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14 August 2026
Justice served in bulk meth attempt: Casper resident sentenced to more than 12 yearsRead the Press Release
CASPER, Wyo. — A Casper woman will serve more than 12 years in federal prison for her role as a distributor in a multi-county drug trafficking ring, federal officials said.
Alysha Ann Dahl, 33, of Casper, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence Aug. 11 in Casper.
According to federal court documents, the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and multiple state and local agencies, investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in Wyoming and Colorado.
Law enforcement intercepted and arrested Dahl Nov. 10, 2025, near Casper. After a search of the vehicle she was traveling in, investigators found scales, syringes and nearly half a pound, or about 205 grams, of methamphetamine. Agents determined Dahl distributed more than 11 pounds of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
A federal complaint was filed Jan. 23, and she was taken into federal custody Jan. 28. Dahl waived indictment and pleaded guilty to information May 19. Dahl provided a factual basis in support of her guilty plea in which she admitted that on or about October 17, 2025, she was within the District of Wyoming when she knowingly and intentionally possessed 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. She knew the substance was methamphetamine, and she intended to unlawfully distribute it to others. DCI, DEA and HSI investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Darin Smith said, "This operation proves that we will not let illegal drugs tear apart our communities. By working closely with local and state police, we are taking dealers off the streets and protecting Wyoming families. Our combined forces will continue to track down and punish anyone who brings these dangers into our neighborhoods."
Jamaican Citizen Charged with Sexual Abuse of 19-Year-Old Woman in Yosemite National ParkRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury has indicted Danavon Caine, 36, a citizen of Jamaica who was working in Yosemite National Park on a seasonal visa, charging him with two counts of sexual abuse against a 19-year-old co-worker, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, at the time of the assault, Caine was employed as a chef in Yosemite National Park and working on a seasonal H-2B Visa. During this time, Caine allegedly sexually abused his 19-year-old female co-worker in the late evening hours of Friday, July 17, 2026. The woman reported the assault to both a neighbor and a friend that night, and then to law enforcement the next day. Caine was arrested on July 31, 2026, and has been ordered detained pending trial.
This case was the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Eric Catto are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Caine faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Jacksonville Woman Charged with Fraudulently Seeking over $130 Million in Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Candia V. Williams, a/k/a “Wisdom Shield El,” has been charged by indictment with one count of conspiring to submit false claims and three counts of submitting false claims to the United States government. If convicted on all counts, Williams faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Williams caused at least four fraudulent tax returns to be submitted to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seeking, in total, over $130 million in tax refunds. To substantiate the false claims for refunds, various false documents were submitted, including fictious IRS Form 1099-As and W-4s. In one instance, a refund check was issued but the IRS levied bank accounts to recover the proceeds of the fraud.
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 Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
IndictmentIowa Man Sentenced for Distribution of Methamphetamine Resulting in Death of Omaha WomanRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Tyler Foreman, 32, formerly of Honey Creek, Iowa, was sentenced on August 10, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Distribution of Methamphetamine Resulting in Death. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Foreman to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Foreman’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On September 10, 2024, at the Court Apartments in Omaha, Nebraska, the defendant provided a combination of methamphetamine and Alka-Seltzer known as a “meth bomb” to the Victim. The Victim ingested the drug causing an overdose. First responders took the Victim to the hospital and attempted life-saving measures. The Victim died of acute methamphetamine intoxication at the hospital. As part of the investigation, Omaha Police Officers contacted the defendant and located in his backpack 12 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and six Alka-Seltzer packages.
“Anyone who gives a dangerous controlled substance to another human being is taking a chance that person will lose his or her life due to a drug overdose,” said United States Attorney Lesley Woods. “If you take that chance in Nebraska, you can expect the same result that the defendant got in this case because the mandatory minimum penalty applies in every case.”
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Illegal aliens face immediate deportation for immigration violationsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants illegally inside the United States were sentenced in federal court and transferred to immigration authorities for immediate deportation.
The sentences were imposed in U.S. District Court and announced by Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
- Martin De La Torre Coronado, 35, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Coronado was identified as an illegal alien in May 2026 during a traffic stop by Savannah Police in Chatham County and transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- Oscar Barrios-Garcia, 38, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Barrios-Garcia was identified as an illegal alien in February 2026 during an encounter with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in Chatham County and transferred to ICE custody.
- Juan Miguel Osorio Rojas, 40, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Rojas was identified as an illegal alien in June 2026 in Glynn County and transferred to ICE custody.
Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation is a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.
“These defendants had been previously removed from the United States yet chose to disregard federal law by unlawfully returning to the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will hold criminal defendants accountable in an effort to protect our communities and ensure public safety.”
These cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Makeia R. Jonese, Ryan Bondura, Matthew A. Breedon, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Olsen.
Husband and Wife Sentenced to Life in Prison for Charges Related to 2020 Murder of Wife’s Ex-HusbandRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Superintendent of the New York State Police, Steven G. James, announced that on August 11 and August 13, 2026, JAMIE AND NICHOLAS ORSINI, respectively, were each sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern for one count of carjacking resulting in death and one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit carjacking in connection with the murder of JAMIE ORSINI’s ex-husband, Steven Kraft. The ORSINIs were convicted following a two-week trial in 2024 before Judge Halpern.
“Justice has now been served in this tragic case,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “In 2020, Jamie and Nicholas Orisini orchestrated a sophisticated scheme to kill Jamie Orsini’s ex-husband, Steven Kraft, and cover up their crime. Their actions took a life, devastated a family, and left behind years of unanswered questions. Kraft’s body has never been found, and for years, his family has been forced to live with the unimaginable pain and uncertainty of not knowing what happened to their loved one. While no sentence can undo the loss of a life or erase the suffering endured by Kraft’s family, these sentences bring the Kraft family a measure of finality and hold Jamie and Nicholas Orsini accountable for their horrific crimes. Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners will not stop seeking justice for victims, their families, and our communities.”
“The actions taken by Jamie and Nicholas Orsini that resulted in the death of Steven Kraft are a tragic and senseless crime,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Our hearts remain with the victims and their families as they confront this profound loss. The FBI is steadfast in its commitment to pursuing violent crime investigations and will continue working closely with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This investigation was the result of the dedicated work of the FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, whose local and state law enforcement partners play an essential role in bringing violent offenders to justice and ensuring the safety of our communities.
“This week’s sentencings send a strong message that prison is the only future for those who take the lives of others,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “We hope these sentencings bring a sense of closure that the defendants will never commit a heinous crime like this again. I commend the dedication of our members, partners at the US Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement colleagues for the justice served in this case.”
According to the Indictment, public court filings, and evidence presented at trial:
In 2020, JAMIE and NICHOLAS ORSINI plotted and executed the murder of JAMIE ORSINI’s ex-husband and the father to two of her children, Steven Kraft, as well as a sophisticated cover-up of their crime. The murder and cover-up involved, among other things, the use of burner phones, the movement of Kraft’s car to a different city, and the destruction and disposal of all physical evidence. Before the murder, the ORSINIs purchased items—such as a 1,000-square-foot tarp and a full-body coverall—to allow them to commit the murder and dispose of evidence, repeatedly practiced “dry runs” for how they would move Kraft’s car, and purchased a “burner phone” to use without law enforcement being able to trace the phone to them. On April 28, 2020, Kraft dropped his children off at the ORSINIs’ home in Beacon, New York. The ORSINIs killed Kraft in their home, taking his car and one of his cellphones. In order to make it look as if Kraft left their home in Beacon alive and was killed elsewhere, NICHOLAS ORSINI drove Kraft’s car into Newburgh, New York, leaving it in a high-crime neighborhood, got rid of Kraft’s cellphone, and used the burner phone to call a taxi to bring him back to Beacon, throwing the burner phone out before getting into the taxi, while JAMIE ORSINI sent text messages to and from NICHOLAS ORSINI’s phone—which he had left at home—to pretend that NICHOLAS ORSINI never left the house that night.
After the murder, the ORSINIs destroyed evidence of their crimes—including Kraft’s body—buying a new burner phone to use while repeatedly driving to and from upstate New York, as well as creating large homemade incinerators. JAMIE ORSINI sent multiple text messages to make it look like she believed that Kraft was still alive, and, having dumped Kraft’s car in Newburgh, when speaking with the police, professed ignorance, while hinting that perhaps something might have happened to Kraft had he gone to Newburgh after leaving her home.
If you believe you have information related to the location of Steven Kraft’s body, please consider reporting using the following link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/report-crime.
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JAMIE ORSINI, 38, and NICHOLAS ORSINI, 36, both of Amsterdam, New York, were sentenced to life in prison to be followed by five year of supervised release on count one (carjacking resulting in death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119(3)) to run concurrently with five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on count two (conspiracy to commit carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371).
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding work of the FBI and the New York State Police, which also supported the prosecution through trial. He also thanked the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, the City of Beacon Police Department, the Town of Marlborough Police Department, and the City of Newburgh Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaiya Arroyo, Michael D. Maimin, and Kathryn P. Wheelock are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Shannon Becker.
Green County Cheese Manufacturer Sentenced to Probation and $237,500 Fine for Criminally Violating Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Wisconsin Cheese Group, LLC, a company headquartered in Monroe, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita M. Boor to one-year of probation for violating the Clean Water Act. The company was also ordered to pay a $237,500 fine, to make improvements to its facility, and to engage with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on future permitting issues. The company pleaded guilty to this charge on June 4, 2026.
It is a crime under the Clean Water Act for an industrial user of a publicly owned treatment works to negligently discharge pollutants in a manner that causes a municipality to violate a federally enforceable wastewater permit. Between June 6, 2022, and November 5, 2022, Wisconsin Cheese Group disrupted the Village of Monticello’s treatment works on 19 days due to releases of untreated wastewater from its cheese manufacturing plant into the municipal sewer. The company exceeded the biological oxygen demand (BOD) limit in its own permit by high margins, including multiple discharges that exceeded the limit by more than 1500%. At the time of the discharges, the company did not have specific controls to ensure compliance with its permit and did not adequately train employees on wastewater management.
“The defendant’s criminally negligent discharges of untreated industrial wastewater into the publicly owned sewer system disrupted the system on multiple occasions,” said Allison Landsman, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Administration’s (EPA) criminal enforcement program in Wisconsin. “Violations of the Clean Water Act can endanger human health, wildlife, and the environment by causing untreated industrial waste and sewage to flow into our rivers and streams. The guilty plea in this case reflects the seriousness of these actions and EPA’s commitment to protecting our natural resources and the communities that rely upon them.”
Explaining why she found the offense so serious, Judge Boor observed that the violations were “entirely avoidable” with better planning as the company ramped up production at its Monticello plant. Instead, the company “overwhelmed” the local wastewater treatment plant and became a “neighborhood polluter.” The judge also faulted the company for a “lackluster” response to its early violations, which allowed the criminal conduct to continue for months. She did commend the company for cooperating with the government’s investigation and committing to facility improvements, which will be enforced as conditions of probation.
The charge against Wisconsin Cheese Group was the result of an investigation conducted by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
Fremont Man Sentenced to 29 Years for Production/Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Brian L. Garges, 63, of Fremont, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 13, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for production or attempted production of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Garges to 348 months’ imprisonment on the production count and 240 months’ imprisonment on the receipt count. The sentences will be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garges’s release from prison, he will begin a ten-year term of supervised release. Judge Rossiter ordered Garges to pay a total of $8,000 in special assessments that support the Defined Monetary Assistance Victims Reserve to provide compensation for victims of child sexual abuse material.
In June 2025, while checking Minor Victim 1’s (MV1) cell phone device to monitor MV1’s blood sugar, counselors at a summer camp found concerning communications between MV1 and an adult male. The camp director reported these communications to the FBI. After obtaining consent to search the MV1’s cell phone, an FBI investigator observed MV1 communicating with Garges. At the time, MV1 was 15 years old. In their conversations, Garges directs MV1 to send him sexually explicit photos of herself, which she does. When federal agents executed a search warrant at Garges’s residence in July 2025, Garges admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conversations with MV1 via WhatsApp and Signal. The investigation revealed Garges began sexually abusing MV1 when she was 10 years old. The abuse continued and escalated until the communications on MV1’s phone were discovered in June 2025.
“It is unthinkable that someone the defendant’s age would prey on a minor in this manner. This sentence fits the crime, and now it is certain that no other children will endure sexual abuse by this predator,” said United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods. “Finding and stopping the sexual offenders that target Nebraska’s children is and will be a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and no resource or effort will be spared in holding them appropriately accountable in federal court.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Fort Walton Beach Felon Indicted for Federal Drug & Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Anthony Bernard Allen, 54, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance involving more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of cocaine base; one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance involving less than 500 grams of cocaine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Allen appeared before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Michael J. Frank for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for September 21, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Allen faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sherriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke D. Lindsay.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former Sweetwater Commissioner Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Nearly $950,000 in PPP LoansRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A former City of Sweetwater commissioner was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining nearly $950,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by submitting falsified payroll records, fabricated tax documents, and other fraudulent submissions to lenders administering pandemic-relief funds.
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles sentenced Sophia Lacayo, 48, of Doral, after she pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
“Sophia Lacayo exploited an emergency program intended to keep workers employed and small businesses alive, using fabricated tax forms and false payroll records to obtain nearly $950,000,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “As a former elected official, she knew the importance of public trust but chose fraud instead. This sentence holds her accountable for stealing pandemic-relief funds from American taxpayers.”
According to court records, Lacayo owned Lacayo Trade Group Inc. (Lacayo Trade) and exercised significant control over QC Tax Pro Systems LLC (QC Tax) and QC Trade Group LLC (QC Trade). Lacayo submitted, and caused to be submitted, fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of the three companies in order to obtain pandemic-relief funds to which the companies were not entitled.
The fraudulent applications falsely inflated the companies’ payroll expenses, employee counts, revenues, and wages paid. To support the applications, Lacayo submitted numerous falsified documents, including fraudulent IRS Forms, fabricated payroll records, and a falsified bank statement.
As a result of the scheme, Lacayo and her companies fraudulently obtained approximately $948,325 in PPP loan proceeds, including two $251,465 loans obtained on behalf of QC Tax, a $117,500 loan obtained for QC Trade, and a $327,895 loan obtained for Lacayo Trade.
At sentencing, the Court noted that Lacayo had repaid more than $444,000 in advance restitution, which had previously reimbursed the lenders for the fraudulent loans. A hearing to determine the amount of additional restitution is set for Oct. 7.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Xerri of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region, made the announcement.
FBI Miami, USSS Miami, and SBA OIG, Investigations Division’s Eastern Region, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20427.
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Former Police Officer Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Court for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OTILIO GREEN, 44, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment and seven years of supervised release for a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between January and March 2025, Synchronoss, a cloud storage provider for Verizon Wireless, submitted eight CyberTipline reports documenting 43 images and five videos of suspected child pornography uploaded to an account associated with Green. A subsequent court-authorized search of Green’s cloud storage account revealed additional images and videos of suspected child sex abuse material. The investigation further revealed that, for at least two years prior to his arrest on April 4, 2025, Green used the Telegram app, which he accessed through a hidden folder on his cellphone, and other online platforms to communicate with others to receive numerous sexually explicit images and videos depicting children.
At the time of the offense, Green was employed as an officer with the Yale University Police Department.
Judge Shea ordered Green to pay $5,000 pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, and $5,000 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
On February 27, 2026, Green pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography. Released on a $200,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on September 14.
This investigation was conducted by HSI New England, the Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations, with the assistance of the Hamden Police Department and the Yale Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford with the assistance of Law Student Intern Noah Sullivan.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New Haven for its assistance in the prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Former New Mexico State Representative and Business Owner Convicted in Federal Bribery, Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – After a nine-day trial, a federal jury convicted former State Representative Sheryl Williams Stapleton and her friend Joseph Johnson on all counts with which they were charged stemming from a yearslong scheme in which Stapleton used her position at Albuquerque Public Schools and in the legislature to steer millions of dollars in funding to Johnson’s company and secretly received approximately $1.15 million from the company.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from about July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2021, Stapleton, 69, used her position at Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) as Director of the Perkins Project and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator to direct approximately 40% of APS’s non-personnel CTE funding to Robotics Management Learning Systems (Robotics), a Washington, D.C., company owned and operated by Johnson, 75, for use of and support for the CyberQuest software in APS classrooms. From 2013 through 2021, APS paid Robotics approximately $3.25 million under contracts for the software and related services, including approximately $2.52 million in federal Perkins funds.
During that time, Stapleton served as a New Mexico state representative for District 19 from 1995 through 2021 and was majority floor leader from 2017 through 2021. While serving in the Legislature, she sponsored and advocated for legislation and capital outlays that directed additional funding to APS for CTE programs. She then used her position at APS to direct CTE funding to Robotics and facilitate contracts for the company through procurement exemptions, sole-source contracts and, later, a request for proposals.
As APS’s CTE official, Stapleton reviewed and approved Robotics’ invoices and directed employees under her supervision to approve them. APS issued checks to Robotics and mailed them to a post office box in Albuquerque. Stapleton personally retrieved APS’s checks from the post office box and deposited them into the Robotics bank account. Johnson provided blank checks from the Robotics business account, which Stapleton used to distribute Robotics funds for her own benefit.
Stapleton used the Robotics checks to obtain approximately $1,152,506, or approximately 38% of the funds APS paid to Robotics. She directed approximately:
- $286,772 to S. Williams & Associates, a company she owned and controlled;
- $313,123 to Taste of the Caribbean, an Albuquerque restaurant she owned and her family members operated;
- $479,961 to Ujima Foundation, a nonprofit entity Stapleton and Johnson operated together; and
- $72,649 to other parties for goods and services benefiting Stapleton, including remodeling work on her home.
The Ujima Foundation was nominally established to address educational, social, economic and health issues affecting people of color in New Mexico. During the period in which approximately $479,961 was deposited into Ujima accounts from Robotics, the foundation claimed to distributed approximately $46,700 in scholarships, however bank records only should approximately $2,000 going to scholarships, while most of the remaining funds went to Stapleton’s benefit or were withdrawn in cash.
Stapleton and Johnson concealed their financial relationship and the flow of funds from APS to Robotics and ultimately to Stapleton and entities she controlled. Stapleton failed to disclose the substantial income she received from Robotics on required state financial disclosures and federal tax returns. Johnson also concealed his financial relationship with Stapleton, including by providing blank Robotics checks and certifying in Robotics’ proposals and agreements that there was no conflict of interest.
“After decades in public service, the defendant chose to put her own financial interests ahead of the students, taxpayers and institutions she was entrusted to serve,” said first assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “She held a position of public trust, and the people who placed that trust in her had every right to expect that she would honor it. That trust was not hers to trade for personal gain.”
"Public servants are entrusted to enrich their communities, not line their own pockets," said IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. "Ms. Stapleton and Mr. Johnson executed an elaborate web of fraud, kickbacks, and money laundering, funneling millions meant for students into personal bank accounts and false tax returns. Today’s verdict proves that no matter how sophisticated the scheme, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will follow the money trail and hold accountable those who betray the public trust."
"Public corruption strikes at the foundation of our government and erodes the public's confidence in those entrusted to serve them. This conviction demonstrates that using public office to unlawfully enrich oneself will not be tolerated. No position of authority provides immunity from accountability, and there is no level of acceptable corruption," said Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. "We encourage anyone with information about suspected public corruption to contact the FBI or their local law enforcement agency. Together with our partners, we will continue to pursue those who violate the public's trust and bring them to justice."
Stapleton was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States, five counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, 13 counts of mail fraud and honest services fraud, three counts of making and subscribing false tax returns, nine counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Stapleton be released pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Stapleton faces up to 524 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Johnson was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States, five counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, 13 counts of mail fraud and honest services fraud, nine counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Johnson be released pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Johnson faces up to 515 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
At sentencing, the Court will determine whether restitution is appropriate and, if so, the amount to be paid.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of IRS Criminal Investigation's Phoenix Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and U.S. Department of Education - Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred Federici and Rick Mendenhall are prosecuting the case.
Florida man convicted of defrauding a Wyoming bank and passing a counterfeit U.S. Treasury checkRead the Press Release
Daniel Keith McDougal, 37, of Florida, was convicted by a federal jury of passing a counterfeit U.S. Treasury check, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. The trial lasted five days and was held before U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in January 2023, McDougal and Kennard Bouk traveled from Florida to Wyoming for the purpose of passing a counterfeit U.S. Treasury check valued at $560,625 at a Cheyenne bank.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 26, 2026. McDougal faces a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, followed by at least 3 years supervised release, a fine up to $1.5 million dollars, and restitution.
"We will not allow out-of-state fraudsters to target Wyoming financial institutions. This verdict shows that no matter how far you travel to commit fraud, federal law enforcement will find you and bring you to justice," said U.S. Attorney Smith.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the United States Secret Service investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming prosecuted the case.
Case No. 26-CR-00168
Florida Inmate Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution & Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Edward G. Winn, 47, an inmate at Okaloosa Correctional Institution who is formerly of Sarasota, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our kids safe from predators, like this disgusting defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them remains one of my office’s top priorities. As this substantial prison sentence demonstrates, we will not hesitate to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward holding such sexual predators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Court documents reflect that since September 2, 2015, the defendant had been incarcerated in the Florida Department of Corrections after being convicted of multiple counts of possession of child pornography. While the defendant was an inmate at Madison Correctional Institution, investigators discovered he used a prison-issued tablet to receive child pornography from the Internet which he also distributed to other inmates between May 6, 2024, and July 9, 2024. A search of the defendant’s tablet revealed that it contained almost 400 child pornography images.
“Edward Winn was already serving time for his crimes, but that didn’t stop him from exploiting children,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Even from behind bars, he continued to seek out child sexual abuse material. There is no place to hide from accountability. The FBI will continue to protect children and pursue those who exploit them.”
Winn’s federal sentence will begin after completing his remaining state sentence, which is expected to end in 2051. Upon release, he will be on supervised release for the rest of his life.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Corrections-Office of Inspector General.
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.
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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Grundy County Man on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a Grundy County man on child pornography charges for allegedly inducing two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
In February 2026, DUANE DEMICHELE used, persuaded, induced, and enticed two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. In addition, the indictment states that in February and March 2026, DeMichele received numerous video files containing child pornography.
DeMichele, 45, of Diamond, Ill., was arrested on June 30, 2026. He remains detained in federal custody pending trial. The indictment charges him with two counts of production of child pornography and five counts of receipt of child pornography. Arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 18, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office Investigations Bureau’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie E. Ursini.
Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years. Receipt of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
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 www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
demichele_indictment.pdfFederal Grand Jury Indicts 7 for Owensboro Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy following Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Following a lengthy Homeland Security Task Force investigation, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on July 15, 2026, charging seven defendants, including three Mexican and two Guatemalan nationals, as part of an Owensboro-based methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking conspiracy. The defendants were arrested and the indictment was unsealed in federal court this week.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Todd C. Smith of the DEA Chicago Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Arthur Ealum, Jr. of the Owensboro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Ramon Molina-Torres,47, of Mexico, Francisco Pablo Alonzo, 23, of Guatemala, Diego Pablo Alonzo, 25, of Guatemala, Christopher Blaine McLimore, 41, of Owensboro, Deven Bellamy, 23, of Owensboro, Ayseymer Soto-Gomez, 24, of Mexico, and Eliazar Lopez-Pedraza, 46, of Mexico, were all charged with one count of conspiring together and with others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine from October 2025 through July 14, 2026, in Daviess County, Kentucky, and elsewhere.
Additionally, Molina-Torres was charged with 5 counts of distributing methamphetamine and having a prior serious drug felony conviction; Francisco Pablo Alonzo was charged with 2 counts of distributing methamphetamine; and Diego Pablo Alonzo was charged with 1 count of distributing methamphetamine.
On August 11, 2026, Molina-Torres, Francisco Pablo Alonzo, Diego Pablo Alonzo, Bellamy, and Soto-Gomez made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Lopez-Pedraza will make an initial appearance on August 12, 2026. McLimore is currently in state custody on unrelated charges and will make an initial appearance at a future date. If convicted, each of the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 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.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “The Homeland Security Task Force continues to investigate and charge significant drug trafficking organizations throughout Western Kentucky. The success of the Homeland Security Task Force results from interagency cooperation and the dedication of the men and women of law enforcement who have devoted their careers to public safety.”
“This investigation demonstrates the value of coordinated law enforcement efforts to disrupt drug trafficking organizations operating in our communities,” said Todd C. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. “Through the Homeland Security Task Force and in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies combined intelligence, resources and investigative expertise to target individuals allegedly involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. DEA remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking networks, remove dangerous drugs from our communities, and hold those responsible accountable."
FBI Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson stated, “This indictment should serve as a wake-up call to criminal organizations who are fueling the deadly drug trade throughout the Commonwealth. The FBI, as part of the Louisville Homeland Security Task Force, is working alongside our law enforcement partners at every level to ensure those who exploit our communities for their own profit face the full force of the law.”
“The Owensboro Police Department will continue its efforts to arrest and prosecute criminals who exploit those who suffer from addiction. We hope narcotics traffickers will someday realize the risk of mandatory federal prison time far outweigh the benefits of selling drugs in our community,” said Owensboro Police Chief Arthur Ealum, Jr. “We appreciate the continued collaboration with our federal, state and local partners to combat the flow of narcotics in and around the Greater Owensboro Metropolitan Area.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Evansville Resident Office, the FBI Owensboro Resident Agency, and the Owensboro Police Department, with assistance from IRS-CI, HSI Bowling Green Office, and the Indiana State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Mark Yurchisin are prosecuting the case with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Aaron Cooper.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Louisville comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, and IRS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Juries in Bowling Green and Paducah Indict 10 Illegal Aliens for Immigration and Other Federal OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green and Paducah, KY – Federal grand juries in Bowling Green and Paducah, Kentucky, returned indictments on August 11 and 12, 2026, charging ten illegal aliens with federal charges. The charges included illegal reentry after deportation or removal, possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, and use of a false passport.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictments:
Juan Jose Ochoa-Avila, age 45, a citizen of Honduras, was charged in Paducah with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents and testimony, Ochoa-Avila purchased and possessed a 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun between March and June of 2026 in Graves County, Kentucky. The Mayfield Police Department recovered the firearm from Ochoa-Avila’s residence in connection with another investigation. Ochoa-Avila left Kentucky and was arrested in South Carolina after learning of the investigation. Court records show that Ochoa-Avila was convicted of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien in 2008 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. After his conviction, he was deported to Honduras. Ochoa-Avila unlawfully returned to the United States and, in 2011, was convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Ochoa-Avila was again deported from the United States in 2015. Court records also show that Ochoa-Avila is wanted on a Murder warrant out of Honduras issued in 2019 and is the subject of an Interpol red notice. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ATF, HSI, and the Mayfield Police Department, with assistance from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department in South Carolina.
Noel Carbajal-Panfilo, age 52, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and reentry after deportation or removal. On or about May 2, 2026, Carbajal-Panfilo was an alien found in the in United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about February 19, 2003, and July 17, 2001. Additionally, Carbajal-Panfilo possessed seven firearms as an illegal alien. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI.
Nicolas Hernandez-Vargas, age 48, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and reentry after deportation or removal. On or about July 30, 2026, Hernandez-Vargas was an alien found in the in United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 3, 2009, and August 6, 2015. Additionally, Hernandez-Vargas possessed a shotgun as an illegal alien. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE-ERO.
Cesar Yoc-Coronado, age 29, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about July 18, 2026, Yoc-Coronado was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about August 23, 2017, and September 10, 2019. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ICE-ERO.
Misael Hernandez Romero, age 35, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Paducah with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about July 24, 2026, Hernandez Romero was an alien found in United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about March 29, 2012, and June 5, 2017. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE-ERO.
Errson Lopez Gomez, age 39, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged in Paducah with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about July 11, 2026, Lopez Gomez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about March 1, 2017. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE-ERO.
Candelario Pastor-Gonzalez, age 31, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged in Paducah with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about July 21, 2026, Pastor-Gonzalez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about July 12, 2017, and August 4, 2020. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE-ERO.
Mario Rodriguez-Gonzalez, age 58, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Paducah with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about August 3, 2026, Rodriguez-Gonzalez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 13, 2004. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE-ERO.
Samuel Chavez-Nunez, 44, a citizen Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about July 28, 2026, Chavez-Nunez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about March 23, 2012, and August 16, 2006. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE-ERO.
German Neri-Ibanez, 36, a citizen Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about July 23, 2026, Neri-Ibanez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 22, 2016; December 19, 2016; November 5, 2016; November 19, 2013; and December 14, 2009. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE-ERO.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Just this week, our Office obtained ten federal indictments against illegal aliens that refuse to obey our country’s law and sovereignty. Some of these defendants have been charged with reentering our country illegally after having been previously removed. Others have been charged with purchasing and possessing firearms while unlawfully present. No matter the offense, the conduct alleged in the indictments demonstrates an unwillingness to follow the laws of our land.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. Yurchisin II, and R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, and Seth Hancock and Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, are prosecuting the cases.
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.
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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Eight inmates guilty of possessing cellular phones while incarcerated in Beaumont’s Federal Correctional ComplexRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Eight inmates have pleaded guilty to possessing contraband while incarcerated at a federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Rudolph Tatum Jr., 44; Toan Tran, 47; Terral Blackwell, 49; Roderick Stills, 49; Gene Rudolph, 49; Elijah Pennington, 31; Dawnta Mitchell, 35; and Andre Powers, 41, have all pleaded guilty to possession of contraband in prison. Plea hearings were heard by U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on August 13, 2026.
These convictions are the direct result of a Department of Justice task force aimed at identifying and removing contraband and investigating misconduct in the federal prison complex in Beaumont. An initial operation began on March 3, 2026, at the Federal Correctional Complex Beaumont (FCC Beaumont). During the operation, law enforcement officers identified and confiscated numerous electronic devices, drugs and associated paraphernalia, and homemade weapons.
These defendants were all found in possession of working cell phones, and each admitted to obtaining the phones while serving federal prison sentences at the FCC-Beaumont Camp. They each face an additional year in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence 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.
“Inmates with access to cell phones are continuing the criminal activities that landed them in prison to begin with,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We will continue to work closely with BOP to ensure felons serve their time without treating it like a summer camp vacation.”
“Cellphones in prison are a danger to inmates, staff, and the community at large,” said Special Agent in Charge Cloey Pierce of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s South Central Region. “The DOJ OIG is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to keep contraband out of federal prisons and ensure the safety and security of BOP institutions.”
“I witnessed firsthand the strength and effectiveness of this partnership at FCC Beaumont, where federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies came together with a shared commitment to identifying and removing dangerous contraband from our prisons,” said BOP Director William K. Marshall III. “Keeping contraband out of our institutions is critical to the safety and security of our facilities.”
This operation was supported by law enforcement agents and officers from the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Prisons, FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, and local law enforcement from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The operation continues the longstanding cooperation between the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and other law enforcement partners to address the dangers of contraband in the federal prison system.
These cases were investigated by the OIG, BOP, and FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.
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ENRD Statement After Return from APEC Forestry Ministerial in ChinaRead the Press Release
Note: View PDAAG Gustafson's remarks here. View a video on the event here.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) issued the following statement following his service as the head of the United States’ delegation for a Ministerial Meeting on Forestry, part of a 2026 senior officials’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in China. In addition to ENRD, the U.S. delegation included the State Department, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
United States’ delegation to the 2026 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry.“I was glad to serve as the head of the U.S. delegation to the APEC Ministerial on Forestry. The United States achieved some key successes at this meeting. We negotiated a joint ministerial statement that reflected the U.S. priorities in balance with the priorities of the other APEC members.
“I also highlighted the United States’ commitment to fighting illegal timber trafficking, the subject of President Trump’s Executive Order 14223. As evidence of our commitment, I described recent guilty pleas we secured from a yacht builder and paper products manufacturer who profited from illegal forest products. The illegal timber trade hurts American businesses by creating an uneven playing field. We are resetting of our global relationships to put America first. And we are working with our partners in APEC to break down barriers for business; support job growth; and boost fair, legal, and reciprocal trade, including in the wood products industry.
“ENRD stands ready to prosecute environmental crimes, and we co-chair an interagency group focused on improving timber trafficking investigations. Our Division is also part of a Trade Fraud Task Force to help us work across the government to prosecute smugglers and those who would try to evade tariffs and duties. We have recently reached historic agreements and brokered partnerships with nations and APEC members to support enforcement efforts.
“Thus, while we acknowledge the prevalence of illegal timber trafficking, the United States is leading an increasingly robust response to fight these crimes. My participation at APEC highlighted these encouraging developments and solicited continued engagement from our trading partners in the investigation and prosecution of timber trafficking.”
Drive Planning Fraudsters Sentenced to Federal Prison for Operating Massive $380 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Todd Burkhalter, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Georgia-based financial advisory group Drive Planning LLC (“Drive Planning”), was sentenced today to serve 20 years in federal prison, the maximum allowed by law, for orchestrating a years-long Ponzi scheme that resulted in thousands of investors losing nearly $400 million. Two other top executives of Drive Planning, David Bradford and Julie Edwards, were sentenced to federal prison earlier this week for their roles in the scheme.
“Todd Burkhalter lured investors to send millions of dollars to Drive Planning for investments that he knew didn’t actually exist,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “He promised investors that they were guaranteed substantial returns on their investments, and he ruthlessly encouraged them to deplete their kids’ college funds, take early distributions from retirement accounts, and borrow significant sums at high interest rates. The sentences in this case should discourage other financial advisors from choosing insatiable greed and lies over honest investment strategies.”
“Todd Burkhalter organized what is likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history to fund an extravagant lifestyle. He even continued to exploit victims while under federal investigation,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is committed pursue fraudsters like Burkhalter and seek justice for every victim.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: between September 2020 and June 2024, Drive Planning, at Burkhalter’s direction, marketed several investment opportunities, including: (a) the “Real Estate Acceleration Loan” opportunity or “REAL,” and (b) the “Cash Out Real Estate Fund” or “CORE Fund.” Drive Planning claimed that investing in REAL and the CORE Fund was “easy and simple,” telling prospective investors that they did not have to be accredited investors to participate and encouraging them to invest money from retirement accounts, savings, and lines of credit.
REAL was Drive Planning’s primary investment vehicle, which Burkhalter fraudulently marketed as a bridge loan opportunity that would guarantee investors a 10% return every three months. Drive Planning claimed that it offered short-term loans—the bridge loans—to real estate developers who needed immediate cash flow to complete existing projects or fund new ones. Burkhalter and Drive Planning deceived investors into believing their investments were safe by claiming they were fully collateralized by real estate. To perpetuate these lies, Burkhalter directed Drive Planning to prepare fraudulent “collateral sheets” identifying properties—some of which did not even exist— with fictitious valuations that purportedly served as collateral for investments.
Burkhalter and Drive Planning also falsely represented the extent of its relationship with real estate developers. In particular, Drive Planning highlighted its supposed relationship with a well-known real estate developer in Atlanta, Georgia (“Real Estate Developer-1”). In promissory notes with investors, Drive Planning falsely claimed investments were secured by real property within Real Estate Developer-1’s portfolio. Eventually, Real Estate Developer-1 became aware that Drive Planning and Burkhalter were fraudulently using its name to promote the REAL opportunity. Real Estate Developer-1 sued Drive Planning and Burkhalter, seeking to enjoin them from further using Real Estate Developer-1’s name.
For the CORE Fund, Drive Planning falsely claimed that it provided “100% Passive Income from Tax Liens.” Drive Planning guaranteed investors a return of 10% every six months or a 22% return per year for up to three years. Drive Planning further misrepresented that investors’ contributions to the CORE Fund were pooled together, government-protected, and fully collateralized. Additionally, Burkhalter and others at Drive Planning failed to disclose that Drive Planning did not invest any funds in the CORE Fund after approximately December 9, 2022. In total, Drive Planning received at least $4.1 million from individuals who sought to invest in the CORE Fund.
Burkhalter operated REAL as a Ponzi scheme from the inception. In September 2020, after Drive Planning received its first $50,000 investment in REAL, Burkhalter used at least $21,000 to repay an earlier Drive Planning investor. None of the REAL funds were used for their supposed intended purpose: to finance bridge loans or enter joint ventures with any real estate developers. Indeed, within the first couple of months of marketing REAL, Burkhalter used at least $80,000 in investor money to pay his ex-wife’s attorneys and expenses related to recreational vehicles.
Throughout the scheme, investors’ monies were used to pay off other Drive Planning investors, make commission payments to Drive Planning’s agents, and pay for personal expenditures. For example, Burkhalter spent approximately:
- $2 million to purchase a yacht;
- $2.1 million as part of a purchase of a luxury condo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico;
- $800,000 on multiple luxury vehicles, including a 2020 Prevost Marathon motorcoach and two 2024 Land Rovers;
- Millions of dollars on luxury travel, including chartering private jets; and
- $320,000 on clothing, jewelry, and beauty treatments.
Even after the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) began investigating Drive Planning in approximately March 2024, Burkhalter and others continued to solicit tens of millions of dollars in investments for REAL and the CORE Fund. Over the course of the scheme, Burkhalter defrauded more than 2,000 investors out of approximately $380 million.
In August 2024, the SEC obtained a temporary restraining order against Drive Planning and filed civil enforcement actions in federal court against Drive Planning and others related to the above-described scheme. Court-appointed receiver Kenneth D. Murena is responsible for attempting to recover funds and sell assets to repay Drive Planning’s many victims.
Today, U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson sentenced Todd Burkhalter, 55, of St. Petersburg, Florida to 20 years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Burkhalter was also ordered to pay $233,777,763.82 in restitution to victims.
Earlier this week, Judge Johnson sentenced two other Drive Planning employees, David Bradford and Julie Edwards:
- David Bradford, 53, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was Drive Planning’s Chief Operating Officer. He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in the CORE Fund scheme. He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $4,297,878.16 in restitution to victims.
- Julie Edwards, 59, of Cumming, Georgia, was Drive Planning’s Chief Administrative Officer. She previously pleaded guilty to laundering proceeds of the Ponzi scheme. She was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $630,000 in restitution to victims.
The defendants’ sentences will be served without the possibility of parole. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with substantial assistance from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Connors and former Assistant United States Attorney Alex R. Sistla prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
District of Arizona Charges 268 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Aug. 8 through Aug. 14, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 268 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 122 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 17 cases against 22 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Martin Alberto Cota Jr.. Cota was charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 10, 2026, with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. On Aug. 8, 2026, BPAs observed a vehicle traveling east on State Route 82. Records checks revealed that the vehicle had a cancelled registration and had entered the United States through the Nogales Port of Entry with one occupant. BPAs now observed two occupants in the vehicle. BPAs initiated a vehicle stop but the driver rapidly accelerated. Approximately three miles later, the driver abruptly pulled to the side of the road where a subject exited from the passenger's side. The driver then continued traveling east on State Route 82 before eventually pulling into a gas station. BPAs took the driver, Cota, into custody. Other BPAs in the area apprehended the subject who had exited the vehicle earlier. The subject was determined to be a citizen of Mexican, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-2269]
United States v. Marcelino Iganacio Mendoza-Santos. On Aug. 10, 2026, Marcelino Iganacio Mendoza-Santos was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On Aug. 7, an Arizona Department of Public Safety Trooper stopped Mendoza-Santos for speeding. Border Patrol assisted with the stop and determined that Mendoza-Santos’ four passengers were citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-1648]
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-137_August 14, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Delco Man Sentenced to Six and a Half Years in Prison for Conspiring to Steal, Sell U.S. Treasury Checks Worth MillionsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Alexander Telewoda, 26, of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this week to 78 months’ incarceration, three years of supervised release, restitution of $10,841,731.83, and forfeiture of $162,144.50 by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson for conspiring with three others to steal and sell thousands of U.S. Treasury checks.
The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in May 2025, along with co-defendants Saahir Irby, 28, and Tauheed Tucker, 24, both of Philadelphia, Pa., and Cory Scott, 26, of Ardmore, Pa. All four pleaded guilty this May to conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft.
As detailed in court filings and statements, Telewoda was an integral member of the conspiracy. Between June 2023 and September 2024, Irby and Tucker, while working as United States Postal Service (“USPS”) mail processing clerks, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center.
Irby and Tucker removed the checks from the USPS facility and sold them to defendants Scott and Telewoda, who then advertised the stolen checks for resale on the Telegram app. Upon receiving payment from interested buyers, Scott and Telewoda mailed the stolen Treasury checks to buyers around the country who attempted to cash the stolen checks.
Over the course of the scheme, Irby and Tucker sold Scott and Telewoda thousands of stolen Treasury checks whose face value exceeded $84 million. Scott’s and Telewoda’s customers successfully negotiated approximately $11 million worth of these stolen Treasury checks at financial institutions.
Even after Irby and Tucker were fired from the Postal Service, Telewoda wasn’t discouraged from his crimes. He found a replacement source of stolen Treasury checks and continued to advertise and resell them. By the time of his arrest in June 2025, Telewoda had been tied to stolen Treasury checks with an aggregate face value totaling more than $121 million, including more than $3 million in stolen checks recovered from his home on the day of his arrest.
Irby, Tucker, and Scott are scheduled to be sentenced in October. Irby faces a maximum possible term of 25 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. Tucker and Scott each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, the Lower Merion Township Police Department, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice.
Davenport Man Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison for a Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport, Iowa man was sentenced on August 12, 2026, to 115 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Deveil Oliver Jean Westerfield, 28, possessed multiple firearms, including a rifle with an extended magazine. Westerfield was identified as carrying the rifle after officers responded to a shots-fired call outside of the Happy Hollow bar, on November 5, 2025. Officers learned Westerfield had threatened to shoot a women related to a different incident, before going to Happy Hollow. Westerfield is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a felon.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Westerfield will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Deadly Arson SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – D’Aundrey Scott, 32, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today, for several arsons, which killed one victim, Darryl Finney, caused injuries to another victim, Charles Newton, and damaged the homes of two others in May 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“D’Aundrey Scott’s actions were shocking, deliberate, and devastating,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He set multiple fires across Northeast Washington, killing Darryl Finney, injuring Charles Newton, and endangering the lives and homes of others in the community. This was a calculated spree of violence that inflicted immeasurable harm. Today’s conviction ensures that Scott will be held fully accountable for the destruction he caused, and our communities are safer as a result.”
Scott pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of second-degree murder, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of arson and one count of felony destruction. This was an 11c plea to a range of 15 to 35 years of imprisonment.
Superior Court Judge Todd Edelmen scheduled sentencing for October 23, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 13, 2020, Scott went on an arson spree. On May 13, 2020, at approximately 12:23 a.m. The defendant approached the first victim, Charles Newton, who was lying on the sidewalk in the 1300 block of H Street Northeast, Washington, D.C. The defendant ignited a small, flammable object and threw that burning object onto Mr. Newton. Mr. Newton was able to kick it off before his clothing ignited. At approximately 1:04 a.m., Scott approached the second victim, Darryl Finney, who was sleeping on the sidewalk in the 900 block of H Street Northeast, Washington, D.C. The defendant ignited a small, flammable object and tossed it onto Mr. Finney. The defendant then splashed an ignitable liquid onto Mr. Finney. The defendant’s actions caused Mr. Finney and his personal effects to catch fire. Mr. Finney, who was engulfed in flames, managed to get up and walk toward H Street, where the Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Fire and EMS responded to assist. Mr. Finney suffered burns to multiple parts of his body, and despite treatment at MedStar Washington Hospital Center he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on May 15, 2020. An autopsy was conducted by the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which concluded Mr. Finney’s cause of death to be complications from thermal injury and his manner of death to be homicide.
After the defendant set the two men on fire, at approximately 1:25 a.m., the defendant poured an ignitable liquid onto the porch, steps, and walkway of the house at 1403 Morse Street Northeast, Washington, D.C. The defendant then ignited the liquid, scorching the porch and steps and causing discoloration to the concrete. Finally, at approximately 1:28 a.m., Scott ignited a fire on the porch of the house at 1431 Morse Street Northeast, Washington, D.C., damaging the exterior of the house and porch furniture belonging to the homeowner.
Scott was arrested on May 19, 2020, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Merikas and was initially investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Ariel Dean.
2020 CF1 004775
D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Beating Two-Year-Old Child to DeathRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dasean Matthews, 27, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today for repeatedly beating 2-year-old Mars Jones, causing his death in October 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Matthews pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder. Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2027, before Superior Court Judge Jason Park.
“The senseless crime of an innocent two-year-old child being beaten to death has no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This conviction reflects our unrelenting commitment to securing justice for victims of violent crime, and we will continue to pursue those who commit especially heinous acts such as this.”
According to the government’s evidence, on October 13, 2022, two-year-old Mars, Matthews, and co-defendant Monet Jones (Mars’ mother and defendant Matthews’s romantic partner) drove to a Dunkin Donuts just before noon. While in the Dunkin Donuts, video evidence shows Matthews striking the young child with a closed fist in the upper body causing Mars to fall and slam against a metal railing. Later that day, while in a parking garage, video evidence shows Matthews grabbing Mars by the neck of his clothing, swing him by the clothing, and minutes later, strike Mars in the upper body or face, causing the young child to again fall to the floor. Later the same day, while alone in a vehicle with Mars, video evidence shows defendant Matthews repeatedly strike the young child so forcefully that the vehicle shakes from the impact of the blows. Immediately thereafter, Matthews delivers an unconscious and bloody baby Mars to co-defendant Jones and then flees the scene. An autopsy determined that Mars died from complications of inflicted head trauma.
Matthews was arrested on November 4, 2022, and remains in custody.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Homicide Section at the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Shauna Payyappilly.
2022 CF1 006566
Crystal Springs Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum of 15 Years Imprisonment for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Crystal Springs man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for felon in possession of a firearm, which is the statutory maximum.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2024, Crystal Springs Police found Anthony Charles Wilson, 48, in possession of a firearm when executing a warrant for his arrest for rape. The victim of the rape identified the firearm found on Wilson as the same firearm he used during the course of sexually assaulting her, in the presence of her minor child, on a date prior to his arrest. On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Wilson for felon in possession of a firearm, and on September 8, 2025, Wilson pled guilty to possessing the firearm on the day of his arrest. Wilson will not be eligible for parole in his federal sentence because there is no parole in the federal system. He now faces a six-count indictment in Copiah County for rape, kidnapping (two counts), aggravated assault (two counts), and armed robbery. Those charges are separate from and in addition to the federal charge for which he has now been sentenced to 15 years.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The ATF and Crystal Springs Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Citizen of Mexico Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cesar Ordonez Gonzalez, 32, a citizen of Mexico found in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ordonez Gonzalez pleaded guilty to this charge on June 3, 2026.
On December 27, 2025, Ordonez Gonzalez approached a parked vehicle and displayed a firearm from his pocket to the driver and passenger. The occupants drove away and reported it to law enforcement. Officers then saw Ordonez Gonzalez running away from the scene, arrested him, and found the stolen firearm on his person. Ordonez Gonzalez was previously convicted of strangulation and suffocation, a class H felony, in Dane County Circuit Court.
At sentencing, Judge Conley considered Ordonez Gonzalez’s violent prior conviction and determined that he presents a risk to society.
The charge against Ordonez Gonzalez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Agents from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Remington and Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe.
California man sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for sex trafficking women across the U.S.ARead the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old California man who compelled women into prostitution using assaults, threats, fraud, and manipulation was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 210 months (17.5 years) in prison for six federal felonies related to his multi-state sex trafficking activity, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Brandon Denzel Washington was convicted in March 2026 of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion, one count of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion and four counts of transporting women for the purpose of prostitution through coercion and enticement. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted that while prostitution “is often referred to as ‘the oldest profession’ . . . in actuality, it is the oldest oppression.” Judge Jones told Washington that while he “may have perceived [himself] as ‘King Bentley,’” he was “little more than a slave master.” Judge Jones also noted that while Washington would receive a release date following his prison term, there “was no expiration date for the pain and trauma [he] inflicted upon his victims.”
“For nearly ten years this defendant supported a lavish lifestyle while preying on young, vulnerable women and forcing, defrauding, and coercing them into prostitution,” said First Assistant Neil Floyd. “Multiple victims were brave enough to testify in court and told harrowing stories of abuse – emotional, mental, and physical – that Washington employed to keep them earning money for his benefit. This lengthy prison term is justly deserved.”
According to records filed in the case, multiple victims testified about Washington trafficking and transporting them to and from Washington, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Hawaii between 2014 and 2021.
The sex trafficking scheme was first uncovered when a retired Bellevue Police Officer working security noticed a large number of men visiting a Bellevue luxury apartment building over a period of just a few weeks. From there, law enforcement analyzed financial records, travel records, ads for commercial sex posted in online forums, and social media posts to identify potential victims and to gather evidence.
Five of Washington’s sex trafficking victims testified at the trial, some describing brutal assaults and threats Washington used to keep them or other victims in his control and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars for him through commercial sex acts.
When women were finally able to get free from his control, they left without any of the money they had earned. Evidence at trial showed that Washington used his victims’ earnings to fund his lifestyle, including luxury apartments in downtown Seattle, Bellevue, Las Vegas, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, designer clothes, fine dining, and luxury vehicles. Through one victim, he acquired a Bentley car worth over $120,000, which he then wrapped in gold. Washington then used his social media accounts to boast about his lifestyle in an effort to recruit other women.
At trial, prosecutors offered text messages and messages from social media where Washington described the hundreds of thousands of dollars he took from the women in his control. In those messages, he also discussed the violence he used to control them and the manipulation and promises he used to recruit other victims. In some text messages, Washington stated that he was searching for victims with low self-esteem or who were otherwise particularly vulnerable targets who he could force and manipulate into sex work.
In asking the court for a 292-month sentence, prosecutors wrote, “The seriousness of Washington’s crimes is magnified by his use of physical, mental, and emotional coercion to prey upon and control his victims. He put them in danger every day he used them – forcing them into being completely vulnerable to strange men who could arrest them or rape them. He used their prostitution earnings to live a flashy, luxurious lifestyle, buying himself luxury items, traveling, and living in high-end apartments – leaving his victims with nothing to show for the months and years they dedicated to Washington. He referred to them as “hoes” and “bitches” who had no worth and no dignity, and whose sole purpose was to make him money. He talked derisively about them and to them and bragged in his text messages about his vicious assaults.”
Speaking at the sentencing hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Lee noted the family support Washington had from his mother and sisters in contrast to how he treated his victims saying, “He chose not to extend decency to the women he trafficked… He sold them a lie and then he sold them over and over to strangers.”
“This case highlights what is generally an unseen danger by the public – the targeting of vulnerable women who are forced into prostitution and human trafficking,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Washington used assaults, threats, fraud, and coercion to manipulate these women into, and then to keep them in, this horrendous situation. We greatly appreciate the vigilance of the retired Bellevue Police officer and the work of the Bellevue Police Department as a whole. The breaking of this ring and arrest of Washington may have saved lives and after four weeks of testimony, finally provided the trafficking victims an opportunity to share their stories and be heard.”
Judge Jones will determine the amount of restitution Washington must pay to the victims at a hearing scheduled for September 11, 2026.
Following prison Washington will be on ten years of supervised release with requirements that he complete treatment for domestic violence.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Bellevue Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Crisham and Celia Lee.
Brooklyn, New York Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in Alabama’s River RegionRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A Brooklyn, New York man has been sentenced for his role in a debit card scheme that resulted in more than $214,000 in losses.
On August 12, 2026, 34-year-old Eric Kendrie Shuler, was sentenced 87 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas Govan for the Middle District of Alabama. Following his prison term, Shuler will be subject to three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and other court documents, in the fall of 2024, Shuler and co-defendant Kyara Ivelisse Rosario-Berenguer, 30, from Reading, Pennsylvania, conspired to illegally obtain debit cards and associated account information belonging to members of a local credit union. The defendants then used the unlawfully obtained debit cards to make approximately 201 unauthorized withdrawals from ATMs in and around Montgomery, Alabama totaling $214,757.
On September 8, 2024, officers with the Prattville Police Department spotted Shuler and Rosario-Berenguer and attempted to make contact with them. Both defendants fled in a vehicle. During the pursuit, Shuler maneuvered around numerous vehicles at high speeds, recklessly swapping lanes, driving on the wrong side of the road, running red lights, and reaching speeds of at least 140 mph through traffic on Interstates 65 and 85.
The pursuit ended when Shuler’s vehicle collided with a guardrail near the Perry Hill Road exit on I-85 in Montgomery. Shuler continued to resist arrest following the crash but was ultimately taken into custody by law enforcement.
During their respective plea hearings, both Shuler and Rosario-Berenguer specifically admitted that, on a single day in September of 2024, they used unlawfully obtained debit cards and account information to make 138 ATM withdrawals totaling $190,250.
Shuler pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on April 28, 2026. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the court ordered Shuler to pay $214,757 in restitution jointly and severally with Rosario-Berenguer, meaning the defendants are collectively responsible for the full amount of restitution.
Rosario-Berenguer previously pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and was sentenced on May 28, 2026, to 24 months in federal prison. She was also ordered to pay $214,757 in restitution jointly and severally with Shuler.
The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and the Prattville Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Montgomery Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama.
Brims Gang Member and Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While a Fugitive from JusticeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Lonnie Washington (25, Gainesville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Washington pleaded guilty on April 28, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in May 2022, Washington was a fugitive for a felony he had committed in Gainesville one month earlier when he used his vehicle to strike a police car occupied by an officer and then fled on foot. Investigators learned that Washington, who was a known member of the Fruit Town Brims gang, was hiding at the home of gang leader Micheal Hankerson in Poinciana. The FBI learned that Washington, while on the run from law enforcement, had posted a statement on social media, “I’m finna go on a killing run,” which demonstrated that he knew he was wanted and that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
On May 10, 2022, a United States Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force team, working in collaboration with the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), went to Hankerson’s residence to apprehend Washington. After Washington refused calls to come out of the home and voluntarily surrender, the USMS team entered the home. While performing a protective sweep of the residence, officers observed a semi-automatic firearm in Hankerson’s bedroom. They found Washington in an adjacent bedroom and arrested him.
FDLE investigators searched the house and recovered a CZ Scorpion Evo 3 semi-automatic firearm with a loaded 50-round drum magazine in Hankerson’s bedroom found. The search team found additional firearms in the home and an additional magazine, loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition, in Hankerson’s bedroom.
The FBI obtained a search warrant for a cellphone Washington possessed at the time of his arrest. While reviewing the contents of the cellphone, the FBI found a video, recorded one week before his arrest, showing Washington inside Hankerson’s residence holding the CZ Scorpion Evo 3 firearm with the magazine that was later found in Hankerson’s bedroom.
Washington, who had previously been convicted of felony offenses including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
Hankerson, also a previously convicted felon, was federally charged and found guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2022. He was sentenced to six years in federal prison and ordered him to forfeit the firearms and ammunition found in his home.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Bloods Gang Leader Pleads Guilty to Racketeering, Including Murder on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Dwayne Murray, also known as “Wayno,” a leader in the Almighty Gorilla Stone Nation set of the Bloods street gang (GSB), pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with his participation in the June 12, 2020 murder of Wayne Cherry, as well as conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to murder rival gang members. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione. When sentenced, Murray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF New York); Raymond A. Tierney, District Attorney, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office (SCDAO); and Kevin Catalina, Police Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.
“Today’s guilty plea is another victory in the relentless work by our Office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle and eradicate the Bloods street gang on Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “For the acts of murder, violence and narcotics trafficking this defendant committed, he has now been held accountable and our communities, particularly Suffolk County, will be safer with him locked away in prison for a substantial period of time.”
“For years, Dwayne Murray wreaked havoc across Long Island, putting innocent residents in the crosshairs of drug trafficking and retaliatory murders. May today’s plea emphasize the FBI Safe Streets Task Force’s determination to eliminate the plague of gang violence in our communities to protect New Yorkers,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“This guilty plea holds a violent gang leader accountable for years of criminal activity that brought violence, drugs, and fear into our communities. His admitted involvement in murder, narcotics trafficking, and a conspiracy to kill rival gang members underscores the devastating impact violent criminal organizations can have on the communities they operate in. ATF remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the individuals and organizations driving violent crime,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge DiGiralamo. “I commend the dedicated efforts of the ATF Joint Firearms Task Force–Long Island, FBI, Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in bringing this case to a successful resolution.”
“This defendant, a leader of the Almighty Gorilla Stone Nation gang, has admitted to committing a robbery and murder in 2020, conspiring for years to distribute deadly drugs, and trafficking more than five kilograms of cocaine during his reign of terror in this county,” stated Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney. “Our federal and local partners—like my office—remain relentless in dismantling violent gangs and bringing gang members to justice. I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the FBI, ATF, and the SCPD and their investigators for their commitment to this case.”
“This plea is another step toward ensuring our communities remain safe and that those responsible for these vicious acts are held accountable,” stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina. “Reckless violence and narcotics trafficking have real consequences for individuals, families and our communities. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to hold those responsible accountable and help keep Suffolk County safe.”
According to court filings and statements by Murray at the guilty plea proceeding, he participated in the robbery and murder on June 12, 2020 of Wayne Cherry in Baywood, New York, who was shot twice including once in the head. In addition, Murray acknowledged his roles in the GSB which included a years’ long conspiracy to distribute narcotics, and a standing order to kill rival members of the GSB. Murray also described his years-long trafficking of more than five kilograms of cocaine.
As alleged, the GSB and its co-conspirators, including Murray, also operated a sophisticated firearms trafficking network that spanned several states, and committed extensive fraud, stealing more than $1,000,000.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek and Andrew P. Wenzel are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DWAYNE MURRAY (also known as “Wayno”)
Age: 36
Coram, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-401 (S-3) (JMA)
Apollo Man Charged with Casting Multiple Votes in 2024 Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Apollo, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal voting laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Jeffrey Pope, 65, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Pope—who has been registered to vote in Pennsylvania since 1999 but purchased property in Alaska in 2023—voted twice in the November 2024 general election, including for the office of President of the United States. The Indictment specifically alleges that, on or about October 18, 2024, Pope completed and submitted a mail-in ballot casting a vote for the office of President in Alaska, and then, on or about October 22, 2024, completed and submitted a mail-in ballot casting a vote for this same federal office in Pennsylvania. As part of his Pennsylvania ballot submission, Pope knowingly and willfully signed a false declaration stating that he was qualified to vote by the enclosed ballot and had not already voted in the election.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Amazon Agrees to $2.25 Million Settlement and Injunction to Resolve Alleged Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a federal court has entered a stipulated order against Amazon.com Inc., in a case investigated and referred to the Department by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The order resolves allegations that Amazon violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and it requires Amazon to pay a $2.25 million civil penalty and follow practices that protect consumers whose identities have been stolen.
In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the government alleged that Amazon violated FCRA by failing to provide identity theft victims with requested records of transactions involving people believed to have fraudulently used those victims’ identification, and by failing to provide those records within 30 days of a request. The court’s stipulated order resolving the case imposes a $2.25 million civil penalty and requires Amazon to provide its records of transactions alleged to have been the result of identity theft to victims who request them, free of charge within 30 days of the request, subject to verification of the victim’s identity and claim of identity theft. Amazon must also post a notice to its website informing identity theft victims of how they can request those records.
“Consumers whose identities have been stolen should not face unnecessary red tape when they investigate how their identities were misused and seek to clear their names,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue working with the Federal Trade Commission to protect identity theft victims.”
The United States is represented in this action by Assistant Directors Lory D. Alexander and Zachary A. Dietert from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch, in coordination with staff from the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Aiming Laser at Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office HelicopterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to four months in prison followed by two years of federal supervision for aiming a laser pointer at a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office helicopter and striking the cockpit over a dozen times.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to public court documents, on October 7, 2025, Jorge Pinon Armendariz, 48, aimed a green laser pointer at the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Metro 1 helicopter while it was flying over Albuquerque. Armendariz aimed the laser at the helicopter from two separate locations, striking the cockpit more than a dozen times and hitting the pilot in the eyes.
Using the aircraft’s onboard camera, the crew tracked the laser beam first to a vehicle in the McDonald’s drive-thru at Candelaria and Eubank and then to a nearby residence. Armendariz continued aiming the laser at the helicopter even as the aircraft approached his location, endangering the helicopter crew and the public.
When ground deputies arrived, they observed a man and woman outside. The man, later identified as Armendariz, went inside and then fled. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies subsequently identified Armendariz as the individual who repeatedly struck Metro 1 with the laser beam that night.
The pilot reported momentary flash blindness, eye irritation, and blind spots lasting 10 to 15 minutes after being struck in the eyes by the laser. The pilot also experienced migraine headaches for 30 to 36 hours afterward, along with continued eye irritation and light sensitivity.
At the time of the incident, Armendariz had an active state warrant for violating conditions of pretrial release in a state case allegedly involving receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.
Armendariz pled guilty toaiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Upon his release from prison, Armendariz is subject to two years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jena Ritchey is prosecuting the case.
21-Year Sentence Handed Down for Fatal Bar ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Lowe, 42, of Montgomery Village, MD, was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for murdering 43-year-old Kenneth Goins in April 2024 at a Northwest D.C. bar, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Robert Lowe chose to turn a barroom confrontation into a deadly encounter, attacking Mr. Goins from behind and ultimately taking his life,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This senseless violence tears families apart and endangers everyone around it. Today’s 21‑year sentence reflects the gravity of his actions and the commitment of our office to hold armed offenders fully accountable.”
Lowe was found guilty on May 5, 2026, on one count each of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm (prior felony conviction). The Honorable Todd Edelman sentenced Lowe to the prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of April 27, 2024, Lowe went to the Desperados Burger and Bar, in the 1300 block of U Street, NW. The victim, Kenneth Goins, was at the bar enjoying himself. At some point, the defendant came up behind Mr. Goins and struck him in the back of the head. Then the two men began to fight. In the ensuing fight, the defendant shot Mr. Goins, striking him once in the abdomen. The defendant then fled the bar, got on his motorcycle, and drove away. Unfortunately, after efforts from responding officers and EMS, Mr. Goins succumbed to his injuries.
Lowe was arrested on May 22, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll acknowledged the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Dinan and Tamara Rubb, who prosecuted the case.
2024 CF1 004974
13 August 2026
Youth Coach Sentenced to Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Nathaniel Willard Byrd, 38, a youth coach from Hudson, N.C., was sentenced to 121 months in prison today for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Byrd will serve 30 years of supervised release.
“Of all people who should not be fueling the trade of videos depicting the torture of children, a youth coach should be at the top of the list,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We will be vigilant to prosecute those that harm our children, particularly those we entrust with their care.”
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, law enforcement determined that an internet user, later identified as Byrd, was storing CSAM to a cloud-based account. Some of the CSAM included videos depicting children between two and 12 years old engaged in sex acts, including the torture of an 18-month-old child. On October 30, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Byrd’s residence and seized his cellphone. During an interview with investigators, Byrd admitted that he downloaded CSAM. A forensic review of the cellphone revealed that the phone contained the BitTorrent app, a peer-to-peer file-sharing application, and that Byrd possessed more than 1,300 files depicting the sexual abuse of children, 278 of which were videos. Some of the CSAM had been downloaded using the BitTorrent app.
In December 2025, Byrd pleaded guilty to receiving CSAM. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Boone Police Department, and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Will County Man Who Transported a Minor to Illinois to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity Sentenced to More Than 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Will County man who transported a minor to Illinois from Iowa to engage in criminal sexual activity has been sentenced to more than 27 years in federal prison.
In the summer of 2021, RYAN ZELEK communicated with a 13-year-old girl on the social media application Snapchat. Zelek, knowing the girl was 13 years old, drove to Iowa, picked up the girl outside of a movie theatre, and transported her to his residence in Illinois, where he sexually assaulted her. Zelek then drove the victim back to Iowa.
Law enforcement later conducted a court-authorized search of Zelek’s electronic devices and discovered thousands of images and videos of child pornography, including sadistic acts being perpetrated against very young children.
Zelek, 33, of Wilmington, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey sentenced Zelek to 27 and a half years in federal prison. Judge Blakey also ordered Zelek to pay a total of $54,298 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Wilmington, Ill., Police Department and the FBI Field Office in Mobile, Ala. provided valuable assistance.
“Ryan Zelek raped and brutalized a 13-year-old girl and recorded a video of it on his cell phone,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin M. Pinkston argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant clearly foresaw the consequences of his actions, knew exactly how abhorrent his actions were, and yet abused the minor anyway.”
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Washington State man pleads guilty to charge involving bitcoin schemeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Christopher Rankin, 40, of Washington State, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to transmitting a program, information, code, or command to a protected computer and causing damage, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, and a fine of $100,000.
In July 2021, Rankin was hired by a bitcoin mining company located in Niagara Falls, NY. Bitcoin mining is the process of validating bitcoin transaction information on the ledger of transactions on which bitcoin is based. The company connected to mining pools, which consist of multiple miners who combine their computing power and split the resulting profits. Rankin accessed, without authorization, 100 computers used by the company and manually reset the computers, directing them to a mining pool that he created. Rankin then sent bitcoin from the fraudulent mining pool to bitcoin wallets that he controlled. While doing so, Rankin put the computers in “high-performance” mode, causing damage to the computers by severely limiting their lifespan, and impairing the integrity and availability of information contained on the computers. Rankin’s actions led to the company losing 1.06683386 BTC bitcoin, which, at the time of offense, amounted to $53,315.75 being stolen by Rankin.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly. The plea is the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service, Buffalo Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charles T. Perras.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 17, 2026, before Judge Roemer.
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Venezuelan Sentenced to 18 Years for Robbing a Denver Jewelry Store at the Direction of Tren de AraguaRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jesus Lara del Toro, 22, of Venezuela, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in connection with the armed robbery of the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store. Lara del Toro pleaded guilty without a plea agreement.
According to the indictment and facts established at sentencing, Lara del Toro and others entered the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store on West 38th Avenue in Denver on the afternoon of June 24, 2024. During the robbery, employees and customers were held at gunpoint, several employees were beaten with firearms, and nearly $4 million worth of gold and jewelry were stolen. Multiple victims were injured in the attack. The suspects were later located in the El Paso, Texas area. The defendants in this case, including Lara del Toro, committed this crime acting under the directives of international Tren de Aragua (TdA) leadership.
“The District of Colorado continues to pursue the total elimination of the Tren de Aragua gang in Colorado, and sentences like this send a strong message that we will not tolerate this violence in our communities,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I hope the victims of this violent attack take some solace in justice being served as these criminals are sent to federal prison.”
“The violent crime behind this case and HSI’s broader Denver-area investigation into Tren de Aragua marks the beginning of the end for this criminal group,” said HSI Denver Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen. “The professionalism of HSI Denver and El Paso agents, along with our FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office partners in Colorado and Texas, demonstrate the strength of a whole-of-government law enforcement approach.”
“The video surveillance of the jewelry store robbery was shocking in its violence, prompting an immediate action from local and federal partners. The crew that planned and carried out the robbery knew people would be inside, and they fully intended to terrorize anyone present during the robbery's commission,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “The FBI Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force in collaboration with our partners tracked them down and brought them back to face justice. This sentence reflects the decisions the defendant chose to make.”
Two other defendants, Jean Torres-Roman, and Newman Castillo Delgado were previously sentenced. A fourth defendant will be sentenced later this year.
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Denver, the Denver Police Department, the FBI Denver Field Division, FBI El Paso Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso Police Department, and West Texas Anti-Gang Center. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak.
These cases are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Rocky Mountain HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Office of Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); United States Marshals Service (USMS); Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement / Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO); and United States Customs and Border Patrol with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Case Numbers: 24-CR-00247-NYW and 25-CR-00331-PAB
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Marks First Year of Transformation, Historic Results, and National Leadership in Southern District of FloridaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – One year after taking the oath of office as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason A. Reding Quiñones today marked a year of institutional transformation, historic prosecutions, and measurable results across one of the nation’s largest and most complex federal districts.
Reding Quiñones was sworn in on August 13, 2025, following his nomination by President Donald J. Trump and confirmation by the U.S. Senate. He was the first U.S. Attorney confirmed during President Trump’s second administration.
From his first day in office, Reding Quiñones established three guiding principles for the Southern District of Florida: Protect Americans. Restore Impartial Justice. Defend the Rule of Law.
Within his first month, Reding Quiñones reorganized the Criminal Division to sharpen its focus on the threats facing South Florida and the nation. Over the following year, the Office hired 77 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 38 professional staff — 115 new employees — and reduced vacancies by 34 percent. The Office further expanded its enforcement capacity by bringing aboard 47 Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 20 detailees from partner agencies and other components of the Department of Justice.
At the same time, the Office increased immigration defendants charged by more than 28 percent, rose to #1 in the nation in white-collar caseload and #1 in Homeland Security Task Force-related caseload, ranked #3 nationally in national-security caseload, and collected more than $160 million in restitution, fines, assessments, and civil recoveries, before accounting for forfeitures. The office also ranked third among the 18 extra-large U.S. Attorney’s Offices in case complexity.
“Leadership is measured by results and by the institution you build to sustain them,” said U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones. “In one year, we reorganized this Office, hired 115 prosecutors and professional staff, reduced vacancies by more than a third, built new enforcement capabilities, strengthened our partnerships at every level of law enforcement, and delivered historic results across the full range of our mission. We did not choose between priorities. We built the capacity to pursue all of them.”
CASES OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
During Reding Quiñones’s first year, the Southern District of Florida prosecuted cases of extraordinary national and historical significance: from an attempted presidential assassination, to the assassination of a foreign head of state, to alleged murders committed by a hostile regime three decades ago, to a new prosecution of one of the Nicolás Maduro regime’s most prominent financial operatives.
Ryan Routh: Life for Attempted Assassination of President Trump
In February, Ryan Wesley Routh was sentenced to life imprisonment plus seven years for attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
A federal jury convicted Routh on all five counts charged in the indictment, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and firearms offenses. Attorney General Pamela Bondi at the time described Routh’s conduct as not only an attack on President Trump, but a direct assault on the nation’s democratic system.
The prosecution underscored a fundamental principle of the Office’s mission: political violence has no place in the U.S., and those who attempt to use violence to alter the nation’s democratic process will face the full force of federal law.
Jovenel Moïse Assassination
In May, a federal jury in Miami convicted four defendants for their roles in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages were convicted of offenses including conspiracy to provide material support resulting in death, providing material support resulting in death, conspiracy to kill and kidnap outside the U.S., and expedition against a friendly nation. Intriago was convicted of additional export-related offenses.
Raúl Castro and Brothers to the Rescue
In May, the U.S. unsealed a historic superseding indictment charging Raúl Castro and five other Cuban regime defendants for their alleged roles in the February 24, 1996, shootdown of two unarmed U.S. civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue over international waters.
The attack killed Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
The charges followed renewed work by the Office’s Cuba Prosecution Working Group and represent a significant step in the three-decade pursuit of accountability for the killings.
As Reding Quiñones said when announcing the indictment: “The passage of time does not erase murder.”
Alex Saab: A New Case and Return to U.S. Court
The Office also developed a new federal criminal case against Alex Nain Saab Moran, a longtime financial operative of Maduro’s regime.
Saab had previously been prosecuted in the Southern District of Florida before receiving executive clemency by President Biden and being returned to Venezuela in December 2023.
Under Reding Quiñones’s leadership, federal prosecutors and the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) developed a new case, secured a new indictment, and brought Saab back before a federal court in Miami. On May 18, Saab made his initial appearance after the indictment was unsealed.
The new indictment charges Saab with participating in an alleged international money-laundering conspiracy involving Venezuela’s government-controlled food program and oil. Prosecutors allege that Saab and others bribed Venezuelan officials to secure lucrative food contracts, misrepresented the nature and source of food imported into Venezuela, and used an international financial network to launder proceeds from the scheme.
The charges are allegations, and Saab is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Together, the Routh, Moïse, Castro, and Saab matters illustrate the breadth and significance of cases entrusted to the Southern District, from protecting the American democratic process to pursuing international terrorism, foreign-regime actors, transnational corruption, and political assassination.
TRANSFORMING THE OFFICE, BUILDING CAPACITY, AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS
Those results came during a year of significant institutional change. Within weeks of taking office, Reding Quiñones reorganized the Criminal Division to better align prosecutors and supervisors with the district’s principal enforcement threats. The Office subsequently created new enforcement capabilities, strengthened coordination with federal law enforcement, and undertook one of the most aggressive recruiting efforts in its history.
During the year, the Office hired 77 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 38 professional staff — 115 new employees in less than 12 months — and reduced vacancies by 34 percent. The Office also added 47 Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 20 detailees, significantly expanding the prosecutorial and enforcement resources available to the district.
At the same time, Reding Quiñones made strengthening law-enforcement partnerships a central focus of the Office. The Southern District of Florida deepened its relationships with Department of Justice components and federal law-enforcement agencies, partners across other federal departments, and state and local law-enforcement agencies throughout South Florida. Those partnerships expanded information sharing, embedded prosecutors and partner personnel alongside one another, and enabled coordinated operations targeting violent crime, transnational criminal organizations, immigration offenses, fraud, foreign threats, and other shared enforcement priorities.
LEADING THE NATION ACROSS THE FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT MISSION
The institutional transformation was accompanied by national leadership across multiple enforcement areas.
As of June 30, the Southern District of Florida ranked:
#1 nationally in white-collar cases;
#1 nationally in HSTF-related cases;
#3 nationally in national-security cases; and
#3 in case complexity among the nation’s 18 extra-large U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
The breadth of those rankings is significant. While expanding immigration enforcement, the Office simultaneously carried the nation’s leading white-collar and HSTF-related workloads and one of its leading national-security workloads.
SECURING THE BORDER AND DISMANTLING TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS
In September 2025, Reding Quiñones created the Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement Section (BICE), a specialized prosecution section designed to strengthen South Florida’s federal immigration and border-security enforcement.
BICE brought immigration, human-smuggling, narcotics, fraud, and violent-crime expertise together in a coordinated structure working closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys from DHS also serve alongside career federal prosecutors in BICE.
During Reding Quiñones’s first year, the number of immigration defendants charged increased by more than 28 percent compared with the preceding 12 months.
BICE and partner agencies pursued high-speed maritime smuggling ventures, overloaded vessels, kidnapping and extortion schemes, illegal reentry, immigration fraud, and combined narcotics-and-human-smuggling operations. In one prosecution, federal authorities interdicted vessels carrying 168 kilograms of cocaine and 31 unauthorized migrants.
The Office also expanded efforts to protect the integrity of American citizenship through denaturalization proceedings involving individuals alleged to have concealed fraud, human-rights violations, child exploitation, espionage, and other serious misconduct.
Among those actions, the Department filed suit to revoke the citizenship of Victor Manuel Rocha, the former U.S. ambassador convicted of serving as an unregistered agent of Cuba, and Philippe Bien-Aime, the former mayor of North Miami. Most recently, a jury convicted Tania Rosa Rodriguez of unlawfully obtaining U.S. citizenship after concealing her involvement in a healthcare fraud scheme.
PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM VIOLENT CRIME, FENTANYL, AND PREDATORS
The Office continued aggressive enforcement against violent offenders, firearms traffickers, fentanyl dealers, child predators, human traffickers, and those who threaten public officials and law-enforcement officers.
In July, the Office announced the results of Operation Hurricane, charging 46 federal and state defendants as part of a multi-agency enforcement surge targeting repeat violent offenders in Palm Beach County. The operation seized 94 firearms along with ammunition and significant quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine.
Alfonso Guerrero was sentenced to life in federal prison for distributing the fentanyl that killed a Vero Beach man and continuing to traffic fentanyl only days later.
Jeffrey Allen Holden, already imprisoned for rape, received a federal life sentence for using a contraband cellphone and false identity to manipulate a 12-year-old South Florida child into producing child sexual abuse material.
The Office also prosecuted human traffickers who preyed on foster youth, violent narcotics organizations, firearms traffickers, kidnappers, armed offenders, and individuals accused or convicted of threatening senior government officials.
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS, VICTIMS, AND THE AMERICAN FINANCIAL SYSTEM
The Office’s #1 national white-collar ranking was reflected in major prosecutions spanning health-care fraud, investment fraud, public-benefits fraud, cryptocurrency, procurement fraud, money laundering, and corruption.
In the Department’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, the Southern District of Florida charged 12 defendants in alleged schemes involving more than $4 billion in fraudulent claims. Nationwide, the takedown charged 455 defendants in alleged schemes involving more than $6.5 billion.
Other significant results included a 20-year sentence in a $94 million international investment fraud scheme; a guilty plea in a scheme involving more than $52 million in fraudulent Medicare claims; prosecutions involving $35 million in Medicare Advantage fraud and more than $19 million in alleged SNAP fraud; and cases involving cryptocurrency, pandemic-relief fraud, fraudulent nursing credentials, identity theft, and fraud targeting U.S. military operations.
During the anniversary period, the Office collected more than $160 million in restitution, fines, assessments, and civil recoveries, before including forfeiture results.
DEFENDING AMERICA FROM FOREIGN INFLUENCE AND CORRUPTION
South Florida’s position as a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean gives the district a unique responsibility in cases involving hostile foreign regimes, foreign influence, international corruption, sanctions evasion, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations.
In May, a federal jury convicted former U.S. Congressman David Rivera and lobbyist Esther Nuhfer of secretly acting as unregistered agents of Venezuela in connection with a $50 million contract. Rivera was convicted of conspiracy and substantive Foreign Agents Registration Act violations, money-laundering conspiracy, and transactions involving criminally derived property.
The Office also charged the corporate entity commonly known as Smartmatic, three company executives, and the former chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections in an alleged scheme involving more than $1 million in bribes connected to Philippine election contracts.
Other international enforcement included HSTF’s Operation Mousetrap, which charged defendants connected to an international cocaine-trafficking network and a 540-kilogram cocaine seizure in Miami.
The Office also pursued Venezuela-related financial crime, ransomware and cybercrime, sanctions violations, foreign-agent offenses, international money laundering, and other threats to the U.S.
PUBLIC CORRUPTION, FOREIGN INFLUENCE, AND THE RULE OF LAW
The Office pursued cases involving public officials, corporate actors, foreign agents, and others without regard to status or influence.
During the year, federal prosecutors pursued cases involving current and former public officials, corporate executives, foreign-government actors, violent offenders, sophisticated financial criminals, and ordinary defendants alike.
Those matters included the indictment of then-U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and others for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA disaster funds and related campaign-finance offenses; the Rivera convictions; the Smartmatic prosecution; and cases against powerful foreign-regime actors.
Charged defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION
The Office also focused on strengthening the pipeline of future public servants at every stage; from high school and college students to law students preparing to enter the profession. In March, the Office launched its inaugural Federal Prosecutor Leadership Academy, a two-day program designed to introduce high school students to public service, the federal justice system, and careers in federal prosecution and law enforcement. The inaugural class welcomed 33 students from 10 Miami-Dade County high schools, giving students direct access to federal prosecutors, law-enforcement agents, and members of the judiciary.
The Office also renewed its participation in the Department of Justice’s Pathways Program, creating paid opportunities for college students to work inside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and gain firsthand experience with the Department’s mission and the day-to-day work of federal public service.
At the law-school level, the Office strengthened its longstanding law clerk program, expanding programming, mentorship, and substantive opportunities for law students to work alongside federal prosecutors and experience the practice of federal law.
Together, these efforts reflect a long-term investment in the institution: recruiting and developing talented public servants today while building a stronger pipeline of prosecutors and professionals for tomorrow.
ONE YEAR OF TRANSFORMATION. THE MISSION CONTINUES.
The first year transformed the Office’s structure, expanded its prosecutorial capacity, reduced vacancies by more than a third, increased immigration enforcement by more than 28 percent, produced national leadership in white-collar, HSTF-related, and national-security work, and delivered historic prosecutions with consequences reaching from South Florida neighborhoods to Washington, Havana, Caracas, and Port-au-Prince.
“I am proud of what this team accomplished, but this anniversary is not a victory lap,” said Reding Quiñones. “The credit belongs to the career prosecutors and professional staff of this Office and to our extraordinary federal, state, and local law-enforcement partners. Our mission in year two is the same as it was on day one: Protect Americans. Restore Impartial Justice. Defend the Rule of Law.”
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Two Convicted Felons Charged with Possession of Ammunition in Connection with Broad Daylight Shooting in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Jonathan Arboleda and Wilson Martinez with being felons in possession of ammunition relating to a July 21, 2026 gunfight in the East New York section of Brooklyn. Martinez was arrested yesterday and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. Arboleda is currently in state custody at Rikers Island and will be arraigned at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, these defendants are convicted felons who engaged in a dangerous gunfight in a Brooklyn bodega in broad daylight, endangering the lives of numerous citizens,” said United States Attorney Nocella. “Both defendants have multiple prior felony convictions. Despite repeated encounters with our criminal justice system, each defendant chose to return to the streets to engage in a brazen act of violence. Today’s arrests demonstrate our continued commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to combat gun violence and hold accountable those who illegally possess firearms and ammunition and endanger our communities.”
“The shootout at the Brooklyn bodega was a blatant act of violence allegedly carried out by two convicted felons whose actions created an immediate and unacceptable threat to the community. This kind of violent criminal behavior is exactly why the FBI remains firmly committed to removing dangerous offenders from our streets and protecting the American public,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“As alleged in the complaint, Jonathan Arboleda and Wilson Martinez recklessly put countless lives at risk when they opened fire on each other in broad daylight inside a Brooklyn bodega,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The NYPD remains focused on working with our law enforcement partners to go after guns and hold the perpetrators of gun violence accountable. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and our NYPD officers for their diligent work to take these criminals off our streets.”
As alleged in the criminal complaint and other court filings, on July 21, 2026, at approximately 1:30pm, Martinez entered a bodega store in East New York and immediately pulled out a firearm and started shooting at Arboleda from close range. Surveillance video footage shows Martinez pulling a gun from his waistband and opening fire while bodega employees were within feet of him and in the line of fire of his 9mm bullets. Arboleda then fired shots back at Martinez from the back area of the bodega and ran into the middle of a crowded street while raising his firearm and pointing it at Martinez’s car as it drove away. Arboleda was apprehended at the scene bleeding from gunshot wounds to his right arm and abdomen.
Law enforcement recovered multiple spent shell casings and a live round of ammunition on the floor of the bodega. Both defendants have prior felony convictions that prohibit them from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Stamboulidis is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
JONATHAN ARBOLEDA
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkWILSON MARTINEZ
Age: 41
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-MJ-153
Two Charleston Women Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Tanisha Constance Brown, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and Tiffany Sloan-Combs, 40, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Brown and Sloan-Combs admitted to their roles in a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in the Charleston area. Sloan-Combs also pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in a separate case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brown and Sloan-Combs each admitted that they participated in the conspiracy’s distribution of fentanyl between September 2025 and April 2026. Brown lived with a co-conspirator who obtained the fentanyl and worked with her to sell it. Brown and the co-conspirator generally prepared the fentanyl at their Charleston residence, keeping some of the fentanyl there and the rest at a stash location in South Charleston. Sloan-Combs sometimes mixed the fentanyl with non-controlled substance cutting agents at Brown’s request before its distribution to customers and prepared bags containing certain quantities of fentanyl for Brown to distribute to customers. Brown distributed quantities of fentanyl to others in the Charleston area with the understanding that several of her customers redistributed the fentanyl to third-party customers. Sloan-Combs re-distributed some of the fentanyl she acquired as part of the conspiracy to third parties while also using some of it.
As part of her guilty plea, Brown further admitted that she participated in the conspiracy’s distribution of crack between March 2026 and April 2026. Brown facilitated transactions between a male co-conspirator who supplied the crack and a female co-conspirator who typically used it. These transactions typically took place at or near the male co-conspirator’s Charleston residence.
In the separate case, Sloan-Combs admitted that she sold approximately 4 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,300 on May 23, 2023, inside a convenience store restroom in Charleston.
Brown and Sloan-Combs are scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2026. Brown faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. Sloan-Combs faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 60 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $6 million.
Brown and Sloan-Combs are among eight individuals indicted following a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. On July 22, 2026, lead defendant Antonio Andre Smith, also known as “Bro,” 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and co-conspirator Jerry Lucilo Grass, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Smith and Grass, both of Charleston, are scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2026. Two other defendants pleaded guilty to charges separate from the main indictment, which remains pending against the other defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Amy L. McLaughlin are prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:26-cr-51 (Smith et al.) and 2:26-cr-25 (Sloan-Combs).
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St. Louis Man Appears in Court on Fatal 2024 CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis, Missouri man appeared in court Thursday to answer charges accusing him of a fatal 2024 carjacking.
Terry Thomas, 21, was indicted on July 16, 2025, with one count of carjacking resulting in death, one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of causing death through the use of a firearm. He pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Thursday.
The indictment accuses Thomas of stealing a Kia Stinger on May 6, 2024, in Jennings, Missouri, resulting in a man’s death.
A motion seeking to have Thomas held in jail until trial says the victim was shot five times. The stolen Stinger was found abandoned by Creve Coeur at 2:46 a.m., about six hours after the carjacking. Thomas was arrested by police on June 20, 2024.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Keith Jennings, 51 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
Jennings was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
“A drug dealer meant to profit from unleashing nearly 5 pounds of methamphetamine into our community, but a drug canine ruined his plans. On September 15, 2025, law enforcement performed a traffic stop on a truck Keith Jennings was driving. During the stop, a drug K9 alerted on the vehicle. Officers searched the truck and found approximately 2,128.5 grams of methamphetamine in the backseat area. Thanks to the collaboration of the Drug Enforcement Administration, including the DEA Merrillville District Office, DEA Chicago Special Response Team, DEA Detroit Special Response Team, DEA St. Louis Special Response Team, and DEA North Central Laboratory; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Indiana State Police; the South Bend Police Department; St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office; Mishawaka Police Department; the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office led by Ken Cotter; and Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Joel Gabrielse, the Defendant has been sent to prison for fifteen years, the drugs have been intercepted, and our state and nation is safer,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
“A nearly five-pound seizure of methamphetamine is more than just a statistic; it represents thousands of potential deadly doses that will not make it onto the streets of north central Indiana. The arrest and prosecution of Mr. Jennings highlight the strength of our law enforcement partnerships and the resolve we share in confronting those who traffic dangerous drugs into our communities. The Drug Enforcement Administration and its partners are committed to identifying drug traffickers, disrupting their operations, and holding them accountable,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana.
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.
Richmond career offender sentenced to over 12 years in prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years and seven months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, after Brian Lamont Jones, 39, sold cocaine to another individual in early March 2025, Richmond Police (RPD) searched Jones’ residence. During the search, investigators found 67.08 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 156.09 grams of cocaine base, and 320.21 grams of cocaine hydrochloride. They also recovered several firearms.
Jones has three prior drug trafficking convictions. As a previously convicted felon, Jones cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-135.
Repeat Human Smuggler Pleads Guilty to Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Mexican national, Aureliano Vazquez-Ontiberos, 43, pleaded guilty on August 12, 2026, to being unlawfully present in the United States following a prior removal.
In court before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, Vazquez-Ontiberos admitted that he had unlawfully returned to the United States following a prior removal and that law enforcement encountered him during a traffic stop in Sangamon County in May 2026. Vazquez-Ontiberos admitted that he had twice been convicted of human smuggling offenses in federal courts, once in 2011 in the Southern District of Texas and once in 2016 in the Western District of Texas. During the hearing, the government presented evidence that Vazquez-Ontiberos’ criminal history contained an aggravated felony, human smuggling, which garners enhanced criminal penalties.
Vazquez-Ontiberos remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending a sentencing hearing that is scheduled for December 8, 2026, at the federal courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
Vazquez-Ontiberos faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
The case investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch is representing the government in the prosecution.
Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A registered sex offender from Holyoke pleaded guilty on Aug. 12, 2026, in federal court in Springfield, Mass. to possessing child pornography.
Justin Ouimette, 35, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Nov. 17, 2026. Ouimette was charged by complaint in May 2025 and has remained in custody since that time.
Ouimette was identified as the owner of a Dropbox account uploading child sexual abuse material (CSAM). During the search of Ouimette’s residence, an electronic device was found to contain hundreds of files of CSAM depicting children as young as toddlers. Subsequent searches of Ouimette’s cloud storage accounts, revealed hundreds of additional files depicting CSAM.
Ouimette was previously convicted in Massachusetts Superior Court of possession of child pornography in October 2022 and was on state probation when he committed this new offense.
Due to Ouimette’s prior conviction, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Recidivist felon returning to prison after latest conviction for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Sandston man was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Jan. 26, a woman asked another individual in a North Chesterfield gas station to call 911 and report that she had been kidnapped. Chesterfield County Police (CCPD) responded and were directed to the woman and Brandon Rashaad Hill, 31, who was with her. When an officer approached Hill and attempted to detain him, Hill pulled away from the officer and hurdled over a fruit stand between him and the exit. As he hurdled the fruit stand, a handgun fell from his waistband to the floor. Hill fled from the gas station but was apprehended by other CCPD officers responding to the scene.
As a convicted felon, Hill cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Among other prior convictions, Hill has been convicted twice previously for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his most recent prior conviction, Hill was released from prison on Feb. 28, 2025, but violated his supervised release and returned to prison. He was released again on Oct. 8, 2025, and was on supervised release when he was arrested on Jan. 26.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Flores Jr. and John C. Blanchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah Johansen, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-32.
Previously convicted felon arrested as part of Cincinnati violent crime reduction initiative pleads guilty to gun crimeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who was arrested in March as part of a federal, state and local violent crime reduction initiative pleaded guilty in federal court here to illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
Austin Fowler, 46, has previous convictions for aggravated robbery, drug possession, drug trafficking and weapons under disability.
According to court documents, Cincinnati police officers were conducting an investigation into a high-crime area in November 2025 when they saw Fowler commit a pedestrian violation. When an officer attempted to contact Fowler, Fowler ran and attempted to jump a fence to avoid capture. The defendant was apprehended and had a loaded pistol in his jacket pocket.
Fowler was arrested on March 9 and remains in custody pending sentencing.
Possessing a firearm or ammunition as a previously convicted felon is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie announced the guilty plea entered on Aug. 12 before Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
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Old Dutch Mustard to Implement Comprehensive Compliance Program to Stop Illegal Discharges into Souhegan River Streams in New HampshireRead the Press Release
Old Dutch Mustard, a mustard and vinegar manufacturing company, has entered into a consent decree, lodged today with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, requiring it to implement a comprehensive water pollution compliance program to resolve allegations that it violated the Clean Water Act at its facility in Greenville, New Hampshire.
The United States’ complaint, filed on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the same time as the consent decree, alleged that Old Dutch Mustard violated the Clean Water Act on more than 1,700 days between November 2019 and February 2026 by discharging acidic pollutants into a tributary to the Souhegan River. The complaint also alleges that Old Dutch Mustard failed to comply with its stormwater discharge permit and failed to timely provide compliance information upon EPA’s request. Old Dutch Mustard has been the subject of repeated enforcement efforts over the last two decades, including most recently for separate criminal violations of the Clean Water Act, for which the company and its President were sentenced in April.
“Today’s consent decree will ensure that this company comes into compliance with the Clean Water Act, leveling the playing field for American businesses,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to upholding the rule of law, including the Clean Water Act.”
“This action demonstrates that EPA will pursue repeat violators and hold them accountable through formal enforcement in court,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This consent decree finally resolves decades of noncompliance with the Clean Water Act by ensuring that the company will comprehensively identify and address all sources of pollution into the tributary that runs through the facility. EPA will achieve compliance with the law.”
“Old Dutch Mustard spent years polluting the Souhegan River,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire. “State and federal government agencies repeatedly attempted to secure the company’s cooperation in keeping the river clean, and those efforts were met with schemes and deception that resulted in both a criminal prosecution and the civil violations set forth in today’s action. Enough is enough. Today’s consent decree will mean close monitoring of the Old Dutch Mustard Company so that we can protect a treasured New Hampshire waterway, and the public, from further pollution.”
The Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of any pollutant into navigable waters of the United States without a permit. According to the complaint, Old Dutch Mustard has a two-decade long history of unlawfully discharging its acidic wastewater and stormwater into a stream that flows underneath and in front of the company’s facility in Greenville, New Hampshire. As a result, the company has been subject to enforcement actions by the EPA, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES), and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. The EPA and NH DES have required Old Dutch Mustard to continually monitor the stream at their facility, which flows into the Souhegan River. The Souhegan River is one of 19 New Hampshire rivers that the State of New Hampshire has designated as an important natural resource.
According to the complaint, the company’s monitoring results show that, on 1,728 days between November 2019 and February 2026, the stream had high levels of acidity, indicating unauthorized waste- and/or stormwater discharges from the facility. To resolve these violations and ensure that the facility does not continue to unlawfully discharge acidic material from its facility, the consent decree requires Old Dutch Mustard to improve its monitoring to provide for real-time data, thoroughly investigate any future discharges to determine their cause, and implement corrective measures to stop them.
The proposed consent decree was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire and is subject to a 30-day public comment period. The complaint and the proposed consent decree are available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA’s Region 1 investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Osborn for the District of New Hampshire handled this matter with assistance from Assistant Section Chief Eric Albert of ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section.