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12 August 2026
Two Detained Pending Trial for Conspiracy to Defraud Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two individuals, Ceyon Calvert, 43, and Christal Calvert, 38, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, were arrested on June 28, 2026, by federal agents in Florida for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, their arrests follow an indictment which alleges that beginning on an unknown date and continuing until April 2026, the defendants orchestrated a wide-scale Publishers Clearing House scam targeting elderly victims. The indictment states that scam participants would falsely tell victims that they won multi-million-dollar prizes and instructed the fraud victims to provide tens of thousands of dollars to other scheme participants as upfront taxes and fees in order to collect those prizes. Today, the defendants were arraigned in Federal Court and pleaded not guilty. United States Magistrate Judge Sean A. Camoni ordered them detained pending trial.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
On April 7, 2026, 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Two Defendants Sentenced in Atlanta to Milledgeville Meth Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two more defendants involved in a drug trafficking ring sourcing methamphetamine from Atlanta for distribution in Milledgeville, Georgia, have been brought to justice resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our office is committed to working alongside law enforcement to make our communities safer by dismantling armed drug trafficking organizations and holding those who threaten public safety fully accountable,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts and dedication to protecting our neighborhoods.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs—they bring guns, violence, and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentences and guilty pleas reflect the danger these defendants posed, and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine and other illicit drugs.”
Desmond Glenn, 35, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on Aug. 12, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Feb. 17.
Katherine Short-Barcenas, 36, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Aug. 12, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Dec. 17, 2025.
The following codefendants previously pleaded guilty, and some have been sentenced:
Cory Wilson, 41, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on July 20, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a maximum $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
Rodney May, 38, of Milledgeville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 17, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release and a maximum $20 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2027.
Ruby Fogg, 39, of Austell, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 324 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on June 10, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Robert Matthew Wood, 43, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on June 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Tony Baker, 39, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 92 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal agents began investigating a group of individuals distributing methamphetamine in the Baldwin County, Georgia, area beginning in early 2023. Between April 25, 2023, and July 31, 2023, agents conducted four separate controlled purchases from Glenn totaling approximately 162 grams of methamphetamine. Under surveillance, Glenn was recorded selling methamphetamine and other controlled substances to people in Baldwin County as well as obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from several sources of supply, including Fogg, who was the leader of the criminal network. Short-Barcenas and Wilson, members of this drug trafficking ring, sold methamphetamine twice to a confidential source in early March 2023, as part of this investigation.
Fogg was working closely with Wood to obtain and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine. Fogg and Wood often rented hotel rooms in Atlanta where they stored and sold narcotics. On Nov. 14, 2023, Fogg directed Glenn to pick up methamphetamine from Wood at an Atlanta area hotel, at a time she was making a trip to deliver drug proceeds to Jackson, Georgia. May and Baker traveled with Glenn to the Atlanta hotel; on the return trip, their vehicle was stopped by law enforcement, and nearly one kilo of methamphetamine was found in a bag, along with a smaller amount in the floorboard. Officers also found a firearm tucked between Glenn’s seat and the center console, and another firearm in the backseat. A search warrant was executed at Glenn’s Milledgeville home, where officers found an additional 64.68 grams of methamphetamine and five firearms in his bedroom. Glenn was previously convicted of robbery by force in Baldwin County, Georgia. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
Two days later, on Nov. 16, 2023, Fogg and Wood were arrested; the hotel they were renting was searched, and an additional 154.97 grams of methamphetamine was located, plus drug paraphernalia. Fogg has three prior criminal felony methamphetamine distribution convictions in Douglas County, Georgia, Superior Court.
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. The DEA and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Two Cartersville Men and a Chinese National Indicted for Forced Labor and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Zhu Chen, the owner of Cartersville-based flooring manufacturer Wellmade Industries; his nephew, Jiayi Chen; and Jianjun Lu, a Chinese national, face federal charges of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and alien harboring arising from alleged illegal operations at Wellmade Industries.
“The defendants allegedly threatened foreign workers with physical violence, deportation, and crippling debt; forced them to work lengthy shifts; and housed them in overcrowded and dirty residences,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will ensure that predators who traffic at-risk laborers and violate our immigration laws to enrich themselves are investigated, apprehended, and prosecuted.”
“The federal indictment of Zhu Chen, Jiayi Chen, and Jianjun Lu marks an important step forward in our pursuit of justice for the victims in this alleged forced labor scheme,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain focused on uncovering labor trafficking networks, protecting victims, and holding accountable those who use coercion, threats, and exploitation to profit from vulnerable individuals.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the charges: Zhu Chen, together with Jiayi Chen and Jianjun Lu, recruited Chinese nationals through false pretenses to enter the United States on B-1 and L-1 visas to work at Wellmade Industries, a flooring manufacturer in Cartersville, Georgia. Upon the victims’ arrivals into the United States, the defendants allegedly made them work twelve-hour shifts for six days a week in unsafe factory conditions, paid them less than promised, and threatened deportation and the imposition of sizeable debts if they stopped working at the factory. The defendants allegedly also housed aliens in residences owned by Wellmade, knowing those aliens did not have legal status in the United States.
Yesterday, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Zhu Chen, 60, and Jiayi Chen, 31, both of Cartersville, Georgia, and Jianjun Lu, 55, of China, with conspiracy to commit forced labor and forced labor. Zhu Chen is also charged with alien harboring. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leanne Marek and Jennifer Keen, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, are prosecuting 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.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Strangling GirlfriendRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced for strangling his girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson sentenced Robert Alan Wickham, 39, of Tulsa, for Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Wickman was ordered to serve 46 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Wickman physically abused his girlfriend for years, as evidenced by a lengthy criminal history for domestic abuse. In June 2025, his girlfriend was subpoenaed to testify in a court proceeding about the abuse. Wickman’s girlfriend told him that she had been subpoenaed. A few days later, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police officers were dispatched to their home because Wickman struck and strangled his girlfriend again. This also violated a no-contact order that had been issued in a pending domestic violence case against Wickman in tribal court.
Court documents show that Wickman’s criminal history spans nearly 20 years and includes four prior domestic violence convictions.
Wickman is a citizen of the Navajo Tribe and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.
If you think that you or a loved one may be in an abusive relationship, Domestic Violence Intervention Services offers services for all survivors. You can call the 24-hour information and crisis line at (918) 743-5763 or (918) 7-HELP-ME for more information. You can also get more information by texting our 8 PM to 1 AM Text Line: Text SAFE to 207-777
South Bend Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – De’Angelo Alexander, 28 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Alexander was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“The Defendant acted as a drug wholesaler of the most dangerous drugs and guns on the streets of our Indiana communities. The amount of dangerous drugs he distributed endangered hundreds of Hoosiers and made our neighborhoods less safe. Alexander sold 77 grams of pure methamphetamine to another person. On other occasions he sold 416 grams and 445 grams of pure methamphetamine to different people. Investigators then obtained a federal search warrant for Alexander’s home and recovered an additional 119 grams of methamphetamine. Spending over eleven years in federal prison will remove this continual threat from our streets and give him much needed time to reprioritize his life decisions. Thanks to the strong partnerships and efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Bend Police Department, and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, our streets are safer, and our communities are stronger,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Local law enforcement partnerships with the South Bend Police Department and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office were instrumental in the success of this case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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.
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Snapchat User Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison today for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including material depicting prepubescent children under 12 years of age, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez sentenced Terrell Shawn Anderson, 31, of Charlotte, to 15 years in prison followed by 30 years of supervised release. Judge Rodriguez also ordered Anderson to pay $3,000 in restitution, $5,000 in special assessments pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, and $15,000 in special assessments pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
“Social media helps people stay connected, but it can also become a place where children are victimized,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We will remain vigilant in prosecuting these cases, but we also hope this case serves as a cautionary tale for parents to monitor their children’s social media use.”
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, law enforcement received multiple cybertips that an individual, later identified as Anderson, was using at least 13 Snapchat accounts and other social media platforms to distribute videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of minors, including children under 12 years old. In October 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Anderson’s residence, seizing two cellphones and other evidence. During an interview with law enforcement, Anderson admitted that he possessed CSAM. He further admitted that the multiple Snapchat accounts belonged to him and that he was using them to obtain and distribute CSAM with others, including individuals he believed to be minors and adults. According to Anderson, he estimated talking with 45 minor females and getting some of them to create nude images of themselves. A forensic review of the seized cellphones revealed that Anderson had at least 697 videos and 2,183 images of CSAM, including 29 videos and 7 images depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct depicting children.
In sentencing Anderson, Judge Rodriguez said, this is a “very serious crime,” it is “not a victimless crime,” and deterrence of others is an important factor in issuing this sentence.
Anderson pleaded guilty to distribution of CSAM and possession and access with intent to view CSAM that involved a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not yet attained 12 years of age. 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 the FBI, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes 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.
Shiprock Man Charged with Assault and Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges after he allegedly strangled a victim during two separate incidents, then threatened and injured officers following his arrest.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2026, Lonnie Begaye, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted Jane Doe at a residence in Shiprock, New Mexico. During an argument, Begaye allegedly strangled the victim, making it difficult for her to breathe. The victim's mother, who uses a wheelchair, reportedly attempted to intervene before police arrived and took Begaye into custody.
The investigation further revealed that this was not an isolated incident. During interviews with investigators, the victim reported that on or about May 19, 2026, Begaye allegedly attacked her near an irrigation canal in Shiprock. She stated that Begaye strangled her with both hands, causing her to nearly lose consciousness. The victim reported suffering dizziness, soreness, and other effects after the assault and believed Begaye intended to kill her.
After his arrest on July 18, Begaye allegedly resisted officers, threatened one officer's family, spit blood onto an officer's face, and injured a second officer during a struggle. Both officers sought medical treatment for their injuries.
During a post-arrest interview with investigators, Begaye allegedly stated that he blacked out from alcohol and could not remember the July 18 incident. However, he admitted to previously strangling the victim.
Begaye is charged with two counts of assault by strangulation and assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Begaye faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Second Superseding Indictment Adds Defendant and Charges in Southern Poverty Law Center CaseRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On August 11, 2026, a federal grand jury in Montgomery returned a second superseding indictment adding a defendant and additional charges in the case involving the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
The second superseding indictment, which was unsealed today, charges Heidi L. Beirich, 59, of Palm Springs, California, along with the SPLC, with new charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank. The new indictment also adds Beirich as a defendant to the previously charged count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering and charges the SPLC with an additional count of concealment money laundering. Beirich was served with an arrest warrant this morning in the Central District of California and is expected to make her initial appearance in federal court there this afternoon.
The charges arise from an alleged scheme involving the use of donated funds and financial accounts associated with fictitious entities. As previously alleged, the scheme involved efforts to conceal the source, ownership, and control of funds and to make false representations concerning the use of donated money and the operation of financial accounts.
The second superseding indictment expands the case to include the alleged participation of Beirich and additional conduct involving the movement and concealment of proceeds.
The Southern Poverty Law Center was previously charged in an 11-count indictment returned in April 2026 with wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. The second superseding indictment alleges that, between 2007 and 2023, more than $4 million in donated funds were secretly funneled to individuals associated with various violent extremist groups.
“The indictment unsealed today reflects the continued work of federal investigators and prosecutors in examining this alleged scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas Govan. “We look forward to presenting the evidence in court and allowing the judicial process to determine the facts and the defendants’ responsibility for the alleged crimes.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin P. Davidson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Scammer pharmacist guilty in $20 million healthcare kickback schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 54-year-old Spring resident has been convicted of conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks.
The jury deliberated for more than a day before returning the guilty verdict against Tronown Thomas following a five-day trial July 11.
Thomas, a licensed pharmacist, owned and operated Rayford ACP Pharmacy in Spring.
At trial, the jury heard Thomas paid over $2 million in kickbacks to the owner of a Houston clinic in exchange for referrals of patients insured through the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) who had been prescribed high-reimbursement compounded medications.
Thomas subsequently billed the DOL-OWCP for those compounded medications, which were prescribed as part of the illegal kickbacks scheme.
From November 2015 through September 2017, Thomas and Rayford ACP Pharmacy received more than $20 million in reimbursements from DOL-OWCP.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Thomas was paying for legitimate marketing services. The jury rejected these arguments and found Thomas guilty.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 12. At that time, Thomas faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Thomas was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of War Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which 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.
Ruskin Man Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Michael Paul Linnan (76, Ruskin) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to seven years and three months in federal prison for transportation, distribution, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The court also ordered Linnan to forfeit a cellphone, which was used in the commission of the offenses. Linnan pleaded guilty on April 21, 2026.U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Linnan used an encrypted messaging platform to distribute more than 100 images and videos of CSAM, including images and videos of young children. Linnan received images and videos of CSAM using the same platform. He also stored hundreds of videos on his phone and transported the images into his online photo storage account.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Muriel Moore.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Richland County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nathan Johnson, Jr., 45, of Richland County, has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on April 20, 2024, a Richland County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a service call at a residence in Richland County. Upon arrival, the deputy observed a vehicle sitting in the middle of the road with the brake lights on. The deputy approached and found Johnson asleep in the car with the car in drive and Johnson’s foot on the brake. After the deputy woke Johnson up, the deputy told him to put the car in park, but Johnson put the car in reverse and struck the marked unit. After getting Johnson out of the vehicle, the deputy searched him and found more than 100 grams of cocaine in his pocket and a .45 caliber pistol in the glove compartment.Johnson faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Johnson after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.###
RentGrow Inc. Agrees to $2.25M Civil Penalty and Injunction for Alleged Violations of Fair Credit Reporting Act and FTC ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a federal court has entered a stipulated order resolving a case against consumer reporting company, RentGrow Inc., in a case investigated and referred to the Department by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The order imposes a $2.25 million civil penalty judgment and injunction against RentGrow to resolve allegations that it violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the FTC Act in connection with background reports it furnishes to assist landlords and property managers in screening tenants for rental housing.
“Tenant screening reports can significantly affect the outcome of a housing application. Consumers deserve to know that the information contained in those reports is accurate, that the reporting is transparent, and that they have a meaningful opportunity to address information that may affect them,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that companies that collect and provide consumer information follow the law and maintain practices that support fair and informed housing decisions.”
In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the government alleged that RentGrow failed to maintain reasonable procedures to ensure maximum possible accuracy of the information in its tenant screening reports, failed to disclose to consumers upon request the information contained in those consumers’ reports and the sources of that information, and failed to comply with required procedures when a consumer disputed the accuracy of a report, in violation of FCRA. The government further alleged that RentGrow violated the FTC Act’s prohibition on deceptive business practices by misrepresenting to tenant applicants that upon successful dispute of their report, corrections to or removals of inaccurate information were reported to landlords and property managers.
The stipulated order resolving those allegations requires RentGrow to pay a $2.25 million civil penalty and imposes an injunction against it prohibiting the alleged misconduct and requiring related compliance reporting, monitoring, and recordkeeping.
The United States is represented in this action by Assistant Director Zachary A. Dietert and Trial Attorney Jordan A. Ryan from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch. Whitney Moore, Jamie Hine, and Kamay Lafalaise represent the FTC.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months of incarceration, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Brandon Watson, 20.
According to information presented to the Court, on April 9, 2025, during a traffic stop, Watson was found to be in possession of approximately 45 grams of crack and small quantities of other narcotics consisting of heroin, fentanyl, and medetomidine, as well as a firearm and $1,100 in cash.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that Watson’s crime was extremely dangerous and that the crack cocaine that Watson intended to distribute has the ability to wreck lives, families, and communities.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Watson.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 70 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation; Defendant Recorded Himself Abusing Multiple VictimsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jerome Edwards, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 840 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gerald J. McHugh for the manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography. In addition, Edwards is subject to mandatory registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and Megan’s Law.
The defendant was charged by indictment in September 2022, for memorializing in videos and photos his sexual abuse of several young children between the ages of three and nine years old, and taking sexually explicit photos of another child. He pleaded guilty last December to all nine counts against him.
As detailed in court filings, between June 5, 2022, and June 27, 2022, Edwards produced at least 77 images and 54 videos of child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”) depicting the victims, which the FBI recovered from his cell phone. The defendant’s conduct came to light on June 27, when one of the victims disclosed the abuse to a sibling and police were called.
At the time of these crimes, Edwards was actively wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service for absconding from a residential reentry center in February 2022, after serving a 12-year federal prison sentence for two gunpoint robberies.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.
Passaic County Convicted Felon Sentenced to 15 Years for Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man was sentenced on August 5, 2026, to 180 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release for firearms and narcotics offenses, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
David Reams, 37, of Paterson, was convicted by a federal jury on January 27, 2026, of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime following a trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court. Judge Chesler also imposed the sentence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 6, 2024, Paterson Police Department observed Reams conducting movements consistent with possession of a firearm. When Paterson detectives attempted to stop Reams, he attempted to flee. Paterson detectives ultimately recovered a 9-millimeter pistol, loaded with an extended magazine, as well as over 450 individual doses of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Reams’s person.
Reams was previously convicted in 2017 of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Judge Chesler sentenced him to serve 103 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for that offense, and Reams was serving that term of supervised release at the time he committed the May 6, 2024 offenses. On August 5, 2026, Judge Chesler also sentenced Reams to a concurrent term of 24 months imprisonment for violating his prior term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited with the investigation special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka, as well as the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge Patrick Murray, with the investigation leading to this conviction.
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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Kober, of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, and Daniel H. Rosenblum, of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit.
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Defense counsel: John McMahon, Esq.
Parsons man indicted for trying to create child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging Kansas man with attempting to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Tyller White, 24, of Parsons was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a child – attempted production of child pornography.
In July 2026, White is accused of attempting to surreptitiously create a CSAM depiction of a minor victim.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.OTHER INDICTMENTS
Jeremy M. Green, 42, of Stockton was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Hugo Orora-Soto, 42, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Jose Luis Rauda-Diaz, 45, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after felony conviction. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Pedro Antonio Rosales-Gutierrez, 34, an illegal alien from Honduras, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Ildenfonso Sanchez-Estrada, 24, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Orlando Business Owner Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing an Arsenal of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Maxwell David Horvath (37, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Horvath to forfeit 38 firearms, including silencers, short-barreled rifles, machineguns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Horvath pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, following a federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in January 2019, Horvath opened a business in Palm Bay selling a controlled substance and possessed firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. In June 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into Horvath. The investigation revealed that Horvath’s business, Overseas Organix, Inc., was marketing and selling products containing 7-OH, which is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in Florida. Horvath was involved in two undercover law enforcement purchases occurring at Overseas Organix, Inc.
During a search of Overseas Organix, Inc. on December 3, 2025, law enforcement located 38 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition which included handguns, rifles, shotguns, silencers, machine guns, automatic firearms, and short-barreled rifles. As a previously convicted felon Horvath is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. Officers also seized more than 91,000 pounds of kratom (a precursor to 7-OH), kilogram quantities of 7-OH powder, and thousands of pressed 7- OH pills ready for sale.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
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.
Northern Kentucky Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Maysville, Ky., man, Kevin Thomas Lawrence, 34, was sentenced on Wednesday to 130 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
On August 15, 2025, law enforcement arrested Lawernce at a traffic stop in Maysville, Ky. During that stop, officers observed a large item concealed on the person of the vehicle’s driver, Jeannie Riley. Officers found that the large item was a bag containing 105 grams of methamphetamine. A search of the vehicle in revealed numerous small plastic baggies and other drug paraphernalia. Riley admitted that the methamphetamine belonged to Lawerence and that she had hidden it in her pants during the traffic stop to help Lawrence.
Riley, Lawrence’s co-defendant, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Patrick Boggs, Maysville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Maysville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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New York Resident Admits to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Silvia Vasquez Rivera, 29, of Queens, New York, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a pattern of racketeering activity that included attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery of United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers, and wire fraud in furtherance of a scheme to steal mail, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Vasquez was the leader of a fraud enterprise that used illegally acquired USPS keys to open USPS collection boxes, steal mail, and then deposit or sell stolen checks. Vasquez and other enterprise members conspired to steal mail on at least approximately 100 occasions, and posted for online sale more than 1,400 checks totaling more than $2.8 million.
In May 2023, after Victim-1 unsuccessfully brokered an investment in Victim-1’s luxury car business, Vasquez conspired to kidnap Victim-1, paid a group of masked men to assault Victim-1, took Victim-1 from New York to New Jersey and back, and held Victim-1 for ransom, releasing Victim-1 only after Victim-1’s family and friends made a ransom payment.
In March 2024, after Vasquez was robbed of enterprise proceeds, Vasquez directed other enterprise members to shoot guns into a vehicle in the Bronx, New York, that Vasquez believed contained the person responsible for robbing her.
In August 2024, Vasquez directed other enterprise members to steal keys from two USPS mail carriers. One victim mail carrier was assaulted, requiring hospitalization, and the conspirators brandished a gun at the other victim mail carrier.
The charge of conspiracy to commit a pattern of racketeering activity carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; the New York Police Department, under the direction of Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch; the NYPD-FBI Metro Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to enhance the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of individuals involved in gang-related activities, violent crime, and drug distribution in and around the greater New York City area; and the Englewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Greeley.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Jacobs of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Javier Solano, Esq.
vasquez.information.pdfMontgomery County Man, 22, Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Blazo, 22, of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty this afternoon before United States District Judge John F. Murphy to manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography.
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, arising from his online enticement of 10 minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of those acts.
As detailed in court filings, in late 2021, local law enforcement investigated a report that a 12-year-old girl in Ohio had texted child pornography to a stranger she met on the internet. The FBI identified the recipient as the defendant, and in April of 2022 executed a residential search warrant at Blazo’s house, where he lived with his parents.
The investigation revealed that Blazo frequently posed as a teenaged girl or boy to gain victims’ trust, directing the girls to call him “master” or “mommy” or “daddy.” He advised that he was sexually gratified by watching the girls cause pain to themselves and told agents that he talked to minor girls and solicited these illegal images sometimes multiple times per day.
The subsequent review of the defendant’s seized devices revealed dozens of minors with whom he had corresponded online. The FBI confirmed the identities of 10 child victims – ranging in age from just 11 years old to 16 years of age – all of whom manufactured child pornography at the defendant’s direction and sent him the images and videos.
Blazo preyed on these girls for more than three years, and as time progressed, he escalated his sexual abuse, demanding that the girls produce sexual images that involved obvious pain and showed their faces. If the victims expressed reluctance or refused, he extorted additional images by threatening to disseminate online the sexual images they had previously sent him. One child pleaded with Blazo, saying that she would kill herself if he distributed her images, to which the defendant responded with continued threats. The FBI also discovered one child whom the defendant not only victimized online but also traveled to and engaged in sexual intercourse.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release, with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and at least five years of supervised release. Under the terms of his guilty plea agreement, he will also be required to make restitution to his victims.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
Mexican National Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison for Felony Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Hector Manuel Retana-Garcia, 29 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to felony Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Retana-Garcia was sentenced to 8 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release. Because he has no legal status in the United States, Retana-Garcia will be subject to a separate and immediate removal process upon his release from prison. The supervised release term will go into effect if Retana-Garcia remains in, or returns to, the United States within that period.
“The Defendant was a member of the Sureños 13 – a violent organization with ties to the Mexican Mafia prison gang – and he has the tattoos to prove it,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
“He was previously convicted of two felony counts in North Carolina, and ICE removed him from the country after he served time in prison for those offenses. Instead of staying home in Mexico, he came back to the United States illegally. The Defendant has repeatedly violated our Nation’s borders, laws and sovereignty. This successful prosecution highlights the critical partnership between local and federal law enforcement and serves as a firm warning to violent offenders who violate U.S. immigration law,” Mildred said.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis Sohn.
Mexican National Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Santos Duron Cisneros, 36 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to assault of a federal officer, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Duron Cisneros was sentenced to 8 months in prison.
“An violent illegal alien who assaulted a federal officer was sent to prison for his inexcusable acts. Duron Cisneros violated our nation’s borders, laws, and sovereignty when he entered the United States illegally and doubled down when he assaulted an ICE ERO officer. In February 2026, a federal officer with Immigration Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) was transporting Duron Cisneros and two other individuals in a vehicle. During the transport, Duron Cisneros became combative, verbally abusive, and physically assaulted another person in the car. Duron Cisneros then resisted the federal officer’s attempts to intervene. He kicked at the officer and made contact with the officer’s hands as the officer deflected the kick. Duron Cisneros also tried to headbutt the officer. Thanks to the efforts of the Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration Customs Enforcement, and Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Teresa L. Ashcraft, the Defendant has been held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case is part of the nationwide National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative, which is a White House directed, interagency effort to integrate federal, state, and local partners in protecting First Amendment rights while targeting individuals and organizations engaged in political violence and is led by the investigative and prosecutorial Joint Task Force Vanguard.
Meat Processing Plant and Four Employees Charged with Conspiring to Violate the Clean Water Act and Discharging Pollutants in Naguabo, Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – An indictment was unsealed today charging César P. Borges-Arroyo, Neftalí Borges-Gómez, Erison Delgado-Santos, Héctor Fulgencio-Cabrera, and Ganaderos Borges Inc. (GBI), with four violations of the Clean Water Act as well as conspiring to violate the Clean Water Act. The charges relate to the discharge of pollutants from GBI into the waters of the United States.
GBI is a corporation in Naguabo, Puerto Rico, that operates a slaughterhouse and meat processing plant. The operations encompass receiving and holding live animals for slaughter, butchering animals (bleeding), initial processing of animals, and operations that produce consumer-ready meat products. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired for the benefit of GBI, to knowingly discharge a pollutant — specifically wastewater from the meat processing waste retention lagoon — into waters of the United States without having obtained a Clean Water Act permit.
“We allege that this meat processing plant and at least four of its employees conspired to pump animal flesh, blood, and feces into a creek that flows to the ocean and a public beach,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The conduct alleged here sacrifices public health for economic gain, and it is a crime. The Department of Justice will hold violators accountable.”
“GBI repeatedly and intentionally violated the Clean Water Act by discharging untreated wastes into the Caribbean Sea at Tropical Beach in Naguabo,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez Carbó for the District of Puerto Rico. “This prosecution sends the message that those who purposely undermine federal environmental laws and endanger the environment and Puerto Rico communities will face felony prosecution for their illegal conduct.”
“The defendants’ willfully disregarded the complete prohibition on discharges under the Clean Water Act and knowingly sent a disgusting sludge of animal blood and waste, and cleaning products into the Caribbean Sea, only miles from nature preserves, beaches, and a military base. Illegal discharges such as these cause serious harm, jeopardizing the safety and health of the water, wildlife, and human health,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA will ensure that polluters who blight our communities and coastal waters will be held accountable.”
Starting in August 2018 and continuing through at least September 2025, GBI president Borges-Arroyo and GBI operator Borges-Gómez directed employees including, but not limited to, Delgado-Santos and Fulgencio-Cabrera to discharge liquid waste from GBI’s waste retention lagoon towards an adjacent creek. They did this by using a submersible pump placed in the waste retention lagoon and connected to a hose, attempting to avoid millions of dollars in annual waste removal costs.
GBI generated waste from various on-site processes, including animal intake, slaughtering, hide removal, butchering, and cleaning. The waste included animal blood, hair, tissue, and feces, as well as grease, wastewater, disinfectant, and other liquids used inside the GBI slaughterhouse and processing areas. The mixed waste flowed from the facility to a discharge pipe that emptied into a waste retention lagoon located on the southwest corner of the GBI property. The western edge of the waste retention lagoon is adjacent to a creek which travels approximately half-a-mile to the Caribbean Sea at Tropical Beach in Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
GBI held a non-discharge wastewater treatment permit that required liquid waste to be hauled from the facility to a disposal facility. At no time was any waste permitted to be discharged on-site or to any other body of water. The permit expired on July 31, 2019, and they continued to violate the Clean Water Act until at least September 2025.
To conceal the illegal waste discharge, the defendants hid the submersible pump and hose when it was not being used and provided false and misleading statements and documents to authorities to hide the illegal activities.
The defendants are scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for their respective initial appearances. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 in fines for each charge. GBI faces a maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines per charge.
EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case with assistance from the FBI. EPA and FBI participate in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force.
Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Report possible violations of environmental laws and regulations at epa.gov/tips. You can provide tips anonymously if you do not want to identify yourself.
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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Meat Processing Plant and Employees Charged with Conspiring to Violate the Clean Water Act and Discharging Pollutants in Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging César P. Borges-Arroyo, Neftalí Borges-Gómez, Erison Delgado-Santos, Héctor Fulgencio-Cabrera, and Ganaderos Borges Inc. (GBI), with four violations of the Clean Water Act as well as conspiring to violate the Clean Water Act. The charges relate to the discharge of pollutants from GBI into the waters of the United States.
GBI is a corporation in Naguabo, Puerto Rico, that operates a slaughterhouse and meat processing plant. The operations encompass receiving and holding live animals for slaughter, butchering animals (bleeding), initial processing of animals, and operations that produce consumer-ready meat products. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired for the benefit of GBI, to knowingly discharge a pollutant — specifically wastewater from the meat processing waste retention lagoon — into waters of the United States without having obtained a Clean Water Act permit.
“We allege that this meat processing plant and at least four of its employees conspired to pump animal flesh, blood, and feces into a creek that flows to the ocean and a public beach,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The conduct alleged here sacrifices public health for economic gain, and it is a crime. The Department of Justice will hold violators accountable.”
“GBI repeatedly and intentionally violated the Clean Water Act by discharging untreated wastes into the Caribbean Sea at Tropical Beach in Naguabo,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez Carbó for the District of Puerto Rico. “This prosecution sends the message that those who purposely undermine federal environmental laws and endanger the environment and Puerto Rico communities will face felony prosecution for their illegal conduct.”
“The defendants’ willfully disregarded the complete prohibition on discharges under the Clean Water Act and knowingly sent a disgusting sludge of animal blood and waste, and cleaning products into the Caribbean Sea, only miles from nature preserves, beaches, and a military base. Illegal discharges such as these cause serious harm, jeopardizing the safety and health of the water, wildlife, and human health,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA will ensure that polluters who blight our communities and coastal waters will be held accountable.”
Starting in August 2018 and continuing through at least September 2025, GBI president Borges-Arroyo and GBI operator Borges-Gómez directed employees including, but not limited to, Delgado-Santos and Fulgencio-Cabrera to discharge liquid waste from GBI’s waste retention lagoon towards an adjacent creek. They did this by using a submersible pump placed in the waste retention lagoon and connected to a hose, attempting to avoid millions of dollars in annual waste removal costs.
GBI generated waste from various on-site processes, including animal intake, slaughtering, hide removal, butchering, and cleaning. The waste included animal blood, hair, tissue, and feces, as well as grease, wastewater, disinfectant, and other liquids used inside the GBI slaughterhouse and processing areas. The mixed waste flowed from the facility to a discharge pipe that emptied into a waste retention lagoon located on the southwest corner of the GBI property. The western edge of the waste retention lagoon is adjacent to a creek which travels approximately half-a-mile to the Caribbean Sea at Tropical Beach in Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
GBI held a non-discharge wastewater treatment permit that required liquid waste to be hauled from the facility to a disposal facility. At no time was any waste permitted to be discharged on-site or to any other body of water. The permit expired on July 31, 2019, and they continued to violate the Clean Water Act until at least September 2025.
To conceal the illegal waste discharge, the defendants hid the submersible pump and hose when it was not being used and provided false and misleading statements and documents to authorities to hide the illegal activities.
The defendants are scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for their respective initial appearances. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 in fines for each charge. GBI faces a maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines per charge.
EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case with assistance from the FBI. EPA and FBI participate in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force.
Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Report possible violations of environmental laws and regulations at epa.gov/tips. You can provide tips anonymously if you do not want to identify yourself.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Operating Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Pill FactoryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence, Mass., man was sentenced yesterday for operating a clandestine drug laboratory that manufactured thousands of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills and for possessing firearms that furthered his drug trafficking operation. The defendant fled the United States shortly before his trial.
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, 38, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 21 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2026, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged in October 2024 along with co-defendants Ronald Odelyn Tejeda and Erick Pimentel-Cabrera. Tejeda fled the United States after pleading not guilty and is a fugitive from justice. Pimentel-Cabrera pleaded guilty and was sentenced in March 2026.
“Carlos Rodriguez ran a full-scale drug factory out of a residential basement, manufacturing thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine and arming himself with dangerous firearms to protect his operation,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “He brazenly documented his crimes – posing with guns, stacks of cash and even filming himself alongside an operating pill press – and then fled the country rather than face justice. The defendant earned every day of this 21-year sentence. It reflects the extraordinary harm caused by flooding our communities with deadly drugs and the serious consequences for those who profit from doing so.”
“Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, along with crystal methamphetamine, are deadly drugs that have no place in our communities,” said Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “This defendant chose to profit from trafficking these dangerous substances while possessing firearms to further his criminal activity. His attempt to flee to the Dominican Republic on the eve of trial demonstrates that he knew he had to answer for his actions. He ultimately pleaded guilty, and this sentence holds him accountable. The DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who traffic these deadly drugs and put our communities at risk.”
For more than a year, Rodriguez operated a clandestine drug laboratory in the basement of a Lawrence residence that he leased from his father. There, he used pill presses to manufacture thousands of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills for distribution.
During an October 2024 search of Rodriguez’s residence, two electric pill presses, a kilogram press, and about 14 kilograms – or 30 pounds – of pills and powders containing controlled substances were seized. These included thousands of blue fentanyl pills made to resemble oxycodone and thousands more orange methamphetamine pills made to resemble Adderall. It also included more than four kilograms of pure crystal methamphetamine, additional kilograms of powder mixtures containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, and smaller amounts of heroin and cocaine. In addition, about 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills were seized from co-conspirator Tejeda during a series of controlled purchases leading up to the October 2024 search.
Three firearms – including two that had been reported stolen – as well as nearly $100,000 in cash were also recovered from Rodriguez’s residence. One of the firearms, a Glock pistol, held an extended magazine loaded with 26 rounds, some of which had hollow tips.
Rodriguez, who used the street name “Dex,” documented his drug operation on his smartphone. In one selfie-style video, Rodriguez wore a gas mask and displayed an AR-15-style rifle for the camera as a press stamped pills behind him. Another photograph showed Rodriguez posing inside the laboratory with two other firearms, including an Uzi with an obliterated serial number. His phone also contained other images and videos of pills, firearms and large stacks of cash.
Shortly before his April 2026 trial, Rodriguez fled the United States for the Dominican Republic. Rodriguez is a U.S. citizen. He was stopped by Dominican authorities as he tried to enter the country after having arrived on a flight from Mexico with a fraudulent Mexican passport and a fraudulent Mexican voter registration card. Authorities returned Rodriguez to Massachusetts two days later, and he pleaded guilty in May 2026.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and DEA SAC Forget made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew A. Caffrey, III, Amanda Beck, and Annapurna Balakrishna prosecuted the case.
Lowell Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a money laundering conspiracy.
Hector Nunez, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 45 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2026, Nunez pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and three counts of money laundering, aiding and abetting.
Over a two-year period, Nunez laundered or helped launder approximately $688,650 of narcotics proceeds. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned that Nunez understood that these funds were the proceeds of cocaine trafficking.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad A. Rocheville of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Louisville Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on August 7, 2026, to 16 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
Calvin Allen, 37, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 16 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On 9 different occasions between May and November 2025, Allen sold fentanyl powder to a confidential informant. The total amount of fentanyl from all of the controlled purchases was 712.84 grams. During a June 2025 drug transaction, Allen possessed a Glock GmbH, Model 29, 10-millimeter pistol in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime.
On November 24, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Allen’s residence. 60.26 grams of fentanyl powder, 13.32 grams of heroin and a Glock GmbH, Model 29, 10-millimeter pistol, and ammunition were seized. U.S. currency in the amount of $31,476.00 was seized as proceeds of drug trafficking during the execution of the search warrant.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Allen’s lengthy sentence is commensurate with the danger posed by the fentanyl he trafficked into the Western District of Kentucky. Too many families have lost loved ones to fentanyl or otherwise watched as a loved one suffered from deep drug addiction. Allen’s substantial sentence should give pause to others inclined to peddle fentanyl in Kentucky. Rest assured, our Office will not stop until the fentanyl is eradicated from our communities.”
“Many families have suffered enduring pain due to the drug epidemic across our country,” said Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the Louisville Division. “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue drug dealers who use guns and violence to exploit the vulnerabilities that addiction creates. Drug dealers with guns are violent criminals who pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities.”
“Fentanyl trafficking combined with firearms is a lethal combination that ruins lives and destroys families,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Field Division. “I’m proud of the work done by DEA and our law enforcement partners to bring Mr. Allen to justice and prevent further harm to our community.”
"Fentanyl and illegal firearms are a dangerous combination that puts lives across Louisville at risk," said Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey. "This sentence reflects the serious consequences for those who profit from distributing deadly drugs while armed. I’m grateful for the persistent work of our LMPD investigators and our federal partners at ATF, DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. By working together, we are holding those who fuel violence and addiction accountable and making Louisville a safer place.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF Louisville Field Division, the Louisville Metro Police Department, and the DEA Louisville Field Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Lexington County Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison on Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Trevor Jerremy Jones, 36, of Lexington County, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a stolen firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Nov. 6, 2021, a University of South Carolina patrolman conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle after determining that the car tag had expired. The officer made contact with the driver, Trevor Jones and smelled the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Jones denied that there was any marijuana in the car, but the officer searched the car and located a clear plastic bag containing marijuana in the driver’s side door and a large clear plastic bag containing a large amount of marijuana in the center console. Jones was arrested and stated that the property in the vehicle belonged to him.
Officers also found a .40 caliber pistol loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition in the glove box. The gun had been reported stolen. Jones claimed he bought the firearm from a friend. Jones also had a large amount of money, grouped into small denominations consistent with the sale of narcotics.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Jones to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the University of South Carolina Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.
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Leake County Man Found Guilty of Attempted Coercion of MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Leake County man was found guilty on three federal charges at the conclusion of a seven-day jury trial that concluded on August 11, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Jackson, announced U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office.
According to court documents, Edison Jefferson, 41, of the Red Water Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation used the internet and a cellular phone to contact a person in Texas that he believed to be a 15-year-old minor. Testimony during the trial established that the person he was actually communicating with was an undercover police officer posing as a 15-year-old minor. Testimony further established that he sent sexually explicit messages, requested nude images, and attempted to coerce the person he believed to be a minor to travel to Mississippi from Texas for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
In January of 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Jefferson on the charges of Attempted Coercion and Enticement, Attempted Coercion and Enticement to Travel to Engage in Sexual Activity, and Attempted Production of Child Pornography.
Honorable Henry T. Wingate, United States District Judge, presided over the trial and scheduled Jefferson’s sentencing for November 9, 2026. Jefferson faces a minimum penalty of not less than 15 years, and a maximum penalty up to life. He is currently being held in federal custody.
United States Attorney Kruger commended the work of the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department in Abeline, Texas, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Trails Task Force, who investigated the case.
The Safe Trails Task Force is comprised of officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Choctaw Police Department, Leake County Sheriff’s Department, Carthage Police Department, and various state and local law enforcement agencies.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
Justice Department Awards Nearly $290 Million to Improve Safety, Including More Than $12 Million for Northern District of FloridaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON ―The Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component under the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, awarded almost $290 million to support state, local, and tribal governments in criminal justice activities to keep American communities safe. United States Attorney John P. Heekin of the Northern District of Florida highlighted nearly $12.5 million in grant monies were awarded to law enforcement components operating within the Northern District of Florida.
The awards, provided through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, represent the nation’s leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories. For more than 20 years, the JAG program has provided critical funding to support law enforcement’s ability to protect the communities they serve, supporting critical needs such as personnel, equipment and supplies, technology, training, information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings, and other operational priorities. JAG funding also supports a wide range of programs that strengthen crime prevention efforts and enhance the effectiveness of prosecutors, courts, corrections agencies, and services for crime victims and witnesses.
“This funding strengthens our state, local, and tribal partners’ ability to address violent crime, support officers on the front lines, and keep our Nation’s communities safe,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The JAG Program continues to provide essential resources that help jurisdictions meet today’s public safety threats and uphold the rule of law.”
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Our state and local law enforcement partners are vital to my office’s mission to eradicate crime within the Northern District of Florida. Through these grant awards, the Department of Justice is making critical investments in the brave men and women of Florida’s law enforcement agencies who stand on the front lines in the fight against crime to keep our communities safe.”
JAG Program awards will be used in support of the following law enforcement agencies within the Northern District of Florida:
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement, based in Tallahassee, Florida;
- Alachua County Sheriff’s Office;
- Bay County Sheriff’s Office;
- Escambia County Sheriff’s Office;
- Leon County Sheriff’s Office;
- Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office;
- Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office;
- Gainesville Police Department;
- Panama City Police Department;
- Panama City Beach Police Department;
- Pensacola Police Department;
- Tallahassee Police Department
In addition to foundational uses of JAG funds, specific areas of emphasis were included to the JAG funding opportunities highlighting and encouraging state and local jurisdictions to join federal law enforcement in addressing the most pressing public safety challenges. For Fiscal Year 2025, these areas of emphasis included combatting violent crime, immigration enforcement, safe communities, and safe houses of worship.
BJA awarded more than $199 million in state JAG funding across 56 awards and more than $90 million in local JAG funding across 895 awards.
Examples of initiatives supported by these grants include:
- Providing specialized training to strengthen the prevention, detection, and response to human trafficking and to enhance proactive crime‑reduction efforts through improved officer readiness and increased patrol capacity.
- Enhancing local crime‑fighting efforts by integrating innovative technology, training, and equipment, and using comprehensive crime‑data analysis to guide decision‑making, measure performance, and strengthen strategies addressing violent crime and other public safety issues.
- Strengthening enforcement efforts by supporting investigations related to gang activity and narcotics through targeted operations carried out by specialized units.
- Improving officer safety and readiness by replacing outdated ballistic helmets with modern protective equipment used during high‑risk incidents, tactical operations, active threat responses, warrant service, civil disturbances, and other dangerous calls for service.
All recipients for both state and local JAG awards can be found here.
About the Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation's capacity to prevent and reduce crime; promote fair and impartial administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking or SMART Office – can be found at ojp.gov.
Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Strangling His Former Romantic Partner and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrell West, 31, of Maryland, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury yesterday of charges stemming from an incident where he strangled and punched his former romantic partner on November 26, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Tyrell West repeatedly victimized his former partner, including punching and strangling her in front of their child,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Today’s guilty verdict ensures that a violent offender is being held accountable. My office will continue to pursue justice for survivors and work with our partners to keep our communities safe.”
West was found guilty of one count each of strangulation, threats to do bodily harm, simple assault, and obstructing justice, as well as three counts of contempt on August 11, 2026. Sentencing will take place on October 30, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe.
According to the government’s evidence, West and the victim began a romantic relationship in 2021 and share one child. In October 2025, the defendant was released from prison following a sentence for unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction). On November 24, 2025, the victim texted West that she wanted to end their romantic relationship. The following evening, the defendant came over to her residence to pick up his belongings. In the early morning hours of November 26, West made a sexual advance to the victim, which she rejected. The defendant became enraged, threatening the victim that he would “break her f*cking face.” He proceeded to strangle her by placing two hands around her neck and squeezing until she lost consciousness. The victim regained consciousness when West punched her in the face, with her child calling out next to her, “Mommy, get up.” The victim grabbed her child and fled to a neighbor’s apartment, where she called 911.
Between April and June 2026, West called the victim over 30 times in violation of a court order to stay away from and have no contact with the victim. In one of those calls, he tried to convince the victim not to comply with the trial subpoena. This was not the first time the defendant had assaulted the victim—he assaulted her on multiple occasions in 2022.
West was arrested in December 2025 and remains in custody after his conviction.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Olivia Hinerfeld and Michael Weinberg.
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Jury Convicted Two in Sinaloa Cartel-Directed South Florida Drug Robbery PlotRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury has convicted two Orlando men for their roles in a Sinaloa Cartel-directed plot to steal 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, and drug proceeds from what they believed was a South Florida drug trafficker.
Kevin Albornos-Martinez, 29, and Johan Landazury-Albornos, 24, both of Orlando, were convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, following a 12-day trial.
“This case shows exactly how transnational criminal organizations operate, and exactly how we intend to dismantle them through proactive law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “At the direction of an alleged Sinaloa Cartel member in Mexico, these defendants assembled an armed crew, including members of Tren de Aragua, and came to South Florida prepared to steal 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, and drug proceeds. Instead, they walked into a law enforcement operation and now stand convicted by a federal jury. We will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to identify, disrupt, and prosecute the violent criminal networks that threaten our communities.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Santiago Carillo-Piz, an alleged member of the Sinaloa Cartel who remains a fugitive in Mexico, directed Albornos-Martinez and Landazury-Albornos to assemble a crew to carry out the armed robbery. The defendants recruited individuals from across the country, including multiple members of Tren de Aragua, to steal 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, and drug proceeds from the purported drug trafficker.
The intended target, however, was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Authorities arrested the defendants as they tested their firearms and made final preparations to carry out the robbery.
Albornos-Martinez and Landazury-Albornos are the eighth and ninth defendants convicted in connection with the investigation. Carillo-Piz is the only remaining defendant and remains a fugitive in Mexico.
Albornos-Martinez and Landazury-Albornos each face up to 40 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami; and Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), made the announcement.
ATF, HSI, and BSO are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John McMillan and Juan Albino are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80161.
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Jefferson County felon sentenced to federal prison for gun possession in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Nederland man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms possession in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Christopher Wade Garbett, 40, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on August 12, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in March 2025, law enforcement received information that Garbett was trying to sell three shotguns for $1,200. Garbett has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. Undercover agents met with Garbett at a motel room in Groves to buy the guns. Garbett told the agents he had already sold one shotgun but would sell the other two firearms to them for $550. Garbett also discussed selling them more guns in the future.
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 Law enforcement seized firearms from the vehicle 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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Nederland Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
Iowa Man Sentenced for Distributing Child Pornography to a Panama City ResidentRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Dalvert Encarnacion Francisco, 37, of Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced to serve 70 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I truly appreciate the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners that helped to identify and bring this heinous predator to justice. Anyone who views, possesses, or distributes child sexual abuse material will face an aggressive prosecution by my office to ensure they are held fully accountable for their horrific crimes and spend years in federal prison.”
The defendant’s sentencing followed a guilty verdict returned after a three-day jury trial in May 2026. Court records and evidence showed that the Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigated multiple child sexual abuse material tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During that investigation, law enforcement discovered the defendant distributed child pornography to an individual named Marcus Creel who resided in the Panama City area. Creel was later prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. With the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, further investigation revealed the defendant requested online payments for the child sexual abuse material he distributed.
“There is no place in our society for those who exploit children for profit or gratification,” said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford. “This sentence sends a clear message: if you prey on children or contribute to their exploitation, we will work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to identify you, arrest you, and ensure you are held accountable. Protecting our children will always be one of the Bay County Sheriff's Office's highest priorities.”
Upon his release from prison, Francisco will be required to serve five years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
“This sentence holds a predator accountable for distributing inappropriate child sexual abuse material and contributing to the exploitation of innocent children,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships with our law enforcement partners. Their dedication and investigative efforts helped ensure this offender was identified and brought to justice. We will continue to pursue those who exploit children and work tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
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, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Illegal Alien from Mexico with Ties to the Sinaloa Cartel Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking more than 133,000 Counterfeit Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Omar Antonio Jaramillo-Meza, 24, an illegal alien from Mexico with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for trafficking more than 133,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Following his prison sentence, Jaramillo-Meza will be deported.
“As an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, Jaramillo-Meza coordinated the trafficking of thousands of fentanyl pills and other deadly drugs across the border and into western North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Transnational criminal organizations that fuel the devastation caused by fentanyl may operate beyond our borders, but their deadly consequences are felt in our communities. That is why we will not stop at the border to put an end to the fentanyl epidemic.”
“This seizure of more than 100,000 fentanyl pills demonstrates what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies work together with a shared mission,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “We are disrupting the supply of illicit fentanyl and holding those responsible accountable. We will continue working tirelessly toward a Fentanyl Free America.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, a DEA confidential source (CS) was introduced to “El Moro,” who was affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel and later identified as Jaramillo-Meza, and had access to large quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl. During the investigation, the CS used a messaging app to arrange multiple drug buys with Jaramillo-Meza. In April 2022, law enforcement seized 3,000 pills that Jaramillo-Meza had sent to the CS. The pills were marked with “M-30,” a marking used on prescription oxycodone pills. An analysis by the DEA laboratory confirmed the seized pills contained fentanyl.
During a subsequent meeting between the CS and Jaramillo-Meza, the defendant discussed future fentanyl shipments to the CS and explained that he had drugs sent by plane from Colombia to Mexico. In February 2023, Jaramillo-Meza sent a message to the CS, letting him know that fentanyl pills were in a package on the way to Charlotte and provided a tracking number. Investigators intercepted the package and seized 80,000 blue “M-30” pills that contained fentanyl. In June 2023, law enforcement also intercepted another drug delivery arranged by Jaramillo-Meza, seizing approximately 20,000 fentanyl pills in Cleveland County. In addition, investigators determined that Jaramillo-Meza supervised a network of couriers that arranged drug deliveries throughout the United States, including a delivery of 30,000 fentanyl seized by law enforcement in New York City. Court documents show that Jaramillo-Meza was responsible for trafficking more than 15 kilograms of fentanyl pills during the investigation.
In September 2024, Jaramillo-Meza pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl and one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl and cocaine. He is 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 the DEA for its work investigating the case.
Erik Lindahl with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Indicted after Utah Agents Seize Narcotics, Including Methamphetamine from Alleged Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging an illegal alien from Mexico with a drug crime after he sold cocaine during an undercover operation, and after agents seized methamphetamine from the defendant’s residence.
Cristian Cardenas Aguilar, 19, residing illegally in West Valley City, Utah, was charged by complaint on July 31, 2026.
According to court documents, on July 20, 2026, agents with the Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force and the FBI conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics from Cardenas Aguilar. After the controlled purchase, Cardenas Aguilar left the controlled purchase location in a vehicle and was observed by agents entering a residence in West Valley City. The narcotics evidence purchased during the controlled buy was transported to the Davis County Crime Lab where it tested positive for cocaine and weighed 121.14 grams. On July 29, 2026, agents executed two search warrants on Cardenas Aguilar’s vehicle and residence in West Valley City. During the search of the residence, agents located and seized 3,623 grams of field-tested-positive methamphetamine.
Cardenas Aguilar is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for August 17, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF).
Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Georgia Man Sentenced for Multi State Fraud Scheme Targeting SeniorsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE– A Georgia man has been sentenced in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a wide‑ranging lottery and sweepstakes scam that defrauded senior citizens in Rhode Island and multiple other states out of at least one million dollars.
Patrick Dallas, 38, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 24 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Dallas and two co‑conspirators defrauded senior citizens through a bogus “Publishers Clearing House” (PCH) or similar sweepstakes scam and laundered the proceeds through entities and bank accounts they controlled.
Victims were told they had won large sums of money, often millions of dollars, in a PCH lottery or sweepstakes. To collect their purported winnings, victims were instructed to provide personal identifying information for “verification” and to pay upfront fees and taxes. Some victims were directed to send money, gift cards, and high‑value items such as Rolex watches and iPhones to addresses controlled by the defendants.
“These defendants preyed on seniors across the country by offering them the false promise of life‑changing winnings, only to drain their savings and exploit their trust,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “This office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting individuals who target vulnerable victims, and today’s sentence reflects our determination to hold accountable those who profit from fraud and deceit.”
“Patrick Dallas and his co-conspirators ran a predatory fraud scheme that stole from seniors by weaponizing hope, trust, and fear, convincing victims they had won life-changing prizes only to drain them of their hard-earned money and personal information,” said HSI New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “This sentence cannot undo the financial and emotional harm inflicted on these victims, but it delivers accountability and makes clear that those who target older Americans through lies, intimidation, and greed will face serious consequences. HSI New England is at the forefront of investigating fraud that seeks to exploit our unsuspecting, hard-working, and often vulnerable public, and we will continue working relentlessly with our partners to identify these schemes, dismantle them, and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Dallas’s sentencing follows last week’s sentencing of his co‑defendant, Owen Demoy Byfield, 33, who was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 24 months imprisonment, ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution, and received a judicial order of removal, allowing for his deportation upon completion of his sentence.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Warwick Police Department.
Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta, Georgia State Patrol, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the East Providence Police Department also assisted in the investigation.
Fort White Man Indicted for Conspiring to Transfer Firearms to MexicoRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Jose Manuel Barron, 31, of Fort White, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to transfer firearms to a nonresident. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Barron appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for September 2, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida.
Barron faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment if convicted.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
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 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Program Director Sentenced to 19 Years for Sexual Exploitation of A Child in Two Federal DistrictsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 12, 2026, Andrew Worrall, 56, a citizen of the United Kingdom currently residing in Knox County, Tennessee, was sentenced to 235 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Worrall will be on lifetime supervised release, will be required to register with state sex offender registries, comply with special sex offender conditions, and will be deported back to the United Kingdom following his sentence. As part of his sentence, Worrall was also required to sell his Farragut, Tennessee home where he conducted the offenses of conviction. Criminal forfeiture was ordered in the amount of $249,805.29, which is his equity from the sale of the property.
As part of the universal plea agreement filed with the Eastern District of Tennessee (EDTN) and the District of South Carolina (DSC), Worrall agreed to plead guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e) for the EDTN indictment, and one count of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e) for the DSC indictment.
While at his home on July 7, 2025, Worrall contacted a 17-year-old minor female on the Snapchat application using the internet. Knowing the age of the child, Worrall requested nude pictures of her, to which the child complied. Worrall then requested the child send a video of her inserting a foreign object into her body, again, to which the child complied.
On the same day, and continuing into July 8, 2025, Worrall contacted another 17-year-old minor female, who resided in DSC, using his Snapchat account. Worrall had similar communication with the child, asking to prove she was real by sending him pictures. After the victim complied, he requested that she engage in sexual activity on video for Worrall’s pleasure, to which the child complied.
“The 19-year sentence in this case hopefully brings a sense of justice and dignity to Worrall’s victims and deters others from committing similar crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “With our federal, state, and local partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute criminals who prey on and sexually exploit minors.”
“Worrall’s exploitation of minors is reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “This case is yet another example of how U.S. Attorney’s Offices will work together with law enforcement agencies – across this country - to ensure child predators are brought to justice.”
“Our investigators will continue doing everything they can to identify and investigate instances of child exploitation within the Department. We know all too well the damage caused by these crimes to our communities, and we will continue working with the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to investigate and prosecute the offenders,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Lewe Sessions.
The criminal indictments were the result of an investigation by the United States Department of Energy, Office of the Inspector General, led by Special Agents Paul Gilbride and Owen Igo.
AUSA Jennifer Kolman of the Eastern District of Tennessee and AUSA Dean H. Secor of the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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Former Financial Cooperative Branch Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Ripping Off Elderly and Incapacitated CustomersRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Teresa Palmer, 55, of Columbus, Indiana has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of bank fraud. Palmer was also ordered to pay $381,400.05 in restitution.
According to court documents, from 2014 through December 2022, Teresa Palmer worked as the branch manager of a financial cooperative in Columbus, Indiana. In her role, Palmer had access to customer accounts and was authorized to withdraw funds or issue cashier’s checks when a customer approved a transaction.
In 2022, the financial cooperative terminated Palmer after discovering she had forged customer signatures on banking documents. Shortly after her termination, a client notified the institution of unauthorized transactions in her father’s account. An internal investigation confirmed that Palmer had not only forged signatures but also withdrawn funds from the client’s account without permission. Further review revealed additional victims: Palmer had stolen from four customer accounts over a two‑year period.
Investigators determined that between January 2021 and December 2022, Palmer targeted accounts belonging to elderly customers or individuals unable to regularly monitor their finances. Using her work computer and banking software, Palmer executed unauthorized cash withdrawals and diverted the funds for personal expenses, including gambling.
Palmer also fraudulently issued cashier’s checks from customer accounts, making them payable to third parties. She forged the payee’s endorsement, printed the checks, and stamped “for deposit only” or forged a customer’s signature before presenting the checks to a teller, falsely claiming customer approval. Once the checks were converted into cash, Palmer kept the money for herself.
In total, Palmer conducted hundreds of unauthorized transactions, stealing $381,400.05 from several elderly victims, including one individual with dementia.
The FBI Indianapolis investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
“Palmer’s crimes threw these victims’ lives into turmoil, leaving them confused and unaware of why their hard‑earned savings were disappearing,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Elder fraud is a profoundly evil and calculated crime, driven by greed at the expense of those least able to defend themselves. This office will continue to pursue justice for victims who are targeted because of their age, incapacity, or dependence on others.”
“Financial institutions and their customers place tremendous trust in employees who have access to their hard-earned savings, and exploiting that trust for personal gain is unacceptable,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “This defendant deliberately abused her position of authority to target elderly and vulnerable customers - individuals she believed were less likely to regularly monitor their accounts or discover the theft. She forged signatures, manipulated banking records, and stole money entrusted to her care for her own benefit. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify those who prey upon vulnerable members of our communities and hold them accountable. This sentence should serve as a reminder that positions of trust are not shields from accountability.”
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements’ efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available from the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. [ET]. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website.
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Former Brooklyn Bank Manager Sentenced to Prison for Laundering Proceeds of Medicare Fraud for Transnational Criminal OrganizationRead the Press Release
A Brooklyn man was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in prison for conspiring to launder more than $8 million in health care fraud proceeds through a U.S. bank on behalf of a transnational criminal organization (TCO).
“The Fraud Division is committed to holding accountable anyone who abuses the U.S. financial system to facilitate fraud,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This sentence makes one thing clear: anyone who helps fraudsters conceal the proceeds of their crimes can expect to face serious consequences. American taxpayers will be protected from those who try to launder criminal proceeds through our banking system.”
According to court documents, Renat Abramov, 37, of Brooklyn, New York, a former relationship manager at a U.S. bank branch in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, used his position to aid a foreign-based TCO that spearheaded the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, as uncovered by Operation Gold Rush.
The TCO, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to steal from Medicare and private health insurance companies by submitting fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment through dozens of medical equipment companies. These medical equipment companies were owned on paper by nominee owners, many of whom were not lawfully present in the United States, in a manner that disguised the true beneficial ownership and control of the companies by the foreign-based TCO.
Abramov acted as a concierge banker for participants in the health care fraud and money laundering scheme. Among other things, Abramov opened bank accounts for the nominee owners of several medical equipment companies, which were then used to deposit more than $8 million in health care fraud proceeds. Once deposited, the nominee owners and their handlers transferred the money into offshore accounts. Abramov also assisted nominee owners with wire transactions and provided information about the status of accounts.
In February 2026, Abramov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Homeland Security Investigations New York assisted in the defendant’s arrest.
Assistant Chiefs Shankar Ramamurthy and Kevin Lowell, Acting Assistant Chief Sara E. Porter, and Trial Attorney Leonid Sandlar of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
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.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Federal Judge Sends Meth Dealer to Federal Prison for 14 YearsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Sharon Lynn Jones, 46, to 14 years in federal prison for selling meth throughout the Eastern District of North Carolina. Jones pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, to one count of distributing 50 grams or more of meth.
“Jones repeatedly chose to flood this community with meth, and her history shows she had every opportunity to stop,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Our office moved decisively with our law enforcement partners to shut down her operation and protect Duplin County from poison she pushed into Eastern North Carolina.”
In May 20125, the DEA and Duplin County Sheriff’s Office identified Jones as a major meth distributor. Investigators conducted four controlled purchases from her during May and June 2025. Later, they stopped her for a traffic violation and found a substantial quantity of crystal meth. Jones agreed to cooperate with law enforcement and was not charged. Over the next two and a half months, Jones continued to sell and possess meth with the intent to distribute. Before these latest convictions, she had two state court convictions in 2024 and 2025 for possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver drugs and eventually received only probation. As a result of those convictions, the federal court system classified her as a career offender.
“The Duplin County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA to better serve the citizens of Duplin County, remove drug dealers that are selling large quantities of illegal narcotics, and help stop these deadly drugs from making it to our streets and communities,” said Duplin County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chuck Weaver. “I am grateful for the cooperation and working relationships we have with local, state, and federal agencies.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers, II. DEA and the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office partnered in the investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00103-M-KS.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer Indicted for Bribery, Drug SchemeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a three-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Joseph Templeton, 30, of Elgin, for bribery, money laundering, and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.
The indictment alleges that while employed as a correctional officer at the Bennettsville Federal Correctional Institution, Templeton accepted more than $60,000 in bribes from a BOP inmate and others associated with the inmate. The indictment further alleges that in exchange for those bribes, Templeton smuggled contraband into FCI Bennettsville, including cell phones, cell phone accessories, cigarettes, and THC. Templeton falsely processed the contraband as a contraband seizure before distributing the contraband within FCI Bennettsville.
Templeton faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. He was arraigned in federal court today before United States Magistrate Judge Kaymani D. West.
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, the FBI Columbia Field Office, and the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Dubuque Man Convicted of Federal Offense AfterRead the Press Release
A man who tried to enter a city council meeting armed with a gun was convicted by a jury on August 11, 2026, after a one-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Austin Andrew Goodman, age 42, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of possessing a firearm while prohibited after he had been committed to a mental institution.
The evidence at trial showed Goodman entered a building in Dubuque, Iowa, on March 3, 3025, while wearing a suit, an American flag on his shoulders, tape over his mouth, and a loaded firearm on his hip. Goodman had his two dogs on leashes when he entered the building and attempted to enter the city council chambers where a meeting was occurring. Goodman was live streaming his entry into the building on Facebook.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Goodman remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Goodman faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-1039.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Drug Distributer Convicted for Selling Fentanyl that Caused Three Fatal OverdosesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis man, Darian Glover, 29, has been convicted by a federal jury for distribution of a controlled substance causing death. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.
An eyewitness told law enforcement that on June 20, 2024, he saw the male victim, M.P., purchase narcotics from Darian Glover. The eyewitness stated M.P. began making phone calls to Glover in order to buy what M.P. believed was cocaine. The eyewitness stated they got off work around 5:30 PM, and they met Glover at a gas station located on Bartlett Road in Bartlett, TN.
Glover walked up to M.P.'s truck and got into the backseat. M.P. and Glover shook hands, which is when the drug transaction occurred. M.P. then drove Glover to a liquor store located on Summer Avenue in Memphis, TN. Glover went into the store and came back to the truck. M.P. then drove Glover to Glover's residence in Memphis, TN.
On June 21, 2024 at 1:51 AM, the Collierville Police Department was dispatched to a residence located in Collierville, TN in reference to a report of a drug overdose. Upon arrival, officers observed the residents of the house performing CPR on two unconscious females on the back porch of the house. Officers also observed an unconscious male lying on the back porch as well. Officers and paramedics then took over CPR on all the unconscious individuals on the scene. Officers and paramedics administered multiple doses of Narcan to all three individuals. Subsequently, all three victims, M.P., L.P., and A.T., did not survive.
On the scene, officers observed a white powdery substance on a dollar bill on the table where the three individuals were seated. The white powdery substance was collected from the scene and sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for testing and analysis. The results confirmed that the unknown white powdery substance tested positive for fentanyl. In addition to the fentanyl, the victims' cell phones were recovered from the scene of the overdose.
Upon analyses of M.P.'s cellphone, law enforcement saw text message communication between M.P. and Glover's cell phone number. The communication displayed text messages about M.P. attempting to purchase "toot", which is the street term for cocaine. The conversation started on June 20, 2024 at 2:23 PM and continued until M.P.'s last text message to Glover on June 20, 2024 at 7:24 PM. The victim and Glover's cell phone location data corroborated the eyewitness' version of events. The eyewitness positively identified Glover in a photo lineup as the person who sold M.P. the narcotics.
Per the medical examiner, the immediate cause of M.P.'s and A.T.'s death was fentanyl toxicity, and the manner of death was an accident. The immediate cause of L.P.'s death was fentanyl and alprazolam toxicity, and the manner of death was an accident.
After a four-day jury trial, the jury rendered a verdict of guilty as to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance which resulted in death. Glover faces a sentence of not less than 20 years or more than life in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least three years.
The case is set for sentencing on November 13, 2026 before United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Fentanyl distribution cases resulting in death are always heartbreaking, and especially when there are multiple victims. We commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal and local law enforcement partners, and we hope this conviction will achieve some measure of justice for the victims’ families.”
“Drug dealers like Mr. Glover have no regard for human life; often driven by greed, they poison our communities and leave broken families in their wake,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Field Division. “Mr. Glover should expect to feel the full weight of our justice system for his actions that ultimately claimed the lives of three individuals.”
“This conviction highlights the vital role of teamwork among our federal, state, and local partners. Together, we are committed to holding those who bring deadly drugs into our community accountable and protecting our residents from these tragic outcomes,” said Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Collierville Police Department (CPD).
Assistant United States Attorneys Wendy K. Caceres, Raven Icaza, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Patricia Sculco, of the United States Army Judge Advocates General's (JAG) Corps, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Defendant Sentenced to 135 Months in Federal Prison for Unlawful Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Darrell J. Lindsey, 44, formerly of Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced on August 6, 2026, to 135 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, law enforcement began an investigation into Lindsey’s methamphetamine trafficking in August 2020. That same month, law enforcement seized approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine and multiple firearms and ammunition while executing a search warrant on Lindsey’s residence in Peoria. While Lindsey was out of state, he also shipped methamphetamine to individuals in Peoria. Additionally, Lindsey was implicated in the March 2021 seizure of approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine from a Morton, Illinois, hotel room.
In total, between August 2020 and May 2021, Lindsey was accountable for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a total of 69,281 kilograms of converted drug weight, which included 145.5 grams of methamphetamine and 3,449.5 grams of methamphetamine (actual).
In sentencing Lindsey, U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley determined that a sentencing enhancement for possession of a firearm during the commission of the offense applied.
A federal indictment against Lindsey was filed in March 2024 and a warrant for his arrest was issued. He was arrested in the state of Washington on unrelated state charges in April 2024 and was returned to the state of Illinois for federal prosecution. Lindsey entered into a written plea agreement in January 2026. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for conspiring to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) is 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by at least five years of supervised release. A fine of up to 10 million dollars is also possible.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted by the Peoria, Morton, Pekin (Illinois), Bloomington (Illinois), and Aberdeen (Washington) police departments, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Lindsey 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.
Cuban National Convicted of Unlawfully Obtaining US Citizenship After Concealing Healthcare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury has convicted a Cuban national of obtaining U.S. citizenship after she concealed her involvement in a multi-million-dollar healthcare fraud conspiracy during the naturalization process.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Tania Rosa Rodriguez, 57, applied to become a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2017 and was granted citizenship in 2018. On her naturalization application, Rodriguez stated that she had never committed a crime for which she had not been arrested. At the time, however, Rodriguez was participating in a healthcare fraud conspiracy that began before she applied for naturalization and continued after she became a U.S. citizen.
“American citizenship cannot be lawfully obtained through fraud and concealment,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “While participating in a multi-million-dollar healthcare fraud conspiracy, this defendant sought U.S. citizenship and concealed her criminal conduct from the government. A federal jury has now held her accountable. Our Office will vigorously enforce the laws that protect the integrity of our immigration and naturalization system.”
Rodriguez was later convicted in federal court for her role in the seven-year conspiracy, which resulted in approximately $4.6 million in fraudulent healthcare claims. Evidence at trial established that Rodriguez knowingly concealed her criminal conduct during the naturalization process.
The jury found Rodriguez guilty of one count of unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization. She faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Pierce and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson Dering are prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted by the Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section. BICE was created by U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones in November of 2025 to strengthen South Florida’s border security posture, protect maritime and land points of entry, enforce federal immigration law, and dismantle transnational smuggling networks operating through the region. The Section brings together narcotics, immigration, fraud, and violent-crime expertise into a single coordinated unit focused on border-driven threats.
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 26-cr-20133.
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Convicted sex offender sentenced for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man previously convicted of sexual exploitation of a child was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for charges related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, David Mark Jones, 35, of Shawnee pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
In February 2023, Jones was convicted in Johnson County District Court of sexual exploitation of a child. His sentence included lifetime post release supervision and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Between February and March 2024, Jones distributed CSAM including images involving a prepubescent minors under 12 years old.
“This case is an example of why the sex offender registry is so needed” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Because there are people monitoring sex offenders and checking to see that they are compliant with the rules once they are released, Mr. Jones’ crimes were detected, and now Mr. Jones is going back to prison.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Kansas Highway Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Convicted Sex Offender Indicted on New Child Sex Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a Maryland man, today, in connection with child sex abuse crimes.
David Lee Mangum, 29, of Frederick, is charged with five counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of transferring obscene material to a minor, and one count of possession of CSAM.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – Office of Investigations, and Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO).
According to the indictment, during 2025, and early 2026, Mangum utilized internet-based social media accounts to receive visual depictions of at least five minor victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On at least one occasion, Mangum sent one of the minor victims a video of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A subsequent law enforcement search of Mangum’s cellular phone also revealed numerous other CSAM images.
Mangum previously pled guilty in October 2021, in Frederick County, Maryland, Circuit Court, to three felony counts related to the filming, soliciting, and promoting CSAM. Mangum received a 10-year prison term, with all but 18 months suspended.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Mangum faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison for each count of receipt of CSAM. In addition, Mangum faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years for the CSAM possession charge, along with a maximum sentence of 10 years on the transfer of obscene material to a minor charge.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DSS and FCSO for their work in the investigation, along with the Madison Police Department (Wisconsin); Collier County Sheriff’s Office (Florida); Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (Florida); and New York State Police for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven T. Brantley and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms, Including a MachinegunRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon was sentenced to prison today for illegally possessing multiple firearms, including a machinegun, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Justin Lloyd Coleman, 44, of Huntersville, N.C., was ordered to serve 80 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“Coleman knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms, yet he armed himself with multiple guns, including a machinegun,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of those who should not have them in the first place is important for the safety of our communities, and we will prosecute them at the federal level.”
According to court records, in December 2024, law enforcement learned that Coleman illegally possessed various firearms and suspected destructive devices. Court records show that Coleman had previously served time in prison for a state firearm conviction and was prohibited from possessing firearms. Law enforcement searched a residence associated with Coleman where they located four AR-style rifles that Coleman had hidden in the attic. Law enforcement arrested Coleman and searched his apartment, where they found multiple firearms, including a short-barreled rifle with a high-capacity magazine, machineguns, firearm components, ammunition, five destructive devices (improvised grenades), and components to build destructive devices.
Coleman pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun in November 2025. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Huntersville Police Department and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.