom.
The victim testified that Harper was gone for a while, and she went to check on him. When she found Harper, he was in her bedroom naked and immediately attacked her. During her testimony, the victim described Harper bound her arms and legs and tied a noose around her neck, all while Harper physically and sexually assaulted her for more than four hours. Before Harper left, he went through her home and took possessions that officers later found.
Harper was found guilty during his federal trial in February and sentenced in July 2023. In August, Harper filed an appeal to the Tenth Circuit Court, and the guilty verdict was overturned in October 2024, causing a retrial. While awaiting retrial, the victim passed away.
The retrial began on Monday, and a new jury was selected. Law enforcement and witnesses retestified to the events that happened in 2022. The jury heard audio from the 911 call where the victim cried for help and described being physically assaulted. The victim could be heard telling the 911 dispatcher, EMSA personnel, and responding officers that “Elga Harper” was the person who attacked her.
A body camera video and photos of the victim's injuries displayed to the jury showed the brutality of the violence that Harper committed on the victim.
Harper is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He will continue to remain in custody until his sentencing is scheduled.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Nelson, Valeria Luster, and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case.