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24 July 2026
Total Men’s Primary Care and Dr. Mason Jones Agree to Pay up to $600,000 in Civil Penalties for Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – Total MD Physicians Group, P.L.L.C., doing business as Total Men’s Primary Care, and Dr. Mason Jones, a physician registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration to handle controlled substances at several Total Men’s Primary Care clinics in the Austin area, have agreed to a consent judgment requiring them to pay up to $600,000 in civil penalties for violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), 21 U.S.C. §§ 801 et seq.
The settlement resolves allegations that Total Men’s Primary Care and Dr. Jones violated the CSA by failing to comply with certain recordkeeping requirements and electronically signing and transmitting prescriptions for a Schedule II controlled substance without a doctor/patient relationship. These violations were identified by DEA following onsite inspections of three Total Men’s Primary Care locations in Austin, Bee Cave, and Cedar Park in 2023.
In 2024, while DEA’s investigation was pending, Dr. Jones voluntarily retired fourteen certificates of registration affiliated with Total Men’s Primary Care locations in Austin, Hutto, Round Rock, Georgetown, New Braunfels, San Marcos, Kyle, and Cedar Park. He later surrendered for cause four additional DEA certificates of registration.
Under the terms of their civil settlement agreement with the United States, Total Men’s Primary Care and Dr. Jones can satisfy their legal obligation under the consent judgment by paying the Government $300,000 within 12 months.
“When medical providers violate patient trust and federal law, my Office will hold them accountable through whatever means available,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “The American people deserve a healthcare system they can rely on, and we, along with our partners at the DEA, intend to do all we can to ensure its reliability.”
“DEA San Antonio Diversion investigators work tirelessly to protect the public from physicians who abuse their trusted privilege,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge for the San Antonio Division Miguel Madrigal. “Reckless and unlawful prescribing practices endanger public health, fuel prescription drug misuse, and undermine the integrity of the medical profession. The DEA will continue holding any medical professionals who violates the law accountable.”
DEA’s San Antonio Division Office led the investigation of this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham negotiated the settlement on behalf of the Government.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Three Topekans going to prison for inside job robberyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – Three defendants received prison sentences in connection with an armed robbery at a Kansas business that an employee helped to orchestrate.
According to court documents, in October 2023, Aaron Elizabeth Fish, 35, Katelyn Nichole North, 34, and Mejia Jawon Pattillo, 50, all of Topeka planned a robbery of a cash advance business in Topeka. Fish worked at the business on Southwest 10th Avenue and provided details to her co-conspirators about the building layout and security. Fish also placed cash deposit requests to increase the amount of cash that would be on site at the time of the planned robbery.
On the morning of October 16, 2023, Pattillo approached an employee who was unlocking the door, placed a weapon that appeared to be a handgun at the back of the victim’s head, and ordered the victim to go inside. Pattillo forced the victim to disable the alarm and take him to the safe where Pattillo stole cash.
After Pattillo fled the scene, North helped Pattillo to hide the stolen currency and the vehicle used during the crime.
Pattillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and was sentenced to 140 months in prison.
Fish pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment.
North pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact to a Hobbs Act Robbery and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
“Aaron Elizabeth Fish and her co-defendants deliberately planned a robbery at her place of employment during a time she wouldn’t be at work. She had the gall to put her coworker in fear for their life but didn’t want to be there to witness their terror,” said U.S Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our office will use applicable federal statutes and every tool at our disposal to hold violent criminals accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Topeka Police Department investigated the case.
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Three Postal Employees Plead Guilty in Federal Mail Theft CaseRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE –Three U.S. Postal Service employees pleaded guilty today in federal court in Rhode Island for their roles in a mail‑theft scheme at the Providence U.S. Mail Processing and Distribution Center.
Fernando Camacho, 31, of Providence, Angel Rivera, 30, of Providence, and Cyril Murray, 46, of Pawtucket each pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal mail and theft of U.S. Mail by a postal employee. They are scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Camacho, Rivera, Murray, and several co-conspirators participated in a scheme that operated between early 2023 and early 2024. As part of this conspiracy, the group of postal service employees sorted through the mail and removed brightly colored envelopes that they believed to contain cash, checks, or gift cards. They concealed those envelopes in backpacks and removed them from the facility to later distribute amongst the group. Camacho admitted that during his participation in the scheme, between $40,000 and $95,000 in cash, gift cards, and checks were stolen. Rivera admitted that during his participation in the scheme, between $95,000 and $150,000 in cash, gift cards, and checks were stolen. Murray, a supervisor at the mail distribution center, admitted that during his participation in the scheme, between $95,000 and $150,000 in cash, gift cards, and checks were stolen.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Providence and Smithfield Police Departments.
Three Individuals Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Billing Medicare and Medicaid Through Opioid Addiction Treatment Clinics in KentuckyRead the Press Release
A Texas businessman, a Kentucky doctor, and a Kentucky woman were sentenced to prison for their roles in fraudulently billing Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid over $4.8 million through a series of addiction treatment facilities.
Today, Michael Bregenzer, 53, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
In February 2026, José Alzadon, M.D., 62, of Paintsville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
In January 2026, Barbie Vanhoose, 63, of West Van Lear, Kentucky, was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
All three defendants were ordered to pay restitution of $812,881.09.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose orchestrated their health care fraud scheme through Kentucky Addiction Centers or KAC, which operated in Winchester, Paducah, Paintsville, and London, Kentucky. As part of his role as KAC’s medical director, Alzadon prescribed Suboxone, a controlled substance that is used to treat opioid addiction. Bregenzer served as KAC’s CEO and Vanhoose as KAC’s billing manager.
Together, Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose ran a scheme that falsely billed taxpayer-funded health programs like Medicare and Medicaid for medical services that were not provided or were billed as more complex and expensive services than the services patients actually received. They also conspired to falsely bill for services in the name of Alzadon’s elderly father when the services either were not provided at all or were provided by Alzadon — who was unable to bill certain health plans as he was not credentialed as a provider with those plans. Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose also conspired to use Alzadon’s father’s prescribing credentials, including his DEA registration number and electronic prescribing token, to prescribe Suboxone, even though Alzadon’s father had not seen the patients for whom he was supposedly issuing prescriptions.
In March 2025, Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose were each convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances using the registration number of another person. Alzadon and Vanhoose were also convicted of two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Scott of the DEA Louisville Division; Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Regional Director Joe Rivers of the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA); and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman made the announcement.
The DEA, FBI, HHS-OIG, DOL-EBSA, and the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated this case.
The Winchester Police Department provided substantial assistance during the investigation and trial.
Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch, Sarah Edwards, and Samad Pardesi 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 support 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.
Third Nigerian Man Sentenced to Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy, Wire Fraud Related to the Sexual Extortion and Death of a Local Young ManRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Afeez Olatunji Adewale, 27, of Nigeria was sentenced today by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release for money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud related to the sexual extortion and death of a young man in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
“All three defendants have finally been brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “I hope that their arrests, extradition, and prosecution make clear that the DOJ will go after those terrorizing our young people — no matter where the scammers and sextortionists may be. Though this case is now closed, our thoughts will remain with a family and community forever changed.”
The defendant was extradited from Nigeria to the United States in February of this year and pleaded guilty in April.
Adewale was arrested in Nigeria on August 17, 2023, as part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists targeting victims in the United States. He was extradited to the United States on Friday, February 13, 2026, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Abuja, and the FBI, who took him into custody. The support and assistance of Nigerian security authorities was essential to this effort, notably that of Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“Today’s sentencing illustrates criminals cannot evade justice, even outside of our borders,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “This final sentencing is the result of diligent investigative work and close coordination with our domestic and international law enforcement partners. This case is a testament to the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing those who exploit others online, regardless of where they operate. Most importantly, today’s sentence represents our continued commitment to seeking justice for victims and their loved ones. Let today’s sentencing send a clear message: alongside our partners here and abroad, the FBI remains committed to identifying, locating, and bringing to justice those who prey on our communities.”
“The capabilities of local police departments to expand an investigation beyond the borders of the U.S. is extremely limited. We must rely on the expertise of the FBI and other federal law enforcement partners, which is exactly what occurred in this case,” said Chief Patrick Molloy of the Abington Township Police Department. “We are grateful for the federal agents and prosecutors who worked so hard to bring those responsible for this heinous crime to justice. This could have been anyone’s child, and while this prosecution may provide some measure of relief, the pain and suffering for this family will never go away.”
Adewale’s co-defendants, Imoleayo Samuel Aina, aka “Alice Dave,” 27, and Samuel Olasunkanmi Abiodun, 26, were extradited to the U.S. in August 2024.
Abiodun pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud and was sentenced by Judge Slomsky in June 2025 to five years in prison.
Aina later pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, interstate threat to injure reputation, receiving proceeds of extortion, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud, and was sentenced by Judge Slomsky in October 2025 to six years in prison.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and the Abington Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown.
St. Thomas Man Arrested for Marijuana Grow OperationRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS – U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced that Kenneth Turbe, age 42, was arrested on, July 23, 2026, in St. Thomas, USVI on criminal charges related to a marijuana grow operation on his property. Turbe is charged with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance pursuant to 21 U.S.C §§ 841(a)(1) and 846.
According to court documents, Turbe was arrested after agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained search warrants for Turbe’s iCloud account and residence. The iCloud account contained photos of vacuum sealed bags of marijuana, marijuana plants, large black planter pots containing marijuana plants, and bags of marijuana inside a safe.
Following Turbe’s arrest, DEA agents seized over 100 suspected marijuana plants, including 40 recently harvested plants.
The DEA is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik C. Tate of the Unites States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Second Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Yoni Duenas, age 28, from Sioux City, was sentenced on July 23, 2026, to 6 years in federal prison after an April 7, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user.
On January 2, 2026, just before midnight, a Lyon County Sheriff’s Deputy initiated a traffic stop for an equipment violation on a vehicle being driven by Duenas. Duenas was impaired, even losing consciousness during field sobriety tests. Inside the car, there was an overpowering odor of marijuana, a female passenger, a 4-year-old child, a 1-year-old child, marijuana, methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun.
Duenas’ criminal history includes three state convictions for possession of controlled substances – methamphetamine, and five criminal use or possession of a firearm offenses including a pervious federal felony conviction where defendant possessed multiple firearms on different occasions.
After serving his first federal sentence, Duenas was required to serve a federal term of supervise release. He failed that term of supervision, was revoked, and sent back to federal prison three times. Just 38 days after completing that federal sentence, Duenas had rearmed and was arrested by the Lyon County Sherriff’s Office.
Duenas was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 72 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Duenas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Lyon County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-04007.
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Santa Clara Company to Pay Penalty and Boost DEA Compliance Program to Resolve Alleged Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Santa Clara-based Lin-Zhi International, Inc. (LZI) has agreed to pay a total of $180,835 to the United States and implement an enhanced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) compliance program to resolve allegations that LZI, a DEA-registered manufacturer of controlled substances, violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in connection with its manufacturing and distribution of certain controlled substances.
LZI is registered with the DEA to manufacture controlled substances as bulk reagents for drug abuse testing. To the extent registrants like LZI seek to distribute these drug testing kits to facilities not registered with the DEA, the CSA requires them to apply to the DEA for an exemption letter, which DEA then evaluates to determine whether the registrant may receive an exemption.
The United States alleges that LZI failed to obtain exemption letters for the sale of certain chemical preparations or mixtures containing controlled substances listed in any schedule in violation of the Act, as well as certain other violations of the Act, between April 1, 2021, and December 5, 2023.
Under the settlement agreement, LZI will pay $180,835 to the United States. LZI will also maintain an enhanced DEA compliance plan for three years, under which it will (1) hire and retain a DEA Compliance Analyst or other employee of equivalent specialty to implement its enhanced compliance program and advise LZI regarding its DEA compliance obligations and related policies, procedures, and practices, and (2) engage an independent third party with experience in DEA compliance matters to conduct at least one audit annually of LZI’s DEA compliance program, policies, procedures, and practices.
“Entities that fail to comply with the requirements of their DEA registration can expect heightened investigative scrutiny and significant civil penalties,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “This Office remains committed to working with the DEA to ensure that registrants who do not comply with the Controlled Substances Act are held accountable.”
“DEA is committed to upholding our regulatory line of defense,” said Bob P. Beris, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, San Francisco Field Division. “When companies fail to secure required exempt chemical letters, they create dangerous vulnerabilities in the supply chain and compromise public health and safety.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Savith Iyengar handled this matter for the government. The investigation and settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and DEA Diversion Investigators in San Francisco.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Rochester Man Indicted for Production, Distribution and Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Rochester Man Indicted for Production, Distribution and Possession of Child Sex Abuse Materials
CONCORD – A Rochester man was indicted this week for production, distribution, and possession of child sex abuse materials (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Jeremy Brooks, 33, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of production of CSAM involving two different minor victims, one count of distribution of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM. Brooks is currently detained in state custody on related assault charges and will make an initial appearance in federal court on July 28 at 2:30pm.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Each charge of production of CSAM carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum prison term of 30 years. The charge of CSAM distribution carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum prison term of 20 years. The charge of CSAM possession carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Rochester Police Department and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Robert Scott Froberg Pleads Guilty in 30-Year-Old Cold Case Involving the Kidnapping and Murder of Morgan Violi. Froberg Agreed to a Life SentenceRead the Press Release
BOWLING GREEN, KY – Robert Scott Froberg, originally from Dayton, Ohio, pled guilty on July 22, 2026, in United States District Court to kidnapping and murdering 7-year-old Morgan Violi on July 24, 1996.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chief Michael Delaney of the Bowling Green Police Department, Robertson County, Tennessee Sheriff Mike Van Dyke and Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 8th Judicial Circuit Kori Beck Bumgarner made the announcement.
For three decades, despite the tireless efforts of law enforcement, Morgan’s kidnapping and murder remained an unsolved crime. According to the complaint, since the 1990s, the processing of DNA has undergone significant advancements including the creation of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national database that stores DNA profiles for comparison purposes. Due to these known advancements, additional laboratory testing was requested, leading to a breakthrough in the investigation and, ultimately, to the arrest and conviction of Robert Scott Froberg.
Robert Scott Froberg, 61, of Dayton, Ohio, was arrested for armed robbery in Alabama on December 27, 1988. On April 3, 1996, Froberg escaped from the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections. Froberg fled to Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. On May 20, 1996, Froberg attempted to lure a 7-year-old boy into a treehouse. Fortunately, the young boy ran to tell his mother about the interaction. The young boy’s mother called law enforcement and Froberg was arrested after a short chase. He was taken to the Northumberland County Jail.
On July 16, 1996, Froberg again escaped from custody and fled to Dayton, Ohio. On July 23, 1996, Froberg stole a maroon Chevrolet van from behind a residence near where his parents resided. Froberg left Dayton heading toward Huntsville, Alabama.
On July 24, 1996, Froberg exited I-65 South at a Bowling Green exit. Froberg drove to the Colony Apartments. Froberg attempted to abduct 7-year-old Morgan Violi’s friend. She was able to escape from Froberg’s grasp. Then, Froberg grabbed Morgan and threw her into the stolen van. Froberg fled with Morgan from Bowling Green on I-65 South. He exited I-65 at the White House, Tennessee exit. Froberg pulled over near a barn off the exit. Froberg strangled Morgan causing her death. Froberg left her body near the barn and fled from the scene.
Froberg pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. in United States District Court in Bowling Green. If the Court accepts the terms of the plea agreement, Froberg will receive a Life sentence. There is no parole in the federal system, so a Life sentence means incarceration until the end of life.
United States Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner stated, “It is hard to envision a more egregious crime than the abduction and murder of a 7-year-old child. This evil act left Morgan’s family devastated and began 30 years of unanswered questions and torturing sadness. This evil act also left the parents in our community wondering if this previously unknown predator would strike again. Whose child would he steal next… This defendant’s depravity forever changed Morgan’s family and Bowling Green. Morgan’s abduction has been an open wound in our community for 30 years. Yesterday, Morgan’s family and our Bowling Green community witnessed this defendant admit his horrors and agree to a Life sentence. I am so thankful that my office, along with our incredible law enforcement partners, played an important role in this guilty plea.”
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner, First Assistant United States Attorney Brian Butler and Assistant United States Attorney Kayla Campbell are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Bowling Green Satellite Office, the Bowling Green Police Department and the Robertson County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office. The lead investigators are Supervisory Special Agent Will Kurtz of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent Rene Chouinard of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent Eric Strough of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detective David Grimsley of the Bowling Green Police Department and Intelligence Analysist Laura Stump of Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Robbery Accomplice Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that REBECCA BARBERA, 44, of Guilford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for assisting the commission of numerous violent robberies across Connecticut in September and October 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 5 and October 13, 2022, Barbera’s associate, Lonny Cross, committed 37 robberies and attempted robberies of gas station convenience stores, mini-markets, and liquor stores in North Branford, Waterbury, Wolcott, Plymouth, New Haven, North Haven, Orange, West Haven, Wethersfield, Bristol, Southington, Naugatuck, Watertown, Franklin, Norwich, Waterford, Groton City, Stonington, Ledyard, Darien, Norwalk, Stratford, and Seymour, Connecticut, and Port Chester, New York. In total, Cross stole more than $58,000 in cash. Several of the robberies occurred on the same day, only minutes apart.
For at least 24 of the robberies, Cross traveled to the store with Barbera, who would sometimes enter the store to determine the number of employees and customers in the store, exit the store, and then report that information to Cross. Cross then entered the store, displayed a knife or facsimile firearm while threatening employees with statements including “I know where you work” and “if you call the police I’ll come back and blow your head off,” and stole cash and other items.
Cross grabbed some victims and held a knife to them. During a robbery in Wethersfield on September 24, 2022, Cross threatened the 12-year-old son of the store owner with a knife and robbed the register. The boy was alone behind the counter while his father was in a back office when Cross entered the store.
On October 14, 2022, investigators conducted court-authorized searches of Cross’s residence and a black 2014 Chevrolet Impala that Cross was known to drive. The search of the residence revealed clothing consistent with clothing worn by Cross in several of the robberies, as well as quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, and narcotics paraphernalia. A search of the car revealed 120 bags heroin, approximately 14 grams of crack, and a knit hat matching the description of one worn by Cross during a robbery the day before. Cross, who was on state parole for prior robbery convictions, was arrested on state charges on that date. The morning after his arrest, from jail, Cross directed Barbera and others to go to a storage unit and dispose of a weapon he had used in the robberies.
Barbera was arrested on October 28, 2022. On May 24, 2024, she pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence.
Barbera, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on September 4.
Cross pleaded guilty to robbery offenses and, on March 5, 2025, was sentenced to 188 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, Orange Police Department, Port Chester (N.Y.) Police Department, and numerous other police departments from the municipalities where the robberies occurred, with the assistance of Connecticut State Parole. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Robert S. Ruff.
Richland County Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Davante Jamar Moore, 34, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on March 29, 2024, officers with the Columbia Police Department (CPD) conducted a lawful traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Moore. Moore was the driver and sole occupant. During the stop, a CPD K9 alerted to the scent of narcotics.
When officers searched the vehicle, they located a yellow backpack with a plastic bag containing marijuana, various bags, a scale, container with white powder inside, and a loaded firearm.
Moore is prohibited from possessing firearms based upon previous convictions for strong arm robbery and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Moore to 57 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-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 Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.###
Redfield Man Sentenced to More than 14 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Redfield man was sentenced on July 16, 2026 to 173 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to public court documents, Gideon Lee Corbett, 34, was encountered by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office in August 2025. Inside the vehicle Corbett drove, law enforcement found nearly 40 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded, chambered pistol. Corbett was on parole for 2021 convictions from the Iowa District Court for Guthrie County, during which Corbett also possessed methamphetamine and a loaded firearm.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Corbett will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said “I want to commend the outstanding work of our Patrol Division and Criminal Investigations Division for their efforts in arresting and thoroughly investigating Gideon Corbett. Their work resulted in a convicted felon being held accountable while removing methamphetamine and a stolen firearm from our community. This case is a great example of the strong partnerships we have with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Prominent Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion and Mortgage FraudRead the Press Release
Thomas C. Goldstein, a prominent appellate attorney who argued more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and co-founded the widely read legal website SCOTUSblog, was sentenced to 72 months in prison today for tax crimes and mortgage fraud. The Court additionally revoked Goldstein’s bond and remanded him into custody.
“This sentence holds Thomas Goldstein accountable for cheating the tax system and lying to mortgage lenders,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Mr. Goldstein concealed millions of dollars in income, disguised income with foreign bank accounts, and manipulated his law firm’s books — all to fund his gambling and lifestyle. He then repeatedly chose not to pay taxes owed. There is no tax case too big, no scheme too complex, and no hiding place too remote for the Fraud Division.”
“Thomas Goldstein built a distinguished legal career arguing that the rule of law matters. Yet, as the evidence at trial showed, he repeatedly chose to violate that very principle for his own financial benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Every taxpayer is expected to play by the same rules, and this sentence shows that those who deliberately cheat the system and lie for financial gain will be held accountable. We thank our law enforcement partners for their work on this case, and their unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of our tax and financial systems.”
“Public prominence doesn't entitle anyone to break financial rules or secure an unfair advantage over those who follow them,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Tyler of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. “The mortgage industry exists to serve hardworking, honest Americans, and the FBI will bring anyone who tries to exploit the system for personal gain to justice regardless of their social status.”
“Today’s sentencing is a significant step towards holding the defendant accountable for his role in abusing our tax system,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents and our law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue those who attempt to defraud our tax system and financial institutions.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Goldstein, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was the sole owner of Goldstein & Russell, P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in appellate litigation, including litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court. Goldstein was also a high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in games involving tens of millions of dollars.
Between 2016 and 2024, Goldstein repeatedly chose not to pay taxes on time, as required by law. He also assisted in the preparation of false tax returns for himself and his law firm, and he engaged in a scheme to evade taxes for 2016. Goldstein carried out the scheme by hiding millions of dollars in poker winning from the government and his accountants, diverting legal fees to his personal bank account to satisfy poker-related debts, directing people to pay his creditors instead of sending payments directly to him, channeling gambling winnings through foreign bank accounts and causing personal payments for poker debts to be falsely classified as “legal-fee” expenses on the firm’s books and records. As a result, Goldstein underreported his income and did not pay much of the taxes that he owed, while spending millions on personal expenses such as poker, travel, and luxury goods.
In 2021, Goldstein submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6 million dollar home in Washington, D.C. On those mortgage applications – which required Goldstein to list all his liabilities and debts – Goldstein omitted millions of dollars of liabilities, including more than $14 million he owed for poker-related debts, as well as taxes he owed the IRS. Goldstein’s false statements to one of the mortgage lenders enabled him to obtain a $1.98 million loan.
On Feb. 25, a federal jury convicted Goldstein of tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, willful failure to timely pay taxes and making false statements to mortgage lenders.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby for the District of Maryland ordered Goldstein to serve five years of supervised release, pay $3,103, 427 in restitution, and ordered forfeiture but at an indeterminate amount.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Emerson Gordon-Marvin and Hayter L. Whitman of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adeyemi Adenrele for the District of Maryland, 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.
Prominent Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion and Mortgage FraudRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a prominent appellate attorney, who argued more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and co-founded the widely read legal website SCOTUSblog, today, in connection with a tax-evasion and mortgage-fraud scheme.
U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Thomas C. Goldstein, 56, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for tax evasion; assisting with preparing false tax returns; willfully failing to timely pay taxes; and making false statements to mortgage lenders. Additionally, Judge Griggsby ordered Goldstein to pay $3,103,427 in restitution, and an indeterminate forfeiture amount. The Court also revoked Goldstein’s bond and remanded him into custody. A federal jury convicted Goldstein of the charges in February 2026.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald, DOJ National Fraud Enforcement Division; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Tyler, FBI Washington Field Office – Criminal Division.
“Thomas Goldstein built a distinguished legal career arguing that the rule of law matters. Yet, as the evidence at trial showed, he repeatedly chose to violate that very principle for his own financial benefit,” Hayes said. “Every taxpayer is expected to play by the same rules, and this sentence shows that those who deliberately cheat the system and lie for financial gain will be held accountable. We thank our law enforcement partners for their work on this case, and their unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of our tax and financial systems.”
“This sentence holds Thomas Goldstein accountable for cheating the tax system and lying to mortgage lenders,” McDonald said. “Mr. Goldstein concealed millions of dollars in income, disguised income with foreign bank accounts, and manipulated his law firm’s books– all to fund his gambling and lifestyle. He then repeatedly chose not to pay taxes the taxes owed. There is no tax case too big, no scheme too complex, and no hiding place too remote for the Fraud Division.”
“Today’s sentencing is a significant step towards holding the defendant accountable for his role in abusing our tax system,” Carter said. “IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents and our law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue those who attempt to defraud our tax system and financial institutions."
“Public prominence doesn't entitle anyone to break financial rules or secure an unfair advantage over those who follow them,” Tyler said. “The mortgage industry exists to serve hardworking, honest Americans, and the FBI will bring anyone who tries to exploit the system for personal gain to justice regardless of their social status.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2016 and 2023, Goldstein served as sole owner of Goldstein & Russell, P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in appellate litigation, including litigation before the United States Supreme Court. Goldstein was also a high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in games involving tens of millions of dollars.
During that timeframe, Goldstein stopped paying taxes on time, as required by law, and engaged in a scheme to evade paying his taxes for 2016. Goldstein took various steps to carry out the scheme, including concealing millions of dollars in poker wins and losses from the government. He also diverted legal fees, payable to his law firm, to his personal bank account to satisfy poker-related debts; directed people to pay his creditors instead of sending payments directly to him; and used the law firm’s assets to satisfy his poker debts. Then he caused those payments to be falsely classified as “legal-fee” expenses on the firm’s books and records. As a result, Goldstein underreported his income and did not pay all the taxes that he owed. Instead of paying his taxes, he spent millions on personal expenses such as poker, travel, and luxury goods.
In 2021, Goldstein submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6-million home in Washington, D.C. On those mortgage applications — which required Goldstein to list all his liabilities and debts — he omitted millions of dollars of liabilities, including more than $14 million he owed at the time on two promissory notes, as well as taxes he owed the IRS. His false statements to one of the mortgage lenders enabled him to obtain a $1.98-million loan.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the IRS-CI and FBI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adeyemi Adenrele, along with Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Emerson Gordon-Marvin and Hayter L. Whitman, DOJ Criminal Division Tax Section, who are prosecuting this federal 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.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Prior Felon Sentenced to 96 Months for Shooting over Money DisputeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick Gladden, 55, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 96 months in prison today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for shooting Christopher Seward during a dispute in April 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gladden was found guilty by a jury on March 11, 2026, of one count each of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. In addition to the 96-month sentence, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Gladden to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 15, 2024, at approximately 2:15 p.m., the victim was standing on the first-floor patio of his friend’s apartment in the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE. Gladden, who lived in the apartment next door, saw the victim and confronted him about an ongoing dispute over money. He then pulled out a firearm and shot the victim once in the chest. The victim suffered a serious injury and almost died, however, thanks to the Whole Blood Program, which had been launched earlier that month, the victim received a blood transfusion in the ambulance and survived. In April 2025, before having a chance to testify, Seward died of cancer.
After learning the identity of the shooter from the victim, police obtained an emergency search warrant for the defendant’s residence and located ammunition that matched a casing found near the location of the shooting, along with firearms accessories and a holster. Additionally, a neighbor provided Ring camera footage showing the defendant fleeing from the front door of his apartment after the shooting.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
They also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Eliot Folsom and Natalie Anderson, who prosecuted the case.
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Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Two Area Non-Profits Out of More Than $320,000Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Seth S. Jones, 46, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert to two counts of wire fraud, arising from a scheme in which he defrauded two Philadelphia-area non-profit companies out of $322,798.
The defendant was charged by information last month; with today’s plea, he has waived prosecution by indictment.
As detailed in court filings and statements, from at least 2017 to September 2025, Jones worked in the finance department of Non-Profit Company #1, which was a parent company to Non-Profit Company #2. The defendant defrauded the non-profit companies by using a company credit card to pay for approximately $291,023 in personal expenses and diverting approximately $31,775 in funds from a bank account associated with Non-Profit Company #2 to bank accounts controlled by him. In order to carry out and conceal the fraud scheme, Jones falsified expense reports, failed to submit expense reports, and created fake invoices.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5 and faces a maximum possible term of 40 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Francis A. Weber and John G. Iannacone.
Pensacola Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Possession of Obscene Materials Depicting MinorsRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jordan T. Quinones, 30, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for one count of possession of obscene materials involving minors. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the vigilance of our state law enforcement partners in closely monitoring this sex offender, his continued criminal deviance was uncovered and now he will spend the next decade behind bars. Keeping our kids safe from sexual predators like this defendant remains one of my office’s top priorities, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases.”
Court documents revealed that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted routine checks on Quinones as a registered sex offender in late 2025. When suspicious materials were associated with Quinones, law enforcement followed up with an interview of Quinones, which led to obtaining a search warrant of his cellular telephone. Law enforcement located images that depicted obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. Quinones was maintaining them in an online Google Photos account. The images were cartoon or computer generated files, which depicted sexual abuse, sadomasochistic abuse, and bestiality involving minors. Quinones was sentenced to a term of three years of supervised release after his imprisonment.
The case was jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty to Child NeglectRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Devon Mae Witryk, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to felony child neglect occurring on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am proud of this successful prosecution in this heartbreaking case of severe child neglect, and deeply appreciate the excellent work of the Eglin AFB Security Forces Investigations to identify and put a stop to this abusive situation.”
Court documents reveal that in June 2023, a welfare investigation was initiated for a child residing on Eglin Air Force Base. The defendant was the child’s mother and a military spouse. Due to the child not receiving appropriate care and supervision, the defendant’s home was inspected and investigators rescued the child. Witryk no longer has custody of or contact with the child.
Witryk faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The case involved an investigation by Eglin Air Force Base Security Forces Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
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.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that on July 24, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted TINO PIERRE, (“PIERRE”), age 25, of New Orleans, for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to the indictment, on or about April 8, 2026, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, PIERRE, knowing that he had been previously convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, was found in possession of a firearm.
PIERRE faces a maximum fifteen (15) year term of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment cost.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
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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New Orleans Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug-Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL BROOKS (“BROOKS”), age 30, pleaded guilty on July 23, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and tapentadol, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession with intent to distribute those same substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(o); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on August 13, 2025, BROOKS and his co-defendant were pulled over by the Louisiana State Police. Inside the car, troopers recovered over 2.5 pounds of marijuana, tapentadol pills, a digital scale, a Glock handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine, and a Romarm/CugirMini Draco, 7.62x39mm semi-automatic pistol equipped with a loaded extended magazine. BROOKS is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and aggravated battery.
As to his drug-trafficking convictions, BROOKS faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release up to life. As to his conviction for conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, BROOKS faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, BROOKS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to each other and any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, BROOKS faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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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National of Bosnia and Herzegovina Charged with Attempting to Fraudulently Obtain U.S. Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Role in Abuse of PrisonersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Idaho returned an indictment last week charging Miran Kostic, 66, of Boise, Idaho, a national of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with lying while attempting to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to court documents, Kostic was a high-level official in the so-called Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB). In that role, he pistol-whipped prisoners, beat them with wooden clubs, stakes, and his fists, and kicked them, causing them to lose consciousness. He forced prisoners to beat each other, and he also ordered other members of the APZB to beat prisoners. In his applications to become a U.S. citizen and in interviews with the FBI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), he repeatedly lied about the abuse he participated in and ordered, and failed to disclose charges filed against him in Bosnia and Herzegovina for war crimes, among other lies.
Kostic is charged with attempted naturalization fraud and making material false statements to law enforcement agents. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each charge of attempted naturalization fraud, and five years in prison for the false statements charge.
“Miran Kostic benefited from U.S. residency for decades and ultimately attempted to become a naturalized citizen, all while concealing the human rights abuses he committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Individuals who commit atrocities abroad and lie to immigration authorities to seek safe haven in the United States will be investigated and prosecuted. The integrity of our naturalization process and the enforcement of our immigration laws are paramount concerns.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to work with our partners to ensure federal immigration laws are followed and are properly enforced,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho.
“Citizenship is a privilege that must be earned with honesty and integrity,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle. “HSI will not allow the naturalization process to be undermined by fraud. We remain steadfast in our commitment to investigate and prosecute those who conceal their criminal backgrounds to illegally obtain status.”
“Kostic’s attempt to conceal his violent history in order to obtain U.S. citizenship will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud and hold individuals accountable for violating our nation’s laws.”
HSI and FBI are investigating the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance by securing the evidence for prosecution of Kostic. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which were instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Horwitz for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at tips.fbi.gov/, or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
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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National of Bosnia and Herzegovina Charged with Attempting to Fraudulently Obtain U.S. Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Role in Abuse of PrisonersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Idaho returned an indictment last week charging Miran Kostic, 66, of Boise, Idaho, a national of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with lying while attempting to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to court documents, Kostic was a high-level official in the so-called Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB). In that role, he pistol-whipped prisoners, beat them with wooden clubs, stakes, and his fists, and kicked them, causing them to lose consciousness. He forced prisoners to beat each other, and he also ordered other members of the APZB to beat prisoners. In his applications to become a U.S. citizen and in interviews with the FBI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), he repeatedly lied about the abuse he participated in and ordered, and failed to disclose charges filed against him in Bosnia and Herzegovina for war crimes, among other lies.
Kostic is charged with attempted naturalization fraud and making material false statements to law enforcement agents. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each charge of attempted naturalization fraud, and five years in prison for the false statements charge.
“Miran Kostic benefited from U.S. residency for decades and ultimately attempted to become a naturalized citizen, all while concealing the human rights abuses he committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Individuals who commit atrocities abroad and lie to immigration authorities to seek safe haven in the United States will be investigated and prosecuted. The integrity of our naturalization process and the enforcement of our immigration laws are paramount concerns.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to work with our partners to ensure federal immigration laws are followed and are properly enforced,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho.
“Citizenship is a privilege that must be earned with honesty and integrity,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle. “HSI will not allow the naturalization process to be undermined by fraud. We remain steadfast in our commitment to investigate and prosecute those who conceal their criminal backgrounds to illegally obtain status.”
“Kostic’s attempt to conceal his violent history in order to obtain U.S. citizenship will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud and hold individuals accountable for violating our nation’s laws.”
HSI and FBI are investigating the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance by securing the evidence for prosecution of Kostic. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which were instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Horwitz for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form here or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form here.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Subordinate During Training at Inland Empire Army BaseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former member of the Minnesota National Guard was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for sexually abusing a subordinate during a training mission at Fort Irwin United States Army base in San Bernardino County.
Kelly Boylan, 56, of Minneapolis, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu.
At the conclusion of a four-day trial, a jury on April 9 found Boylan guilty of one count of abusive sexual contact. He has been in federal custody since that day.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in July 2020, Boylan was a member of the Minnesota National Guard and, during a training mission at Fort Irwin, sexually abused a direct subordinate, who then was a 23-year-old woman. Both Boylan and the victim had been deployed to Fort Irwin for one month of training.
Boylan was a staff sergeant, which is a non-commissioned officer, and outranked the victim, who was a specialist, which is a junior soldier.
In the Army, non-commissioned officers are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with junior soldiers because of the military authority they exert over them.
The victim reported the attack to the Army’s law enforcement division, which began an investigation that led to Boylan’s arrest and prosecution.
“Military leaders are entrusted with extraordinary responsibility, and with that responsibility comes a heightened obligation to safeguard those under their command,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Rather than fulfilling that obligation, [Boylan] violated it in one of the most fundamental ways possible.”
The FBI investigated this matter. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Division provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Neil P. Thakor of the Major Crimes Section and Erin C. Kiss of the Orange County Office prosecuted this case.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Role in Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Norville Clarke, 56, of Clarksburg, Maryland, to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Clarke’s co-conspirator, Daniel Cruz, 39, of Los Angeles, California, is still awaiting sentencing. In March 2026, both men pled guilty to drug-trafficking charges in connection with the conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Secretary of State Police, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) transporting and distributing large quantities of cocaine from California to Maryland. The investigation began in March 2023, when MSP seized a parcel that contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine. The parcel was mailed from the Los Angeles area and was destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Through investigating the source of the parcel, postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators linked Cruz to the narcotics contained within the parcel.
In January 2024, postal inspectors and other investigators identified a freight-shipment container shipped from Los Angeles, destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Law enforcement identified Cruz on surveillance footage dropping off the freight shipment at the shipping company in California. The authorities further observed Cruz traveling to Maryland to follow the shipment for delivery.
Postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators observed Cruz and Clarke meeting at Clarke’s auto-repair shop several days after the freight shipment was sent from California. Investigators then located the freight shipment in Dulles, Viriginia, where a law enforcement K-9 officer scanned it. After the K-9 officer indicated the presence of narcotics in the shipment, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the freight container. Then postal inspectors and law-enforcement investigators located two automobile transmissions inside. Law enforcement found 20, one-kilogram bricks secreted in the oil pans of both transmissions that laboratory forensic tests later confirmed were more than 16 kilograms of cocaine.
Postal inspectors, DEA agents, MSP officers and other members of law enforcement then executed search warrants at Clarke’s District Heights auto-repair shop, Clarke’s Clarksburg residence, and Cruz’s hotel room in Capitol Heights, Maryland. At the auto-repair shop, law enforcement located an additional 502.4 grams of cocaine and then found two-kilogram bricks of cocaine and $45,730 in U.S. Currency at Clarke’s residence. Investigators later identified an additional nine historical freight shipments that mirrored the original shipment that contained cocaine that Cruz sent to Clarke’s auto-repair shop utilizing the same freight shipping company. In their plea agreements, Clarke and Cruz both agreed that they were involved in possessing almost 22 kilograms of cocaine in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, DEA, MSP, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Rigney and Michael Jaskiw who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Bribing a Juror During Feeding Our Future TrialRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 37, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for attempting to bribe a federal juror during his 2024 fraud trial. He was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud in St. Paul on July 22, 2026.
Abdiaziz Farah was previously sentenced on August 6, 2025, for his role in exploiting a federally funded child nutrition program as part of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.
According to court documents, shortly after jury selection in Farah’s 2024 trial for his role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, Farah and several of his associates, including Ladan Mohamed Ali, 33, Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, 25, Said Shafii Farah, 44, and Abdimajid Mohamed Nur 25, conspired to bribe one of the jurors in exchange for a not‑guilty verdict.
Among other things, Farah and his co‑conspirators researched the juror online, surveilled her home, and tracked her movements. On June 2, 2024, Ladan Ali delivered a bag containing $120,000 in cash to the juror’s residence, with a promise of more money if the juror voted to acquit. The juror immediately reported the bribery attempt to law enforcement.
The following morning, the Court ordered Farah to surrender his phone to law enforcement. Before doing so, however, Farah conducted a factory reset to delete evidence of his involvement in the bribery scheme.
“Tampering with a juror is an assault on the integrity of the courts and the foundation of our democracy,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “This sentence sends an unmistakable message that justice is not for sale.”
“Today’s sentencing highlights the seriousness of attempting to corrupt the justice system. Abdiaziz Farah was already serving a significant sentence for defrauding the Federal Child Nutrition Program, and this additional conviction shows that efforts to bribe a jury will be met with firm consequences,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Benni Jonsson, who is in charge of the FBI Minneapolis Criminal Branch. “The FBI, along with federal prosecutors, will continue pursuing accountability for those charged in this case and anyone who attempts to undermine the integrity of our judicial process.”
“Abdiaziz Farah had already been held accountable for stealing from a program meant to feed children, yet he still chose to recruit others to help corrupt the justice system by bribing a juror,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “When someone tries to buy a verdict, they are attacking the integrity of every courtroom and every citizen who depends on a fair trial. This sentence should leave no doubt that anyone who tries to manipulate our judicial process will be found, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing reflects the outstanding collaboration of law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors worked closely with our partners to hold Abdiaziz Farah accountable for his crimes. Despite the defendant’s efforts to abuse the legal process, justice prevailed.”
“When Farah and his co-conspirators filled that bag with money, they were attempting not only to commit bribery, but to undermine the sanctity of our criminal justice system,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “I am proud of our work alongside our criminal justice partners to identify these criminals and help bring them to justice.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline and Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Note: Press release on the indictment of the five defendants here. Related press releases on Ladan Mohamed Ali (September 5, 2024) and Abdulkarim Shafii Farah (April 2, 2025) are linked here.
Local man charged in fentanyl overdose deathRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 28-year-old Mercedes resident has been indicted on charges related to a death linked to the use of fentanyl.
Bryan Alexis Cedillo made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis, who ordered Cedillo into custody pending further proceedings.
At the hearing, the court heard that Cedillo allegedly sold narcotics to another individual that caused death. Information was also presented that alleges Cedillo was still selling narcotics after he was aware of the victim’s passing.
The indictment, returned July 21, alleges Cedillo possessed with intent to deliver fentanyl that resulted in death.
If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in federal prison. He could also be ordered to pay a possible $1 million maximum fine.
Weslaco Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarina S. DiPiazza is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Lafayette Resident Pleads Guilty to False Claim of U.S. Citizenship in Employment ApplicationRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On July 23, 2026, Eduardo Perez-Calderon, 34, of Mexico, pled guilty in federal court to False Claim to United States Citizenship. Perez-Calderon faces up to 3 years in federal prison for the charge and is also potentially subject to removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on March 26, 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received information from the Morgan City Police Department about identification documents submitted by an individual seeking employment at a business in Morgan City. The investigation revealed that on January 5, 2026, Perez-Calderon completed a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form I 9, falsely selecting the option that indicated he was a United States citizen. He then signed the document in the name of another individual and provided a false Social Security number. Perez-Calderon admitted that he made these misrepresentations deliberately and with the intent to disobey the law.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
ICE and the Morgan City Police Department investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Bordelon with the assistance of Legal Assistant Tanya Broussard.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America (TBA), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s agencies, and coordinates efforts with state and local law enforcement and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF), ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. Learn more about PSN at https://www.justice.gov/psn
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 6:26 CR 00163.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs
USALAW-News@usdoj.gov
United States Attorney’s Office www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Western District of Louisiana
Twitter @USAO_WDLAIllegal Alien, Convicted Felon, and Austell Man Face Federal Charges Following Tri-County Narcotics OperationsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – An illegal alien from Mexico, a convicted felon, and an Austell man appeared in federal court to answer criminal complaints charging them with narcotics offenses following operations across metro Atlanta that resulted in the seizure of more than 280 pounds of methamphetamine, over four pounds of fentanyl, and two illegally possessed firearms.
“Due to quick actions and diligent work of law enforcement across the region, the operations of these three alleged drug traffickers have been dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office stands committed to prosecute—to the fullest extent of the law—illegal aliens, felons, and others who poison and endanger our communities.”
“Drug traffickers continue to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illicit drugs, which pose a significant threat to public safety,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “These federal charges reflect our unwavering commitment to protect the public and disrupt the criminal organizations responsible for this deadly trade. We will continue working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to stop fentanyl and other dangerous drugs at every level of distribution.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the criminal complaints, and other information presented in court:
On July 21, 2026, DEA agents arrested Silvano Mendoza-Valencia in Morrow, Georgia, after he allegedly sold approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to a drug customer. Following his arrest, agents searched his residence and located approximately 85 pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fentanyl in his bedroom. The investigation further revealed that Mendoza-Valencia is allegedly an illegal alien from Mexico.
On July 22, 2026, DEA agents stopped Christian Garcia-Esparza in Austell, Georgia, after he allegedly sold more than six pounds of methamphetamine to a drug customer. Agents searched Garcia-Esparza’s car and located an additional ten pounds of methamphetamine on the floorboard and in a gift bag. Thereafter, agents searched his residence and located approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine scattered throughout the residence and backyard.
That same day, DEA agents searched Robert Louis Burr’s College Park, Georgia apartment and found Burr next to a kitchen drawer containing two pounds of fentanyl. In the living room, agents allegedly found approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine in a luggage case, 20 pounds of methamphetamine in a trash bag, and two firearms, including a FN57 semiautomatic pistol loaded with armor-piercing ammunition. Burr was previously convicted of multiple felony drug trafficking and weapons offenses and thus was not legally permitted to possess a firearm.
Earlier this week, Silvano Mendoza-Valencia, 40, of Mexico, and Robert Louis Burr, 45, of College Park, Georgia, appeared in federal court on separate criminal complaints charging them with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Today, Christian Garcia-Esparza, 20, of Austell, Georgia, will appear in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with the same offenses. All three defendants are presently detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaints contain only 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.
These cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Alpharetta Police Department, Cobb County Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Heard County Sheriff’s Office, Hiram Police Department, Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Narcotics Unit, Marietta Police Department, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Roswell Police Department, Sandy Springs Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney Steve A. Hsieh is prosecuting the cases.
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.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking Crimes in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to five years of imprisonment and four years of supervised release after he admitted to bringing heroin and fentanyl into the District of Utah for profit.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball comes after Miguel Mario Soto De Santiago, 25, residing illegally in Bluffdale, Utah, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. In addition to his term of imprisonment, upon his release, Soto De Santiago will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made at Soto De Santiago’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on February 19, 2025, he possessed 5027 grams of fentanyl and 1103 grams of heroin. Soto De Santiago admitted he brought the fentanyl and heroin to Utah for distribution in exchange for money. See prior press release: Mexican National Facing Drug Trafficking Charges.
“Anyone who brings heroin, fentanyl, or other dangerous drugs into our community is on a direct path to federal prison — and, in this case, deportation,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “My office maintains zero tolerance for drug traffickers, and we will prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”“Every drug trafficker taken off our streets is one less threat to our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This sentencing is a direct result of strong partnerships and a shared commitment to removing dangerous drugs from our streets and protecting the people we serve.”
The case was investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 Sentenced in Del Rio to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Deadly Conspiracy to Transport Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 15 years in prison for his role in a human smuggling operation that resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, on April 17, 2025, Alan Vargas-Gonzalez, 23, of Huetamo, Michoacan, Mexico, was apprehended along with five illegal aliens near Eagle Pass. An investigation revealed that Vargas-Gonzalez was the foot guide of the group of illegal aliens. Agents noted that all the individuals had a backpack with food and/or water, and that Vargas-Gonzalez was the only person not wearing camouflage clothing and the only one that did not have carpet glued to the bottom of his shoes.
Further investigation connected Vargas-Gonzalez with a previous smuggling attempt that resulted in the death of a female Guatemalan in March 2025. A forensic examination of Vargas-Gonzalez’s cellphone revealed information that corroborated his involvement in the fatal smuggling event, including conversations with other co-conspirators related to human smuggling.
Vargas-Gonzalez was arrested April 17, 2025, and indicted on May 14, 2025. A superseding indictment filed on Oct. 1 charged him with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and one count of illegal alien transportation causing serious bodily injury. He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on Nov. 17. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nallely Duarte handled the sentencing hearing.
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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Illegal Alien Previously Convicted of Murder in Texas is Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSE OLALDE-CAMINOREAL, 49, a Mexican national found in Kay County, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 87 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after two previous deportations, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on August 22, 2024, Olalde was arrested by the Ponca City Police Department for falsely personating another person to create liability. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) determined that Olalde had previously been deported from the United States twice, in 2021 and 2022.
Court records also show that Olalde has multiple previous felony convictions in the United States, including a 1999 murder conviction in Travis County, Texas. In that case, Olalde was sentenced to 35 years in prison for strangling a woman to death. In 2021, Olalde was released from prison and deported.
On September 17, 2024, Olalde was charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien in the United States. On March 17, 2026, Olalde pleaded guilty (while serving a separate Texas prison sentence) and admitted he reentered the United States after having previously been removed without obtaining permission from the U.S. Government to return.
At a sentencing hearing on July 24, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Olalde to serve 87 months in federal prison. In announcing the sentence, Judge Palk cited the defendant's significant criminal history, including an arrest for soliciting a prostitute, repeated use of false names and identification documents when interacting with law enforcement, and various convictions, including possessing contraband in prison. Judge Palk also cited the need to protect the public, noting that Olalde illegally returned to the United States twice after the "brutal murder" for which he was convicted. Upon completion of his sentence, Olalde will be deported.
This case is the result of an investigation by ICE-ERO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Ponca City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale 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.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced for Attempted Murder for HireRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Honduran illegal alien will spend more than a decade in federal prison for crimes including an attempted murder for hire.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Frelin Hernandez Guardado, 30, to 12 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and murder for hire. Authorities previously removed Hernandez Guardado from the United States twice. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, in October 2021, on two occasions, Hernandez Guardado sold firearms to confidential sources. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms. Then, in December 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants and arrests targeting a local drug trafficking network. After the arrests, Hernandez Guardado told two confidential sources that he intended to kill an individual that he believed cooperated with law enforcement which spurred the arrests. Hernandez Guardado offered to sell one of the confidential sources discounted cocaine in exchange for help committing the murder.
On January 12, 2022, Hernandez Guardado and a confidential source departed from his Virginia residence. Hernandez Guardado brought more than 900 grams of cocaine that he intended to sell, at a discount, to another confidential source to secure assistance with carrying out the murder. But before that plan could progress further, law enforcement stopped and arrested Hernandez Guardado in Maryland.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, and DEA for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jaskiw and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md.
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Harvey Man Sentenced for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LANCE ROTOLO, JR. (ROTOLO, JR.), 20, from Harvey, Louisiana, was sentenced on July 23, 2026, to 124 months imprisonment, 10 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, after pleading guilty to a one count superseding bill of information which charged him with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, beginning at a time unknown, but not later than in or around January 2025, and continuing at least until on or about February 1, 2025, in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere, ROTOLO, JR., did use a facility and means of interstate and foreign commerce and knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce any individual who had not attained the age of 18 years, to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, such as pornography involving juveniles.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.govlegitimacy 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.
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Troy Darnell McFall, age 54, of Harrisburg, PA, was sentenced to 33 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for failure to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, McFall was convicted of Aggravated Indecent Assault, Unlawful Contact with a Minor, Indecent Assault, and Corruption of Minors in Pennsylvania state court in 2005. As a result, he was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). From December through July 2025, McFall traveled in interstate commerce without updating his sex-offender registration.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Hiler, age 54, of Harrisburg, PA, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and seven years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for failure to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Hiler was convicted of indecent assault, indecent exposure, and corruption of minors in 1995. As a result, he was required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). From at least June of 2019 until January of 2025, Hiler failed to register after traveling in interstate commerce, moving from Pennsylvania to California.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Grosse Ile Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Michael Wendt, 38, of Grosse Ile, Michigan was arrested on July 21, 2026, and charged with child pornography offenses, announced Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Wendt was detained after a detention hearing, July 24, 2026, in federal court in Detroit.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
According to the criminal complaint, it is alleged that in June 2026, Wendt uploaded child sexually abusive material (CSAM) to his Google Drive account. Following the execution of a search warrant, agents seized Wendt’s cell phone and during a manual review found several hundred images of CSAM, including images that depicted sexual assaults of young children, infants, and toddlers. Agents also found open websites on the phone depicting CSAM.
The FBI is aware that Wendt worked as a physician’s assistant at urgent care offices in the Detroit area. Currently, the FBI has no information suggesting that any patients were victimized. In response to numerous public inquiries, the FBI has established a website seeking relevant information from the public for the ongoing criminal investigation.
If you and/or your minor dependent(s) have information relevant to this investigation, please fill out this short form. If you or your minor dependent is identified as a victim in this case, all identities of victims will be kept confidential.
A criminal complaint is only a charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by agents of the FBI with the assistance of the Grosse Ile Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean King and Tara Hindelang.
Fresno County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Crimes Days Before Trial Set to BeginRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — David Joseph Yama, 42, of Reedley, pleaded guilty today to possession of fentanyl and alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax) with intent to distribute, three counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 1, 2020, officers responded to a gas station in Clovis after a report of suspicious activity and contacted Yama and two associates. A search of the vehicle Yama had been driving uncovered a large amount of cash, ammunition, plastic baggies, vials containing fentanyl, more than 200 fentanyl pills, and more than 100 alprazolam pills. A search of Yama’s residence the same day revealed additional controlled substances and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
In January 2021, officers stopped Yama driving the same car. Officers recovered more alprazolam pills, ammunition, a loaded ghost gun, and a silencer. Yama has five prior felony drug trafficking and firearms convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
In May 2019, law enforcement discovered a clandestine drug lab in Yama’s trailer at a storage facility. Officers seized pill‑making equipment, including a pill press. Residue on the equipment tested positive for fentanyl and other controlled substances.
Yama had been scheduled to begin trial on July 27, 2026. The Court vacated the trial after accepting Yama’s guilty plea.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi-agency group composed of the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Justice, and the Clovis, Reedley, and Fresno Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple, Joshua B. Banister, and Justin J. Gilio are prosecuting the case.
Yama is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Oct. 19, 2026. Yama faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam; up to 15 years in prison and $250,000 for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession with intent to distribute alprazolam. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
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.
Four Sacramento Men Indicted for Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl, and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment Thursday against four Sacramento residents charging them with multiple counts of distributing controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Balentin Quintero, 27, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine and four counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Francisco Chavez, 39, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and three counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Steven Ortega, 44, was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
Tavarius Montgomery, 41, was charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, between January and June 2026, Quintero, Chavez, Ortega, and Montgomery sold controlled substances to a confidential source and an undercover agent eight times.
On May 1, 2026, Chavez agreed to sell the undercover agent 1 ounce of fentanyl. After stating that they needed to meet a source to obtain the fentanyl, Chavez and the undercover agent met with Ortega, who provided the fentanyl. Chavez then sold the fentanyl to the undercover agent for $900.
On June 8, 2026, Quintero agreed to sell 3 ounces of fentanyl to a confidential source. When the source arrived, Chavez obtained fentanyl from Montgomery, delivered it to Quintero, and Quintero sold it to the confidential source for $3,300.
On July 14, 2026, Ortega was found to be in possession of multiple firearms. Ortega is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in Sacramento County including convictions for distribution of controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, battery with serious bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole M. Vanek is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of distribution of methamphetamine, Chavez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Quintero, Chavez, and Montgomery face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which account for numerous variables. The charges are only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Four Men Plead Guilty to $2M Minnesota Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
Four Minnesota men pleaded guilty to defrauding Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program out of approximately $2.2 million and concealing the scheme by using artificial intelligence to create fake records when questioned by insurance companies.
This case is part of the ongoing collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and the Health Care Fraud Strike Force to combat prolific fraud on government programs in Minnesota. It also highlights a burgeoning trend of fraudsters using artificial intelligence to further a fraud scheme targeting health care programs in Minnesota and around the country.
“These defendants corruptly exploited vulnerable people and a vulnerable program to enrich themselves,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Taxpayer dollars designed to provide shelter and support for the homeless and needy instead went to the pockets of these men. They have now admitted their fraudulent conduct and will face justice for their crimes. In the meantime, our work to stamp out fraud in Minnesota will continue in abandon.”
“Medicaid fraud is a serious offense with real consequences. These defendants stole funds intended to support vulnerable Minnesotans who rely on housing and recovery services. Their guilty pleas underscore my office’s commitment to holding accountable those who exploit public programs,” said United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel N. Rosen.
According to court documents, Moktar Hassan Aden, 31, Mustafa Dayib Ali, 29, Khalid Ahmed Dayib, 26, and Abdifitah Mohamud Mohamed, 27, all of the Twin Cities area, set up Brilliant Minds Services LLC in the notorious Griggs-Midway Building in St. Paul, Minnesota, and enrolled the business as a Medicaid program provider. They promised to help people with disabilities – including seniors and people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders – find and maintain housing through the State’s now-defunct HSS program. Instead, they submitted thousands of HSS claims to Medicaid for services that were never provided or significantly inflated the claims for higher reimbursements.
Griggs-Midway Building in St. Paul, MinnesotaThe defendants, together, signed up approximately 350 people for HSS and then billed the program despite doing nothing to assist these Medicaid recipients. When asked to provide supporting documentation for their claims, the defendants fabricated records using ChatGPT in an attempt to conceal their theft. In total, from April 2022 through April 2025, the defendants stole approximately $2.2 million from Minnesota Medicaid for services they fraudulently claimed to have provided to these 350 Medicaid recipients.
In separate hearings held between July 7 and July 23, 2026, the defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing dates have not yet been set by the Court.
FBI, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Raymond E. Beckering III of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Murphy for the District of Minnesota are prosecuting 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.
Four Men Indicted in an East Alabama Drug-Trafficking Conspiracy Led by Former Federal DefendantsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An indictment charging four men in a drug-trafficking conspiracy based in Calhoun County has been unsealed, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
A 12-count indictment charges Theron Samuel Johnson, 43, Jeffrey Leon Battle, 56, and Toney Courtez Jenkins, 42—all three of Anniston, Alabama—and Samuel Lane, Jr, 49, of Oxford, Alabama, with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana between November 2023 and April 2026. They also are charged with several counts of distribution. Samuel Lane, Jr., and Toney Courtez Jenkins were also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment includes special grand jury findings regarding the amount of methamphetamine attributable to the defendants as part of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. The amount of controlled substances involved in the conspiracy attributable to all four defendants is alleged to be 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
The indictment also alleges enhanced penalties based on prior convictions for several of the defendants. Theron Samuel Johnson was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Cocaine Base, Cocaine, and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base and Marijuana; and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime, all in a 2010 federal case in the Northern District of Alabama. Jeffrey Leon Battle was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Levy War Against the United States, in a 2002 federal case in the District of Oregon. According to publicly available information, this conviction stemmed from Battle’s efforts to join the Taliban in the wake of 9/11. Samuel Lane Jr. was previously convicted of two counts of Robbery 1st Degree.
This investigation was led by the Homeland Security Task Force, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, 7th Judicial Circuit Major Crimes Unit, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Anniston Police Department, Oxford Police Department, and Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett is prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Founder of Private Equity Firm Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that JAY LUCAS, the founder and managing partner of Lucas Brand Equity LLC (“LBE”), a private equity fund based in Manhattan, pled guilty to securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with a scheme to raise over $50 million from investors by falsely representing that their money would be invested in early-stage health and wellness companies. Instead, LUCAS diverted much of that money to cover personal expenses, promote unrelated ventures, and make Ponzi-like payments to earlier investors. LUCAS pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky.
“Lucas lied to investors to induce them into investing millions of dollars in private equity funds that he created, promising to invest their money in emerging companies in the health and wellness space,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “In reality, Lucas used much of the money to pay for personal expenses and ventures entirely unrelated to the funds, and to make Ponzi-like payments to other investors. Today’s plea reflects the continued commitment of this Office and our law enforcement partners to holding accountable investment advisers who abuse their investors’ trust to illegally enrich themselves.”
As alleged in the Indictment:
LUCAS is the founder and managing partner of LBE and three private funds: Lucas Brand Equity LP (“Fund One”), L.B. Equity Emerging Growth LP (“Fund Two”), and L.B. Equity Wellness Growth L.P. (“Fund Three”). Since 2017, LUCAS has defrauded investors by, among other things, systematically misappropriating their funds.
LUCAS told investors that LBE’s “core strategy is to invest in these small to mid-size emerging brands, provide value added services to differentiate them and catalyze growth to a sufficient scale for exit.” LUCAS raised over $50 million from investors and, instead of using the money as he promised, spent much of it on personal expenses, including alimony, rent, a vanity newspaper project in his hometown, and political consultants. He also used new investor money to pay earlier investors in Ponzi-like fashion, enriching himself while starving the Funds and portfolio companies of capital. In addition, LUCAS funneled investor money to Immunocologie, a luxury skincare business run by LUCAS’s wife, without disclosing that conflict of interest. Much of the money for Immunocologie was then spent on trips, social events, and other unprofitable ventures. Moreover, LUCAS arranged for LBE, not the Funds, to take majority ownership interest in Immunocologie, giving himself and not his clients an equity interest in the business.
LUCAS’s misconduct left the Funds chronically undercapitalized and unable to cover basic fund expenses, including salaries for LBE employees. Internally, employees continued to express frustration about LUCAS’s misuse of investor money, writing that LUCAS’s spending was “not spending on LBE,” was “literally fraudulent,” and was “a huge betrayal of investor trust and most likely illegal.”
* * *
LUCAS, 71, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering, each of which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of five years.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution.
Former University Professor Sentenced for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Rodger Githens, 48, of West Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake to 18 years and six months in prison, for attempted enticement of a minor and receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Githens was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release, during which time, his access to the internet, computers, and minors will be restricted. Githens will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay $75,000 in fines. Githens was found guilty on May 1, 2026, following a bench trial before visiting Judge Otake.
According to court documents, Githens had been employed as a professor at a local university and had worked as a consultant for other colleges and universities. In March 2023, Githens, using the profile “Tall laid back,” initiated contact with a Grindr account controlled by an undercover agent. Githens quickly encouraged the undercover agent to establish a Telegram account, which he considered more secure. Githens stated that he “would love to have a dad or uncle invite me” and then described in graphic detail what he would like to do with the undercover agent and the agent’s fictional 7-year-old niece. Several times Githens discussed traveling to Fresno to meet the agent and the fictional niece, but on April 19, 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant at Githens’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents discovered numerous Telegram chats on Githens’s phone including several in which he was exchanging and commenting on videos of the sexual abuse of young children.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the West Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and McKenzie Hightower of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Former Naval Undersea Warfare Center Employee Sentenced for Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former employee of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Middletown, Rhode Island, has been sentenced in U.S. District Court for transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
Luis Sanchez Pardella, 38, of Newport was sentenced on July 23, 2026, by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to time served plus an additional 14 days, to be followed by six months in a residential reentry center, two years of supervised release, and no contact with the victim.
According to court documents, between July 2022 and February 2023, Pardella made numerous, and at times threatening, telephone calls to at least eight of his former colleagues at NUWC. In one instance, Pardella left a voicemail stating, “I will kill you and your wife when I see you on the street.”
Additionally, between December 2022 and February 2023, Pardella made multiple threatening telephone calls to the Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Police Department, stating that an officer and his wife “will be going to jail,” that “the Portsmouth Police Department is corrupt,” and, in reference to the officer’s wife, “write down (name redacted) is dead… the wife of one of your cops is dead.”
“These targeted and deeply disturbing threats are not just words — they are calculated attempts to instill fear in public servants and their families,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “No one who dedicates their career to serving their community should be subjected to this kind of harassment and intimidation. Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to ensuring that individuals who terrorize others through threats of violence are held fully accountable.”
“No one should be subjected to repeated harassment, threats, and intimidation for simply doing their jobs, especially public servants, but that’s exactly what happened when Luis Sanchez Pardella unleashed his vitriolic words on his former colleagues,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “His actions instilled genuine fear in the victims he targeted, disrupting their lives, and eroding their sense of security. While today’s sentence holds him accountable for his crimes, the FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to ensure others who engage in this kind of egregious behavior are also brought to justice.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport, and Providence Police Departments, and the Federal Air Marshal Service.
Former Kauai Resident Indicted for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Dakota Ianniello, 55, formerly of Hanapepe, Kauai, was indicted on July 23, 2026, after being arrested in the Western District of Wisconsin on July 21, 2026, for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On May 23, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Ianniello’s vehicle and seized approximately 81.5 grams of fentanyl. After her arrest on July 21, 2026, Ianniello provided a statement to agents admitting the fentanyl seized in May 2025 was hers, she knew the substance to be fentanyl, and she distributed fentanyl to others.
If convicted, Ianniello faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, plus a term of supervised release of at least 4 years.
The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Kauai Police Department, are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner 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.
Filipino National Charged with Unlawfully Voting as an AlienRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Bernadette Acaso, 19, a Filipino national residing in Honolulu, Oahu and Kahului, Maui, was charged by criminal complaint on July 22, 2026, with unlawfully voting as an alien.
According to court records, Acaso was born in the Philippines and came to the United States in or around 2018 on an immigrant visa and became a Lawful Permanent Resident. Acaso cast a mail-in ballot in the 2024 general election. Acaso admitted in a statement to law enforcement that she understood she was not a United States citizen at the time she voted.
If convicted, Acaso faces up to one year in prison, plus a term of supervised release. Acaso also faces a fine of up to $100,000.
The charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner is prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Michigan Man for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender in GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – After a trial in federal court, a jury convicted Nicholas Anthony for failing to register as a sex offender while living in Georgia after absconding from Michigan.
“Dangerous sex offenders like Anthony who refuse to register with law enforcement as required by law cannot hide in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “They will be found, arrested, and face the full prosecutorial resources of my office.”
“This conviction is a result of diligent investigative work by dedicated Deputy U.S. Marshals who support our Sex Offender Investigative Initiative here in North Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Stephen G. Serrao. “Working with state and local police and coordinating with the United States Attorney’s Office, we were able to locate, apprehend, and successfully prosecute this convicted sex offender who posed a potential threat to our community.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2011, Nicholas Anthony was arrested by police officers in Warren, Michigan, after engaging in sexual contact with a then-15-year-old child. In March 2015, Anthony pled no contest to criminal sexual conduct assault with intent to commit sex penetration based on the 2011 incident. The sentencing court ordered Anthony to register as a sex offender and comply with all conditions of sex offender registration, including a lifelong requirement to verify his address and residency status quarterly with the Michigan State Police. Anthony complied with his registration requirements until August 2016 but not thereafter.
In 2025, Deputy U.S. Marshals located Anthony after he was reported to be residing in a Doraville, Georgia hotel despite not having notified Michigan authorities that he had left the state. Hotel staff confirmed that Anthony was staying at the hotel and provided records showing that he had resided there since at least December 2024. Deputy U.S. Marshals then arrested Anthony after confirming that he had never registered as a sex offender in the State of Georgia.
On July 22, 2026, a federal jury convicted Nicholas Anthony, 41, of Pontiac, Michigan, of failing to register as a sex offender in violation of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., before United States District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson.
This case is being investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Michigan State Police Sex Offender Registry Unit, and the Oakland County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert B. Shapiro, Laurel Milam, and Leanne Marek are prosecuting the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts 13 for Owensboro Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Following Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Following a lengthy investigation by the Louisville Homeland Security Task Force, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on July 15, 2026, charging thirteen Owensboro based men and women as part of a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. All thirteen individuals were arrested this week.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Todd C. Smith of the DEA Chicago Field Division and Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Michael Mayfield, 68, of Owensboro, Shawn Pendleton, 29, of Owensboro, Andrew Owen, 33, of Owensboro, James Jordan McCarthy, 35, of Owensboro, Brandon Horne, 43, of Owensboro, Rodney Murch, 43, of Owensboro, Timothy Barnes, 67, of Owensboro, Byron Todd Huff, 52, of Owensboro, Brooke Love-Moss, 35, of Owensboro, Gregory Belcher, 65, of Philpot, Jonathan Boone, 41, of Owensboro, Stephan Hill, 63, of Owensboro, and Jeremy Royal, 49, of Owensboro, were all charged with one count of conspiring together and with others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine from November 2025 through July 14, 2026, in Daviess County, Kentucky, and elsewhere.
Additionally, Mayfield was charged with 2 counts of distributing methamphetamine; Owen was charged with 1 count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and Pendleton was charged with 3 counts of distributing methamphetamine and 2 counts of distributing cocaine.
On July 22, 2026, Mayfield, Pendleton, Owen, McCarthy, Horne, Belcher, Boone, and Hill made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Huff and Love-Moss are scheduled to make initial appearances on July 23, 2025. Murch and Royal will make initial appearances at a future date. Detention hearings are scheduled to take place before a U.S. Magistrate Judge beginning July 27, 2026. If convicted, each of the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Unfortunately dope dealers in Daviess County, Kentucky, have not taken heed of previous federal drug trafficking indictments that resulted in substantial sentences. As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today, this drug trafficking organization operated for nearly nine months, distributing methamphetamine onto the streets of Owensboro, until they were taken down in a sweeping law enforcement operation conducted in the early morning hours of July 22. Now, because of tremendous work by the Owensboro Police Department, the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department, and the federal agents comprising Louisville’s Homeland Security Task Force, our Office is positioned to hold each of these defendants accountable for the methamphetamine they allegedly pushed into Daviess County. Neither this office nor or federal, state, or local law enforcement partners will stop until drug traffickers learn that Daviess County is closed for business.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Evansville Resident Office, the FBI Owensboro Resident Office, the Owensboro Police Department and the Owensboro-Daviess County Drug Task Force with assistance from IRS-CI, the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, HSI Bowling Green Office, Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Mark Yurchisin are prosecuting the case with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Aaron Cooper.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Louisville comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, and IRS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fallbrook Woman Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Year Fraud Against Customers of Her Porsche Restoration and Resale BusinessRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Fallbrook business owner Andrea Nicole Doherty was sentenced in federal court today to 21 months in prison for defrauding customers of her former Porsche restoration and resale business and pocketing more than $827,000.
“She took customers for a ride. Today, justice brought the trip to an end,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
"Ms. Doherty’s long-running fraud was a deliberate scheme that exploited her customers’ trust and left her victims with significant financial losses,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue anyone who chooses deception over lawful business practices through close coordination with investigative partners, such as the California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigation, who worked this case side by side with FBI agents. Today’s sentence demonstrates that if you defraud consumers, you will be found, investigated, and held fully accountable.”
In her plea agreement, Doherty, 38, admitted that she took over CPR Classic from her father after his death in 2021. Doherty did business as CPR Classic, which was never registered as a corporation or a limited liability company, restoring classic Porsches and selling them on consignment from its storefront in Fallbrook. In December, Doherty pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, relating to three specific vehicles sold on consignment by the defendant through CPR Classic.
During 2022 and 2023, Doherty sold a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa to two different buyers, accepting payment from both without informing or paying the seller. The seller eventually transferred the vehicle’s title after receiving a check from Doherty, which bounced when he attempted to cash it.
In February 2023, Doherty admitted that she agreed to sell a 1972 Porsche 911S for its owner. She found a buyer the next day who wired her $280,000 within a week. Although this buyer received the vehicle, Doherty did not transfer legal title and admitted that she had not used the wired funds to pay the seller. Instead, in October 2023, Doherty sold the vehicle again to another buyer, who wired her $275,000, part of which she used to pay the seller, who then transferred title to the October 2023 buyer, unaware of the February 2023 sale.
Also in 2023, Doherty admitted that she sold a 1983 Porsche 930T Slantnose on consignment for $130,000, without telling (or paying) the owner. To complete the sale, Doherty forged the seller’s signature on the transfer of title document. More than a year later, this buyer contacted the vehicle’s owner, who then learned that his car had been sold and delivered to the buyer despite still being listed as available for sale on the CPR Classic website.
CPR Classic’s vehicle dealer license was suspended by the California Department of Motor Vehicles in September 2024, and it ceased operations soon thereafter.
As a part of her plea agreement, Doherty agreed to pay restitution not only to her five victims but also to more than 50 additional former CPR Classic customers. By the time of her sentencing, she had agreed to make restitution to additional former customers who came forward after her guilty plea.
At the sentencing hearing this afternoon, U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler ordered Doherty to pay restitution to 66 individuals in the total amount of $9,951,763.04.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4683-AGS
Andrea Nicole Doherty Age: 38 Fallbrook, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 (three counts)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigations
Erie Resident Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 150 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of possessing child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Michael Thomas Pritchard, 49, on July 23, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, while on parole for a series of Pennsylvania child exploitation convictions, Pritchard was found to be in possession of hundreds of digital images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, Erie Police Department, and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pritchard.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.