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20 August 2025
Justice Department Announces Results from Coordinated Operations Aimed at Reducing Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, together with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, announced the successful outcomes of recent multi-agency operations aimed at reducing violent crime in Baton Rouge and surrounding communities.
Over the past several months, these coordinated efforts have resulted in 52 federal indictments charging 68 defendants in connection with drug trafficking, illegal firearm and other violent crime offenses, and the seizure of illegal firearms, narcotics, and other contraband that contribute to the cycle of violence.
Agencies announcing the results are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshal’s Service, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Probation and Parole, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, and East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison Travis stated, “These initiatives underscore the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies. Enhanced information-sharing and resource allocation among participating agencies are instrumental to effectively combat violent crime. I would like to thank the Department of Justice and Governor Landry for surging federal and state resources to help fight crime in Baton Rouge.”
“From the very beginning, I made a commitment to reduce crime across our state. We started that mission in New Orleans and achieved remarkable success. Now, thanks to the strong collaboration between our federal, state, and local partners, we are taking down violent criminal networks throughout the Capital Region,” said Governor Jeff Landry. “Operation Violent Crime Takedown was a huge success, made possible by the unwavering dedication of our law enforcement officers. This is just the beginning. Together, we are ushering in a new era of safety and opportunity for Baton Rouge and for communities across Louisiana.”
“The FBI was proud to be part of this mission, and we brought Agents and intelligence personnel from our Violent Crime Rapid Deployment Team from offices across the country, to Baton Rouge,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI is committed to crushing violent crime across Louisiana and looks forward to working with our partners and the public to achieve that goal.”
“This summer surge operation to address violent gun and narcotics crime demonstrates ATF’s expertise and shows ATF’s collaboration with federal, state and local partners to have meaningful impact on combating crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Working in coordination with law enforcement partners to meet the collective objectives of political leaders, community leaders, and citizens to enhance public safety is the priority of ATF.”
“Today isn’t about one agency; it’s about a united front against crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Division. “We fully support Governor Landry’s efforts to ensure those who pose a threat to our communities are held accountable. The DEA will continue to bring its resources to bear in support of this vital mission.”
“The Louisiana State Police is proud to have played a key role in this summer’s crime reduction operations, working closely with our local, state, and federal partners to target gangs and violent offenders in Baton Rouge,” said Colonel Robert P. Hodges, Louisiana State Police Superintendent. “Our collaborative efforts have contributed to a measurable reduction in violent crime in targeted areas, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to keeping our communities safe and holding offenders accountable.”
East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux stated, “The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office is proud to continue working hand-in-hand with our local, state, and federal partners in the fight against violent crime. This summer, our deputies worked tirelessly to make our community safer, focusing our efforts on taking high-level violent offenders and drug traffickers off our streets. We are especially grateful for the federal support that provided the financial resources necessary to sustain these operations and maximize our impact. Collaboration and shared commitment are key to protecting our citizens, and we remain steadfast in doing our part to ensure the people of East Baton Rouge Parish can live in a safer, stronger community.”
“A large-scale warrant apprehension operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies has led to numerous arrests, narcotics and firearms being recovered from Baton Rouge streets,” said Gary Westcott, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. “I’m proud of the Department’s 41 Division of Probation and Parole (P&P) officers and Bravo Special Response Team members from five (P&P) district offices and headquarters who participated in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Gun Reduction and Interdiction Program. This strategic partnership was able to yield results that help make communities safer.”
Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse stated, “The Baton Rouge Police Department is grateful for the federal, state, and local partners that all came together to combat violent crime through shared resources, technology, and targeting of serious felon offenders over the last several months. Our department committed countless hours of manpower and professional work to this initiative in the efforts of public safety and strive to make the city of Baton Rouge a safer community. With more than a dozen officers assigned to federal task forces, we look forward to the ongoing partnerships and cooperation in future operations.”
The federal cases stemming from these investigations are being prosecuted by a team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys.
This initiative 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.
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).
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Indian National Sentenced for Visa Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Indian national, unlawfully residing in New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for staging armed robberies in furtherance of a visa fraud conspiracy.
Rambhai Patel, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun 20 months and eight days in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, and forfeiture of $850,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, Patel pleaded guilty to on one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. In December 2023, Patel was charged along with co-conspirator Balwinder Singh.
Beginning in March 2023, Patel and his co-conspirator set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least 18 convenience/liquor stores and fast-food restaurants across the United States – including at least five in Massachusetts. The purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the store clerks to claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U nonimmigrant status (U Visa). A U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.
During the staged robberies, the “robber” would threaten store clerks and/or owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing, while the interaction was captured on store surveillance video. The clerks and/or owners would then wait five or more minutes until the “robber” had escaped before calling police to report the “crime.” The “victims” paid Patel to participate in the scheme. One purported victim paid $20,000 to participate as a victim in one of the staged armed robberies. In turn, Patel paid the store owners for the use of their stores for the staged robbery. Patel earned approximately $850,000 in the scheme, all of which he is required to forfeit as part of his sentence.
At least two purported victim co-conspirators submitted U Visa applications based on being victims of the staged armed robberies.
Singh pleaded guilty in May 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the Western District of Washington; FBI’s New York and Seattle Field Offices; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; Massachusetts State Police; Worcester County District Attorney’s Office; and the Hingham, Marshfield, Randolph, Weymouth, Worcester, Upper Darby, (Pa.), West Pittston (Pa.), Louisville, (Ky.) and Bean Station (Tenn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Jessica L. Soto of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Illinois Doctor Sentenced to 34 Months in Prison for Evading $1.6M in Taxes and Committing Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
An Illinois doctor was sentenced today to 34 months in prison for committing health care fraud and for hiding assets and lying to the IRS about his ability to pay approximately $1.6 million in taxes, penalties, and interest.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from approximately 2011 to 2017, Krishnaswami Sriram, of Lake Forest, Illinois, evaded payment of approximately $1.6 million he owed to the IRS. Among other evasive steps, Sriram transferred ownership, in name only, of two rental properties to his children without their knowledge while he continued to receive income from the properties. He also transferred approximately $700,000 from bank accounts he controlled in the United States to accounts in India. To fraudulently reduce the money he owed, Sriram submitted documents to the IRS as part of an offer-in-compromise that omitted an investment account in the United States, bank and investment accounts in India, and ownership of the rental properties. In total, Sriram caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1.6 million.
Between 2012 and 2022, Sriram also caused false Medicare billings to be submitted for episodes of in-home physician care that did not occur. Specifically, Sriram claimed to provide care for Medicare beneficiaries on dates when those individuals were either deceased or resided at inpatient facilities other than their homes. Sriram’s false statements in medical records relating to these episodes of care resulted in $136,980.36 in false billings to Medicare.
In addition to his prison sentence, the court ordered Sriram to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.7 million in restitution to the United States.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case with assistance from former Trial Attorney Victor Yanz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Oxycodone Distribution and Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL BENITEZ, 38, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad investigation revealed that Benitez and a co-conspirator were illegally selling oxycodone pills that were prescribed to his co-conspirator. In August and September 2024, investigators made controlled purchases of oxycodone pills from Benitez and his co-conspirator.
Benitez was arrested on November 6, 2024. On that date, a search of his residence revealed a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol that had been reported stolen in West Hartford.
Benitez’s criminal history includes state assault, burglary, and larceny convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Benitez has been detained since his arrest. On March 26, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, which is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, West Haven, Hamden, Fairfield, Manchester, and Seymour Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Husband and Wife Convicted of Federal Charges Relating to Drug and Firearm InvestigationRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – On Monday, August 18, 2025, Shantel Marie Powell, 37, of Crestview, was found guilty by a federal jury of making a false statement to a federal agent. Her husband and codefendant, Kevin Lamonte Powell Jr., 40, had earlier pleaded guilty as charged to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The verdict and guilty plea were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office is committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent felons and drug traffickers, and this case is yet another victory toward achieving that goal. Keeping our communities safe is our top priority, and we will not hesitate to aggressively prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the armed criminals flooding our streets with dangerous drugs and their accomplices. I am deeply appreciative of the tireless efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners that led to this successful prosecution.”
Evidence admitted at Shantel Powell’s trial and court documents established that on January 31, 2025, following federal search warrants executed simultaneously at an outbuilding in Crestview where Kevin Powell regularly stored and distributed drugs and the Powells’ home in Pensacola, law enforcement seized fentanyl, evidence that Kevin Powell was packaging and preparing drugs for sale, including two large kilogram presses, a total of five firearms, and various amounts of ammunition. One of the firearms was a privately made firearm with no manufacturer markings or serial number, often referred to as a “ghost gun.” While the search warrant was being executed, Shantel Powell willfully lied to a federal task force officer by falsely claiming that she had purchased the privately made firearm at a particular gun store in Crestview.
Sentencing for Kevin Powell is scheduled for November 13, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Shantel Powell will be sentenced on November 18, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. The defendants will be sentenced at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Kevin Powell faces a maximum term of 45 years’ imprisonment, and Shantel Powell faces a maximum term of 5 years’ imprisonment.
The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Crestview Police Department, and the Niceville Police Department, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes.
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.
Government Employee and Government Contractor Enter Guilty Pleas to Stealing over $150,000 from MacDill Air Force Base’s Intramural ProgramRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Keith Pilawski (63, Lutz) and Edwin Ortiz (58, Brandon) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Pilawski and Ortiz each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. As part of their plea agreements, Pilawski has agreed to forfeit $67,183, and Ortiz has agreed to forfeit $163,300, the proceeds of criminal conduct. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreements, from 2009 until 2024, while Pilawski was employed as the intramural sports director for MacDill Air Force Base, he and Ortiz participated in a scheme to defraud MacDill’s intramural sports program. Instead of selecting the least expensive contractor, Pilawski steered all officiating duties to Ortiz’s company, and scheduled games around Ortiz’s schedule. Additionally, Pilawski authorized payments to Ortiz for services that were not covered under the contract and at times not even performed. Ortiz then kicked back a portion of the overpayments to Pilawski.
This case was investigated by Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.
Fort Dodge, Iowa, Man to Federal Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Alan Eugene Beier age 61, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced on August 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on September 14, 2024, an officer with the Clear Lake Police Department was dispatched for a driving complaint. The reporting party advised there was a dark colored motorcycle, dim headlight, and no taillights. The officer located the motorcycle and conducted a traffic stop. Beier was arrested for driving infractions. Beier and the motorcycle were searched and law enforcement recovered $864 cash, 10 grams of cocaine, 82 grams of marijuana, and 235 grams of methamphetamine. Beier further admitted to purchasing the methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana for $2,600 in Minnesota prior to being stopped and had plans to sell the methamphetamine to other persons in Northern Iowa.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Beier was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Beier remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Clear Lake Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Fletcher and Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-3044. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Sheriff of Hot Spring County Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – A Malvern, Arkansas, man was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Engaging in a Scheme to Conceal a Material Fact from a Governmental Agency. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, Derek “Scott” Finkbeiner, age 47, was elected as the Sheriff of Hot Spring County, Arkansas, entering into office in January of 2023. By May of 2023, federal agents became aware of Finkbeiner’s illicit use of both crack cocaine and methamphetamine.
When Finkbeiner became aware of a federal investigation involving his drug supplier in August of 2023, Finkbeiner engaged in a scheme designed to steer federal agents away from investigating his personal drug dealer. Specifically, the investigation determined, and Finkbeiner ultimately admitted, that, from approximately August 19, 2023, through August 24, 2023, he intentionally misled and concealed material facts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about the true nature of his relationship with the target of an FBI investigation. Finkbeiner admitted that he was present at the target’s residence when the FBI conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics and that he “smoked” crack cocaine and methamphetamine with the target. Further, Finkbeiner admitted that once he learned of the FBI’s investigation, he intentionally lied about the nature of his and the Hot Spring County Sheriff Department’s relationship with the target, all in an effort to convince the FBI to cease its investigation.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Harris and Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Achorn and Trent Daniels of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Former Grandville Orthodontist Charged with Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey today announced that Thomas Shannon, 43, was arrested in Frankfort, Michigan on charges related to child exploitation. Shannon is an orthodontist and previously had a practice in Grandville.
The criminal complaint charging Shannon alleges that a therapist reported that a 16-year-old minor had been sexually exploited on Snapchat. Investigators identified the victim’s perpetrator as Thomas Shannon using SnapChat and CashApp records. Shannon hired a private forensic examiner to review his phone to prove that he did not have child pornography. The examiner, however, found child pornography and turned it over to police. Investigators reviewed the phone and Snapchat records, which revealed additional minor victims, one whom was only twelve years old. One additional minor victim came forward. She met Shannon online and he directed her to video chat with him while engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Shannon is charged with the following crimes, which carry the following penalties:
Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography: mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison
Receipt of Child Pornography: mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison
Possession of Child Pornography: up to 20 years in prison
Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor: mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison
Sexual Exploitation of a Minor: mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Fuquay Varina Police Department in North Carolina, and the Prince George’s County Police Department in Maryland.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
The charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Former Chief Financial Officer of Staffing Firm Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $510,000Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former Chief Financial Officer of a staffing firm has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $510,000 from the firm.
CHARLES NELSON misappropriated the money in 2018 and 2019 while working in the firm’s Chicago office. Nelson made a series of unauthorized credit card purchases for his personal benefit, initially on meals and travel and later on jewelry, gold, and renovations of his personal residence. Nelson used the fraud proceeds to purchase many extravagant items, including Cartier and Rolex watches, a gold and diamond bracelet, and high-end appliances for his home. Nelson executed the fraud scheme by circumventing multiple corporate controls over expenditures.
Nelson, 67, of Valparaiso, Ind., pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Aug. 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed a 27-month prison sentence and ordered Nelson to pay $510,319 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office.
“Defendant squandered the company’s money on extravagant items, such as gold, coins, jewelry, trips, and meals,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His offense was not an isolated lapse in judgment or simple mistake. It was a carefully orchestrated pattern of theft from a company that trusted defendant to serve as CFO, and his offense took a financial and emotional toll on the honest, hard-working employees left in its wake.”
Former Army Soldier Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Sexually Abusing a Child and Requesting a Sexually Explicit Photograph of a Different ChildRead the Press Release
Defendant was sentenced to the maximum for each charge
SAVANNAH, GA: A former Army Soldier was sentenced on Tuesday after sexually abusing a child and requesting a sexually explicit photograph from a different child.
Cedrick Demon Robinson, 42, Oxford, MS, was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Attempted Production of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct following a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Margaret E. Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. On Tuesday, August 12, 2025, U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker sentenced Robinson to life imprisonment. Judge Baker also ordered Robinson to pay a $50,000 fine and $10,200 in special assessments.
As described in courtroom testimony, in December of 2013, Robinson sexually abused a minor by fondling the child’s genitals when the child was merely nine years old. Later, in 2017, Robinson requested that another child text him a sexually explicit photograph when the child was fifteen years old.
“Protecting children from those who would abuse them and seeking justice for sexual predators remains one of our District’s highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We will continue to seek justice for those who would victimize our most vulnerable citizens.”
"This conviction represents a decisive step toward justice for the victims and underscores our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan O’Connor, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Stewart. “We’re proud of the collaborative efforts with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Georgia, whose partnership was instrumental in securing this outcome."
The case was investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Stewart and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Z. Spitulnik and Darron J. Hubbard.
Five KC-Area Individuals Charged in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their alleged roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that involved the sale of drugs to an undercover agent. One man was also indicted on firearm charges.
Marcellus W. Anderson, 31, Tyra K. M. McGee, 37, Virgil D. Tillman, 41, and Martin A. Holloman, 40, all of Kansas City, Mo.; and Ricky M. Bowie, 25, of Kansas City, Kan., were charged in a 14-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. That indictment was unsealed and made public earlier this week upon the arrest and initial court appearance of Bowie. Tillman and Holloman were also arrested this week.
The superseding indictment replaces the original indictment returned on June 27, which only charged Marcellus Anderson and Tyra McGee, and includes the additional defendants.
The federal indictment alleges that all five defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine between Dec. 1, 2023, and June 11, 2025.
Additionally, Anderson is charged with three counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Anderson possessed a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol on Jan. 29, 2025.
McGee is charged with Anderson in one count of distributing fentanyl and one count of distributing a fentanyl analogue. Bowie, Tillman, and Holloman are charged with Anderson in one separate count each of distributing fentanyl.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint that was filed against Anderson and McGee on June 12, Anderson sold cocaine to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on three occasions, methamphetamine on one occasion, fentanyl on six occasions, and a fentanyl analogue on one occasion. McGee participated in one of the fentanyl transactions and the fentanyl analogue transaction. Additionally, Anderson had a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol in his lap during one of the transactions, which he commented was for protection. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Anderson has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen firearms.
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 Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of a Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sheldon Mays, age 25, of New Jersey, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for possession of a weapon while an inmate in a federal correctional facility.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on July 27, 2024, Mays, an inmate at the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Facility, possessed a sharpened plastic weapon with a cloth handle.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (“FBI”). Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of a Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Davon Nelson, age 40, of Maryland, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for possession of a weapon in a federal correctional facility.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on October 8, 2024, Nelson, an inmate at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Facility, possessed a prohibited object, a sharpened steel weapon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Four Individuals for Alleged Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted four individuals for allegedly fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
DEXTER M. CRAWFORD, JR., TIMIKA ROYSTON, ORLANDO PATRICK, and JERMIE MILLER engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL)—two sources of relief under the CARES Act, according to an indictment unsealed this week in the Northern District of Illinois. The indictment alleges that the defendants defrauded lenders and the U.S. Small Business Administration of millions of dollars in PPP loans and EIDL funds. From 2020 to 2022, the defendants submitted numerous fraudulent applications on behalf of themselves and business entities purportedly owned by some of the defendants, the indictment states. The applications contained materially false statements and misrepresentations about the defendants’ companies, including the number of purported employees, payroll and revenue amounts, and other expenses, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Crawford, 41, of Woodridge, Ill., with seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering; Royston, 49, of Chicago, with three counts of wire fraud; Patrick, 54, of Chicago, with two counts of wire fraud; and Miller, 42, of Plainfield, Ill., with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Each wire fraud count is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison, while each money laundering count is punishable by up to ten years.
Royston and Miller have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Arraignment for Patrick is scheduled for Aug. 28, 2025. Arraignment for Crawford has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Valuable assistance was provided by the SBA Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
crawford_et_al_indictment.pdfFederal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man in Connection with Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned a superseding indictment today charging a Louisville man with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, and Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Tyler Cull, 25, was charged with distributing a mixture and substance containing fentanyl in Jefferson County and Hardin County on December 14, 2024, which resulted in the death of a victim. Cull was previously indicted on April 2, 2025, for possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. This occurred on March 26, 2025, in Jefferson County, Kentucky.
On June 12, 2025, Cull was ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He remains in federal custody pending trial. If convicted of distribution resulting in death, he faces a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Today marks the first step in the formal process of holding Tyler Cull accountable for pushing poison into our Commonwealth, causing the death of a remarkable person,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. “Our Office will aggressively pursue this prosecution to ensure justice for the victim’s family and to put all others in the Commonwealth on notice that you will face the weight of federal prosecution if your cavalier drug distribution kills one of our brothers or sisters.”
“This federal indictment is what zealous collaboration looks like,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. “Those Kentuckians who we have a duty to protect, and one particular grieving family in Hardin County, deserve no less.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA, Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, Lyndon Police Department, and Elizabethtown Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Porter and Frank Dahl, III are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Aaron Cooper.
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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Federal Grand Jury Charges Pico Rivera Man with Impeding Immigration Officers Arresting Illegal Alien in Parking LotRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Pico Rivera man with impeding immigration officers from conducting enforcement actions in the parking lot of a Pico Rivera shopping center in June.
Adrian Andrew Martinez, 20, is charged with one count of conspiracy to impede a federal officer, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of six years in federal prison.
Martinez’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Today, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against this defendant for conspiracy to impede federal agents,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “He now faces up to six years in prison for his conduct. Make no mistake: There are serious, life-altering consequences for impeding law enforcement.”
According to the indictment and court documents previously filed in this case, on June 17 in Pico Rivera, federal agents were arresting a person believed to be an illegal alien residing in the United States. Martinez, who worked at a nearby Walmart, stopped and exited his vehicle and confronted the United States Border Patrol agents.
A crowd of several other individuals also stopped their vehicles and parked near the agents, partially blocking the lanes in the parking lot as the agents attempted to leave the area with the arrestee.
The hostile crowd collectively honked at the agents from their cars and shouted at them. The crowd – both in vehicles and on foot – surrounded the agents, blocking them from leaving the area. One of these vehicles was the one that Martinez had driven. Martinez positioned his vehicle to block the agents’ vehicle.
Martinez grabbed a large trash can and moved it in front of the agents’ vehicle, blocking it from leaving.
An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Robbins of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.
Federal Charges Filed Against Arizona Man in Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was indicted on federal charges for assaulting three individuals, including two minors.
According to court documents, on September 16, 2024, Kendrick Harvey, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted Jane Doe, causing serious bodily injury. He also shoved John Doe, a minor, and struck Jane Doe 2, a minor, with a closed fist, placing both minors in danger of serious harm.
Harvey is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of abandonment and abuse of a child and will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Harvey faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Harvey).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Drug Conspirator Sentenced to 10 Years for Mailing Cocaine from Puerto Rico to SyracuseRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo age 44, of Puerto Rico, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for money laundering and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Calcano-Carrasquillo admitted that from July 2021 through July 2024, he conspired with others to distribute cocaine in Onondaga County. As part of the conspiracy, Calcano-Carrasquillo, after receiving payment from his co-conspirators, mailed packages containing over 20 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses in Syracuse that were provided to him by Juan Correa, Sr.
Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Calcano-Carrasquillo to serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. Co-defendant Juan Correa, Jr. previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 7 years in prison. The remaining co-defendants in this case, Juan Correa, Sr. and Ashley Correa have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Bringing the Puerto Rican source of supply in this conspiracy to justice for his role in flooding our local streets with poison for years is a testament to the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies up and down the East Coast. No stone will be left unturned in our pursuit of these sophisticated drug trafficking organizations.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III stated: “This case highlights the DEA’s focus on cutting off drug pipelines that bring cocaine from sources like Puerto Rico into New York communities. Working with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to disrupting these supply chains and preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching our streets.”
Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation New York, stated: “Calcano-Carrasquillo is just another predator who chose to bring highly addictive drugs into our neighborhoods, continuing to prey on the vulnerable. IRS-CI New York is proud to continue its work with the DEA and our law enforcement partners in ridding our communities of those who have no regard for the welfare of its people. Today’s sentencing does exactly that.”
Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, stated: “Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo was part of a drug trafficking organization that coordinated a cocaine pipeline from Puerto Rico to New York through the U.S. Mail. His conviction highlights how committed the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our employees and the American people. We would like to thank our extraordinary law enforcement partners for their invaluable collaboration in this case. Together we will continue to be vigilant in disrupting criminal organizations that illegally utilize the U.S. Postal Service.”
Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department, stated: “Law Enforcement is never stronger than when we partner together. Together, we represent an omnipresent threat to criminal enterprises such as this one. On behalf of the Syracuse Police Department, I would like to both thank and congratulate the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of our law enforcement partners who successfully dismantled this drug trafficking organization. Well done!"
This case was investigated by the DEA, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Syracuse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Denver Man Charged in Armed Carjacking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that a grand jury has returned an indictment charging Dhal Buk, 18, with carjacking, using a machine gun during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a machine gun.
According to the criminal complaint, in the early morning of June 25, 2025, a group of individuals approached a man seated in his car in the Montbello neighborhood, pointed a gun at him, and told him to get out of his car. Fearing for his life, the man got out of the car. The group got into the car and drove away. Buk was later identified as the individual who pointed the gun at the victim, demanded he exit the vehicle, and got into the driver’s seat. After driving off in the stolen car and colliding with another vehicle in the parking lot, Buk and his accomplices abandoned it and fled on foot.
That same morning, Denver law enforcement officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert of six rounds of fully automatic gunfire in a nearby park. Officers arrived at the park and detained a juvenile accomplice. Officers also arrested Buk after a foot chase. Officers recovered a modified Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun from the scene of the chase. The Glock handgun was equipped with an extended magazine with multiple live rounds. Investigators confirmed the Glock handgun had been altered to fire automatically and was capable of firing multiple rounds with a single trigger pull.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn.
Case Number: 1:25-cr-00237-DDD
Corpus Christi man who distributed crack cocaine from apartment pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 37-year-old local resident has entered a guilty plea to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and distribution of crack cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Evaristo Coleman admitted he was selling cocaine and crack cocaine from his apartment in Corpus Christi.
The investigation began in January following multiple reports of alleged drug sales from the apartment. Authorities conducted surveillance and observed regular customers who came to buy cocaine and crack cocaine.
In February, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they discovered more than 100 grams of crack cocaine, nearly 300 grams of powder cocaine. They also found two 9mm pistols that Coleman possessed while selling the drugs.
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Nov. 20. At that time, Coleman faces up to 40 years for the drug charge and a minimum of five years and up to life for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. Both convictions also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Coleman has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.
Corpus Christi man imprisoned for 27 years after recording sexual video of himself with minor relativeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) otherwise known as sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Valentine Cancino pleaded guilty Feb. 20.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now sentenced Cancino to 324 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard that Cancino was actually sexually abusing the minor as authorities knocked on the door to serve the search warrant in the case. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the serious facts and circumstances which supported the sentence imposed. Cancino will also serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designated to restrict his access to children and the internet. Cancino will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
The investigation into Cancino began when authorities received multiple cyber-tips indicating CSAM been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Cancino as the source of the content.
On Jan. 30, 2024, authorities obtained a search warrant for Cancino’s residence in Corpus Christi. They located and seized two electronic devices.
One of those devices was a Samsung Galaxy cell phone. Upon inspection, authorities discovered a video recording Cancino made of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor relative.
Cancino has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
“There is hardly a sentence available that can fully account for the depravity of the defendant’s conduct, but the 27-year sentence he received here will have to do,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District is working tirelessly to identify and apprehend predators like Mr. Cancino before they can exploit others.”
“Despite overseeing criminal investigations for thousands of child exploitation-related cases in my 30-year career, they never get easier, but Homeland Security Investigations’ efforts to expose these heinous predators and prevent them from harming any more innocent children have expanded greatly since I first started,” said HSI - Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “It’s thanks to those partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies like the Corpus Christi Police Department and groups like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that we are able to quickly identify dangerous predators like Mr. Cancino who are hiding in plain sight in the local community and hold them accountable.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – HSI and CCPD conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Convicted Felon Admits to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man previously convicted and sentenced on state firearm, robbery, and drug trafficking charges, and a 2013 federal firearm charge, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
According to information presented to the court, on March 30, 2024, a Providence Police patrol officer effected a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Troy L. Antley, 56, for turning at an intersection without signaling. During the subsequent stop, the officer noticed a knife in plain view on the driver’s seat.
As the officer went to seize the knife, he noticed a round of ammunition in the driver’s side cupholder in the center console and a gun handle protruding from the space between the driver’s seat and center console. It was later determined that the firearm, a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic pistol, was previously reported stolen out of Alabama. The magazine in the firearm had a 16 round capacity and 14 rounds in it. One round was chambered in the pistol.
Antley is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2025. The sentence imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives and the Providence Police Department
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Clarksville Woman Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Child NeglectRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Lyndsey T. Bustamante, 29, of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for aggravated child neglect, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“The victim in this case was a two-month-old child who was horribly neglected by the Defendant and barely survived,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “The child is now in a loving home but will face lifelong struggles because of the Defendant’s choices. This case shows that we will not hesitate to prosecute those who hurt children and, if they are convicted, we will seek long sentences in federal prison for them.”
“This sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Andrew Garasich and his wife, Lyndsey Bustamante, thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong. Let this serve as a warning: if you harm children in any way, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you and ensure you face the full consequences of your actions.”
“This sentencing marks another significant step towards justice for the victim in this horrific case,” said Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Midcentral Field Office. “Army CID remains dedicated to the safety and well-being of our communities.”
On December 30, 2022, Bustamante’s husband Andrew Garasich burned their two-month-old baby by giving him a bath in water that was too hot. Although Bustamante was away from home with her five-year-old son when Garasich burned the baby, Garasich notified her on December 30 about having burned their baby. Neither parent sought medical attention for the baby until January 4, 2023.
When interviewed by the FBI on May 3, 2023, Garasich told Agents he noticed the baby’s butt was “beet red” when he was drying him off after the bath. He reported he noticed some of the baby’s skin was peeling before he left the home with the baby to go to Edible Arrangements to pick up chocolate-covered strawberries for Bustamante. After he returned home with the baby, he began to remove skin from the baby’s body. Garasich told the Agents that when Bustamante came home on December 31, 2022, parts of the baby’s body were already peeling, and Garasich had already pulled some of the baby’s peeling skin off. After Garasich burned the baby in the bath, Bustamante bathed the baby again between December 31 and January 4 and attempted to treat the baby’s burns with soap, diaper rash cream, aloe, and baby ibuprofen. Although Bustamante did not take the baby to the hospital until January 4, 2023, Bustamante sent a Facebook message to a friend on January 1, 2023, about the possibility of taking the baby to the hospital because the baby’s skin was “peeling really bad.” In a Facebook voice memo to this friend, she described using a wet cloth to pick off all the loose skin because the baby “had skin everywhere.” She also texted another friend that the baby’s skin was peeling “really bad” and that she was taking him to the hospital because his skin looked terrible. When that friend later asked about the baby, Bustamante lied and told her that she was at the hospital with the baby.
Finally, on January 4, 2023, the day before the baby was scheduled for a doctor’s visit at the Young Eagle Clinic on Fort Campbell, Bustamante, accompanied by her five-year-old son and a friend, took the baby to Houston County Community Hospital. Garasich did not go with them to the hospital. Medical personnel at Houston County immediately determined that the baby needed to be life flighted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to the severity of his injuries and contacted the Erin Police Department, who dispatched officers to the hospital. When the baby was assessed at Vanderbilt, in addition to partial to full thickness burns on the baby’s buttocks, perineum, lower extremities, and left elbow, medical personnel also noted a left parietal skull fracture. The baby remained hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for almost two months before being discharged. Both children are now in the custody of DCS.
Following her term of imprisonment, Bustamante will be on supervised release for 4 years.
Bustamante’s co-defendant, the child’s father Andrew J. Garasich, was sentenced on July 14, 2025, to 14 years in federal prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Morrison and Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire prosecuted the case.
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Claremore Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, Ryan Duke Haight, 45, was sentenced after being convicted by a federal jury in May for the Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country. In a post-trial order, the court acquitted Haight of one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country.
U.S. District Judge Frizzell sentenced Haight to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Haight will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Frizzell further ordered Haight to pay $3,353.70 in restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, Haight made sexual comments to the 14-year-old minor victim, began touching her on the buttocks, claiming it was an accident, and played with the seam of her panties. Haight even told the victim that he preferred “butts” over “boobs,” which was why he liked the victim. In the spring of 2024, Haight’s physical contact escalated. On multiple occasions, while driving the victim home, Haight rested his hand on the victim's leg and touched her underneath her clothing. Then, in July 2024, Haight told the victim he wanted to give her a massage as his “prize” for winning a bet. While massaging the victim, Haight sexually abused her.
Haight will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Scaife and Kate Brandon prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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.
Chinese National Arrested for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chinese national lawfully residing in Boston has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to traffic a child for sex.
Qichen Yuan, 31, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child. The defendant was arrested last night and appeared in federal court in Boston today.
According to the charging documents, on Aug. 16, 2025, Yuan responded to an advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex acts. The advertisement contained images of a young females and language purported to be written by a female describing herself as a “flower ready to blossom.”During a text conversation and phone call between Yuan and an undercover agent posing as the purported minor, the undercover agent stated that she was a 15-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. It is alleged that when the undercover agent told Yuan she was young, Yuan stated, “I love you being young lol.” He then allegedly agreed to pay $250 to have sex with the purported minor after learning that she was just 15 years old.
According to court documents, at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Aug. 19, 2025, Yuan arrived at an agreed-upon meeting location and stood outside. It is alleged that when an unmarked law enforcement vehicle pulled up, Yuan attempted to flee. He was immediately apprehended. It is alleged that during a search of his person, two condoms were found in Yuan’s pocket.
The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five 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 and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings, of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case.If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.Chicago Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago man to 45 years in prison for sexually exploiting and receiving child sexual abuse material from at least 14 children with whom he communicated on social media.
In 2019 and 2020, ARMANDO TORRES used social media to contact and persuade young girls, most of whom were younger than ten years old, to create and send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Torres sought out children on popular applications, including Snapchat and Instagram, and his social media screennames were designed to appeal to them. Torres often pretended he was a child in order to gain his victims’ trust. He provided graphic step-by-step instructions to his victims, including how to pose their bodies, the sexual language to use, and how to film and send the images and videos.
Torres, 35, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to exploitation and child pornography charges. On Aug. 11, 2025, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger imposed the 45-year prison sentence.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Children are the most vulnerable members of our community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Their innocence and trust in others make them defenseless to predators like Torres, who easily manipulated them online. Torres’s sexualization of the victims deprived them of their childhood and inflicted significant trauma on them, as well as their families, that will continue to impact them long after the experience is over.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.org/ or calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Cherokee County Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenny Ray Jackson, age 65, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
On February 11, 2025, Jackson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 29, 2024, Jackson knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle, a lever action rifle, and a break open shotgun, together with 54 rounds of assorted caliber ammunition, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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.
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. Jackson was ordered to self-report on September 19, 2025, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited a child pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Kevin Patrick Sullivan, age 43, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Sullivan admitted that between June 2013 and February 2015, he produced visual depictions of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Between June 2013 and January 2025, on multiple electronic devices, he possessed child pornography that showed a prepubescent child. Between November 2013 and January 2025, he used the Internet to receive child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sullivan remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sullivan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 70 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $117,300 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-30.
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Chinese National Indicted for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that a federal grand jury recently returned an indictment charging Shengjie Cheng, age 32, a Chinese national residing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, through a student visa, with attempted enticement of a minor. Cheng appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the indictment, on or about March 31, 2025, Cheng used social media applications and the name “Marvellous Pirate” to attempt to convince someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to engage in an illegal sexual relationship.
If convicted, Cheng faces a minimum of ten years and up to life imprisonment. Cheng also faces a $250,000 fine, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and sex offender registration requirements. He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing his sentence.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen Ross.
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is also 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).
Bullhead Man Sentenced to 3 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Slashing Another Man with a KnifeRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Bullhead, South Dakota, who was convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Martin Joseph Taken Alive, age 32, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Taken Alive was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.
On January 4, 2024, Taken Alive and the adult male victim were lounging in a home in Bullhead, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. Both were heavily intoxicated and began to quarrel. Taken Alive drew a knife and slashed the victim across the chest, then fled the home. The wound was approximately six inches long and required hospitalization. Taken Alive turned himself in to law enforcement later that evening.
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 Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Taken Alive was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Big Timber man sentenced to 3 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Big Timber man who possessed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
James Karl Ellis, 38, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on or about November 26, 2023, law enforcement received a video that showed the garage of Ellis’s residence located in Big Timber, Montana. The video depicted Ellis obtaining something from a large safe in the garage and then providing a bag containing what appeared to be a white powdery substance to a female. Deputies recognized the female as a known narcotics user. A search warrant for Ellis’s residence was obtained.
Ellis’s residence was searched on November 27, 2023. In the safe in the garage as well as in a locked closet in Ellis’s bedroom, law enforcement found approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Sweetgrass County Sheriff’s Office and ATF.
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 https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Augusta Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Augusta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of at least one felony offense.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Raymond Lilly, 41, to 6 years in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Lilly pleaded guilty on May 2, 2025.
According to court records, Lilly was encountered by Augusta police officers at an encampment in Mill Park in September 2023. During the interaction, officers observed a bottle of pills within Lilly’s tent, which Lilly admitted he did not have a prescription for. After officers arrested Lilly, they discovered a Smith & Wesson model M&P 15, .22 caliber rifle in his tent. Lilly had previous felony firearms convictions in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, which barred him from possessing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case in conjunction with the Augusta Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: 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 Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Tempe, Arizona, man, Terence Michael Carroll, 38, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for attempted distribution of more than 1,000 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the court considered uncontested evidence that in December 2023 Carroll mailed a parcel with approximately 11,757 tablets, or a total of 1,295.4 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, from Tempe to an address in Peoria, Illinois.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment in July 2024, and Carroll was arrested in Arizona at the end of that month. He was released on a recognizance bond. Carroll entered a plea of guilty in May 2025, at which time he was detained by the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
The statutory penalties for attempted distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl are ten years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at least a five-year term of supervised release. The court also may impose up to a $10 million dollar fine.
“Defendants who peddle deadly drugs like fentanyl introduce poison into our communities,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. “Our office is committed to pursuing these prosecutions in partnership with the United States Postal Inspection Services, Illinois State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, given the life-threatening consequences of this type of drug distribution.”
“This successful investigation demonstrates the role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “U.S. Postal Inspectors are federal agents committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service and fulfilling our obligations to safety in the communities we serve by dismantling drug trafficking organizations. U.S. Postal Inspectors will continue to aggressively investigate and bring to justice anyone utilizing the U.S. Mail for distribution of narcotics, as demonstrated by Mr. Carroll’s sentencing.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service, assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service Forensics Lab and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Carroll 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.
Arizona Man Charged with Trafficking Carfentanil into AlabamaRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An indictment charging an Arizona man in a drug trafficking conspiracy has been unsealed, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Ignacio Miguel Tirado-Castillo, 19, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue and attempt to distribute a fentanyl analogue in December 2024. Castillo was arrested August 11, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona, and was ordered detained in this case late last week. Evidence at the detention hearing revealed that Tirado-Castillo is alleged to have mailed approximately 25 pounds of carfentanil to Alabama.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue and attempt to distribute a fentanyl analogue is life in prison.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Alabama Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The U.S. Postal Service investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Angelina County felon guilty of federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lufkin felon has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Preston Allen, 58, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 19, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on February 3, 2025, Allen was arrested at his Lufkin home after law enforcement officers arrived to execute a warrant. Upon arrival, deputies found Allen standing outside the home with an AR-15 style rifle. Allen was ordered to put the rifle on the ground and was taken into custody. Further investigation revealed Allen is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.
Allen was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Charnele Dawn Jenkins, 31, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, on Aug. 27, 2024, the defendant sold fentanyl pills to an undercover Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force Agent in Riverton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the crime. Jenkins was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on May 27. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Aug. 15 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00019
Jeramie Russel Makinen, 40, of Evanston, Wyoming, was sentenced to 51 months and 29 days in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, aiding and abetting in the distribution of fentanyl, and distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, Special Agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in Rock Springs were investigating drug trafficking in Sweetwater County. Through the progression of the investigation, the defendant was identified as a person of interest. Agents observed Makinen selling methamphetamine and fentanyl. Deputies with the Sweetwater Sheriff’s Office (SSO) later conducted a traffic stop where the defendant was arrested. DCI, SSO, and DEA investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the crime. The defendant was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on April 22. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Aug. 14 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00007
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force
The Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force is a collaborative law enforcement effort focused on combating violent crime and drug trafficking, especially within Native American communities in the Rocky Mountain region. It unites the FBI with various law enforcement agencies, including tribal police departments, state and local law enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
11 Individuals in Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- 11 individuals have been sentenced for their roles in an armed drug trafficking ring responsible for trafficking hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine into Central Indiana. The individuals were sentenced as follows:
DefendantCharge(s)SentenceChristopher Miller, 29,
Indianapolis
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property26 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Jamie Sullivan, 22, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Distribution of controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances24 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Tameico Johnson, 22, of Fishers, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Distribution of controlled substance.20 years, 10 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Jayden Bertram, 22, Carmel, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances20 years, 10 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Courtlin Moncrief, 29, Avon, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances20 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Camonte Miller, 21, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substance.20 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Jordan Sumner, 22Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
16 years, 8 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Afrika Railynne Williams, 29,
Indianapolis
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments13 years, 4 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Monica Sumner, 20, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances12.5 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Dewell Simpson, 18, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession of a machine gun11 years, 8 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Regina Weatherford, 60,
Indianapolis
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.5 years’, 5 months’ imprisonment
4 years’ supervised release
According to court documents, Jaraughn Bertram led a drug trafficking organization in Central Indiana that trafficked significant quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Arizona to the Indianapolis, Anderson, and Muncie areas. Bertram and Christopher Miller utilized multiple couriers to obtain the drugs from Joaquin Carranza in Arizona and fly them to Indianapolis, concealed in their checked baggage. Drugs were also shipped to Indiana using U.S. mail. The drugs were then distributed to the other defendants for storage, packaging, and selling to individuals. Multiple members of the organization possessed and used firearms, including weapons than had been converted into fully automatic firearms (a/k/a machineguns), to further their drug trafficking activities, despite previous felony convictions.
Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell without a special license.
In addition to dealing controlled substances, Christopher Miller, Afrika Williams, and Jamie Sullivan also laundered the proceeds of the criminal organization using CashApp transactions, structured bank deposits and currency exchanges, and the purchase of vehicles.
While the case was being investigated, Jaraughn Bertram fled Indianapolis to Mexico. After federal charges were announced in June of 2023, Joaquin Carranza also fled to Mexico and remains a fugitive. Jaraughn Bertram was killed in September of 2024 in Mexico.
This case was part of a long-term investigation which resulted in multiple federal indictments. In total, the investigation recovered the following contraband and proceeds of the criminal activity:
- 128 firearms
- 61 machine gun conversion devices (MCDs)
- $722,626 currency
- 22 vehicles
- 118 pounds of methamphetamine
- 78 kilograms of fentanyl
- 501 pounds of marijuana
- 315 grams of cocaine
- 216 grams of heroin
“This was not just a drug bust- it was a takedown of a massive, highly organized criminal enterprise flooding Central Indiana with poison on an industrial scale,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Dozens of law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels worked tirelessly together, coordinating for years across jurisdictions to take down this operation. Thanks to their extraordinary partnership, these dangerous traffickers are behind bars, and our communities are safer.”
"This extraordinary investigation, made possible through the collaboration of numerous law enforcement partners, underscores our commitment to justice. We believe the sentences imposed on these violent offenders will have a lasting positive impact on the communities they targeted," said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge, John Smerglia.
“The defendants profited by flooding our neighborhoods with deadly drugs, leaving devastation in their wake—shattered families, lost lives, and communities in crisis,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “Today’s sentences send a clear message: if you exploit our communities and profit from their pain, we will come for you. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will be unrelenting in hunting down these traffickers and driving them off our streets.”
“Drug traffickers don’t just flood communities with narcotics—they disguise their profits through complex laundering schemes,” said Jason Bushey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents used forensic accounting to expose how this network tried to wash its money clean. By seizing their drugs, firearms, and illegal assets, we’ve cut off both the poison and the profits. IRS-CI will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to keep our neighborhoods safe.”
“US Postal Inspectors are dedicated to maintaining the sanctity of trust placed in the US Mail. We will aggressively pursue anyone who uses the US Mail to transport and distribute deadly drugs which impacts the safety of postal employees and postal customers,” said USPIS Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George. “The Postal Inspection Service is proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these drug tracking organizations which endanger our communities.”
“The Indiana State Police actively collaborates with various law enforcement partners at all levels (local, state, and federal) to combat criminal enterprises involved in illicit narcotics and firearms. This collaborative approach aims to enhance public safety by disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and firearms and bringing those involved in their trafficking to justice,” said Indiana State Police Captain, Ron Galaviz.
The following agencies investigated this case:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation
- Federal Bureau of Investigation- Indianapolis
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- United States Marshals Service
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Homeland Security Investigations
- The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force
- Indiana State Police
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
- Fishers Police Department
- Carmel Police Department
- Boone County Sheriff’s Department
- Zionsville Police Department
- Anderson Police Department
- Lawrence Police Department
- Muncie Police Department
- Fort Wayne Police Department
- Avon Police Department
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle P. Brady and Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought in conjunction with the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.
This case was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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19 August 2025
Yolo County Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Young Woman During a Flight from Seattle to SacramentoRead the Press Release
Jeff Lorenzo, 40, of Winters, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean C. Riordan to 30 days in prison for sexual assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 9, 2024, Lorenzo was flying from Seattle to Sacramento. A 20-year-old woman was one of the last passengers to board the flight. She took the last remaining seat between Lorenzo and his co-worker in the back of the aircraft. During the flight, Lorenzo willfully and repeatedly touched the woman without her consent. He grazed her leg with his hand, put his head near her crotch under the guise of picking up his dropped phone, and pressed his arm into her breast multiple times throughout the flight.
Lorenzo’s co-workers reported that Lorenzo has a history of behaving inappropriately, including harassing women.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody prosecuted the case.
White Plains Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic PCPRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Bengi Bernard Knox, 47, of White Plains, Maryland was sentenced by the Honorable Lydia K. Griggsby to nine years, followed by four years of supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief George Nader of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the guilty plea entered on February 20, 2025, between at least December 2022 and March 29, 2023, in the District of Maryland and elsewhere, Knox conspired with co-defendants Kevin Lee Simon, Jr. and Malik Marvin Lloyd, and others, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, a Schedule II controlled substance.
On January 5, 2023, Knox and Lloyd arranged to meet at a location in Washington, D.C. Lloyd entered Knox’s vehicle and stayed for a few minutes. Lloyd then exited Knox’s vehicle and was observed by law enforcement to be carrying in his right hand a vial of PCP. The following day, on January 6, 2023, Knox and Lloyd met on Clay Street in Northeast Washington, D.C. to exchange money for the January 5 distribution of PCP.
On February 7, 2023, Simon told Knox about a new source of supply of PCP. In a call, Simon relayed to Knox that the new source of supply said the product was “super crunch.” Simon proceeded to tell Knox that the source would sell Simon the drug unaltered for $13,500, instead of $12,500 for the drug with some cutting agent. The quoted prices, $12,500 or $13,500 were for a gallon, or 128 ounces, of PCP.
On March 29, 2023, law enforcement with the DEA, ATF and PGPD executed search warrants for Knox’s residence and Knox’s vehicle in White Plains, Maryland. Law enforcement recovered 60.992 grams of PCP; 23.68 grams of cocaine; and 0.95 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Knox possessed the PCP, cocaine, and heroin/fentanyl with the intent to distribute them.
Law enforcement also recovered a Glock Model 43 9mm pistol containing approximately 6 rounds of 9mm ammunition; approximately 19 rounds of 9mm ammunition; and approximately $2,257 in U.S. currency. The firearm was located in Knox’s closet, near a bottle of PCP.
On May 29, 2025, Judge Griggsby sentenced Simon to 12 years in prison on related charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of PCP, possession with intent to distribute PCP and cocaine base, and felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
On June 5, 2025, Judge Griggsby sentenced Lloyd to 8 years in prison on related charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of PCP, and possession with intent to distribute PCP and cocaine base.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, ATF, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coreen Mao and Timothy Hagan, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Waterbury Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL QUIROS, also known as “Papa John,” 36, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 63 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for heading a Waterbury drug trafficking organization.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury. One organization was headed by Quiros and operated in the area of William Street, and the other was headed by Daniel Diaz-Rivera and operated in the area of Maple Avenue. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers. The organizations shared sources of supply, worked together to further their operations, and sold narcotics all hours of the day and night.
Quiros, Diaz-Rivera, and 15 associates were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation. Quiros, Diaz-Rivera, and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash. Investigators seized from Quiros quantities of cocaine and crack, more than $6,000 in cash, and jewelry valued at more than $24,000.
On February 11, 2025, Quiros pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Released on $100,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on October 20, 2025.
Diaz-Rivera pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on June 23, 2025, was sentenced to 210 months of imprisonment.
The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Wagoner Resident Sentenced to Fourteen Years for Child NeglectRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Salasha Fae Bosley, age 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for each of two counts of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The counts were ordered to run concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On December 12, 2024, Bosley pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, between September 2023 and June 16, 2024, Bosley failed to provide two children with adequate nurturance, affection, food, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, medical care, supervision, and sanitary living conditions while responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the children. One of the children sustained life threatening injuries because of the neglect which will require lifetime medical intervention.
The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“The defendant willfully and shamefully put two innocent children at grave risk by neglecting to provide for their most basic needs,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Cases like this are among the most difficult to investigate, and collaboration from our partner agencies is vital to achieving justice. I’m thankful for the efforts of everyone involved to ensure the defendant will not be able to inflict further harm on these children.”
“The appalling neglect these children endured is inexcusable,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I wish to thank the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their tireless work to rescue these children from deplorable treatment and living conditions. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners to protect the most vulnerable in our communities and hold offenders accountable.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Bosley was remanded into 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 Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Uintah County Man Facing Federal Charges After He Allegedly Murdered His MotherRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Uintah County, Utah man with second degree murder after he allegedly beat his elderly mother to death after she would not let him use her car.
According to court documents, on or about July 13, 2025, Philip Bernard Weston, aka Philip Bernard Mahpiya-Wicasta, 52, of Ft. Duchesne, Utah, allegedly beat his mother so severely with his bare hands inside her house that she later died from his assault of her.
Prior to her death, law enforcement responded to the victim’s house after dispatch received an emergency alert. The victim, who is hearing impaired, often used social media to communicate with others, and had made multiple contacts to an out-of-state relative on her tablet via social media asking for help. When an officer arrived at the victim’s home, Weston answered the door and allegedly stated the victim was there and fine.
However, the officer could see the victim on the ground with a large amount of blood around her. Weston was immediately taken into custody. Upon entering the residence, law enforcement allegedly observed blood in several areas of the home and a tablet in front of the victim. The victim was taken to the hospital in Roosevelt, Utah, and was able to give statements, using ASL, to an interpreter about the incident. The victim was transported to a trauma center in Salt Lake City for further medical treatment, but succumbed to her injuries, which included: multiple broken ribs; a severe chest injury; broken clavicles; multiple head injuries, including a four inch laceration on her forehead, eye damage, and a scalp hematoma; hemothorax; collapsed lung; fracture of the sternum; vertebrae; and other injuries.
Weston is charged with murder in the second degree while within Indian Country. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for August 20, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Vernal Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and Tanner Zumwalt of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Third and Final Defendant Sentenced to Prison After Stealing 75 Firearms from a C-A-L Ranch Store in Cedar CityRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Darrell Glenn DeVoge, 50, of Cedar City, Utah, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release after he pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a licensed dealer. DeVoge is the last of three defendants to be sentenced for burglarizing a C-A-L Ranch store in Cedar City in November 2023.
Cedar City Police Dept.DeVoge’s codefendants include, the ringleader of the burglary, Russell Wesley Gruber, 31, and DeVoge’s son Parker Darrell DeVoge, 21, both of Cedar City. On July 9, 2025, Gruber was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment, and three years’ supervised release. On April 22, 2025, Parker DeVoge was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release. All three defendants were ordered to pay a joint restitution in the amount of $2,406.11 to C-A-L Ranch.
According to court documents and admissions made at the defendants’ change of plea and sentencing hearings, on November 21, 2023, just before midnight Gruber, Parker DeVoge and Darrell DeVoge burglarized C-A-L Ranch in Cedar City. All three were armed with guns Gruber provided, which were stolen from prior burglaries by Gruber and Parker. After smashing display cases, they stole dozens of firearms and fled the C-A-L Ranch store. A few hours later, on November 22, 2023, Gruber and Parker DeVoge returned to C-A-L Ranch to commit a second burglary before the store opened. In total, the defendants stole 75 firearms, which included rifles, shotguns, revolvers and pistols. They also stole ammunition, red dot sights, and firearm accessories. Gruber and Darrell DeVoge then stored the stolen firearms, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
Cedar City Police Dept.Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Cedar City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Burton and Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Laura Gema Carroll, age 36, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tahlequah Police Department.
On March 19, 2025, Carroll pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 12, 2024, Carroll possessed one semi-automatic pistol and five rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gross and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Tallahassee Violent Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm and Possessing Marijuana with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Malik Ray, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is another outstanding example of state and federal law enforcement partnering to protect the citizens of North Florida. My office is committed safeguarding our communities against the predations of violent felons by keeping those offenders off our streets.”
Court documents reflect that on October 22, 2024, officers with Florida Probation and Parole and the Tallahassee Police Department conducted a search of Ray’s residence pursuant to the terms of his Florida probation. During the search, officers found an AR-style pistol, over five pounds of marijuana, and other evidence of drug dealing. A subsequent investigation revealed that Ray had been distributing marijuana since at least March 2024.
Ray faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release when he is sentenced.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Florida Department of Corrections, Office of Community Corrections, Circuit Two. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
St. Petersburg Man Indicted for Access with Intent to View Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Thomas Ford (61, St. Petersburg) with access with intent to view child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Ford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ford that the United States intends to forfeit two cellphones which are alleged to have been used in furtherance of the offense.
According to the indictment, between July 25, 2024, and March 19, 2025, Ford accessed a matter that contained a visual depiction of a child under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the intent to view the CSAM.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Muriel Moore.
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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Spree of Carjackings and Armed Robberies Results in a 108-Month Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andre Rushing, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for his role in a March 2023 spree of armed carjackings and robberies in the metropolitan area that victimized at least six people, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rushing, aka “Dre,” pleaded guilty March 17, 2025, to carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. As part of his guilty plea, Rushing admitted to perpetrating four separate carjackings and robberies. The spree only stopped when Rushing and his co-defendants were arrested in Fairfax County on March 30, 2023, as they attempted to flee police in a carjacked vehicle.
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Rushing to serve 5 years of supervised release following completion of his 108-month prison sentence.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Still shots taken from surveillance video of the Rushing (left) and Roach (right) in the March 6, 2023, carjacking.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2023, at 9:20 p.m., Rushing and co-defendant Javon Roach carjacked a male victim on the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue. Rushing pointed a handgun and demanded the victim’s keys and phone as Roach stood to the side with a loaded long-style gun.
Image of Rushing taken from the Instagram Live Post on March 7, 2023.
On March 7, 2023, Rushing was arrested for gun possession on the 300 block of Anacostia Road SE a few feet away from a “ghost gun” with a 31-round capacity magazine loaded with 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition. About 15 minutes before the arrest, Rushing broadcast a video from Roach’s Instagram account in which he appeared to be holding a handgun with an extended magazine.
On March 16, 2023, about 3:05 p.m. Rushing and Roach a robbed a food deliveryman at gunpoint on the 3900 block of Benning Road NE. taking the man’s phones, cash, and the food he was delivering. The defendants then fled in a black Toyota RAV-4 that had been carjacked the day before.
On March 17, 2023, about 9:34 a.m. Rushing and Roach robbed three construction workers on the 300 block of Anacostia Road, SE.
On March 26, 2023, about 7:48 p.m., Rushing and Roach carjacked a Chevrolet Impala at gunpoint at a gas station on the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.
On March 30, 2023, at about 2:15 p.m., Fairfax County police located a carjacked Audi Q5, that had been stolen the day prior in Capitol Heights, Maryland, at Tyson’s Mall and set up surveillance of the vehicle. Rushing and Roach fled in the carjacked Audi onto the 8000 block of Leesburg Pike and became stuck in traffic. Roach, who was driving, crashed into several cars in an attempt to escape. He ultimately struck a Fairfax County police vehicle. Officers surrounded the Audi. Roach fled on foot, while Rushing was arrested inside of the vehicle. A loaded handgun was recovered from the glovebox in front of Rushing. FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service took Rushing into custody before handing him over to the Fairfax County Police Department Police.
Roach, 20, was sentenced June 27 to 228 months in federal prison for his role in the carjackings and robberies.
This case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall.
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Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
Omar Barrientos, 35, from Sioux City, Iowa pled guilty August 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on June 20, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to remove a subject sleeping in a vehicle in the Thompson Electric parking lot in Sioux City, Iowa. Law enforcement arrived and knocked on the driver’s window eventually waking up Barrientos. Barrientos was the sole occupant of the vehicle and exhibited strange behavior and signs of impairment. Law enforcement observed a set of pills in the center console and in plain view on the driver’s side floorboard was a white, crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine. Upon further search of the vehicle, law enforcement found a bag under the driver’s seat containing just under a pound of methamphetamine. Barrientos admitted that he planned to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person or persons.
Barrientos had previously been convicted of willful injury and criminal gang participation, in 2009 and in 2016 he was again convicted of willful injury along with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Barrientos remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Barrientos faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4065. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Shalimar Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Numerous FirearmsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Zackery Chase Brunson, 33, of Shalimar, Florida, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the substantial efforts of our state and federal law enforcement partners to make our community safer by getting this dangerous repeat offender off the streets. This is yet another important case by my office fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by aggressively pursuing criminal offenders to keep our communities safe.”
In January 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brunson’s residence in Shalimar, Florida. During the search, law enforcement found two rifles, a shotgun, and three pistols, and multiple types of ammunition. Brunson is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance.
Brunson faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Okaloosa County Sherriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2025, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.